Starship Combat
I use a very simple starship combat system. It's not very accurate but
it's fast and as long as the players don't know I'm playing it mostly
off the cuff they stay excited. The basic idea is that everyone gets to
roll each turn, find a way to keep all the players involved and
possibly making decisions. Keep it exciting but don't get the
characters killed.
Consoles
Helm: Used
for maneuvering
Tactical: To fire weapons
Engineering: Shields, Power, Repair
Sensors: For aiming
Command: To coordinate ship, Command can take
over
any other console at a -1 penalty.
If there are more people other possible consoles are Communications,
Medical, Security, Transporters.
Power
The ship has 6 points of power, normally divided into: Maneuvering,
Weapons, Shields, Sensors, Life Support/Other, Reserve. It only takes
one point to fully power the system. The reserve point can be used to
reinforce one system. Power from Life Support or other systems can be
used to reinforce another system (normally I only let them siphon Life
Support in emergencies). Each extra point of power gives a +1 to the
applicable skill rolls (for shields it brings up shield reinforcement).
Engineering can be used to get an extra point of power (target is
7/10/13, depending on damage taken so far).
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Combat
The five major consoles each get a roll.
Base to hit is 7 + dodge roll (helm roll with 4/7/10/13 being +1, 2, 3,
4).
Helm can be used for attack or defense, not both. Sensors can be used to
target enemy ship (roll 7/10/13 for +1, 2, 3). Sensors can also be used
to
target specific locations (difficulty up to the GM). Helm used for
attack is same as Sensors. Helm can also be used to get at a weak
shield or protect a
strong shield. If used this way it's an opposed roll versus the other
ship if
the other ship is trying to oppose you.
Command can be used to reroll any other roll, after the fact, at a -3
penalty.
Alternatively, the rolls can be opposed rolls versus the enemy ship.
An exact hit is about 10% shield strength, +10% per +2 points the
attack roll is made by. (Alternatively I use about 33% per hit, 50% if
the attack roll
was really good, for combats that last 3-6 rounds). Shield
reinforcement returns
+30% to shield strength. Shields can be shifted front/back at a 2-1
ratio. (For both
of the last two items, have Engineering make a roll to keep them in the
game).
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