Jimbles' Dead Suns

Game Master Jimbles the Mediocre

Miraj is still at the coilgun station.

"Pucker up, Shana," Miraj mutters as he feels the turret swivel to keep facing the enemy ship. Looking over the aft section as the flyby maneuver takes place, he locks on his target, and decides to ignore the targeting help provided by the HUD and concentrates on using his intuition to sense the right direction to aim and the right moment to fire, advice he got from a mystic Skittermander he met in the wilds of Triaxus.

Coilgun, ship bonus, Encouragement bonus: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 3 + 1 + 2 = 19
damage: 4d4 ⇒ (1, 4, 4, 1) = 10

He feels the slight recoil as the large slug surges out of the barrel, pushed by electromagnetic forces almost as mysterious (to Miraj) as the spells of mystics. He watches, licking his lips as the computer shows the track of the projectile nearing the enemy ship.

Realizing that the sensors just took a blast and knowing that the shields need to be restored as well, Lauren leaves her station at the science officers desk and rushes to engineering to help. "Aureum, I here to help. I patch sensors." She then tries to work around the damage caused by the last attack.

Engineering: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

He watches, licking his lips as the computer shows the track of the projectile nearing the enemy ship.

After a fraction of a second, a bloom of color flares on the monitor, signalling a hit! Through the viewscreen, Entiren can see the flash of electric blue as the aft shields are sundered and a firework-shower of red and yellow as glowing-hot fragments of steel and ceramic armor fly off into the void.

Botting Jehir, just to keep things moving.
Attack vs. Aft w/ Light Laser Cannon (+ Computer Bonus): 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 2 + 1 = 13

Jehir tries to take advantage of the hole Miraj punched in the shields, but he can't quite track with the enemy pilot.

Meanwhile, Lauren hurriedly assesses the status of the sensor array. Fortunately, the instruments themselves seem to be intact; only the wiring relays appear to have taken damage. Thinking quickly, she reroutes the sensor data stream through a backup comms link, bringing the sensor suite back to full capabilities.

Guess what? The Hippocampus has finally won initiative! Until you guys specify otherwise, I'll use one of the three trinode bonuses on every initiative roll.

Hippocampus Status
Shields: F-0|P-3|S-3|A-4
Hull: 27/35
Systems: sensors are glitching (patched)
Modifiers: +1 any three checks per round, +2 Computers, +3 Piloting

Round 5:
Any Phase: Diedre
Engineering Phase: Aureum, Lauren
Helm Phase: Entiren (pilot)
Gunnery Phase: Jehir, Miraj

"Thanks Lauren," Aureum says, working quickly in another part of engineering. "I'm going to try to send more power to the shields."

Engineering: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23 Divert
Success! Restore 4 shield points.

Despite the chaos, Aureum is able to find some spare power, quickly diverting it to boost their defenses. You didn't specify which quadrant, so I assumed forward.

Meanwhile, the enemy ship aggressively fires its retro-thrusters, putting space between it and the Hippocampus while maintaining a constant facing.

Hippocampus Status
Shields: F-4|P-3|S-3|A-4
Hull: 27/35
Systems: sensors are glitching (patched)
Modifiers: +1 any three checks per round, +2 Computers, +3 Piloting

Round 5:
Any Phase: Diedre
Helm Phase: Entiren (pilot)
Gunnery Phase: Jehir, Miraj

Round 6:
Engineering Phase: Aureum, Lauren

Looking at the display in front of him, Entiren realizes something about the current setup between the two ships. Calling back to the rest of the crew, he says "I can get us to a location that is outside their front arc! If I do so, they should be unable to fire on us with their particle beam. However, it will conserve our current distance from them, making targeting them with our laser more difficult. Should I go for it?"

Lauren calls out from engineering, "I thinks pilot know best."

"Yes, do it, Entiren!" Diedre calls out as she watches the warning lights flash on her display.

"Yes, Captain!" That said, he quickly turns the ship before igniting the main engine to full power. At the end of the movement, he jinks the ship around to face towards the enemy ship.

Attempting the Evade Stunt, DC 13
Piloting + ship bonuses: 1d20 + 8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 3 = 16
Success, +2 AC & TL until the start of next turn.

Maneuvers: Entiren will first turn right one facing, before moving forward six hexes. He will then turn left two facings.
This should leave us outside of their front arc, while also keeping them in ours.

"All right boys, light 'em up!" Diedre calls out. "I'm wearing a new flavor of gloss today, Miraj. I'm not telling you what it is. You'll have to drop this joker to find out."

Encourage - Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Entiren is able to successfully maneuver the Hippocampus out of the enemy's sightline, preventing them from locking weapons for the first time!

Gunners are up! Can you capitalize on a free round?

Hippocampus Status
Shields: F-4|P-3|S-3|A-4
Hull: 27/35
Systems: sensors are glitching (patched)
Modifiers: +1 any three checks per round, +2 Computers, +3 Piloting

Round 5:
Gunnery Phase: Jehir, Miraj

Round 6:
Any Phase: Diedre
Engineering Phase: Aureum, Lauren
Helm Phase: Entiren (pilot)

Since the danger to the ship has passed and nothing else needs immediate repair. Lauren heads back to the science officer's station, bouncing along on her tentacles as she does so. "Great flying, Entiren," she says to the nuar as she straps herself back into her seat. "Is like riding the tide."

Keeping his eyes on the attention focused on the enemy ship, Entiren somewhat absentmindedly replies to Lauren's compliment. "Thanks. I've never heard flying compared to swimming before."

Miraj listens to the high frequency whine of the coilgun capacitors charging up. He puts all distractions out of mind, including Deidre's inducements, feels the flow of Entiren's expert piloting, and when everything comes together ...

Coilgun, Trinode bonus, Encouragement bonus: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 1 + 2 = 14
Damage: 4d4 ⇒ (4, 1, 3, 3) = 11

"Hope Jehir has better luck," Miraj mutters as he makes some adjustment to the charge levels and slots another slug into the barrel.

Mitterjinks! he thinks, Getting a kiss is easier in a night club.

"You gets them next time, Miraj."

Since they can't shoot us in Round 5. I'm going to hold my action until after pilots go in round 6. In case the shields need re-balancing before they shoot at us.

Jehir's Attack w/ Light Laser Cannon (- Range x 2, + Computer Bonus): 1d20 + 3 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 3 - 4 + 1 = 8

Despite Entiren's sharp flying, neither gunner can get a decent lock on the enemy ship and they both fire off aimlessly into the void.

The Hippocampus has lost initiative in round 6 (despite the computer bonus), so Entiren and Lauren can post once Aureum has taken her turn.

Hippocampus Status
Shields: F-4|P-3|S-3|A-4
Hull: 27/35
Systems: sensors are glitching (patched)
Modifiers: +1 any three checks per round, +2 Computers, +3 Piloting

Round 6:
Any Phase: Diedre
Engineering Phase: Aureum
Helm Phase: Entiren (pilot), Lauren (science officer)
Gunnery Phase: Jehir, Miraj

"Don't make me come up there," Aureum quips as yet another shot sails off into space.

Confident she understands how to restore the ship's shields, she quickly adjusts the necessary functions.

Engineering: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26 Divert
Success -- Restore 4 shield points (1 to each quadrant)

Aureum smoothly adjusts the ship's power routing, and the nearly invisible forcefield surrounding the Hippocampus grows imperceptibly brighter.

Hippocampus Status
Shields: F-5|P-4|S-4|A-5
Hull: 27/35
Systems: sensors are glitching (patched)
Modifiers: +1 any three checks per round, +2 Computers, +3 Piloting

Round 6:
Any Phase: Diedre
Helm Phase: Entiren (pilot), Lauren (science officer)
Gunnery Phase: Jehir, Miraj

Round 7:
Engineering Phase: Aureum

Lauren runs her hands along the ships computer controls and thinks for a brief second, before saying, "This enemy is too fast." Consulting her phrasebook, she adds, "Targeting engines."

Computers: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

"Don't make me come up there," Aureum quips as yet another shot sails off into space.

"What, are you my mother now?" Diedre snarks back. "We got this. Right, Miraj, Jehir? You just worry about ... " She sees the shield levels rise. "Yeah. Well then ... We got this."

"Going to try and increase the distance between us. Hopefully this will keep them in our front arc, allowing us to use our laser canon." Entiren then turns the small shuttle around and thrust off in the opposite direction. He will then turn around, leaving them back on their original facing.

Attempting the Evade Stunt (DC 13)
Piloting + ship bonuses: 1d20 + 8 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 8 + 3 = 27
Success, +2 AC & TL until the start of next turn.

Maneuvering: Entiren will turn left two facings, move forward one hex, and turn left one more facing. He then moves forwards four hexes, turns left two facings, moves forward one hex, and turns left one facing. At the end, the Hippocampus should be four hexes down-left from its current location, and have the same facing.

"Don't put us too far out, Entiren," Diedre says, her eyes fixed on her displays. "That canon doesn't have a lot of range."

"Neither does their particle beam," Entiren points out. "While it may have about twice the range of our cannon, it is still only half the range of out coilgun and their torpedo launcher."

As Entiren tries to put space between the two ships, the enemy pilot attempts to flank the Hippocampus using its superior speed. Just as their target drifts out of view from the front viewscreen, a 'missile lock' warning appears! Flying in an evasive spiral, Entiren is just able to avoid the plasma torpedo, which passes close enough to scorch the paint with its propellant before tumbling past and detonating harmlessly in the inky blackness of space.

Gunners, you're up! The forward armament is out of arc, but tonight might be your lucky day with that coilgun, Miraj.

Hippocampus Status
Shields: F-5|P-4|S-4|A-5
Hull: 27/35
Systems: sensors are glitching (patched)
Modifiers: +1 any three checks per round, +2 Computers, +3 Piloting

Round 6:
Any Phase: Diedre
Gunnery Phase: Jehir, Miraj

Round 7:
Engineering Phase: Aureum
Helm Phase: Entiren (pilot), Lauren (science officer)

Miraj says nothing and concentrates on his next shot.

Gunner, ship bonus: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 1 = 12
Damage: 4d4 ⇒ (1, 2, 2, 2) = 7

Miraj continues to say nothing as he watches his shot sail away on an appointment with nothing.

Jehir can't target out of arc and there's nothing Diedre can do to help that fat natural 8, so I'm just gonna move on.

Locked in a devilish dance of death and daring, Entiren and the enemy pilot's skills prevent any shots from landing.

Those bad rolls are continuing to stink up Initiative rolls, too! After Aureum, Entiren and Lauren are up.

Hippocampus Status
Shields: F-5|P-4|S-4|A-5
Hull: 27/35
Systems: sensors are glitching (patched)
Modifiers: +1 any three checks per round, +2 Computers, +3 Piloting

Round 7:
Any Phase: Diedre
Engineering Phase: Aureum
Helm Phase: Entiren (pilot), Lauren (science officer)
Gunnery Phase: Jehir, Miraj

"Cap'n, I suggest ve have zee science officer scan this vessel to see if ve can learn more about who it is und what weaknesses it might possess."

Lauren pulls up the results from the last scan and sends them over to Miraj's display.

Tiny fighter

Speed 12; Maneuverability good (turn 1)
DEFENSE
AC 17; TL 16
HP 35/35
Shields Basic 30 (forward 10, port 7, starboard 7, aft 6)

OFFENSE
Attack (Forward) light particle beam (3d6; medium), light plasma torpedo launcher (3d8; long, speed 14, limited fire 5)

STATISTICS
Power Core Micron Ultra (80 PCU)

CREW
Compliment 2

She says, "We hit them only once. In the... Aft. I can scans again, but thinks it best we slow them down and gets behinds them."

If you really want another scan, I can do it, but I think we're better off spending actions targeting their engines so we can reduce their piloting checks.

"I'm not sure what else you want her to find, Miraj," Diedre says with a giggle. "Boxers or briefs?"

She winks at the Scyphozoan.

"Keep up the focus on their engines, Lauren."

"You're zee captain. But after surviving this attack, zee next most important thing is to identify who is attacking us. Ve are having enough trouble just hitting zee frigeldarg. Hoping zat ve can hit zee engines may be a waste of optimism."

Miraj taps the reload button and hears the clunk of the coil gun slug sliding into the barrel as the capacitors charge for another shot.

Each successful scan is supposed to give us more info on the attacking ship. Might this include identifying the type of vessel (i.e. who made it, who owns it, etc.)? Does it have a transponder that functions as an identifier? These things might not be coded into the rules, but I'm hoping if not, we might do something creative to use this time we are in a dogfight to identify the enemy.

Botting Aureum to keep things moving.

Engineering check to Divert (Engines): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Working hastily to maintain the ship, Aureum is able to send a bit of additional power to the engines. Speed is 8 this round.

Hippocampus Status
Shields: F-5|P-4|S-4|A-5
Hull: 27/35
Systems: sensors are glitching (patched)
Modifiers: +1 any three checks per round, +2 Computers, +3 Piloting

Round 7:
Any Phase: Diedre
Helm Phase: Entiren (pilot), Lauren (science officer)
Gunnery Phase: Jehir, Miraj

Round 8:
Engineering Phase: Aureum

Entiren brings the ship around, moving to again try and keep their opponent in the Hippocampus' front firing arc. As he goes, he is constantly jinking the ship around in an attempt to flip weapon locks.

Attempting the Evade Stunt (DC 13)
Piloting + Ship Bonuses: 1d20 + 8 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 8 + 3 = 29
Success, +2 AT & TL until the start of next turn.

Maneuvering: Entiren will initially turn left two facings, before moving forward four years and turning right one facing. He then moves forwards four years and turns right two facings. At the end, the Hippocampus should be facing the opponent ship, with 13 hexes between them.

Here's the dilemma. The only thing we missed on the last scan was the loadout of the expansion bays and "any other stats" the GM chooses to give us. I can't fail getting the first piece of information, but I can fail the second with a low roll, and even if it succeeds it may give us nothing we don't already know or can't infer from what we already know. If I target the engines, and we can hit them for anything over 3 damage (past their shields), they're at -2 to all piloting checks, which makes us more likely to win init and get to a place where we can hit them but they can't hit us, etc. If we crit (19/20 on attack roll) AND break crit threshold (or hit them more than once and do something like 10 damage past their shields), they'd be at -4 to all piloting actions AND can't take push actions (so no more stunts). If we magically got it to wrecked, all piloting checks automatically fail. In either of the latter cases, that means the fight is effectively over barring any weird surprises. Now, all that being said, my character would never argue over this, she probably doesn't know any better and is new enough to the group that she'd go along with whatever she's told to do, happily. I don't know how much (if any) of this meta-knowledge any of us would have, though, and I'm totally against meta-gaming if the GM says my character wouldn't know any of this.

Lauren spins in her seat in indecision, uncomfortable with being put in the middle between her two new friends and worried about the dangers of extending the combat and asks, "Captain? Orders?"

Below is my computers check for whatever I'm told to do. I have tests this afternoon so don't know if I'll be back before tomorrow.

Computers: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

Diedre looks over her screen readouts again before turning a confident look at the floating figure at the science station.

"Get us a lock on those engines, Lauren," Diedre says with a smile as she adjusts one of her ponytails.

Entiren flips the ship around while Lauren successfully target's the hostile's engine heat. As the Hippocampus pivots, they find the enemy ship bearing straight for them, spiralling in a rapid corkscrew and firing everything! Entiren is able to avoid a plasma torpedo with his quick flying, but doing so puts the Hippocampus within range of the direct weapons, which tear a hole in the forward shields and forcefully ablate large patches of the hull plating.

The Hippocampus takes 9 damage to the forward arc. Gunners, retaliate!

Hippocampus Status
Shields: F-0|P-4|S-4|A-5
Hull: 23/35
Systems: sensors are glitching (patched)
Modifiers: +1 any three checks per round, +2 Computers, +3 Piloting

Round 7:
Any Phase: Diedre
Gunnery Phase: Jehir, Miraj

Round 8:
Engineering Phase: Aureum
Helm Phase: Entiren (pilot), Lauren (science officer)

"C'mon Miraj, shut her down once and for all!" Diedre yells out.

Encourage - Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

"This is not as easy as in zee Tri-D games, just so you know."

Gunnery, Ship bonus, Encourage bonus: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 1 + 2 = 10

As yet another coilgun round sails into oblivion to drift forever through the ether, Miraj lets rip a string of draconic vulgarities, best not translated, in case any wyrmlings might be reading.

Gunnery +1 Computer -2 range: 1d20 + 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 1 - 2 = 9

Jehir fires the laser cannon, but the beam narrowly misses the enemy ship.

"This ship is fast!" Jehir says. "I can't get a lock."

Their target is just too quick - neither Miraj nor Jehir can manage to land a shot. One of these days...

The Hippocampus has won initiative for Round 8, so hold your helm phase actions until the enemy ship moves!

Hippocampus Status
Shields: F-0|P-4|S-4|A-5
Hull: 23/35
Systems: sensors are glitching (patched)
Modifiers: +1 any three checks per round, +2 Computers, +3 Piloting

Round 8:
Any Phase: Diedre
Engineering Phase: Aureum
Helm Phase: Entiren (pilot), Lauren (science officer)
Gunnery Phase: Jehir, Miraj

Diedre leans forward and thumps her console screen with her forehead.

"No this is definitely not a Tri-Dee sim," Diedre mutters to herself. "Because if it was, I would have already dug in and fixed the damn random NUMBER GENERATOR!"

She takes a breath and hits some buttons on the console.

"Get a grip, Didi," she continues muttering. "Drama doesn't help." She scans the numbers being displayed to her.

Aureum’s attention is on the shields, tapping away at the console as she tries to bring them back to full power.

Engineering: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 Divert
Nope!

Aureum attempts to reboot the forward shield emitter, but with Hippocampus sets off with a lurch, nearly knocking her off her seat. Meanwhile, the enemy ship barrels towards the Starfinders, peeling off at the last second. It streaks by so quickly, the gunners don't have a chance to catch it in their sights!

Entiren and Lauren, you're up to bat! Gunners, you're on deck - you can fire as soon as the pilot and science officer have taken their actions.

Hippocampus Status
Shields: F-0|P-4|S-4|A-5
Hull: 23/35
Systems: sensors are glitching (patched)
Modifiers: +1 any three checks per round, +2 Computers, +3 Piloting

Round 8:
Any Phase: Diedre
Helm Phase: Entiren (pilot), Lauren (science officer)
Gunnery Phase: Jehir, Miraj

Round 8:
Engineering Phase: Aureum

A phase early but I might not be available later today.

"They're right there boys!" Diedre crows, her blue ponytails bobbing. "Entiren, bring us around on their ass-end!"

She bounces in her seat.

"Miraj, Jehir! Come on guys! This is the moment you've been waiting for!"

Encourage - Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16 encourage jehir for a change

"Roger that, captain!" That said, Entiren brings the Hippcampus around on a firing fun at the rear of the enemy ship, before spinning back around to stay in their opponents rear arc. He keeps the opponent in our port arc, so that they have to get through the shields there with one of their weapons, instead of just being able to damage the hull.

Attempting the Flyby Stunt (DC 18)
Piloting + ship bonuses: 1d20 + 8 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 8 + 3 = 21
Success, during the gunnery phase, one of our weapons can freely target any quadrant of their ship, even if it would not normally be able to.

Maneuvering: Entiren will start the movement by turning left two facings, followed by moving forward two hexes and turning left two facings. He then moves forwards one hex, turns left one facing, moves forwards one hex, and again turns left one facing. He then moves forwards two more hexes and turns left a single facing. At the end, the Hippocampus should be one hex to the right of its current position, pointing up-right.

Since our ship has moved, I'm going to go ahead with my action. I don't think the Science action will affect my roll, but if she Locks On successfully then even better.

"Whoa, careful! She's coming up fast..."

As the enemy ship grows in the viewscreen Jehir snaps off a shot before the enemy slips by.

Laser +1 computer +2 encourage: 1d20 + 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 + 1 + 2 = 22
Laser Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 4) = 8

"Got Him! Ha! A very palpable hit."

I will hit the aft side since that is the side that Miraj will also be firing at.

"Way to go, JJ," Miraj says as the laser rack across the ship as Entiren gets him a shot. Miraj takes a more measured attack.

Coilgun, ship bonus: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7
Damage: 4d4 ⇒ (1, 4, 2, 2) = 9

"I vill have to have a talk with whoever calibrated this gun! It keeps indicating a lock, but then zee shot goes wide."

I think this happens before the gunnery checks...

Lauren looks over the console, hoping against hope that they can get a clean hit this time, but beginning to feel that this entire exercise is futile. "Targeting Engines."

Computers: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27

Entiren is able to match the enemy ship tit for tat, executing a daring flyby which allows Jehir to land a crushing hit! Unfortunately, the opposing vessel is also able to land a blow on the Hippocampus, which strikes the bridge viewscreen directly, spawning error messages all over the HUD!

Critical Damage: 1d100 ⇒ 20
The Hippocampus takes 9 damage to the forward arc and the sensors gain the malfunctioning condition.

Aureum is up! I will hold off rolling initiative for a bit in case anyone would like to switch roles for Round 9.

Hippocampus Status
Shields: F-0|P-4|S-4|A-5
Hull: 14/35
Systems: sensors are malfunctioning
Modifiers: +1 any three checks per round, -2 Computers, +3 Piloting

Round 9:
Any Phase: Diedre
Engineering Phase: Aureum
Helm Phase: Entiren (pilot), Lauren (science officer)
Gunnery Phase: Jehir, Miraj

Diedre barks out a rather un-ladylike curse and then nervously glances at the bot that's recording everything.

"Aureum, we need those shields back up! Lauren, jump over and see if you can do something about our sensors - I'll handle Science for now."

She then stabs at some controls on her console to bring up science controls.

Lauren jumps up from her seat and rushes back to engineering, ignoring the sparks flying from various consoles and the creaking she hears coming from the bridge's canopy. She mumbles to the camera as she passes, "Is just like All my Spaceships, No?".

At the engineering stations, she sets about trying to patch the now malfunctioning sensor array. "Let's see... အနီရောင်ဝါယာကြိုးမှအနီရောင်ဝါယာကြိုး" She thinks for a second...

"Maybe it blue one?"

Engineering: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

I'm pretty sure that's a success and we're back down to Glitching.

Lauren calls out to the captain, "Shields may need rebalance."