Target Speed and Orientation To Hit Modifiers

[Dr. Bidlo]

I have been reading some of the older threads, particularly about the new scale system and there were some great points about how the speed and orientation of a target does not affect the difficulty to hit. During recent games, my players also lamented that their speed and orientation does not increase the difficulty to get hit. Since I did not see this covered elsewhere, here is my work in progress to address this and increase tactical options based on movement while placing limits of the shooters based on their scale. I have a full table that has a much nicer appearance, but I could not get it to look right on this post, so I separated per each scale weapon.

The difficulty to hit a target with a weapon is modified based on the speed of the target per the tables below:

To Hit Modifier
Move : Character Scale Weapon Modifier
0-30 meters : -
31-60 meters : +4
61-100 meters : +8
101-200 meters : +12
201-250 meters : +16
251+ meters : Impossible

To Hit Modifier
Move : Speeder Scale Weapon Modifier
0-60 meters : -
61-100 meters : +4
101-200 meters : +8
201-250 meters : +12
251-300 meters : +16
301+ meters : Impossible

To Hit Modifier
Move : Walker Scale Weapon Modifier
0-100 meters : -
101-200 meters : +4
201-250 meters : +8
251-300 meters : +12
301-425 meters : +16
426+ meters : Impossible

To Hit Modifier
Space : Starfighter Scale Weapon Modifier
0-10 Space units : -
11-20 Space units : +4
21-30 Space units : +8
31-40 Space units : +12
41+ Space units : +16

To Hit Modifier
Space : Capital Scale Weapon Modifier
0-5 Space units : -
6-10 Space units : +4
11-20 Space units : +8
21-30 Space units : +12
31-40 Space units : +16
41+ Space units : Impossible

To Hit Modifier
Space : Death Star Scale Weapon Modifier
0-2 Space units : -
3-5 Space units : +4
6-10 Space units : +8
11-20 Space units : +12
21-30 Space units: +16
31+ Space units : Impossible

Additionally, the speed difficulty modifier is multiplied based on the orientation of target per the table below:

Orientation Speed Difficulty Multiplier
Target Orientation : Speed Difficulty Multiplier
Closing : x 1/2
Moving Away : x 1
Abeam : x 2

I like the premise, but will have to test it out during my games. I welcome input from others based on either theory or practice.

[CRMcNeill]

My version:

-Ships moving laterally to an attacker (as in, the shooter is in the target’s Left or Right Arc) receive a bonus to evade attacks equal to 1/3 of their 1E Speed Code.

-To calculate this, apply 1 pip for every full D of Speed Code, then convert back to Dice. Pips in Speed Codes are rounded up or down. For example, a TIE Interceptor with a Speed Code of 5D+2 would round up to 6D, thus 6 pips = 2D.

-The Speed Bonus is subject to the following modifiers:

Shooter is in target’s Front or Rear Fire Arc = -1D
Target and shooter are moving toward each other = +1D
Target and shooter are moving the same direction = -1D
Target is moving at or below Cautious Speed = -1D
Target is moving All-Out = +1D

Cumulative penalties can not reduce the Bonus to less than 0D.
_________________
"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

[Dr. Bidlo]

[CRMcNeill]

The difference here is that you’re using the ship/vehicle’s Speed Code as a base, so that ship with a Space of 1 has a Base Bonus of, at most, 0D+1, while the TIE has a Bonus of 1D+2. If that’s not enough for you, you can go with a 1-for-2 conversion formula instead of my 1-for-3.
_________________
"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]

I went with a 1/3 mostly for ease of conversion, but a 1/2 rate works, too; just convert the 1E Speed Code into pips, divide in half (rounding up), then convert back to dice. A simple conversion chart would look thusly:

2E Space / 1E Speed Code = Dodge Modifier
1 / 0D+2 = 0D+1
2 / 1D = 0D+2
3 / 1D+2 = 1D
4 / 2D = 1D
5 / 2D+2 = 1D+1
6 / 3D = 1D+2
7 / 3D+2 = 2D
8 / 4D = 2D
9 / 4D+2 = 2D+1
10 / 5D = 2D+2
11 / 5D+2 = 3D
12 / 6D = 3D
13 / 6D+2 = 3D+1
14 / 7D = 3D+2
15 / 7D+2 = 3D+2
16 / 8D = 4D

So, using the rules I posted above, an A-Wing at All-Out moving laterally to the shooter is at +4D (3D, plus 1D for All-Out) to avoid being hit, while your slower Space 1 craft is at 1D+1 (0D+1, plus 1D for All-Out).

I took the conversion table up to 16 because of a couple of extreme outliers both in my stats and in the RAW, specifically, the Storm IV Cloud Car which is blisteringly fast in atmosphere (it'd be Space 16 if its Atmosphere translated directly over), and the Plexus Droid Vessel which has a Space of 15.

It's not a scientifically exact and proportional rule, but for the purposes of a RNG at the gaming table, it doesn't really need to be.
_________________
"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

[Dr. Bidlo]

I need to process the implications of both my and your house rules. Mine might be too much especially when combined with my house rule at adjust damage based on range.

After a quick analysis of your house rules, it sounds like more often than not you are making it easier to hit most targets, as the most target angles give a bonus while the most difficult lateral angles add a modest increase to the difficulty to hit based on a ship's cruise speed. The range difficulties in the RAW are already way too low for my preferences.

I think the biggest flaw is that there is no affect on shooting based on the total speed of a vehicle. Yes, maybe based on speed code, but that always assumes the flat cruise speed. In the scenario with your house rules where an X-wing is trailing a lumbering freighter (Space 1) at all-out speed moving 4 space units has no modifiers to hit (-1D for traveling same direction, but +1D for all-out speed). For the same scenario with an X-wing tailing a TIE fighter at fast speed traveling 20 Space units, the X-wing actually gets +1D to hit despite traveling five times as fast! That weird juxtaposition is exactly what I was attempting to address with my proposed house rule.

[CRMcNeill]

The idea is that, if the the target's Speed Modifier reaches 0D, it's effectively as easy to hit as a stationary target, in which case, the Difficulty to hit reverts to the base Difficulty for that Range (assuming it's not Dodging).

As to your example, I think you missed a step. Using the above chart, your Space 1 Freighter starts with a Modifier of +0D+1, which only goes up to +1D+1 if it's going All-Out, but then drops back down to +0D+1 for going the same direction. The TIE with its Space of 10 starts with a Modifier of +2D+2, so even with going the same direction, it still has a modifier of +1D+2.
_________________
"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

[Dr. Bidlo]

Perhaps I am incorrect, but as I read it, you only add the to hit modifier for targets traveling laterally, so you do not add the speed modifier. In my example, the x-wing is traveling the same direction as the target, tailing it, so but you actually reduce the difficulty by -1D. Was I incorrect?

[CRMcNeill]

[CRMcNeill]

To use your two examples, a TIE starts with +2D+2 modifier, which automatically gets applied to his Difficulty to Hit:

Flying laterally to an attacker = +2D+2
Flying at Cautious = +1D+2
Flying at All-Out = +3D+2
Flying toward/away from an attacker = 1D+2 (2D+2 at All-Out, +0D+2 at Cautious)
Fleeing a pursuing attacker = 0D+2 (+1D+2 at All-Out, +0D* at Cautious)

The Space 1 Freighter, on the other hand, starts with a +0D+1 modifier, which modifies thusly:

Flying laterally to an attacker = +0D+1
Flying at Cautious = +0D*
Flying at All-Out = +1D+1
Flying toward/away from an attacker = +0D* (+0D+1 at All-Out, +0D* at Cautious)
Fleeing a pursuing attacker = +0D* (+0D+1 at All-Out, +0D* at Cautious)

*Modifiers cannot be less than +0D.

This rule is largely structured for use against less maneuverable craft like transports or capital ships that can't dogfight in the same manner as fighters, or for relatively stationary weapons (such as surface defenses or capital ship batteries) engagind much more maneuverable craft like fighters or transports. I have a separate rule here that factors in Speed to establish Range in a one-on-one dogfight.
_________________
"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

[Dr. Bidlo]

[CRMcNeill]

[Dr. Bidlo]

When I say "Moves" I am referring to the term as it is used in the RAW. For example, when your ship is damaged and is suffers -1 Move, you can no longer move at All-out speed. At -2 Moves, your top speed would be Cruise, etc.

Regardless, I think I may be able to either use your system or a slightly modified use of your system to try out and see if it does what I want it to. Thanks.

[CRMcNeill]