First off, thanks to KDLadage for his work. I've credited him below as well, but I believe in making sure that I don't inadvertently take the credit from someone else.
Anyway, here it is. Its by no means finished, and its not a complete product. If you want to change something, by all means do. Its not set in stone.
NEW AND CLARIFIED VBAM:SX RULES
WORK IN PROGRESS
ANTI-FIGHTER
This weapon may only target small-craft (and other small targets). Note: This cannot be combined with Anti-Ship, Must Re-Roll PEN Dice, or No Hull Damage.
VBAM Terms: When designing a ship to convert to the VBAM CSCR system, do not count the ORat of weapons with the Anti-Fighter ability when calculating the AS statistic
ANTI-SHIP
This weapon may only target starships (and other large targets). Note: This
cannot be combined with Anti-Fighter.
VBAM Terms: When designing a ship to convert to the VBAM CSCR system, do not count the ROF of weapons with the Anti-Ship ability when calculating the AF statistic
CONCENTRATED
Roll a single to-hit die for this weapon and all others in the same battery that
are firing at the same target. This is called the weapon bank. If that to-hit
die succeeds, then all of the weapons in that weapon bank will hit; otherwise,
they all miss. A single weapon battery can be split into multiple weapon banks
each turn.
FIXED MOUNT
This weapon has an extremely narrow field of fire. A fixed mount weapon must be
built with two (and only two) adjacent arcs. The weapon cannot actually fire
into these arcs; it can only target objects in the row of hexes that the two
arcs share. Example: A Fixed Mount weapon with the AB arc could fire at targets
only if they were immediately in front of the ship.
FLASH
This weapon targets a hex, not an individual ship. First, declare the target
hex; then roll ROF to-hit rolls against every starship, small-craft, drone, etc.
in the hex.
If a cloaked ship is in the target hex, the procedure for hitting it will depend
on whether the hidden movement rules are being used. If using hidden movement,
roll the to-hit rolls as normal against the cloaked ship. Otherwise, roll the
to-hit rolls as normal against the cloaked ship; then the cloaked ship gets a
chance to save against any hits that result. Roll 1d6 and add the number of
hexes that the cloaked ship moved this turn. If the result is 7+, then the hit
is negated.
GRAVIMETRIC
This weapon deals no damage; instead it reduces the running total used to enter
hyperspace. Roll one die on the chart below for each DMG die inflicted on the
target to see how much the running total for entering hyperspace is reduced (see
Entering Hyperspace, Appendix E). Note: This cannot be combined with Extra Crew
Casualties, Extra Hull Damage, Halves Hull Damage, or No Hull Damage. If used
against a hyperspace capable small-craft, the reduction becomes the number of
rounds that the craft cannot enter hyperspace.
Roll Effect
1-3 Running total reduced by -1
4-5 Running total reduced by -2
6 Running Total reduced by -3
HALVES HULL DAMAGE
This weapon deals one H damage result to a target for every other H damage
result that is rolled, starting with the second H damage result each round.
HIGH VARIABLE DMG
This weapon rolls a variable number of DMG dice. Before rolling this weapon's
DMG dice, roll one die per point of DMG on the following chart. Note: This
cannot be combined with Low Variable DMG, or Medium Variable DMG.
Roll Effect
1 One DMG die
2-3 Two DMG dice
4-6 Three DMG dice
HIGH VARIABLE PEN
This weapon rolls a variable number of PEN dice. Before rolling this weapon's
PEN dice, roll one die per point of PEN on the following chart. Note: This
cannot be combined with Low Variable PEN, or Medium Variable PEN.
Roll Effect
1 One PEN die
2-3 Two PEN dice
4-6 Three PEN dice
HIGH VARIABLE ROF
This weapon rolls a variable number of to-hit dice. Before rolling this weapon's
to-hit dice, roll one die per point of ROF on the following chart. Note: This
cannot be combined with Low Variable ROF, or Medium Variable ROF.
Roll Effect
1 One ROF die
2-3 Two ROF dice
4-6 Three ROF dice
INDIRECT
This weapon does not need a clear line-of-sight in order to hit a target. If a
path that the weapon can follow can be determined that does not exceed the
range, the weapon can fire at that target.
INVERTED RANGE-BASED DMG
This weapon's DMG value is doubled at medium range and tripled at long range.
Note: This cannot be combined with Range-Based DMG.
INVERTED RANGE-BASED PEN
This weapon's PEN value is doubled at medium range and tripled at long range.
Note: This cannot be combined with Range-Based PEN.
INVERTED RANGE-BASED ROF
This weapon's ROF value is doubled at medium range and tripled at long range.
Note: This cannot be combined with Range-Based ROF.
LARGE
This weapon takes 2 hits before it is completely destroyed. If it has taken one
hit, it suffers a -1 penalty on To-Hit and PEN rolls.
LOW VARIABLE DMG
This weapon rolls a variable number of DMG dice. Before rolling this weapon's
DMG dice, roll one die per point of DMG on the following chart. Note: This
cannot be combined with High Variable DMG, or Medium Variable DMG.
Roll Effect
1-3 One DMG die
4-5 Two DMG dice
6 Three DMG dice
LOW VARIABLE PEN
This weapon rolls a variable number of PEN dice. Before rolling this weapon's
PEN dice, roll one die per point of PEN on the following chart. Note: This
cannot be combined with High Variable PEN, or Medium Variable PEN.
Roll Effect
1-3 One PEN die
4-5 Two PEN dice
6 Three PEN dice
LOW VARIABLE ROF
This weapon rolls a variable number of to-hit dice. Before rolling this weapon's
to-hit dice, roll one die per point of ROF on the following chart. Note: This
cannot be combined with High Variable ROF, or Medium Variable ROF.
Roll Effect
1-3 One ROF die
4-5 Two ROF dice
6 Three ROF dice
MEDIUM VARIABLE DMG
This weapon rolls a variable number of DMG dice. Before rolling this weapon's
DMG dice, roll one die per point of DMG on the following chart. Note: This
cannot be combined with High Variable DMG, or Low Variable DMG.
Roll Effect
1-2 One DMG die
3-4 Two DMG dice
5-6 Three DMG dice
MEDIUM VARIABLE PEN
This weapon rolls a variable number of PEN dice. Before rolling this weapon's
PEN dice, roll one die per point of PEN on the following chart. Note: This
cannot be combined with High Variable PEN, or Low Variable PEN.
Roll Effect
1-2 One PEN die
3-4 Two PEN dice
5-6 Three PEN dice
MEDIUM VARIABLE ROF
This weapon rolls a variable number of to-hit dice. Before rolling this weapon's
to-hit dice, roll one die per point of ROF on the following chart. Note: This
cannot be combined with High Variable ROF, or Low Variable ROF.
Roll Effect
1-2 One ROF die
3-4 Two ROF dice
5-6 Three ROF dice
MINIMUM RANGE
This weapon cannot target anything in the short range band. Note: This cannot be
combined with Inverted Range Modifiers.
NON-PENETRATING
This weapon suffers a -1 penalty to all PEN dice. If the target has no shields,
a shield roll of 2+ is still required to penetrate the ship's skin; this applies
to small-craft as well.
PIERCING
This weapon has the ability to hit specific points on the ship and deal damage
there. Roll one DMG die and apply the results of that die a number of times
equal to the number of points of damage that weapon dealt.
RAPID-TARGET AQUISITION
This weapon has the ability to shift targets, splitting its fire amount multiple
targets. For each ROF the weapon has, it can target and fire at that many
targets.
SLOW RECHARGE
This weapon needs a 'cool' down period of one full turn after it has fired
before it can be fired again.
TRACKING
The weapon has the ability to focus in on a target. Each round that the weapon
continues to fire at the same target it fired at in the previous turn, it gets a
+1 to all to-hit rolls.
VOLITILE
The weapon is dangerous to fire. Each time the weapon is fired, roll a d6. On a
5+, the weapon actually deals one DMG die to the firing ship.
WEAPON ABILITY FACTOR
Anti-Fighter 0.30
Anti-Ship 0.70
Concentrated 1.00
Fixed Mount 0.30
Flash 3.00
Gravimetric 0.30
Halves Hull Damage 0.85
High Variable DMG 2.30
High Variable PEN 2.30
High Variable ROF 2.30
Indirect 2.00
Inverted Range-Based DMG 2.10
Inverted Range-Based PEN 2.10
Inverted Range-Based ROF 2.10
Large 1.30
Low Variable DMG 1.70
Low Variable PEN 1.70
Low Variable ROF 1.70
Medium Variable DMG 2.00
Medium Variable PEN 2.00
Medium Variable ROF 2.00
Minimum Range 0.70
Non-Penetrating 0.70
Piercing 1.30
Rapid Target Acquisition 1.50
Slow Recharge 0.50
Tracking 1.20
Volitile 0.75
(please note that all of these modifiers need to be calculated to get the proper
FACTOR)
APPENDIX XC: SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
ADVANCED CONSTRUCTION
When creating the damage track for this starship, start with H hits in the 1,
and 6 slots; the next four hit results are placed in the 2, 3, 4, and 5 slots.
After that, the damage track is completed as normal. Note: This cannot be
combined with Primitive Construction.
(Note: Normal construction places three H hits into the damage track; 50% of all
hits will hit hull. This reduced this to 2 H hits in the track; 33% of all hits
will hit hull)
VBAM Terms: When converting a ship with advanced construction, when calculating the DV of a ship, instead of (Hull/2), instead resolve as (Hullx2/3). Thus, a ship with hull 15, instead of the hull DV calculation being 7.5, would instead be 10.
ADVANCED RETRO-THRUSTERS
When this starship moves in reverse, the movement cost for that maneuver is
reduced by -1 MP. Note: This cannot be combined with Gravatic Engines, or
Primitive Controls.
ADVANCED SENSORS
This starship's weapons gain a +1 bonus to all To-Hit rolls. Note: This cannot
be combined with Primitive Sensors.
GRAVATIC ENGINES
When this starship moves in reverse or makes a side slip, the movement cost for
those maneuvers is reduced by -1 MP. When this starship makes turns, the
movement cost for the first one performed each round is reduced by -1 MP. Note:
This may not be combined with Advanced Retro-Thrusters, Gyroscopic Stabilizers,
Inertial Dampener, Primitive Controls, or Solid Fuel Engines.
GYROSCOPIC STABILIZERS
When this starship makes turns, the movement cost for the first one performed
each round is reduced by -1 MP. Note: This may not be combined with Gravatic
Engines, or Primitive Controls.
HARDENED ENGINES
When this starship suffers an E hit, roll a die. On a 5+ that damage result is
ignored. Note: This cannot be combined with High Performance Engines.
HIGH PERFORMANCE ENGINES
When this starship suffers an E hit, it looses two Engine boxes instead of just
one. Note: This modifier requires an Engine rating of 4+. This cannot be
combined with Hardened Engines.
INERTIAL DAMPENER
When this starship makes sideslips, the movement cost for that maneuver is
reduced by -1 MP. Note: This cannot be combined with Gravatic Engines, or
Primitive Controls.
PRIMITIVE CONSTRUCTION
When creating the damage track for this starship, start with H hits in the 1, 2,
5, and 6 slots; the next two hit results are placed in the 3, and 4 slots. After
that, the damage track is completed as normal. Note: This cannot be combined
with Advanced Construction.
VBAM Terms: When converting a ship with primitive construction, instead of (Hull/2), instead resolve as (Hull/3) Thus, a ship with hull 15, instead of the hull DV calculation being 7.5, would instead be 5.
PRIMITIVE CONTROLS
This starship's control systems place restrictions on the maneuvers that can be
performed. The following restrictions apply:
• One turn: the ship may only perform one turn each round. It may not perform a
slip and a turn in the same round.
• One Slip: the ship may only perform one slip each turn. It may not perform a
turn and a slip in the same round.
• Combined directions: the ship cannot combine forward movement and reverse
movement in the same round. If the ship is moving forward and wishes to reverse
(or vice versa), it will need to spend one round with no movement.
Note: This cannot be combined with Advanced Retro-Thrusters, Gravatic Engines,
Gyroscopic Stabilizers, or Inertial Dampeners.
PRIMITIVE SENSORS
This starship cannot target other starships in combat without first establishing
a sensor lock. During the End Phase, this starship may choose to attempt a
sensor lock on one enemy starship to which it has a line of sight. This starship
cannot achieve a sensor lock on a flight of small-craft, drones, etc. In order
to make this attempt, two dice are rolled; if the result is equal to or greater
than the distance to the target, the lock is achieved. If this starship has Long
Range Sensors can roll three dice instead. A successful sensor lock allows the
acting starship fire its weapons upon the target starship in the following
round. Note: This cannot be combined with Advanced Sensors.
ROBOTIC CONTROLS
This starship has no crew. Crew casualties have no effect.
SHUTTLE BAY
This starship is equipped to carry a flight of administrative shuttles.
Administrative Shuttles are treated as fighters that have an engine rating of 5,
no weapons (and thus cannot fight back defensively), and come in flights of 8.
Each administrative shuttle can be used to transport up to 50 people.
SOLID FUEL ENGINES
When this starship makes sideslips or turns, the movement cost for those
maneuvers is increased by +1 MP. Note: This may not be combined with Gravatic
Engines, Gyroscopic Stabilizers, or Inertial Dampener.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT++ SU Cost++ ORat++ Drat++ Hit?++ Tech?
Advanced Construction 10% - x1.50 N N
Advanced Retro-Thrusters 10% (ESU) - x1.10 Y N
Advanced Sensors 10% (WSU) 50% (WRAT) Y Y
Cargo Bay (Fixed Size) 100 - - Y N
Gravatic Engines 30% (ESU) - x1.35 N N
Gyroscopic Stabilizers 10% (ESU) - x1.10 Y N
Hangar Bay 50 - - Y N
Hardened Engines 15% (ESU) - x 1.20 N N
High Performance Engines -15% (ESU) - x 0.80 N N
Inertial Dampener 10% (ESU) - x 1.10 Y N
Primitive Construction -5% - x 0.67 N N
Primitive Controls -15% - x 0.85 N N
Primitive Sensors -10% -80% (WRAT) N N
Robotic Controls 15% - x1.25 N Y
Shuttle Bay 50 - - Y Y
Solid Fuel Engines -25% (ESU) - x0.85 N N
Thanks to K.D. Ladage for providing this information. This is entirely his work, except for the minor notes added regarding the role of certain weapon abilities and equipment abilities in a VBAM campaign, and the change in the Halves Hull Damage ability to a value half-way between No Hull Damage and 1.
NEW EQUIPMENT ADDED FOR VBAM:SX
One of the VBAM abilities that is purely a strategic weapon is the Mass Driver. Those devices that make it so easy to wipe a colony out of existence and other weapons which are not generally nice to use. However, sometimes a campaign might require the usage of these terror weapons, or else some races might not be adequately represented. It also, in my mind, adds a certain dimension to the campaign universe. It shows that if the major powers are running around with these terror weapons on board, then the campaign universe is not generally a nice place to be. And, of course, there are species in the Menagerie that have mass drivers on some of their main warships. Some people might prefer to just pick up and play with a Menagerie race and concentrate their efforts solely on the design of the warships which they will use either to quarter the galaxy or defend their colonies.
Starmada Rules for Mass Drivers
In Starmada, mass drivers are pretty useless. The only thing a mass driver is any use for is for bombarding planets or massive defence installations. Even the space-faring turtles who mount cryogenic storage units for in-system patrols could get out of the way of a massive rock on a ship.
When designing a ship, to include a mass driver a ship will have to devote 500 (five hundred) space units to mount one. This limits their use to ships with at least 5 hull, and to include it as an addition for a truly powerful warship (think the Mishakur-D), a mass driver-carrying ship would have to be much bigger. This was intentional, to stop the mass proliferation of mass drivers on ships.
When calculating the ships value, the mass driver adds nothing to either the offensive rating or the defensive rating.
VBAM Rules for Mass Drivers
When converting a Starmada ship to VBAM, each mass driver increases the Mass Driver rating of the ship by one. For each level, a ship has a +1 to the cost of the ship and a +1 to the maintenance bracket of the ship
Example: The Evil Empire superdreadnought, so far, costs 20 points and has a maintenance bracket of 7/2. It also has Mass Driver (2) on board (The Emperor wanted a terror weapon as well as a potent tactical platform). The cost climbs to 22, while the maintenance, already a bit high and already draining the output of small colonies, rises to 9/2
Another weapon is the Planetkiller. While most races don’t have the capacity to build a planetkiller, it is a possible option for those people that might want to represent extremely advanced races with some doomsday toys, or it might be something that the setting demands for all races.
Starmada Rules for Planetkillers
The planetkiller is not a weapon you want to use in a purely tactical battle of Starmada. It has no appreciable effect on the game, unless terrain rules are in effect. Insert possible rules for planetkiller attacks on planets and other terrain later. A planetkiller takes up 1500 (one thousand, five hundred) SUs and adds nothing to the offensive or defensive rating of the ship.
When converting a Starmada ship to VBAM, each planetkiller increases the Planetkiller rating of the ship by one. For each level, a ship has a +3 to the cost of the ship and a +2 to the maintenance bracket of the ship.
Example: The Advanced Evil Empire, around for a few million years, decided that it wanted a new toy. It constructs a juggernaut which, along with the extremely potent weaponry at its service, also mounts a single example of the Planetkiller. The ship already costs 35 EP and a colossal 8/2 EP for maintenance, but the planetkiller attribute raises the cost to 38 and the maintenance to 10/2, so two examples of this would drain the standard major colony of resources
CLARIFIED ATTRIBUTES ALREADY PRESENT IN VBAM:SX BUT NOT CLARIFIED
In the Stars Divided universe, for example, there are several attributes that are brought from the VBAM setting to the Starmada setting, but do not have a clear cost and/or maintenance value. This does mean that some options may have gone past without many players trying to use them.
Here is an overview of what I make the various attributes to cost and/or affect the maintenance value.
Biological: +1 EP to cost
Blockade Runner: Same modifiers as Fast (+1 EP, +1 per 3 engine points to maintenance bracket)
Direct Assault: No modifiers
Heavy Basing: Treat heavy basing just like a normal fighter bay for purposes of determining whether a vessel should be a carrier (so if a vessel had three fighter bays, one launch bay and a heavy basing it would class as four fighter bays, pushing it into the category of a carrier)
Jammer: +1 EP to cost, +1 maintenance bracket per level of Jammer ability (just like scout) Note: As a working model, allow a race ½ (rounded down) of scout levels as Jammer levels (in other words, a race with scout (1) would not be allowed any jammers, a race with scout (2) would be allowed Jammer (1), a race with scout (3) only Jammer (1) and a race with scout (4) would be allowed Jammer (2). Allow extra Jammer advances to be calculated in the same way as Scout advances as well.
Passengers: No modifiers
Q-Ship: Same modifiers as Supply ship
Tender: +1 EP to cost, +1 per 3 levels of tender to maintenance bracket (so three tenders would increase the ships maintenance by one, six tenders by two and so on)
Sorry about the problem with the Equipment chart, but hopefully its comprehensible
STRIKERS
Strikers replace drones in the rules, and are treated as fighters for purposes of VBAM design. They may use any traits in the Stars Divided sourcebook, but their base cost will be 1/4, and their base maintenance bracket 1/24.
Strikers are similar to normal fighters, and affect the VBAM statistics in a similar way, but instead of four striker bays, twelve fighter bays are needed to increase the maintenance bracket by one. Ships carrying strikers will be given the VBAM identifier of Striker or Drone Carrier
Strikers always start in the hangars of their carrier, and are launched with the same rules in the Starmada: X book.
Striker flights are given the classification 'Suicide Flight'
Change to basing classification:
BS-H: Heavy basing
BS-F: Standard basing for fighters
BS-S: Striker/suicide fighter basing
SHORT- AND LONG-RANGE VBAM ABILITIES
Draft Rules:
As there are many people with different ways of ship design, I'm going to make this into a fairly flexible rule.
For a given campaign, pick two ranges that are used in Starmada X. These two must be adjacent range bands, such as 9 and 12 or 12 and 15. These form what I'm calling the Range Definer.
When checking to see if a ship has either the Long-Range or Short-Range modifier as described in the VBAM CC, here are the checks:
Long-Range:
--All weapons that are not identified as either anti-fighter or ballistic are of the range one higher than the upper range definer and do NOT have any range-based modifiers (such as Range-Based Damage, Carronade, Doubled Range Modifiers and so on)
--All weapons that are not identified as either anti-fighter or ballistic are of the upper range definer and have some form of inverted range-based modifiers (such as Inverted Range-Based Damage, Minimum Range, Inverted Range Modifiers and so on)
Short-Range:
--All weapons that are not identified as either anti-fighter or ballistic are of the lower range definer and have some form of range-based modifiers (such as Range-Based Damage, Carronade, Doubled Range Modifiers and so on)
--All weapons that are not identified as either anti-fighter or ballistic are of the range one less than the lower range definer and do NOT have any inverted range-based modifiers (such as Inverted Range-Based Damage, Minimum Range, Inverted Range Modifiers and so on)
As an example, lets have these twelve weapons. The range definers for this universe are ranges 9 and 12.
LR Sniper Cannon, Range 15, Inverted Range Modifiers
Heavy Cannon, Range 15
Assault Plasma Cannon, Range 15, Range-Based Damage
Sniper Cannon, Range 12, Inverted Range Modifiers
Standard Cannon, Range 12
LR Plasma Cannon, Range 12, Range-Based PEN
Light Sniper Cannon, Range 9, Inverted Range Modifiers
Light Cannon, Range 9
Plasma Cannon, Range 9, Range-Based PEN
Sniper Gun, Range 6, Inverted Range Modifiers
Standard Gun, Range 6
Plasma Gun, Range 6, Range-Based PEN
With the rules set up, lets have a look at the checklist.
In the Range 15 band, both the sniper and the standard cannon are long-range weapons. The plasma cannon is a standard range weapon
In the Range 12 band, the sniper cannon is a long-range weapon, while the standard and plasma are standard range weapons
In the Range 9 band, the plasma cannon is a short-range weapon, while the sniper and standard cannon are standard-range weapons
In the Range 6 band, the plasma and standard guns are short-range weapons, while the sniper gun is a standard-range weapon
