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3:16 War Amongst the Stars Handbook

3:16 – Carnage Amongst the Star Wars is a fan adaptation of 3:16 – Carnage Amongst the Stars and the supplement So Few by Gregor Hutton. All rights, trademarks etc are the property of their respective owners.

This document assumes you have a copy of 3:16 – Carnage Amongst the Stars and have read it, if you haven’t I strongly suggest you buy a copy as it’s well worth the investment.


Difference

The main difference between 3:16 – Carnage Amongst the Stars and 3:16 – Carnage Amongst the Star Wars is that in the original game you play an infantry soldier, part of a large unit or an elite squad of commando’s. In this version you start as a Cadet in the Rebellion and will learn to fly in the various Rebel craft as you make a name for yourself in the Rebel Army.

Advanced groups can chose to play the other side, The Imperial Navy.

Ultimately the goal is the same: “Kill ‘m All”


Character Creation

Each player gets 11 (instead of 10) points to split between FA and NFA.

At character creation the maximum in either FA and NFA is 8 and during the course of the campaign the maximum is 9.

Special abilities, bonuses etc can still raise this to 10, but neither FA nor NFA can ever be increased to a natural 10.

The rest is the same as normal character generation in the 3:16 manual, the only difference is that the group needs to chose a squadron callsign: for example Red Squadron or Gold Squadron.

The highest ranked player will be Red 1 and the second highest player will be Red 2 and so forth.


Ranks

  • Rank 0 – Trooper – Cadet
  • Rank 1 – Corporal – EnsignRank 2 – Sergeant – Lieutenant
  • Rank 3 – Lieutenant – Lieutenant Commander
  • Rank 4 – Captain – Commander
  • Rank 5 – Major – Captain
  • Rank 6 – Lt. Colonel – Commodore
  • Rank 7 – Colonel – Admiral
  • Rank 8 – Brigadier – Admiral of the Fleet

I chose to let my players start at the rank of Cadet and level 10 for a training mission in a simulator. This has the advantage of the group getting a feel for the setting and the other players without the risk of dying etc, it also gives your players a chance to goof off :)

After the training mission they are promoted to the rank of Ensign and (not a must) the Wingleader to the rank of (Acting) Lieutenant.


FA & NFA

Anything (*) that causes kills is FA and everything else is considered NFA.

A few examples of NFA:

  • Taking evasive action, Eject, Enter Hyperspace or getting a Missile Lock.

Players are encouraged to come up with other NFA tricks and as long as the other players or the GM objects, it’s allowed.

(*) As with everything in life there are always exceptions.

Basicly it comes down to (trying) to do kills/damage versus avoiding kills, fancy flying, getting to a better position or trying to rescue someone/something.


NFA Specials

There are several special abilities which require an NFA roll in a combat situation, this section describes their effect and their intended use.

  • Taking evasive action – On a successful NFA roll the player avoids getting hit by the enemy even if that players success is lower then that of the enemy (AA). This basicly works the same way as the Parry special ability in 3:16
  • Enter Hyperspace – Entering Hyperspace takes two rounds. The first round is required to plot an escape course that isn’t blocked, nor doesn’t fly you into a planet. At the end of the second round you successfully enter Hyperspace. You will need to make two successful NFA rolls to make enter Hyperspace without getting shot to pieces. If the first roll fails your attempt fails all together, if the second fails then you still get away but you get a kill.
  • Getting a Missile Lock – To fire a missile, torpedo or a rocket you first need to attain a missile lock before you can fire your projectiles.
    To get the lock you need to make a successful NFA roll and the next round you can, but don’t have to, fire the projectiles (See the Weapon section for more information). Your missile lock holds for as long as you don’t get hit, if you fire the missile you only need a successful FA roll, you don’t have to be faster then the enemy.
    If you dont fire that round, you will have to relock as the enemy broke the lock, you also lose your lock when you perform evasive manouvers or any other action that makes it improbable that you could’ve maintained the missile lock.


Specials

Mag Pulse – Costs 1 Missile/Torpedo Token – The enemy can’t do any kills this turn or if they acted already, next turn. One Use Only – The enemy can still do other actions just no kills.
Tractor Beam
– Same round Missile lock (Combined FA/NFA roll) – Costs an Afterburner Token.
Request for Reinforcements
– Highest ranking only – Ambush (One Use Only)
Hyperdrive - On two successful NFA rolls player or players can leave combat without taking a kill. (Described in the NFA section)
Jammer
- Costs an Afterburner Token – You can’t be targetted by Missiles (Too Weak)
R2 Unit -
+1 Shield and +1 repair (Instead of the Kinetic Shield)
SLAM system
– A craft equiped with the SLAM system can enter combat at a different range then the other players even when ambushed. If you move 1 range then your next attack is at half kills (rounded down, sorry) and if you moved 2 ranges then you can’t attack that round.

(Note you can not go beyond far range.)


Weapons

Missiles are fast and can be used against any Craft, but generaly do less kills than Torpedos.

Torpedos are slower and are meant for large and/or slower targets. They can be used against Fighters but at a -1 penalty to lock on and to fire.

Rockets are too slow to be used against anything other than Capital Ships, but do a lot more kills.

Missiles and Torpedos always earn you a token unless its a named npc or a capital ship.

Projectile weapons can be linked together to fire two with one shot.

If it is a capital ship capable of taking such damage you roll for each torpedo and sum the results.

If it is a fighter then you get to chose which result you want to use (hint: Highest).

Either way you have used one token per projectile fired.


Shields

Each craft is equiped with shields and in most cases armour plating as to increase the chance of survival when the going gets tough.

A Mess – Your ship has seen better days.

Crippled - It’s still flying, well kinda… (no more fancy stuff)

Armor - Armor (if the ship has any that is) – Usable once only.

Shield Tokens - Some ships have much stronger shields and as such they get more shield tokens to use before they become bloodied.

Favor - Luck, the Force or anything else a player wishes to call it. – Usable once only.

Parry: Destroy incoming missile, minor shield impact etc – whatever the Player roleplays what they consider to have happened, the dice are merely a Guideline. – Usable once only.


GM Tokens

At the start of a mission the GM gets 7 times the amount of players in tokens.

Per encounter a gm assigns tokens, with a minimum of one (plot twist) and a maximum of 2,5 times the amount of players.


Spotlight Scenes

After any encounter players get a Spotlight scene.

Any unused spotlights are only lost when the mission ends or a new one becomes available.

Assault - Unchanged (Medium)
Leverage
- Unchanged (Long)
Strategem
- Unchanged (Medium)
Treatment/Repair
– When docked and a repaircrew is available you repair 1d3 (Long)Otherwise you repair just 1 (Short).
Repair and reload
– Only at a facility: You can add 1 Missile/Torpedo and Repair 1 or just reload 2 without repairing. (Short)

The Flight Leader decides how much time there is between encounters, this can have repercussions on the next encounter. What kind of repercussions is up to the GM and ought to be discussed with the players through the Mission Briefing.


Chain of Command

The Chain of Command isn’t as strict as the Imperial Navy and much can be overlooked (brawls, verbal fights etc) but neglecting ones duty, murder, loss of Craft etc will be severly punished.


Campaign

The Campaign consists of about 10 to 20 missions.

The final battle is basicly when everyone has reached level 18.

(Assuming you only have regular players, if a player only attends every now and then they won’t be level 18, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem, but the playergroup can resolve this any way they like.)


Gaining a Level

  • Performing beyond the call of duty (most kills)
  • Superior Tactics (most tokens)
  • Combat Expertise (lowest level)

In case of 3 players 1 and 2 roll to see who gets the level.


Rank

There are multiple ways to gain or lose a rank.

Promotion

Promotion isn’t automatic, but you do get a chance by rolling NFA.

  1. Using a strength
  2. Your commanding officer or your team puts you up for promotion.
  3. The GM can promote you (don’t hold your breath, but it can happen)
  4. Temporary Field promotion when an officer dies or becomes incapacitated during a mission.

Demotion

Demotion isn’t automatic either, instead the one putting you up for demotion makes a NFA roll and if they are successful you get to make a NFA roll yourself to avoid being demoted. If they fail or you succeed nothing happens.

  1. Using a weakness
  2. Failing a mission (GMs ‘choice’)
  3. Team puts you up for Demotion
  4. Voluntarily

Putting someone up for a demotion isn’t without risk.

If you fail and the other (assuming they are higher ranked) succeeds they can demote you. Normal demotion rules apply, but you don’t get to demote them in case they fail also.

Field promotion

When an officer falls in battle or becomes unable to perform their duty, its important they are replaced so the mission can continue as planned.

The person taking over gets a field promotion to the same rank.

When there are two of equal rank they get to roll for it, unless the ranks already agreed on a successor.

If at the end of the mission the officer has recovered and the mission is a success, they get to make a promotion roll to attain their next rank, if the officer doesn’t recover they get to make a roll to keep their field promotion.

If the mission fails the roll is at -2, if you succeed you keep the field promotion, if you fail but would’ve made it without the penalty you gain a rank instead. (The GM can decrease the penalty if it wasn’t a complete Failure)


Ships

Interceptor Class

V-Wing – 2 Cannons – 0 Ion Cannons – 1 Missile Launchers – 1 Shield – 6 Afterburner – 1 Person
T-Wing
– 2 Cannons – 0 Ion Cannons – 2 Torpedo Launchers – 1 Shield – 9 Afterburner – 1 Person
A-Wing – 2 Blaster Cannons – 0 Ions – 2 Missile Launchers – 0 Shield – 2 Afterburner – 1 Person – Flanking – Rank 3

Assault Class

R-41 – 2 Laser Cannons – 2 Ions – 2 Missile Launchers – 2 Shield – 3 Afterburner – 1 Person
Y-Wing
– 2 Blaster Cannons – 2 Ion Cannons – 2 Torpedo Launchers – 2 Shield – 3 Afterburner – 1 Person – None – Rank 2
B-Wing
– 3 Heavy Blaster Cannons – 3 Heavy Ion Cannons – 2 Torpedo Launchers – 1 Shield – 2 Afterburner – 2 Persons – S-Foils – Rank 5

General Purpose Class

Z-95 - 3 Lasers – 0 Ions – 2 Missile Launchers – 0 Shield – 4 Afterburner – 1 Person – None – Rank 0
X-Wing
– 4 Blaster Cannons – 0 Ion Cannons – 2 Torpedo Launchers – 1 Shield – 3 Afterburner – 1 Person – S-Foils – Rank 4


Flanking

Craft with this ability can enter Flanking on their turn for free assuming they were successful on their roll (either FA or NFA).

S-Foils

Craft with S-Foils can close them to move a range for free.

Moving is a NFA roll (can be combined with most other NFA actions), but you can’t fire with S-Foils closed.You can reopen them with another NFA roll. (They open even if you fail your roll or if someone forgos their success to end the round, it’s only flipping a switch after all)


Weapons

Weapon Damage Chart

0 – 1 – 1D6 – 2D4/1D8 – 1D10 – 1D12/2D6

Weapon – Close – Near – Far

Laser Cannons – 1d3 – 1d4 – x (Rank 0)

Blaster Cannons – 1d3 – 1d6 – x (Rank 2)

Heavy Blaster Cannons – 1d4 – 1d10 – 1 (Rank 4)

Ion Cannons – 1d3 – 2d3 – 0 (Rank 2)

Heavy Ion Cannons – 1d4 – 2d4 – 1 (Rank 5)

Missiles – 0(*) – 1d10 – 2d6 (Rank 0)

Advanced Missiles – 0(*) – 1d12 – 2d10 (Rank 4)

Torpedos – 0(*) – 2d10 – 3d10 (Rank 2)

Advanced Torpedos – 0(*) – 2d12 – 3d12 (Rank 4)

Rockets – 1d100 – x – x (Rank 5)


Skills

Eject (Rank 0)

On a succes the player ejects from their craft and removes themselves from the combat.

On a failure the player still ejects from the craft, but remains at their range and is still considered in combat. Another NFA roll can be made each round to escape from combat, but the player is unable to attack as all they have left is Harsh Language and in this game that doesn’t score you any kills.

Formation Flying (Rank 2)

This allows you to change range if another pilot with the Formation Flying skill does so. Note that you must have enough Fuel to perform this task. You change range at the same time as the other pilot (i.e. at the end of their turn).

Superior Tactics (Rank 3)

This allows you to enter combat at one Range band nearer or further away if you wish to do so. You cannot use Superior Tactics to start an encounter beyond Far Range (as this is clearly cowardice!). It costs one Fuel Token to use this skill. For no Fuel cost you can elect to start at the same Range as the squadron, of course.

Abort (Rank 4)

This allows you use the E-Vac from the main 3:16 rules. (Highest Ranked Only)

Break and Run (Rank 5)

This allows you use the E-Vac from the main rules but without anyone taking a Kill in the process of ending the encounter. (Highest Ranked Only)

Deflect (Rank 6)

This allows you to direct a Kill on you to someone else at the same Range Band.


Tokens/Chips

  • Black – Afterburner Tokens
  • Blue – Torpedo Tokens
  • Green – Shield Tokens
  • Red – Missile Tokens
  • White – Special Tokens

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