DigrizJB
Banded Mongoose
I ran a homebrew scenario where the PC Pilot was being forcefully relieved of command by the Security Officer (SO). The ship was depressurized to retrieve orbiting objects, and the Security Officer’s stunner failed to penetrate the Vacc suit or disable the pilot. The pilot then turned off the gravity on the next turn and started to roll the ship on the third turn.
Since a personal combat round is 6 seconds and a starship combat round is 6 minutes (60 personal combat rounds), I house ruled that shutting down the artificial gravity was 1) was not an instantaneous change and 2) would cause a general alarm to be sounded on the ship, before the gravity was switched to zero. The pilot made a routine electronics check (6+) and I house ruled that if he succeeded with an effect of 4+ he could shorten the shutdown time.
This gave everyone a chance to make at least one saving throw to grab something (a significant action) when the alarm sounded. The SO missed her DEX throw to grab hold of something.
Q 1. Are there any written rules official or unofficial that cover the operation of ships systems and how long actions take?
Q 2. Any thoughts on how long it would take to turn off all of the circuits running the anti-gravity? I think it might be related to the size of the ship?
The pilot succeeded, and the artificial gravity was shut down in 1 personal round (6 sec.), which in retrospect seems too short. The SO failed her next saving throw and was thrown into the wall, as the ship began to roll. Here I thought maneuver thrust in 0-gee would affect the ship in 6 seconds, but welcome anyone with a greater understanding of physics to please comment.
Later on, one of the PCs got into a turret, which had not been powered up. In space combat rounds it takes 6 minutes to make one attack, which I would guess largely consists of targeting and building up power in the weapon (or powering the launch system for missiles and sand).
I did not allow the PC to fire the weapon “while it was powering up” - for the duration of personal combat, which was over in less than 6 minutes. However, I did allow them to use the sensors and targeting, which enabled them to “attract the attention” of another spacecraft.
Q 3. If a boarding action is raging around a turret gunner, when would you expect the turret to attack, in the sequence of personal combat? After D6 x n personal rounds? During the second personal combat round? (sensors check, then trigger)? After 30 personal combat rounds (3 minutes)?
The final question revolves around opening an Iris valve when one side is pressurized and the other is not pressurized. Once the PC succeeded on their electronics check to override the door’s opening mechanism, I ruled that there would be a 30 second warning before the door opened, which now seems to short. But 5 combat rounds worked well for dramatic effect. I considered making it one personal combat round if they rolled a 12 or effect +6.
Q 4. How long does it take to open an Iris valve if the sensors detect atmosphere on one side but not the other? Can it be opened or does it need to be breached?
The main lesson I learned is that combat in space is very complex, you have to account for numerous other variables including artificial gravity, the movement of the ship, unsecured cargo that shifts, change in atmosphere, and creative PCs.
Cross Posted from COTI for a different perspective from this forum
Since a personal combat round is 6 seconds and a starship combat round is 6 minutes (60 personal combat rounds), I house ruled that shutting down the artificial gravity was 1) was not an instantaneous change and 2) would cause a general alarm to be sounded on the ship, before the gravity was switched to zero. The pilot made a routine electronics check (6+) and I house ruled that if he succeeded with an effect of 4+ he could shorten the shutdown time.
This gave everyone a chance to make at least one saving throw to grab something (a significant action) when the alarm sounded. The SO missed her DEX throw to grab hold of something.
Q 1. Are there any written rules official or unofficial that cover the operation of ships systems and how long actions take?
Q 2. Any thoughts on how long it would take to turn off all of the circuits running the anti-gravity? I think it might be related to the size of the ship?
The pilot succeeded, and the artificial gravity was shut down in 1 personal round (6 sec.), which in retrospect seems too short. The SO failed her next saving throw and was thrown into the wall, as the ship began to roll. Here I thought maneuver thrust in 0-gee would affect the ship in 6 seconds, but welcome anyone with a greater understanding of physics to please comment.
Later on, one of the PCs got into a turret, which had not been powered up. In space combat rounds it takes 6 minutes to make one attack, which I would guess largely consists of targeting and building up power in the weapon (or powering the launch system for missiles and sand).
I did not allow the PC to fire the weapon “while it was powering up” - for the duration of personal combat, which was over in less than 6 minutes. However, I did allow them to use the sensors and targeting, which enabled them to “attract the attention” of another spacecraft.
Q 3. If a boarding action is raging around a turret gunner, when would you expect the turret to attack, in the sequence of personal combat? After D6 x n personal rounds? During the second personal combat round? (sensors check, then trigger)? After 30 personal combat rounds (3 minutes)?
The final question revolves around opening an Iris valve when one side is pressurized and the other is not pressurized. Once the PC succeeded on their electronics check to override the door’s opening mechanism, I ruled that there would be a 30 second warning before the door opened, which now seems to short. But 5 combat rounds worked well for dramatic effect. I considered making it one personal combat round if they rolled a 12 or effect +6.
Q 4. How long does it take to open an Iris valve if the sensors detect atmosphere on one side but not the other? Can it be opened or does it need to be breached?
The main lesson I learned is that combat in space is very complex, you have to account for numerous other variables including artificial gravity, the movement of the ship, unsecured cargo that shifts, change in atmosphere, and creative PCs.
Cross Posted from COTI for a different perspective from this forum
