Space Combat

Due to the nature of the Starwars: Shattered Empire universe with a heavy emphasis on space and space travel among multiple star-faring governments and species, that the eventuality of armed conflict in the coldness of space of space is likely and as a result rules are required for these eventual space engagements.

Space Combat takes place when one or more Starship (Craft) or Squadron (Multiple Small Craft) engage in conflict with the single or multiple Starships or Squadrons of another government or group.

## Initiative

### Cloaking Devices & Stealth

 File:Cloaking.jpg
Cloaking Devices and other stealth technology can provide a serious boost to initiative including allowing a First Strike Advantage.

## **Orders**

A round of space combat is very roughly a minute in length and consists of many shots, maneuvers, counter-attacks and so forth. Once the Initiative order is determined, the craft involved all take their turns in sequence.

In every ship’s turn, it may performs a number of actions – these individual actions are called orders and are either issued by the captain of the ship to his crew, who carry them out; or issued by squadron leaders to their squadron pilots for small craft formations.

The number of orders which a craft or squadron can perform depends on the skill of its crew/pilots or commander (if a hero character commands the craft/squadron). The skill level is determined by the Experience level of the crew/pilots of the craft/squadrons or the attributes of the Hero Character.

### **Orders per Round**

**Zero (0) Order per Round**

- Abandoned, Derelict or Crippled Space/Squadron.

**One (1) Order per Round**

- Starship or Squadron with Green Experience Level and No Commander/Hero Character.

- Is an Automated Object, example: Orbital Defense Turret

**Two (2) Order(s) per Round**

- Starship or Squadron with Line Experience Level and No Commander/Hero Character.

- Starship or Squadron with Green Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Green Space Combat Attribute.

**Three (3) Order(s) per Round**

- Starship or Squadron with Veteran Experience Level and No Commander/Hero Character.

- Starship or Squadron with Green Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Line Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Line Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Green Space Combat Attribute.

**Four (4) Order(s) per Round**

- Starship or Squadron with Elite Experience Level and No Commander/Hero Character.

- Starship or Squadron with Green Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Veteran Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Line Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Line Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Veteran Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Green Space Combat Attribute.

**Five (5) Order(s) per Round**

- Starship or Squadron with Legendary Experience Level and No Commander/Hero Character.

- Starship or Squadron with Green Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Elite Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Line Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Veteran Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Veteran Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Line Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Elite Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Green Space Combat Attribute.

**Six (6) Order(s) per Round**

- Starship or Squadron with Green Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Legendary Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Line Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Elite Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Veteran Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Veteran Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Elite Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Line Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Legendary Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Green Space Combat Attribute.

**Seven (7) Order(s) per Round**

- Starship or Squadron with Line Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Legendary Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Veteran Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Elite Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Elite Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Veteran Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Legendary Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Line Space Combat Attribute.

**Eight (8) Order(s) per Round**

- Starship or Squadron with Veteran Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Legendary Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Elite Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Elite Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Legendary Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Veteran Space Combat Attribute.

**Nine (9) Order(s) per Round**

- Starship or Squadron with Elite Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Legendary Space Combat Attribute.

- Starship or Squadron with Legendary Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Elite Space Combat Attribute.

**Ten (10) Order(s) per Round**

- Starship or Squadron with Legendary Experience Level and Command/Hero Character with Legendary Space Combat Attribute.

### **Order Types**

There are three types of space combat order – offensive, defensive and tactical.

**Offensive**

Offensive orders govern the use of the ship’s weapons to destroy enemy targets. This includes simply firing at will, concentrated fire and coordinated fire with other ships.

**Defensive**

Defensive orders govern keeping the ship from harm. Raising Shields, Performing risky maneuvers to evade fire, moving to protect a weakened section or firing interceptors are common defensive orders.

**Tactical**

Tactical orders involve maneuvering the ship to gain an advantage in the next round – closing with the enemy or beginning a retreat, bringing powerful weapons to bear, and so on. Tactical orders also cover other miscellaneous orders, such as beginning boarding operations, repairing damaged systems and evacuating the ship.

### **Orders (List)**

#### **Defensive Orders**

**Brace For Impact**

Type: Defensive

Description: The crew prepare themselves and the craft for an imminent barrage of enemy fire.

Add a +2 bonus to checks made to resist impairment due to damage to a structural area. Also, every structural area damaged this turn has one less space destroyed, does not apply to Superstructure or shields.

Duration: The effects of this order last for the remainder of the round.

Note: Only one Brace For Impact order may be executed per round. Not applicable to Small Craft/Squadrons.

Failure: The above benefits are not received. No other effect.

**Defensive Posture**

Type: Defensive

Description: The craft turns so as to reduce the number of vital systems exposed to enemy fire. This will have the following effects:

1. If the attack was one which targets specific systems (such as Target Their Engines!), then a random roll is used to determine systems damaged instead.

2. 50% of damage is applied to the hull (Shields gone), with the remainder applied to the random rolled system.

Duration: The effect of this order last for the remainder of the round.

Note: Only One Defensive Posture order may be executed per round. Not applicable to Small Craft/Squadrons.

Failure: The above benefits are not received. No other effect.

**Evasive Maneuvers**

Type: Defensive

Description: The ship/squadron attempts to weave and bob in such a way as to reduce the ability of the enemy to target it.

The starship/Squadron +2 to their maneuver bonus which is then applied to rolls to hit it.

Duration: The effect of this order last for the remainder of the round.

Note: Only One Evasive Maneuvers order may be executed per round.

Failure: The above benefits are not received. A penalty of -1 is applied to the craft and is then applied to rolls to hit it.

**Fire Interceptors**

Type: Defensive

Description: The Ship/Squadron attempts to fire interceptor weaponry at applicable incoming fire in attempt to intercept and destroy it.

Designate any number of weapons capable and designated as Interceptors (ie: Point Defense Guns, Interceptor Missiles) to be part of the interceptor screen. Every incoming barrage, from any source, may be intercepted before it hits the screened craft.

pending...

Duration: The effect of this order last for the remainder of the round or until all interceptors have been fired that round.

Note: Only One Fire Interceptors order may be executed per round.

Failure: Not Applicable, Failure is based on rolls to intercept.

**Raise Shields**

Type: Defensive

Description: The ship/Squadron attempts to activate and raise their defense shields (ie: Deflector Shields) which can be used to protect the ship from attack.

Once activated the Shields will absorb damage prior to impacting the ships superstructure and systems.

Duration: The effect of this order last for the remainder of the combat or until the shields are depleted or deactivated.

Note: Only one Raise Shields order may be executed per round

Failure: Failed Roll indicates that the shields do not activate until end of the combat round in which they were ordered raised.

**Shake the Lock**

Type: Defensive

Description: This is the standard tactic used by commanders to lose the ‘lock on’ that an enemy craft’s targeting computer has achieved upon their ship. This is done through a combination of aerobatics and electronic war - typically using stealth or sensor jamming technology.

When this order is given, the craft’s crew make an skill check. Every enemy craft that has a lock on the target must make a Sensor check roll. Every Roll that the exceeds the roll of the sensor roll means that the craft has shaken that ‘lock on’ and that particular enemy craft no
longer applies its targeting sensor bonus to its attack rolls against the craft/Squadron.

Items such as sensor jammers and stealth technology can be applied to the roll in favor of shaking the lock.

Note: Multiple Shake The Lock! orders may be executed per round.

Failure: The lock on remains in place. No other effect.

#### **Offensive Orders**

**Fire At Will!**

Type: Offensive

Description: The craft/Squadron simply fires whichever weapons it wishes at a single (1)designated target. Attack rolls are made as normal.

Note: Multiple Fire At Will! orders may be executed per round.

Failure: The craft’s crew fail to fire with any kind of accuracy. Attack rolls are still made but all attack rolls during this order suffer a –4 penalty to hit and get no skill bonus.

**Concentrate Fire!**

Type: Offensive

Description:

**Anti-Fighter Screen!**

Type: Offensive

Description:

**Target Their Bridge!**

Type: Offensive

Description:

**Target Their Engines!**

Type: Offensive

Description:

**Target Their Hangars!**

Type: Offensive

Description:

**Target Their Sensors!**

Type: Offensive

Description:

**Target Their Shields!**

Type: Offensive

Description:

**Target Their Weapons!**

Type: Offensive

Description:

#### **Tactical Orders**

**Bring Weapons to bare**

Type: Tactical

**Close for Battle!**

Type: Tactical

**Defensive Escort**

Type: Tactical

**Damage Control**

Type: Tactical

**Get those systems back online**

Type: Tactical

**Form Fleet/Wing**

Type: Tactical

**Launcher Fighters**

Type: Tactical

**Recover Fighters**

Type: Tactical

**Pull Back**

Type: Tactical

**Lock Weapons**

Type: Tactical

**Ramming Speed!**

Type: Tactical

**Withdrawl (FTL)**

Type: Tactical

**Auxiliary Controls**

Type: Tactical

**Run Silent**

Type: Tactical

**Engage/Disengage Cloak**

Type: Tactical

**Blast them as they launch!**

Type: Tactical