Star Wars Unisystem

STARSHIPS

RULES

     This section explains certain terms used in the descriptions and introduces the Scale and Size Tables.

Scale Table
   The conversion from other systems is far from smooth and some inconsistencies do creep in, especially in the damage and armor categories. A properly Unisystem-scaled setting conversion might overcome this problem, but since we I don't have that, I tried to fix most of the problems with the Scale Table imported from the WEG version of the game. All weapons and possible targets belong to one of the classes in the table. To find the appropriate adjustment, find the class of the attacker in the left most column and cross-index it with the target's class in the upper row. The number you find is the adjustment, either a multiplier or a divisor. If it is a multiplier, multiply the damage by it before reducing for armor or any other kind of protection. If it's a divisor, divide the damage. Example: If a character with a blaster pistol were to fire at a speeder bike and roll 12 points of damage, these would be divided by 2, for 6 points, 5 of which would be absorbed by the bike's AV (firing at the bike's driver would require no scale adjustment). On the other hand, a starfighter firing at the same speeder bike (tough day, huh?) and rolling 50 points of damage, would actually do 250 points to the bike (if shooting the driver, that would translate to 500 points).

     Of course, this table doesn't take into account the difference in size for hitting and dodging. I haven't found a way to do it smoothly, so just use common sense. The character firing at the speeder bike would probably get no bonuses, since it's aproximately the same size as a human (okay, you might give him a +1 or +2). The starfighter should definitely get some penalties for firing at the bike (Very Difficult roll, maybe) and at a person (Heroic at least, if trying to hit a specific person, unless strafing, which I would consider as suppressive fire).

Size Table
   The Size Table is an attempt to translate the size differences between ships into modifiers to the attack roll. Find the ship's length (or its greatest dimension) in the table and look up its Size in the first column. Starfighters are always Size 2. Space Transports start at 2 and go up from there. Capital Ships can be as small as Size 3, but are usually larger, reaching Size 12+. Size differences divided by two and rounded down are the modifiers (positive or negative) that ships have when firing at each other. For example: An Imperial Star Destroyer (Size 12) has a tough time shooting at those pesky little fighters (Size 2). Imperial gunners have a -5 penalty, but the fighters pilots have +5 ([12-2]/2 = 5).

     Some Capital Ships carry Starfighter Scale weapons. These weapons are installed to provide protection from fighter attacks, since the large turbolaser batteries, designed to fire at large, slow capital ships, have great difficulty hitting small, fast fighters (like in the example above). When firing with these Starfighter Scale weapons, a Capital Ship should be considered as a Size 2 ship for calculating Size difference penalties and bonuses.

Note: This table is part of the larger Starship Size Table found in the free e-sourcebook Spacedock: The Advanced Starship Combat and Construction Manual, written by Steven S. Long for Last Unicorn Games' Star Trek: The Next Generation Role-Playing Game. This e-sourcebook was published and freely distributed by the TrekRPG.net site, but they seem to have gone offline.

Terminology

     Below you will find a list of the terms used in the ship descriptions. The ones described here are the ones specific to the Unisystem. Others, like Hyperdrive and Consumables, have the exact same meaning as in other systems.

• Crew Values: Typical skill levels for pilots and gunners of a given ship. The number in parenthesis represents the total values when to Dexterity (Handling and accuracy have been taken into account).
• Handling: The maximum amount of Dexterity that can be added to a Driving/Piloting Task.
• Speed: Space speed in generic units per second. Atmospheric speed lists speed in meters (yards) per second and kilometers per hour.
• Toughness: The general ruggedness of the ship. Functions like Constitution and can vary from 1 to 6, with some large ships having 7.
• Hull: The first number is the Armor Value (AV), the amount of damage the ship can absorb. The second number is Damage Capacity (DC), the amount of damage the ship can sustain before being destroyed. Damage greater than the AV is applied to the DC.
• Shield: The first number is the Armor Value (AV), the amount of damage the shield can absorb. The second number is Damage Capacity (DC), the amount of damage the shield can sustain before collapsing. Damage greater than the AV is applied to the DC. Shields regenerate 10% of their maximum DC per minute, unless damaged.
• Sensors: Range (in Space units) and maximum amount of Perception tha can be added to Sensors Tasks in different modes.
• Accuracy: The maximum amount of Dexterity that can be added to a Gunnery Task (I changed this a bit from the original [AFMBE p.117] in that advanced vehicles like these ships shouldn't have an upper limit on the gunner's Dexterity, because I believe this better reflects the setting and strengthens the differences between the models.).
• Weapons: The number and type of a ship's weapons.

ASTROGATION

     This section complements the Astrogation skill in the Characters section. These modifiers should be taken into account when making an Astrogation Task. Plotting a course takes 12 Turns and an Astrogation Task.
     The percentual modifiers for travel time should cancel each other directly. Unless you really want to calculate everything, just assume that increases and decreases will cancel each other. For example: if the characters choose an infrequently traveled route, which add 50% to travel time, but get 3 Success Levels, earning a 25% reduction, assume that the trip takes 25% more time.

Task Modifiers

ROUTES
Major, well-traveled routes are safer and allow greater speeds; they are also well-patroled, however. Rebels tend to stick to infrequently and, to a lesser extent, routes that haven't been used in years.

HAZARD ROLL
Even the best mapped hyperspace route will have some kind of unknown navigational hazard once in a while. Eveytime a course is plotted, the Chronicler should roll a D10 and subtract 5, the resulting number is the penalty to the Astrogation Task. This roll is modified by the Hazard Modifier in the Route Table.

SITUATIONAL

HYPERSPACE TRAVEL TIME

* Minimum 1-hour journey

BASE TRAVEL TIME (HOURS)
This table was taken from the d20 book and represents general travel times between the different regions. The D6 version has a table with specific travel times between some of the planets featured in the moovies and the books. I chose this one because it allows more flexibility for adventures with new planets and locations, those created by the Chronicler.

MISHAP
If the Astrogation Task indicates a Mishap, roll a D10 and check this table.

COMBAT

     This section will have some optional rules to increase the complexity of the starship combat.

Maneuvers

• Changing Range: Dexterity + Piloting vs. Dexterity + Piloting. The faster vessel gets the difference in Speed (net Speed) as a bonus. Winner increases/decreases range by net Speed in units multiplied by the net Success Levels (maximum of 5 SL). If one of the pilots is not actively trying to close/distance himself, his opponent can change the range by a maximum of (net Speed x 5) units.
• Dogfighting: Dexterity + Piloting vs. Dexterity + Piloting. The more maneuverable vessel gets the difference in Handling as a bonus. Situational Awareness adds +2; Fast Reaction Time adds +1. Winner gets on the target’s "six" (right behind it) .
  

Sensors/Communications

     This section handles possible actions and other systems which involve a starship's sensor suite and communications system.

• Jamming: By making an Intelligence + Systems Operations, a character can use his ship's comm system to flood the local space with electromagnetic interference. This not only blocks any communication in the area, but also provides sensor cover. However, opponents, while not being able to discern what is in the area, will be sure something is in there. A ship can jam an area equal to the sensors Scan mode area (centered on the character's ship), or concentrate the jamming in one of the fire arcs, like the sensors Search mode area. Any ship inside that area cannot communicate or use sensors, including the character's. Targeting systems' efficiency will decrease significantly due to jamming. Accuracy will be reduced by either the Scan or Search mode bonus (minimum of 0), depending on which type of jamming is being conducted.
• Running Silent: By turning off all major systems, including engines, weapons and shields, and having life support run off power generators, the character increases the difficulty of detecting his ship. A silent running-ship gives a -4 penalty to Systems Operations Tasks to detect it. Running silent for longer than 5 minutes is seldom possible, since life support must be shut down for lack of power.
• Sensor Masks: These are equipment that reduce a ship's emission, making it difficult to detect. A Sensor Mask gives a -2 penalty per point of Strength to System Operations Tasks to detect the character's ship.

Specific Damage

     Starship combat uses generic damage points, but if you want to make things more specific, you can use this system:

• Every time damage gets past a ship’s shields and AV, a D10 must be rolled to determine which system has been hit. Next, a Simple Toughness roll must be madewith a -1 penalty for every 10 full points of damage that get past. Failure indicates the system has been destroyed. From 1 to 3 Success Levels indicate the system has been damaged (knocked out or decreased in efficiency, depending on the system); it must be repaired to be used again. Four Success Levels indicate the system is knocked out for 1 Turn. Five or more Success Levels mean no effect.

Weapon Types

• Ion Cannon: Hitting a ship with an ion cannon is a normal Gunnery (Starship) attack. Once the beam hits (ion cannons ignore shields), a Resisted Simple Test between the target's Toughness and the ion cannon's Strength is rolled. Scale difference affects the ion cannon’s Strength the same way as other weapons’ damage. If the attacker has more Success Levels, the target will have one of its controls (Handling, Accuracy, Damage or Shields) ionized (Handling or Accuracy: -1, minimum 0; Damage: -2 to multiplier; and Shields: -30 points) for 2 Turns. For every extra Success Level beyond the first, another control will be ionized. If the attacker has 5 or more extra Success Levels, all the target’s controls are dead and it can’t do anything (maneuver, fire weapons or use shields) but move in the same direction it was heading before the shot for 2 Turns. Further hits will prolong this time for 2 more Turns per extra Success Level. If the target gets the same number of Success Levels (or more) as the attacker, nothing happens. Ion cannons can only affect ships of its Size+1 or less: a starfighter ion cannon can only affect Size 3 or smaller ships.
• Tractor Beam: Hitting a ship with a tractor beam is a normal Gunnery (Starship) attack. Once the beam hits, a Resisted Simple Test between the target's Toughness and the beam's Strength is rolled. Scale difference affects the tractor beam’s Strength the same way as other weapons’ damage. If the attacker has more Success Levels, the target will move towards it at (1 + Extra Success Levels) units/Turn. If both score the same number of Success Levels, the target will be immobile, neither getting closer nor farther from the attacker. If the target gets more Success Levels, it breaks free from the beam. This Test can be repeated every Turn. Concentrating more than one tractor beam on the same target raises the effective Strength by 1 per extra beam. Tractor beams can only affect ships of its Size+1 or less: a Nebulon-B tractor beam can only affect Size 7 or smaller ships.

CONSTRUCTION

     This one will have the game mechanics to build and improve starships in the Unisystem.

STATS

     The ship stats were divided in three different pages: Starfighters, Space Transports and Capital Ships. These pages were further divided into three sections, one for each Era: Old Republic, Rebellion Era and New Republic.

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