THE OUTLAW STAR
* See below for more information
Craft: XGP 15A-II
Type: Experimental prototype grappler ship
Scale: Starfighter
Dimensions:
-Length: 72m
-Width: 21m
-Height: 16m
Skill: Space Transports: Outlaw Star
Crew: 3
-Gunners: 2
-Skeleton: 1/+0 (+10 without Gilliam)
-Special: Melfina*
Crew Skill*: As per character's skills
Passengers: 8
Cargo Capacity: 200 metric tons
Consumables: 2 weeks
Cost: Not Available For Sale
Hyperdrive Multiplier*: x1 (Backup: x10)
Nav Computer: Yes
Maneuverability: 3D
Speed:
-Space: 8
-Atmosphere: 365; 1,050kmh
Hull: 6D
Defenses:
-Shields: N/A*
-Grappler Arm Shields*:
-Shield Bash: Hull+2D
-Parry: 3D
Sensors*:
-Passive: 20(30)/0D(1D)
-Scan: 40(60)/1D(2D)
-Search: 60(90)/2D(3D)
-Focus: 2(4)/3D(4D)
WEAPONS:
5 Heavy Blaster Cannons*
Location:
-1 Top front
-1 Top back
-1 Bottom center
-1 Right side hull
-1 Left side hull
Fire Arc: Partial turrets
-2 Front/Right/Left (1 Top/1 Bottom)
-1 Right (Top)
-1 Left (Top)
-1 Back/Right/Left (Top)
Crew: 1 (2-5*)
Skill: Starship gunnery
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Control: 3D
Range:
-Space: 1-5/10/17
-Atmosphere: 100-500/1/1.7km
Damage: 5D
Rate Of Fire: 1
2 Concussion Missile Launchers* (Fire-Link Optional)
Location: Front side hull, 1 right, 1 left
Fire Arc: Front
Crew: 1 (Pilot/Co-Pilot)
Skill: Starship gunnery/Missile Weapons
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Control: 1D
Range:
-Space: 1/3/7
-Atmosphere: 50-100/300/700m
Speed: 7*
Damage:
-1 Missile: 8D
-2 Missiles: 9D
-4 Missiles: 10D
-8 Missiles: 11D
Ammo: 4 missiles each (8 total)
Rate Of Fire: 1-8*
Special: Fire-Link, Volley Fire*
6 Concussion Missile Launchers (Fire-Link Optional)
Location: Mid sides of hull
Fire Arc: 3 right, 3 left
Crew: 1 (Pilot/Co-Pilot)
Skill: Starship Gunnery, Missile Weapons
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Control: 1D
-Atmosphere: 50-100/300/700m
Speed: 7*
Damage:
-1 Missile: 8D
-2 Missiles: 9D
-3 Missiles: 9D+2
Ammo: 1 missile each (6 total)
Rate Of Fire: 1
Special: Fire-Link, Volley Fire*
Boarding Tube*
Location: Center Upper Hull Behind Cockpit
Fire Arc: Front (Top)
Crew: 1 (Pilot/Co-Pilot)
Skill: Space Transports
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Control: 0D
Range: Point-Blank
Damage: 3D/Special*
Rate Of Fire: 1
2 Grappler Arms*
Location: Front/Lower Hull
Fire Arc: Partial turret (Front/Right/Left)
Crew: 1 (Pilot/Grappler)
Skill: Special*
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Control: Per crew operator
Range: Melee/Point Blank*
Damage: 6D (Strength = Hull Dice)
Rate Of Fire: Per crew operator
Grappler Blaster Pistol*
Location: Stored in bottom hull
Fire Arc: "Turret"
Crew: 1 (Pilot/Grappler)
Skill: Blasters
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Control: Per crew operator
Range:
-Space: 1-5/10/17
-Atmosphere: 100-500/1/1.7km
Damage: 4D
Ammo: 25 per magazine (2 spare magazines/75 total)
Rate Of Fire: Per crew operator
Special: See below
Grappler Heavy Blaster Pistol*
Location: Stored in bottom hull
Fire Arc: "Turret"
Crew: 1 (Pilot/Grappler)
Skill: Blasters
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Control: Per crew operator
Range:
-Space: 1-5/10/17
-Atmosphere: 100-500/1/1.7km
Damage: 5D
Ammo: 25 per magazine (2 spare magazines/75 total)
Rate Of Fire: Per crew operator
Special: See below
Grappler Combat Knife*
Location: Stored in bottom hull
Fire Arc: "Turret"/Melee
Crew: 1
Skill: Melee Combat
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Control: Per crew operator
Range: Melee
Damage: Str+1D (7D)
Ammo: 1 knife
Rate Of Fire: Per crew operator
Grappler Battle Axe*
Location: Stored in ventral hull/hand held during use
Fire Arc: "Turret"/Melee
Crew: 1
Skill: Melee combat
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Control: Per crew operator
Range: Melee
Damage: Str+2D+1 (8D+1)
Ammo: 1 axe
Rate Of Fire: Per crew operator
2 Medium Grappler Arm Shields*
Location: Mounted on upper grappler arms/stored at sides of hull
Fire Arc: "Turret"/Melee
Crew: 1
Skill: Melee Combat/Melee Parry
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Control: Per crew operator
Range: Melee/Point-Blank
Damage: Str+2D per shield
Ammo: 2 shields
Rate Of Fire: 1
DESCRIPTION (OUTLAW STAR ANIME SERIES):
The Outlaw Star (formally known as the XGP 15A-II) is a state-of-the-art grappler ship created by Gwen Khan, the Kei Pirate Guild and the Space Forces. The Outlaw Star was designed with the specific intention of discovering and entering the Galactic Leyline. It was stolen by "Hot Ice" Hilda and later falls into the possession of Gene Starwind and his crew.
History
Creation
Named the XGP 15A-II, the Outlaw Star was created with a clandestine collaboration between the Kei Pirate Guild and the Space Forces, following Space Pirate supremacy with the grappler ships appropriated by the Chinese space pirates to use in battle. Its construction was requisitioned by the Kei Pirate Guild, however, the Kei pirates alone could not build such an advanced ship.
An alliance with the Space Forces was made to assist in the construction of the Outlaw Star. The Outlaw Star was designed with the intention of entering the Galactic Leyline. However, it required something from the Leyline itself to succeed. The ship's chief architect, Gwen Khan, used information he decoded from the ruins found on the Grave of the Dragon to complete the construction of the Outlaw Star. Using that information, he created Melfina VSD02C, the ship's primary navigation system.
Events of Outlaw Star
In an unexpected turn of events, the XGP 15A-II and its navigation system, Melfina, were stolen from both factions by an outlaw named "Hot Ice" Hilda. Hilda intended to use the ship to steal the treasure of the Galactic Leyline from the Kei Pirates for herself. She hid the ship inside a space station disguised as a floating asteroid and escaped to Sentinel III when she was pursued by Soi Len and Roi Fong.
News of Hilda's theft reached the Space Forces, who hired the MacDougall Brothers, Ron and Harry MacDougall to destroy any and all traces of the ship, to remove evidence of their involvement with Kei Pirate Guild. Following Hilda's death, the XGP was renamed the Outlaw Star in honor of Hilda by Gene Starwind, a gunman and pilot who joined Hilda in space for the chance of adventure.
Gene searched space for answers on the location of the Leyline in order to help Melfina find answers about her creation. His search made him an enemy of the Kei Pirate Guild, who hunted him across space in order to reacquire the Outlaw Star. What information he received on the nature of the ship from the eldest MacDougall brother, Ron, and Gwen Khan is minimal at best, but Melfina's intentions as the ship's guide into the Leyline are made clear. When questioned by Angel Links officer Valeria Vertone on whether or not Gene and his crew knew of the existence of the XGP and the Space Forces' involvement in its construction, the matter was allowed to slide by Duuz on account of information lost in their database.
The Outlaw Star was able to enter the Leyline as predicted. Though it is destroyed during the fight between Hazanko and Gene Starwind, it is later recreated by the Maiden of the Leyline and was able to transform, working in tandem on the physical plane and cyberspace with the crew to destroy the Geomancer after it was transformed by Hazanko. In the aftermath, Gene maintained ownership of the Outlaw Star and returned to Sentinel III.
Design
Propulsion
The Outlaw Star boasts a state-of-the-art propulsion system with four Unsen engines powered by four independent Newton fusion reactors. The immense thrust of these engines allowed it to escape the gravity well of Farfallas whereas the Horus and Soi Len's ship could not. Like all starships in the Toward Stars Era, it also features a Munchhausen sub-ether drive to enable faster-than-light travel.
Interior
The Outlaw Star features a spacious interior, with a galley, hold, berthing, several passageways and a bridge. Its primary area of operations is the bridge/cockpit. A spacious area that houses a mobile captain and crew seat that rises and lowers from the ground during specific situations in combat. Situated behind the captain's seat is the Navigation Tank, an area where Melfina acts as the ship's primary guide.
Exterior
The Outlaw Star is a fairly large ship, originally designed with a dark green paint job.[1] When it fell to the ownership of Gene Starwind, it was repainted with a red and blue paint job and sported the logo of Starwind and Hawking Enterprises.
As a grappler ship, the Outlaw Star possesses two large, mechanical grappler arms that stay folded on the bottom of the ship, and unfold to the ship's sides when the user activates grappler combat mode. A grappler, such as Gene Starwind, who uses a specialized headset that feeds him direct images from mini-cameras jettisoned outside the ship during combat mode to accurately survey his area.
Operating System
Sporting an on-board artificial intelligence system, the Outlaw Star features many systems not present on other ships, such as the synthetic-cyborg interfaced navigation system. It shares very few similarities with other highly advanced ships, such as the El Dorado.
The Outlaw Star is equipped with two large grappler arms which can be freely controlled by the user, as well as various peripherals such as weapons and tools that can be used by the arms. Inside the ship, artificial gravity is produced by the Newton reactors.
Armament
As a grappler ship, the Outlaw Star sports an array of weapons. Its primary method of combat is the use of a pair of robotic grappling arms folded under the ship when not in use. Alone, these arms are sufficient to battle other ships. To boost their combat effectiveness, the arms can be armed with a large machine gun and knife. The Outlaw Star is outfitted with at least five guns. Two on its dorsal surface and one underneath its ventral body. With two more located on its forward port and starboard side.
While not weapons, the ship boasts camera pods that can be launched with a live feed video to the ships pilot so it can see beyond its own line of sight. The Outlaw Star is outfitted with missile launchers on its port and starboard front portion and its midsection. The rate of fire its missiles can be fired in a single salvo at the user's discretion. However, given the cost of missiles, they are seldom used.
Trivia
A reoccurring theme throughout Outlaw Star is the costly upkeep of the Outlaw Star ship. Any money stolen or earned for the ship is fed directly into the maintenance of the ship, replenishing its munitions or supplies, thus often leaving its crew penniless and on the constant search for jobs.
DESCRIPTION (STAR WARS):
Setting Changes
Besides what is mentioned here, Game Notes below may have further information related to setting changes.
While many aspects of the Outlaw Star series seem very different from the Star Wars setting, remember that much of Outlaw Star can fit into Star Wars, as well as the Star Wars galaxy being a very large place to play in. Due to this, the entire Outlaw Star setting could easily fit into Star Wars. The Kei Pirates could be a sect of Dark Side Force users operating in remote parts of the galaxy away from the Empire, and the Space Forces could be either Imperials, Republic navy, or a smaller defense force protecting a lone planet, star system, or space sector. The Outlaw Star setting could be dropped in an area on the edge of the galaxy like the Minos Cluster, or a similar area. Sentinel III could be in Minos, with Heifong being similar to Elrood Sector, which is near the Minos Cluster and arguably has better economic conditions than Minos, as well as opportunities to make a profit.
If adapting Outlaw Star to Star Wars, just remember to add shields to related starships from the series.
One of the biggest details to work in is the Galactic Leyline. While potentially very powerful, the Leyline also makes a great plot device to drive a campaign as players and their rivals and enemies seek to reach it to gain its rewards. While the Leyline may seem not fitting for Star Wars, I would argue that it fits very well, as it is a powerful artifact from a long disappeared, highly advanced alien species, is mythical and legendary with the stories that mention it in spacer lore, and it seems to be in the same category as such locations like The World Between Worlds (Star Wars Rebels, Ahsoka).
If not wanting to adapt the Outlaw Star story, the ship could be given a different name, model name, type, class, etc. Due to its different style, maybe make it a non-Corellian design. It could be a prototype built for some specific purpose, or as a testbed for new technologies, or just be a standard model of ship sold by some company competing in the galactic starship market. The Outlaw Star could even combine all these ideas together, being a company's prototype that, if successful, could lead to a new class of ship that could put them on the top.
As for the ship's equipment and components, leave or remove whatever is desired for it to work in Star Wars. The navigation tank Melfina uses to enhance the ship's Sensors could be left in, but used by Force Sensitives instead. This could, if GMs want to take it this far, be used to apply Force user's powers in starship combat.
The grappler arms, if wanting to lessen their combat application, could be used in a simpler, weaker fashion for docking and moving cargo, or removed all-together. If left in place as a combat weapon, other ships could have them equipped too, though these are probably going to be pirates and bounty hunters and not official military forces.
Star Wars Setting
Created during the Rise of the Empire era (circa 5 BBY) as the testbed for what could finally give Starwind & Hawking Enterprises (SHE) the leg-up needed to compete with the likes of the Corellian Engineering Corporation and other long-established ship building corporations, the XGP 15A-II Outlaw-class Medium Transport was intended to break new ground as well as break old barriers.
At 72 meters long, the Outlaw class pushes the border between transport and capital scale ship even more so than C.E.C.'s YZ-775 Medium Transport. Further, while the Outlaw class has some weapons that would be considered substandard by starship construction methods across the galaxy (blaster cannons), it has several other devices that, when used in the right hands, make the vessel very formidable in space combat.
While not obvious at first glance, the ship has a pair of strong grappler arms. When not in use these are stowed away along the ventral stretch of the hull and blend in seemlessly with the hull. These are to allow the ship other means of docking firmly or moving cargo if tractor beams are not available. But when deployed and used in combat, the arms are a surprising addition that have shown great potential to revolutionize space combat by putting a new spin to an old technology.
The grappler arms can even be equipped with starfighter scale "hand-held" weapons that can be used against other starships, though this is to test their viability in using other forms of equipment, as the Outlaw class shows a wide range of possibilities, such as an exploration craft or use for Search and Rescue operations.
The prototype also has an array of concussion missile launchers to pack a hard punch and make would-be pirates think twice before attacking such a well-armed vessel.
This ship also has a powerful boarding tube that can be used to forcefully board other ships, though this was also intended to test the ship's viability in Search and Rescue operations.
With all of this potentially dangerous weaponry installed in the ship, the Outlaw class seems to fit closer with the YZ-775 than initially intended, as organizations like the Rebel Alliance have their eyes on acquiring several of this ship class if it ever become available on the open market.
Unfortunately, so does the Galactic Empire. As C.E.C. were able to slip the YZ-775 past Imperial scrutiny due to their long-established existence in galactic markets, SHE did not have the same benefits as they had been around less than a century. The Empire began cracking down on their testing of the Outlaw class prototype. Eventually, ISB forces arrived on SHE's headquarters world of Heifong to take the XGP 15A-II protype and all related data, for fear of its mass-production stock variant becoming another easily convertible combat ship to fall into Rebel hands. But when they arrived, the Outlaw class, its data, and many members of SHE had vanished.
In the years following this disappearance, the staff and facilities left behind had to face Imperial inquisition-like tactics to uncover the truth, many employees threatened with prison time. In the end, the Empire nationalized the company in hopes of building up competition that could lead to the downfall and further nationalization of C.E.C., but this never came to pass.
Elsewhere during these later years, rumors started circulating spacer lore of a ship referred to as "The Outlaw" causing trouble for Imperial forces on the edges of galactic society. When attempting to track down the source of these rumors, ISB agents discovered they could not be about a single ship, but dozens. Somewhere out there in the galaxy, SHE had re-established itself, if not already preparing for this eventuality, and had begun mass production and distribution of the Outlaw class medium transport, which in turn had become a sore spot against Imperial forces in remote galactic regions.
Stock Ship
Stock versions of the Outlaw class Medium Transport will more than likely not be as powerful as the prototype. They may be missing the grappler arms, have reduced speed (Space Speed 6), and also lacking the concussion missile launchers and boarding tube. However, since they are based on the same design, these stock ships could easily re-install them. Further, due to lacking these, the ship would have more cargo space (+50-100 metric tons) to make different modifications and upgrades if desired and have their variants perform differently than the original.
GAME NOTES:
Melfina And Sensors
Melfina, born Melfina VSD02C, is a biological android created by the Kei Pirate Guild and Professor Gwen Khan in conjunction with the XGP 15A-II with the sole intention of finding the Galactic Leyline.
In the cockpit, the layout consists of the pilot seat in the center with the grappler control system built around the pilot/grappler seat, a co-pilot/sensor/engineer's seat directly in front of this, and two extra crew seat to either side of the central grappler station. Directly behind these crew stations, between them and the hatch leading into the cockpit is a floor with a hatch built into it that crew usually walk over.
When Melfina takes part in crew actions and helping with ship's operations, she usually takes her clothes off, opens this floor hatch, climbs in, and closes the hatch. The round area of the hatch then raises above the floor, revealing a cylindrical container (that may or may not contain some sort of liquid) that has metal hull strips running circles around it. As the cylinder finishes raising to roughly human height, some of these metal strips then retract, and partially show the interior of the container through a transparent surface. Inside is a nude Melfina (often covering her torso with her arms) who is now connected to the ship's systems.
Once in this container, the ship's Sensors now use the range and dice codes listed in () as she enhances them with her presence. All Sensor roll Difficulties are also now reduce -5. Melfina can now effectively perceive the surroundings of the ship as though with her own senses. She can make Perception skill checks to perceive the area around the ship within the new ranges, and can do this passively like any other character could in character scale situations, even if others are operating the ship's sensors (usually done by Jim Hawking), and she may notice something other crew may miss with the Sensors.
Melfina also has the ability to navigate through the foggy barrier of the Galactic Leyline. Any vessel attempting this must have it's crew make Heroic Willpower skill rolls. Failure means the crew temporarily go insane, often firing their ship's weapons in random directions. Their ship also often exits the Leyline in the opposite direction it entered from. Having Melfina in her Sensor tank negates this effect. Kei Pirate Tao magics (Force powers) may also be able to offer alternatives to bypass the Leyline's defense as the Kei Pirates did this near the end of the series, looking for alternatives to enter the Leyline after losing the Outlaw Star to Hot Ice Hilda and Gene Starwind.
If the Outlaw Star is ever hacked into by other characters while Melfina is connected to the ship, she will be seen as part of the ship's systems and be accessible to the hackers. What form this takes and how far it can go is up to the GM to decide. But Melfina feels this as an uncomfortable invasion of her "self" and is very invasive to her. Computer Programming/Repair skill rolls used to acces the ship or her in this way can be resisted by Melfina using the Willpower skill (though Gilliam may not be able to use this same ability, as he is less a "person" and more a "droid").
Bioandroid Characters (Melfina Type)
If players wish to make a character like Melfina as a bioandroid, the following tips should help. The player will have 18D in Attributes like standard for Star Wars characters. Like Star Wars, they will distribute these in what Attributes they wish. Unlike Star Wars, there is no species limitations on where these can be placed (GMs may however wish to cap this so it doesn't get crazy, recommended at 5D or 6D).
Bioandroids are made to look like a recognizable species, such as humans, and perhaps even have Attributes and physiques very similar to the species they are made to emulate. However, unlike droids, Bioandroids are still flesh and blood, if artificially created, and do not have technological components made of metals or plastics like droids do. For the most part Bioandroids are they species theyy were made to look like, but are made to be whatever age they are created as and do not have the luxury of a childhood and the memories and experiences that come from this. Due to being artificially created life forms, this can be traumatizing for a Bioandroid awakening for the first time, as theyy have the memories and information they were programmed with, but nothing else to help them make informed decisions (GMs/players can change this if they desire, as this statement is only meant to reflect how Melfina acted when first awakened).
Bioandroids are given Skill Dice like any other character, can take Advantages/Disadvantages like other characters, and if the GM allows it, can even be Force Sensitive and have Force Skills and Powers.
Beyond all this, if wanting to give Bioandroid characters special abilities, such as Melfina's ability to link with the Outlaw Star, enhance its Sensors, as well as allowing it to navigate the Galactic Leyline, these would start Advantages/Disadvantages. This is how the Sensor enhancement would work (every point/D grants a better bonus to Sensors or other systems), and use Disadvantages by making the character vulnerable to hacking when connected to an affected system. If the bonuses are only when connected to a specific one-of-a-kind starship like the Outlaw Star, these bonuses should be even greater (maybe +1D per point).
As for navigating the Galactic Leyline, this could be done with Advantages, but, as the Leyline was a major plot device in the Outlaw Star series, this could simply be given to the character for free and used to drive the campaign's plot towards finding and reaching the Leyline itself.
Since Bioandroids are artificial but stil living beings, they could take on cybernetics if GMs wish to allow this. However, due to their artificial nature, they may also be programmable, for better or worse (Droid Program/Repair skill rolls). They can be healed with medical skills and equipment just as any other living being and, except where GMs want to make differences or changes, they work like living biological characters in all other respects.
Gilliam II
The Outlaw Star is equipped with an A.I. named Gilliam II. Gilliam has a panel in the cockpit that lights up when he speaks. He also has several small cylindrical "bodies" with pairs of eyes and a thin line that sometimes moves and bysects the body like a cartoonish mouth when he speaks through one of these bodies. They can move throughout the interior of the ship on thin guided rails in the ceiling. They also have small pairs of deployable arms that have been seen carrying small tools and supplies through the ship, but nothing large and heavy. When attempting to wake the crew (like an oversleeping Gene Starwind), several of these bodies can lower from the rail over the crewmate's bed and drop on them repeatedly to get their attention.
Gilliam brain and body stat block:
Dexterity 1D
Knowledge 1D
Mechanical 2D
Astrogation 5D
Perception 1D
Mechanical 1D
Technical 2D
Space Transport Repair 5D
NOTE: If acting in co-pilot capacity, may attempt starship repair while in flight.
Equipped With:
-Retractable grasping arms (Lifting 2D)
-Retractable fine work grasper arm
-Extendable 0.3 meter long video sensor (360 degree rotation)
-Small electric arc welder (1D-5D, as fitting situation, 0.3 meter range)
-Fire extinguisher
-Some additional small tools/equipment
Gilliam's presence installed in the Outlaw Star is also why Skeleton Crew is "1/+0".
Gilliam cannot fly the ship, but he can and does taske care of other ship functions other crew would be needed for while the pilot focuses on flying. Without Gilliam, the Skeleton Crew would be "2/+10".
(Based on R2 Astromech droid, missing some components/skills, GMs add whatever you feel fits Gilliam in your games)
Sub-Ether Drive And Hyperdrive
In the Outlaw Star series, sub-ether drives are the method of FTL travel for starships, powered by a substance called dragonite, and allowing ships to "dive into the ether". These drives are not nearly as fleshed out as Star Wars hyperspace and hyperdrives. Due to this, they might as well operate the same and use the same rules.
Ether Drive And Sublight Drive
Same as with Sub-Ether drives and hyperdrives, starship ether engines and sublight engines might as well operate the same and use the same rules.
Shields
Energy shields are not shown in common use in the Outlaw Star series. If playing in the Outlaw Star setting, energy shields may exist, but they would be rare technologies only used by select individuals or organizations with the resources to make such a revolutionary new technology. If using the Outlaw Star in the Star Wars setting, give it 1D to 2D shields. While an advanced prototype that has the best technologies for its time, it was not created to be an outstanding combat ship, instead made to access the Galactic Leyline and emphasizes speed and maneuverability. Therefor it likely would not have 3D shields.
Heavy Blaster Cannons
Works effectively the same as blaster cannons from Star Wars. The turret on the ventral hull seems to have a shorter barrel, and some kind of second shorter barrel or camera coaxially attached to the turret as well. This turret's usage was not fully explained in the series, so it is statted out as being the same as the rest of the blaster cannons. GMs who wish to do something different with the turret can do so, and it may have something to do related to the grappler combat system and its camera drones.
Concussion Missile Launchers
As these weapons were shown to have very missile-looking chassis, concussion missiles are used to represent them here. The launchers on the sides of the ship (3 per side) have 1 missile each in them. The launchers at the front of the ship are built into the curved bulging part of the ship on the front sides. The front of these curved areas have panels that retract and reveal 4 missiles in each launcher (2 launchers, 4 missiles each), which can be launched in numbers from 1 to all 8 at once in a single attack for more damage.
The damages listed are for when fire-linking missiles in single attacks for greater damage. The damage increases +1D for every x2 missiles fired (1 = 8D, 2 = 9D, 4 = 10D, 8 = 11D).
The missiles can also "volley fire" which increases the weapons' fire rate instead of damage, to deliver multiple attacks against a target. The launchers have the option of firing single missiles, fire-linking to increase damage, or increasing fire rate to multi-attack instead.
Boarding Tube
Behind the cockpit and the turret behind that, a lengthy section of the upper middle hull can raise up at a diagonal angle and extend a tube-shaped protrusion tipped with a retractable boring device. This is the boarding tube. When in "point-blank" close range with another ship, the Outlaw Star's crew can perform a boarding action against enemy ships, space stations, and other structures. The extended boarding tube reaches towards and presses against the hull of a target. The outer ring at the edge of the tube can then spin and bore, "dig" into the target hull, creating a hole that penetrates into the target structure, accessing its interior within combat rounds of beginning the action. Once accessing the target interior, the boring tip section retracts, revealing an airlock door that the Outlaw Star crew can then traverse through to enter the target structure and do whatever they wish to do (ship boarding actions).
The ship using the Boarding Tube must be close to the target structure to use the tube. The tube itself is a very simple mechanism. Many ships have a variant of a boarding tube, a combination of airlock and traversal tube for boarding other ships. But very few have a means of boring through other hulls like this one does, which allows it to be used more tactically against enemy targets.
To keep a target structure close enough to use the tube, the ship equipped with this boarding mechanism can use various means, such as docking clamps, grapple cables, tractor beams, or some variant of grappler arms, etc. If the target structure has a means to move, it can attempt to pull away, either preventing the tube from touching its hull, or removing the tube from its hull after penetration has occurred (which may put the boarders at risk). To hold a ship close enough to use the tube, the attacking ship must use the strength of its docking mechanisms to hold the target close (Attacking Weapon skill VS target Piloting skill check to latch on, then Weapon Damage/Strength VS target's Speed/Maneuverability to hold on, then target's piloting skill to pull away, and then attacker's Weapon Damage/Strength VS target's Hull Dice to decide if this causes any Damage).
If boarders are in the tube when the target tries pulling away, it could hurt the boarders (use Passenger Damage chart).
The time it takes to bore through a target structure hull equals 1 combat round per Hull Dice of the target (4D Hull = 4 rounds). Capital scale targets will add +6 rounds do to the scale rules (3D capital ship Hull Dice = 9 rounds).
If the bore does not have time to finish the boring process, such as the target being a ship that pulls away from the Outlaw Star, the spot it was digging into can be attacked as a "called shot" by the Outlaw Star crew. Hitting this spot with a successful called shot means this section of the target's hull uses the reduced Hull Dice from the boring process to resist damage from the Outlaw Star. (If the target had 4D Hull Dice, and the boarding tube dug into it for 2 rounds before it pulled away, any attacks that hit this spot later, the target onl has 2D to resist the damage in that spot now).
The ship would likely use its grappler arms to hold a target in place while using the boarding tube.
Grappler Arms
Grappler arms are a specialized set of mechanical arms and customizable additions typically found on Space pirate and Space Force spaceships. Often referred to as combat grappler arms, they are folded away along the ventral center hull when not used, and deploy and fold outwards and forwards when activating "combat mode" or "grappler combat mode".
The components include the arms themselves, the control system to use them which includes a headset that allows the grappler fighter to see outside the ship, and an externally attached pod that contains many camera drones. These drones are deployed and spread about the immediate combat area when activating "grappler combat mode" and relay their visual input to the grappler fighter's eyes via the headset, allowing the spatial awareness one would need when fighting in person. When combat is over, the crew must give time (1 round) for the drones to return to the pod. Camera drones can also be used in other creative ways by crafty characters (see Outlaw Star anime series)
Grappler fighters using grappler arms can use their personal fighting skills in grappler combat (melee combat, melee parry, brawling, brawling parry, blasters, firearms, bows, etc (but not dodge, as this must be done by piloting the ship as usual)). GMs can apply a new "Grappler Combat" skill to use the arms, and there is plenty of reasoning to explain this. But allowing characters to use their personal combat skills may be more fun.
Grappler Arm Weapons
Simply put, these are starfighter-scaled version of hand-held character weapons, both ranged and melee, complete with reloadable magazines for the blasters. The knife and blaster pistol are the weapons the Outlaw Star were equipped with earlier in the series. The axe, heavy blaster pistol, and shields were equipped during the ship's final adventure when the crew arrived at the Galactic Leyline and had a showdown with the Kei pirates as they approached the Leyline's barrier.
The ship is able to carry one weapon per arms, two total, as well as two extra magazine reloads per equipped ranged weapon. It does not carry all four listed weapons at the same time, nor would it be able to as the ship currently is.
Grappler Arm Shields
During the Outlaw Star's last adventure to the Galactic Leyline, it had its grappler weapons improved, as well as adding two physical shields mounted to the upper grappler arms (shown in picture above). These shields were able to tank attacks that would have damaged, if not destroyed, the ship, though the shields were eventually blown away and destroyed in this process.
Melee shields are upscaled versions of the physical shields used in melee combat by warriors in ancient times or on backwater planets to deflect attacks from melee weapons. In this case, they are upscaled and attached to starship grappler arms. Using them requires the Melee Parry skill to place them in front of incoming attacks, be it hand-to-hand, melee, or ranged. When they take damage, they work like ablative armor as their material is worn away to absorb damage that would have hurt the ship instead. They can also be used to bludgeon or "shield bash" a target in melee combat (Damage = Hull+2D).
When hit, the shields take the damage instead of the ship. They have 3D Body/Hull Dice used against the incoming Damage. Melee shields use the following damage chart.
Shield Damage Chart
Damage Roll>
Hull Code Roll by: Effect:
0-3 Knocked aside; cannot roll again until next round
4-8 Lightly Damaged (-1)
9-12 Heavily Damaged (-2)
13-15 Severely Damaged (-1D)
16+ Destroyed (shield shatters, must be replaced)
Damage rolling high enough to destroy the shield may still be strong enough to hit and damage the ship's hull (GM discretion). If a shield is reduced bit by bit to 0D, it is destroyed as it has been either widdled away to practically nothing or blown off in a spectacular explosion, but possibly saving the ship from the worst of it, and must be replace.
GAME DESIGN NOTES:
Nothing too complicated here (HA!). This is a 2023 update by yours truly, Hellstormer1, to stats I did for the Outlaw Star some years earlier for rpggamer.org. The Outlaw Star is a hero ship from an anime series of the same name. After the previous stats, some time later I watched the series again, looked at the old stat block, and realized parts of it were not accurate. So this is an attempt to correct that, based on what I know about the series and the ship now, plus how my perspective on Star Wars D6 has evolved over time. Enjoy!
For more images check out this link...
https://outlawstar.fandom.com/wiki/Outlaw_Star_(ship)
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