Starship Design System

A collection of rules allowing for fast and generic spaceship design and play.

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Torpedo System

The torpedo system launches a payload which, if it hits, can deal massive damage to the target. The basic version is fitted to fire through the FWD arc, but for extra cost it can be fitted to fire through up to 180° of arc.

Symbols: Narrow half-filled rectangle pointing to 12 o'clock. Narrow half-filled rectangle with a widened base enclosing letter L. Narrow half-filled rectangle with a widened base enclosing letter S.

Range and Rolling To Hit

Targeting with a torpedo system requires one FireCon, which may ONLY be used to fire other torpedo systems at the SAME target this turn. To determine whether the weapon hits, one six-sided die is rolled per system firing at the same target.

At range of… Required score to hit
0-6″ 2 to 6
6-12″ 3 to 6
12-18″ 4 to 6
18-24″ 5 or 6
24-30″ 6 only

Each hit deals damage points equal to the score of a second D6. Defensive screens have no effect against this damage.

Table: Torpedo System Costs

Class Mass Cost
Short-range 2 6 points
Standard 4 12 points
Long-range 8 24 points

Advanced Rules

Multi-arc Torpedo Batteries

Torpedo systems can be fitted to fire through different bearings and wider arcs.

Symbols: Narrow half-filled rectangle branching to point 12 and 8 o'clock. Narrow half-filled rectangle branching to point 12 and 2 o'clock. Narrow half-filled rectangle branching to point 8, 12, and 2 o'clock.

Table: Multi-arc Torpedo System Costs

Bearing Mass Cost
60° (1-arc) 4 12 points
120° (2-arc) 5 15 points
180° (3-arc) 6 18 points

Experimental: 2-arc torpedo systems may be fitted to fire through a forward 120° arc, which must be noted clearly on the ship diagram: Narrow half-filled rectangle branching to point 11 and 1 o'clock.

Long-range Torpedoes

Torpedo systems come in a long-range version for ships with the mass to spare to mount them.

Symbols: Narrow half-filled rectangle with a widened base enclosing letter L.

Table: Long-range chance to hit

At range of… Required score to hit
0-9″ 2 to 6
9-18″ 3 to 6
18-27″ 4 to 6
27-36″ 5 or 6
36-45″ 6 only

Table: Long-range Torpedo System Costs

Bearing Mass Cost
60° (1-arc) 8 24 points
120° (2-arc) 10 30 points
180° (3-arc) 12 36 points

Short-range Torpedoes

Torpedo systems are available in a short-range variety for reduced mass and points costs.

Short-range torpedo system symbols: Narrow half-filled rectangle with a widened base enclosing letter S.

Table: Short-range chance to hit

At range of… Required score to hit
0-4″ 2 to 6
4-8″ 3 to 6
8-12″ 4 to 6
12-16″ 5 or 6
16-20″ 6 only

Table: Long-range Torpedo System Costs

Bearing Mass Cost
60° (1-arc) 2 6 points
180° (3-arc) 3 9 points

Lore

The torpedo system is designed to represent a powerful secondary direct-fire weapon to complement a ship’s main batteries. It can be a photon torpedo or a plasma cannon, or something more conventional like a nuclear missile or other explosive projectile. The generic background calls it a pulse torpedo and it is a plasma bolt delivered through a gravitic field.

Ship Design Navigation Table
Basic Design Faster Than Light DriveFighter GroupMain BatteryNormal Space DrivePoint Defense SystemScreen Generator
Advanced Design Drone SystemNeedle SystemSubmunitionsTorpedo System
Experimental Design Advanced BatteryAdvanced DriveAdvanced Fire ControlAdvanced FTLMegabatteryRailgun System