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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, and frankly even if you have, you have likely seen the new Battlefront 2 trailer featuring Theed-tastic Clone Wars action. That has promptly cleared some spots from my plans for future posts in order to fit in some RPG goodness inspired by what we hopefully can look forward to once Battlefront 2 hits our consoles and computers.
I knew we would be seeing prequels era content soon, given that Battlefront 2 promises play across the three film eras, but to see Naboo starfighters flying against their Droid counterparts over the skies of Theed was a blast from The Phantom Menace past. Admittedly, the Theed battle shown is set within the Clone Wars, but I’d be lying if I didn’t re-watch Episode I‘s final battle prior to writing this. I wonder if Battlefront 2‘s spotlight on the Clone Wars is part of a broader signal that Disney’s LucasFilm is willing to begin exploring that era again more in earnest. Maybe we’ll even see some Fantasy Flight Games RPG coverage? But that sort of speculation will have to wait, as today I’d rather give you some starfighter goodness with the N-1 “Naboo” and the Vulture starfighters.
N-1 “Naboo” Starfighter
Designed with the same principles and aesthetics of other Royal Naboo craft, the N-1 starfighter marries utility with elegance. The N-1 is a balanced fighter equipped with a balanced weapon loadout and good shield. Chromium finish, reserved for the Royal Naboo, beautifully marks these vessels in the service of the monarch. The result is a starfighter equally at home defending the sovereign space of Naboo as it is performing ceremonially fly bys. The N-1’s greatest battlefield accomplish was when it proved itself against the Trade Federation, completing a daring raid despite facing far superior numbers. Since then it has served as escort to the royal starship and defender of Naboo. Manufactured in house by the Theed Palace Space Vessel Engineering Corps, these starfighters are with few exceptions used exclusively by Royal Naboo Security Forces.
Sil 3; Speed 4; Handling +1; Def 1/-/-/1 Armor 3
Hull Trauma 9; System Strain 9
Hull Type/Class: Starfighter/N-1.
Manufacturer: Theed Palace Space Vessel Engineering Corps.
Hyperdrive: Primary: Class 1; Backup: None.
Navicomputer: None-Astromech Droid Socket.
Sensor Range: Close.
Crew: One pilot.
Encumbrance Capacity: 6.
Passenger Capacity: 0.
Consumables: One week.
Price/Rarity: 75,000 credits / 7
Customization Hard Points: 1.
Weapons: Two forward mounted heavy blaster cannons (Fire Arc Forward; Damage 5; Critical 4; Range [Close]; Linked 1), two forward mounted proton torpedo launchers (Fire Arc Forward; Damage 8; Critical 2; Range [Short]; Blast 6, Breach 6, Guided 2, Limited Ammo 6, Linked 1, Slow-Firing 1).
Vulture-class Droid Starfighter
Commonly referred to as the Vulture-class, this droid starfighter is more officially known as the Variable Geometry Self-Propelled Battle Droid, Mark I. Swarms of these transforming battle droids formed the backbone of the Trade Federation, and later Confederacy of Independent Systems, space fleet. The lack of an organic pilot unshackled these battle droids from many conventional limiters in starfighter design. With no cockpit, ejection system, life support, or g-limitation, the vulture droid was made to be capable of extreme maneuvers and offensive ability by reinvesting that saved space into engines and weapons systems. Manufactured to exacting standards within the church foundries of Xi Char, these battle droids are physically capable of outperforming all but the most elite pilots. However, neither the Trade Federation nor the Confederacy would end up capitalizing on these capabilities. The central computer control and later installed independent control droid brains were programmed with relatively basic combat algorithms. This resulted in a predictable opponent that more creative organic pilots could often outwit in a dogfight.
Sil 2; Speed 5; Handling +4; Def 0/-/-/0 Armor 2
Hull Trauma 6; System Strain 8
Hull Type/Class: Droid Starfighter/Vulture-class.
Manufacturer: Xi Charrian manufacture.
Hyperdrive: None.
Navicomputer: None.
Sensor Range: Short.
Crew: None – Droid Brain.
Encumbrance Capacity: 0.
Passenger Capacity: 0.
Consumables: One day (fuel).
Price/Rarity: 45,000 credits / 5
Customization Hard Points: 0.
Weapons: Two forward mounted energy torpedo launchers (Fire Arc Forward; Damage 6; Critical 3; Range [Short]; Breach 4, Blast 4, Slow-Firing 1), four wing mounted heavy blaster cannons (Fire Arc Forward; Damage 5; Critical 4; Range [Close]; Linked 3), upgraded models include quad single shot missile racks with discord missiles (Fire Arc Forward; Damage -; Critical -; Range [Short]; Guided 3, Limited Ammo 4, Linked 3, Slow-Firing 1, Special – Buzz Droids) or concussion missiles (Fire Arc Forward; Damage 6; Critical 3; Range [Short]; Breach 4, Blast 4, Guided 3, Limited Ammo 4, Linked 3, Slow-Firing 1).
Walker Mode: A Vulture-class droid starfighter can switch between fighter and walker modes as a maneuver. Use the above statistics for fighter mode. When in walker mode, reduce Speed to 2, Handling to +1, and only the energy torpedo launchers may be used.
Vulture-class Starfighter Droid Brain: Vulture-class droid starfighters are equipped with relatively basic droid brains capable of executing a limited set of combat maneuvers. These droid brains have Piloting (Planetary), Piloting (Space), and Gunnery at 2 ranks with an agility of 0 (rolling 2 Green). In addition, attempts to Gain the Advantage against these droid brains made by a more cunning and unpredictable pilot (GM’s discretion, but certainly any PC) are one difficulty step easier (to a minimum of Easy [One Purple]), as the droid brain attack patterns are highly predictable.
Buzz Droids: Should an attack with a discord missile be successful, the target ship is covered with a group of buzz droids. The exact nature of the buzz droids’ attack will depend on the make of ship they are attacking, but as a general rule they will breach the cockpit or disable the power supply of a silhouette 4 or smaller vessel within 3-5 rounds (GM’s discretion). Removing the buzz droids requires the resolution of an appropriate skill check or the destruction of a minion group with the following profile: Soak 2, Combined Wound Threshold 15.
Christopher Hunt
Latest posts by Christopher Hunt (see all)
- Command School – Deterrence and Compellence - July 11, 2019
Try spinning, that’s a good trick!
Sorry typo there, I meant to say “that’s a basic maneuver that will trick exactly nobody”.
XD