So in the Starship Operations Manual, they released detailed rules on how to board an enemy starship, from the PCs taking the lead, to sending minions to wreak havoc. However, all of the rules are based around both vessels involved having crews. What about ‘living’ ships, such as an oma? Is this Covered anywhere? Is it even allowed? If PCs are doing it, and it IS allowed, how would one set up the tactical map?
The Oma Archive entry states that they have habitable stomachs and Barathu used to use them all the time to travel. It's also been written that Barathu diplomats may still choose to call out to and board living Oma for clout. While there's nothing I've found that explicitly states either way, as long as it's considered a living starship and not just a ship-scale creature, the books suggest PCs mechanically should be able to board, even as enemy combatants - if it can be justified that the ship creature won't or can't break free of the boarding mechanisms (For example, anchoring probably wouldn't work well on a conscious starship, but well-fired breaching pods or a lucky ram attack could). That is ultimately going to be up to the GM's discretion, as is the identification of the habitable zones and how to construct their own map accordingly.
For the Oma example, I would start the map by determining the size and shape of an Oma's digestive tract, consider any architectural modifications that the crew may have made to direct or live inside the Oma comfortably, and then place hazards like pools of digestive enzymes - and threats (the enemy crew, of course, but maybe also parasites?).
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Yeah, I generally agree that any "living" starship should be capable of being boarded.
Remember, this is the future where you have crazy techno armor that protects you from energy rifles and bullets, on top of the vacuum of space and varying levels of radiation intensity. It's a space suit, a set of armor, radiation protection, general environmental protection (heat and cold). It's not that hard to imagine that it can protect you against the conditions inside of a living ship. Certain parts might overwhelm the protections of your armor, but I'm inclined to believe those either are small sections of the creature, or very specific creatures that have a physical design that is completely inhospitable.
OK, so given your responses, I'm guessing that you would say that a 'starship creature' would NOT be able to be boarded.
OK, so given your responses, I'm guessing that you would say that a 'starship creature' would NOT be able to be boarded.
Only if you're a coward.
The real reason to board isn't to do damage to ships systems, it's to kill crew sufficient to drop them below their minimal crew and stop the ship from functioning entirely. Which sadly cannot work on a living starship which last any mechanic to even fight off the boarding party.
So technically, a living starship is something like a xeno-warden's ship, or an oma reconfigured for the task. However, for a starship creature, my big question is whether or not such would even be possible. As Nimor Starseeker says, where exactly are the characters going? Also, something that's big enough to go head to head with a starship is big enough to look on PCs as snacks, ranging from appetizer to peanut category, depending on the exact size of the thing.
So technically, a living starship is something like a xeno-warden's ship, or an oma reconfigured for the task. However, for a starship creature, my big question is whether or not such would even be possible. As Nimor Starseeker says, where exactly are the characters going? Also, something that's big enough to go head to head with a starship is big enough to look on PCs as snacks, ranging from appetizer to peanut category, depending on the exact size of the thing.
See: that gears of War 2 level where you get eaten by a giant worm and cut your way through fleshy walls until you make to the heart(s) and kill the thing.
So, really, typically no 'boarding' isn't something on the player's side of the table as a useful tactic.
However, an encounter requiring the players to enter a living starship can be done.
OK, so given your responses, I'm guessing that you would say that a 'starship creature' would NOT be able to be boarded.
Not usefully as part of the starship combat minigame.
As part of the story in which you ram your boarding ship up the aliens space cloaca and cut your way through it's heart to kill it, yes.
Although it probably would have been easier to shoot it with your starship, but I won't tell you how to have a good time.