Space Combat

Maneuverability Class (MC)

Maneuverability Class is how quickly a ship can turn or navigate in combat. This gives a base bonus that is added to the total Maneuverability Bonus of a ship.

While a ship can have any number as a Maneuverability Bonus (based on ship upgrades and crew), ships have a base MC as listed below.

MC Base Maneuverability BonusMax Turns per Hex
A+43
B+23
C02
D-22
E-41
F-61

Maneuverability Bonus (MB)

A ship’s full Maneuverability Bonus is Base Maneuverability Bonus (BMB) + Crew Rating + Ship Upgrades = MB

Armor Value (AV)

A ship’s Armor Value is the amount of damage it negates. It is based on the base ship material and the armor plating.

MaterialBase AVNotes
Wood5Standard construction
Ironwood8Dense magical hardwood, common among dwarves and wealthy merchants
Elfwood10Living enchanted wood, light and resilient
Tritium14Ancient Eldar alloy, extremely rare
UpgradeAV BonusMB PenaltyCargo
None+000
Light Plating+1-1-5%
Heavy Plating+2-2-10%
Reinforced Plating+3-3-15%

Encounter Distance

Ships are large and can be seen easily in space, unless they are camouflaged or trying to hide.

A Spot skill check is used to determine if the ship is seen or not based on the modifiers below.

Bonuses vs. being spotted:

The ship is moving fast-5%
Ship’s coloring matches its environment-10%
Hiding behind or in a larger mass-20%
Ship is smaller than 20’-10%
Using shadows from a nearby star-5%

Tactical Movement

Each hex on a tactical map is 500 feet. A round of combat in space is the same as a standard round – six seconds.

Ship’s Initiative

One initiative roll is made for the entire ship, and this roll is made every round. This roll is modified by the Maneuverability Bonus of the ship.

If the roll is tied between two ships, the ship with the better MB wins. If the roll is still tied, the ship with the more skilled helmsman wins. If tied even then, the ship going faster wins. Ties are avoided as much as possible as who acts first can make a major difference in a battle.

Once the battle reaches the stage of boarding, the standard individual initiative system can be used for these combats – this initiative system is for actions by the ship as a whole.

Long Range Combat

This mostly involves ship’s weapons, which work differently in wildspace to how they do when used in an atmosphere and (for example planetary) gravity. Catapults are direct fire weapons, as are all ship’s weapons (unless mounted on a turret). However, a minimum range is still used for catapults, which means that they cannot be shot at ships in the same hex.

Ship combat is Base Attack Bonus of gunner vs Ship AC.

Quick Load 

Each large weapon has a quick reload and fire rating. A weapons crew each rolls a cooperative DEX roll. If its a success, the weapon is reloaded immediately. Different weapons have different difficulties for quick loading. 

Only players can fast load a large weapon, NPC ships fire at the base rate of the weapon. 

Called Shot 

A weapon crew can make a called shot at sails, personnel, or rigging at a penalty. The helm cannot be targeted in this way unless it is on an open deck. When a called shot hits specific parts of a ship, there are specific consequences.

Hull: The ship takes normal HP damage.

Sails (difficult to hit): A direct hit from a called shot or spell to sails does normal HP damage to the ship. If it is over 10 points of damage in one hit, the sails are damaged and the ship moves at 1/2 speed. Once damaged, they can not be damaged further and must be repaired before returning to normal function.

Rigging (difficult to hit): A direct hit from a called shot or spell to rigging does normal HP damage to the ship. If rigging takes over 10 points of damage in on hit, they are damaged and batteries charge at 1/2 speed and the ship’s MB is halved. Once damaged, they can not be damaged further and must be repaired before returning to normal function.

Personnel (difficult to hit): If personnel are targeted, then the ship suffers no damage, but one of the crew will take the full damage.

Ship Weapons (difficult to hit): If ship weapons are targeted then the ship suffers no damage but the targeted weapon will take the full damage.

Runework (very difficult to hit): A direct hit from a called shot or spell to runework does normal HP damage to the ship. If a ship takes any damage to its runework, the ship’s gravity and speed take damage. The gravity field fluctuates randomly, making it hard to balance and concentrate. All rolls are at -5 while runework is damaged. The ship also suffers -5 to Tactical Speed.

Navigator Spellcasting

A navigator can cast spells while piloting the ship. Due to the immense power of the ship, these spells have a longer range – x3 the standard range. 

Movement and Pilot Skill – Giving Chase

If a ship tries to flee battle, the ship speed is the main factor. Skill challenges can also give bonuses.

Ramming

If two ships occupy the same hex, one may choose to ram the other. This is resolved based on the initiative of the ship. 

Resolving a ramming action is through a Heroic Action between helmsmen. They use their Acrobatics skill as a bonus.

A successful ram deals 1d6 damage per ton of the ramming ship and one random special hit.

Ramming Special Hits

Roll     Result
  1      x2 Damage
  2      Random Deck Crew Knocked Unconscious
  3      Random Interior Crew Knocked Unconscious
  4      Ship Shaken
  5      Large Weapon Damage
  6      Random Deck Crew Injury 2d6
  7      Hull Holed
  8      Maneuverability Loss -1
  9      x3 Damage
10      Ship Shaken
11      Fire
12      Loss of SR -1
13      Random Deck Crew Injury 2d6
14      Large Weapon Damaged
15      Ship Shaken
16      Hull Holed
17      Maneuverability Loss
18      x3 Damage
19      Loss of 1 SR
20      Helmsman Shock (1d6 damage and 2 levels of fatigue)

Boarding

This can normally only be attempted if the two (or more) ships are in the same hex, and typically they end up side-by-side (unless ramming is involved). 

To successfully grapple a ship for boarding, the ship attempting it must be successful at a 3-roll skill challenge. If both ships are moving at full speed, the skill check is difficult. If the defending ship is moving at half speed (due to sails or rigging being disabled) the skill check is average. If the defending ship is not moving, the skill check is easy.

Facing

When attacking a ship you need to ensure that the ship is in the firing arc of the weapon(s) you wish to use, and preferably they do not have any weapons that they can bring to bear on you. 

Maneuvering

There are many ways to run a StarBorn ship combat. Using one or more battle mats, which may be marked with a hexagonal (preferred) or square grid is one option. A narrative approach where you and the enemy try to gain a tactical advantage is another. A third is a mixture of the two, where various maneuvering rolls are made to attempt to get in a preferred position with regard to the enemy.

A non-combat situation may also involve some difficult maneuvering, such as coming into dock, or docking with a larger ship, or most difficult, piloting the ship with a dangerously confined space, which twists and turns.

The way maneuvering is handled, if there is not an opposing helmsman, is to assign Difficulty Classes to the various tasks. If the helmsman is not under pressure they can add +10 to their roll.

This is an acrobatics roll for the helmsman.

Task                                 Difficulty
Activate navigator’s helm           Easy
Dock ship, e.g. at an asteroid dock  Average

Dock with larger ship                Average
Dock with equal-sized ship           Average
Dock with smaller ship               Difficult

Dock with a hostile ship Difficult

Maneuver in limited space            Difficult
Maneuver in confined space           Very Difficult