Archive/Feedback for Advanced Starfighter Combat Project

[CRMcNeill]

Okay, this isn't complete, but I'm tired and I want to get this posted. Expect to see more added to this section in the future.

Countermeasures
In response to the high accuracy of guided ordnance, most starfighters are equipped with some form of protective countermeasures that either disrupt a missile's lock-on or destroy it completely. Some are equipped with defensive blaster cannon that can destroy incoming missiles, or with on-board fire control jamming emitters, but for most, countermeasures take the form of ejected chaff or decoys. External fire control jamming pods are also an option for some heavier craft.

Chaff Generator
The most common form of countermeasure, Chaff Generators inject reactive materials into the ship's exhaust, creating a brief plume of energy and radiation that temporarily confuses sensors and fire control. Chaff is in limited supply, and is almost never used unless a missile or torpedo has already been fired at the ship.
Effect: When deployed, a Chaff Burst automatically breaks any Lock-On, but the attacker may re-roll as a Free Action at -2D.
Duration: 1 round
Capacity: Ships generally have 2 Charges per D of Hull Dice (rounded up), but can be fitted with enlarged tanks at the cost of cargo capacity.

Decoy
Ejected from a dispenser mounted on the ship's stern, Decoys are individually more effective than Chaff, with each unit carrying its own signal emitters and power supply. In addition, multiple decoys can be combined for greater effect. However, individual decoys and the dispenser are more complicated and expensive, and are also less common. Ships equipped with Decoy Dispensers generally only make use of them under the most dire of circumstances, such as when trying to evade a Smart or Hunter Missile.
Effect: Individual Decoys automatically break any Lock-Ons, but the attacker may re-roll as a Free Action at -2D. If multiple Decoys are deployed, they count as Coordinated, with any Bonus applied to the Penalty to reacquire.
Duration: 1 round
Capacity: 4 Decoys per Dispenser. Starfighters may carry 1 Dispenser per D in Hull Dice, rounded up.

_________________
"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]

As part of my proposed Y-Wing upgrade, I’m considering reviving my external pods concept. I dropped the idea a few years back when I came to the realization that it made it possible to have a single heavy starfighter do almost everything simply by slapping the right belly pod on it, which seemed a bit excessive.

What I’m thinking now is to not merely divide the pods into Standard and Heavy, but to also divide them by complexity. While some pods (Cargo and Fuel, in particular) will be usable on every mount that can carry them, more sophisticated pods will need more sophisticated mounts to interface them, as well as internal hardware and software components wired into the ship’s systems to control the pod.

The upshot for the improved Y-Wing is that, rather than having multiple dedicated variants for path-finding, defense suppression, recon, etc, have a single platform that can serve as a fighter/bomber, but also has onboard components installed that allow it to run a few specialist pods for different missions. That way, a squadron of twelve Y-Wings would have four ships wired to run defense suppression pods, another four wired to run navigation/path-finding, and so on.
_________________
"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