Ship Combat Rules

Similar to the combat between creatures and players, ship combat has phases, attacks, and turns. But the structure is different for ship combat. It's more flexible and dynamic when compared to character combat.
The supplies you need for ship combat are a set of dice, the same set for characters, and a Ship Stat Sheet. The rules don't require the use of a grid system of miniatures for combat unless your group wishes to use these.

Initiative Ship Combat

A battle can be initiated for a number of reasons such as an ambush, a dogfight, or a misfiring of a cannon. But once it's started it's important the battle is ordered correctly.
When combat is initiated both crews make an initiative skill roll for their ship's speed rating. This skill roll is usually rolled by the pilot. Unlike characters who add a skill to their initiative roll, this is rolling 1d8 + a ship's speed rating. The highest roll determines who is first in the combat order followed by the lesser rolls.
If a ship is successfully ambushed when ship combat is initiated then the ship receives the Unprepared Condition for the first round of combat.
Lastly, unlike character combat, ship initiative is rerolled at the start of each round.

Phases

Ship Combat is structured into specific phases. These phases are each managed by a specific crew member of a ship and have specific actions you can perform for each. The phases repeat each round in the following specific order:

1. Initiative Roll - Each ship rolls an initiative roll. 1d8 + the ship's speed stat. This decides combat order.
2. Engineer Phase - The engineering phase relies on a ship's engineering to manage its speed and power output.
3. Captain Phase - The Captain can rally the crew or plan a clever strategy.
4. Pilot Phase - The pilot of a ship maneuvers the ship during combat maintaining advantageous positioning.
5. Recon Phase - This phase is used to gather information about your enemies or attempt to disrupt their abilities.
6. Gunnery Phase - The phase completely dedicated to attacking an enemy with a ship's weapons.

Rules for Combat

The following are rules which persist throughout all of ship combat.

• Each phase is started by the ship first in combat order.
• Each phase has a limited number of players that can use ship actions that phase. This is limited by the "seats" for that phase, on the ship sheet.
• A player can switch the phase they take part in at the start of the initiative roll.
• If a player performs a ship action during one of the phases they are unable to move around the ship for the rest of the phase.
• Due to the focus required to operate a ship, every ship action requires two action die to use.
• Rolls made for ship actions can't benefit from bonuses or enhancements from a source that doesn't originate from the player performing the action, equipment the player has, or another phase in ship combat.

Engineer Phase

The engineer phase is the point of combat where every critical system of a ship receives its power and where an engineer can divert that power.
The following are ship actions an engineer can use. Each action can't be used more than once and requires two action die to used, unless otherwise specified.

Repair Systems

You divert power from some of ship's other systems to focus on repairing the ship.
Roll 1d4 + your engineer skill, then the ship adds the total to its hit points.
For the rest of the round, Recon and Gunnery phase ship actions reduce their rolls by 1d8.

Power to Weapons

You pull the ship's power into the cannons giving the weapons a boost in power.
Roll 1d4 + your engineer skill. All Gunnery ship actions for the round add the total to their rolls as a modifier.
For the rest of the round, Recon and Pilot phase ship actions reduce their rolls by 1d8.

Boost Array

You embolden the range and capabilities of the ship's recon components.
Roll 1d4 + your engineer skill. All Recon ship actions for the round add the total to their rolls as a modifier.
For the rest of the round, Gunnery and Pilot phase ship actions reduce their rolls by 1d8.

Give a Little More

You pull all the power in the ship to the engines to make a quick escape.
The Speed Stat of the ship is increased by +2 until the start of the next Engineer phase.

Captain Phase

The phase for the captain to lead the crew or taunt the enemy.
The following are ship actions a captain can use. Each action can't be used more than once and requires two action die to used, unless otherwise specified.

Rally

You embolden the spirits of your crew.
Roll a Persuasion skill challenge. Target one phase in the combat order. On that phase one action receives a bonus depending on the roll.

Total	Bonus
4 or lower	1d4
5 - 8	1d6
9 or higher	1d8

Captain to Captain

You attempt to taunt or confuse the enemy using communication.
Roll an Intimidation or Persuasion skill roll. Target one enemy ship, its captain rolls either an Intimidation or Persuasion skill roll. Based on the outcome the following modifiers apply till the end of next round.

Outcome	modifier
Your roll is higher	Their Captain rolls with disadvantage on their captain ship actions.
You tie	You and the enemy Captain lose an action die.
Their roll is higher	Your captain actions reduce their rolls by 1d4.

Get Us Out of Here!

You demand that your pilot initiates escape maneuvers.
On the next pilot phase the pilot may choose to attempt to break from combat. Initiating a Run Away. This event can be found at the bottom of ship combat.

Pilot Phase

The pilot of a ship initiates special maneuvers using their skills.
The following are ship actions a pilot can use. Each action can't be used more than once and requires two action die to used, unless otherwise specified.

Defensive Positioning

You tilt the ship so it's armor is in the best possible angle against the enemy's weapons.
Roll 1d8 + the piloting skill for the ship you're piloting. Add the total to your ship's hull strength.
This action cannot be used if the "aggressive positioning" action was used this phase.

Aggressive Positioning

You align the ship, giving the cannons the best possible angle for shooting an enemy's vitals.
Roll 1d8 + the piloting skill for the ship you're piloting. Based on the total all Gunnery Actions of your ship this phase receive the below bonus.
This action cannot be used if the "defensive positioning" action was used this phase.

Total	Bonus
4 or lower	+2
5 - 8	+3
9 or higher	+5

Boarding Maneuver

You test your maneuvering skills by rushing your ship to the side of the enemy. You initiate a boarding algorithm to keep your ships aligned and to keep their weapons off your ship.
Roll 1d8 + the piloting skill for the ship you're piloting, then subtract the damage level modifier of your ship. You target another ship and the ship must perform a piloting skill challenge using the piloting skill of the ship you're in, they then subtract the damage level modifier of their ship. If they fail the roll you successfully initiated boarding. Both ships receive the "boarding" condition. Character Combat will be initiated once you enter the enemy ship.

Recon Phase

The phase for learning about your environment or targets.
The following are ship actions a science officer can use. Each action can't be used more than once and requires two action die to used, unless otherwise specified.

Enemy Scan

Choose a target ship and give it a scan, learning information that could aid you in battle.
Make a skill roll of 1d8 + your Tech Skill. You are rolling against the enemy ship's Tech Challenge, TC, value. Based on the success your GM will inform you of different information.

Environmental Scan

Your ship examines the environment around it analyzing the atmosphere, terrain, and hazardous.
You learn the details of the environment conditions the ship is currently in.

Wide Scan

The ship searches the area of space around the ship for any points of interest or hidden objects.
Make a skill roll of 1d8 + your Tech Skill. Any hidden object is detected if its Stealth Challenge is equal to or less than your roll. Ships naturally have a Stealth Challenge, SC, on their sheets. If your roll is equal to or less than any hidden ships in the area the GM reveals their locations.

Enemy Hack

Choose a target ship and attempt to burden its systems with hacking algorithms.
Make a skill roll of 1d8 + your Tech Skill. You are rolling against the enemy ship's Tech Challenge, TC, value. On a failure you select a combat phase. On the targeted phase the enemy subtracts 1d4 on their next action.

Gunnery Phase

Unlike other phases the Gunnery phase completely relies on what cannons your ship has equipped.
IMPORTANT: If a ship cannon would ever hit a creature large or smaller in size they are dealt the damage of the cannon multiplied by its size class below.

Cannon Size	Multiplication Value
Small	x3
Medium	x5
Large	x10

The following are ship actions a Gunner can use. Each action can't be used more than once and requires two action die to used, unless otherwise specified.

Single Shot

You carefully aim one of the cannons at a target and take a shot.
Choose one of the ships cannons of small or medium size. Make a damage roll using the damage dice for the chosen cannon then add your Gunnery skill to the roll. The total is the damage directed at the target.

Heavy Shot

You take control of one of the heavy cannons and carefully fire it at a target.
Choose one of the ships cannons of large size. Make a damage roll using the damage dice for the chosen cannon then add your Gunnery skill to the roll. The total is the damage directed at the target.
This action cannot be used on the next Gunnery phase.

Full Salvo

You turn the small cannons of your ship on multiple targets and quickly barrage them.
For each small cannon on your ship select an available target to shoot. Roll the damage dice for each small cannon you have on your ship. The roll for each cannon is the damage dealt to its target.
This action cannot be used on the next Gunnery phase.

Fire Everything!

The order is made and you release all the weapon on your ship at the same time.
For each cannon on your ship select an available target to shoot. Roll the damage dice for each cannon you have on your ship. The roll for each cannon is the damage dealt to its target.
After degerming damage roll 2d10 + the number of d10s rolled. The total is the amount is the hit points your ship loses. Each round you use this action, if you used it the round prior, you add another d10 to this roll.

Run Away

This is a post ship combat event where the pilot attempts to withdraw from combat.
If the enemy doesn't chase the ship then the crew gets away safely. However if the enemy attempts to chase the crew than a chase sequence is initiated.
The chase sequence is a series of three rounds where the fleeing ship rolls 1d8 + the ships speed stat. The chasing ships then each roll 1d8 + their speed stats. If the fleeing ship would ever roll lower than a chasing ship twice in consecutive rounds then the Run Away event ends and a new ship combat begins. If this does not occur than the fleeing ship successfully gets away.

Destroying a Ship

Every ship's crew can set the ship to scuttle itself with 1 hours worth of preparation, the ship will then be destroyed after being scuttled. However destroying an enemy ship is more difficult.
A ship isn't considered destroyed when its hit points reach 0. Rather this is when the ship loses power and suffers the conditions associated with this. It is considered Idle.
A ship is destroyed when at 0 hit points and continues to take damage till the total additional damage dealt reaches double its hit point maximum. This is when the ship fragments and is completely scuttled. It becomes scrap and is considered destroyed.