Vehicle questions and advice

[Tanis Frey]

I am running a fantasy/star hero crossover game based on the old TSR Spelljammer setting and have some questions about Vehicles.

 

1) on a traditional style open deck sailing ship, do I need to take in account for the volume total the ship's masts, sails and rigging?

 

2) combat movement, is there a chart for limited maneuverability in a secondary book like the equipment guide? I an hoping for an expanded chart of some sort over what is in volume 2, the source material has maneuverability class A to G for the ships.

 

3) has anyone made an excel based vehicle record sheet?

 

The PC are 175/50 heros, so I am ruled the base ship and helm to be equipment that they do not need to spend CP on. If they want improvements to the ship they will have to spend CP and treasure on.

 

Any other pieces of advice for me?

[TheDarkness]

I have a very basic excel file I use for vehicles, but it's only set up for things up to tank size.(Since size determines other stats, there's a dropdown selection for size, I've been meaning to add a worksheet for vehicles the next six sizes up, but life being busy, and me not needing larger vehicles...)

 

Basically, you select the size on the sheet, it automatically fills in the determined stats, then you set the stats at what you want them at, list the powers and their costs, buy the speeds up or down depending. Anyway, I'm not sure where to upload it, but if someone can clue me in, I'll upload it, it's basic, but if someone finds it useful, I'd be happy to put it up.

[Tanis Frey]

Drop downs can be a pain to change after you build them. Best just to build the full chart, if you have it. I usually just use a Vlookup table, easy to change/modify.

 

But that does not answer the more important question, does a ship's mast, sail and rigging count towards total volume when you are trying to determine the vehicles size? Do they count for the full volume or since most of that space is empty air can you just ignore it?

[Wyldfire]

Naa, you just link the drop down to a named range, in a data table with enough room for additional data later on. Then vlookup the test of the data.

[Lucius]

 

I'm pretty sure that the rigging and sails, which don't increase carrying capacity (STR) after all, are no included in Size. But I can try to dig out the Ultimate Vehicle book and see what it says.

 

Also, for a ship, I'd at least consider using the Base rules and make it a Base with Movement Powers. A sailing ship is after all a place where people can and would live for extended periods. In that case, the masts, sails, and rigging would be part of the "Grounds" outside of the Bases normal bounds but still "part" of it.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary stands on deck and looks up at the rigging and observes that actually, it looks like an enormous Bulky Obvious and probably Accessible Focus for the Vehicle's Movement.

[Chris Goodwin]

I've always thought that a vehicle's volume, length, width, and so on, are somewhat equivalent to a character's height, weight, etc.  Assumed to be X for game purposes, but really somewhere between W and Y for player preference.  Like a character that is 5'10" and 170 lbs is still assumed to be 2m tall and weigh 100kg.  So, don't worry too much about the exact volume and so on, as long as you're comfortable with it being near the approximate value.  

[Tanis Frey]

Yes, it is a base and a vehicle with the advantages/disadvantages of both.  I see in Fantasy Hero Complete a combined chart that extends the vehicle chart beyond what is in Volume 2, I was worried about possibility fake extending the chart for up a Neogi Deathspider.

 

In spelljammer, sails on a ship do not increase the speed of a ship.  That is set by the Type of Magical Helm and the level of person on it.  Sails increase combat maneuverability.  Yes, I have already stated up how a mage or Cleric powers the Helm.

[Lucius]

If you're buying the movement as Flight, that has a turn mode.

 

You can modify turn mode with a Skill Level in Flight.

 

By giving a ship Skill Levels you can increase its maneuverability.

 

Someone with high Combat Piloting might be allowed to buy Skill Levels that modify turn mode too.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary says technically you could give those Skill Levels to someone without any Combat Piloting but that doesn't make sense.

[Tanis Frey]

Issues of speed dcv bonus.

 

Case 1) two ships under speed and a personal ranged weapon is used to fire from ship to ship at the opposing crew. Does the defender get the dcv bonus for high speed. (Spelljammers move is measured in hundreds of meters per turn)

 

Case 2) two ships moving in same direction when a boarding action occurs. Do two combantents get the bonus from the ship that they are fighting upon? (This one makes me think no because their realitive speed to each other is 0.)