Typically, small vehicles have only one crewmember who does every task. However, vehicles can have multiple crewmembers for different positions (such as a pilot, an engineer, and a gunner). Large vehicles require a number of assistants for every crew position. So, a single engineer position on a scale 6 sailing ship requires 20 assistant engineers who do not make skill checks, but allow the head engineer‚s skill checks to function properly. Gunners never need assistants, although for some weapons one or more loader may be necessary for it to function practically in a combat situation.
Driver or Pilot:
Example 1: In this example, the pilot is flying an Interceptor in an encounter with a pair of Drone Swarmers. The pilot is 3.5km away from the Swarmers. The Interceptor has a move speed of 75m, but the Pilot has Fast (+1 square, or 8m) and Run (5x run speed), so on his first turn, he uses the run action, but decides not to use Afterburners to save on power. This takes his whole turn. He moves 2430m this turn (75m speed +8m [from Fast] all times 5 [from Run] per second for six seconds). This puts him 1070m from the drones. One of them has been modified to fire missiles, and shoots a guided rocket at him. The other fires its autocannon. The pilot deploys flares against the rocket, and attempts to dodge the autocannon rounds. Fortunately, he is successful.
In his second turn, the pilot uses Cruise to continue moving towards the Drones for 2 seconds, while he Aims his railgun. This moves him another 830m towards the drones, putting him 240m away „which is in the guns‚ second range increment. Fortunately, having aimed, he ignores the range penalty and fires his .50 rail gun. He uses a combo with three attacks, so he shoots one drone once and the other twice. The first drone is takes more damage than its toughness and begins dying, the second drone dodges one and is wounded by the other attack.
Example 2: In this example, the pilot is an inexperienced pilot but skilled fighter in a Charon assault mech battling a forest troll. The combatants are 10m away from eachother.
The pilot, nervous to close with the troll, opens by emptying his wrist-mounted PDW. His combo normally allows him three attacks, and the PDW runs dry in two. The Pilot has a +0 Pilot skill and is not proficient with light mechs, so takes a -1 improficient penalty. He normally has a +2 ranged skill modifier, but uses his lower pilot skill. His total attack bonus is +2 (-1 improficiency, -1 scale, +2 for point defence weapon, +2 for auto 2, +0 from skill). The pilot ignores the Charon‚s normal -1 mobility penalty because he has the Armour: Skirmisher technique. The forest troll has target 3, so the pilot hits both times. The troll lacks lightning reflexes, so cannot dodge the bullets. The pilot rolls 11 and 14 for damage, so wounds twice (the troll has toughness 18/12, but the PDW fires AP1 rounds). He uses his third attack to fire the held Heavy Machine gun, which only has a +0 attack bonus (it isn‚t point defence). The pilot curses as he rolls a 2, his shots went wide. He tosses the gun aside and draws his mighty Ogre Sword in his remaining 2 seconds.
The troll, enraged by the bullets, closes the distance to the armoured vehicle (2 seconds of movement moves him 8m closer to the Charon, bringing the vehicle within reach of the troll‚s claws). The troll then uses ROAR (charge, two attacks, Massive Damage). The troll rolls 5 and 2, so he hits the Charon (target 3) once, and misses with the other. The troll rolls 1d8 + 8 for damage, getting a 15 on a lucky roll of 7. The Charon is wounded as the claws rake the tough cerametal plating.
On his second turn, the pilot slashes the troll three times with his Ogre Sword. The pilot isn‚t a trained swordsman, but the improficiency penalties with the vehicle and the weapons don‚t stack. The pilot has +1 weapon skill, but is hampered by his +0 pilot bonus. His total attack modifier is -2 (+0 skill, -1 improficient, -1 scale). Of his three attacks, he only hits once. The mech‚s servos awkwardly respond to his clumsy commands, and he deals a mighty 15 AP2 damage with the diamond-edged blade. The troll is wounded.
Commander/Captain: The captain can make Charisma checks to inspire the crew, Intimidate checks on the crew of other vehicles (if you have open channels of communications), persuasion checks to negotiate with the enemy, and ingenuity checks to try to gain a tactical advantage.
If each character has their own ship, they should all be captains, and control all the NPCs under their command.
If the party all are in the same ship, the Captain can double as another roll ƒ especially the Pilot, who doesn‚t do a lot in large vessels (due to massive mobility and size penalties), or a Gunner.
Regardless of rank, PCs should probably not be ordering other PCs around on a regular basis.
Gunner:
Loader: Some weapons are best suited for use with a loader. The loader can reload a weapon in-between attacks from the gunner. Loaders typically have the Rapid Reload technique, and are often gunners-in-training.
Engineering: many larger vessels carry multiple engineers, and smaller ones often don't carry any.
Every attack the weapon makes costs 1 pp. Disabling this modification is a 2SA. The same weapon can have multiple modifications, but each of a different type. PP costs stack.
Round |
DC |
Damage/ Toughness increase |
PP cost per attack/ Turn |
Overheat Roll (D20) | |
-1 (overcharge) |
10 |
+1 |
1 |
0 | |
1 |
11 |
+2 |
3 |
2 | |
2 |
12 |
+3 |
6 |
4 | |
3 |
13 |
+4 |
10 |
6 | |
4 |
14 |
+5 |
15 |
8 | |
5 |
15 |
+6 |
21 |
10 | |
6 |
16 |
+7 |
28 |
12 | |
7 |
17 |
+8 |
36 |
14 | |
8 |
18 |
+9 |
45 |
16 |
ECO (Electronic Communications Operator): On smaller vessels, this role is sometimes combined with the Commander and/or Engineer. Larger vessels frequently have multiple ECOs. Two ECOs cannot use the same sensors or other equipment at the same time, so vehicles with multiple ECO positions often have multiple sensor or radar devices. The primary skill for an ECO is Science (Computers and Electronics)
Vehicles:
Check Result |
Information Received |
4 |
Ship scale, number and class of weapons (one heavy and three light, for example), armour (light, medium, or heavy) |
5 |
Ship Design,* Skeleton and armour composition, move speed, strength |
6 |
Power source, exact weapon stats, ship name (if it has one, otherwise, it simply gives it a computer-generated ID code and can recognize it if later encountered)â“ |
7 |
Toughness, shields toughness |
8 |
Sensors and communication systems |
9 |
Presence and number of living creatures onboard |
10 |
Position of all living creatures onboard |
11 |
Number of wounds, remaining power points, and general condition of the ship |
12 |
Species of all living creatures onboard |
13 |
Full abilities and statistics of the vehicle, as if you had its stat sheet. Also, condition of all living creatures onboard. |
14+ |
Weak Point: crew can make called shots to the weak point with -2 attack penalty and -4 toughness, and virtually anything else you could want to know about the vehicle. |
*If this vehicle has been encountered before, the ship‚s computers tell you all known information. If the vehicle is common, then the database will generally include all information up to DC 8. â“ If the individual vehicle is on the database, it will also tell you: manufacturer, captain‚s name, allegiance, employer, and other data. |
Planet:
Check Result |
Information Received |
4 |
Planet scale, distance from star |
5 |
Planet gravity, Name* |
6 |
Planet‚s atmospheric content, map of planet‚s geography, average temperature |
7 |
Presence and general type of life (flora, fauna, or microbial only „ does not tell you whether the fauna is sentient or not) |
8 |
Location of major artificial structures |
9 |
One planetary feature. Every point higher than 9 tells you one more planetary feature. â“ |
10 | |
11 | |
12 | |
13 | |
14+ |
Anything else about the planet you could want to know |
*If it has been given one. This result will also tell you all known data about the planet from the database â“ from the planetary features chart, such as unstable magnetic poles or tectonics |