Top Blaster: Dog-Fighting in Space

[CRMcNeill]

I'm thinking in broad terms about several different rules that have been discussed over the years as how to better represent starfighter combat. At this point, I'll just be rambling, since I just want to get the concept written down before I space out and forget about it...

-New Advanced Skill: (A) Combat Maneuvering. Prerequisites: Tactics, Starfighter Piloting & Starship Gunnery, all at 5D.

-Treat stacked Starfighter Piloting and Combat Maneuvering as a Dice Pool, split between Offense and Defense, with Offense used to maneuver the fighter to bring your weapons to bear on an opponent, and Defense used to detect and evade enemy attacks of opportunity that occur while you are engaging your target (likely forcing you to break off your own attack).

-Make an opposed Tactics roll (against the enemy pilot) to generate a bonus (1 pip for every 3 points of success) that is applied to the Starfighter Piloting and Combat Maneuvering Dice Pool.

-To determine combat advantage, make opposed Starfighter Piloting rolls, then apply the result to the following table:

0-5 = Still maneuvering, no one has a clear shot.
6-10 = Head-to-Head. Both sides get a shot @ +5 difficulty
11-15 = Deflection Shot. Winner gets a shot @ +10 difficulty
16-20 = On his Tail. Winner gets a shot @ normal difficulty
21+ = I have you now. Winner gets a shot @ -5 difficulty

I'm just trying to get my ideas down in writing before I go to bed and lose it. I'm sure it is full of holes, but I can't help feel there is something there...
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"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

[atgxtg]

Just a few random thoughts to add to the pile:

1) SPEED should factor in somehow. Probably if/when sombody tires to break off from a bad situation.

2)There should be a way to break off from a bad situation. Some way for a fighter to fly away and try to come back for another attempt.

3) It would be nice if the tactics bonus was a pool that could be spent on Piloting, Combat Maneuver or Weapons fire.

4) How 'bout a wingman bonus?

[CRMcNeill]

[Dromdarr_Alark]

This seems to make sense for one-on-one dogfights. I am wondering how it would work with squadron on squadron fights. (I think I just need an example of play so I can wrap my head around it)
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"I still wouldn't have a roll for it - but that's just how I roll."

[CRMcNeill]

Not quite there yet. I was just trying to verbalize the concept to generate discussion and get the idea out there when I posted.
_________________
"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

[Dromdarr_Alark]

[CRMcNeill]

[Dromdarr_Alark]

[Naaman]

I have tried to address the dogfighting issue myself and have run into some barriers.

Some things I think weneed to establish are dogfighting rules without the advanced skil, since starship combat can be attempted by amyone piloting a ship. In this case, are we satisfied with RAW?

Also, given the ideas posted above, we have to address scenarios like the following:

Pilot 1 has 5D piloting and 2D (A) Combat Maneuvering. He has 5D in Tactics.

Pilot 2 has 8D in Starfighter Piloting and 9D in tactics.

In this case, the "advanced" pilot is inferior in all ways to his opponent, despite his more advanced training. This is especially true if we split the (A) skill dice between offense and defense.

Without the advanced skill, is pilot number 2 entitled to a tactics roll? If so, he will be the on gaining a bonus to his rolls and the advanced skill does nothing for pilot numbet 1. If number 2 does not get a tactics roll, does that mean his tactical acumen counts for nothing? What if he had the specialization tactics:aerial combat? Does it count for nothing?

Some ways that I can see to address this:

1. We could simply add the advanced skill to the base skill and then allow a number of free (no MAP) maneuvers based on the number of dice they have in the advanced skil. This will allow the advanced pilot to out maneuver his opponent and achieve a positional advandage even in high stress situations involving multiple opponents and allies.

If we are going to use tactics, we might relate it to the OODA loop and allow a pilot to use tactics to improve his initiative. Google "OODA" to see what I mean.

As for attack rolls, I dont really see a need to enhance the gunnery roll with any advanced skills since positional advantage (achieved by virtue of advanced training) will provide a bonus to attack rolls.

[CRMcNeill]

[Naaman]

Is the intent for the tactics bonus on attacks to combine with the positional bonus on attacks?

[CRMcNeill]

[Naaman]

Well, its your house rule. If you like it, do it. I feel that the positional advantage is where the bonus should come from, and tactics is what the pilot uses to achieve the advantage, which in turn results in a bonus to attack rolls.

But you may be thinking of the benefits of the advanced skill on a different scale than I am.

My preference for advanced skills is to create advantages in areas other than a numerical bonus the skill roll. Im kinda bored with numerical bonuses that dont increase the actual effect. So a bonus to a pilot roll may not be worth anything to a pilot who is already rolling 9D or 10D, whereas a free action or a damage bonus or access to special maneuvers may create the cinematic, tangible effect that you want.

But, at the end of the day, its just a matter of what suits your style best.

[CRMcNeill]

I've always felt that a pilot should receive a bonus based on his piloting roll when firing fixed-forward weapons. While it wasn't my original intent, I do think that linking that bonus to an advanced skill is an appropriate and effective way to represent that, as the combat maneuvering training would include the timing and hand eye coordination required. Plus, doing it via advanced skill allows the idea to be implemented via a method that already exists in the RAW, as opposed to a unique house rule.
_________________
"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

[Naaman]

The RAW provides for bonuses to attack rolls based on the (relative) skill of the pilots. For example, a pilot being pursued executes the "scissors" maneuver succefully and winds up behind his opponent. The opponent gets a +15 bonus to his roll to maintain pursuit. If he loses, he's now the one being chased. And the first pilot (IIRC) gets a +5 bonus on the attack roll.

Different maneuvers grant bonuses or penalties depending on the results.

The starfighter tactics are found in the Rebel Alliance sourcebook.