Fighter Pilots in Star Trek RPG

[Cysvariamne]

I don't know if this has been asked/mentioned/bothered about before, but I thought I might bring it up.

I've been in a few PBeM's online, and still am right now, and was hoping if anyone had any insight on playing pilots within Deciphers STRPG.

I've looked over the Flight Control Officer and its revelent packages, but it doesn't seem to fit 100% as I would like it to.

For one, a pilot would need to know the three major areas of system op (tactical, sensors, flight control) if it was to be done as the bridge crew standards they have in the rulings.

What I had thought was to propose a more SW d20 style, where its all done through one skill (Sys Op - Fighter ? ) considering pilots these days don't have multiple controls like a cruiser, etc may have. They have a simplified version which gives the barest minimums for what they require to furfil their combat/patrol situations.

With one skill in mind though, would it seem too simplified to have it all binding within only one area? (Apart from astrogation in space science, etc)

Also, instead of having 'fighter pilot' under Command like Flight Control is, I believe it would be under Operations like some PBeM's do, and it seems to match the Operations description since pilots are much like Security except handling everything outside the ship.

I have some of this written up already, brief pieces, and can paste when I get it completely done and any changes modified by others opinions.

One idea I have already had come to mind is to perhaps have Fighter Pilot as an elite profession...

Thanks,
Jason

[Commander Ramey]

I kind of like it under command, sense the XO is supposed to be the senior department head in the flight ops area. Have to start somewhere

I also looked at the classes with the exact same thing in mind and still haven't came up with something acceptable to me, other than using the Conn skill for everything just about. Saying that the controls are simpler and easier to interpret... Although I wouldn't give it a bonus, just use Systems Operations for those that don't have the prerequisite specialties.

[Cmdr Powers]

This sort of thing has been addressed before- especially by those wierdos (like me ) who insist on deploying the Akira-class as a carrier with lots of Peregrine-class Starfleet Attack Fighters.

We treated fighter pilots as Flight Control officers and used the Player's Guide's information as well as that in the Operations book. There are plenty of things for the fighter pilot character- such as the elite Hot-Shot Pilot and abilities such as Dogfighter, Hot Hands, and Wheelman (for atmospheric craft).

If you wanted to create a Fighterjock, just pick Starfleet Officer, Flight Control Officer, and Hot-Shot Pilot elite profession, and don't forget to go to the Starfleet Operations Manual and pick up Dogfighter or Hot Hands at Tier I. Give that boy (or girl) a gray and white flightsuit and a Peregrine and off you go!

[Cmdr Powers]

Oh yeah, a bit more...

In the Akira-class Heavy Cruiser USS Vanguard, we deployed a squadron of Starfleet Attack Fighters, a variety of shuttlecraft, two Danube-class Runabouts, and a Talon-class Scoutship. These forces were the province of CAG (archaic term for "Commander Air Group") who might or might not be the XO of the ship, depending on circumstances. In one variant, the leader of the smallcraft was the Chief of Flight Control, and was also in charge of the Cruiser's helm and navigation crewmembers.

I think you'll find that the Flight Control options already available in the game do the job just fine- unless you're trying to overspecialize that Starfleet officer...

[Cysvariamne]

Sweet, thanks for that. I haven't tested it to include fighters, so needed atleast a minor piece of feedback.

I'll stick with standard rules for now then.

Also, I was gonna make up an Akira II into a carrier, since its in a PBeM like that.. holding about 40 fighters.. which in the case of construction rules, I didn't know if it would work still.. since to have 40 x size 2 fighters would need a size 8 ship and one hell of a shuttlebay

Any chance you know of some good, tested starfleet fighters? I haven't looked around yet and don't own starships -yet-

[Cmdr Powers]

You want to download Killerwhale's Extended Operations Manual. That will give you the Starfleet Attack Fighter.

As for the hangar bay on the Akira, I had this discussion with Don and the answer is that the shuttlebay space listed for the ship reflects the ability of the ship to handle that amount of smallcraft at the same time- not the overall capacity to carry. When you look at the through-deck design, there's plenty of room for forty fighters. Check out the sketch I'm attaching.

(Warning: Sketch updated)

[Doug Burke]

Originally posted by Cysvariamne
For one, a pilot would need to know the three major areas of system op (tactical, sensors, flight control) if it was to be done as the bridge crew standards they have in the rulings.

What I had thought was to propose a more SW d20 style, where its all done through one skill (Sys Op - Fighter ? ) considering pilots these days don't have multiple controls like a cruiser, etc may have. They have a simplified version which gives the barest minimums for what they require to furfil their combat/patrol situations.

They are under the same skill, though. Just different specializations. A pilot who has System Operation (Flight Control) +6 would have a +6 on all System Ops tests except those involving Flight Control, where he would have a +8. Same rules are used for shuttles or any other vehicle with modern controls.

[aelius]

The existing rules work fine for Fighter pilots. Remember, the Perigrine is a two seat fighter. The Ops officer controls the weaponry. If your Ops officer is in security (Ops officer in this context is the equivalent of the Radar Intercept Officer, RIO, in the modern military) then he can use the enhaced tactical abilities available to security officers while the pilot makes use of the abilities available to Flight Conn officers.
This is how the Perigrines in my campaign work.

[P'l]

Remember to stock up on the tactics skill though.

[Lancer]

One way to make a "RIO-type character" would be to talk your GM into allowing you to take one Starship Officer elite profession, but use the development package from another profession.
I.e. you build a tactical officer, but take the skill levels from an ops officer package (and advance as a tac officer, including professional skills) or vice-versa.

I know this breaks the rules - as it could give you some non-professional skills rather cheap - but at least it would be pretty easy.

Or you could have the RIO (or SOO - Sensor and Operations Officer) be an Ops Officer, but replace First Aid or Observe with Tactics as a professional skill.

[Cmdr Powers]

Your idea bends the rules a bit, but doesn't IMNSHO, break them. The very principle behind Starfleet is that officers need to be able to do more than one job. Besides, except for special abilities, there is an awful lot of overlap from one profession to the next, anyway.

[aelius]

The "Ops officer" should simply be a security officer. I was just looking for a name that was different from RIO or ESO and thought Ops was descriptive. The overlap in name with Operations Starship Officers was no seen as a problem. Sorry for that little bit of confusion.
My reasoning is that between the two, a flight control officer and a security officer have the piloting and tactical and sensor professional abilities and professional skills to effectively operate a fighter in combat.

[Antonsb214]

of course you could just create a new skill, fighter operations, with specializations in either flight control or weapons systems...
and remember, rules are made to be broken, re-written, and whatever else needs to be done to get the job done... in RPG's anyway...

[aelius]

Originally posted by Antonsb214
of course you could just create a new skill, fighter operations, with specializations in either flight control or weapons systems...
and remember, rules are made to be broken, re-written, and whatever else needs to be done to get the job done... in RPG's anyway...

True, but if I can use the rules that are there to do the job I want then I just use them rather than make up new ones.