Carved out of a dense metallic asteroid
in the aomewhere in the Avnet Sabra, this installation pushes the edge
of spacefaring military technology.
Systems/Rules in active playtesting are
in blue.
Systems/Rules believed to be balanced
and validated are in green.
Systems/Rules with known balance problems
are in red.
General Note: Some of the following rules
alter die rolls. Rerolls only on natural 6. Unless a natural 1 would hit,
all rolls of 1 miss, regardless of bonus.
Credid for all Icons goes to Charles Stanley
Taylor
Stealth Tech
Stealth
Hull [Still in Active Playtesting]
- , or
Comes in 2 levels and makes a ship harder to hit. Mass same as partial
and full streamlining, cost 3points/mass. Stealth level 1 reduces enemy
range bands by 1/4 Stealth level 2 reduces range bands by 1/3. Includes
vs. Fighter , SML, and PDS (i.e. fighters bust be within 5” or 4” to attack,
SMLs must be within 5” or 4” to acquire target, PDS/ADFC anti-ship
or anti-fighter fire only vs targets at 5” or 4”). Enhanced sensors tied
with Firecon reduce stealth level by 1, Special sensors by 2. Stealth also
effects detection. SSD symbol: Black Hexagon next to damage track for each
level. PSB: Special hull construction and materials, sacrificing hull integrity
for reduced sensor profile. Enemy has degraded target acquisition and must
fire sub-optimally to reduced effect. POSSIBLE CHANGE: Stelath Hull
loses effectiveness as it is damaged. Stealth 1 degrades to stealth 0 after
threshold 2. Stealth 2 degrades to 1 at thresh 1, then to stealth 0 at
thresh 3. This is compensated by decrease in cost to 2x Mass.
Stealth System
- or
Mass as screen, cost 3x screen. Level 0.5 (Partial stealth) is 1/5
range band reduction, Level 1 is 1/4, level 2 is 1/3. Stealth systems follow
threshold checks as any other system. Refits can only have stealth
systems. PSB – active ECM system more like the Minbari stealth system in
the B5 universe. Alternative: Die roll modifier -1 to hit.
Weapon Tech
Raking
Fire [Still in Active Playtesting] – For
beam/particle weapons. Die roll is at +1, max damage 1. No rerolls, no
sustained. Screen-1 ignores rolls of 4, Screen 2 has no additional effect
(PSB: raking fire has a greater chance of finding weak spots in screens).
Spread
[Still
in Active Playtesting] – for Torps, SMs. + 1 to hit (or SMs that hit),
reduce damage by 1/3 (round down).
Focused
Fire [Still in Active Playtesting] – Group
multiple batteries (any type) or other groups of like weapons under a single
die roll: roll one die, determine its damage, and multiply with the number
of dice grouped together. Reroll die follows same pattern. Can use with
rake.
Stutter
Torpedo - ,
Pulse torpedo refinements, divides energy from pulse torps into smaller
packets. Stutter-3 (S3) produces 3 shots (a-la Classic Trek torpedo spread).
Stutter-6 (S6) produces six shots (similar to B-5 Pulse Cannons). Damage
per shot is less, but the overall effect of the energy packetization increases
efficiency of damage delivery to target. S3-Torps are approximately 28%
more efficent than regular P-Torps, S6-Torps are 72% more efficient. Table
shows weapon statistics. On the start of a given turn (while writing orders),
S6 Torpedos can be set to Interceptor mode. This takes a dedicated firecon
for each torp so used. Interceptor mode allows the S6-Torp to act as a
PDS in the arcs it faces (all torps can have 3 arcs maximum).
Torp
Type
Abbrev
Mass
Cost
#
shots
Dmg/shot
SSD
Symbol
Pulse
Torpedo
P-Torp
4+1/Arc
4+1/Arc
1
1-6
Standard
P-Torp
Stutter
3 Torpedo
3-Torp
5+1/Arc
7+2/Arc
3
1-2
P-Torp
+3 lines in white part
Stutter
6 Torpedo
6-Torp
6+1/Arc
10+3/Arc
6
1
P-Torp
+6 lines in white part
Ortillery Anti-ship
mode – Ortillery systems can be fired against ships in a limited fashion.
The precision beam batteries, munitions, and particle canons are focused
for very short range, atmosphere-piercing attacks, and their open-space
effects reflect this. Range is 6” in the 180 degree front arc. Damage is
2 beam dice, ignore screens.
Heavy
Needle Beam - Mass
5, Cost 15, one arc only. From 0-12" HNB's act as two normal Needle beams,
targeting the same system on the same ship. If two sixes are rolled vs
Main drive (or any other two-hit system), it is totally destroyed Two sixes
vs. other systems destroy the target, cause 1 point of hull damage, and
then reroll as per normal beams (skipping armor). HNBs can fire a single
normal needle beam die between 12" and 24".
Programmable
PDS Modes - Convert PDS between scenarios to Missile Defense
mode or Fighter Defense Mode, its converse. Modes other than "Standard"
PDS attack More Thrust missiles as "class 1-as PDS". If PDS modes can be
chosen prior to a scenario and is likely to effect the combat, the point
value for PDS/MDS becomes 5/mass. Programmable modes can have a severe
impact on one-off scenarios.
Nannite Torpedo -
A derivative of the Pulse Torpedo, The NT launches a barrage of destructive
Nannites against the target. On each turn after sucessful impact, the nannite
invasion consumes more of the target's armor, hull, and systems in a frenzy
of self-replication. In the damage table the numbers A/B/C... represent
damage done on first, second, and thrid turn, etc. Damage is divided between
Armor and hull, round up for armor, down for hull. Successful Damage Control
roll kills the nannite invasion, making the ship immune to further nannite
attack this combat. Additional Nannite Torpedo hits beyond the first reduce
damage control roll by 1, though a 6 always killls the invasion. Ships
destroyed by nannite attack are completely unsalvageable. Mass, Cost, range
bands, and to-hit are the same as for pulse torps. If hit, roll on the
table below for damage. If the NT is damaged by threshold, there is a 1
in 6 chance that the casing on a torpedo will crack and launch an invation
on the carrying ship (roll on the NT table). *(in table below) Damage is
3/turn for each subsequent turn. SSD Symbol: As P-torp, but th rectancle
is multiply striped instead of half white/half black.
Die
Roll
Damage
1
No effect
2-3
0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 3*
4-5
1 / 2 / 3 / 3*
6
2 / 3 / 3*
Nannite Missile
- Mass 2, Cost 6, Range/Speed
as More Thrust Missile. Effect is a nannite attack on the target ship,
as with Nannite Torpedo. Roll on Nannite table if missile hits. SSD Symbol:
Striped Missile symbol.
Meson Flechette
-
Short range beam-like heavy weapon, Mass 4+1/arc, Cost 12+3/arc Maximum
3 arcs. Damage 0-12" = 6 beam dice, 12-24" 3 beam dice. Cost of Flechette
+2 arcs is the same as for 3 class 2 beams, and has exactly the same power.
SSD Symbol: Beam symbol with an "M" instead of class number.
Weak Arcs -
Larger caliber beams or other wepons may buy additional arcs with reduced
firepower for less mass. For example, a Class 4 beam costs 8 mass+2 per
additional arc (so a 3-arc class 4 costs 12 mass/36 points). Under this
rule, one could buy additional arcs that could only fire as Class 3, and
cost 1 mass. So a Forward Arc class 4 beam could fire FP and FS, but only
as class 3, and cost 10 mass/30 points. This could fit PSB for spinal mounts
or optimum fire arcs. Another example would be a class 3 F-arc that can
fire as class 2 beams in FS and FP for a total cost of 5 mass/15 points.
SSD Symbol: As beam of appropriate size with smaller numbers in additional
arcs showing the effective beam class in that arc.
Planetary
Defense Missile (PDM) -
Mass 2 Cost 6, includes ground launch system. Fixed at one point on planet
surface (pick one clock face as facing). Works as MT missile, but must
spend first turn after lauch traversing atmosphere/gravity well. At start
of second turn, Missile can make up to 1-60 degree turn, and move 24".
Missile can either have a 6-12" reaction move to burn it's last endurance
factor (6" in any direction, 12" in forward 60 degrees), or may move next
turn at 24" and another 60 degree turn. Larger colonies should be able
to manufacture enough of these on their own that only a major task force
would try to take one out from space. Inner colonies and core worlds could
mount a nearly impenetrable defense with < 2000 points of PDM's. Planetary
Defense Salvo Missiles:
Graviton Beam -
(With Dean Gundberg) Each mount fires 1d6 of damage (like EFSB HBW)
with a -1 modifier per each portion of 8" range (0-8" -1, 8-16" -2, 16-24"
-3, 24-32" -4, 32-40" -5), 6's get a re-roll. Each level of screens
on the target ship is a -1 modifer on damage roll (no modifier for screens
on re-rolls). Grav beam penetrates armor after one armor box is hit
(like K-guns). PSB: Grav Beam damages the whole ship by molecular shear.
Mass 4 +1/arc (max 3 arcs), Cost 3pts/mass Symbol: Beam symbol with
a "G" inside.
FireCon Tech
Dedicated
FireCon – If a firecon is dedicated to a single ‘normal’ weapon (i.e.
one that does not already require a dedicated firecon) then each range
band can be increased 25% or +1 added to attack die roll. Each extra firecon
dedicated to any single weapon adds +1 to attack die roll. The Targeting
Lidar is a much better system that provides similar effects.
Sustained
Fire – A single beam weapon that hits (including a hit on shields/screens)
on one turn can sustain fire on the target in the next turn if it remains
in arc and range and a firecon is dedicated to the weapon at the start
of that turn. Sustained fire gives a +2 to attack die rolls. Weapon
rolls threshold check at current level for burnout each consecutive turn
fired unless sustained fire circuitry is installed (+25% cost per weapon)
Long Range Defense
FireCon (LRDFC) – Cost/Mass
as ADFC. Allows higher level batteries to be used in anti-missile/anti-fighter
roles the same way as Class 1 batts can. Each size larger battery requires
a normal firecon in addition to the LRDFC to be used in this mode (i .e.
class 2 batts require LRDFC + 1 firecon, class 3 require LRDFC + 2 firecons).
Firecons and weapons used in antifighter/missile mode cannot be used in
normal modes that turn. Effective range bands are half normal, and, due
to fighter maneuverability and slow weapon bearing, higher class batteries
can only target fighters in the outer range bands (i.e. class 2 at ranges
6-12, class 3 at ranges 12-18, etc.). Each die rolled is as for the class
1-as-PDS rule. Other weapon types can be used in anti-fighter/missile mode
if an extra firecon is dedicated to them. Range bands are halved and damage
dice are the same as above. SSD symbol: ADFC symbol inside a larger bold
box.
Grav Compensation Fire
Control (GCFC) - Specialized fire control focusing system that allows
Aft firing weapons to fire effectively even if Main drive is being used.
All weapons firing through aft arc add 12" to effective range. Cost:
2 Mass, 6 pts. SSD symbol Firecon box with upside-down open triangle.
Can be sused as normal fire control system as well.
Shield/Screen Tech
Gravitic
Shields – Same function as normal screens, but works against particle,
torp, or mass (i.e. RG) weapons/missiles/torpedoes only. Ship with gravitic
shields cannot fire particle weapons/missiles/torpedoes on turns the shields
are active. Fighters treat shields as screens of same level. Cost/mass/levels
are the same as screens. Missiles, SLMs, Torps, receive –2 per die
of damage per shield level (max level is 2). Energy weapons (or other
weapons affected by screens) are not affected by Gravitic Shields.
Alternate effect (cinematic only): Instead of restrictions on firing weapons,
ship with active Gravitic Shields has thrust reduced by 50%.
Mass/Energy Shields
(ME Shield) – Generator:.
Emitters: , , ;
or Trek type shield. System
has emitters and generators generator costs 5% ship mass/level.
Emitters: 360 degree coverage = 3 mass, 180 = 2 mass, 60 =
1 mass. Acts as screen against beam weapons. Reduces other damage by shield
level. If a shield facing receives more damage than its level from a single
source (weapon, not ship), the emitter facing that direction makes a threshold
check at current level.
Damage Shield
-
Generic damage absorption shield. Mass is 2% ship mass per shield point
(1 mass per point minimum), cost is 3 points per Mass. Each shield point
has its own box on the SSD + 1 box for the generator. When damage is taken
from any source over one turn, it is applied to the damage shield first,
until the shield has absorbed as many points as it has boxes. Each box
that absorbs damage rolls a threshold at the current level, and burns out
if it fails (i.e. that box cannot absorb damage on subsequent turns until/unless
repaired). If the Shield is overwhelmed (damge received is greater than
number of functioning shield boxes), then the generator also takes
a threshold check. When a normal threshold due to damage is called for,
each shield box _and_ the generator take another threshold roll.
SSD Symbols: Each shield point is an open diamond, forming a row above
Armor. The Shield Generator is an open octagon at the end of the shield
row.
Engine Tech
Redlined Engines
– Engines can be redlined to produce 33% more thrust than maximum (round
total thrust down). All redlined engines take threshold check (at
current level) before movement.
Evasive
Maneuvers - Reaction to fire. Can be ordered after a ship declares
maneuvering ship as target of weapons. Cost is 2 thrust. Ship turns one
point port or starboard, engines take threshold check. Incoming beam/torp
fire gets –1 mod. Incoming Salvo Missiles are reduced by 1d6/2 (round down).
If maneuvering ship’s weapons have not fired yet, its weapons receive the
same modifiers this turn. Weapon modifier good only against the 1 ship
/ fighter melee / missile attack (can be multiple fighter groups and/or
missile salvoes) that maneuvers are reacting to. Multiple EM's may be allocated
in the same turn, each additional EM's threshold is rolled with an additional
+1 modifier. A thrust 1 ship that does not use its thrust for other purposes
may EM once with a +1 threshold roll.
Afterburners
– Available only on mass 30 and smaller ships. Cost is 1% ship mass per
2 units, round all fractions up, cost 1pt/mass. Each Afterburner unit
is one thrust that can be added on any turn to movement orders. Each unit
used is crossed off the Afterburner. Afterburner thrust is added to normal
thrust, and max turn rate is determined by total. Afterburner as a whole
takes any threshold roll, not each point. If applied thrust exceeds 15
on any turn, each crew unit rolls threshold. Units that fail are crossed
out with their hull box. SSD Symbol: Extra main drive symbol subdivided
into as many boxes as afterburner units.
Short-range Jump
– FTL jump in combat. No main drive thrust turn before or after (turning
is allowed). Takes place just before normal movement. Can jump up to Thrust
*10” in straight line from last turn’s endpoint. Next turn’s velocity is
same as pre-jump turn. Jump error is random direction, 1d6/2*Thrust factor
used, -2 for enhanced sensors, -4 for special sensors. Can’t fire on turn
of jump. FTL Drive and Main drive each take threshold check, FTL will be
off line for the rest of the combat (No FTL disengage).
Shroedinger’s Hammer
Overdrive - Modification to standard FTL, increases cost and mass by
25%. When the SHO is activated, the ship plots 2 different movements. Both
can be anything within normal maneuver capabilities of the ship. Until
the ship acts (fires/launches, active scans, etc) it _is_ in both places
at the same time. When it fires, the probable location collapses into the
single actual location of the player's choice. While it is in its dual
state, it can be fired upon in either location as if it were in both places
at the same time. After probability has collapsed, it is only in the one
location. Effect can sustain for multiple turns, until ship acts on an
external object (scans, fires, launches fighters, etc.). If ship receives
damage while in duality, roll 2d6 at end of turn. A roll of 2 or 12 means
ship vanishes in a probabilistic anomaly, as if it never existed. If FTL
is damaged while in duality, Ship is destroyed. SSD symbol: Double wave
inside FTL drive symbol.
Side-Slip
– Common house rule – allows 2+ point turn to be port then starboard
(or opposite).
Corkscrew
- Like a Roll, but more severe. Cost is 3 thrust. Roll 1 die at end of
turn to determine final roll status of ship: Odd, ship is rolled, even,
ship is "upright". A Corkscrew allows Port and Starboard facing weapons
to fire in _either_ Port or Starboard arcs. To-hit rolls for _all_ weapons
on 'Corking ship receive -1. SM's etc. get -1 or -2 to # missiles that
lock on. 'Corking ships may accelerate and decelerate without penalty,
but if the ship turns, it takes 1 beam die damage (with rerolls) per 20
Mass per point of turn due to stress.
Grav
Backfire - A ship may, instead of writing movement orders, opt to 'backfire'
the grav engines. Backfire automatically gives the Main Drive one threshold
hit, and the ship must immediately roll another (shipwide) threshold at
one higher than the current level. The Backfire damages everything in the
grav wake of the ship.Before movement, determine initial area of effect:
a pie wedge covering the entire aft arc with three damage zones: high,
medium and low extending 1", 2",and 3" per 5 mass of Main Drive behind
the backfiring ship; respectively, round down. Any ship caught in the high
damage zone takes 2 dice of damage (roll = damage) per 5 mass of
Main Drive. Ships in the medium damage zone take half (round down) the
number of dice, and ships in the low damage zone take 1/4. Damage
is applied immediately. Screens have no effect, but damage is all applied
to armor first. The wedge effect disappears before movement begins.
When ships are moved, keep track of the movement of the backfiring ship
and whether other ships cross its wake. Ships crossing the 1"-wide backfire
wake take damage as in the low damage zone of the initial backfire. Ships
with damaged drives may also backfire for half-effect, but if the shipwide
threshold results in another engine hit, the ship is destroyed by a critical
overload. "Advanced" grav engines have additional safeguards and buffers
that prevent backfiring. Fighters/missiles caught in the backfire wedge
are destroyed. Fighters crossing the backfire wake during movement must
spend thier reaction move CEF or be destroyed. Missiles, SMs, and Plasma
Bolts crossing the wake take a number of PD dice equal to the wake strength.
Fighter Tech
Planet-Based
Fighter Group (PBFG) – Same as regular fighter cost, but +39 points
per group for ground-based infrastructure and booster packs to escape planetary
gravity. Fighters require 1 turn to exit planet atmosphere/gravity, then
can maneuver freely. Return to planet costs 1 Endurance, or 0 Endurance
for dead-stick re-entry. If the latter, fighters cannot return to combat
during the scenario.
Stealth
Fighter [Still in Active Playtesting]
- ,
Stealth fighters are +12pts/group and are the same as Heavy fighters except
for PSB (+14 if using LRDFC - LRDFC cannot fire at Stealth fighters).
Super-Stealth (Stealth level 2) fighters cost +36pts/group and act as having
Screen 2 vs. PDS/ADFC/other fighters.
Agile
Fighter - (Also Survivor's
Fighter or Armoured Fighter) Fighters have higher survivability, but lower
damage rates. Better over the full 6 turns of endurance vs. large PDS arrays.
Worse over short term and vs. small PDS arrays. Vs. Ships: each fighter
does 1 pt. damage only on a 6 (+ reroll). Vs. Screened ships, AF's loose
reroll vs. screen 1 or 2. Vs. Fighters: AF's kill 1 on a 6, no rerolls,
but they can force a target group to dogfight rather than attack another
target. Vs. Missiles: AF's kill 1 on a 6 + rerolls. Vs. PB's AF's score
1 hit on a 6. PDS and fighters vs. AF: score 1 hit on a 6, no rerolls.
Interceptors Vs. AF's gain rerolls.
Breakoff/Feint
-
Fighters attacking ships or dogfighting may breakoff their attack. This
occurs after PDS and other anti-fighter weaponry is dedicated, but before
they are fired. Fighters breaking off burn endurance as if they had made
their attack, but do not get to fire their weapons. PDS, Class 1-as-PDS,
and dogfighting fighters vs. Feinting fighters get -1 to their die roll
(and no reroll on natural 6). Interceptors vs. Feinting fighters dogfight
as normal fighters (but no rerolls). Scatterguns and Interceptor Pods get
-2 to their die rolls. Anti-fighter "overkill" (e.g. PDS that scores over
6 pts of damage) cannot be applied to Feinting fighters.
Starburst
Attack - (Ob. The Last Starfighter) Fighter group burns all remaining
(3 minimum) on attack to double its firepower this turn. Roll an extra
PDS die after the attack to see how many fighters are "burned out" by the
attack. After the attack, the group can only move at 12". Starburst Attack
must be declared before PDS is allocated. Starbursting fighter groups can
feint, but still burn 3 endurance
Design Tech
Miniaturization - (From FT list) Systems
take ½ mass and point cost 3x as much.
Maximalization – Systems take 2x mass
and point cost 1/2 as much.