Wilbry
Topic Author
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun 30 Jun 2019, 06:25

My House Rule for intra-system space travel

Thu 26 Sep 2019, 00:24

(1) When travelling between two objects within a star system use the FARTHEST DISTANCE. 
(2) Make a PILOT check
(3) each success gives +1 SPEED for that journey. 

Example: 
Assume the planet Dabaran is 8 AU from the red giant and Salmanca the gas giant is 23 AU away from the star.
You are travelling in a SPEED 3 ship.
Travelling from Dabaran to Salmanca would normally be a 15 AU trip taking 5 days.
Using these house rules roll PILOT:
The FARTHEST DISTANCE is 31 AU. 
0 successes: the trip takes a little over 10 days.
1 success: the trip takes a little under 8 days.
2 successes: the trip takes a little over 6 days.
3 successes: the trip takes just over 5 days. 
6 successes: the trip would take 3 1/2 days.

Optionally you could cap PILOTING successes so that travel time cannot make the trip shorter than using the SHORTEST DISTANCE under the normal rules.  In the above example this would cap at 3 successes. 

Thoughts welcome.
 
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Sensei
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat 29 Apr 2017, 06:00

Re: My House Rule for intra-system space travel

Thu 22 Apr 2021, 23:59

I'm not sure I'm following. If I use the farthest distance, isn't that 23 AU, not 31? Why are we adding the distances of the two planets from their sun together? We're not traveling all those distances.

Requiring 3 successes just to make the trip take the time it would normally take using RAW seems a bit harsh, unless that's what you're going for.

I mean, it's a fine little formula, I'm just thinking, I dunno... Pilot roll, every success subtracts 10% travel time. Still get variation, just with less math. (Spend Darkness Points to increase travel time.) Oops, look at that! Your graviton engine's pulse inverter coil seems to have bent as you left atmo! Gonna slow ya down...
 
Lurking Grue
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon 13 Jul 2020, 16:30

Re: My House Rule for intra-system space travel

Sat 24 Apr 2021, 16:40

I'm not sure I'm following. If I use the farthest distance, isn't that 23 AU, not 31? Why are we adding the distances of the two planets from their sun together? We're not traveling all those distances.
The farthest distance between the two planets is when they are on the opposite sides of the star they are orbiting. Thus you add their orbital distances together.
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