B5: ACTA - Ramming a fighter?

Mean Mutton

Mongoose
In B5: ACTA, can you use the Give Me Ramming Speed! special action to ram a fighter? If so, how does it resolve? If not, can you please point to the rule that prohibits this?

Thank you!
 
Fighters can't use special actions. Page 17, under the fighter trait.

Dilgar fighters and Gaim Klikkitaks can, because they have special rules.
 
I think the question was can fighters be rammed, not can they ram others.

I can't find any rule specifically prohibiting this but common sense must be used. Ramming requires an opposed CQ check and fighters do not have CQ. Fighters do not have damage tracks so "half their starting damage" is 0. This is one place where, although there is no specific rule disallowing it, common sense says "it's just obvious, don't do it".
 
Don't be such a negative nelly...

I'd say, OK ram that fighter but let the fighter roll for damage...maybe it strikes something important then gets a Crit. Hits some random thermal Exhaust port only 2 meters wide or something :o
 
basaint said:
Don't be such a negative nelly...

I'd say, OK ram that fighter but let the fighter roll for damage...maybe it strikes something important then gets a Crit. Hits some random thermal Exhaust port only 2 meters wide or something :o

Well if you want to invent house rules then fair enough. You need to add bunch of rules though.

Also logically speaking fighters are generally nimble enough that ramming them is bloody difficult...Agile ships already get benefit. Fighters should be LOT harder so something like +3 or +4 to the opposed skill test at the very least making even hitting them nightmare.
 
P 13 of Powers and Principalities does say: (under the revised rules for Give me Ramming Speed)

Fighter flights may never ram or be rammed.

Personally I would not allow ramming fighters with ships.

If however you do want to go down that route - I would give the fighters nominal CQ 4 and keep the SM bonus of +2.

You probably only ge that opporunity to hit the exhaust port if some tells you to use the Force :)
 
What really happened at the Battle of the Line:

Sinclair: "If I'm going to die, I'm taking one of you with me!"
Delenn: "Sorry, the rules say fighters can't ram or be rammed. They don't say anything against boarding, though. We capture your fighter. :twisted:"
 
AdrianH said:
What really happened at the Battle of the Line:

Sinclair: "If I'm going to die, I'm taking one of you with me!"
Delenn: "Sorry, the rules say fighters can't ram or be rammed. They don't say anything against boarding, though. We capture your fighter. :twisted:"

Well rules generally assume players don't want to throw playing pieces for nothing ;)

Of course rules could say "fighter can ram enemy vessel. Remove fighter from board" but what's the point?-)

Sinclair's action was more of "nothing to lose, nothing to gain really except maybe kill few unlucky crew members." But that wouldn't affect combat efficiency of ship in any way.

(not to mention big ships AF weapons need to be taken out or ramming fighter will simply get splatted as it approaches).

Sinclair was dead man already and he knew it. But humans being stubborn they have habit of trying to do something even if they know it's futile.
 
One of the upgrades available in a campaign is a distinctive paint job. If your ship already has this when it rams a fighter, remove it - the fighter is now splattered over your ship and has ruined the paintwork. If your ship does not already have the distinctive paint job when it rams a fighter, it does now - the fighter is the distinctive paint job. :twisted:

I'd be inclined to allow the fighter a CQ of 6 when trying to avoid becoming part of the ramming ship's decor. That's effectively what it uses when trying to avoid collision with other heavy objects, namely asteroids. :lol:

And if we're having fun with house rules for fighters, we need one for a tractor beam. Either a new special action, or use "Launch Breaching Pods and Shuttles" without actually requiring the loss of a troop because the fighter is being brought onto your ship. However you do it, Shadow ships need to be able to do it as well because that's how they got Garibaldi. :twisted:
 
Back
Top