Computer
A computer system functions in many ways as a ship’s brain. Most computers aboard starships have at least a rudimentary artificial personality, and while they can’t fully perform the duties of a crew member, they can assist crew members in various tasks. However, many spacefarers claim that over time, a starship’s computers can develop temperaments and personality quirks that set them apart from identical computers in other ships.
A starship's computer tier is equal to half the starship’s tier (minimum 1). Which upgrades a crew can purchase for its starship computer is determined by the GM; some upgrades can be purchased with Build Points.
While a starship’s computer is responsible for operating and managing a wide variety of starship systems at any given point in time, only a starship with an integrated control module (ICM) can aid the crew in starship combat (the basic computer listed on the table below is the only option that lacks an ICM). In general, an ICM adds a bonus to one or more starship combat checks, decided just before the check is attempted. An ICM has a number of nodes; each node grants its bonus to one starship combat check per round. Multiple nodes allow an ICM to influence multiple starship combat checks in a round, but they do not allow a computer to add multiple bonuses to the same starship combat check.
The cost of the computer is base 50EC +5EC per bonus point per node. So a Mk2 Duonode is 50EC + ((5EC x 2) x 2) = 70EC
| Name | Bonus | Nodes | PCU | Cost |
|---|
| Basic computer | +0 | 0 | 0 | 0BP / 50EC |
| Mk 1 mononode | +1 | 1 | 10 | 1BP / 55EC |
| Mk 1 duonode | +1/+1 | 2 | 10 | 2BP / 60EC |
| Mk 1 trinode | +1/+1/+1 | 3 | 10 | 3BP / 65EC |
| Mk 1 tetranode | +1/+1/+1/+1 | 4 | 10 | 4BP / 70EC |
| Mk 2 mononode | +2 | 1 | 15 | 4BP / 60EC |
| Mk 2 duonode | +2/+2 | 2 | 15 | 8BP / 70EC |
| Mk 2 trinode | +2/+2/+2 | 3 | 15 | 12BP / 80EC |
| Mk 2 tetranode | +2/+2/+2/+2 | 4 | 15 | 16BP / 90EC |
| Mk 3 mononode | +3 | 1 | 20 | 9BP / 65EC |
| Mk 3 duonode | +3/+3 | 2 | 20 | 18BP / 80EC |
| Mk 3 trinode | +3/+3/+3 | 3 | 20 | 27BP / 95EC |
| Mk 3 tetranode | +3/+3/+3/+3 | 4 | 20 | 36BP / 110EC |
| Mk 4 mononode | +4 | 1 | 25 | 16BP / 70EC |
| Mk 4 duonode | +4/+4 | 2 | 25 | 32BP / 90EC |
| Mk 4 trinode | +4/+4/+4 | 3 | 25 | 48BP / 110EC |
| Mk 5 mononode | +5 | 1 | 30 | 25BP / 75EC |
| Mk 5 duonode | +5/+5 | 2 | 30 | 50BP / 100EC |
| Mk 5 trinode | +5/+5/+5 | 3 | 30 | 75BP / 125EC |
| Mk 6 mononode | +6 | 1 | 35 | 36BP / 80EC |
| Mk 6 duonode | +6/+6 | 2 | 35 | 72BP / 110EC |
| Mk 7 mononode | +7 | 1 | 40 | 49BP / 85EC |
| Mk 7 duonode | +7/+7 | 2 | 40 | 98BP / 120EC |
| Mk 8 mononode | +8 | 1 | 45 | 64BP / 90EC |
| Mk 8 duonode | +8/+8 | 2 | 45 | 128BP / 130EC |
| Mk 9 mononode | +9 | 1 | 50 | 81BP / 95EC |
| Mk 9 duonode | +9/+9 | 2 | 50 | 162BP / 140EC |
| Mk 10 mononode | +10 | 1 | 55 | 100BP / 100EC |
| Mk 10 duonode | +10/+10 | 2 | 55 | 200BP / 150EC |
Defensive Countermeasures
Defensive countermeasures systems protect a ship from tracking weapons such as missiles, and they make it difficult for enemies using sensors to get a solid reading on the ship. They do this via a complicated suite of electronic sensors and broadcasting equipment that’s designed to jam enemy sensors and create false readings. These systems grant a bonus to a
ship’s TL. The bonus, PCU usage, and cost are listed in the table below.
| Name | Bonus to TL | PCU | Cost |
|---|
| Mk I Defenses | +1 | 1 | 2BP / 10EC |
| Mk II Defenses | +2 | 1 | 3BP / 15EC |
| Mk III Defenses | +3 | 2 | 4BP / 20EC |
| Mk IV Defenses | +4 | 3 | 6BP / 25EC |
| Mk V Defenses | +5 | 4 | 8BP / 30EC |
| Mk VI Defenses | +6 | 5 | 11BP / 40EC |
| Mk VII Defenses | +7 | 7 | 14BP / 50EC |
| Mk VIII Defenses | +8 | 9 | 18BP / 60EC |
| Mk IX Defenses | +9 | 11 | 22BP / 70EC |
| Mk X Defenses | +10 | 13 | 27BP / 90EC |
| Mk XI Defenses | +11 | 16 | 33BP / 120EC |
| Mk XII Defenses | +12 | 20 | 40BP / 150EC |
| Mk XIII Defenses | +13 | 25 | 50BP / 180EC |
| Mk XIV Defenses | +14 | 32 | 65BP / 200EC |
| Mk XV Defenses | +15 | 45 | 90BP / 250EC |
Security
The additions below help to prevent unwanted scoundrels from absconding with a starship. Security systems require an operational power core to function, but they consume a negligible amount of PCU. The cost of each option is listed in the table below.
Anti-Hacking Systems
By increasing the security of the starship’s computer, these systems increase the DC to hack into it by 1. This upgrade can be purchased up to four times.
Antipersonnel Weapon
An antipersonnel weapon must be mounted near the boarding ramp of a Medium or smaller starship. This weapon can be any longarm whose item level is equal to or less than the starship’s tier. By spending 5 additional Build Points (25EC), the installed weapon can be a heavy weapon (of creature scale, not starship scale). When an antipersonnel weapon is activated, if a hostile creature approaches within the weapon’s range increment, it begins firing with an attack roll modifier equal to the ship’s tier (minimum 1).
It fires once per round during combat until its ammunition is depleted or the hostile creature is disabled or flees. The weapon can’t detect invisible (or similarly hidden) creatures. This weapon can’t be removed and used by characters. Anyone with access to the starship’s computer system can activate or deactivate the weapon, as well designate what kind of targets are considered hostile. Once installed, this weapon can’t be removed from the starship without destroying it.
Biometric Locks
The systems of a starship with biometric locks can only be used by certain creatures, designated when the locks are installed; this list can be updated by any creature who can gain access to the ship’s computer systems. A successful Computers check (DC = 15 + Ship Complexity Modifier) can bypass these locks.
Computer Countermeasures
When a foe attempts to hack a starship’s computers and fails, a set of countermeasures can punish the would-be hacker. The crew can install one of the normal computer, following the normal rules for countermeasures. Each countermeasure costs a number of Build Points equal to the starship’s computer’s tier (half the starship’s tier). Normal Computer countermeasures can be found on the
Computers page.
Self-Destruct System
Used most often as a last resort, a self-destruct system completely destroys the starship on which it is installed (as if the ship had taken damage equal to twice its Hull Points), often killing everyone on board. A starship in a hex adjacent to a starship that self-destructs takes an amount of damage equal to half the destroyed starship’s maximum Hull Points; this damage can be mitigated by shields.
A self-destruct system can be activated only by creatures on the starship (by turning a set of keys, typing in a specific passcode, or other physical means known only to high-ranking members of the crew) and can’t be activated remotely via hacking. The activating creatures set a time delay for the destruction (at least 1 round of starship combat). The cost of a self-destruct system depends on the size category of the ship (for the purposes of this calculation, Tiny = 1, Small = 2, Medium = 3, Large = 4, and so on).
| Security | Cost |
|---|
| Anti-Hacking System | 3BP / 25EC |
| Antipersonnel weapon (heavy) | 15 BP / 55EC |
| Antipersonnel weapon (longarm) | 12 BP / 35EC |
| Biometric locks | 5BP / 35EC |
| Computer countermeasures | Computer Mk Level = BP / 50EC |
| Self-destruct system | 5 x Size Category BP and EC |
Comments