*A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...*
I've started my Star Wars Visions Solo TRPG campaign using the Space Opera Heroes system from Japan. I am referring to the project as 'Star Wars Visions Heroes Presents...The Adventures of Bani and Easy!'. The game will focus on the character I created to test out using Space Opera Heroes for Star Wars, Bani Tuknukchee.
STAR WARS VISIONS - HEROES
PRESENTS...
The Adventures of Bani and Easy!
"Well...this mission's a bust", Bani snapped snarkily with a quick look towards RB-EZ1.
Easy leaned toward her and emitted a short stream of low, slow beeps.
"What do you mean, 'No big deal'? How are you so calm?? That's a (Die Roll) Victory Class Star Destroyer and (Die Roll) a TIE Interceptor is leading that squadron! We need to get out of here. I'll prep the jump to Hyperspace." The fingers of Bani's left hand danced across the buttons on the ship's console while she gripped the control yoke with her right hand.
Easy spun his Scomp Link this way and that, then this way again. A second extension arm came out from EZ1's body and flipped a switch to his right; a buzzing hum quickly filled the cockpit.
"Are you...that's the Turbo Laser. You're charging up the Turbo Laser?", asked Bani, even though she already knew the answer all too well. Cocking her head and smiling she said, "Just make it count, alright?"
TIE Interceptors are faster than standard TIEs so that starfighter was closing in fast. Unlike Blaster Cannons which fire energy bolts, a Turbo Laser is a single, steady beam. Easy (I as the player) got an idea - Fire the weapon and then sweep with the turret in an attempt to hit multiple targets.
RB-EZ1 doesn't have the right Skill - Spaceship Weaponry - and his Intellect is only 2. I decided the Difficulty to strike the TIE Interceptor was Tricky but trying to catch multiple ships in a sweep would be Very Difficult. This wasn't looking good for the first roll of the game. LOL
Let's see what happened...
A 6. That explodes so I roll again - 6! YES! Once again - 1. OK, so the Action Check total is 2 + 6 + 6 + 1 for 15. A 15 beats the 12 needed for Very Difficult but isn't enough to do Extra Damage or get any Benefits.
The Turbo Laser does 19 Points of Damage. A TIE Interceptor has a Durability of 10 with an Armor B of 2 and 2 points of Shields. 19 is 5 points more than the Interceptor possesses and the ship is therefore destroyed! It goes up in a ball of flame - BOOM! Gone in one shot!
Now, since EZ1 beat the Difficulty by two levels, he is assumed to have hit the next two normal TIE Fighters as well. To be fair, I will cut the Damage of the Turbo Laser in half, then half again. A regular TIE Fighter has a Durability of 10 but an Armor B of 1 and no Shields. Unfortunately, 9.5 won't beat the TIE's Durability + Armor. To reward the original Attack Check and establish that the Turbo Laser is powerful, I roll for a Minor Malfunction for the next TIE. I rolled a [D66 - Two 6-Sided Dice read as tens and ones] and I get a 66, which means roll twice. The follow-up rolls were 15 and 16, causing malfunctions to the TIE's Communications and Sensors.
The third TIE is completely undamaged, veering off just in the nick of time.
"WOW! Nice shot Easy!", Bani exclaimed, hitting the Thruster Controls on her vessel's Powerful Engines. Her goal was to surge ahead of her pursuers so she could buy herself time to finish the jump calculations and maybe allow Easy to take a second shot.
Spending an Action Point, Bani makes an Action Check related to Spaceship Piloting. I'm thinking this is more reflexes than Intellect, so I used Dexterity + her Spaceship Pilot Skill + 2D6. Why 2D6? The Flying Leap's Powerful Engines are another Modification and adds an additional D6 when rolling for just this sort of thing. I imagined zooming forward away from the planet while avoiding the TIE Squadron was Tricky. The Action Check is 2 + 3 + a roll of 1 and another of 6. The highest roll is 6 [on the Advantage/Bonus Die] and the total comes to 11. That beat the Tricky of 9 and sends the Scout Ship - quite literally - rocketing forward.
The TIE Fighters give chase but have trouble keeping up. Nonetheless, the three TIEs in the lead open fire, targeting the Flying Leap's engines in an attempt to remove its speed advantage, allow the fighters the chance to catch up, and hopefully surround the Scout Ship.
TIE Fighters get to roll 2D6 on their Attack Checks thanks to the Modification: Targeting Computer
TIE A's Action Check is 2 + 2 + [uh oh] 6 on the Exploding Die or 2 on the Bonus Die. Oh wait...NPC Dice don't Explode unless they are Major Villains and I (the Space Opera Master...Star Wars Master?...Star Wars Visions Master?) spend Non-Hero Points. Still, it's a 6 and that results in a total of 10. That definitely hits the Flying Leap unless Bani spends an Action Point to make a Spaceship Piloting Check. She could, she has 3 AP left, but I think it might be more interesting to let it go and see what happens.
TIE B's Action Check is 2 + 2 + 3 on both his dice. Total 7. That also hits. Hmm. I just realized, the Flying Leap is fast but not especially Maneuverable. If I spend an AP and get to roll a Defensive Check, I would get an Advantage Die for my speed but other I don't. Bani makes a mental note to herself, 'Upgrade the ship's Maneuvering Thrusters when I get the chance. And the credits.'
TIE C's Action Check is 2 + 2 + 6 or 5. He goes with 6 [dang these TIE Pilots are good!]. The total is 10 again.
This time I'm spending an AP and rolling Bani's Intellect + Spaceship Pilot + 2D6 thanks to the Leap's Powerful Engines. In addition: TIE Fighters have a base Agility/Maneuverability of 1.5. The Flying Leap has a base Maneuverability of 3. That gives Bani's ship a 1.5 bonus, rounded up to 2. So the fina Check is 1 + 3 + 2 + 3 or 5. I choose the 5 [Duh!] for a total of 11.That beat's the TIE Pilot's 10 so he just misses our hero ship!
But remember...the other two hit.
The two Laser Cannons on a TIE do 16 Points of Damage. The Flying Leap has a Durability of 19 with 3 in Shields. The hit is solid but doesn't beat the target's Durability so the Shields are reduced to 2 and the Flying Leap suffers a Minor Malfunction. Rolling a 51, TIE A has damaged the Turbo Laser! Without repair, the Turbo Laser would roll at a Disadvantage.
The same thing is true for the attack from TIE B. The hit lowers the Shields of the Flying Leap from 2 to 1. Making another Minor Malfunction roll, I get 53 which means...aw, kriff!...Flight Control and Navigation at a Disadvantage. THAT Bani doesn't need.
Bani grits her teeth, places her right hand firmly on the Hyperdrive Throttle, and says to EZ1 (but really just thinking out loud), "We need to make the jump and we need to make it...NOW!" She leans her whole body forward as she pushes the throttle, sparks spurting out from the NavComputer and deep within the vessel's Computer Core. Easy let's out a long whistle, slightly higher pitched than is usual for him; essentially a hardy "Woohoo"!
Bani makes the Action Check with her Intellect 1 and Spaceship Navigation 3 and a roll of 2D6 with Disadvantage. The Difficulty, normally Standard, is adjusted by the ship being under fire and Bani feeling desperate to leave. That brings us to Difficult, a 10. I am seriously nervous. lol.
6 and 5! YES! Awesome!
As the remaining TIE Fighters move into formation towards the Flying Leap, simultaneously assuming orderly positions and yet each vying for a clear shot, their target vibrates almost imperceptibly. As their Targeting Computers attempt to lock on...
SHA-SHOOM!
As the stars streaked by, Bani fell back in her seat, unclenching for the time in what felt like forever. She turned her head slightly to look over at Easy, who appeared to be relaxing his posture as well...in his own way. She sighed.
"What the Dank Farrik was that about!", Bani shouted suddenly, nearly jumping up out of her chair. "We were there to scout out a possible location for Sea Skimmer Racing. Skimmer Racing! 'Find an ocean planet with areas where land and sea merge or cross', is what I was told. A place where a track could be built and the weather was both beautiful AND interesting. Why would the Empire be there?"
Easy let out three - short - beeps. He then went into a stretch of long, slow ones.
"No, I don't think they were there on vacation. I'm serious! We do a survey, leave the surface, and the next thing you know we're being chased by kriff-blasted Victor Class Star Destroyer! I'm going to have some serious words with our employer, I'll tell you that." Bani was practically shaking with a mix of anger and frustration.
Easy replied with another mild, calm set of chirps and whistles.
"Yeah, your right. AFTER we get paid", the Lepi Scout said, trying to reign in her emotions and think clearly. "Still...I really want to know why the Imperials were there. That planet isn't on any trade routes or major Hyperspace lanes. Heck, it isn't even on many starcharts beyond a simple numerical designation."
RB-EZ1 started to assess the damage done to the Flying Leap. He quickly put together a repair plan and made a list of possible replacement parts they might need. None of the damage seemed overly concerning but the areas hit, Flight Control, Navigation, and the Turbo Laser, were vital to their overall operation as freelance Scouts in a galaxy with an ever expanding Imperial presence.
Unconsciously, Bani began to tap her foot rapidly on the floor of the cockpit. She stopped after a minute or so and stood up. "I'm going to my quarters to get some sleep. Set the NavComputer to alert us when we're an hour or so out from normal space, OK?" Easy chirped an acknowledgement.
"Hmm. Also, bring up the contact info on our ol' pal Gilikak. I might want to give him a call."
With that, Bani left the cockpit, walked down the short flight of stairs leading to the ship's main corridor, and took the ladder down to Deck 2. She reached her room, the Captain's Quarters, and flopped onto her bad in exhaustion.
About 10 minutes later, the door to the room opened again and Easy strolled in. Seeing Bani had fallen asleep on top of the sheets and blanket, pillow nowhere near her head, he extended an arm and gently pulled her into a more proper position. He then reached over and pulled a blanket over her. Rolling back out of her quarters, he went across the hall to a large-ish closet-like charging station and settled in himself.
To Be Continued...
Well, what do you guys think? I have to say, I really liked this. It was a lot of fun! I like Bani, I like Easy, I like their ship, and I love the system!.
Let me know if you enjoyed reading this and if I should do more.
May The Force Be With You!
AD
Barking Alien
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