Despite the name, this ruleset is intended for use with any vehicular combat or chase sequence. It should work just as well (or better) for two characters in a footrace as it does for an X-Wing trying to take down a Star Destoyer. Any time characters are trying to move fast and remain in the fight, these rules would be appropriate.

There are several major concepts that need to be grasped to run starship combat using this system; range, speed, terrain and maneuvers. Range is the range between vessels, and is abstracted for simplicity and ease of play. Speed is a factor when vessels are in pursuit or attempting to outmaneuver their foes; it is assumed that all participants are moving as fast as they possibly can at all times. Terrain wouldn't seem to be an issue in the middle of space, but there is a huge difference between flying through empty space and flying through asteroid fields or in a massive dog fight while flying near the surfaces of capital ships engaged in their own battles. Maneuvers are the rules governing resolution of actions during starship combat; the existing maneuvers are meant to cover all possible desired actions but there may be a need to invent your own, in which case the existing maneuvers can serve as a guideline.

Assumptions

Before begining, it is important to cover certain basic assumptions of this ruleset.

1. All vehicles are moving as fast as possible at all times.
2. Participating in the chase or combat takes focus and effort. At least a move action's worth. This limits all characters to one standard action, appropriate actions are covered by the Maneuvers.
3. All vehicles are moving as fast as possible at all times.

Combat Round

• Roll Initiative as normal.
• On each pilot's turn, check for obstacles. The obstacle only affects that pilot's vehicle.
• Use a Maneuver.
• Next character.

Some quick notes on combat. Use the size modifier of the vehicle, not the character, for determining attack rolls; a huge vehicle imposes a -2 on attacks made by it's crew. For simplicity, characters with Firearms Training are assumed to be proficient with starship weapons. Vehicles use their base defense, modified by Speed Category and Comparable Speed, unless the pilot uses the Vehiclar Combat feat. Vehicles rely upon their innate toughness and shields to survive being shot at; good pilots dramatically increase a vehicle's survival rate.

Range

Ranges are arbitrary in design because of the variability of chase scale. Two characters on foot may have a close range of 10 to 30 meters while two capital ships would have a close range of 10 to 30 kilometers; flexibility of scale is the primary reason for the abstractness of these ranges.

There are five basic ranges, as summarized in the table below.

The closer one is to the target, the easier that target is to hit. Additionally, certain maneuvers are only available at certain ranges.

Point Blank: Practically touching the other craft, point blank range has the danger of accidental collisions. Increase the chance of hazards by one number for each vehicle in point blank range. On the other hand, it is the perfect distance for ramming, leaping from one craft to another or attacking with a melee weapon at either the craft or any exposed crew members.

Close: Close range is the most common in starship combat, as it provides no chance of accidental collision and good firing position.

Medium: Medium range is tricky, as only good pilots can fire effectively from this range and the chances of losing the target are increased. On the other hand, return fire is much easier to avoid.

Long: Only the best pilots engage moving targets at long range, though it is popular for engaging stationary targets such as space stations and ground defences. Being able to kill a target at ranges where it can not effectively respond is a useful advantage.

Extreme: At this distance, the other vehicles are barely perceptible, well outside any effective weapons fire. Ranged attacks at this distance are impossible and keeping the target in sight is difficult.

Speed

Speed is a factor in two ways. First, the conditions of the combat determine the abstract speed category at which everyone is operating. This category affects the damage of any collisions and modifies most checks and actions taken during the pursuit. The second is the comparative speeds of the vehicles.

Speed Category

This abstract category gives an idea of the speed of a vehicle compared to its maximum possible speed. The values given below are generalized on the assumption that only one type of vehicle is involved. If this is not the case then mix and match maximum speeds to get the desired effect for that specific encounter.

Pedestrian: The slowest the vehicle can move and still function. For a human this would be a comfortable walking pace.

Cautious: Faster than pedestrian speeds, and slightly less stable, but far more common. For a human this would be a light jog.

Cruising: A sustainable and rapid pace with a deceptive amount of time to adapt to changes in the environment. Equivalent to a marathon runner's pace.

All-Out: Moving all out is as fast as the vehicle allows, regardless of conditions. For a human this would be a dead sprint.

Base Collision Damage: This is the base damage caused in a collision. All vehicles involved take this damage as modified by the size of the objects and angles of collision.

Comparable Speed

Assuming that the speed category is high enough that one vehicle is faster than the other, comparing the speeds of the vehicles becomes very important. Take the speed of the slowest vehicle participating in the encounter. Compare the speeds of all other vehicles to this speed. The faster vehicles gain a Comparable Speed bonus to all attacks, defense and most Maneuver checks. See the Maneuvers for specific exceptions.

For a speed difference greater than quadruple, set aside whichever vehicles are unimportant in the immediate encounter. For example, if the party is escaping in an animal drawn wagon along an open highway, and are being chased by riders on other animals as well as a pilot in a starfighter, then ignore the starfighter on the assumption that it is simply too fast to interfere with the party while they are dealing with the riders. After the riders have been defeated, the starfighter may be reintroduced if it is a fair encounter.

Terrain

Terrain refers to how confining the environment is. From asteroid fields, to the shattered hulks of dead fleets, to the frozen canyons of a glacier, to the traffic packed skyways of Coruscant, Star Wars vehicles operate in a variety of restrictive and dangerous terrain.

There are three categories of terrain (Open, Close and Tight). The chance of encountering an obstacle, and the maximum speed category normally achievable, changes with the terrain and is shown below. Changing the terrain can be highly advantagous, since it can cause a pursuer to fall behind, remove a Comparable Speed bonus or increase the chance of a foe striking obstacles.

Open: Open terrain is generally clear and unobstructed. Well maintained highways with little traffic, open space and flat plains are all examples of Open terrain.

Close: Close terrain has some obstructions that make it unsafe to move at full speed. Moderate traffic on a highway, hilly terrain, light asteroid fields and the surface of an inactive capital ship are examples of Close terrain.

Tight: Tight terrain in narrow, twisted or just so full of debris that only a great fool would travel it at speed. Narrow canyons, dense asteroid fields, the surface of an actively hostile capital ship or rush hour traffic would all be examples of Tight terrain.

Obstacles

Obstacle checks are a d20 roll. On each pilot's turn, make an obstacle check for that pilot's vehicle. On a roll equal to or greater than number indicated in the Obstacle Roll column, a random obstacle appears in that vehicle's path. If the pilot does not use one of the avoidance maneuvers then he automatically collides with the obstacle. This deals damage to both the vehicle and the obstacle, potentially destroying either or both.

If no appropriate obstacles leap to the Narrator's immagination then the following chart can be used to determine the obstacle's size and the Difficulty of any associated Maneuvers.

Awesome objects include buidlings, capital ships, space stations, mountains and other objects that are more terrain feature than obstacle. Colossal objects would be very large trucks, greater krayt dragons, large fighters or scary asteroids. Gargantuan objects include most delivery trucks, busses, most starfighters, and ancient trees. Huge objects include most airspeeders, creatures approximately the size of a rancor, old trees and average asteroids. Large objects include light speeders, advertising signs, trees and most animals usable as mounts. Medium objects include most droids, most organic lifeforms and objects of similar size. Small obstacles are about the size of children and are more likely to be harmed than cause harm. Tiny objects are practically no threat at all.

See Collisions to determine how much damage is caused upon an impact.

Surface Option

When operating vehicles affected by surface conditions, namely surface vehicles without repulsorlift, the surface being crossed can also affect the combat. Optionally, a Narrator may decide that windshear and weather make these conditions apply to repulsorlift vehicles as well.

Note that maximum speed categories from surface conditions always apply, even when using the "What Rocks?" Maneuver.

Clear: An ideal surface for the vehicle, the maximum speed category regardless of terrain is All-Out. Dry, clear, solidly packed roads, smooth seas, well-maintained ice rinks and other ideal surfaces for the vehicles involved.

Unsteady: An unsteady surface is either not ideally supportive or rougher than ideal but not both. The maximum speed category regardless of terrain is Cruising. Gravel roads, grassy plains, rain-slick roads, light ocean chop and so forth.

Rough: A rough surface is both not supportive and rougher than desired, thus the maximum speed category regardless of terrain is Cautious. Sandy beaches, mud flats, plowed fields, rough seas and similarly debilitating conditions qualify.

Clinging: A clinging surface is the worst possible surface that the vehicle can still operate in. The maximum speed category regardless of terrain is Pedestrian. Additionally, all affected vehicles are treated as having a Maneuver modifier of -4, or worse if it normally is so. Swamps, deep mud, soft sand, dense undergrowth or rocky ice flats all qualify as clinging.

Maneuvers

Maneuvers are the actions that can be taken during a vehicular combat. The listed ones are divided by Pilot and Crew, though a pilot can choose to give up control of his vehicle and perform a Crew Maneuver. The vehicle is out of control (automatically failing any opposed Maneuvers and failing to avoid obstacles) until someone takes control via the appropriate Crew Maneuver.

For Maneuvers with the skill Control, use the appropriate skill for handling the vehicle or mount (acrobatics or jump if on foot). These skills are Drive, Pilot or Ride depending upon mode of transport.

Opposed Maneuvers are opposed by the other participating pilots, who can choose to automatically fail if they wish to.

Attacks can target either the vehicle or those inside the vehicle if it grants less than total cover.

Pilot

^ Opposing pilots have the same difficulty to follow into the new terrain; they gain a bonus equal to their Ranged Attack penalty.

* A pilot may only fire weapons that are controlled by the pilot. This is rare outside of fighters.

Crew

+ The Narrator determines the skill most appropriate for the vehicle in question. Craft for standard aircars, computers for starship shields and medicine for a living creature are all valid options, though the final decision of skill is up to the Narrator. Note that a player can choose to decide not to use this maneuver if he doesn't believe the character can succeed.

* If the target is a conscious character then it may choose to lower it's defense to a minimum of 5 to aid in pick up. Note that if the pick-up target exceeds your heavy load then it cannot be picked up and a Difficulty 15 Strength check is required to stay in the vehicle.

^ Stealing the Helm is opposed by the Pilot's grapple check. If the crewman wins then he may take control of the vehicle for the time being. This can lead to a long sequence of alternating control between two characters.

` You may use this against characters aboard your own vehicle; if you do then Comparable Speed does not apply.

~ The Narrator determines the check most appropriate for the character in question. Attack for weapon stations, computers for electronic warfare stations, pilot for auxiliary flight control, balance for a chariot or whatever check the Narrator deems most appropriate for the situation.

' The difficulty can be increased for greater benefit. For each +5 to the difficulty the aid bonus is increased by +1; however, if the check fails against the new difficulty then no bonus is gained (not even the normal +2).

Collisions

The highest Speed Category of everything involved in the collision is used to determine the base damage. Then add the listed modifier for the smallest thing involved in the collision, plus the Angle modifier. All vehicles and objects involved make toughness saves, and all occupants treat the collision as an area attack (Reflex save Difficulty 10 + Damage for half damage). Additionally, all pilots must make control checks (Difficulty 20 + Damage) or lose control of their vehicles.

Notes: If the damage total is negative then calculate Reflex and Toughness saves as normal; the collision was so minor as to cause little risk of injury. Also note that safety systems in vehicles (though rare in the setting) can provide a bonus on both the reflex and toughness saves. This could be a properly functioning air bag, collision foam, safety harnesses or any other gear that makes sense for the vehicle and the setting.

Terrain Vehicles

For certain situations, such as a squadron of X-Wings attacking a Death Star, an opposing vehicle is more like a piece of terrain than a vehicle. In such situations the vehicle should be treated as terrain and the Narrator should designate various 'target points' on the vehicle. These may be weapon emplacements, hangar bays, shield generators, command and control, or exhaust ports. Assign these target points appropriate defense scores and toughness saves, and have the characters attack these targets while maneuvering around the enemy. If a critical target point should be destroyed then the terrain vessel may be damaged, disabled or destroyed as appropriate.

Heroic opposition aboard such a terrain vessel may either climb into an appropriate opposing vessel or man one of the target points, allowing the heroic opposition to participate in the encounter. If the heroes are aboard such a vessel then they have the same options.

Feat Interactions

Certain feats act differently when using these rules.

Accurate Attack works as normal.

Attack Focus and Attack Specialization feats work normally; they are only useful if taken with the particular weapon being used (blaster cannon, missile launcher, turbo laser, etc).

All-Out Attack and Defensive Attack apply to your Dodge and Parry defense bonuses. Since those aren't being used, characters cannot benefit from those feats. Similarly, Canny Dodge, Dodge Focus, Combat Throw, Forceful Block and any other feat that requires/relies upon dodge or parry defense is not usable.

Redirect works as normal, though it uses up one of your maneuvers since it requires a standard action.

Evasion is a non-concern with space combat, as area attacks only work as areas when attacking terrain. So it would only be an issue while grounded (in a vehicle). Whether or not Evasion applies is a Narrator decision, though it is assumed that evasion does apply.

Move-by Action cannot be used in "Starship Combat" mode but it's great at all other times.

Firearms Training is required to use the ship's guns with skill.

Defensive Roll and Tough are for the pilot's meat/metal body, not for the spaceship. The ship has it's own armor, toughness and shields to try and keep it alive. However, a pilot's vested interest in the survival of his ship allows him to spend Conviction on it's Toughness Saves.

Open Gaming License

These rules are an adaptation of Hot Pursuit by Corey Reid. In a sincere attempt to comply with the Open Gaming License, it is reproduced here.

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