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Kach
11-21-2021, 12:51 AM
Checking interest in a pilot/aviation based group RP. Been playing around with the idea for a while.

I would be aiming for at least weekly involvement for everyone involved. Combat would be against NPC's in an effort to get around balancing and rules glut.
A wing of pilots using team work and creative thinking to overcome difficult obstacles.
Based on a larger ship the wing has a couple NPC's that keep things running and add some flavor.

Universe-
after some discussion, I have decided to make the universe as open as possible.
So any race or craft configuration is up for grabs provided we maintain a relatively equal level of technology.


My Idea so far;
James Ackerman a former soldier turned soldier of fortune, had gotten out while the getting was good, he was now sitting on a dubiously earned fortune and an early retirement, but sitting on a beach drinking all day lost its shine quickly after working to keep himself alive for the last two decades.
Investing in a surplused frigate, he found a crew chief and mechanic, now he needed a crew. Sending feelers out through his old contacts he began his search for the best pilots in the verse.

I'm imagining something serialized in feel with the crew being able to choose from a few missions with verying difficulty and payout and pilots getting a 'cut' of the fee, minus damage and penalties. With some down time in between missions if players wanted to take advantage of it.

The structure would be more of a Managed (GM'ed) RP with myself driving the central plot and dispensing the setbacks.

Technology level guidelines
As far as ships go, FTL travel is possible but not yet feasible for single pilot craft with frigate/freighter sized ships being the smallest generally equipped.

Craft and shuttles are dependent on larger ships for FTL travel in exterior docking cradles or internal hangers for long range transport.

Deflector type shields are in use on some single occupancy craft.
They are a trade off for power significant core consumption limiting drive power and weapon recharge rates. While the shields are excellent for deflecting energy based bolts; other impacts like high speed debris, significant mass impacts, and high velocity kinetic projectiles at close range have enough energy to pierce it.
To recover some engine performance shielded craft are generally lightly armored to reduce mass and require less power to the drives.
Craft with deflectors can generally fly in atmo regardless of their layout because the deflector is configured in such a way to give limited aero-dynamics and maneuverability.

Unshielded craft
To increase survivability, are more heavily armored and coated with refractive layers to reduce the likelihood of penetration by energy and kinetic projectiles and save the additional draw on power systems and to allow greater flexibility in engine and weapon power draw.
Unshielded craft need to be laid out with airfoils, control surfaces and aero-dynamics in mind as they don't have the benefit of the shield to provide lift in atmo.

The most advanced weapon systems use concentrated lasers to melt holes through enemy ships hulls to damage critical systems or vent atmosphere. They require recharging as their hi output capacitors empty so are generally fired slowly or in bursts but can be deadly out to extreme range.
Their largest draw back is that they can take a significant amount of hits to deplete and penetrate the shielding of targets with deflectors.

The old stand-by armament is kinetic projectile weapons that throw dense slugs via chemical reaction or magnetic acceleration. Few deflectors can take the punishment for long though they are significantly slower and can only be used effectively at close range. Because they are throwing material mechanically they are capable of rapid rates of fire but are limited by the amount of ammunition they can carry.

Missiles are common and and excellent payload especially for attacking larger class vessels. Guided or dumb, their biggest downside is cost and vulnerability to laser hits.

Most single craft require sealed, pressure and temperature controlled suits as they offer the greatest likelihood of not being penetrated though some have pressurized crew compartments.

Single pilot craft fall into one or more of the following 4 categories.
Interceptor, Fighter, Bomber, Support

Interceptor (+4 maneuverability single role) (+2 maneuverability dual role)
designed specifically for the defensive interception role against attacking enemy bombers, reconnaissance aircraft and ordinance as well as light recon these craft use speed as their primary defense and offense. Generally lightly armored and moderately armed they strike quickly and can out pace most other craft.

Fighter (+4 split among any number of attributes single role) (+2 split among any number of attributes dual role)
Establish air superiority of the battlespace. Domination of the airspace permits bombers and attack aircraft to engage in tactical and strategic bombing of enemy targets. These versatile platforms sometimes lean into other battlefield roles like interceptor or bomber to increase their utility.

Bomber (+2 armor, +2 Armament single role) (+1 armor, +1 Armament dual role)
these heavy craft are designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry, or deploying missiles. Generally well armored and heavily laden with hard points and payload these craft hit way above their weight class and are a real hazard to large vessels without interceptor and fighter support.

Support (+4 split among any number of attributes single role) (+2 split among any number of attributes dual role)
These specialized units very in rolls from recon scouts, to radar and missile jammers, gunships, repair/rearmament craft and transports; and support a variety of hardware packages for multiple missions profiles.


Intensity- Moderate
I would take that as characters can be seriously injured but not outright killed in all but the most extreme circumstances and their actions could affect other players to the point of setting them back as well, but generally to a lesser extent than themselves.



Let me know your thoughts and if you would be interested and able to commit to a few months of rp.


Pilot information

Name:

Callsign:
(If you want to choose your own or one can be found organically in RP)

Age:

Race:

Appearance:

Background:

Craft information

Craft Name:

Craft Role:

Call/registration name/numbers:
(if listed/registered; this significance may come into play.)

layout/orientation

Description and unusual features

Pressure suit or pilot compartment or both?

Craft Roles: Interceptor, Fighter, Bomber, Support
(can be a combination of up to two roles)

Hardpoints

Identifying features and markings

Stat block

Shields
Armament
Maneuverability
Armor



Each craft has 10 points to allocate plus their role bonus. Stats can be to a max value of 10. Any stats with a value of zero indicate the craft lack that attribute.

All craft have four stats:
Shields
Armament
Maneuverability
Armor

Craft have a variety of hardpoints by role.
Weapon hardpoints mount anti craft weapons such as lasers, and kinetic weapons.
Payload hardpoints mount anti ship and payloads such as missiles, bombs, cargo, and fuel.
Support hardpoints mount specialty equipment such as jammers, tow points, repair suites, advanced radar, heavy weapons, re-armament pods, and crew transport pods to name a few.

Craft role features
Interceptor (+4 maneuverability single role) (+2 maneuverability dual role)
Light construction- two weapon hardpoints and one payload hardpoint.

Fighter (+4 split among any number of attributes single role) (+2 split among any number of attributes dual role)
Versatile [this trait replaces any other from a dual role]- Two weapon hard points, one payload hard point PLUS (Two weapon hard points) OR (one payload hard point)

Bomber (+2 armor, +2 Armament single role) (+1 armor, +1 Armament dual role)
Heavy hitter- Three Weapon hardpoints and three payload hardpoints.

Support (+4 split among any number of attributes single role) (+2 split among any number of attributes dual role)
Two weapon hardpoints, one payload hardpoint and two support hardpoints.


Banshee Class Unshielded Fighter bomber
Two weapon hard points and two payload hardpoints.

Shields
Armament 3+1+1
Maneuverability 3
Armor 4+1+1

So

Shields 0/10
Armament 5/10
Maneuverability 3/10
Armor 6/10

Kamikaze class interceptor (No shields or armor for significant protection)
two weapon hardpoints and one payload hardpoint.

Shields
Armament 4
Maneuverability 6+4
Armor

so

Shields 0/10
Armament 4/10
Maneuverability 10/10
Armor 0/10

Fox Xalian
11-21-2021, 01:04 AM
I'd be down for this. I think the plot might be better suited to non-Star Wars (as big a Star Wars nerd as I am). Hell it could be set in our galaxy in the future so we can still have alien races and humans as options. It would also allow different tech and design choices. And I think a moderate intensity might be good.

Kach
11-21-2021, 01:21 AM
Pleasantly surprised by the quick response.


I'd be down for this. I think the plot might be better suited to non-Star Wars

On consideration, you might be right. For that matter I do want to get away from the classical handling of the starships as seen in starwars and go to a more realistic one.

We could do an open universe honestly, as long as no particular ship or race is significantly more advanced than the others or game breaking. I am considering doing a basic build guide for ships so everyone has a similar mechanics reference point.

I just need to learn the spoiler shortcut again...

Fox Xalian
11-21-2021, 01:25 AM
I believe the code is [.spoiler][./spoiler] just without the . XD

So like the ME universe circa ME2 type tech similarities?

Kach
11-21-2021, 01:35 AM
So like the ME universe circa ME2 type tech similarities?

Do you mean tech level?

Fox Xalian
11-21-2021, 01:39 AM
Yes and how similar the main races are tech wise XD Like none of them really have an advantage over the others in terms of tech (discounting the Reapers). They all use the same basic weapon and armour platforms, they have comparable ships. They have their own uniqueness still though, like Asari with their biotic commandos for example.

Kach
11-21-2021, 01:51 AM
Yes and how similar the main races are tech wise XD Like none of them really have an advantage over the others in terms of tech (discounting the Reapers). They all use the same basic weapon and armour platforms, they have comparable ships. They have their own uniqueness still though, like Asari with their biotic commandos for example.

Exactly!

Fox Xalian
11-21-2021, 01:54 AM
Okay I thought for a moment I was rambling and you wouldn't get what I was saying XD

So anything else we need to work out?

Kach
11-21-2021, 02:31 AM
Character and ship sheets I think. And finding some more peeps.

Fox Xalian
11-21-2021, 02:35 AM
Oh that latter one is hella important XD

Enigma
11-21-2021, 06:29 PM
The Babylon 5 Starfury gets high marks for a realistic space fighter, so you might want to look at those for small fighters. But I think you're going to want something transatmospheric that will work in both atmosphere and space. One way to do that would be to allow force shields. This could be set to extend past the fighter as a flying wedge to give the fighter more of an aerodynamic profile.

Kach
11-23-2021, 01:13 AM
The Babylon 5 Starfury gets high marks for a realistic space fighter, so you might want to look at those for small fighters. But I think you're going to want something transatmospheric that will work in both atmosphere and space. One way to do that would be to allow force shields. This could be set to extend past the fighter as a flying wedge to give the fighter more of an aerodynamic profile.

Was that a sign of interest or an observation puzzling friend?

Yggdrasil_Hugger
11-23-2021, 01:33 AM
I think I might like to try this out as well. I’m thinking of a mostly cybernetic alien that uses their more technologically-adept mind to use their ship to greater effect, while still being distinct from a navigational or weapons-system robot.

Enigma
11-23-2021, 02:16 AM
It's a sign of interest, yes.


<<<SYSTEM FAILURE>>>
*Have you tried restarting your warship?*

Kach
11-24-2021, 04:28 AM
<< STATUS ALERT>>
Command channel message incoming!


Authenticated Command Code Zulu 57 Alpha
message follows

I have updated my first post to include more information and I have made some simple info for the ship construction to make a reasonable idea of each crafts features mechanically. Note: no need to get too granular on the payload and hardpoint details as they can be swapped out between sorties, just get the feel you want. Feel free to start building characters and craft if you would like!

Also, for certainty, I will be using 'craft' to describe single operator vessels and 'ship' for multiple member crewed vessels.

Please let me know any questions you have. The goal is to provide a frame work to put the information in a usable format, NOT to stifle creativity and cool ideas.


Action Required!

For those of you who have not indicated yet, I would like an idea of your preferred level of intensity.

Intensity- how severe or what range of hazard do the players want to deal with?
injuries and material penalties being the lighter end, to deaths and consequences reaching beyond themselves being on the heavier.

Fox said:

And I think a moderate intensity might be good.
I would take that as characters can be seriously injured but not outright killed in all but the most extreme circumstances and their actions could affect other players to the point of setting them back as well, but generally to a lesser extent than themselves.

Fox Xalian
11-24-2021, 11:57 AM
I see no issue with your take on what I said! A quick question, can a character have two different ship classes they change based on mission/need? Because I kinda want to run someone who has an interceptor/fighter and a bomber, depending what the mission needs most.

Enigma
11-24-2021, 01:31 PM
Does the bomber have a mounting rack for transporting the fighter, or do you have a reserve pilot who flies the bomber when you're transferring to a new group? I image the bomber fits the classification of ship while the fighter is a craft.

Moderate is fine with me. Have you ever read Area 88?

Yggdrasil_Hugger
11-24-2021, 01:42 PM
I’m also down with a moderate intensity, maybe leaning a bit more to the dangerous side? A real, “any landing you can walk away from is a good one,” kinda feel.

Enigma
11-24-2021, 04:21 PM
I also like how in Space: Above and Beyond that the Hammerhead cockpits could separate from the warcraft, allowing the pilots quick access to a pressurized environment as well as acting as an ejection seat/survival pod (https://spaceaboveandbeyond.fandom.com/wiki/SA-43_Hammerhead) holding more life support options than just the regular pressure suit.

Enigma
11-24-2021, 04:55 PM
Does the bomber have a mounting rack for transporting the fighter, or do you have a reserve pilot who flies the bomber when you're transferring to a new group? I image the bomber fits the classification of ship while the fighter is a craft.

Moderate is fine with me. Have you ever read Area 88?



Okay, so now I see that Bomber is a separate classification for a single-crew craft. You might want to try for a combat superior fighter that has a swing-role option as a bomber by outfitting it with either racks or pods.

Kach
11-24-2021, 07:37 PM
Xailan
For the two craft question, I would prefer you start with one. Here are my suggestions.

Build a fighter and do your best to cover all three roles.

Build a fighter-interceptor and then purchase or capture a bomber craft after a few missions.

I don't necessarily want to limit players, but I want to have a feeling of progress and advancement. How your characters want to advance or what goals they have as they gain resources and reputation might be something to consider.
Ships aren't cheap. Unless they are. :P

Enigma
I have not read area 88 but it definitely seems similar vibe wise except they aren't necessarily obligated to stay, it's more an opportunity where otherwise there wouldn't be one.

I like the escape/ survival pod idea. Feel free to incorporate that, it may come in handy. I would likely run both options, the suit as a backup in case the pod was holed.

Kach
11-28-2021, 05:20 PM
Alright! Here is the open call for character sheets, please feel free to add any details you would like. Let me know if there are any questions. Forgive my lack of appearance detail.
I have added the updated sheet to the first post.

For intensity, Moderate it is.

Calling All Pilots: Character Sheet MK1

Pilot information

Name:

Callsign:
(If you want to choose your own or one can be found organically in RP)

Age:

Race:

Appearance:

Background:

Any story beats and themes you want to explore during the course of the rp:

Persons of interest to them and contacts they may have:

Craft information

Craft Name:

Craft Role:

Call/registration name/numbers:
(if listed/registered; this significance may come into play.)

layout/orientation

Description and unusual features

Pressure suit or pilot compartment or both?

Craft Roles: Interceptor, Fighter, Bomber, Support
(can be a combination of up to two roles)

Hardpoints

Identifying features and markings

Stat block

Shields
Armament
Maneuverability
Armor


Pilot information

Name: Jayson Ackerman

Callsign: Boss
(If you want to choose your own or one can be found organically in RP)

Age:53 earth years

Race: Human/Terran

Appearance:
SEX : Male
EYES: Brown
HAIR: Brown/gray
HEIGHT: 200 CM /6'7"
WEIGHT: 240Lbs 108Kg

Background:
Born on the agricultural Earth colony planet Harvest to Linda and James; Jayson F Ackerman was an active child. He and his two younger brothers ran around the countryside when they weren't helping on the farm. He had no interest in farming so on his 17th birthday himself and two close friends signed up for Federal Service and departed Harvest for training. Ackerman did well in training though his one friend was injured and graduated the next year. After two years in the Colonial Mobile Infantry he was promoted to Corporal at 20. In another two years he made it to Sergeant. The war wound down and Ackerman got restless. He joined the Galactic Terran Vasuden Alliance navy and served aboard the GTVA Aquitaine as a marine. Ship life bored him and after a tour he joined the United Earth Nations Space Command. He quickly rose up the ranks during the Colonial Insurrection and Contact War. After refusing a questionable order to save the lives of his squad he was busted back to Corporal at 27. As the contact war wound down he did some covert work for the UNSC’s Office of Naval Intelligence. He was discharged from the UNSC after three tours and rejoined the Colonial Mobile Infantry, after being discharged from the C.M.I after another two terms of service Ackerman began to use his talents and contacts to become a soldier of fortune becoming a moderately successful bounty hunter. In his middle years, Ackerman is no longer as spry as he used to be and has decided to invest his fortunes in a surplused frigate and use his wide network of contacts to find some of the best pilots in the systems.

Any story beats and themes you want to explore during the course of the rp:
Can the crew make their fortune without attracting the interest of powerful players in the galaxy?

Persons of interest to them and contacts they may have:
<Classified>

Craft information

Craft Name: Salla

Craft Role: Support

Call/registration name/numbers: IFF variable hardware (Highly illegal)
(if listed/registered; this significance may come into play.)

layout/orientation:
A smaller blocky ship with two seat cockpit compartment at bow with hatched bulkhead separating the crew/cargo compartment. Open crew/cargo compartment with additional terminals for Radio, and radar stations at the midship bulkhead, with crew seating along the sides of the hull. A double wide hatch on the starboard side amid-ship and a large cargo hatch at rear serve as multirole access and egress.

Description and unusual features:
A repurposed medical transport, it has been gutted and refit with top of the line surveillance and stealth equipment. The outer hull is not much to look at with flaking paint and carbon scoring, unless you spot the carefully camouflaged antennas most people wouldn't give it a second glance.
Equipped with gas boosters it can make trajectory adjustments without heat signatures.

Pressure suit or pilot compartment or both?
Pressurized crew compartment and cockpit with emergency pressure suits in cockpit. (x2)

Craft Roles: Support
(can be a combination of up to two roles)

Hardpoints:
Two weapon hardpoints, one payload hardpoint and two support hardpoints

Identifying features and markings:
Extremely warn terrestrial camouflage scheme. No identity/registration markings.

Stat block

Shields 4
Armament 2
Maneuverability 5
Armor 3

Enigma
12-08-2021, 03:18 PM
My problem is a removable cockpit would require a payload hardpoint since it is not built into the craft, therefore requires additional support. As there are limited hardpoints, it's not going to be as versatile.

Kach
12-10-2021, 12:56 AM
My problem is a removable cockpit would require a payload hardpoint since it is not built into the craft, therefore requires additional support. As there are limited hardpoints, it's not going to be as versatile.

That is a very interesting take, I hadn't considered, but it makes alot of sense to me as it would be are making design that sacrifices some functionally for the extra survivability.
Additional armor, and backup systems are going to take up mass otherwise used for payload.
It would depend on the design concept whether crew survivability and recovery took precedent over raw versatility.

It would also depend on the Naval Doctrine of the user.
Craft going on long haul, un-supported missions might need resources to keep the pilots alive for long periods before retrieval, while craft working supported by larger ships would make the worthwhile trade for performance with retrieval being relatively rapid.

For the purposes of the RP, support by a larger craft would be possible and extreme range missions unlikely, though that maybe something to explore in mission selection.
Additionally, the character's own personality may came into play with their ship choice and how high they prioritize their survival over performance.

Who was still interested?

Fox Xalian
12-10-2021, 09:46 AM
I'm still down for it!

Kach
01-04-2022, 04:28 AM
I wanted to wait to allow everyone to recover from the holiday season.

Anyone wishing to proceed, please let it be known. I would like to have character sheets wrapping up in January so we could look forward to a February step off.

Please let me know if you have any comments, questions queries or concerns.

Kach Out.

Fox Xalian
01-04-2022, 05:55 AM
I was just waiting for you to post up the OOC XD

Kach
01-04-2022, 12:32 PM
I was just waiting for you to post up the OOC XD

.... That would make sense, wouldn't it. XD

OCC below

https://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=96795

Kach
01-09-2022, 08:51 PM
Still open for more!

HaelKatrin
01-12-2022, 04:58 AM
I'd love to join, if it's still open! Let me know, and tomorrow I'll work on a character sheet!

Also, what is hardpoint? I keep seeing it mentioned, but not sure what it means.

Fox Xalian
01-12-2022, 08:10 AM
It is still open yes, just got to the OOC. ANd a hardpoint is a spot where the weapons are installed on the ship

Kach
01-17-2022, 09:41 PM
I'd love to join, if it's still open! Let me know, and tomorrow I'll work on a character sheet!

Also, what is hardpoint? I keep seeing it mentioned, but not sure what it means.

Thread is still open for another week.

Enigma
01-18-2022, 03:00 AM
A hardpoint is a reinforced area of the hull or a wing that's rigged to support some sort of device. This can include engines, but this game is mostly concentrating on weapons or support items.

A weapon hardpoint is where you can mount some sort of anti-craft gun, either something that shoots a laser or fires bullets.

A payload hardpoint allows you to mount missiles or some sort of cargo, passenger, or fuel pod.

A support payload allows you to attach advanced radar, some sort of enhanced sensor pod, a towing rig, rearmament pod, etc. Items typically not weapons themselves.