Ship rules

Ship Rules

Use this page when ships are active at the table: engagements, tactical superiority, Crosshairs, Pilot Gambits, targeting, system damage, repairs, and multi-ship fights.

Open Ships Open Shipbuilding Worksheet

Combat

Ship Combat Engagements

Use engagements to determine which ships are directly contesting each other for position, firing angles, escape routes, and tactical superiority.

Round Flow

Declare Engagement

At the start of each ship round, each full ship marks one opposing ship as its engagement target. The player ship chooses one enemy ship to engage. Enemy full ships may also mark the player ship, another allied ship, or a mission target.

If more than two ships are in play, each ship still marks only one engagement target. A ship that is marked by more than one enemy may be involved in multiple engagements, but it makes a tactical contest only against the ship it marked. Other ships that marked it still act on their turns and resolve attacks, locks, boarding attempts, or scenario actions normally.

Tactical Contest

Roll For Superiority

When two ships engage each other, their pilots make opposed Speed rolls. The winner gains Tactical Superiority against the loser until the next tactical phase. Crosshairs is the table marker for Tactical Superiority.

Crosshairs

Target-Specific Advantage

Crosshairs applies only to the ship it was gained against. In a battle with several full ships, Crosshairs is never global. Track it as "Waywarden has Crosshairs on the cutter," not "Waywarden has Crosshairs."

Pilot Choice

Gambits

A pilot with Tactical Superiority may use available Pilot Gambits against the engaged target. If a Gambit requires the pilot's action, the pilot gives up their normal turn as usual.

Targets And Systems

A ship attack normally targets a ship's Defense and deals Hull damage on a hit. A ship can target a specific system only when a weapon says it does, when Crosshairs allows a called system shot, when a critical hit trades extra damage for system damage, or when the scenario exposes a system as an objective.

Target = the ship being attacked.
Crosshairs = Tactical Superiority against one specific ship.
System target = the part of that ship being disabled.

Pilot options

Pilot Gambits

Gambits are maneuvers performed by a ship's pilot during the tactical phase. A pilot gives up their normal turn to perform a Gambit unless a specific rule says otherwise. Gambits with a positional requirement require Crosshairs on the target.

Gambit

Maintain

Attempt to preserve tactical superiority. Gain advantage on the next tactical contest.

Gambit

Ready Fire

Bolster weaponry for a superior attack. Grant advantage to one ship attack roll this round.

Gambit

Defensive Maneuver

Prepare the ship for an enemy salvo. The ship gains +2 Defense against ship attacks this round.

Gambit

Displasive Maneuver

Add the pilot's proficiency bonus to the next tactical contest.

Gambit

Evasive Maneuver

Roll a Speed save against DC 8 + the target's Sensors. On a success, gain advantage on ship combat saving throws this round. On a failure, forfeit the next tactical contest.

Gambit

Gain Traction

Roll a Speed save against DC 8 + the target's Speed. On a success, enable positional weapons against that target this turn. On a failure, forfeit the next tactical contest.

Gambit

Push It

Roll a Speed save against DC 8 + the target's Speed. On a success, gain Crosshairs on that target and nullify its positional bonuses. On a failure, forfeit the next tactical contest and the ship's propulsion system suffers Damage, or Major Damage if already Damaged.

Gambit

Escape

Begin escaping the encounter. The next time this ship gains Crosshairs against the relevant pursuer or obstacle, it may escape the encounter.

Gambit

Ram

Choose a target in position to be rammed. The target makes a Speed save against DC 8 + the attacking ship's Speed. On a failure, the target takes ship damage based on the attacking ship's size, and the attacking ship takes half that damage.