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TarlSS Sub-Lieutenant
Joined: 19 Aug 2005 Posts: 60
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 12:12 am Post subject: Capital Ship Guns |
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A Star Destroyer has 20 turbolasers, 20 ion cannons and 6 tractor beam projectors in it's front arc.
If it wants to hit a single target, say the player's light freighter, am I supposed to technically roll the dice 46 times?
(Or more logically, use combined actions and add 46 worth of crew to the roll?) |
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Chabit Rane Commander
Joined: 02 Nov 2005 Posts: 460
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:18 am Post subject: |
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What i do is roll by the type of weapon being used. A combined roll for the turbolasers, another for the ion cannons, and another for the tractor beams. |
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Ray Commodore
Joined: 31 Oct 2003 Posts: 1743 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, North America, Western Hemisphere, Earth, Sol, Western Arm, Milky Way
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:23 am Post subject: |
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Far, far less than that. That would be massive overkill. Like shooting a Battleship's full load of 16 Inch Deckguns at a Speedboat. (Have about the same ability to hit it, as well!).
Don't forget that every shot fired has to be accounted for by some Bean Counter.
If, however, the Captain has completely lost it (After being told to "Kiss My Wookiee", for instance), then, yes, roll all those times.
Then disreguard the rolls unless it's cinematically appropriate.
'Course, if they're taunting the captain of a Star Destroyer... They pretty much deserve whatever is coming at them.
No, more likely, a couple of flights of Tie Fighters is more likely to be sent after the Ship. After all, a single smuggler isn't worth the full might of a Star Destroyer. Only a worthy opponent is.
And the Tie Fighter Pilots need the live target practice. And moan too loudly when they don't get every opportunity they can get. |
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Boomer Captain
Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 688 Location: Terra Sol
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 2:07 am Post subject: |
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I also use the combined action thing Chabit mentioned. The Turbolasers combine for a single roll at a bonus of 6d to hit, same with the Ion Cannons. The Tractor beams, not as much. _________________ My backpack has jets!
I'm Boba the Fett!
And I bounty hunt for Jabba Hutt,
to finance my 'vette! |
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garhkal Sovereign Protector
Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 14168 Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus, Ohio.
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 4:48 am Post subject: |
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Ray wrote: |
If, however, the Captain has completely lost it (After being told to "Kiss My Wookiee", for instance), then, yes, roll all those times.
Then disreguard the rolls unless it's cinematically appropriate.
'Course, if they're taunting the captain of a Star Destroyer... They pretty much deserve whatever is coming at them.
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Why would you disregard it if you are going to roll, unless it meets some arbitrary 'cinematically appropriate' time?? _________________ Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk! |
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Argamoth Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Posts: 234
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:55 am Post subject: |
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I don't think all of the weapons can fire in 1 direction. And ALL the weapons firing at once would probably drain the ship of power from vital areas.
I think multiple guns are meant to provide a more consistent source of firepower, so you don't have to wait for the guns to cool down (and be vunerable)
But I think TIEs would be a more likely threat. |
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Ray Commodore
Joined: 31 Oct 2003 Posts: 1743 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, North America, Western Hemisphere, Earth, Sol, Western Arm, Milky Way
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 11:47 am Post subject: |
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garhkal wrote: | Why would you disregard it if you are going to roll, unless it meets some arbitrary 'cinematically appropriate' time?? |
Because if you're hit with a few Turbolasers from a Star Destroyer, you're just bought the Nerf Farm. And that's the end of the characters.
It's the GMs job to keep the story moving, not kill everyone. |
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Grimace Captain
Joined: 11 Oct 2004 Posts: 729 Location: Montana; Big Sky Country
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 12:07 pm Post subject: |
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What I do is break down the total sum of the weapons IN ARC, and fire multiple groupings at them. So say the Star Destroyer has 20 in its front arc, like you said. Not every one of them is going to fire at the exact same time, and the size of the Star Destroyer will spread the area where the turbolasers are across a wide range compared to the target. So I might break them down into 4 groups of 5 guns.
Roll combined actions for the 5 guns of the first group and determine if they hit. Then do the same for group number 2, then 3, and finally group 4. Chances are, unless your PCs are completely stupid, they'll be doing everything in their power to evade the shots and get away from the STar Destroyer. Also likely, the 4 groups will likely miss (due to scale differences) but some shots may come close. I'd use those numbers to create dramatic tension rather than just saying "they missed." Imagine the stream of deadly turbolasers streaking out from the nose of the Star Destroyer as it lumbers after the escaping ship. The green bolts streak to the right and left, so detonating too close to the ship, buffeting it and causing the intertial compensators to strain, throwing things all over the ship. One blast narrowly skims the shielding, and a light begins to flash wildly as it indicate deflector shield fluctuations. The ship rocks from the constant barrage of shots coming from the big ship.
Something like that.
If you break every shot down individually, the dice will eventually turn up a hit on the little ship and you'll likely have a vaped ship, if not a severely damaged one. That's why I break them into clumps. It's more entertaining than one roll, offers a bit more chance of hit (and more stuff to work with as a GM) and tends to give the mind's eye a better view of stuff that you've seen in movies or computer games. |
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Jedi Skyler Moff
Joined: 07 Sep 2005 Posts: 8440
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:03 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | It's more entertaining than one roll, offers a bit more chance of hit (and more stuff to work with as a GM) and tends to give the mind's eye a better view of stuff that you've seen in movies or computer games. |
Plus, it might give them pause the next time they want to tell a Star Destroyer captain to "kiss their Wookiee" if they barely manage to scrape out of that situation with their rear ends intact. |
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KageRyu Commodore
Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Posts: 1391 Location: Lost in the cracks
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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I am in agreement with Grimace's answer, it is well thought out and makes for good gaming. Also, why would the star destroyer unload all of it's ordinance at such a small and relatively harmless vessel? And why use the tractor beams if you are firing Ion and Turbolasers? Just because it's there, doesn't mean it will all be fired at once. They would use the Ion cannons and tractor beams only if they are trying to capture the vessel in question, otherwise they would just be using turbolasers. It's a good bet that if they are trying to capture the ship, they won't be firing turbolasers at it. _________________ "There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra |
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therritn Ensign
Joined: 14 Nov 2004 Posts: 32
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Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 3:16 am Post subject: My rule |
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I've usually done star destroyer weapons like this. Since there are 20 TL , 20 IC, and 6 TBs in an arc, I first leave it to the captain of the ISD to choose what weapon the ISD would use. Second, since in the movies ISDs seem to shoot off two bolts at the same time, I shoot off two TL bolts and roll for each bolt. Another way is to use the Star Warriors game rule which has an ISD weapon table. |
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garhkal Sovereign Protector
Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 14168 Location: Reynoldsburg, Columbus, Ohio.
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Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 8:52 am Post subject: |
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Ray wrote: | garhkal wrote: | Why would you disregard it if you are going to roll, unless it meets some arbitrary 'cinematically appropriate' time?? |
Because if you're hit with a few Turbolasers from a Star Destroyer, you're just bought the Nerf Farm. And that's the end of the characters.
It's the GMs job to keep the story moving, not kill everyone. |
Then why have the cap ship fire??
As to how i handle it. Most of the time, when a cap ship is shooting at a fighter, it only uses ions. THEN when it hits, it shuts down the target. Much easier to capture that way.... _________________ Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk! |
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Volar the Healer Jedi
Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Posts: 664 Location: Arizona, USA
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Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 12:14 pm Post subject: Re: Capital Ship Guns |
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TarlSS wrote: | If it wants to hit a single target, say the player's light freighter, am I supposed to technically roll the dice 46 times?
(Or more logically, use combined actions and add 46 worth of crew to the roll?) |
Sure. Go for it. You'll only have to do it once, then the players (with their new characters) will never challange an Imperial Star Destroyer again! Having players sit through the description of hit after hit blowing chunks out of their ship is a great way to explain why freighters do what the Imperial Navy tells them to do.
-or-
You could stop rolling for the turbolasers once the player's ship is dead in space (probably with most of the players dead or wounded). A turbolaser attack is not very precise, after all. I imagine any Imperial officer would enjoy telling the Rebels "Surrender, or we'll fire the rest of our weapons". _________________ Know Jesus, Know Peace.
No Jesus, No Peace |
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Volar the Healer Jedi
Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Posts: 664 Location: Arizona, USA
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Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 12:24 pm Post subject: |
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Remember, Star Wars is a role playing game. If they want to play the role of a starship crew destroyed by an Imperial Star Destroyer - they should be allowed to. Maybe they'll play something different with their next characters... _________________ Know Jesus, Know Peace.
No Jesus, No Peace |
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hitmark Cadet
Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 9
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Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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if a player insists on killing his character after warnings from the GM, then the character dies.
thats diffrent from the GM just declaring the character dead for some random reason and so on...
btw, what is the canon interpetation for crew entrys on capital ship guns?
like say that one from the star destroyer turbo lasers that go something like this:
crew: 1(20), 2(40) |
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