Star ship wear

[Dredwulf60]

Ships can get damaged. Ships can get repaired. This is all covered in the RAW and various house rules.

But ships can also wear out over time. In the star wars galaxy, ships can last for decades and presumably centuries if properly maintained and cared for, but when you buy a used ship, chances are it's not going to be as 'fresh' and functional as it was when new.

So I developed a 'wear' system.


!!!!!!!!!TRIGGER WARNING!!!!!----NON D6 GAME MECHANIC TO FOLLOW------

Each 'system' of a ship starts out with a rating of D12, which is 'new'.
Whenever the GM decides the system needs to be tested, the player rolls the D12 die. On a result of '1' the system suffers a failure or complication, and the system is shifted down one die class to D10.

In another instance the GM calls for a system test, the player rolls a D10, and on a roll of '1' it gets shifted down to a D8, followed by a D6, followed by a D4.

If the system is at a rating of D4 and the player rolls a '1' during a system test, the system fails completely and is completely non-functional. It must be replaced.

All systems can be replaced. Replacement systems can be purchased at any wear level for appropriate prices and must be installed.

The only system that cannot be replaced is the hull. When the hull is reduced to D4 and fails, it is no longer space worthy and is considered nothing more than scrap, though its component systems that are still intact may have worth. (This is where ships end up in junk yards with scrap merchants)


The systems:

Hull:
Stress checks whenever the ship takes significant damage, or the pilot collides with objects, or there is a wild '1' complication during the installation of new hardware.

Failures and complications: Each time the hull is downgraded a class, it becomes visibly worn and cosmetically depreciated; dents, discoloration, rust, etc.

Shield generator:
Stress checks: whenever the ships shields are blown, whenever a shield operator gets a wild '1' while performing a difficult function; such as adjusting shield angle.

Failures and complications:
The shields can still be repaired as normal, but when the wear reaches D4 and get another downgrade result, no amount of fixing will get them back online; time to get them replaced.



Sensors:
Stress checks: whenever the ship suffers a power surge.
Failures and complications:
Sensors go haywire, registering false returns or failing completely until recalibrated.


Landing gear:
Stress checks: '1' on the wild die on a pilot skill roll during a landing or take-off. Any landing under violent weather conditions or on very bad surface terrain.
Failures and complications
Landing gear stuck in extended position and cannot be retracted until repaired (may prevent hyperspace travel). Landing gear retract properly on take-off but will not extend again until repaired, preventing normal landing; must dock at a space-station or land on the ship's belly (Possibly triggering a hull stress check)

Repulsor:
Stress checks: '1' on the wild die during terrestrial atmospheric flight or rapid landings or take-offs.
Failures and complications
Choppy ride;(Crew, passengers and cargo jostled); possible repulsorlift failure; (Sublight drive only; no vertical land or take off)

Seals:
Stress checks Ship takes significant damage,
Failures and complications
Increase the rate of consumables consumption by x1D6; Leakage of atmosphere pressure.

Upholstery: Note: this is the interior of the ship, and represents how worn out the chairs, controls, acceleration couches, beds in the state rooms are etc.
Stress Checks: After every long voyage; whenever the ship carries more than its usual allotment of crew and passengers; after any fight occurs aboard.
Failures and complications
GM describes stains and cosmetic damage to the interior; bad odours; ominous/ annoying sounds.


Powerplant:
Stress Checks: Whenever the ship takes significant damage;
Failures and complications
The power dies for 1D6 rounds,

Sublight drive:
Stress Checks: Whenever the pilot rolls a '1' on the wild die when pushing for more speed or conducting a high performance maneuver.
Failures and complications
The ship shudders; loss of 1D6 SU of speed until repaired; Trail of ionized vapour or smoke

Nav system:
Stress Checks: Whenever the Astrogator rolls a '1' on the wild die while plotting a hyperspace jump.
Failures and complications The computer freezes up or reboots for 1D6 rounds; the computer inputs a course to a random destination; the computer suggest a course through a navigational hazard.

Hyperdrive motivator:
Stress Checks: Whenever the ship is snapped out of hyperspace due to navigational hazard.
Failures and complications Cannot make the jump to hyperspace until repaired.

Environment:
Stress Checks: Whenever the ship takes significant damage.
Failures and complications
The ship cannot maintain internal temperature; gradual cooling to sub-zero temperatures or overheating to dangerous temperatures.
The ship's living areas subjected to noxious or poisonous fumes or vapors;
Radiation leak or external radiation exposure

Escape pod:
Stress Checks: Whenever the ship takes significant damage.
Failures and complications
The escape pod door fails to operate; the escape pod prematurely discharges

Stabilizers:
Stress Checks:Whenever the pilot gets a '1' on the wild die while dodging or aggressively maneuvering.
Failures and complications
The ship loses 1D6 on maneuverability until repaired.


Weapons:
Stress Checks: Whenever a gunner gets a '1' on the wild die while operating the weapon; whenever the ship takes a weapon damage result.
Failures and complications
Weapon goes offline for 1D6 rounds; weapon targeting out of alignment (lose 1D6 from attack rolls until recalibrated)



Note All of the conditions for a stress check for any system are suggestions to the GM only; he can call for a stress check for any system at any time he feels appropriate.
Likewise the failures and complications that results are suggestions.
It's perfectly plausible that the system could be downgraded to the next die class without showing any immediate negative results

Personally I like to call for a Stress check of ALL systems when the players skip too many regular maintenance overhauls as suggested in the Tramp Freighters book.



When purchasing a new ship a Space Transports skill or Starfighter piloting roll DC 15 will let the character generally know the condition of a system

D12: "Brand new!"
D10, D8: "Good shape"
D6, D4: "Pretty worn down"

A Space transports repair or Starfighter repair roll at DC 10 will give the player the exact die class prior to making an offer.

(So it's good to bring an expert along when going to the used-spaceship lot!)

[Dredwulf60]

The piece of crap my players had last (When I was talking about Decompression) has systems that looked like this:

Wear:
Hull: D6
Shield generator: D6
Sensors: D4
Landing gear: D4
Repulsor: D4
Seals: D6
Upholstery: D4
Powerplant: D6
Sublight drive: D4
Nav system: D4
Hyperdrive motivator: D6
Environment: D4
Escape pod: D6
Stabilizers: D4
Weapons: D4


The sublight drive failed a stress test when trying to take off with a load of lumber from a backwater world last game.

The pilot had to bring it back down and land under repulsorlift only. Then they were stuck without a replacement engine. (Since it was D4 and he rolled a '1' during the stress check...because he rolled a wild '1' on the pilot check during the take off; the sublight drive completely died with no chance of repair.)

They spent some time searching for a suitable replacement engine. But they ended up selling the whole ship to a dealer as scrap and pooled their resources to buy a slightly less worn out ship.

[garhkal]

I like this.. Though i forget, where is that 'periodic' maintenance overhaul time chart/page in the tramp freighters book??
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[Dredwulf60]

[shootingwomprats]

In star wars D6 terms each system could be given a number of dice to represent wear, tear and quality of parts. Whenever a system is "stressed" roll those dice vs a set difficulty number. This allows for not only a standard failure but the Wild Die would represent your Critical Failure.

4D: "Brand new!" (x1 base cost)
3D: "Good shape" (x0.5 to .7 base cost)
2D: "Pretty worn down" (x0.25 to x0.5 base cost)

+2D: Superior quality (x3 base cost)
+1D: High Quality (x2 base cost)
0D: Standard quality (x1 base cost)
-1D: Low quality (x0.5 base cost)
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[Whill]

Dredwulf60, there's a lot of great ideas here for things to go wrong on used ships. I probably would just use these as potential complications for wild die 1s on any somewhat applicable rolls (with proper d6s of course )
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Star Wars D6 Damage

[Mojomoe]

This is interesting. On a related note, Edge of the Empire uses a "System Strain Threshold" to represent a similar concept. In their case, whenever you push the limits, damage, or stress a system (anything from pushing engines too far, taking too many actions, or banging into something), you push that total, and when you exceed it, bad things ensue. Each ship is different, with a different value.

It's their way of saying, hey, both a Nissan and a BMW can handle like a race car or hit 120 MPH in a pinch - but one will wear out faster. I always wanted to represent that somehow.