Space Combat

SPACE COMBAT PROCEDURE OUTLINE Detec ng Other Vessels: COMBAT ROUND

• If transponder is on, detec on is automa c (if no EM
1. Check for detec on. For groups, throw Computers/ noise) Space combat typically occurs in 6-minute rounds.
INT using the best Sensor DM and Computer skill • Ac ve scanning: Computer/INT + Ship sensor DM However long a round is in space combat, in each round
available for each group. 10+ every crew member may take one ac on.
2. Determine Encounter Range. If all sides are aware • Passive scanning: Computer/INT + Ship sensor DM
of each other, skip to 4. 12+ (avoids self-dece on) There are ve posi ons aboard a ship: Captain, Pilot, Sensor
3. Determine Surprise. If one ship has not been Stealth hull gives DM-4 to detec on. Operator, Gunner, and Engineer, each with its own ac ons.
detected but has detected the enemy, then it may Small cra s have DM-2 to be detected Usually, there may be only one character performing an
ambush the enemy. Both sensor operators should Referee might impose other relevant DMs. ac on at a given sta on, with the excep on of Gunners:
throw Opposed Computer/INT, using their ships’ there is one gunner per turret, bay, or main weapon on a
Sensor DMs, stealth ngs, and any situa onal Disappearing from a scanning ship’s sensor is very di cult. ship. Some sta ons allow mul ple crew members to
modi ers. If the ambusher succeeds with E ect 1, Throw opposed Computer/INT, applying all standard perform
they roll Posi on, while the defender gets a modi ers. The scanning ship gains a DM+4. An evading ship certain ac ons. Otherwise, characters can assist one of the
Posi on of 0 for the rst round. If the ambusher might get a posi ve DM for hiding in an asteroid eld, the posi ons in performing their ac ons below, according to
fails, both ships roll Posi on normally. atmosphere of a gas giant, or similar. the rule for collabora ng on skill throws. A character may
4. Each round, occupy two posi ons at once, but in each round, they may
a. Roll Posi on. A ship with be er Posi on Encounter Range: Roll 1D, add E ect from Detec on roll. only act in one posi on.
may choose to take its turn before or a er The result is number of hours at 1G thrust it will take to
its opponents with lower Posi on. intercept (min 6 min). Divide by thrust to get me to
b. All characters, in any order, perform their intercept.
ac on
Posi on: 1D + Pilo ng skill + DEX DM + current thrust.
In some circumstances INT or EDU can be used instead.

Position Attack DM Table

Attacker is DM to Attack Throws

Inferior Position with Main Guns or Fixed Mounts No attack possible

Inferior Position with Turrets or bays DM-3

Inferior Position with Main Guns or Fixed Mounts and successful Attack Vector DM-3
In the same Position as target DM-2
1 or 2 Positions higher than target DM-1
3 or 4 Positions higher than target DM 0
5+ Positions higher than target DM+1
Space Combat reference for Cepheus Deluxe © 2022 Stellagama Publishing
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 CAPTAIN ACTIONS Target Systems: Computer/EDU 10+, modi ed by the ship’s Anyone with the Pilot skill can perform the Plot Jump ac on,
Electronics DM. If successful, a single gunner may choose to freeing up the pilot for other ac ons.
Lead Crew: Leadership/INT 8+. If successful, gain a pool of target a speci c system on the enemy ship with one a ack. If
posi ve DM points equal to the E ect (min 1) to be that gunner’s next a ack is successful and does damage, Emergency Jump: Pilo ng/INT 6+ to ini ate emergency
distributed for the next round. they may select which system the a ack has hit. jump; on success, the engineer throws Engineering/INT 8+.
May be re-rolled next round. Requires a jump plot. Anyone
Outmaneuver: Tac cs/INT 10+. If successful, apply a DM+2 Sensor Lock: Computer/INT 8+, modi ed by the ship’s with the Pilot skill can do an Emergency Jump, in addi on to
to the ship's next round's Posi on throw. Electronics DM. As well, apply a nega ve DM equal to the what the pilot does that round.
target ship’s Electronics DM (DM+0 and lower do not count).
ENGINEER ACTIONS If successful, all a acks against the locked ship gain a DM+1. GUNNER ACTIONS
The sensor lock lasts un l the ship a empts to lock onto
Damage Control: Engineering/INT 8+ to repair a damaged another target, or it is broken by the target. A gunner can re all weapons in a turret using di erent
system. Anyone with Engineering skill can perform this ac ons, once per round. Fixed mount weapons can only be
ac on. Mul ple characters with this skill may perform Break Sensor Lock: Computer/INT 10+, modi ed by the used if the ship has Posi on.
damage control at the same me, each on a di erent system, ship’s Electronics DM. As well, apply a nega ve DM equal to
in addi on to another character performing other Engineer the a acker’s ship Electronics DM (DM+0 and lower do not Fire Energy Weapons: Gunnery/DEX 8+. For bays and main
ac ons in the round. Success temporarily repairs one hit on count). If successful, the exis ng Sensor Lock is broken. guns, the Chief Gunner of each such weapon makes a
the system for 1D h. Destroyed systems can’t be repaired Gunnery/INT 8+ throw to hit the target. Mul ple energy
during combat. Characters with Repair skill may assist an PILOT ACTIONS weapons in the same turret may only a ack the same target.
engineer in damage control, using the Aid Other rules. Repair
drones can make one damage control check per round. A ack Vector: Pilo ng/DEX 8+ If successful, gain a pool of Launch Missiles: Gunnery/INT 8+ to lock the missiles on their
posi ve or nega ve DM points equal to the E ect (min 1 on target (if there is no sensor lock already). If missiles are
Overcharge Weapon: Engineering/EDU 8+ to boost a single success) to various weapons. Alterna vely, if the ship does locked the gunner can launch one missile per rack (5 for
energy turret’s Hits ra ng by +1, including all energy not have Posi on, this ac on allows ring xed weapons or missile cluster, 12 for missile bank) in the turret at a single
weapons mounted on said turret. Main Guns at the enemy, albeit at DM-3 to hit. In this case, target. Missiles ignore Posi on modi ers to hit but are
no posi ve DMs can be distributed to xed guns. vulnerable to point-defense re and electronic warfare
Redline Engines: the ship’s chief engineer throws spoo ng. Missiles will hit their target at the end of the next
Engineering/EDU 8+. On success, the ship’s thrust ra ng Dock: Only possible with a friendly ship, or with enemy ship round. On the round that the missiles reach their target,
increases by 1 for next round (including the Posi on throw). without a func onal maneuver drive. You may not dock with throw 4+ (no skill) to hit the target. Evasive Maneuvers Pilot
an ac vely maneuvering enemy ship. ac on a ects this missile a ack throw. Smart missiles that
SENSOR OPERATOR ACTIONS miss may retry this throw once in the following round.
Disengage: Oppeded Pilo ng/DEX vs. the pursuer, add ship’s
Spoof Missiles: Computer/INT 8+ to spoof an incoming Point Defense: Gunnery/DEX 10+ to destroy an incoming thrust. Posi on gives Advantage. Om success escape
missile due to impact that round, or the next round. The missile using an energy weapon, DM+2 if using a pulse laser. immediatly. If mul ple ships, use Pilot skill and thrust from
sensor operator must roll to successfully spoof each missile. The gunner may make mul ple point defense a acks with fastest ship of pursuers against the lowest thrust of targets.
Mul ple missiles may be spoofed each round up to the the same turret weapon in the same ac on, but each a ack
Sensor Operators Computer skill (min of 1 a empt). Evasive Maneuvers: Pilo ng/DEX 12+, modi ed by thrust. a er the rst su ers from a cumula ve DM-1. If a turret has
On success, apply a nega ve DM equal to the Pilot’s skill (to mul ple energy weapons in a turret being used for Point
Jam Sensors: Opposed Computer + ships’ Computer DM/ a maximum of DM-3) to all incoming a acks. Does not Defense, each weapon is rolled for separately – nega ve
EDU against one enemy vessel. If successful, the target of the require Posi on, and lasts un l the start of ship’s next turn. DMs for mul ple a acks do not transfer between weapons.
Jamming su ers a nega ve DM to any a ack roll made All weapons in a turret must be used for point defense, and
against the jamming ship. The nega ve DM is equal to the Plot Jump: Plo ng a jump requires the pilot's a en on for 6 against missiles coming from the same enemy ship.
skill level of the Sensor Operator. This ac on is cumula ve – (Pilot Skill) space combat rounds. As well, the pilot must
with a pilot's Evasive Maneuver ac on. succeed at a Pilo ng/EDU 6+, with a nega ve DM equal to Launch Sand: Gunner/DEX 6+ to apply DM-1 to all weapons
the distance in parsecs. It is also possible to plot a jump in and sensor locks from a single ship for one round. Mul ple
Scan: Computer/EDU 8+ to detect vessels and objects; one round, but this raises the di culty to Pilo ng/EDU 10+. canisters stack to a max of DM-3. Canisters last for one
modi ed by ship’s sensor DM and by target’s stealth, if any. A failed throw means that the jump must be plo ed again. round, un l the ship’s next turn.
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 STARSHIP DAMAGE Ship Penetration Matrix

Hold (The cargo hold is hit) Weapon /

When an a ack hits, refer to the Ship Penetra on Matrix, Unarmored Light Heavy Massive
then roll on the damage table. Each weapon indicates (the 1. 1Dx5% of the cargo is destroyed. Armor
“hit” sta s c) how many rolls to make on that table. If a 2. 1Dx10% more of cargo is destroyed.
Light Internal Surface Undamaged Undamaged
Gunner hits with E ect 6+, shi one column to the le 3. Cargo hold, and all its contents are destroyed.
when reading damage. If a system is destroyed, more Intermediate Critical Internal Surface Undamaged
damage has no further e ect. The 1, 2, and 3 indicates rst, J-Drive Heavy Destroyed Critical Internal Surface
second and third hit to that system. 1. DM-2 to any a empt to jump.
2. Jump drive disabled. Main Gun Destroyed Destroyed Critical Internal
Breach: The ship su ers a hull breach and is exposed to 3. Jump drive irreparably destroyed.
vacuum. Anyone not wearing a space Suit or in a sealed Damage table
compartment su ers exposure to vacuum. Staterooms are M-Drive
considered sealed for the purposes of this damage. Each 1. Halve the ship’s remaining thrust (round down). Internal Internal
2D Surface Radiaton
Breach depressurizes 1000 tons. 2. M-drive disabled. Ship is adri and has Posi on of 0 (starship) (small craft)
3. M-drive irreparably destroyed.
Bridge 2 No damage Fuel Sensors No damage
1. Crew Hit. DM-2 on all future Posi on rolls. Power Plant 3 No damage Power Plant Power Plant No damage
2. Bridge disabled; Captain, Pilot, and Sensor Operator 1. Halve remaining thrust and jump rate (round down)
ac ons are impossible un l the bridge is repaired, and 2. Power plant disabled. ship is on emergency power. 4 No damage J-Drive Hold No damage
Gunnery throws su er DM-2. Crew Hit. Energy weapon re is impossible. Ship can maneuver, 5 No damage Weapons Fuel No damage
3. Bridge irreparably destroyed; each bridge crew member but will always lose Posi on.
takes 4D dmg, reduced by personal armor. 3. Power plant destroyed. Emergency power remains for 6 No damage M-Drive Crew Sensors
1D h; then, life support systems fail. Low berths are
9 Weapon Crew Weapons Electronics
Cockpit una ected.
1. Crew Hit. DM-2 on all future Posi on rolls. 7 Breach Breach M-Drive Sensors
2. Cockpit disabled; all ac ons are impossible; Crew Hit. Sensors (Ship’s antennae and other sensors are hit)
8 Breach Hold Armor Electronics
3. Cockpit destroyed, each bridge crew su ers 4D dmg. 1. Ship sensor DM reduced by -1 (cumula ve with
electronics dmg). Sensor Locks can’t be acquired. 10 Weapon Sensors Breach Crew
Crew 1D of all onboard su er 2D damage each. If there are 2. Ship sensor DM reduced by -2. Ship can’t make nor
11 Electronics Bridge Cockpit Crew
fewer people than the number rolled, one or more of them, break Sensor Locks and gunners su er DM-2 to
randomly determined, will receive mul ple hits. Personal missile lock a empts. 12 Internal Hit Critical Critical Critical
armor reduces this damage. 3. Sensors disabled. Gunnery missile lock DM-6.
For Radia on Hits; Light Armor DM-1, Heavy Armor DM-2, Massive
Cri cal Crew Hit Weapons If there are bay or main gun weapons roll 2D Armor DM-4. DM+1 per addi onal radia on hit in the same round.
4D dmg for all onboard, reduced by personal armor to determine loca on; 2-9 turret, 10-11 bay, 12 main
gun. Each hit disables one weapon in the given loca on.
Electronics Two hits destroys it. Further hits are transferred to Critical Hits Table
1. DM-2 to all Computer, Pilo ng, and Gunnery rolls. another randomly selected weapon. 1D Starship Small Craft
2. Electronics are disabled. No Pilo ng or Computer rolls
and ship can’t maneuver; no bene ts from so ware. 1 Power Plant Destroyed M-Drive Destroyed
Manual gunnery is s ll possible at a DM-4. 2 M-Drive Destroyed M-Drive Destroyed
3. Electronic systems are destroyed.
3 Jump Drive Destroyed Power Plant Destroyed
Fuel (The jump fuel tank is hit) 4 Critical Crew Hit Critical Crew Hit
1. 1Dx5% of fuel tank capacity is destroyed. 5 Electronics Destroyed Electronics Destroyed
2. 1Dx10% more of tank capacity is destroyed.
3. Fuel tanks destroyed; all jump fuel is lost 6 Ship Destroyed Ship Destroyed
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