SFS 3-11 - Into the Veskarium [Gameday X] (KS) (Inactive)

Game Master phaeton_nz

"Honestly not much of a soldier rushing headlong into battles myself although I've seen some action against... well... pirates I guess you may call them. When I saw this band go after medical supplies needed by war refugees, I couldn't just sit back and had to intervene."

Navasi falls into a contemplative moment but quickly snaps out of it and says, "But Kneepuncher and Sir Feighnswelle here, they've certainly got proper tales of battle to share with you!! And what about you sir? What is your name and what stories do you have to share?"

Culture: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

"You are Tassada Kor, a legend inside and outside the Veskarium," acknowledges The Specialist. "I've heard your name, even in the Depths Of The Eyes."

The Specialist's face is frozen as Tassada asks for tales of battles. So many stories in the contractor's brain come to the fore.

The kill on Arkanen, at Hallaway... no. Kor likely thinks shooting 'em in the back is dishonorable.

The kilometer shot in Roselight... nah. Extreme range doesn't seem to be her thing, he thinks, glancing at the doshko.

Maybe that time on Tabrid Minor, with those eco-extremists...

"Well, battles are without number, as they say, yes? But I just finished a mission on Tabrid Minor, where we investigated a malfunctioning beacon in their mysterious Zone 78. A bunch of eco-terrorists calling themselves the Fallen Hand thought they could kill us without anybody the wiser. Well... that didn't happen, because..."

Your 'small talk' is interrupted by a resounding explosion that ripples through the docking bay. Tassada grabs her doshko and turns, ready for a fight. Screams break from the crowd as flames engulf one of the docking bay’s support clamps, causing it to fold back in on itself. Debris rains down and a screeching sound fills the air as a single small freighter vessel breaks through the damaged support clamps, rising up and out of the spaceport’s bay.

Chaos reigns in the normally regimented settlement following the explosion. Each of you can take one of the following actions to assist in the aftermath.

Assess Damage: A successful Engineering check allows you to assess the damage to the other ships in the docking bay.

Calm Bystanders: You help to manage the frightened crowd
with a successful Diplomacy check.

First Aid: Several civilians sustained broken bones, minor
burns, and lacerations from falling debris. Someone who succeeds
at a Medicine check or expends a healing item or spell can provide medical care to the injured.

Identify Enemy: A PC who succeeds at a Culture check can identify the fleeing ship.

Security Check: A successful Computers check allows you to interface with Spaceport 5.1’s security network and locate surveillance records of the fleeing vessel.

"Now, now!" Sir Feighnswelle shouts over the frightened crowd. "There is nothing to see here, move along."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

Engineering: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (3) + 14 = 17

The Specialist breaks off his story as chaos erupts in the docking bay.

"THOSE SHIPS OVER THERE!" shouts the Specialist. "They're definitely damaged. They need assistance!"

Culture: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Navasi tries to identify the culprit!

Kneepuncher has seen more than his share of injuries, so he tries to help some of the wounded/

Medicine: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

Surprisingly, he's just as good at fixing damage as he is at causing it.

Computers: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16
That's not gonna work.

Delea rushes over to the middle of a clump of injured people and spends 1RP for healing channel, everyone within 30 ft. (that would be 4d8 HP, but I'm not sure the number matters)

Navasi identifies the fleeing ship as a Norikama Reliant-class vessel of Veskarium origin.

Delea and Kneepuncher are able to provide medical care to the injured.

Sir Feignswelle is able to calm the bystanders.

Tassada then intercepts you.

Starfinders! barks Tassada. I hoped to ask you this more tactfully, but there’s no time now. I’ve been tasked with tracking down a group of weapon smugglers—that’ll be the ship you saw make a run for it. But with the damage my ship took from that blast, it’s up to you to chase them down. She pauses, looking around expectantly. Well? There’s a fight to be had. What are you waiting for, a formal invitation?

Kneepuncher does not, in fact, wait for a formal invitation. He heads for the ship, staking out one of the gunner's chairs.

"Power core's hot," calls The Specialist from the engineering station. "Weapons are online, Kneepuncher. Shields are ready, once we clear the station structure! Warming up the engines now!"

He brings up the power diversion subroutines and starts activating a few special shortcuts he programmed in earlier.

"Well, what are we waiting for?"

"Very well Tassada! We'll bring back to you tales of battle that you'll have missed out on!" says Navasi with a wink as she rushes to the Starfinder ship.

I assume that by identifying the ship, our characters will know the typical armaments for a ship of that type...?

On board the ship...

As Navasi sits in the pilot seat and instinctually goes through the accelerated emergency launch sequence checks. Simultaneously, she says, "That was a Norikama Reliant-class ship. Standard configurations are typically slow as a snail and lightly shielded but port and starboard are usually heavily armed with nukes! However, they're completely unarmed to the aft. Guess we'll soon see if these smugglers are sporting something more custom built. Hold tight!"

The ship practically screams as Navasi throws caution to the wind and guns it full power, top speed, straight out of the docking berth!

Tanila jumps into the science officer's station.

Delea sighs at the immediate jump to violence rather than finding out what is going on and trying to talk through it, but gets into position (magic officer)

((New slide up))

As the ship departs Spaceport 5.1, Vesk-5 hangs like a glorious tapestry in the inky sky. Its thick clouds form a haze of shifting crimsons and
purples, illuminated occasionally by blue electrical storms. The smuggler’s vessel skirts the gas giant’s upper atmosphere, dipping in and out of magenta clouds.

Drake or Pegasus?

Could the pilot please make a piloting roll to determine the position of your ship. Success means you can put your ship on any facing 5 or more hexes from the Pouncer Failure and I place you

Roll to determine position of ship.
Piloting: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 1 = 16

To save on time with some pre-rolling, spoilered pilot initiative roll for the helm phase of round 1:

+1 added to both rolls from the ship bonus: either the Pegasus +1 piloting modifier or the Drake three-per-round +1 modifer.

hexes: 3d6 + 5 ⇒ (3, 3, 5) + 5 = 16

As you start to close in on the smuggler's vessel, they hail you. Assuming you accept the call, a tawny pahtra dressed in a brown leather aviator’s jacket, appears on their ship’s screen. He rebukes you with Back off, Starfinders! I’m Captain Bryqin of the Pouncer, and none of this concerns you. The liberation of our people from the boot heel of the Veskarium is worth more than that scrap heap of yours. Let’s end this quickly so you can slink back to the lap of your imperial masters!

Electrical storms plague Vesk-5’s atmosphere. Before combat, the science officer can attempt a Computers check to scan the storms around your
ship.

Computers: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26

Tanila detects several areas of electromagnetic activity in the area, and is fairly sure it would not be a good idea to fly through those.

pouncer engineering: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27
pouncer captain taunt: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
pouncer helm: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
pouncer evade: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32

Looks like you get to move first

"Until we first get a scan of what that ship's packing, I'm going in slow!"

Evade DC16: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22
Navasi brings the drake down to a quarter speed and goes evasive!

The Pouncer turns around and heads towards you, also going evasive. They then shoot at you with linked gyrolasers from their forward arc.

gunnery: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 9 - 2 = 10 2d8 ⇒ (5, 6) = 11

11 squares away, so a missile should land this round.

Kneepuncher uses the computers to help lock a missile on target and fires on the enemy ship.

High Explosive Missile Launcher: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 6 + 1 = 17
Damage: 4d8 ⇒ (8, 4, 8, 6) = 26

Forgot to include my pilot initiative pre-roll for the next round in my post above, so here it is!

"I say, er, Kneepuncher! Show is that you can deliver a good blow to more than just that ship's, er, knees!" Sir Feignswelle tries to encourage his ally.

Diplomacy to Encourage: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Round 2 Engineering (divert power to engines) DC16: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26

"Navasi! I've been able to divert power to the engines for a bit. You've got some more speed for now!" says The Specialist from the engineering station.

Their shot goes wide and if they hadn't been evading, Kneepuncher with Feignswelle's encouragement would have hit them. As it was, that missile missed by a hair's breath.

((Round 2))

pouncer engineering: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
pouncer captain taunt: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19 Nyah Nyah - Missed us
pouncer helm: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14
pouncer evade: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

They move first, intending to fly past you, or something like that, swinging their starboard side in your direction.

Specialist: I believe you're one of the gunners (and our best) with a +7 with Tanila as the engineer - unless there's some other reason Specialist cannot gun that I'm unaware of? Perhaps you'll gun during round 3...?

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GM: Delea, The Specialist and Tanila didn't get their round 1 actions in yet. Perhaps scrying for Delea to get a scan on the ship? And perhaps firing the coilgun for the Specialist since the enemy ship was in range? And maybe a science scan for Tanila? I'm pre-rolling helm initiative in order to save time but if that ends up causing confusing and skipping players' actions, then I'm okay to stop pre-rolling.

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"Thanks for the speed boost Specialist!!"
Pilot Action: Round 2, Helm Phase - Evade DC16: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Taking advantage of the extra speed, Navasi maneuvers the ship in for a frontal attack directly to the enemy's aft while going evasive!!
"Fire away guys! We've got four guns pointed straight at 'em!!!"

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No ... it's my fault .... I jumped the gun as it were. I should wait until everyone has posted.

Tanila is going to scan the enemy ship.
Computers: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
I think that works? I don't know the tier of the enemy ship

OK, happy to gun.

ROUND TWO
Specialist Gunner (coilgun): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22 Coilgun dmg: 4d4 ⇒ (3, 1, 3, 2) = 9

Delea magically scans.

mysticism: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15

maybe she will enhance the weapon on round 2?

What Tanila gets about the Pouncer

The Pouncer is a Tier 4 Norikama Reliant Class small light freighter. Speed 6, Maneuverability good(turn 1), Drift 2.
AC 19; TL 19
HP 50; DT —; CT 10
Shields light 50 (forward 15, port 10, starboard 10, aft 15)
Attack (Forward) linked gyrolasers (2d8; 5 hexes)
Attack (Port) tactical nuclear missile launcher (5d8; 20 hexes)
Attack (Starboard) tactical nuclear missile launcher (5d8; 20 hexes)
Power Core Pulse Green (150 PCU);

I don't think the Specialist can engineer and gun in the same round so I'll take that as the Round 1 shot. Will wait for other gunners to fire. Since they don't have an aft weapon or a turret, they cannot fire back

Sorry, didn't know we were in round 2 already.

High Explosive Missile Launcher: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 1 = 24
Damage: 4d8 ⇒ (6, 5, 4, 5) = 20

Tanila also notes that the Pouncer's forward shield is down to 6, thanks to the Specialist's earlier shot. Meanwhile Kneepuncher's shot to the aft tore through the rear shields and did some hull damage (-5).

Anyone still to act in Round 2? If not, may as well start Round 3

((Round 3 - Pouncer's rolls))
engineering: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
science: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25
captain encourage?: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
helm init: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24
evade?: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24

Looks like they're moving first

"Yes, well, keep it up!" encourages Sir Feighnswelle.

My plan is to continue to encourage the gunner for the weapon that does the most damage, at least at the present time. I don't think Sir Feighnswelle acted in Round 2, but it appears that it would not have made a difference as I suspect the missiles hit their mark. Once the missiles are gone, he will switch tactics.

11F 5P 12A 5S 45/50

They move to get your ship out of their aft arc and evade.

Your movement followed by gunnery phase.

"Put us on one of their flanks and I'll punch through!"

Kneepuncher throws another torpedo at whatever side they give him a line to.

High Explosive Missile Launcher: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 1 = 10
Damage: 4d8 ⇒ (6, 8, 8, 1) = 23

The Specialist waits for the right moment and then fires the coilgun into the Pouncer.

coilgun: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26 Dmg: 4d4 ⇒ (4, 3, 1, 4) = 12

"Hold on tight! With those electro fields in the way, and the way the drake turns, this is gonna be close!"

Pilot Action: Round 3, Helm Phase - Maneuver DC21: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
With some tight maneuvering, Navasi brings the ship to bear on the target's aft!

Tanila is going to divert power to the weapons.
Engineering: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16
[ooc]Phew! Just barely made it.

Resolving gunnery phase round 2

Somehow Navasi was able to power slide the Drake into position so you're facing their rear again - much to the consternation of the Pouncer's crew - as again, they can't shoot back - and even with them evading, the coil gun bringing down the aft shields which would have paved a way for the missile to get in if they hadn't dodged out of the way.

Round 3 - Engineering & Helm.
engineering: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
science: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
captain encourage helm: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25
helm init: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 12 + 2 = 19
evade: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17

The Pouncer's crew are frantically trying to keep power to the shields, especially in the aft. They also, even with the captain's encouragement, get to move first.

Your movement then gunnery

"Stay on their tail, then drive a missile into it!" urges Sir Feignswelle, wishing the captain's chair had a little more room between the arm rests.

Diplomacy to Encourage Gunnery on missiles: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Delea tries to magically enhance one of the weapons.

mysticism: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28

Round 3 Gunnery + Computer bonus (coilgun): 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 1 = 19 Dmg: 4d4 ⇒ (2, 1, 3, 2) = 8

GM: Unless I'm reading something incorrectly, I think you may have had a typo and labelled two rounds as "round 3" above. So I believe we're currently actually in round 4, not round 3?

Pilot Action: Round 4, Helm Phase - Evade DC16: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
Navasi pilots the ship to again fire upon the target's aft and despite seemingly not needing to do so, goes evasive anyways... just in case!

Delea: FYI, the Eldritch Shot that you're currently executing increases the range of our weapons but so far we've been well within weapons range. May I suggest you attempt the Precognition action instead? That'll give a +2 boost to the pilot initiative each round which can come in handy if the initiative rolls are close. Totally your call though - just a suggestion!

With Feighnswelle's help, Kneepuncher carefully tries to lock a missile on target.

High Explosive Missile Launcher: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 1 + 2 = 16
Damage: 4d8 ⇒ (1, 3, 5, 1) = 10

This is my fourth shot, so round 4, and one missile left.

And since they were evading both shots miss. Their Captain decides that a round of taunting your gunners is a good idea while the crew attempts to shore up the Pouncer's defences.

Round 5 - Pouncer
engineering: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
science: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
captain taunt: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
helm init: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30
fab: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27

We should wait for Delea's roll then - it could tip the initiative balance

Thanks for the suggestion, BigBoom!

Delea attempts precognition.

mysticism: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29

And with Delea's help, Navasi gains advantage. They flip and burn to face you.

Your movement then gunnery