Grand Theft Starship?

[shnar]

Just started a new campaign with some players, and the first adventure has them buying a cheap, used, breaking-down/fixer-upper ship. I was planning on making this ship be theirs for some time, and using it for some potential future adventure hooks (breakdowns are always good, old secrets are good too, etc). One of the comments from the players was, "We gotta hurry and steal ourselves a better ship."

I should have expected that sentiment from the players. Rarely in RPGs do PCs actually have a conscious

But, I was wondering, what kind of IC penalties would there be for stealing a ship? Would it be similar to a car here on Earth? I.e. the complaintant would register with authorities that ship was stolen. How are ships identified? Is it a broadcast of some kind? So *any* Imperial ship they run into will be able to x-reference the ship against stolen ones? Also any station they dock with? And how hard will it be to get this ID replaced?

Any other ideas I should make sure the PCs know about before they embark on trying to steal a ship?

-shnar

[Luwingo_Spince]

Each ship has an unique transponder code that is broadcasted.

Each transponder code must be reported to the Imperial (forgot the name not at home need to check GG6 tramp freighters) kinda like the DMV.

It is a pretty stiff fine and jail time if I remember correctly.

You can overlap the transponder with a new code but it is pretty tricky and not something most characters can do. Can hire someone to do it though.

I will check when I get home and give you the details

[Xynar]

Each vessel must be registered and "papered" through BoSS, which is gonverment independant. Also the transponder is part of the ion engine so unless the engine is replaced, the code stays. Codes can be changed (illegally) but requires a pretty good space transports repair roll if I remember correctly.
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Xynar
The Great Adventurer

[Esoomian]

There was a post that had a truely excellent description of the transponder code and how to change it. I think it was in the gamemasters thread but I can't find it now.

Anyone else remember where to find it?
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Don't waste money on expensive binoculars.

Simply stand closer to the object you wish to view.

[MGray]

I don't know about the GMs thread but I believe it might be in Tramp Freighters for 1st Edition (oddly there are some things in the 1E book's modification chapter that didn't make it to the 2E book) and I know for sure it's in Cracken's Rebel Field Guide.

You have two basic methods to mess with transponder codes. You can add extra codes to a ship's signature. This takes time (it takes a week to add a code to a starship) and credits, and in 1E skill points. The first code is an Easy Technology or Starship Repairs roll and costs 1500 credits. The difficulty and costs go up from there. If a ship has more than three codes it starts to mess with the signature and it can be spotted.

The (relatively) quick and dirty method is to blur the code so it's unreadable. It's a Moderate Starship Repair roll and takes around four hours. You might then be able to bluff your way past Customs with some decent forged papers and promise to get it repaired ASAP (and maybe a sizable bribe where appropriate). To get the code repaired it's a Difficult Starship Repair roll and takes a day to get the work done.

This is all per CRFG which is a 1E book. I think there is a 2E version of all this, but I can;t for the life of me remember which book it's in. I'll have a look at my books and get back to you.

EDIT: OK, so the 2E book is Pirates and Privateers. Go figure, a book all aboot stealing ships is where you find out how to steal ships. Anyways. It stays the same as in 1E. The first extra code (which should be sufficient for the purposes of stealing a ship) is an Easy Starship Repairs roll and costs a minimum of 1500 credits. You also have additional expenses. You can either use a code from an already existing starship or register a brand new code. In the first case, it takes a week of research and at least 1000 credits to find an appropriate code. In the second, it takes a Moderate to Difficult Con or Bureaucracy roll and at least 1000 credits.

Ghost codes can be detected, the more you have the easier they are to detect.

[Grimace]

Here's the thread where we discussed stuff about the transponder code before: http://www.rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1894&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=transponder&start=0

[wolfe]

[MGray]

[mdlake]

[The Brain]

[wolfe]

It's AJ #13 the story is in the article suprisingly titled "Special Ops: shipjacking".
You might want to read it again as it quite explains why they stole the YT-1300, particularly that YT-1300 along with any other freighter they jack.

No, rebel privateers don't operate under stricter controls.

[The Brain]

I don't beleive they actually say they know it belongs to some criminal type they just decide Yt-1300=easiler modified and inconspicious. If they did they sure didn't act like it, what with not going over the thing better and finding that assasin droid in the cargo hold.

And yes rebel privateers have stricter criteria just look over the examples of the Letters of Marque, nowhere under the legitimate prizes is their a listing for "independent owned tramp freighters"

[wolfe]

If rebel command says to jack a YT-1300 you jack a YT-1300, be it Special Ops or Privateers, so NO the privateers are not under any more stricter operational guidelines.
If your letters of Marque limit such operations by privateers, they are beyond useless as that IS one of the privateers missions (collecting ships that the Alliance asks for).

You really need to re-read the article that goes with the story as you don't seem to be getting it.

[The Brain]

[wolfe]

Your still completely oblivious to alliance ship jacking and why it's done..
You obviously haven't read the article (or the story itself especially the part where it says they had already checked the ship out on the computer, yes they say it, yes it is in there.)

The L M&R is for limiting the privateers attacks of opportunity when they are not on a given assignment call.
The alliance will give them assignments at times such as need more bacta, we need a YT1300, or a Lambda shuttle with no damage, need more blaster gas and so on.

The L M & R specifically states not to harm (or to take hostage) civvies or damage their possessions, it doesn't say one darn thing (or even hint at) about you can't jack the ship if the alliance asks for it.

Privateering 101, privateer vessels (and Special Ops) give the Alliance the ability to do things that their regular military forces can't or "shouldn't".

If the sector does not have a free Special Operations team then it would fall to their privateers to jack a ship, especially if they have an observer (a former special operative).

What is more likely to cause dissension against the rebel alliance by the populace in general, a privateer vessel aka "pirate ship" doing an assigned ship jacking or having the alliance Headquarters Mon Cal cruiser "Home One" going off and jacking a YT-1300 once and awhile when they need them.

Having the privateers doing it would be vastly superior as you can claim no responsibility for pirate actions yourself even if you had to, after all the vast majority of the galaxy doesn't discern the difference between rebel privateers and pirates anyway, to most they are the one and the same, especially when non alliance "pirates" lie about operating with the alliance.

Since you can't bother to read that article and bother to understand the concept of alliance ship jacking, I'm done with you on it, not to mention it's gotten off his topic now.