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Rules for ship to ship combat in a Fate Space Opera game

References

Specifics

Ship and Character Scales

There are 2 scale levels in this game: Ship scale and Character scale.

Ship scale applies to actions taken by any large vehicle like a space ship or a 747 jetliner.

Character scale applies to actions taken by characters.

Something at Character scale cannot affect something at Shipscale unless there is something in play that allows them to act at Ship scale. For example, firing your blaster pistol (Character scale) at a space ship (Ship scale) does nothing. Using an anti-aircraft gun (Ship scale) at a space ship (also Ship scale) is allowed.

Something at Ship scale can affect something at Character scale. A Ship scale weapon rolls to hit as usual, with a +1 to their roll for aiming at something at Character scale. A successful hit just takes out the character at Character scale, no need to track stress or consequences.

Ship Attributes

All ships and ship systems (unless otherwise noted) operate at Ship scale and allow a character using the ship to take an action to also operate at Ship Scale.

Ships also have 4 Attributes that are similar to Skills for a character:

  • Defence
    • This is used similarly to the Physique Skill, to represent the size and mass of the ship. If the ship is not able to dodge, then the Defend roll against an attack uses the ship's Defence attribute. The Defense attribute is only used for reactive Defend rolls for the ship.
  • Movement
    • This is used similarly to the Athletics or Pilot Skill, and represents the ship's ability to move and dodge using the ship's engines. Movement can be used for Overcome, Create an Advantage, or Defend actions.
  • Guns
    • This is used similarly to the Shoot Skill, and represents the weaponry and targeting systems on the ship. Guns can be used for Overcome, Create an Advantage, or Attack actions.
  • Sensors
    • This is used similarly to the Notice Skill, and represents the sensors and communications systems on the ship. Sensors can be used for Overcome, Create an Advantage, or Defend actions.

When taking action with the ship, if a PC is using the ship to do so, they use their own skill, Pilot instead of Movement, Shoot instead of Guns, and Notice instead of Sensors. If the ship has the matching attribute and it is Average (+1) or higher, it can give a Teamwork bonus of +1 to the character's roll.

Determine Turn Order

We will use popcorn initiative to determine turn order

Movement Rules

Use standard Fate Core rules for movement. Moving unopposed to an adjacent zone is free. Otherwise, it takes a Pilot Overcome roll to move more than 1 zone, or if opposed, or for any complex maneuvering, like docking to a station, landing on a planet, or maneuvering close to another ship.