Faster Than Light Drive
An FTL system represents the standard form of superlight transportation technology. Faster-than-light travel is by default disallowed in combat scenarios, but except under certain circumstances all warships must equip this subsystem. It is assumed that battles take place after combatants have arrived under FTL power, so any ships without it would not be part of a combat fleet.
Symbols:
Entering FTL Space
If a ship does decide to engage FTL drive during gameplay, it cannot apply any thrust or offensive weaponry during the turn. It spends its movement phase preparing to jump to FTL by “warming up” its FTL drive systems. During the following turn, it moves half its current velocity and—if all goes well—disappears from the table and normal space.
However, if there are any other ships, bodies, missiles, etc. within 6″ of the jumping ship at the halfway point of its current velocity, the FTL drive may fail or damage may occur due to spacetime interference. To determine the outcome, roll one six-sided die.
| On a roll of… | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | The drive fails to engage and the ship remains in normal space, completing its movement at its current velocity. |
| 2 to 4 | The ship completes transition to FTL but suffers 1D6 damage. |
| 5 or 6 | The ship is completely destroyed and all ships or objects in the 6″ radius take 2D6 damage. |
Exiting FTL Space
Entry point, deviation, and damage.
Non-FTL Ships
Some ships do not mount an FTL drive, such as in-system “slow boat” freighters as well as system defense cruisers and orbital monitors. With the extra space available these ships can be fitted with 75% of their total mass in shipboard systems or 60% in hangar bays and cargo space, instead of the normal limits of 50% and 40%.
| Ship Design Navigation Table | |
|---|---|
| Basic Design | Faster Than Light Drive • Fighter Group • Main Battery • Normal Space Drive • Point Defense System • Screen Generator • |
| Advanced Design | Drone System • Needle System • Submunitions • Torpedo System |
| Experimental Design | Advanced Battery • Advanced Drive • Advanced Fire Control • Advanced FTL • Megabattery • Railgun System • |