Space Combat Rules

[Leitz]

My game is light on crunch and heavy on story. Ran a small fleet space battle with half a dozen smaller ships per side using base CE rules with an intent to understand and where possible simplify. Feedback welcome.



Multiple Hits
Replaces "Table: Space Combat Damage"

Base roll to hit is 8+. For 2 point step above 8 an additional hit is scored. A modified "12" would inflict 3 hits on the same target.



Weapons per Turret
Not sure what the CE rule is on this.

If a turret has multiple weapons of the same type they can be linked to fire at the same time. One "To Hit" roll is made. If the modified roll is 7- then all weapons miss. If the "To Hit" roll is 8+ all weapons hit the same target but roll individually for hit location. A roll of 8 from a triple turret means 3 hits on the same target, with three rolls on "Table: Space Combat Hit Location".



Morale
Not sure if CE has Morale.

Rule 68A. Modified roll 7- flee the battle unless prevented. 8+ Choice. 10+ gain insight into risks for decision making. In the battle fleet commander Captain Marnie Stephens rolled 10+ on Morale. She could stay and fight but her "gut" told her (since I had next round's attack rolls handy) that it was a losing proposition. She surrendered



Crew Damage from Radiation
Replaces "Radiation Damage" on "Table: Crew Damage"

Each ship has a "Crew" score of "Ship_size / 100". A 600 dT has 6 "Crew". Each Radiation hit rolled 68A; less than 6 no effect. 6-9 one "Crew" affected. A+ radiation affected all crew. Radiation effect delayed but affect Morale. For each "Crew" hit above Crew score one ship crew position eliminated immediately.

 

[flykiller]

She could stay and fight but her "gut" told her (since I had next round's attack rolls handy) that it was a losing proposition.

I really like that approach. if it includes a possibility to be wrong then it puts teeth in the "ship tactics" skill.

 

[infojunky]

Honestly it looks like you are reinventing CT's Book 2 combat damage.

Multiple Hits
Replaces "Table: Space Combat Damage"

Base roll to hit is 8+. For 2 point step above 8 an additional hit is scored. A modified "12" would inflict 3 hits on the same target.

Works by me...

Weapons per Turret
Not sure what the CE rule is on this.

If a turret has multiple weapons of the same type they can be linked to fire at the same time. One "To Hit" roll is made. If the modified roll is 7- then all weapons miss. If the "To Hit" roll is 8+ all weapons hit the same target but roll individually for hit location. A roll of 8 from a triple turret means 3 hits on the same target, with three rolls on "Table: Space Combat Hit Location".

Ok, while both CE and its source material are ambiguous on this point, but the original play test for Mongoose the roll was per turret.

I have been pondering the Mayday treatment of lasers, where every additional laser beyond the 1st adds a DM of +1 to the to-hit roll. Which looks like it would mesh well with what you are doing.

Crew Damage from Radiation
Replaces "Radiation Damage" on "Table: Crew Damage"

Each ship has a "Crew" score of "Ship_size / 100". A 600 dT has 6 "Crew". Each Radiation hit rolled 68A; less than 6 no effect. 6-9 one "Crew" affected. A+ radiation affected all crew. Radiation effect delayed but affect Morale. For each "Crew" hit above Crew score one ship crew position eliminated immediately.

The whole Radiation rules still gives me questions...

How are you handling Armor?

 

[Leitz]

Honestly it looks like you are reinventing CT's Book 2 combat damage.

Haven't looked at it in a long time so I can't say. The main goal was to move to Rule 68A and allow for multiple hits. We use a mash of Striker and CE/CT in personal combat. The system doesn't really handle big stuff yet.

Ok, while both CE and its source material are ambiguous on this point, but the original play test for Mongoose the roll was per turret.

I have been pondering the Mayday treatment of lasers, where every additional laser beyond the 1st adds a DM of +1 to the to-hit roll. Which looks like it would mesh well with what you are doing.

My thinking was that the scale meant all energy weapons hit or missed together. A sub-1000 dT ship at 10,000 KM isn't much of a target so pinpoint success or failure.

I did want to reward the cost of upgrading turrets though. So the the questions became "Do I have an effect?" (To Hit) and "How big is that effect?" (Damage).

The whole Radiation rules still gives me questions...

Yeah, radiation is pretty pervasive so I'm not sure what the expectation is. I can't seen a nuke going off on the hull of a sub-1000 dT ship and everyone not being affected in some way. By using the Crew counter like CE has Hull and Structure I made it abstract. From Zero to Crew score it was high levels of exposure that would require long term care but have no immediate combat effect. After "Crew" number of Crew hits the ships lost one active crew slot per hit.

In this case Radiation was a significant Morale factor. "Can we get to medical care?" Given the number of Radiation effect producing weapons and the small size of the attacking fleet the commander judged that even staying one more round to compute jumps meant most of the crew would be dead by the time they hit real space on the far side.

I'm certainly open to a better way that's easy to track.

How are you handling Armor?

Didn't in this battle, the attackers were supposed to be "shoot and scoot" very light weight types.

Just went back over the rules. Armor only seems to protect against particle weapons since mesons and nukes get through. Hrmph. At this point I think I'd let Armor absorb all Hull, Fuel, and M-Drive hits until the armor was penetrated. I'm seeing armor as being actual physical protection and reinforcement, not just a radiation screen.

For Radiation effect probably a Hit down shift for each 2 points of Protection on "Table: Ship Armor by Type". So a ship with intact Crystaliron armor shifts Radiation damage down two hits. This might mean that a successful Hit has no effect. However, if the armor value is reduced it's radiation protection value is reduced as well.

Triple Particle Beam Turret rolls a modified ten "To Hit" a target with intact Crystaliron armor. Two hits based on the roll of ten, plus two hits for the extra weapons firing. Total four hits on the target. That's four rolls on the hit location chart and four Radiation hits. Crystaliron has protection four so the four Radiation hits become two.

Thoughts? My original idea has had exactly one play test and some of the notes above are just late night rambling. Certainly room for improvement.