Warships House Rules

Narrative Combat System

I will use a narrative combat system for portraying space battles when in an RPG setting.
(The hex-map based rules may be used in certain situations. If there are very few enemy ships,
or the PC’s each have their own vessel to command, then I may consider trying to use the more
accurate system.)

The narrative combat system functions much like the one described in Warships. I’ve
added some rules below, allowing a PC to make certain types of skill checks during combat. In
addition to these rules, some of the checks from normal Warships combat are included as well. A
pilot may make a Maneuver Check to perform certain actions. But first…some major changes to
the ―narrative‖ combat system—

The Narrative Combat system is many times faster than the Standard Warships rules.
However, they seem to have underdeveloped it and in the process left out a few very important
points. Several questions arise immediately: how do missiles work under this system? What
happens when fighters want to maneuver faster than their carriers or when a battle has more than
2 sides? The need for some major changes is clear.

For the most part, the assumption that all ships remain in formation is a good one. This
is certainly true when large military fleets are engaging one another because every ship in that
formation has a specific mission assigned to it. Destroyers screen the cruisers which screen the
heavy capital ships. The heavy capital ships are the main sluggers that fight it out at long range
with enemy heavy capital ships. Using the hex-map for such an engagement is tedious and
essentially pointless. The only maneuvering on a grand scale is going to be getting to a range
that is optimum for your particular main weapon system. In battles between smaller vessels,
often times there are no real tactics involved, just a simple dogfight. In these battles, the ranges
are short, the speeds are moderate, and the difference between the victor and the dead is often
one of piloting ability and accurate shooting.

The range categories used in Warships are useful for these larger ―task force‖ style
battles, but not as much for the smaller ship-to-ship encounters. Below is a new space combat
system modeled after the new Mongoose Traveller RPG.

Available Systems
Even though the Warships technology tracks make it impossible for humanity to access
mass converter and stealth shield, there is evidence that both of these systems were intended
to be included in the Star*Drive setting. The mass converter is actually listed as humanity’s most
advanced weapon system in the Star*Drive Campaign Setting book, and the stealth shield is
described and used on Star*Drive vessels in older sourcebooks. Therefore, even though both of
these technologies usually require access to M technology, it can be assumed that humanity has
access to them both, and both are used with enough frequency to put them well past an
experimental stage.

Fractional Hull Points and Power Factors

The smallest fraction of hull points recognized in Warships shall be ½ Hull Point. Hull
Points should be rounded to the nearest ½ Hull Point. Power factors shall follow this same rule.

Starships Systems Available

See ―Warships House Systems‖ for information on which, if any, systems from the
Starships supplement are available.
Overpowering Systems in Combat

“Give Me More Power!”

As described in Warships, a PC may use System Operation-engineering to boost a ship’s

power plant (a separate engineer must tend to each power plant, if there is more than one) by
10%/20%/30% for one round. A critical failure overloads the power system for d4 rounds,
causing it to produce 10% of its total output. A failure causes no harm. At the beginning of every
round after the plant is operated beyond its normal limits, another System Operation-engineering
roll must be made with a +1 penalty for every round the plant has been overloaded. A Critical
Failure results in the ship’s power plant exploding as if it had been destroyed by Critical damage.
A Failure results in the ship’s power plant burning itself out completely, as if it had been destroyed
by Mortal damage. An Ordinary success forces a Damage Check or the plant is knocked out. A
Good success forces a Damage Check with a -3 bonus. An Amazing success indicates
everything is fine.

Note that for all overloaded systems, the cumulative +1 penalty dissipates at the same
rate it accumulated. In other words, if a ship’s power plant has been operating over capacity for 3
rounds, it will take 3 rounds to ―cool down‖ and be back inside normal operating parameters.

“I need more speed!”

Overpowering a ship’s engines is a good way to get more acceleration at the cost of
more power and the risk of blowing out an induction coil or two. Overpowering an engine
requires that double the power be applied to the engine (this may not be possible on all ships,
especially large ones). A System Operation-engineering check is made and the result
determines the boost in the ship’s acceleration: +50%/100%/150% mpp. This acceleration boost
lasts for a single turn. As above, another System Operation-engineering check must be at the
beginning of every round after the engines have been overloaded with a +1 cumulative penalty
for every round the ship’s engines have been pushed. A Critical Failure has the same effect as if
the engine had been hit by Critical damage—it is destroyed. A Failure results in pseudo-Mortal
damage—engine is knocked out and may be destroyed. An Ordinary success forces a Damage
Check to see if the engine is knocked out. A Good result allows a Damage Check with a -3
bonus. Finally, an Amazing result allows the engine to continue working with no chance of
failure.

Overpowered Stardrive Ranges

A ship may use extra power to extend the range of its stardrive in the Star*Drive
Campaign Setting. For most vessels, 50 light years is still the maximum. Futhermore, no vessel
may increase its range by more than double.

For balance purposes, no other types of systems can be overloaded at this time.

Other Rules

Starport Repair Points

The scale is slightly different between Warships and Starships. In Starships, each point
of Durability is a Mortal point, so a Trader has 24 mortal points. In Warships, this is not so. The
same Trader has only 6 Mortal. Further, there is no Critical damage in Starships.
The same tables for Starports will be used. Instead, each point of Wound takes 2 repair
points, each point of Mortal requires 4 repair points, and each point of Critical damage requires 8
repair points.
Damage Checks on PC-controlled ships

If the ship is anything but a Small Craft, the Damage Check is still equal to the Crew
Check. If the ship is a Small Craft and the PC’s comprise more than half the crew complement,
the Damage check becomes yet another System Operation-engineering skill check.

Additional PC Skill Checks in Warships

Aside from the obvious skill checks of piloting, shooting, and engineering (and
occasionally sensors), there are a few other things that PC’s can do onboard a Warships
designed vessel. A communications officer may use his System Operation-communications skill
to send and encode messages as described on page 161 of the GMG. All uses of System
Operation-defenses and –sensors are also allowed.

“Target their engines!”

Use a combination of Method B for Called Shots in Starships and the GM’s own
judgment. Additionally, the rules listed above and below are compatible with called shots (i.e. you
can use sensors to offset some of the +4 penalty for making a called shot). A called shot can be
made to certain areas of ships. You can always target a specific weapon emplacement and
external engine mounts. Targeting power plants is slightly trickier (requires ―scanning‖ like in
Starships), but is possible. Hitting a command deck is possible, but usually frowned upon in
civilized space. The basic rule for called shots is as follows:
1. Locate your target. This requires an available sensor operator with a sensor that can
reasonably detect the device you wish to hit. Generally, specific weapon mounts,
engines, power plants, stardrives, active sensors, comms systems, and other devices
that emit some kind of energy can be directly targeted. The relative size of the
system determines a basic step penalty for most of these checks. To obtain a sensor
lock that will allow a direct targeting, you must achieve a Good success or better. In
addition to any jamming, the following penalties based on size apply.
a. 1-5 hull points = +4 step penalty
b. 6-10 hull points = +3 step penalty
c. 11-20 hull points = +2 step penalty
d. 21-40 hull points = +1 step penalty
e. 40+ hull points = no penalty
2. If you have locked onto a system successfully, the next step is to aim the weapon.
This requires a second sensor check that provides the standard bonuses based off
success. If you got an Amazing success on the lock-on attempt, you receive a -1
step bonus to this check.
3. Fire the weapon. The last step is simply to fire the weapon. All called shots are
penalized by +4 steps modified by the preceding sensor check. Finally, you only
actually deal damage to the chosen system on an Amazing success.
a. Special rule for lasers. Lasers are exceptionally good at hitting precise
spots. Any laser weapon used to hit a specific device will force a Damage
Check on a Good success or better. You still must inflict primary damage.
(Because most lasers do large amounts of Wound damage, you generally
have to fill out a ship’s wound boxes before targeting internal systems
becomes really effective. Otherwise, you simply do Wound level hits, which
only degrades most systems.)

“Lock weapons and fire!”

The sensors operator may attempt to provide a bonus to any weapons fire in the current
round. The sensor operator using the sensors to ―lock on‖ may not use his sensor station to
detect new contacts or attempt to improve his sensor signature of any currently known contacts.
The result of a System Operation-sensors check determines the modifier to the next gunnery
check made from a selected station (on many ships, this will be all the weapons): Critical Failure
+2 step penalty, Failure 0, Ordinary -1, Good -2, Amazing -3 step bonuses. All modifiers that
apply to firing the weapons apply to this roll (with the exception that deflection inducers are not
included and jammers are).

“Shields up!”

To partially counter the effects of allowing the sensors operator to ―lock on,‖ the System
Operation-defenses skill makes a comeback. There are a number of uses to this skill depending
on the equipment available on the ship and what enemies are trying to do. Here is a partial list:
 Optimize defenses
o Deflection Inducer – the result of a SO-defenses skill check provides a modifier
to the base +2 step penalty to strike the ship with weapons fire. NOT including
the +2 step penalty, the modifiers for a Critical Failure/Failure/O/G/A result are: -
4/-2/0/+1/+2 (or including the base penalty, -2/0/+2/+3/+4). Factor in the modifier
for size of deflection inducer after this roll.
o Stealth Hull – cannot be optimized
o Stealth Shield/Cloaking Device – whenever a ship wants to go into cloak, it must
make an SO-defenses check to determine the effectiveness of its cloaking
systems. As above, the result of the skill check provides the modifier based off
the original modifier: -2/0/+1/+2/+3. For example, an Amazing success with a
Stealth Shield provides a +4 step penalty to detect the cloaked vessel.
 Jammer – a Jammer actually uses the SO-communications skill and is used by the
communications officer. The Jammer provides a -2/0/+1/+2/+3 step modifier to enemy
sensor checks, communication checks, and missile attacks for the next round. A jammer
may also be used to break a sensor lock-on.
 Point Defense weaponry – any weaponry deployed to fire as Point Defense uses the SO-
defenses skill.

The Deflection Inducer Revisited

The deflection inducer is the most common defensive system in the Star*Drive setting—
acting much like Star Trek’s ―shields.‖ However, the system is not defined very well, and in fact
there is no attempt to differentiate between deflection inducers of varying strengths and sizes.
These rules add a slight amount of complexity to the game by introducing the concept of variable
power deflection inducers, but in my opinion, this added complexity is outweighed by the
additional ―realism‖ and enjoyment.

A deflection inducer now creates a gravity field of a certain Toughness rating. This rating
is determined by how much power the inducer requires to operate. The table below bases the
power ratings on the size of inducer required to cover a ship of a given class. Generally
speaking, it is never economical to equip a smaller ship with the next highest toughness
Deflection inducer, because it will be prohibitively expensive in terms of both power and hull
points, though this does not mean that it is impossible under the rules. Thus, again generally
speaking, the Toughness of the ship’s hull equals the Toughness of the deflection inducer (for
military hulls; for civilian hulls, it must be based on the size of the inducer needed).

When Firepower equals Toughness, the deflection inducer grants a +2 modifier to attacks
made against the ship. When Firepower exceeds Toughness, every TWO FULL classes that
Firepower exceeds Toughness, subtract 1 from the effectiveness of the deflection inducer. When
Toughness exceeds Firepower, however, for every class of difference, add +1 to the modifier of
the deflection inducer. This is because the effectiveness of inducers always meets a minimum
level, while there is nearly no limit to how strong a gravity shield a ship may generate given
enough power and a large enough deflection inducer.
 Example: A heavy cruiser (Medium Toughness) fires a Fusion Beam (Medium
Firepower) at a destroyer (Light Toughness). The destroyer’s deflection inducer still provides a
+2 step penalty against the Fusion Beam because it is only one grade higher. The destroyer
returns fire with a Heavy Plasma Beam (Light Firepower). In this case, however, the heavy
cruiser’s more powerful deflection inducer adjusts to give the destroyer a +3 step penalty to hit
the ship with this weaker weapon. Note that even Medium Firepower weapons have a small
chance of inflicting harm to the incredibly powerful shields of superdreadnaughts and fortress
ships.

Power Toughness
2-7 Small Craft
8-31 Light
32-95 Medium
96-319 Heavy
320-639 Superheavy
640+ ―Ultraheavy‖*

*‖Ultraheavy‖ is a Toughness rating meant only to describe the sheer size and power of the
largest deflection inducers humanity has to offer. There is no weapon or ship size that has
―Ultraheavy‖ Toughness.

Deflection Inducers and Damage Reduction

Deflection Inducers will also now provide a small amount of damage reduction on every
hit. The base damage reduction in points is equal to the non-modified step penalty, so most
deflection inducers will provide 2 points of bonus armor. A heavier deflection inducer would
provide higher damage reduction.

Stacking Stealth Shield and Stealth Hull

This is allowed under the rules; just remember that a stealth hull does not help against gravity-
based sensor systems.
Warships Gameplay Rules
Secondary Damage

Instead of the standard secondary damage rules, the following rules apply:
 Each point of Stun causes 0 secondary damage
 Each point of Wound causes ½ point of secondary Stun damage
 Each point of Mortal causes ½ point of secondary Wound and Stun
 Each point of Critical causes ½ point of secondary Mortal, but 1 full point of secondary
Wound and Stun
For example, a ship is hit for 10 points of critical damage. It also suffers 5 points of secondary
Mortal, 10 points of secondary Wound, and 10 points of secondary Stun. Critical damage sucks.

Anti-Missile Missiles

AAM’s fired at enemy missiles can destroy only 1 missile each regardless of success.

Burst and Autofire Weapons

The Power consumption listed for all weapons capable of Burst and Autofire is the power
consumption for ONE burst. If you want to use the Full Auto setting, you must have enough
power for THREE bursts. If you can’t generate this at once, you must have a battery of some
kind to store power. Accumulators are the standard batteries at PL7.

Command Guidance and Timing Missile Salvos

The Command guidance system allows the firing ship significant control over its fired
missiles. This control is fine enough such that with sufficient telemetry links, the missile operator
may combine separately fired missiles into salvos, and salvos into flights. This provides the
appropriate bonuses and may allow use of the missile flight table. Additionally, unlike the use of
pre-programmed missiles below, time spent ―waiting‖ does not count against missile endurance
because the command link allows the missile to use very little power until it matches course with
its comrades.

The only limitations are the number of telemetry links and the type of computer systems
the ship is mounting. The number of missiles each type of launcher may control on its own is
listed in that system’s description. Additionally, a ship may use whatever additional
communication systems it has as missile telemetry links. Finally, the TOTAL number of missiles
that may be controlled is also limited depending on the ship’s computer core and number and
quality of fire control computers assigned to missile systems (a designer may buy more fire
control computers and link them to the missile systems solely to increase the maximum
controllable missiles).

Computer Core Max # Missiles Controllable

Ordinary 5
Good 10
Amazing 20
Fire Control Computer Max # Missiles Controllable per Computer
Ordinary 20
Good 40
Amazing 80

Programming Missile Salvos

 A missile armed ship not using Command guidance may still attempt to get a greater
effect from individually fired missiles by programming them to arrive on target at the same time.
This does NOT create salvos and flights out of smaller groups of missiles, so no bonuses are
granted. The basic idea is that the missiles are fired and programmed to not go to full
acceleration until later-fired missiles have matched vectors. This essentially allows a missile
control officer to sacrifice endurance (range) for a greater chance of saturating his opponent’s
point defense systems.

To program missiles to match vector, simply announce that you are doing so. If using
counters, the missiles should be moved according to their programming. Otherwise, assume that
the operator is able to pre-program his missiles such that he may combine as many missiles as
his ship can fire into single groups for point-defense purposes with the only limitation being that
each turn of ―waiting‖ or matching requires 1 turn of endurance. Therefore, as a practical matter,
while a missile-armed ship may stack 5 or 6 launches of heavy missiles and still have sufficient
endurance in a close ranged engagement, most ships will be unable to stack more than 2 or 3
turns of launches at a time. To get better returns on missiles, use the above command rules.

Sensor Checks and Stealthy Ships

Sensor Checks

Sensor checks work a bit differently than described in Warships. A sensor check is made
by either rolling a Crew Check or making a System Operation-sensors skill check (either by the
GM when he is checking to see if the sensor operator notices something or by the player if the
PC is using the sensors to look for something). The following modifiers apply to all sensor
checks:

Condition Modifier
Obscurity
Critical +3
Marginal none
Ordinary -1
Good -2
Amazing -3
Range
Point Blank (1 hex or less) -3
Short none
Medium +1
Long +3
Extreme (2xLong or as per sensor comp) +6
Contact Size ship’s size modifier
Special
Ship fired in previous round -3
Ship using active sensors Depends on sensor system

An Ordinary skill check results in detection. Detection allows the sensor operator to know
that something is out there, but only the most rudimentary of data is available on the contact.
Specific information available depends on the type of sensor used to make the skill check. (Yes,
different sensors provide different levels of information). Targeting is possible with just detection,
but no called shots may be attempted.

Sensor Type Information from Detection

EM Detector Detects power flows and transmissions from objects.
Infrared Detector Detects presence of heat in excess of background. Tells course and
speed.
Mass Detector Detects presence of mass in excess of background. Tells course and
speed.
Radar (Air/Space, Detects object as a blip, with no information regarding shape and
Multiband, or limited information regarding size (Toughness class). Tells course
Multiphase) and speed.
Ladar Detects presence of object. Approximate shape known. Tells course
and speed.
Hi-res Video Shows on-screen as a computer generated contact. Tells course and
speed and shows basic outline of object.
Radiation Detector Detects presence of power plants up to short range.
CE Passive Array Combines EM, IR, Mass, Radiation, and Hi-Res Video

A Good skill check results in detection and recognition. Course and speed is known.
This gives the sensor operator more detailed information, such as the general size of the contact
and other specific information. Targeting is possible here, but called shots suffer a +2 penalty.

Sensor Type Information from Detection & Recognition

EM Detector Ship is transmitting electromagnetic radiation. Type of radiation is
revealed (Active radar/ladar, communications, transponders, etc.) Will
determine if ship is using
Infrared Detector Detects presence of heat in excess of background. Approximate
level of heat is revealed.
Mass Detector Detects presence of mass in excess of background. Approximate
mass is known (class of ship based on toughness). Detects use of
induction drive.
Radar (Air/Space, Detects object as a blip, with very crude size and shape revealed.
Multiband, or
Multiphase)
Ladar Detects presence of object and gives fuzzy picture of vessel. This
level of success provides a -1 bonus to Sys Op-sensors checks for
purposes of called shots or weapons lock.
Hi-res Video Shows on-screen with shape and structure.
Radiation Detector Detects presence of power plants. Detects particle impulse and
plasma drives.
CE Passive Array Combines EM, IR, Mass, Radiation, and Hi-Res Video

An Amazing skill check results in detection and identification. This is the highest level of
sensor awareness and provides the most detailed information about the contact. The precise
detail again depends on the type of sensor used, but generally speaking, is enough to put the
contact ―on screen‖ as seen in Star Trek.

Sensor Type Information from Detection & Identification

EM Detector Ship is transmitting electromagnetic radiation. Everything about
emissions is known, including if weapons are charged or not.
Infrared Detector Detects presence of heat in excess of background. Exact
temperature is revealed. Detects individual heat sources.
Mass Detector Detects presence of mass in excess of background. Exact mass of
object is revealed (number of hull points).
Radar (Air/Space, Detects object as a blip, with moderate shape and size information.
Multiband, or
Multiphase)
Ladar Provides sufficient information to target specific sections and know
 what generally a section contains. This level of success provides a -2
bonus to Sys Op-sensors checks for purposes of called shots or
weapons lock. Fine detail appears.
Hi-res Video Shows a high-quality on-screen image. Useful for battle damage.
Radiation Detector Detects presence of power plants.
CE Passive Array Combines EM, IR, Mass, Radiation, and Hi-Res Video

Note: All radars may act as ladar for purposes of imaging only within their Short and Medium
range bands. They do not receive the full benefit of ladar’s targeting bonuses, however.

Optional Rule: Sensor computers extend the maximum range of detection by modifying the
Extreme range band (which carries a +6 step penalty base). An Ordinary sensor computer
stretches the Extreme range band to three times Long range; a Good sensor computer allows
Extreme range to extend out to four times Long range, and an Amazing sensor computer allows
the Extreme band to extend out to five times Long range.

Stealthy Ships

Hidden movement is allowed and is controlled by the GM. Two successful sensor checks
are required to successfully begin tracking a cloaked vessel. The first success creates the
contact, the second check begins the tracking. A ship may still check with all of its sensor
systems, but remember that if the modifier is +5 or higher, a natural 1 is no longer an automatic
Ordinary success.

Shadowing: When a stealthed ship is attempting to shadow another ship, the shadowed
ship gets a sensor check every hour, or every time the shadowing ship makes some kind of
change to its current power levels (i.e. accelerating, arming weapons, etc). A paranoid ship
captain actively scanning is allowed 1 sensor check per scanning sensor system every 30
minutes. Finally, a sensor check is allowed any time the total step modifier would change for any
reason (range, etc).

Stealth Systems (Revised Rules): When using a stealth system (stealth hull, stealth
shield, cloaking device, etc), make a System Operation-defenses skill check. The result of this
check penalizes attempts to detect the stealthed ship by -2/0/+1/+2/+3 for CF/F/O/G/A. This is
further modified by the type of stealth system used, for a total modifier of up to +6 for a well
operated stealth shield. At range with small ships, detection of ships with skilled stealth system
operators is difficult.

Communication Encrypting and Jamming

If you want to jam communications, you must have a Jammer. A PL7 jammer can jam
mass transmissions. The jamming vessel makes a System Operation-communications check.
The result of this check creates a modifier to the vessel attempting communication’s
communications skill check of -2/0/+1/+2/+3 for Critical Failures through Amazing success.
Finally, in order to get any transmission through, the opposing communications officer must
achieve a HIGHER level of success than the jammer. In other words, treat jamming as parrying,
only instead you are preventing communications from getting through.

xxEncryption works much the same way, only a Jammer is not required. In order to
understand any intercepted communications, the decryptor must achieve a success equal to or
higher than the encryptor’s. Certain programs may provide a bonus or penalty to attempts to
encrypt or decrypt communications (see Dataware and Chapter 10 of the PHB).
Jammers and Missiles

Assume that a Jammer (+2 step penalty to detect AND target with ANY weapons) is available for
each size of missile and will last as long as the missile remains powered. A single jammer
missile protects up to 2 salvos of missiles. Five jammer missiles must be fired with a flight to
provide protection for the entire group.

Missiles and Jinking

Missiles that have at least 1 turn of endurance left on the turn they strike their targets
may make evasive maneuvers on their final attack runs. Point defense fire is penalized by
+1/+2/+3 steps at PL 6/7/8 respectively.

Non-Battery Fire Weapons in Multi-Mounts

Weapons that cannot be battery-fired are fire-linked. This means that one skill check is
used for all the weapons in a given mount. If that one check fails, then all weapons miss. On the
other hand, if you score an Amazing success, you score up to 4 Amazing hits. Alternately, fire-
linked weapons can be used to saturate the target. In this case, you receive a -1/-2/-3 bonus on
a single attack for 2/3/4 fire-linked weapons. If you score a Good or Amazing hit, you hit with an
additional shot one success grade lower. If you have a quad-mounted fire-linked weapon, you
can hit with an additional Ordinary hit on an Amazing success. If you have fire-linked automatic
weapons, you may fire in full auto mode getting a bonus as above to one weapon’s autofire
attack. As above, if you score Amazing or Good successes, you also hit with a Good or Ordinary
bonus hit (and with quad-linked autoweapons, an Amazing results in a bonus Ordinary as well).
Weapons capable of battery-fire may be fire-linked as above but then do NOT gain the battery fire
bonuses and cannot each attack.
Example: The Concord is testing a new fighter with a triple fire-linked gatling mass
cannon. This weapon may fire a triple-burst and receive a total -3 step bonus, and allowing a
secondary hit on a Good or Amazing success. It may also fire triple-full auto for a total modifier of
-1/0/+1 and the possibility of a bonus hit on each of those attacks. As a mass cannon, it may also
fire in Battery mode, with modifiers of 0/-1/-2. These examples do not include base accuracy,
target modifiers, or computer modifiers.
Revised Squadron Damage Table

The following table replaces the Squadron Damage Table in Warships. Note that it may be used
anytime you would be rolling more than 10 attacks from a single ship at a single target (usually
used for Point Defense against fighters or missiles).

Table 2-5: Squadron Attacks

% of Hits of Success
Attack Roll
O G A
Failure by 10+ 5% 0% 0%
Failure by 5+ 15% 5% 0%
Failure 25% 15% 10%
Ordinary 30% 20% 10%
Good 35% 20% 15%
Amazing 40% 25% 20%

New Squadron Combat Rules

These rules modify or replace the Squadron combat and damage rules presented in Warships
ESD. The goal of these rules is to slightly complicate matters, but only in order to preserve the
value of certain types of fighters. As it stands, a player is much better off designing fighters with
no armor and as many single shot weapons as possible. This will maximize the number of
attacks and hence the number of Ordinary, Good, and Amazing hits he will be able to inflict.
Since 1 Amazing hit of a Small Craft firepower weapon equals 1 kill, the effect is rather ridiculous,
especially if the opponent has taken the time to armor his fighters with Neutronite. Thus, these
rules are an attempt to fix this problem.

The rules will remain unmodified for everything except Squadron damage for Small Craft
firepower weaponry. Light and Medium firepower weapons are treated as per the original rules
except that a Light firepower deals ―2 kills worth of damage‖ and a Medium firepower weapon
deals ―3 kills‖ worth of damage.

Size of Small Craft

Adjust the armor value of the small craft according to the table below:
Fighter +0
Interceptor +0
Strike Fighter +1
Bomber +1
Cutter +2
Small Craft Weapon Squadron
Damage Value
Laser 1e
IR Laser 1e
X-ray Laser 2e
Defense Gravlaser 2e
Plasma Defense Gun 2e
Gravlaser Cannon 3e
Light Plasma Cannon 3e
Plasma Cannon 4e
Particle Beam 4e
Light Fusion Cannon 5e
Maser 5e
Kinetic Lance 4e
 Small Craft Armor Squadron
Armor Value
LI/HI/En
Medium Alloy 2/2/2
Dark Fusion Cannon 6e
Light Polymeric 1/1/1
Blacklaser 5e
Medium Polymeric 2/2/1
Point Defense Gun -1HI
Light Reflective 1/1/2
Rail Cannon 3HI
Medium Reflective 1/1/3
Sliver Gun 3HI
Light Cerametal 2/2/2
AA Burst warhead 5HI
Medium Cerametal 3/3/3
Mini-AA Burst 3HI
Medium Neutronite 4/4/4
Mini-Plasma 5e
Medium Reactive 4/3/2
Light Pulse Laser 1e
Light Crystallis 2/3/4
Laser Cannon 2e
Medium Crystallis 3/3/5
Lt Particle Beam 3e
Light Nanofluidic 4/4/4
Mass Cannon 5e
Medium Nanofluidic 5/5/5
Mini-CHE 3e
Light Carapace 3/3/4
Mini-MRB 7e
Medium Carapace 4/4/5
Small Craft Firepower
2 Amazing = 1 Kill
3 Good = 1 Kill
4 Ordinary = 1 Kill

If weapon > armor, then number of successes needed for 1 kill goes down to a maximum of 1 hit
= 1 kill

If armor > weapon, then number of successes needed for 1 kill goes up.

The difference between the Weapon Rating and Armor Rating determines which line on
the following table to use. The table shows the needed number of successes to score ―1 kill.‖

Difference Successes needed for 1 Kill

+4 1A, 1G, 1O
+3 1A, 1G, 2O
+2 1A, 2G, 3O
+1 2A, 2G, 3O
0 2A, 3G, 4O
-1 2A, 3G, 5O
-2 3A, 4G, 8O
-3 5A, 8G, 12O
-4 8A, 12G, 20O
-5+ Usually Ineffective
Maneuvers

This section replaces and supplements Chapter 1: Basic Combat, all sections on
Movement. Maneuver Checks, Jinking, and anything not here is left unchanged.

Basic Rules
All ships may perform a number of maneuvers equal to their total current Maneuverability
Class (MC). Some maneuvers use up more MC than others. Furthermore, 1 point of speed must
be spent between maneuvers moving forward. The amount of MC that each maneuver requires
and uses up is listed below.

Maneuverability Class Requirements

All maneuvers have a Maneuverability Class Requirement, that if not met, makes that
maneuver impossible to perform. All the maneuvers from GMG pg. 136 are now allowed in
Warships. Each maneuver is rated Routine, Moderate, or Extreme. Routine maneuvers can be
made by a ship with any Maneuverability Class. Moderate maneuvers require a current (modified
by speed) Maneuverability Class of 2 or higher. Extreme maneuvers require a current MC of 4 or
higher. Remember that ships may increase their current MC by taking Maneuver Checks every
other round.

Summary of Maneuvers

Routine Maneuvers
Straight – ship moves one hex forward. Uses up no extra speed. Uses no MC.
Roll – ship moves one hex ahead and over, maintaining original facing. Uses no extra
speed. Counts as one MC.
Bank – ship moves one hex ahead and over, changing facing in direction of turn. Uses 1
point of extra speed. Counts as one MC.
Turn – ship moves forward one hex and turns one hex side. Uses 1 extra speed.
Counts as one MC.

Moderate Maneuvers
Half-loop – ship moves forward one hex and reverses direction. Uses 2 extra speed.
Counts as 2 MC.
Long Roll – ship keeps facing, but slides two hexes to either side. Uses no extra speed.
Counts as 2 MC.
Tight Turn – ship alters facing by 2 hex sides, moving one hex between changes. Uses
2 extra speed. Counts as 2 MC.

Extreme Maneuver
Hard Bank – ship banks twice without moving forward between banks. Uses 2 extra
speed. Counts as 2 MC.
Loop and Turn – ship moves forward one hex and then turns to face any hex side. Uses
2 extra speed. Counts as 2 MC.
A Completely Different Idea

Keep the game much as it is now, but revamp just internal damage allocation. Create simple
(2d6 based) internal damage allocation chart split into External and Internal. Create more internal
damage rolls:

 On Amazing hit dealing primary damage

 NOT when Stun/Wound/Mortal filled out, but instead when ship suffers in SINGLE HIT by
primary damage only (though can be heavy stun or heavy wound):
 8 Stun if Light or larger, otherwise 6 stun
 6 Wound if Light or larger, otherwise 4 Wound
 3 Mortal if Light or larger, otherwise 2 Mortal
 2 Critical if Light or larger, otherwise 1 Critical

2d6 External Internal

2 Fuel Tank Command Deck
3 Weapon (Heavy) Stardrive
4 Sensor Power Plant
5 Comm System Support System
6 Weapon (light) Miscellaneous
7 Cargo/Hangar Accommodation
8 Weapon (light) Miscellaneous
9 Defense Engine
10 Sensor Power Plant
11 Weapon (heavy) Engine
12 Engine Computers

Also, need to re-examine weapon damage numbers—need to keep in mind that 2d12 is between
2 and 24 points of primary damage. That is probably a little much. Probably better to go back to
mortals on Amazing hits. As long as armor is approximately equal to mortal damage and mortal
damage secondary is ½ this won’t be a huge problem.
Weapon Special Qualities
Armor Piercing (AP)
Armor Defeating (AD)
Armor Crushing (AC)
Rate of Fire (RoF)
Stabilized (ST)
Ionizing (I)

Laser: none
X-ray Laser: Good AD
Graser: Ordinary AP
Fusion Laser: Ordinary AD

Gravlaser: Ordinary AP

Plasma/Fusion: AC

Quantum: I + AP/O

Render: AD/A

Mass: AC/G

Railgun-type: AP/G

Blacklaser:

Dark Fusion

Maser: AP/A

Dark Quantum:
I believe I have come up with a workable, easily calculated system for
determining minimum starfall distances from high mass objects.
The basic idea is that ships attempting to make starfall must be far enough away
from gravity wells to avoid astrogation errors and/or ineffective tachyon
discharge. In order to make this as simple and workable as possible, I use the
main sequence for stars and the GRAPH system for planetary (and lunar)
bodies. Simply stated, the more mass a star has the hotter it burns and the larger
it's gravity well. Therefore, the 'minimum' starfall distances from stellar objects
(by minimum, I mean with no step penalty) are as follows:

Type M -4 AU
Type K -6 AU
Type G -8 AU
Type F -10 AU
Type A -12 AU
Type B -14 AU
Type O -16 AU

While perhaps not 'strictly' accurate, it's simple and easy to remember. For
planetary objects, refer to the GRAPH system. Minimum distance is:

G0 -nothing, blast away friends and neighbors!

G1 -1 AU
G2 -1 AU
G3 -2 AU
G4 -3 AU
G5 -4 AU

The following restrictions and penalties apply.

The GRAPH system objects are ABSOLUTE minimums. Any closer and the
tachyonic collection is discharged without effect. Ships MUST recharge per the
appropriate rules with engineering bonuses permitted as usual. No other
penalties apply.

For main sequence i.e. stellar objects, ships may attempt to enter starfall with the
following penalties.

One AU less than minimum distance incurs a +1 step penalty.

Two AU less than minimum distance incurs a +3 step penalty.
Three or more AU less than minimum distance from main sequence stellar
objects incurs automatic failure and the tachyonic collection is discharged without
effect. Ships MUST recharge per the appropriate rules with engineering bonuses
permitted as usual. No other penalties apply. Success effectiveness and
penalties apply as per the Astrogation Drivespace specialty skill and the
Drivespace Off Course Results table page 86 of the Players Handbook.
While the above may seem overly complicated or verbose, the idea is simple
when reduced to basics. Hopefully this example will suffice.

EXAMPLE:
The crew of the scout vessel Elsa, in orbit around Earth, a G1 planet, wish to
make starfall as soon as possible. Their stardrive is fully recharged, but they are
within 1 AU of the G1 Earth and only one AU from the main sequence G class
Sol. They proceed to a point 6 AU from Earth and 7 AU away from Sol when they
are approached by hostile vessels in attack formation. At this point, they may
attempt to make starfall with a +1 step penalty to the pilot or navigators
Astrogation Drivespace die roll or attempt to evade the enemy until they reach a
point 8 AU away from Sol. With their ship already damaged from a previous
encounter and not wanting to risk further injury, they attempt an immediate
starfall. They achieve a good success despite the penalty and arrive d12+2 AU
from their target system. Simple as that.

New Space Combat System (Traveller Inspired)

Introduction

This new combat system uses much of the standard Warships rules with the major changes
coming mostly in the maneuvering and range game. While semi-amusing to hard-core board
gamers, the basic Warships system of hexmaps and ship counters is incredibly time consuming
and not particularly fun for the rest of us. This system abstracts movement and maneuver and
makes a number of assumptions, similar to the Narrative Combat System. It also completely
changes the ―range game‖ introducing a set of range bands and assigning Speed points needed
to change the distance. It also makes

Ideas

Problem: Secondary damage actually makes battles too fast. It’s wrong that a battleship should
be able to take out all of an enemy battleship’s mortal points with secondary damage from
weapons that deal critical damage.

Solution: Eliminate secondary damage from Warships. Problem – would make some weapons
suck, so would need modified damage codes.

Solution: Change what happens after a ship’s durability is used up. Make the damage tracks only
the beginning of the damage process. Could de-link everything but status (Disabled, Crippled,
etc) from damage tracks. Instead, once a damage track is used up, ADDITIONAL damage is
resolved Traveller style, with the total amount and type of damage determining the final
distribution of damage. Damage tracks basically act as ―armor‖ and generic ―hull‖ (in the
Traveller sense). Then, all ships have a remaining pool of Structure points (a number equal to
the ship’s original Mortal rating). Further damage causes random system damage, much like
Starfleet Battles damage allocation. This would potentially make ship’s tougher and last longer.
Can also say that secondary damage NEVER causes Structure or System damage (already a
rule anyway). Might be a 2d6 roll (for a bell curve):

2: Command Deck
3: Structure
4: Stardrive
5: Power Plant
6: Engines
7: Cargo/Hangar
8: Combat System (roll on sub-table A)
9: Electronics (roll on sub-table B)
10: Internal Systems (roll on sub-table C)
11:Structure
12: Computers

Sub-Table A (1d6)
1: Tertiary Battery
2: Secondary Battery
3-4: Primary Battery
5: Defensive System
6: Damage Control/Defensive/Structure

Sub-Table B (1d6)
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:

And so on. Anyway, instead of having to make an annoying Damage Diagram, you instead
prepare a sheet that lists some kind of relative toughness and/or number of systems for the
damage chart. Yes, it would appear more complicated at first, but I think it would PLAY better. It
would also be more exciting. OMG Captain, the engines can’t take another hit like that! There
could be a simple formula for converting hull points into a mortal rating. Most systems should be
able to take between 1 and 10 mortal. For ease of play, ALL primary damage once. Nevermind
the above, instead simply make a table that converts raw damage taken from one attack into a
number of ―hits‖. The type of primary damage determines the effects of the hits as per the
internal damage system already in place.

It’s a thought anyway.