Star Wars: Republic and Empire (OOC thread)

[Shayuri]

I'm trying to figure out how Istara got +13 on her attack roll.

I guess with the attack run and Aid Another thing, that's not so far above mine...

I have questions.

First, do I have an astromech?

Second, How suicidal would it be to double shields up in front and go barreling in to blaster range? This torpedo stuff is blah. Need action!

Third, is there any point in aiming? The rules seem to suggest it's only good for countering cover bonuses and similar. But like I said, I'm new to this application of the rules, so...

Thanks for your patience. I promise, once I get the kinks out, and some of this stuff noted on my sheet, it'll go a LOT more smoothly for me.

 

[drothgery]

I'm trying to figure out how Istara got +13 on her attack roll.

I guess with the attack run and Aid Another thing, that's not so far above mine...

This is how Istara figured things...

+4 - Base attack bonus
+3 - E-Wing Int Modifier
+2 - Trained pilot firing pilot-operated weapon
+2 - Aid another
+2 - Attack run
----------------------------------------------------
+13 - total (note that this works just the same for Zenith as it does for Istara)

There's a slight error there, but it doesn't affect the total modifier. E-Wings are special, in that as long as you've got an R7 Astromech droid equipped, you get a +2 equipment bonus to attacks. I'm going to rule that an astromech can't aid another to stack with its own equipment bonus, but that does mean your astromech is always free to act along with aiding your attack.

I have questions.

First, do I have an astromech?

Yes, or rather, your E-Wing does. If there aren't full stats for an R7 somewhere, treat it as an R2, except for the special integration with E-Wing systems noted above.

Second, How suicidal would it be to double shields up in front and go barreling in to blaster range? This torpedo stuff is blah. Need action!

You can't; you don't have the Angle Deflector Shields starship manuever, which would let you do that (from Starships of the Galaxy; the Starship Tactics feat gives you 1 + Wis modifier manuevers).

You'll be in long blaster cannon range in another round (meaning they can shoot back). However, note that your torpedoes do more damage, and will be in short range. Please remember that shooting the bad guys while they can't shoot back is safer.

Third, is there any point in aiming? The rules seem to suggest it's only good for countering cover bonuses and similar. But like I said, I'm new to this application of the rules, so...

There are some feats (and maybe some talents) that come into play when Aiming. But I don't think there's much point without it (except for countering cover bonuses).

 

[Shalimar]

Actually, aiming is very important. When someone takes 2 swift actions to aim before shooting a missile or torpedo system, if that weapon misses, it automatically makes a second attack the next turn at the same modifiers. Meaning that the missiles Zenith (and the rest of the squadron) missed with in the first round willbe making a second round of attacks this round on their own.

On a side note, the rest of the pilots would actually be better shots than Zenith and Istara since I believe our BAB is only 4, and they have 5s. We're better pilots though.

 

[drothgery]

I'm going to be out of town and without dice and rulebooks Friday - Monday.

 

[drothgery]

Actually, aiming is very important. When someone takes 2 swift actions to aim before shooting a missile or torpedo system, if that weapon misses, it automatically makes a second attack the next turn at the same modifiers. Meaning that the missiles Zenith (and the rest of the squadron) missed with in the first round willbe making a second round of attacks this round on their own.

I had initially misread that, and thought missiles/torpedoes would get their second attack regardless.

Also, I'll be back home this evening (US/Pacific time), with access to my desktop and the spreadsheets I'm using for maps and range calculations (I threw together something that let me plug in a number of rounds, and get relative positions), and so will be able to move things along again.

 

[Shalimar]

If I am reading you correctly we get an automatic +2 from piloting E-wings? Well, that was accounted for by the +2 from aid another I was having the droid do so I guess it balances out.

+4 (BAB)
+3 (INT of EWing)
+2 (Trained in Pilot)
+2 (E-wing Bonus)

+11

Does that add up correctly?

 

[drothgery]

If I am reading you correctly we get an automatic +2 from piloting E-wings?

Not exactly. You get an automatic +2 as long as your E-Wing has an R7 or other specially modified astromech droid equipped. If your astromech were destroyed and not replaced with another R7 (or other specially modified astromech), you'd lose the +2.

Well, that was accounted for by the +2 from aid another I was having the droid do so I guess it balances out.

Yup. The main difference is that because of the special integration between R7 astromechs and E-Wings, the astromech doesn't have to use its action on aid another to do the same thing.

 

[drothgery]

OOC: fighting defensively is a Standard Action, so unless a ship has a gunner, or the pilot has some other way to gain extra actions they cannot make attacks. OOC:

OOC: OOC: OOC: Unless I'm seriously misreading things, fighting defensively includes an attack (or all the 'you and your gunners' language makes no sense) when you trade a -5 to hit for a +5 to Ref (for a trained pilot); if you want a +10 to Ref, you have to forego all pilot attacks (though your gunners can attack at -5, if there were room for any in TIE Advanced, which there isn't). Also, I'm not sure if this really makes sense, but my tactical thinking -- and so Lt. Gellian's -- is that if he's in medium torpedo range, and the Imperials are in long blaster cannon range, he's got the advantage. Hence 'backing up' to keep the range open.

 

[Shalimar]

Well, if he backs up he can't be locking on with his missiles before he fires since that takes 2 swift actions, which is kinda wasteful.

OOC: Unless I'm seriously misreading things, fighting defensively includes an attack (or all the 'you and your gunners' language makes no sense) when you trade a -5 to hit for a +5 to Ref (for a trained pilot); if you want a +10 to Ref, you have to forego all pilot attacks (though your gunners can attack at -5, if there were room for any in TIE Advanced, which there isn't).

I thought so too, but apparently not. Here is the thread that made me think that it wasn't possible: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1107511&highlight=Fighting+Defensively

The reason that the -5 applies to you is that you can still take Opportunity Attacks and Crime Lords/Nobles can give other characters extra standard actions.

 

[Shayuri]

Backing up to maintain range only makes sense if we're not defending anything, I think. If we assume that the TIEs are attempting to engage fighters directly and won't be going after anything else, it works. If we assume the TIEs are mainly after the frigate, and are attempting to penetrate the fighter screen to get to it, then maintaining range essentially cedes ground and lets them get closer.

Though I suppose closing to gun range may not make a difference if fighters can't limit the mobility of other fighters...

Hee hee

Let me ask this...is maintaining range the flight doctrine of this commanding officer? If so, Zenith would follow it, even if a furball is more her personal style.