S-Foils

[CRMcNeill]

I could’ve sworn I’d posted about this in the past, but I can’t seem to find it. Anyways…

I’m considering adding an optional S-Foil rule to the X-Wing and B-Wing stats, with different performance characteristics depending on whether they’re open or closed. Some possible effects include:

Maneuverability - I’ve speculated in the past that the S-Foils include components of the ethereal rudder system, with S-Foil positioning offering greater versatility / leverage when in Attack position. In game terms, this could be expressed in a bonus or penalty to Maneuverability depending on the S-Foil configuration.

Hyperdrive - Another theory is that, when the S-Foils are in Attack position, they enlarge the envelope of the ship’s hyperdrive field, thus requiring the hyperdrive to exert itself, resulting in either a slower speed or an Astrogation Difficulty increase.

Weapon Power / Recharge - While I haven’t yet done stats for the ARC-170, their S-Foils appear to function as covers for heat radiator systems, possibly connected to the Medium Laser Cannon. I’m considering increasing the RoF on the Medium Lasers if the S-Foils are open, at the cost of potential extra damage if they get hit.

As far as general rules, S-Foils would take one round to switch from Cruise to Attack and vice versa, with the potential to be locked in place if the ship takes certain kinds of damage.

I’m not hugely concerned with the S-Foils on ships like the Lambda or Sentinel, as they seem more designed around Landing / Flight modes, but some of my above suggestions might still be applicable if a ship’s foils were locked in Landing or Flight modes.

Anyway, I just wanted to get this in writing, so if you have any other suggestions for possible advantages/disadvantages for S-Foil positioning, let me know.
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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

[Ziz]

Targeting accuracy/coverage - Open gives more coverage but causes less damage as there's a bigger chance the craft being pursued could evade one or more of the weapon discharges, thus taking less damage. Closed causes more damage because the blasts are closer together, more chance of multiple discharges hitting, but would require some kind of Targeting roll for accuracy.

[garhkal]

From watching the films/games, and such, it seems that they have a little more maneuverability when closed, and CAN'T fire but can go into hyperspace. While open they have standard move, and can fire, but can't go into hyperspace.. TO ME that is the difference. So maybe the hyperdrive motivator is disconnected while its s-foils are open, and reengaged when closed.
_________________
Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[CRMcNeill]

[CRMcNeill]

[garhkal]

That's why i focused on the films and games. Not novels.
_________________
Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[CRMcNeill]

[Mamatried]

I always ruled that with the S-foils extended (aka the X in the X-Wing) is for combat, and when they are retracted (making the x-wing look overall similar to the headhunter) it is for travel

I base this much on movies where we see most times that the S-Foils are closed when travelling, we see this in rouge one and the U wing there as well many times with x-wings comming out of hyperspace or going into hyperspace

[garhkal]

[CRMcNeill]

Okay, but where does it explicitly state that the systems are completely locked out depending on the positioning of the s-foils?
_________________
"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

[Mamatried]

[CRMcNeill]

Logical assumptions would be based on some sort of evidence.

For example:

1) Nowhere in the films is it explicitly stated that an X-Wing can’t use its hyperdrive if its S-Foils are open, nor that it can’t fire its laser cannon if they are closed.

2) In Legends novels (particularly X-Wing: Wraith Squadron), it’s clearly stated that an X-Wing can fire its laser cannon with its S-Foils closed, and that it can jump to hyperspace with them open.

3) Video games, while entertaining, are often rife with continuity errors, and are generally unreliable sources of canon when compared to other sources.

It’s logical to assume that, if something is not explicitly stated to be impossible in the films, and is explicitly stated to occur in another, less canon source that doesn’t contradict the films, it’s possible.

Regardless, my point in this topic is not whether or not it can functions in the manner described, but rather the specifics of how said function affects stats and/or playability at the table.
_________________
"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]

Okay, I've put some thought into this, and I'm planning on adding S-Foils as special equipment to the X-Wing and B-Wing stats in my archive. There will be some similarities, but also some unique aspects to each due to their designs and existing house rules.

The X-Wing will have the following stat changes:

Navcomputer: +5 to all Astrogation Difficulties when S-Foils open.
Maneuverability: 3D (3D+1 when S-Foils open)
Weapons: {All Fire Control reduced by -1 when S-Foils closed}

And the B-Wing will have:

Navcomputer: +5 to all Astrogation Difficulties when S-Foils open.
Maneuverability: 1D (1D+1 when S-Foils open)
Weapons: {When the S-Foils are closed, the Laser Cannon are fixed forward, and Fire Control is reduced to 2D}

In-Game Use:

Switching the S-Foils from Cruise to Attack or vice versa requires one round, and the altered stats take effect at the beginning of the next round.

If the ship is Lightly Damaged, roll an additional 1D. On a result of 1, the S-Foils lock in whatever position they were in when the damage occurred. The S-Foil system is also Lightly Damaged, subject to normal repair rolls.

EDIT: Added these changes to my X-Wing and B-Wing stats in the Index.
_________________
"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]

So, in the interests of research for this topic, I rewatched all of the U-Wing scenes in Rogue One to see if there was a discernible pattern in how the U-Wing uses its S-Foils. As I've stated previously, there doesn't appear to be one.

The first U-Wing (used as transport from Yavin to Jeddha to Eadu) opens its S-Foils just after take-off from Yavin, keeps them open to orbit, then closes them immediately prior to jumping to hyperspace. It never opens them again on-screen.

The other U-Wing (engaged at the Battle of Scariff) keep their S-Foils closed until after they've already engaged, then closes them again to land troops, and is shown later with its S-Foils already open when it gets shot down.

The closest thing there is to a pattern is "closed for landings, open for sublight, closed for hyperspace", but again, there are multiple exceptions to the pattern, sufficient that it can hardly be called a pattern at all. While Rogue One is arguably the best of the Disney SW films, I'm disappointed that, the more I dig into it, the shoddier attention to detail I find. The U-Wing's S-Foils appear to exist purely for the function of Rule of Cool rather than because any operational conditions require them to. Even closing them for landing only really has the effect of decreasing its parking footprint.

I will probably end up ignoring the film evidence and going with the above "pattern", but I'm not feeling hugely motivated by it.
_________________
"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

[garhkal]

From my pov of Rogue one, it seemed that for 'taxing/landing/hyperspacing/taking off', they're closed. When fighting/general flying, they were open.. BUT that is me.
_________________
Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!