Roleplaying X-wing

[Olgar Shiverstone]

So I've gotten into the X-wing miniatures game.

It looks ripe for a combination with an RPG. I could see using it to play out starfighter combat in an RPG, of course, but I'm looking to add RPG elements to the minis game, rather than the other way around.

Anyone have any experience or suggestions for doing this? Some set of mechanics for allowing pilots to gain experience and abilities over multiple battles, with maybe some side RPG elements between battles?

 

[Scars Unseen]

I'm not familiar with X-Wing's rules, but as I understand it, it's quite deadly for the pilots. While this is pretty much in keeping with the (previously) EU literature, it might be a bit troublesome for an ongoing RPG. Of course, you could make that a feature rather than a flaw, creating a rotating roster of pilots and letting the players pick their favorites to roleplay while accepting their inevitable heroic death in combat before choosing a new meatbag to RP. Failing that...

Use a variation on the destiny point mechanic from the FFG RPG. Players get a set number of destiny points that they can use for various purposes: make a shot that was going to hit them miss, dictate the movement of an enemy ship for one turn, etc. You could also let them spend a point to let the pilot survive their ship's destruction.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Well, I think one of the first additions would be an "eject & recovery mechanic". Say if you're ship's destroyed, you roll an attack die ... on a Crit result ( 1 in 8) the pilot is killed; on a Hit result (3 in 8) he's wounded and needs some period in a bacta tank before being fit to fly; other results mean safely ejected and recovered.

That way pilots can continue to serve and gain XP.

 

[Stormonu]

If you want a true RPG-style game, the points between the player's side and enemy side should probably be tipped in the player's favor (between 1.5:1 to 2:1). If you want to do a campaign mode, you probably just need to devise a point system for improvements. Generally, 5 kills constitutes an "Ace", though there are aces that have racked up dozens and in some cases, up to over a hundred kills.

For a base campaign/RPG, probably want to start players out as Academy/Rookie ships/cards. Every full kill allows them a 5 pt. to spend towards "upgrades" (improved ship, elite talent, etc.). A kill assist gives 2 pts. A reroll of a single die in the game costs 1 pt.

Additionally for RPGs, if the "away from combat" stuff is of lesser import, you might want to put together several tables of side events, backstories, missions and the like for this sort of backstory. If you want to mix it with a real RPG game, I'd suggest something like WEG D6 (which has Star Warriors for space combat), SAGA Star Wars, FFG's Star Wars or maybe Savage Worlds (using the X-Wing game to handle fighter combat).

 

[Lord_Blacksteel]

If you're looking to build it into a more traditional RPG campaign then Mechwarrior (any edition) could give you some ideas on how to do that since it handles a similar situation with Battletech. Not mechanics, specifically, but structure and campaign ideas and how to integrate it with a boardgame/miniatures game.

 

[bone_naga]

I've heard of some people combining it with the Edge of the Empire (or Age of Rebellion, same ruleset) RPG, but even though they are both from FFG, the games aren't a perfect fit. You'll have to come up with some sort of conversion system between the two. However, starship combat is one of the most common complaints about that RPG (right behind the people that don't like the dice) so combining those games might yield pretty good results.

I have only given a cursory look at the X-Wing game so I can't offer a suggestion on exactly how to do it, but you would probably be mostly concerned with converting a character's pilot and gunnery skills over to the minis game. Other than that, you could use the XP guidelines and rules for advancing skills from the RPG, although I would reduce the XP awards to account for the fact that the character only has 2 skills to level up. You may also want to convert some of the talents available from the RPG.

You might also want to look at the old West End Star Wars Miniatures game. It had guidelines for converting between the RPG and the minis game. I'm not sure how relevant it will be (because again I'm just not familiar enough with X-wing to judge) but if nothing else it might give you some ideas.

Anyway, let us know how it goes.

 

[DM Howard]

I never quite understood why FFG didn't just use one kind of custom dice set for the Star Wars games. It would cut down on the ridiculous amount of dice I (and others) have and create a nice basis for a unified system.

 

[bone_naga]

I never quite understood why FFG didn't just use one kind of custom dice set for the Star Wars games. It would cut down on the ridiculous amount of dice I (and others) have and create a nice basis for a unified system.

Yeah to be honest, I don't get that either.

 

[Crothian]

I never quite understood why FFG didn't just use one kind of custom dice set for the Star Wars games. It would cut down on the ridiculous amount of dice I (and others) have and create a nice basis for a unified system.

Because even having all the different systems people like you still buy it all so it's not really costing them customers. I like it this way as a game isn't being limited of options by having to use another games dice. It really helps Armada and X-Wing to play and feel a lot more different.

 

[DM Howard]

Because even having all the different systems people like you still buy it all so it's not really costing them customers. I like it this way as a game isn't being limited of options by having to use another games dice. It really helps Armada and X-Wing to play and feel a lot more different.

I agree with the principle of your point, but that's supposing that FFG couldn't make each game play distinctly within a core mechanic.