VEHICLES
Characters in
Vehicles
Characters onboard a vehicle
can take on many roles which determine the actions they may take to impact the
operations of that vehicle. Characters may fill many roles at once, as with a
single-person starfighter, while larger vehicles may have thousands of
crewmembers. Characters can change their role on a vehicle’s crew from round to
round during action scenes, but only if they can access the specific position
onboard associated with that role (if there is one).
Pilot
The pilot controls a vehicle’s
movement. Most vehicles can only be piloted from one location and position. There
can only be one pilot controlling a vehicle at a time.
Copilot
The copilot usually occupies
the same location as the pilot, but must be able to see the front of the
vehicle and communicate with the pilot in any case. Copilots can use the aid
standard action to assist the pilot or participate in Team Checks.
Gunner
If a vehicle has weapons, a
gunner can operate any of those which are not controlled by the pilot directly.
Each individual vehicle weapon may only have one gunner.
Commander
A vehicle can have one
commander who oversees operations, coordinates the crew, and organizes team
checks.
System Operator
A systems operator manages one
or more of the vehicles features (such as sensors and communications) or other
effects not related to weapons or maneuvering (such as shields). In large
vehicles these systems are under separate control while in smaller vehicles
there may be just one systems operator. The duties of a systems operator fall
to the pilot or copilot in small vehicles.
Engineer
The vehicle’s engineer monitors
the vehicle’s power usage. Sometimes an engineer will be required to shut off
power to a damaged system to prevent a drain on other systems or divert power
of to a damaged system. The engineer also manages repairs either during or
after action scenes.
Support Crew
Some vehicles have many other
crewmembers including medical and security personnel. During action scenes,
these individuals may be able aid to another crew member or carry out repairs.
Passengers
Non-crewmembers present on a
vehicle are passengers. Passengers typically have no role in the vehicle
operation, but may be free to act on their own accord while onboard. Passengers
may be asked (or volunteer to) fill in for crewmembers if needed.
Vehicle
Actions
Aid and Team Checks
Vehicles moving in formation
may be able to make maneuver checks as a Team
Check by
following the lead vehicle. A maneuver failure in that case has potentially
disastrous consequences. Crew members capable of taking the same action can
also aid one another in doing so.
Control
When a control check is called
for, the pilot makes a DC 15 Vehicles skill check. Only one
control check is made each round per vehicle. If situations calling for a
control check mount, every additional control check that would have been called
for instead increases the check DC by +5. Open terrain (such as sky or space)
modifies the control check DC by -5, while tight terrain (like areas of dense
forest or heavy traffic) adds +5 to the DC.
If the pilot’s control check
fails, the vehicle crashes into an obstacle (or possibly another vehicle,
depending on the situation). The vehicle and the obstacle (and any occupants of
either) suffer damage equal to the Speed rank of the fastest
moving vehicle. Add +1 to the effective damage rank for collision with another
vehicle, +1 per difference in size category to the smaller vehicle, +2 ranks
for two degrees of failure on the control check, +5 ranks for three or more
degrees of failure. For vehicles moving in the same direction, subtract the
lower speed rank from the higher to get the effective speed rank of the crash.
Occupants make Dodge checks against a DC of (Damage rank + 10) to suffer half
damage from the crash.
An air or space vehicle may
stall on a failed control check if there is no hard terrain or other obstacle
to crash into. The pilot can restart the vehicle with a successful Vehicles
skill check (DC equal to the control check).
Operate Vehicle
The pilot operates the vehicle with
a move action each round but only difficult maneuvers require a check. If
no one is controlling the vehicle by using at least a move action, the vehicle
goes out of control
Operate Vehicle Weapons
Crew taking a gunner position
can make attacks with their vehicle weapon as a standard action. Multiple
gunners on the same vehicle can provide supporting fire to each other or the
pilot (if the vehicle has a pilot operated weapon), effectively allowing for a Team
Check.
Repair
When
vehicles are damaged during an action scene, characters may need to make jury-rigged
repairs or divert emergency power from one vehicle system to another. This is
generally a Technology
skill check with the DC based on the severity of the damage and/or the
complexity of the system, as chosen by the gamemaster. As with any jury-rig
attempt, repairs or any other effects only last until the end of the scene.
Vehicle
Combat
Attack
You can make attacks normally
from any vehicle that does not provide Total Cover.
Charge
A vehicle charge is often
referred to as an attack run, but is otherwise unchanged from the charge
standard action.
Dogfight
You attempt to start a dogfight
with a target air or space vehicle within one size category of yours. Make a
close attack check against the target. If successful, the target makes a
resistance check against your Vehicles skill (or the rank of a
grabbing effect) using the target’s Vehicles skill with a +2 bonus. If
you win with one degree of success, the target is engaged in the dogfight with
you in close pursuit. The target becomes vulnerable and is treated as immobile
relative to you and any other active combatants. In reality your vehicles
continue to move as the opposing pilot tries to shake pursuit and the
environment may change accordingly. Two or more degrees of success tighten your
position relative to your opponent who becomes defenseless and impaired in
addition to remaining (relatively) immobile.
You can attempt to improve an
existing position with another dogfight action on a following turn. Any
resulting degrees of success are cumulative, but if you lose, the target
escapes.
Your vehicle is hindered and
vulnerable while engaged in pursuit with an opponent. You can maintain your
position with a free action each turn, but cannot perform any vehicle maneuvers
while doing so except an action that targets the engaged opponent. You can
choose to inflict your vehicle’s weapon damage on your target as a standard
action without the need for an attack roll, however you have no chance to score
a critical hit when doing so.
You can attempt to force an
engaged opponent to move in a direction of your choice while you move in
pursuit. The target makes a Vehicles skill check against the routine
check result of your Vehicles skill. If it fails, the target moves
forward in any direction of your choice with up to a 45 degree adjustment in
direction with you directly behind. If the flight path you choose includes any
obstacles, first the target and then you must each make a maneuver check to
avoid them. If the target resists, you are immobilized (relative to active
combatants) that turn unless you disengage from the dogfight.
You can end a dogfight as a
free action. If you are unable to take the free action maintain your position,
the target disengages automatically. A target can attempt to escape from a dogfight
as a move action. The engaged opponent makes a Vehicles skill check against the
routine check result of your Vehicles skill or grab effect
rank. If your opponent succeeds, they disengage from the dogfight and can move
away up to their Vehicle’s speed minus one rank.
Any attacks targeting a vehicle
engaged in a dogfight, or made by a gunner on such a vehicle, take a -5
circumstance penalty. While firing into a dogfight, a failure by two or more
degrees hits the other vehicle instead (at the gamemaster’s discretion).
Evasive Action
The pilot of a vehicle can use evasive
action by taking a standard. The pilot’s Vehicles skill check (modified by the
Defense modifier for the vehicle's size) replaces the vehicle’s defense that
round.
Targeting Occupants
Vehicle occupants usually have cover
and concealment.
Enclosed vehicles provide total cover and usually provide total concealment
unless the occupant is in full view of a window. Cover and concealment provided
by vehicles can be reduced as the vehicle sustains damage at the gamemaster’s
option.
Vehicle Maneuvers
Pilots can use nearly combat
maneuver with vehicles they pilot. In addition, the pilot (or gunners) can
usually benefit from any Advantages
they possess when making an associated maneuver with a vehicle or vehicle
weapon. For example, the Accurate Attack
Advantage
comes into
play “when you make an accurate attack” so this Advantage applies to accurate attacks
made with a vehicle weapon.
Keep in mind that other types
of advantages may or may not interact with vehicles. For example the Evasion
Advantage
gives you “a
+2 circumstance bonus to Dodge resistance checks to avoid area
effects”. The circumstance bonus only applies to your resistance and would not
affect any resistance check made for the vehicle, even if you are the pilot.
Vehicle Damage
Vehicles suffer the normal –1
cumulative penalty to Toughness checks when failing a damage
resistance check by one degree. In addition, vehicles accrue an amount of stress equal to the total value of that
penalty. Each point of stress causes
either a –1 penalty to checks involving the vehicle or the loss of a feature or
one character point worth of capability. A vehicle failing a damage resistance
check by three degrees is wracked and
no longer functions. A vehicle that is wracked while moving drops one speed rank each round until it comes
to a stop. The pilot cannot attempt any maneuvers except a 45 degree turn. Any wracked vehicle is in danger of
breaking apart and wracked water
vehicles may begin to sink slowly. A vehicle failing a damage resistance check
by four or more degrees is wrecked
and destroyed.
Vehicles with the durable
modifier still function while wracked but
suffer a -1 penalty to speed rank. Durable vehicles continue to function until
failing a Toughness check by four or more
degrees, just like characters and at that point they are wrecked, but can still be repaired. A durable vehicle that fails a
resistance check against Damage
while wrecked is destroyed.
Repairing Damage
Repairing vehicle damage requires
the proper tools and a hangar, repair bay, shipyard, or similar facility. In
some circumstances, it may be possible to create a makeshift repair facility,
particularly if the location includes salvage or wreckage from other vehicles.
Otherwise, the best any character can hope to accomplish is a jury-rigging. In
any case, characters without the proper tools suffer a –5 circumstance penalty repair
checks. Repairing minor damage like a Toughness penalty or stress is a simple check (DC 15) and
usually has a time rank of 10 (2 hours), repairing a wrecked vehicle
is a complex check (DC 25) and usually has a time rank of 14 (24 hours).
Destroyed vehicles cannot be repaired, but can be rebuilt (see Building) if enough of the wreckage
remains. If salvage from a vehicle is used and the Building check fails, the salvaged materials
are ruined.
No comments:
Post a Comment