Hero starship battle similation

[Lezentauw]

I find myself working on a sci fi campaign. This campaign is meant to offer the group something more than just fantasy to play. In this process of working out the technology and the specific type of sci fi, I was wondering at how well Hero handles starship battles...

[Christougher]

It works as well as character combat, though you mat need to tweak a few rules to get the feel you want.

 

The challenge in starship combat isn't handling starships, its in giving each player something interesting/useful to do in the combat. Or just give them each their own ship.

 

Chris,

[Kraven Kor]

I have seen both Star Wars and Star Trek in HERO, with others doing Honor Harrington, or BSG, etc.

 

It worked well enough for my own campaign though I ran into the same "giving players stuff to do" problem.

 

It is certainly a bit clunky at first, until you figure out the pitfalls and what you actually want to do, but it can do things that other systems can't when it comes to getting things matched up to the look and feel you are going for.

[Lezentauw]

Thanks for the response. I agree about the giving players things to do, especially for starship engagements. In fact that is one of the first things that one of the players stated right of the gate.

[Christougher]

Thanks for the response. I agree about the giving players things to do, especially for starship engagements. In fact that is one of the first things that one of the players stated right of the gate.

An odd thought I had for my Master of Orion game, was to give everyone at least two characters, one a bridge level officer they can play in starship combat, and a second for "other jobs", with the ship's doctor being in the latter category. Also possible to give them fighter pilots and/or ground pounders if appropriate.

[SteveZilla]

Missiles designed to penetrate a hull and disperse a chemical or biological toxin can give the ship's doctor and medical staff something to do during a starship combat.

[Christopher]

About "giving everythign somnething to do":

If the player ships is big enough and the PC's aren't the leading crewmembers, an option is to add a "Fighter Wing" or two. They can easily aid the big ship in combat. that way.

 

One nice game about Starship Battles I picked up recently is "FTL".

A small crew on the Run from the rebel fleet, trying to reach the last stronghold of the federation. And then defeat the Rebel Flagship (so big, it has three phases of combat).

If you want some ideas, pick it up and play few rounds. But be warned: This is a rougelike - hard even on easy and the universe is so not your friend.

 

Defenses:

First defense line is Dodge Chance. If you have a pilot in the seat. Ideally also have someone manning the engine

The second line of defense are the shields. While they regenerate fast and they block normal impacts (like asteroids), they are completely useless against missiles, teleportign bombs and some special weapons. Also Ion Weapons strip them fast.

Also an optional defense layer are Point Defense drones

 

The crew faces dangers from:

Hits in thier Room:

When it overcomes the Shields, it can hurt you. In addition to your station.

 

Boradign action:

Teleporters are around. As are fully automated boarding drones (with boarding pods). Some events also "spawn" Boarders in addition to fighting the enemy.

 

Fire:

Fire damages subsystems and people in the room. It also spreads (based on door system quality and openness)

All weapons have a small chance to cause them.

But there are weapons like the Fire Bomb wich can intentionally cause them.

Best counter is resistant/high HP crew. Or just venting the area into space.

 

Oxygen deprivation

Not only is the Qxygen subsystem targetable and there is consistent consuption (covered usually by the porduction rate).

But you can intentionally vent regions of the ship (fire or boarder defense).

And there are weapons with a high chance of causing a hull breach (needs crew to repair them; you can counter those within limits by opening some nearby doors).

 

Ways to fight a foe (and be killed by one):

Just kill the Hull:

While every hit costs a hull point (and those that destroy a subsystem +1), there are several weapons wich do extra hull damage when hitting a empty room.

 

Target a subsystem:

Engine room or Bridge: Dodge chance and FTL ability is gone till at least partially repaired

Weaponroom: less power for weapons, hence less damage to you. Often prime target.

Shieldroom: less shields, hence more weapons can work past this layer

Medbay: Foe can't heal crew. Important target for boarding actions

Doorsystem: Fire and boarders can move unhindered. Can't open or close doors (to couner fire, breaches or boarders)

Sensors (only player): less information form the enemy ship, No internal sensors (so no boarder, fire and oxygen information)

Oxygen: More a anti-crew approach

Cloak, Teleporter, Drone Control: Takes the respective system

"And stay destroyed": Add a breach or fire to it and the crew will have problems to deal with before repairing the system itself.

 

Kill the Crew:

Shooting the oxygen system (works well in some designs without doors to the system)

Start a fire (especially in the medbay), but chance of killing the ship instead

Use special "anti personal" Teleport bombs

Boarding with crew or drones

Support boarding with the "heal" teleport bomb

 

Then there is the environment:

Asteroid fields cause regualr hits.Disable an enemies shield and just watch him being killed by rocks

Very active suns cause regular fires on both sides

Nebulas:

Disable players sensors, including internal ones

They have chance to half reactor power due to radiation (ever tried fighting for your life on a energy budget?)

There is a telepathic species (works here like a sensor replacement). They love ambushing you in nebulas. Sometimes an event adds "they disable your oxygen system while fighting" to the attack.

Sometimes an event let's you pick up a crate full of boarders (to bad you had no sensors to check the crate, right?)

 

The foes include:

Rebel ships.

Automated Rebel Scouts (immune to fire and boarding difficutly because of no oxygen, no doors)

Pirates, Slavers

Several alien races, each with thier own ships, agressiveness and events

 

 

And I think after this listing I am still missing half the stuff that can (and will) go wrong on your journey in FTL. Don't expect to even see the endboss for several playtrhoughs.

[Old Man]

Missiles designed to penetrate a hull and disperse a chemical or biological toxin can give the ship's doctor and medical staff something to do during a starship combat.

Missiles designed to penetrate a hull and disperse a horde of mind-controlling parasites can give the ship's doctor and medical staff something to do during a starship combat.

 

ftfy