Space Combat
===

Combat between ships in *The Expanse* is similar to character combat, but on a much larger (and often slower) scale. It follows these steps:

1. **Command** - The character in command of the ship issues orders, determining how hard the crew can push themselves during this turn and what advantages the commander's leadership grants.

2. **Maneuovres** - At the start of a round of combat, determine the range between ships. Space combat has three ranges:

1. Long
2. Medium
3. Close or CQB

Range determines effective weapon attacks and defenses. Ships can maneuovre between these ranges.

3. **Electronic Warfare** - Determine the effectiveness of the ship's sensor information and any effortrs to decieve enemy sensors, and therefore targeting, using electronic warfare techniques.

4. **Weapon Attacks** - All ships involved in the combat select targets and make attacks with available weapons.

5. **Defensive Actions** - All targets of weapon attacks take a defensive action, including evasion and the use of PDCs.

6. **Attack Damage** - Resolve any damage from a weapon attack.

7. **Damage Control** - If a ship suffers loses from damage but isn't taken out, the crew can attempt to minimize the effects of the losses.

# 1: Command

At the start of each round of combat, the character in command of the ship makes a **TN 11 Communication (Leadership) Test**. On success, +1 Stunt Point, + additional SP equal to Drama Die. You then spend these on the Command Stunts Table:


# 2: Maneuovres

For combat to occur between ships, they must be within range of each other's weapons.

- Long Range (100 to 1,000km or more) = Torpedeos
- Medium Range (5 to 100km) = Rail Guns
- Short Range (5km or Less) = PDCs

## Changing Range

During the maneuovre phase, ships can shift their relative positions by one range band.

- If you want to maintain distance, roll an **Opposed Dexterity (Piloting) Test** between the two ships.
- The smaller ship gains a +1 bonus per Size category smaller than the larger ship.

If you do not wish to maintain distance, ships can move one range band per round.

## High-G Maneuovering

The pilot also has the option of a high-g maneuovre, adding +1 to +6 to the maneuovre test results and allowing the ship to shift up to two range bands. This puts a strain on everyone on-board and requires a **Constitution (Stamina) Test** with a TN of 8 + Maneuvore Bonus.

- On failure, characters suffer 1d6 penetrating damage per point of maneuovering bonus
- If Characters have accessing to juice, the ycan take injuried or wounded conditions to mitigate damage.

# 3: Electronic Warfare

In order to effectively fight, a ship must be able to detect its opponents to target and out-maneuovre them.

Elecontric Warfare Test = 3D6 + Intelligence (Technology) + Sensors vs. TN 11

The winner of this test gains a bonus equal to half the Drama Die (round up), which can be applied to either all defensive actions or the TN to evade the winning ship's attacks that round. The charactering manning the station chooses.

# 4: Weapon Attacks

Each round, each of the ship's weapons within range can attack an available target designated by Weapons Control. The range is dictated by:


## Grapplers

Nil damage, but stops the other ship from being able to evade. Enables boarding actions.

## PDCs

Can be used at close range for 2d6 damage. The TN for any test is increased by +2 when used offensively.

## Railguns

Used at medium range, 3d6 damage.

## Torpedoes

Torpedoes much accelerate towards their target:

- Close range reaches target same round.
- Medium range reaches target in 1 round.
- Long range reaches target in 2 rounds.

They do 4d6 damage, or 3d6 damage if it's a plasma torpedo (which reduce the target ship's Hull score by one category).

### Torpedo Chases

At the GM's discretion, a ship can attempt to outrun a torpedo.

- Torpdeo is treated as a Tiny Size ship with +2 bonus to Chase Tests.
- +2 Bonus to Drama Die result for Torpedo.
- Targeted ship starts with Chase Total of 2 (Close), 5 (Medium) or 10 (Long).
- Torpedo continues to chase until it hits something else or shot down.

Therefore, you cannot completely outrun a torpedo, it just buys time.

# 5: Defensive Actions

Once attacks are declared, targeted ships can take defensive actions. There are two ways to defend against incoming weapon attacks: evasion and point defense. A ship can do both during a round.

## Evasion

Evasion Test = 3D6 + Dextering (Piloting) vs. TN 10 + Attacking Ship's Sensors

You can only evade Torpedos at Close (as above) or Medium (TN 12 + Ship Sensors) range. Long range you cannot evade and it must be shot down.

If you perform a High-G manouvre, the bonus from that evasion test is also applied to any attacks against another ship (making it harder to hit the other ship).

## Point Defense

Point Defense Test = 3D6 + Sensors vs. TN 10 + Attacking Ship's Sensors

TN is 12 when attacking.

# 6: Attack Damage

If defensive action fails to prevent an attack, it may inflict damage on the targeted ship. The ship can absorb damage in many ways:

- Take the ship's Hull Score and subtract that from the damage. If the ship's Hull Score is rated in a number of dice, roll that many dice, addthem together and subtract that.
- Apply loss conditions to the ship to fruther reduce the damage by 1d6 or 2d6.

If any damage remains, the ship is taken out.

## Losses

If any damage remains after subtracting the ship's Hull total, the ship may suffer one or two losses to further reduce the damage. They can impose two of the following conditions to help reduce it by 1d6 per condition:


## Taken Out and Rolling Over

If damage remains after applying all losses, then the target ship is taken out. The attacker chooses the target's condition, ranging from crippled to helpless to destroyed outright.

Ships can also roll-over, choosing to take the ship out of combat (captains choice). This can only happen before the application of damage in a round. This can be done during the defensive action step, before damage is applied.

# 7: Damage Control

Damage Control Advanced Test = 3D6 + Intelligence (Engineering) vs. TN 11, Success Threshold 5 for One Loss, 10 for Two Losses