TIE Interceptor Modular Mission Package

[CRMcNeill]

Although the TIE Interceptor uses the same basic fuselage as the TIE/ln, it lacks the older fighter's ventral dual laser cannon, upgrading to quad-laser cannon mounted on the wings. This left extra space available for the installation of modular packages, each tailored to allow the TIE Interceptor to perform specific missions. The available combination of packages allows the TIE Interceptor to perform the missions associated with almost every previous variation of the TIE. The modular packages can be swapped out and replaced with a different package in less than 30 minutes. This modular nature has resulted in several newer capital vessels deploying fighter groups composed entirely of TIE Interceptors and TIE Bombers, as the TIE Interceptor is more than capable of fulfilling the roles formerly filled by the TIE/ln, TIE/rc and TIE/fc.

MODULAR MISSION PACKAGES:

Reconnaissance
-This package augments the Interceptor's existing sensor package as follows:
Passive 30/1D+2
Scan 60/2D+1
Search 90/3D+2
Focus 6/5D

Fire Control
-This package allows the Interceptor to designate targets for capital ships or other starfighters, providing a bonus to the other gunner's fire control. The ship's stats are modified as follows:
Search 80/3D+2
TARGET DESIGNATION RULES:
To Designate: Pilot must make a Sensor sweep in Search mode with a base difficulty of Moderate. The sensor lock can be dodged as normal
Bonus: +2D to Capital Ship Gunnery, or +1D to Starship Gunnery. Multiple Fire Control equipped fighters may paint the same target, resulting in stacked bonuses. Normally, only one weapon can be guided by a sensor paint, but on a successful Command roll, a coordinated attack may include the bonus.

Assault
-This package equips the Interceptor with a 4-round concussion missile launcher, usually loaded with guided missiles, which makes the Interceptor much more formidable in anti-starfighter combat. Use the following stats:
Fire Arc: Front
Fire Control: 1D (4D for Smart Missiles)
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Space Range: 1-2/8/15
Atmosphere Range: 100m-200m/800m/1.5km
Damage: 8D
Smart Missile Rules: Space Move of 15, and homes for 10 rounds
Ammo: 4

Interceptor
-This package equips the interceptor with a precision auto-blaster. While underpowered, the cannon is highly accurate and is extremely useful for shooting down missiles and torpedoes, as well as engaging speeder craft and other small targets.
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Fire Control: 4D
Space Range: 1-8/25/40
Atmosphere Range: 100-800/2.5/4 km
Damage: 2D

Pursuit
-This package equips the interceptor with a dual ion cannon, allowing it to disable vessels for capture
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Fire Control: 3D
Space Range: 1-3/7/36
Atmosphere Range: 100m-300m/700m/3.6 km
Damage: 4D

Recovery
-This package equips the Interceptor with a short-range grappling cable system that allows the Interceptor to tow disabled ships (featured in Vision of the Future)
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 0-1/2/3
Atmosphere Range: 0m-100m/200m/300m
Effect: On a successful hit, the Interceptor is linked to the target starship by a high-strength cable and fusion disk. The Interceptor can tow the cabled starship at the cost of reduced performance. For every 1D of Hull on the target, the Interceptor's maneuverability is reduced 1D and it's Speed by 2. Multiple Interceptors can grapple the target (each additional Interceptor reduces the penalty by one level, but increases Starfighter Piloting Difficulty levels by one). This can only be used against ships that are completely disabled, as the cable is not strong enough to be the rope in a tug-of-war if the targeted vessel restarts its engines and tries to escape.

SWAPPING MISSION PACKAGES:
Swapping out one mission package for another is a straight-forward procedure, as the Interceptor's computer package is hard-wired to accept all the various packages. The swap-out process is an Easy Starship Repair roll and takes 20+2D minutes to complete.


I pretty much came up with this one off the top of my head after reading the AJ article about TIE variants. I figure this will allow all you evil GM's to throw some fun little surprises at your PCs ("WHAT? INTERCEPTORS DON'T HAVE ION CANNON!!)

Thoughts?
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Bren]

Given the comparatively small size of all TIE models, I don't think adding more weapons, stronger hull, better sensors, faster speed, and more manueverability compared to a TIE/in would really leave extra room for optional packages. I would think the designers would have used the space for one of the existing extras rather than handicapping the standard TIE Interceptor by leaving the space unused. Philosophically custom versions of existing vessels seems more like a Rebel design philosophy or an artifact of video game design requirements to present new challenges to a player at each level than something compatible to New Order philosophy. The Imperials and the New Order seems more about clone-like standardization and mass formations of identical vessels, units, and people not an ability to customize on the fly.

[CRMcNeill]

<shrug> That's why it's just an optional rule. Several critics have pointed out that close-ups of the TIE Interceptor still show the standard TIE cannon mounts, even though the stats do not reflect it. The way I figure it, if you choose to use this optional rule, the TIE Interceptor was designed from the ground up to replace the TIE/ln, the TIE/rc and the TIE/fc (as well as the TIE/gt to a limited degree), so these package options would be a standard feature of the design.

Again, optional rule. Don't like? Don't use.

EDIT: Don't forget, if TIE Interceptors under Grand Admiral Thrawn could be upgraded to Shields 2D, there must still be some room to work with.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

In fact...

Shield
-This package equips the Interceptor with combat shields, greatly increasing its survivability in combat.
Shields: 2D
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

This is a complete stat for the a TIE Interceptor equipped with a Modular Mission Pod. I incorporated the Thrawn-era addition of combat shields to the Interceptor, but downgraded them to 1D, as 2D was rather high for having no appreciable loss of performance elsewhere. Also, bear in mind that the Modular Pod system could be easily adapted to any TIE model that is not equipped with the TIE/ln's chin-mounted cannon.

TIE Interceptor
Craft: Sienar Fleet Systems' TIE Interceptor
Type: Space Superiority Starfighter
Scale: Starfighter
Length: 9.6 meters
Skill: Starfighter Piloting: TIE Interceptor
Crew: 1
Crew Skill:
Starfighter Piloting 5D
Starship Gunnery 4D+2
Starship Shields 4D
Sensors 4D
Passengers: None
Cargo Capacity: 75 kg, .3 cubic meters
Consumables: 2 days
Maneuverability: 3D+2
Space: 11
Atmosphere: 435; 1250 kmh
Hull: 3D
Shields: 1D
Sensors:
Passive: 25/1D
Scan: 40/2D
Search: 60/3D
Focus: 4/3D+2
Weapons:
4 Laser Cannon (Fire-Linked)
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Fire Control: 3D
Space Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2km/2.5 km
Damage: 6D
Modular Mission Package:
Although the TIE Interceptor uses the same basic fuselage as the TIE/ln, it lacks the older fighter's ventral dual laser cannon. This left extra space available for the installation of modular packages, each tailored to allow the TIE Interceptor to perform specific missions. The available combination of packages allows the TIE Interceptor to perform the missions associated with almost every previous variation of the TIE. The modular packages can be swapped out and replaced with a different package in less than 30 minutes (Easy Starfighter Repair, requiring 20+2D minutes). This modular nature has resulted in several newer capital vessels deploying fighter groups composed entirely of TIE Interceptors and TIE Bombers, as the TIE Interceptor is more than capable of fulfilling the roles formerly filled by the TIE/ln, TIE/rc and TIE/fc.

RECON / FIRE CONTROL
Description: This package augments the Interceptor's existing sensor package as follows:
Sensors:
Passive: 30/1D+2
Scan: 60/2D+1
Search: 90/3D+2
Focus: 6/5D
Target Designator:
-To Designate: Pilot must make a Sensor sweep in Search mode with a base difficulty of Moderate. The sensor lock can be dodged as if it were an attack.
-Bonus: +2D to Capital Ship Gunnery, or +1D to Starship Gunnery. Multiple Fire Control equipped fighters may paint the same target, resulting in stacked bonuses. Normally, only one weapon can be guided by a sensor paint, but on a successful Command roll, a coordinated attack may include the bonus.

ASSAULT
Description: This package equips the Interceptor with a 4-round concussion missile launcher, usually loaded with guided missiles, which makes the Interceptor much more formidable in anti-starfighter combat.
Weapons:
Concussion Missile Launcher
Fire Arc: Front
Fire Control: 1D (4D for Smart Missiles)
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Space Range: 1-2/8/15
Atmosphere Range: 100m-200m/800m/1.5km
Damage: 8D
Smart Missile Rules: Space Move of 15, and homes for 10 rounds
Ammo: 4

INTERCEPTOR
Description: This package equips the interceptor with a dual auto-blaster. While underpowered, the cannon is highly accurate and is extremely useful for shooting down missiles and torpedoes, as well as engaging speeder craft and other small targets.
Weapons:
Dual Autoblaster Cannon
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Fire Control: 4D
Space Range: 1-8/25/40
Atmosphere Range: 100-800/2.5/4 km
Rate of Fire: 2D Auto-Fire
Damage: 3D

PURSUIT
Description: This package equips the interceptor with a dual ion cannon, allowing it to disable vessels for capture.
Weapons:
Dual Ion Cannon
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Fire Control: 3D
Space Range: 1-3/7/16
Atmosphere Range: 100m-300m/700m/1.6 km
Damage: 4D

RECOVERY
Description: This package equips the Interceptor with a short-range grappling cable system that allows the Interceptor to tow disabled ships (featured in Vision of the Future).
Weapons:
Grappling Cable Launcher
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 0-1/2/3
Atmosphere Range: 0m-100m/200m/300m
Effect: On a successful hit, the Interceptor is linked to the target starship by a high-strength cable and fusion disk. The Interceptor can tow the cabled starship at the cost of reduced performance. For every 1D of Hull on the target, the Interceptor's Maneuverability is reduced 1D and its Speed by 2. Multiple Interceptors can grapple the target (each additional Interceptor reduces the penalty by one level, but increases Starfighter Piloting Difficulty levels by one). This can only be used against ships that are completely disabled, as the cable is not strong enough to be the rope in a tug-of-war if the targeted vessel restarts its engines and tries to escape.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

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[CRMcNeill]

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[CRMcNeill]