Ship Combat - Out of Session.

we are going to try and work the sessions around roleplaying and Space Combat.  The roleplaying aspects will be done online and if the sessions are timed properly then the Ship Combat will be done in the week between the online sessions.

How will this be done?
On the appropriate thread designated by the GM on the Roleplay section of the Forum.

When will this be done?
This will be done on a daily basis, each day will constitute 1 or 2 strategic turns (depending on player preference).
these will need to be done within a specific time frame each day so everyone knows when to be online. In game terms the roleplaying and decision making needs to be done within a 30 min time period = 1 strategic turn.
Given that you guys are 3 hours ahead of me this means the first action should be starting 6:30 finishing at 7:00? Then if there is time and we cold do one more and from 7:00-7:30. The more we get done the more days you have to dwell on the fact i am no longer with you in front of your computers watching stuff or blowing stuff up.

How do we know what happens?
Dice rolling is done by the GM and final results will be posted and a new strategic turn will start.

What happens if I miss one of the set times
Duane becomes very disappointed and the OOS space combat continues without your characters input, we imagine he or she cannot be bothered to get to the bridge and some poor lackey takes over. The High Factorum stores the report and official documentation is given to the Lord captain for your formal investigation and possible dismissal from your elevated position aboard the ship.

Whats the point cant we do this in session?
It saves me creating vast space maps and space tokens on roll20 and gives us more time to in session to get some real roleplaying done. plus gives us something to do in the intervening week.

Do we get a Map?
No im afraid not, the beauty of the OOS ship combat is its all descriptive, you can ask for information from your crew and they will respond. Trust me it will be fun. (I have looked into this and other groups use the same method)

So how do i preform an action again?
Through Roleplaying on the appropriate section within the Forum, as usual describe your character, his actions, even his thoughts (obviously noone else will know his thoughts but it adds to the roleplaying).  No god moding, but you can tinker or throw around your immediate subordinates a little. Try to keep it structured through.

|(Still under revision...)

Starship combat is conducted over a series of rounds, with each starship taking one turn during that round. In space combat, the rounds are referred to as Strategic Rounds, and the turns are referred to as Strategic Turns.

COMBAT SEQUENCE
• All starships in the combat roll Initiative, rolling 1d10 and adding their ship’s Detection Bonus.
• The starship with the highest Initiative result goes first, then the next highest Initiative order, and so forth.
• During a starship’s turn, the crew must make one Manoeuvre Action and one Shooting Action. Any Explorers not participating in either action may make one Extended Action.
• Play then passes to the next starship in the combat. Once all ships have taken a Strategic Turn, the next Strategic Round of Space Combat begins.

MANOEUVRING
A starship’s basic Manoeuvre Action is when it moves forward a number of Void Units equal to its Speed Value. It then may turn up to 90 degrees if the ship is a transport, raider, or frigate, or 45 degrees if the ship is a light cruiser or larger. The ship may modify this Manoeuvre Action by performing one of the following Manoeuvres, each of which requires a Pilot (Space Craft) + Manoeuvrability Test:

• Adjust Bearing: Test to allow the ship to turn sooner.
• Adjust Speed: Test to allow the ship to speed up or slow down.
• Adjust Speed and Bearing: Test to speed up or slow down while turning sooner.
• Come to New Heading: Test to turn twice.
• Disengage: Test against other starships’ Detection ability to flee from battle.
• Evasive Manoeuvres: Test to make the starship harder to hit.

SHOOTING
During a starship’s Shooting Action, one crewmember may direct the firing of all of the starship’s Weapon omponents. To fire the weapon, the crewmember tests Ballistic Skill. Each Weapon Component can fire in a direction indicated by its firing arc (see ROGUE TRADER page 219).
• Prow: Fore on ships smaller than light cruisers. Fore, port, and starboard on ships light cruiser size and larger.
• Dorsal: Fore, port and starboard.
• Port: Port side only.
• Starboard: Starboard side only.
• Keel: All directions.

Each Weapon Component may be fi red at a target at half the weapon’s range or less at a +10 bonus, at a target no further than the weapon’s range at no bonus or penalty, or at a target up to twice the weapon’s range at a –10 penalty.
Macrobatteries score one additional hit for every degree of success on the hit roll. Lances score one additional hit for every three degrees of success on the hit roll. Reduce the number of hits a starship suffers each turn by the number of void shields. Then, roll damage for the remaining hits. Add all macrobattery hits together and subtract the starship’s armour from the result. The remaining value is how much damage the starship suffers to its hull
integrity. The damage rolled for lances is applied directly to the starship’s hull integrity without subtracting armour.

EXTENDED ACTIONS
Any crewmember who did not make a Manoeuvre Action or Shooting Action can take an Extended Action at any point during their ship’s turn:
• Active Augury: Scans for hidden enemies.
• Aid the Machine Spirit: Temporarily boosts the vessel’s attributes.
• Disinformation: Calculated lies encourage the crew to fight harder.
• Emergency Repairs: Quickly repair damaged parts of the ship.
• Flank Speed: Overpowers the ship’s engines, sometimes with dangerous consequences.
• Focused Augury: Scan a particular vessel to learn its secrets.
• Hail the Enemy: Contact an enemy vessel to intimidate, mock, or make deals.
• Hit and Run: Send raiding parties to an enemy vessel to cripple it.
• Hold Fast!: Inspire the crew to reduce their lost Morale.
• Jam Communications: Stop an enemy ship from using long range communications.
• Lock on Target: Use scanners to improve the accuracy of weapons.
• Prepare to Repel Boarders!: Rally the crew to fight against impending enemy boarding actions.
• Put your Backs into It!: Inspire (or terrify) the crew to work harder.
• Triage: Reduce the number of dead crew from combat