The Departed [OOC]: Recruitment and General Goofiness

[Ash DuQuennes]

This is an "evolving aesthetic" so it supersedes previous posts.

In most militaries, there is a division of personnel, roughly broken down along the lines of:

1. Those Who Shoot
2. Those Who Support Those Who Shoot

In western militaries, these were (and in some cases, still are) called "Line" and "Staff."

"Line Officers" and NCOs exercise Command Authority. They directly tell people when and where to shoot.

"Staff Officers" and NCOs do all the "behind the scenes" stuff to ensure that "Line Officers" are able to do their jobs with maximum efficiency.

At Battalion-levels and higher, a "Staff" typically breaks down into four areas of responsibility:

1. Personnel/Admin: these people ensure that all personnel records are accurately maintained, that all pay issues are correct, and that awards and promotions are taken care of, etc.

2. Intel: that intelligence info coming "down" from above is adequately distributed to relevant staff members, and subordinate units, and that intel gathered on the battlefield is adequately distributed to relevant staff members, as well as "higher" units (Brigade and Division).

3. Operations & Training: these people devise and implement training goals, and devise, supervise, and grade, training scenarios. They are also the people who devise/plan actual operations after receiving their commanding officer's "intent," and distribute said plans to subordinate units, and brief them on their particular "piece" of an operation. They supervise operations, and may amend/change those operations based upon extant circumstances.

4. Logistics/Supply: these people ensure that all necessary material(s) for routine and planned operations is ordered, stocked, on-hand, and efficiently delivered when and where needed.

Officers and NCOs will, typically, advance through both Line and Staff positions as they advance in rank.

FireFly will NOT be utilizing dedicated "Staffs" at squadron or wing level for the Starfighter Force; nor for the Ground Force if/when it expands. The "Staff" jobs will be "Additional Duty Assignments" for the extant pilots and Ground Force officers & NCOs.



A Note on the Rank-Name "Captain":

Yes, "Captain" appears in both Ground/Starfighter Forces (see below), as well as Ship Force, but are significantly different in "O-" Grades.

In Ship Forces/Fleet, "Captain" is both a title and a specific rank-name. This is because the officer that commands a ship is always called "Captain," regardless of actual rank. Some militaries have actual ranks (not just titles!) like "Corvette-Captain," "Frigate-Captain," "Destroyer-Captain," "Cruiser-Captain," etc., to distinguish between the various levels of Captaincy.

We will not observe this custom.

Depending upon the size of the vessel, it could conceivably be commanded by a Sub (junior)-Lieutenant; the real-life PT-109 was commanded by Lieutenant Junior Grade John F. Kennedy, and addressed as "Captain" while he was in command. The distinguishing mark between Line and Staff naval personnel is usually a gold star above their rank-braid on their sleeves.

When Captain Shearran (0-3, Ground Force), or any of the Flight Leader Captains (0-3, Starfighter Force) is embarked on either Corvette, they are addressed as Major for the duration of their stay on that vessel; there is only, ever, one Captain (Commanding Officer) on a ship.



All "branches" of FireFly use the same rank insignia and placards, which will be detailed later (when it all gets worked out).



Ship Force Officers (with abbreviated rank name in parenthesis):

O-1 Ensign (ENS)
O-2 Sub Lieutenant (SULT)
O-3 Lieutenant (LT)
O-4 Lieutenant Commander (LCDR)
O-5 Commander (CDR)
O-6 Captain (CPT)
O-7 Commodore (COMM)
O-8 Rear Admiral (RADM)
O-9 Vice Admiral (VADM)
O-10 Admiral (ADM)

Note that FireFly has no O-8 thru O-10 ranked personnel at this time.



Ship Force Enlisted (with abbreviated rank name in parenthesis):

E-1 Space Technician 3rd Class (SPT3)
E-2 Space Technician 2nd Class (SPT2)
E-3 Space Technician 1st Class (SPT1)
E-4 Petty Officer 3rd Class (PO3)
E-5 Petty Officer 2nd Class (PO2)
E-6 Petty Officer 1st Class (PO1)
E-7 Chief Petty Officer (CPO)
E-8 Senior Chief Petty Officer/Command Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO/CSCPO)
E-9 Master Chief Petty Officer/Command Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO/CMCPO)

In everyday talk, E-8s and E-9s are just called "Senior Chief" or "Master Chief," respectively.

FireFly Currently has two E-8 Command Senior Chiefs, one each for No More Mr. Nice Guy and Screw Loose; they are routinely referred to as "COS," which rhymes with Boss, which is appropriate, since "COS" stands for "Chief-of-Ship." If the Captain is God, and the XO (Executive Officer) sits at the right hand of God, then the COS is the Voice of God to the enlisted personnel.

Space Technician, in everyday speak, is a "Spat" (like Spam but with a T), with their numeric identifier appended, so that an E-1 named Mike Jenkins would be addressed as "Spat-3 Jenkins." E-4 thru E-6 Petty Officers are addressed as "Pee-Oh" Last Name. When Mike Jenkins gets a few promos under his belt, he'll be "Pee-Oh Jenkins."



Ground Force & Starfighter Force Officers (with abbreviated rank name in parenthesis):

O-1 2nd Lieutenant (2LT)
O-2 1st Lieutenant (1LT)
O-3 Captain (CPT)
O-4 Major (MAJ)
O-5 Lieutenant Colonel (LTC)
O-6 Colonel (COL)
O-7 Brigadier General (BRGN)
O-8 Lieutenant General (LTGN)
O-9 Major General (MAGN)
O-10 General (GEN)

Again, note that FireFly Ground and Starfighter Forces has no O-7 thru O-10 ranked personnel at this time.



Ground Force and Starfighter Force Enlisted (with abbreviated rank name in parenthesis):

E-1 Private (PVT)
E-2 Private 1st Class (PFC)
E-3 Lance Corporal (LCPL)
E-4 Corporal (CPL)
E-5 Sergeant (SGT)
E-6 Senior Sergeant (SSGT)
E-7 Sergeant 1st Class (SFC)
E-8 Master Sergeant/First Sergeant (MSG/1SG)
E-9 Sergeant Major/Command Sergeant Major (SGM/CSGM)

Ash's back-seater, Fynn Melvar, is an E-8/Master Sergeant, as he has no designated Leadership Slot in his squadron or wing. There is a First Sergeant for each squadron, most likely the squadron's senior ground tech, and a Command Sergeant Major for the wing, most likely the senior wing ground tech; three more First Sergeants and a Command Sergeant Major will be added for the second wing, in due time.

It will seem like the Starfighter Force suffers from "too-many-chiefs-not-enough-Indians" syndrome, until you remember that all the droids are essentially Privates. IC-hilarity may ensue.



FireFly has an Engineering and Logistics Support Staff. It is not very large, as routine datawork is highly automated. These people are Warrant Officers, since they do not serve in any of FireFly's "Line Units;" not in the Ground Force, not in the Starfighter Force, not in the Ship Force. I have not yet "detailed" many of these people beyond Chief Warrant Officer Forim Burkile, whose primary tasking is to support the Starfighter Force.



Warrant Officer Ranks are as follows (with abbreviated rank name in parenthesis):

WO-1 Warrant Officer 1, rank insignia/placard is one silver square (WO1)
WO-2 Warrant Officer 2, rank insignia/placard is two silver squares (WO2)
WO-3 Warrant Officer 3, rank insignia/placard is three silver squares (WO3)
WO-4 Chief Warrant Officer, rank insignia/placard is three silver-gold-silver squares (CWO4)
WO-5 Senior Chief Warrant Officer, rank insignia/placard is three gold-silver-gold squares (SCWO5)
WO-6 Master Chief Warrant Officer, rank insignia/placard is three gold squares (MCWO6)

In spite of their similarity to Ship Force enlisted rank names, Warrants Officers are Officers, just not Line Officers. They are saluted, they are called "Sir," or "Ma'am," they receive the same pay and benefits of their direct O-Level equivalent in the Line Units. This is known to all current FireFly personnel, and in-coming newbies receive the same information during orientation.



The A/KT Shipsuit is "color coded" by FireFly "branch:"

Navy Blue for Ship Crew
Black for Ship Gunners
Medium Gray for Fighter Crews (incl. fighter gunners), and squadron/wing maint. techs.
Olive Drab for Ground Forces
Medium Blue for Engineering/Logistics

Since the A/KT Shipsuit is fitted, it can be worn under a Flight Suit (regular or padded), but most pilots and gunners will ditch the coveralls when "going up."



Rating Specialty Devices:

Fighter/Shuttle Pilots: Wings, silver for regular pilots, gold for command pilots

Command: Gold Seven-Point Star in a silver circle for the Captain/Commodore, silver-in-silver for XO and subordinates

Astrogation: Three Small Gold Stars in a silver circle for Chief Astrogator, silver-in-silver for subordinates

Helm: Gold Control Yoke in a silver circle for Chief Pilot; silver-in-silver for subordinates

Gunnery: Gold Crossed Laser Cannons in a Silver Circle for "Guns," silver-in-silver for regular gunners

Electronics: Gold Double Lightning Bolts in a Silver Circle for Chief Electronics Officer, silver-in-silver for subordinates

Engineering: Gold Atom, w/six "electron orbits" in a Silver Circle for Chief Engineer, silver-in-silver for subordinates

Deck: Crossed Gold Spanner & Torch in a Silver Circle for the Deck Officer, silver-in-silver for subordinates

Medical: Gold Medical (Caduceus? The SW equivalent) in a Silver Circle for CMO, silver-in-silver for subordinates

Admin: Gold Datapad & Stylus in a Silver Circle for Adjutant, silver-in-silver for subordinates

Ground Forces: Rifle ("short" or "long," with Superior/Expert Wreaths, and Combat Stars, as earned; see below)

FireFly doesn't have an Adjutant or any Admin specialists at this time.

Engineering and Deck may seem redundant; there is some overlap, and they often work closely together, but they are indeed separate. Engineering mostly stays in the Engineering area, tending the power plant and engines. Deck handles the rest of the ship.



Other Patches/Awards/Medals:

Combat/Mission "hash marks" are worn on the right sleeve, and are color-coded to represent numbers:

Black = 1 mission
Red = 5 missions
Silver = 10 missions
Gold = 25 missions

Everyone at FireFly currently has one black "hash mark," for the security contract with Tirahnn's Planetary Constabulary.

There is an idea for award ribbons and medals (for the dress uniform, see below), but type/layout, and location, is still being worked out.

There are Rifleman, Superior Rifleman, and Expert Rifleman badges for the Ground Forces. Same for the Heavy Weapons Gunners. The insignia is a black "short rifle (like an E-11) for Rifleman, and a black "long rifle" (like an A280) for Heavy Weapons Gunners.

The Superior Rifleman/HW Gunner gets a Silver Laurel Wreath around the weapon; an Expert Rifleman/HW Gunner gets a Gold Laurel Wreath around the weapon.

For every Combat/Mission the Ground Forces go through, they receive a Star Device that goes above the "rifle," in between where the laurel wreaths curve up and around the black rifle. The stars are color coded like the combat hash marks, but they only wear one star at a time, typically the highest rated/number. The sleeve "hash marks" tell the "rest of the story."


FireFly Day Uniform:

The appropriately "branch" colored A/KT Shipsuit over a black A/KT Thinsuit.

Comfortable, yet durable black combat boots.

Ground Forces "Blouse" their Shipsuits over their boots (the coverall leg is rolled up around the calf; see pic for example).

A branch color-coded All Temperature Cloak (in the form of a "Flight Jacket") can be worn in colder weather; the patch/emblem layout is the same as for the Ship Suit.

Ship Force/Fighter Force/Ground Force Officers & Command NCOs: a branch color-coded "Soft Cap" with your abbreviated rank name (top, centered) + your last name (bottom, centered) on the front.

Command NCO's (1SG, CSGM, CSCPO, CMCPO) and Executive Officer's Caps have silver "Lightning Bolts"(sans clouds) on the bill of the cap; Command Officers have gold "Lightning Bolts."

Ground Force Enlisted & Non-Command NCOs: olive drab beret with FireFly Logo Patch.

Rank Placards (soft board, not hard plastic) are worn on both the left & right shoulder epaulettes.

Specialty/Rating pins are worn on the collars.

A black, soft-patch Name Tag with Specialty/Rating Insignia on top and abbreviated rank name + your last name on bottom is worn on the left breast, over the left breast pocket.

Code Cylinders/Stylus' are worn either in the right breast pocket, or in the left or right mid-bicep arm pockets.

The FireFly Company Patch is worn on the left upper arm.

Your Unit Patch* (Squadron, Ship, Ground Force, Engineering/Logistics) is worn on the right upper arm.

Combat "hash marks" are worn on the lower right forearm

*An example of one such patch

All Day Uniforms and Patches are "Velcro" mounted (Star Wars equivalent) for easy removal, cleaning, and replacement.

All Day Uniform Patches, Rank Placards, and Specialization/Rating Insignia have "Subdued/Tactical" versions, substituting darker, subdued colors. Black is black, of course; Red becomes dark/blood red, Hi-Vis Green becomes olive drab, Silver becomes medium-dark gray, Gold becomes medium-dark yellow.



FireFly now has a snazzy Dress Uniform. It uses a tunic very similar to the Imperial Tunic, but ditches the Imperial jodhpur trousers and knee high boots for standard suit trousers and low-cut, high-gloss black dress shoes.

All Enlisted & NCOs wear light gray trousers, with bright red-piping for enlisted, high-vis green for NCOs.

Officers wear black trousers, with silver piping for general (not General!) officers, gold for Command officers.

Tunics are colored by FireFly "branch" (see above), with high-gloss black belt and sidearm holster (where allowed).

High-gloss metallic Rank Placards are worn on epaulette "shoulder boards"

Pilot's Wings/Specialties/Ratings are worn as "pins/devices" on the collars, in bright, shiny metal.

The FireFly Company Patch goes on the left shoulder, the Unit Patch on the right.

Combat Mission "hash marks," in high-gloss metal (or metallic), are as per Day Uniform.

Headgear is a black beret, with a high-gloss metallic "FireFly"-logo pin front-center.

[Ash DuQuennes]

These are the final stats for the X- and Y-Wings in FireFly's inventory; note that these aren't quite "factory-standard;" the BTL-S7 was originally upgraded with the T-65B sensor suite when it was adopted about one year after the Battle of Yavin. In my Star Wars universe, it was again upgraded with the T65C-A2 sensor suite after the Battle of Endor.

See the unofficial (but official enough for this game) fan-based supplement: The Y-Wing Sourcebook

Also see the unofficial (again, "official for our purposes") fan based supplement: The Net Guide to the T-65 X-Wing



Stats Tweak: I increased the Maneuverability of the starfighters, giving it a d20 +1 for every d6 "pip" it had in the original WEG material. For example, the X-Wing had 3D Maneuverability in d6; it now has +9 Maneuverability in d20.



Rules Tweak: Defensive Flying (pg 212, WotC d20 RCRB ) Starfighter Ace PrC gets to add 1/2 (rounded down) of the Maneuverability Rating to their normal +2 (+3 for Pilots w/6+ Ranks) bonus to defense when flying defensively. They also subtract that bonus from their attack rolls, in addition to the normal -4 penalty. A Starfighter Ace in a T-65C-A2 would be -8 on their attack rolls flying defensively, before adding back the fire control, Familiarity SQ, etc.

When flying Full Defensively:

1. Fire Control is useless; as is the "Computer Use 5+ Ranks" +2 Synergy Bonus to Fire Control

2. Starfighter Aces get to add the full Maneuverability Rating of their ship to the +4 (+6 for Pilots w/12+ Ranks) defense bonus. Unlike non-Starfighter Aces, the SfAce may make attack rolls, even when flying Full Defense, but the Maneuverability Rating is subtracted from attack rolls, in addition to the normal -8 penalty for flying full defense. A Starfighter Ace in a T-65C-A2 would be -17 on their attack rolls, flying Full Defense.

Familiarity SQ would still apply, as would Starship Point-Blank Shot, Weapon Focus, and any other Feats providing ranged-attack bonuses for Starfighter Pilots.

Starfighter/Space Transport Weapons Ranges*:

0-1 Point Blank
2-5 Short, -2 to hit
6-10 Medium, -4 to hit
11-20 Long, -6 to hit

*the above applies to missiles/torpedoes in "Direct Fire" mode; for missiles/torpedoes in "Autonomous Mode," the lesser of "Sensor Range" or the projectile's range. Remember: Missile Quality Bonuses do not apply when they are fired in "Direct Fire" mode.

Missiles & Torpedoes travel at Space 15/Atmo 26. Their "range" is as follows:

Marginal+5: 180
Ordinary+10: 90
Superior+15: 60
Amazing+20: 30

Capital Ship Weapons Ranges*: (basically, any weapon system designated "Capital" in SSoG, or having the word "turbo" in its description)

0-3 PB*, 0
4-15 S, -2 to hit
16-30 M, -4 to hit
31-60 L, -6 to hit

*Including starfighter/space transport scale "point defense" guns



So, here's the "final word" stats on the ships of FireFly:

Incom T65C-A2 X-Wing

Class: Starfighter
Size: Tiny (12.5 meters)
Crew: 1
Hyperdrive: x1
Passengers: None
Cargo Capacity: 110kg
Consumables: 1 week
Cost: 180,000 (new); up to 70,000 (used)
Initiative: +2 size
Maneuver: +11 (+2 size, +9 ship)
Maneuverability: +9
Defense: 22 (+2 size, +10 armor)
Shield Points: 40 (DR 10)
Hull Points: 120 (DR 10)
Maximum Speed In Space: Ramming (10 squares/action)
Atmospheric Speed: 1,120 km/h (19 squares/action)
Sensors:

Passive: 0-5/6-10/11-15/16-20/21-25, +0
Scan: 0-10/11-20/21-30/31-40/41-50, +3
Search: 0-15/16-30/31-45/46-60/60-75, +6
Focus: 3, +12

Weapon: Laser Cannons (4 fire-linked); Fire Arc: Front; Attack Bonus: +8+ (+2 size, +6 fire control, +crew); Damage: 6d10x2 (66); Range Modifiers: PB+0; S-2; M/L n/a

Weapon: Proton Torpedo Launchers (2 fire-linked, 3 torpedoes each); Fire Arc: Front; Attack Bonus: +6+ (+2 size, +4 fire-control, +crew); Damage: 9d10x2 (99); Range Modifiers: PB+0; S-2; M-4; L-6

And, of course, my personal favorite

Koensayr BTL-S7 Y-Wing II

Class: Starfighter
Size: Tiny
Crew: 1 or 2
Hyperdrive: x1
Passengers: None
Cargo Capacity: 110 kg
Consumables: 1 week
Cost: 145,000 (new), 75,000 (used), +10,000 as an upgrade to the basic S3.
Initiative: +2 (+2 size)
Maneuver: +10 (+2 size, +8 ship)
Maneuverability: +8
Defense: 22 (+2 size, +10 armor)
Shield Points: 50 (DR 10)
Hull Points: 130 (DR 10)
Maximum Speed In Space: Ramming (9 squares/action)
Atmospheric Speed: 1,050 km/h (18 squares/action)
Sensors:

Passive: 0-5/6-10/11-15/16-20/21-25, +0
Scan: 0-10/11-20/21-30/31-40/41-50, +3
Search: 0-15/16-30/31-45/46-60/61-75, +6
Focus: 3, +12

Weapon: Heavy Laser Cannons (2 fire-linked); Fire Arc: Front; Attack Bonus: +6+ (+2 size, +4 fire control, +crew); Damage: 6d10x2 (66); Range Modifiers: PB+0; S-2; M/L n/a

Weapon: Light Ion Cannons (2, fire-linked); Fire Arc: Turret (Front); Attack Bonus: +8+ (+2 size, +6 fire control*, +crew); Damage: 4d10x2 (44); Range Modifiers: PB+0, S-2, M/L n/a

Weapon: Proton Torpedo Launchers (2 fire-linked, 8 torpedoes each); Fire Arc: Front; Attack Bonus: +6+ (+2 size, +4 fire control, +crew) Damage: 9d10x2 (99); Range Modifiers: PB+0; S-2; M-4; L-6

*May be fixed forward or aft by pilot at only +2 fire control

[Ash DuQuennes]

Therefore in fierce tempest is he coming,
In thunder and in earthquake, like a Jove,
That, if requiring fail, he will compel;

Henry V, Act II, scene iv



We're going to talk about "The Big Boys," the fleet smashers, the planet scorchers, that rule the stars in the Star Wars Universe. Due to the evolving political/strategic situation of the The Departed's Star Wars Universe, don't rely too hevaily on the published stat capsules when gauging a capital ship's capability. The speed, hyperdrive, etc, may be the same, but the crew that mans everything has changed.

First some purely mechanical stuff. As mentioned in the Departed:Gauging Interest thread, there are some game mechanics changes with regards to capital ships.

Shields: or, "Come Heavy, and Bring Friends, or Stay At Home"

Unlike Starfighters and Space Transports, Capital Ships have their full Shield Points in every arc.

Starfighters and Space Transports have a "bubble" of Shield Points that surround them; regardless of the direction from which an attack comes (and hits, for damage), what their stat capsule shows is all they have.

A Capital Ship, like an Imperial I-class Star Destroyer, has their stat Shield Points in every arc. And damage on, say, the "left" shield arc, does not subtract from any other shield arc.

A Capital Ship's Shield Operations crew can take any number of shield points out of any shield arc to reinforce other shield arcs. The maximum number of Shield Points for any given arc is limited to double the normal Shield Points (600 for the aforementioned Imperial I-class Star Destroyer).

A Capital Ship's shields that are "Angled" (double the normal shield points for a given arc) add the Shield and Hull DRs (DR 120 for the "angled" arc(s) for the aforementioned Imperial I-class Star Destroyer).

The WotC RCRB FAQ states that only one person/droid may assist a Shield Operator in a "Cooperation" situation; IMO, this goes against the grain of Capital Ships having lots and lots of crew, and lower ranking Noble/Officers doing to their Coordinate/Leadership thing. So expect lots and lots of circumstance bonuses for Capital Ships that might not be reflected in their stat capsules.

The Weapon Focus & Weapon Specialization selections for Ship Crews (Starfighter, Space Transport, or Capital): Weapon Focus (Blaster Cannons, Laser Cannons, Turbolasers, Missile Weapons, Ion Cannons, Tractor Beams, Gravity Well Projectors, Mass Pulse Generators). Weapon Specializations follow from the above.

Crews: Quantity versus Quality

"You can, to a certain extent, substitute quantity for quality; but that's a luxury we can no longer afford, and I personally never cared much for it, anyway." - Grand Admiral Thrawn, addressing the Imperial Fleet Command Staff

Grand Admiral Thrawn, Supreme Commander, Imperial Fleet, and his right-hand being, Fleet Admiral Gilad Pellaeon, have been working hard over the past six years on the one area of glaring difference between the Rebel Alliance/New Republic Fleet and the Imperial Fleet: crew quality.

Jayn's Defense Review has noted marked improvements in the Imperial Remnant's Fleet performance, and most of the New Republic's Military High Command have been paying close attention, with growing trepidation. The margins of performance disparity has shrunk to the point that many a senior New Republic Fleet Admiral question the high price of any renewed offensive, should it be required.

As an example of the Imperial Remnant's efforts, here is a sample of their work:

Craft: Kuat Drive Yards Imperial I-class Star Destroyer

Class: Capital Ship
Size: Colossal
Crew: 5,000 – 37,085 (Expert +8)
Passengers: 9,700 (troops)
Cargo Capacity: 36,000 tons
Consumables: 6 years
Cost: Not available for sale
Hyperdrive: x2 (backup x8)
Initiative: -8
Maneuver: +3 (-8 size, +8 crew, +3 ship)
Defense: 12 (-8 size, +10 armor)
Shield Points: 300 (DR 60)
Hull Points: 700 (DR 60)
Maximum Speed In Space: Attack (6 squares/action)
Atmospheric Speed: Not applicable
Sensors:

Passive: 0-10/21-30/31-40/41-50, +13 (+3 ship, +8 crew, +2 synergy bonus)
Scan: 0-20/21-40/41-60/61-80/81-100, +19 (+9 ship, +8 crew, +2 synergy bonus)
Search: 0-40/41-80/81-120/121-160/161-200, +22 (+12 ship, +8 crew, +2 synergy bonus)
Focus: 6, +24 (+14 ship, +8 crew, +2 synergy bonus)

Weapon: Turbolasers (60); Fire Arc: 4 batteries front, 4 batteries left, 4 batteries right; Attack Bonus: +14 (-8 size, +4 crew, +8 fire control, +4 battery fire, +2 synergy bonus, +4 equipment bonus); Damage: 5d10x5 (138); Range Modifiers: PB 0, S-2, M-4, L-6

Weapon: Point Laser Cannons (40, point defense); Fire Arc: 2 batteries front, 3 batteries left, 3 batteries right; Attack Bonus: +22 (+4 crew, +8 fire control, +4 battery fire, +2 synergy bonus, +4 equipment bonus); Damage: 2d10x2 (22); Range Modifiers: PB 0, S/M/L n/a

Weapon: Ion Cannons (60); Fire Arc: 4 batteries front, 3 batteries left, 3 batteries right, 2 batteries rear; Attack Bonus: +10 (-8 size, +4 crew, +4 fire control, +4 battery fire, +2 synergy bonus, +4 equipment bonus); Damage: 5d10x2 (55); Range Modifiers: PB 0, S-2, M-4, L n/a

Weapon: Tractor Beam Projectors (10); Fire Arc: 6 front, 2 left, 2 right; Attack Bonus: +10 (-8 size, +4 crew, +8 fire control, +2 synergy bonus, +4 equipment bonus); Damage: Special; Range Modifiers: PB 0, S-2, M/L n/a

Additional Equipment:

3 TIE Interceptor* Squadron
1 Scimitar Assault Bomber Squadron
1 TIE Defender Squadron
8 Lambda-Class Shuttles
12 Landing Barges
1 Prefabricated Garrison Base
Dozens of various support and auxiliary craft, presumably enough to accomplish every mission profile.

*This is the “Thrawn variant,” with 60 Shield Points.

New Republic snub-jocks can joke all they want about the Imperial-class being, "174,000 design flaws, just waiting to be exploited."

In truth, the class only had one major flaw: Emperor Palpatine.

His insistence to his Fleet Commanders to build the largest, most powerful fleet ever left little room for for anything beyond basic crew training in order to man the explosively expanding Fleet, relying instead upon experience (sometimes hard-won, but often short-lived against their more skilled Rebel Allaince opponents) to make the crews, and thus the ships, more combat effective.

Grand Admiral Thrawn seems to operate more, philosophically, from a "first principles" mind-set. Knowing that any ship is only as good as the being(s) operating it, he focuses a lot more effort into initial training, as well as improving upon that basic training with cleverly designed and rigorously implemented Fleet Training Exercises.

And it tells.



At FireFly Security Service, Inc., retired Imperial Captain Oba-Diah Gracus had a pretty free hand in recruiting ship crews for the Screw Loose and No More Mr. Nice Guy. Drawing heavily upon former Imperial Officers and Ratings that had served him well in the past, but had no lasting ties or loyalties to the Empire or Imperial Remnant, Commodore Gracus has drilled and trained these crews to his very high standards. An example of his efforts (revised stats follow):

Craft: No More Mr. Nice Guy, and Screw Loose (modified CR90 Corvettes)
Class: Capital
Size: Large
Crew: 64 (Generally "Elite," +12 skill (generic), +8/+3 attack)
Passengers: 68 (see capsule)
Cargo Capacity: 1,500 tons
Consumables: 3 months
Cost: 2,685,500 Cr.
Hyperdrive: x2 (x10 backup)
Initiative: -1 (-1 Size)
Maneuver: +17 (-1 size, +12 crew, +6 ship)
Defense: 19 (-1 size, +10 armor)
Shield Points: 200 (DR 40)
Hull Points: 300 (DR 40)
Maximum Speed In Space: Attack (7 squares/action)
Atmospheric Speed: 950 km/h (16 squares/action)

Sensors:
Passive: 0-8/9-16/17-24/25-32/33-40, +17 (+3 ship, +12 crew, +2 synergy bonus)
Scan: 0-16/17-32/33-48/49-64/65-80, +20 (+6 ship, +12 crew, +2 synergy bonus)
Search: 0-20/21-40/41-60/61-80/81-100, +23 (+9 ship, +12 crew, +2 synergy bonus)
Focus: 5, +26 (+12 ship, +12 crew, +2 synergy bonus)

Weapon: Heavy Double Turbolasers (4); Fire Arc: 4 turrets (All); Attack Bonus: +17/+17/+12 (-1 size, +8 crew, +6 fire control, +2 synergy bonus, +2 equipment bonus); Damage: PB (4d10+1)x5 (115), S/M/L 4d10x5 (110); Range Modifiers: PB +2, S-1, M-3, L-5

Weapon: Quad Laser Cannons (4); Fire Arc: 4 partial turrets (1 front/left, 1 front/right, 1 rear/left, 1 rear/right); Attack Bonus: +19/+19/+19/+14 (-1 size, +8 crew, +8 fire control, +2 synergy bonus, +2 equipment bonus); Damage: PB (6d10+1)x2 (68), S 6d10x2 (66); Range Modifiers: PB +2, S -1, M/L n/a

Weapon: Tractor Beam Projectors (2); Fire Arc: 2 partial turrets (1 front/right, 1 front/left); Attack Bonus: +15 (-1 size, +8 crew, +4 fire control, +2 synergy bonus, +2 equipment bonus); Damage: Special; Range Modifiers: PB +2, S -1, M/L n/a


Additional Equipment:

Hyper Transceiver

Two Plasma Punch Boarding Devices (at the port and starboard airlocks)

Lots of Remote Sentry Blasters (+6 Attack, 3d8 damage, Defense 7, DR 5, 5 WP), specifically six each in the lateral corridors just outside the port and starboard airlocks (3 per side of the corridor), six more in the longitudinal access corridor off of the lateral airlock corridor (at the crew area end of the corridor, facing back towards the airlock corridor), and six each guarding every access point to the command pod.

Blast Doors (DR 15, 720 WP) at the airlock and crew area ends of the longitudinal access corridor off of the lateral airlock corridor, and at each access point to the command pod.

Surveillance Cameras, at strategic locations (corridors).

Amenities such as “Executive Suites” “Conference Rooms,” and “Executive Lounges” have been removed for quarters for troops, an expanded medical bay, and an armory.

"68 passengers" is a bit misleading. The ship's life support can sustain 200 people without undue burden. So while the typical ship's complement of 134, the life support system can accommodate an additional 68 people. Where there might be room for said people on the already cramped ships is another matter entirely. But packing/stacking the cargo deck, mess deck, crew lounges, etc., they may conceivably fit, if they don't mind a bit of crowding.

[coldskier0320]

Fun discovery!

Love using TPTCBN but hate having to copy, paste, then painstakingly go back through your stat block to add vb code to bold the things that should be bold because the forum doesn't recognize TPTCBN formatting?

Try this:

-Copy and paste your stat block into Word.
-Hit Ctrl+F to bring up the find dialog
-Go to the find/replace tab, click more
-Click formatting
-Click 'Bold'
-Click OK
-In the "Replace With" input, type:

[b]^&[/b] 

-Click "Replace All"
-Copy and Paste your formatted text on your forum of choice

[Ash DuQuennes]

Name: Ceria Desvyth
Species: Human Female
Age: 25
Height: 6' / 182.9 cm
Weight: 140 lbs / 63.5 Kg
Skin Color: Brown
Eye Color: Green
Hair Color: Black
Homeworld: Yaga Minor

Ceria Desvyth: Adult Female Human, Soldier 6/Starship Ace 2; Init +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Bonus); Def 20 (+3 Dex, +7 Class); Spd 10m; VP/WP 84/12; Atk +10/+5 ranged (3d6, crit 19-20, BlasTech DL-18 (FireFly)), +10/+5 ranged (3d8, crit 18-20, BlasTech E-11 (FireFly)), +8/+3 melee (1d3+1, punch), +8/+3 melee (2d4+2, Vibrodagger [Mastercraft +1]), +8/+3 melee (2d6+2, Vibroblade [Mastercraft +1]); SQ +1 dodge bonus to space transport's defense against a specific target, Familiarity +1, Starship Defense; SV Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +5; SZ M; FP: 5; Rep: +3; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 14.

Equipment: A/KT Shipsuit x2, A/KT Tracker Utility Vest (Can carry up to 24 items of 1kg or less, encumbrance cut in half), All-Temperature cloak [Mastercraft +1] (+2 to Fortitude saves made to resist severe weather), Blank DataCards (for DataPad, 10) x2, BlasTech DL-18 (FireFly), BlasTech E-11 (FireFly), Code Cylinder x2, Comlink [Military Grade] (Hands Free. Encryption DC 35.), Credit Chip x2, DataPad (+2 computer bonus on Intelligence checks relating to Computer Use checks involving downloading. With related datacards +2 bonus to Knowledge checks.), Electrobinoculars [Mastercraft +2], Glow rod x2, Grappling Spike Launcher x2, Handheld Computer (mastercraft +1) (+5 Computer USe Checks), Holoprojector [Personal], Holorecorder, Karflo Corporation Thinsuit (FireFly) (+4 Fort Save vs. Extreme Heat and Cold) x2, Liquid Cable Dispenser x4, Medpac x4, Spacer's Chest, Tool kit [Mastercraft +1] (+2 on appropriate Craft checks.), Utility Belt (Contains 3 days rations, 1x Medpac, 1x Tool kit, 1x Power pack, 1x Energy Cell, 1x Glow rod, 1x Comlink, Couple Empty Pouches), Vennoc-x Chronometer [Mastercraft +2], Vibroblade [Mastercraft +1], Vibrodagger [Mastercraft +1]

Skills: Appraise +3, Astrogate +16, Balance +3, Bluff +2, Climb +1, Computer Use +14, Craft +3, Diplomacy +2, Demolitions +5, Disguise +2, Entertain +2, Escape Artists +3, Forgery +3, Gamble +2, Gather Information +2, Hide +3, Intimidate +2, Jump +1, Knowledge (Astronomy) +11, Knowledge (Bureaucracy) +11, Knowledge (Tactics) +11, Listen +3, Move Silently +3, Pilot +19, Read/Write Basic, Read/Write Bothese, Repair +15, Ride +3, Search +3, Sense Motive +2, Speak Basic, Speak Bothese, Speak Durese, Spot +10, Survival +2, Swim +1, Treat Injury +10

Feats: Alertness, Armor Proficiency (light), Gunner, Improved Initiative, Quick Draw, Rapid Gunner, Skill Emphasis (Pilot), Spacer, Starship Dodge (space transport), Starship Operation (space transport), Weapons Group Proficiency (blaster pistols, blaster rifles, heavy weapons, simple weapons, vibro weapons)

Physical Description: Ceria is of average height, with a firm, athletic build. She wears her straight, thick, black hair cropped fairly short, which tends to make it a bit "spiky" when not covered by head gear. She also tends to add a streak or three of color to it as the mood takes her. Her green eyes are about as warm as Arctic Pack Ice when she is focused on her work.

Background & Personality: Born and raised on Yaga Minor into a moderately prosperous family of ship designers, shipyard construction engineers, and technicians, Ceria was the family "odd ball" when she announced that she was going to apply to the Imperial Military Flight Academy.

Her parents and siblings were never ardent supporters of the Empire, and were even less thrilled when the Imperial Remnant got squeezed into their corner of space, but the socio-political changes of the Remnant's style of government went a good ways towards alleviating their ambivalence.

But not enough to really feel comfortable with her going off to play "Pilot" for the Remnant. They really shouldn't have been surprised, though; she was the "aggressive one" out of her crop of brothers and sisters, routinely beating up or out-wrestling her older brothers, and asserting her dominance of the sibling brood.

But she had her heart set on flying, and her grades and aptitude tests were more than sufficient, and thus she was admitted to the Remnant's Military Academy.

Where she excelled at both her studies and her flight training. Unfortunately, her hopes of getting a fighter squadron assignment were dashed; the Remnant's evolving "enlightenment" hadn't quite yet reached the point of putting females in fighter cockpits. At least none without the family connections and political pull to overcome the remaining prejudice.

She instead was assigned to a Lambda shuttle squadron, where she decided to make the best of the situation and threw herself into her assignment with a will, pushing the envelope of her tubby ship's performance to the limit whenever she didn't have any passengers aboard.

But her assignments were mostly dreadfully dull; routine cargo transfers, and personnel transfers; this was hardly the environment in which she could "shine." The exception was the few times she got to fly SAR, or Search-and-Rescue, in training exercises.

And then her world was turned decidedly upside-down when a couple of New Republic yahoos yanked her right out of her hotel room while she was on leave for R&R, and whisked her unceremoniously out of Imperial Space and dumped her on Tirahnn, and some private security outfit she'd never heard of: FireFly Security Services, Inc.

She tried out for a fighter pilot's slot with FireFly, but failed her initial interview, being (still) severely discombobulated from her abduction, and the speculated reason(s) behind it. But the head honch at FireFly gave her a second chance, and while only passing the "face time" interview by the skin of her teeth, she passed her flight review with, ahem, flying colors.

Colonel DuQuennes offered her a pick of flight assignments in the Fighter Force, and she was very tempted to take him up on it, eyeballing a shiny, freshly rebuilt T-65C-A2 that needed a hot pilot to crew it. But the Colonel also hinted, strongly, that there would be interesting and important work for a good transport pilot, as well.

So she took a rain-check on the T-65 to stick with the Lambda-class shuttle the two SpecOps bozos had with them when they yanked her out of her former life.

Besides, the short bald one was kind of cute, in his quiet way. And she could tell the interest was mutual. She just isn't quite sure, yet, that she's ready to completely forgive him and his occasionally obnoxious brother. She knows, intellectually, what they had done for her, and is duly appreciative.

Now if only her emotional state would catch up to that fact...

[Ash DuQuennes]

Name: Fxz'et
Species: Verpine
Age: 40
Height: 6'3" / 190.5 cm
Weight: 165 lbs / 75 Kg
Skin Color: Dark Green
Eye Color: Black
Homeworld: Roche Asteroid Belt


Fxz'et: Adult Male Verpine, Soldier 4/Tech Specialist 8; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Bonus); Def 21 (+2 Dex, +7 Class, +2 Species); Spd 10m; VP/WP 100/12; Atk +11/+6 melee (1d3+1, punch), +11/+6 melee (2d4+4, Vibrodagger [Mastercraft +3]), +12/+7 ranged (3d8, crit 18-20, BlasTech E-11 (FireFly)), +12/+7 ranged (3d8, crit 19-20, BlasTech DL-44 (FireFly)); SQ +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons, for targets with 10m., +2 species bonus on Search and Spot checks (+4 within a range of 5 meters), Bonus class skill (Spot), Expert (Craft), Instant Mastery (Repair), Organic communication, Research, Tech Speciality (Computer Specialist +1, Mechanic +1); SV Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +8; SZ M; FP: 5; Rep: +3; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 12.

Equipment: A/KT Shipsuit x2, A/KT Tracker Utility Vest (Can carry up to 24 items of 1kg or less, encumbrance cut in half), All-Temperature cloak [Mastercraft +1] (+2 to Fortitude saves made to resist severe weather), Blank DataCards (for DataPad, 10) [Mastercraft +2] x10, BlasTech DL-44 (FireFly), BlasTech E-11 (FireFly), CAD Suite [Mastercraft +2], Code Cylinder x2, Comlink [Encrypted], Comlink [Military Grade] (Hands Free. Encryption DC 35.), Credit Chip x4, DataPad [Mastercraft +2] (+2 computer bonus on Intelligence checks relating to Computer Use checks involving downloading. With related datacards +2 bonus to Knowledge checks.), Electrobinoculars [Mastercraft +2], Glow rod x4, Handheld Computer (mastercraft +2) (+6 Computer Use Checks), Holoprojector [Personal], Holorecorder, Karflo Corporation Thinsuit (FireFly) (+4 Fort Save vs. Extreme Heat and Cold) x2, Liquid Cable Dispenser x8, Medpac x4, Private Computer (mastercraft +2) (+6 Computer Use Checks), Security kit [Mastercraft +3] (+2 equipment bonus on Repair checks for security systems.), Shock Cloth (+5 to Treat Injury when attempting to stabilize, +1 to Fort Saves to resist cold weather.) x2, Spacer's Chest [Mastercraft +2] x2, Tool kit [Mastercraft +3] (+2 on appropriate Craft checks.), Utility Belt (Contains 3 days rations, 1x Medpac, 1x Tool kit, 1x Power pack, 1x Energy Cell, 1x Glow rod, 1x Comlink, Couple Empty Pouches), Vennoc-x Chronometer [Mastercraft +3], Vibrodagger [Mastercraft +3]

Skills: Appraise +4, Balance +4, Bluff +1, Computer Use +21, Craft (capital ships) +19, Craft (starfighters) +19, Craft (starship weapons) +19, Craft +8, Diplomacy +1, Disable Device +15, Disguise +1, Entertain +1, Escape Artist +2, Forgery +4, Gamble +3, Gather Information +1, Hide +2, Intimidate +1, Jump +1, Knowledge (Engineering) +15, Knowledge (Physics) +15, Knowledge (Technology) +15, Listen +3, Move Silently +2, Pilot +5, Read/Write Verpine, Repair +32, Ride +2, Search +10, Sense Motive +3, Speak Basic, Speak Verpine, Spot +10, Survival +3, Swim +1, Treat Injury +5

Feats: Armor Proficiency (light), Gearhead, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Point Blank Shot, Skill Emphasis (Computer Use, Craft [starfighters], Craft [starship weapons], Repair), Starship Operation (capital ship, space transport, starfighter), Technical Wizard, Weapons Group Proficiency (blaster pistols, blaster rifles, heavy weapons, simple weapons, vibro weapons)

Physical Description: Tall, thin; he's a Verpine.

Background & Personality: Fxz'et is a most unusual Verpine. It's* typical enough, in that it was born and raised in the Hive-Collective of the Verpines, in the Roche Asteroid Belts. It's typical enough in that it excels, as most of its people do, in the technical sciences and arts.

What makes Fxz'et unusual is that, when it disagreed with the Hive-Collective's decision to not join the Rebellion, it left the Hive-Collective to join up on its own. It almost changed its mind when it found itself extremely, desperately, lonely, being bereft of the constant "Voice" of the Hive-Collective. But it grew used to the absense of The Voice, and learned to substitute the social bonds of friendship and camraderie with the non-Verpine it worked with.

With the general defeat of the Empire (it being squeezed to a tiny sliver of space in the Outer Rim Territories), Fxz'et considered its duty to the New Republic complete, and resigned its commission to travel and work on an itenerant basis, until it came to the world of Tirahnn. With its vibrant mix of beings from all over the galaxy, Fxz'et found itself facinated with the eclectic cultural stew of this wolrd, astride the Parlemian Trade Route. And there was good paying work in plenty for a being with its technical capabilities.

Thus it was there that Fxz'et was found and contacted by a trio of beings (two mated-pair Humans and a Twi'lek) that it had worked with in the past, during its Rebellion days, and accepted an employment offer as Head of Engineering with a recently founded company called FireFly Security Services, Inc.

Fxz'et is a CWO6 Master Chief Warrant Officer, and head of FireFly's Engineering & Logistics Division. The Verpine fascination with taking everything apart and putting it back together again (but only better!) is kept mostly in check (at least the "make it better" aspect), unless the "improvement" can be applied across-the-board, and it can be afforded.

Fxz'et is gregarious even by human standards, and loves to observe sexual courting rituals, often finding them hilarious, nearly-collapsing from laughing so hard in the Verpine way (think of a windmill going slightly spastic). It keeps odd hours, and may be found at almost anytime around the FireFly facilities, doing one techy/engineering thing or another.

*Verpine are hermaphrodites; the he/she pronouns do not apply.

[Ash DuQuennes]

...then they'd better get their minds right!

Name: Forim Burkile
Species: Duros
Age: 44
Height: 6'3''/ 190.5 cm
Weight: 170 lb/ 77 kg
Skin Color: Blue-Gray
Eye Color: Red
Homeworld: Duros


Forim Burkile: Adult Male Duros, Soldier 3/Scoundrel 3/Tech Specialist 6; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Bonus); Def 19 (+2 Dex, +7 Class); Spd 10m; VP/WP 96/12; Atk +10/+5 melee (1d3+1, punch), +10/+5 melee (1d4+3, Knife [Mastercraft +2]), +10/+5 melee (2d6+3, Vibroblade [Mastercraft +2]), +11/+6 ranged (3d8, crit 18-20, BlasTech E-11 (FireFly)), +11/+6 ranged (3d8, crit 19-20, BlasTech DL-44 (FireFly)); SQ Expert (Craft), Illicit barter, Instant Mastery (Astrogate), Lucky (1/day), Precise Attack +1, Research, Tech Speciality (Mechanic +1); SV Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +8; SZ M; FP: 0; Rep: +3; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 17, Cha 12.


Equipment: A/KT Shipsuit x2, A/KT Tracker Utility Vest (Can carry up to 24 items of 1kg or less, encumbrance cut in half), All-Temperature cloak [Mastercraft +2] (+2 to Fortitude saves made to resist severe weather), Atmosphere canister/filter (for breath mask), BioTech FastFlesh Medpac x2, Blank DataCards (for DataPad, 10) x8, Blast vest and Helmet (Modified) [Mastercraft +2] (Damage Reduction: 4), BlasTech DL-44 (FireFly), BlasTech E-11 (FireFly), Breath Mask, CAD Suite, Code Cylinder x2, Comlink [Military Grade] (Hands Free, Encryption DC 35), Credit Chip x2, DataPad (+2 bonus on Intelligence checks relating to Computer Use checks involving downloading; with related datacards +2 bonus to Knowledge checks), Electrobinoculars [Mastercraft +2], Glow rod x4, Grappling Spike Launcher, Handheld Computer (Mastercraft +2) (+6 Computer Use Checks), Holoprojector [Personal], Holorecorder, Karflo Corporation Thinsuit (FireFly) (+4 Fort Save vs. Extreme Heat and Cold) x2, Knife [Mastercraft +2], Liquid Cable Dispenser x4, Private Computer (Mastercraft +2) (+6 Computer Use Checks), Security kit [Mastercraft +2] (+2 equipment bonus on Repair checks for security systems.), Spacer's Chest x2, Tool kit [Mastercraft +3] (+2 on appropriate Craft checks.), Vibroblade [Mastercraft +2]

Str 12, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 17, Cha 12.


Skills: Appraise +8, Balance +2, Bluff +5, Climb +1, Computer Use +15, Craft (hyperdrives) +14, Craft (starfighters) +19, Craft (sublight drives) +17, Diplomacy +1, Disable Device +16, Disguise +1, Entertain +1, Escape Artist +2, Forgery +8, Gamble +7, Gather Information +5, Hide +2, Intimidate +1, Jump +1, Knowledge (Engineering) +12, Knowledge (Physics) +12, Knowledge (Technology) +12, Listen +8, Move Silently +2, Pilot +10, Read/Write Basic, Read/Write Binary, Read/Write Durese, Repair +29, Ride +2, Search +12, Sense Motive +5, Speak Basic, Speak Binary (Understand Only), Speak Durese, Speak Verpine, Spot +10, Survival +3, Swim +1, Treat Injury +14


Feats: Alertness, Armor Proficiency (light), Gearhead, Improved Initiative, Quick Draw, Sharp-eyed, Skill Emphasis (Craft [starfighters], Craft [sublight drives], Repair), Spacer, Starship Operation (starfighter), Technical Wizard, Weapons Group Proficiency (blaster pistols, blaster rifles, heavy weapons, simple weapons, vibro weapons)


Physical Description: Tall, thin, with blue-grey skin and red eyes.


Background and Personality: Forim is a veteran Rebel, going back to the pre-Yavin days. While not a "fire-brand" in his ardency, Forim was nonetheless very dedicated to the Rebel cause, aiding in most of the various initiatives of Starfighter Command, from X-Wing improvement and production, to the B-Wing and A-Wing Projects, as well as the BTL-S3 Upgrade Program. If it involved starfighters, Forim was at least consulted for his expert input.

Forim left New Republic service just after the liberation of Coruscant to work for Koensayr, when he got tasked by corporate to go to Tirahnn with a team of techs to be an Engineer/Consultant for FireFly Security Services, as they put their newly-acquired BTL-S7 Y-Wing IIs through an extensive oberhaul.

Forim was impressed with the operation, and struck up a friendship with the new company's CEO, recently retired Colonel Ashford DuQuennes. The diminutive human could "talk the talk, and walk the walk" when it came to engineering and repair of starfighters, and had his own definite ideas about starfighter engineering that led to interesting and lively discussions.

Forim floated the idea of coming to work for FireFly after the Y-Wing overhauls were completed, to which Ash and the FireFly board readily agreed, putting Forim in as second-in-command of their Engineering and Logistics division, and overall head-of-starfighter engineering and maintenance.

Forim is a laconic sort, but tends to be direct when he does speak, and bitingly caustic on occasion. Like Lieutenant Reakhas, he doesn't "ladle" on the words, often just nodding or grunting (in approval or disapproval, as the case may be). He rides herd on the rest of the FireFly Starfighter Ground Crews, overseeing them and the twenty-four (this number is soon to go up) suitably reprogrammed R5 astromechs, ensuring that their training, and overall work quality, meets his and his employer's exacting standards. The pilots might grumble a bit at his demanding ways, but they don't complain (rather the opposite) about the top-performance they're able to squeez out of their ships due to his efforts.

Which is why he's able to walk up to even Colonel DuQuennes and "politely" suggest that he don a pair of tech coveralls, grab a tool kit, and get to work. And the good Colonel usually (although not always gracefully) acquiesces.

Forim is also adept at, ah, "acquiring" stuff and repurposing old junk to usefullness, a trait he shares with the human, Oan Shanaci-Kodayn; the two of them are "a pair" when it comes to the "Chief's Net" and stripping down old parts and equipment for usefull "fiddleybits."

[Ash DuQuennes]

Stuff I listen to, to help get the creative juices flowing.

General Disclaimer: some of these are NSFW, or PG-13; find and listen at your own risk.


Genesis:


Twisted Sister - We're Not Going To Take It!
Tom Cochrane & Red Rider - Lunatic Fringe
Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight
Roger Hodgson - Had A Dream (Sleeping With The Enemy)
Tears for Fears - Shout
Mason Proffit - Two Hangmen
Warren Zevon - Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner
Washed Out - Eyes Be Closed
Deleriium - Euphoria (Firefly)
Vangelis - Voices
The Icicle Works - Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream)
Pink Floyd - On The Turning Away
Pink Floyd - Yet Another Movie
Pink Floyd - A New Machine (Part 1)
Pink Floyd - Terminal Frost
Pink Floyd - A New MAchine (Part 2)
Pink Floyd - Sorrow
Pink Floyd - A Great Day For Freedom
U2 - Where The Streets Have No Name
U2 - Zooropa
Mai Yamane - Blue
Peter Gabriel - The Tower That Ate People (Remix)
Kasabian - Acid Turkish Bath (Shelter From The Storm)


People:

Note: some of these are character specific, some are just "general impressions;" don't read too much into it.


AC/DC - Back In Black
AC/DC - Meanstreak
AC/DC - Money Talks
Arcade Fire - Wake Up
U2 - Even Better Than The Real Thing
U2 - Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
U2 - Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
U2 - Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
ZZ Top - Rough Boy
ZZ Top - Sharp Dressed Man
Audra Mae and The Almighty Sound - I Won't Grow Up (And You Can't Make Me)
Cheap Trick - Southern Girls
Cheap Trick - She's Tight
Supertramp - Goodbye Stranger
Supertramp - The Logical Song
Mike Curb Congregation - Burning Bridges
Kevin Spacey - Mack The Knife
Don Henley - All She Wants To Do Is Dance
Emerson, Lake, & Palmer - Karn Evil 9 (1st Impresison, Part 2)
The Commitments - I Can't Stand The Rain
Cowboy Bebop (O.S.T. 1) - Space Lion
Joe Satriani - Psycho Monkey
Wierd Al Yankovic - Dare To Be Stupid
The Eagles - Doolin-Dalton
The Eagles - Depserado
The Eagles - Doolin-Dalton/Desperado (Reprise)
Echo & The Bunnymen - Lips Like Sugar
London Symphony Orchestra - Lucia Di Lammermoor
Inva Mulla Tchako - The Diva Dance
Us3 - Chili Hot
Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science
Robert Duncan - Gunfight Epiphany
The High Kings - The Parting Glass
Basil Poledouris - Ancestral Aid
The Gregg Allman Band - I'm No Angel
Blue Oyster Cult - I Am The One You Warned Me Of
Lynda Kay - Jack and Coke
Joe Satriani - Look My Way
Joe Satriani - Home
Monty Python - The Accountancy Shanty
Peace Orchestra - Who Am I?
Stealers Wheel - Stuck In The Middle With You
Madonna - Ray Of Light (Album Version)
Garry Lee & Showdown - The Rodeo Song (Really NSFW!)
Alabama 3 - Woke Up This Morning (Chosen One Remix)
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Big Time Operator
Five For Fighting - The Beautiful
Joseph Kilna MacKenzie - Sgt. MacKenzie
Saga - On The Loose
The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Tuff Enuff
Suzanne Vega - Blood Makes Noise
Yello - Of Course I'm Lying


Bid'ness!


AC/DC - Shoot To Thrill
AC/DC - This Means War
AC/DC - If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
AC/DC - Thunderstruck
Awolnation - Burn It Down
The Black Angels - Young Men Dead
Foo Fighters - All My Life
Timo Maas - To Get Down
Yello - Hawaiin Chance
Oingo Boingo - Dead Man's Party
Harry Nillson - Jump Into The Fire
Cheap Trick - Busted
Joe Satriani - Up In The Sky
Joe Satriani - Ceremony
Joe Satriani - Crystal Planet
Joe Satriani - A Train of Angels
Joe Satriani - Can't Slow Down
Joe Satriani - One Big Rush
Joe Satriani - Back To Shalla-Bal
Joe Satriani - Killer Bee Bop
Joe Satriani - Surfin' With An Alien
Joe Satriani - Crushing Day
Joe Satriani - Satch Boogie
Joe Satriani - Motorcycle Driver
Joe Satriani - War
Cowboy Bebop (O.S.T. 1 ) - Bad Dog, No Biscuits
Cowboy Bebop (O.S.T. 1 ) - Rush
Randy Edelman - Fife and Drum
Basil Poledouris - Kaboom!
Chris Neal - Farscape
Propellorheads - Spybreak (Short One)
Ministry - Bad Blood
Lunatic Calm - Leave You Far Behind
Rob Zombie - Dragula (Hot Rod Herman Remix)


ETA: since somebody upped the game by adding links, I figured I could do no less. At least for some of the more obscure stuff.

[Vanger Chevane]

Stuff I listen to, to help get the creative juices flowing.

A few from my own playlist for Saji/Oan. Some are character-related, others storyline. It is in roughly Chronlogic Order.


Talk Talk - Such A Shame or Better sound, no video
The Fixx - Are We Ourselves?
Tears For Fears - Mad World
Talk Talk - Life's What You Make It
Thomas Dolby - Europa
The Fixx - Less Cities, More Moving People
The Payola$ - Eyes of a Stranger
Underworld - Underneath The Radar
Oingo Boingo - Stay
Madness - One step beyond
The Fixx - Stand or Fall
Tears For Fears - Change
New Order - Blue Monday
Duran Duran - Friends of Mine
Alphaville - Big in Japan
Tears for Fears - Pale Shelter
Danny Elfman - Gratitude
The Fixx - Red Skies
Sisters of Mercy - This Corrosion
Oingo Boingo - Grey Matter or Better sound, no video
The Orb - Toxygene
A Flock of Seagulls - I Ran
New Order - True Faith
Peter Murphy - Cuts You Up
Missing Persons - Destination Unknown

On the Turning Away is pretty awesome. Prior to Saudi I had that going while checking all my gear Bushido-style right before shipping. Scared several ppl something else, not sure why.


Terras & I have roughed out the ISO Tub. Wait till Ash sees what we bought him.

[Ash DuQuennes]

This is a very rough, working roster of FireFly.

A note on non-humans: the description capsules provided by the various gaming sources tend to be a tad extreme when detailing non-human cultures, generally falling into the "Planet of Hats" trope. I'm bucking this by stating flat-out that the descritptions only inform a race's attitudes and (very general) outlook, without completely defining them, or even limiting them.

For instance, anyone reading the Coynite's description from either the d6 "Planets Collection" or Wookiepedia might think that there's no way one of them would be a mercenary soldier. "Piffle," I say. A wandering Coynite might become philosophically interested in the difference between a soldier and a warrior, and come to see (and accept) the virtues of both. This might make him "outcast" back on Coyn; but then again, it might not.

So while our well-travelled, experienced, and somewhat cosmopolitan non-humans may have some of their race's general traits, they are all well-integrated beings within not only the FireFly family, but the general Galaxy as well.


So, here we are (for now):


COMM Oba-Diah Gracus, Human Male, Coruscant, Ship Force CO, FireFly COO

COL Ashford DuQuennes, Fighter Force CO, Y-Wing “Reaper” Squadron CO, 1st Wing CO, FireFly CEO

CPT Shearran, Trianii Female, Ground Force CO

1LT Reakhas – Trianii Male, Ground Force XO

Cadet Sukat – Trianii Male, teenager, fighter pilot apprentice, son of Shearran and Reakhas

1SG Rade “Hal” Tavers, Human Male, Rudrig

LTC Skawn’Han (Merchant), Clan Han (Sharp), Twi’lek Male, businessman, CFO, part-time spook

LTC Zylo Byxby, Human Male, Bonadan, Corporate Communications Officer, Co-Chief Spook

LTC Anamiika Byxby, nee Nelprin, Human Female, Alderaan, Corporate I.T. Officer, Co-Chief Spook

MCWO6 Fxz'et, Verpine, HMFIC Engineering & Logistics

SCWO5 Forim Burkile, Duros Male, HMFIC Starfighter Maint.



Players:

(coldskier): COL Kodi Morrigan

(Terras) CWO5 Ra Shanaci: Faceman, and Acquisitions & Procurement Specialist

(Vanger) CWO5 Oan Shanaci Kodayn: Technician, Slicer, and Juryrigger

(Drendar) CPT Erebys Tirol, Human Male, CO of the Screw Loose

(gmjabreson) TBD



1st Wing, 1st Squadron: Gunslingers (X-Wing)

LTC Gluk Koth, Zabrak Male, Iridonia, CO

MAJ Sarn Reglia, Human Male, Corellia, XO, 2nd Flight Leader

CPT Lilit Reglia (nee Chalco), Human Female, Bormea, 3rd Flight Leader


1st Wing 2nd Squadron: The Reapers (Y-Wing)

Col Ash DuQ., Human Male, Chandrila, CO (Squadron & Wing), aka “Mr. Bones.”

MSG Fynn Melvar, Human Male, Chandrila, Y-Wing Gunner, Ash’s “back seater”

MAJ Jiuk Yeel, Sullustan Female, Sullust, XO, 2nd Flight Leader

CPT Ellors Losh, Duros Male, Duro, 3rd Flight Leader


2nd Wing, 1st Squadron: Viper Squadron (X-Wing)

COL Kodi Morrigan, Human Female, Corellia, Wing/Squadron CO

Fenn Velo, Male,

MAJ(?) Hallyce Ardo-kai, Human Female, Chandrila, Squadron XO(?)

Mozeshorral, Wookie Male, Kasyyyk (?), Viper 4 (1st Flight?)

CAPT(?) Reshe Tal’lya, Bothan Female, Bothawui (?), 2nd Flight Leader

Vix, Verpine, Korpil Colony, Roche Asteroid Belt,

Ginn Kress, Human Female, Alderaan

Quin Kress, Human Female, Alderaan

CAPT(?) Darik, Human Male, Corellia, 3rd Flight Leader

Nazor, Rodian Male,

Asheeda Naj, Twi’Lek Female, Ryloth (?)

Callen Dray, Male


2nd Wing, 2nd Squadron: the Banshees (Y-Wing)

LTC Bruck Panib, Human Male, Corellia, CO, 1st Flight Leader

MSG Lapl Ilab, Sullustan Female, Y-Wing Gunner, Puck’s “back seater”

MAJ Amee Konarr, Human Female, Tatooine, XO, 2nd Flight Leader

CPT Burukt Kre’Dza, Bothan Male, Bothawui, 3rd Flight Leader


2nd Wing, 3rd Squadron, the War Hawks (Y-Wings)

LTC Hiskar Dorsett, Nautolan Male, Glee Anselm, CO

MSG Meelawindemort (aka “Meela”), Squib Female, Skorr II, CO’s Gunner

MAJ Sirul Rosk, Shistavanean Male, XO, 2nd Flight Leader

CAPT Renei Reglia, Human Female, Corellia, 3rd Flight Leader



Ground Forces:

1st Platoon: (aka “The Sharpshooters” Stick your head up; I dare you.)

1LT Capo Grappa, Rodian Male, Platoon Leader

SFC Mumbin Nukkels, Gungan Male, Platoon Sergeant

2nd Platoon: (aka “The Grumpy-Gruffians”)

1LT Rova Etan, Iotran Male, Platoon Leader

SFC Ragath, Barabel Male, Platoon Sergeant

3rd Platoon: (The “Sneaky-Petes”)

1LT Steev Eskrich, Human Male, Platoon Leader

SFC Nevlin Roonis, Lepi Male, Platoon Sergeant

4th Platoon: (aka “The Warriors!”)

1LT Rakki Toral Tch’marl, Coynite Male, Platoon Leader

SFC Elga Roml Tch’marl, Human Female, Platoon Sergeant

SSGT Chukka-Trok Tch’marl, Ewok Male, 2nd Squad Leader

LCPL Gwig Tch’marl, Ewok Male

PFC Ra-Lee Tch’marl, Ewok Female

SGT Asha Tch’marl, Ewok Female, Team Leader

LCPL Kneesaa, Ewok Female

PFC Deej, Ewok Male

[gmjabreson]

Talys Vell soon to be reporting as ordered, just watch out for flying hydrospanners and alluvial dampers.

[gmjabreson]

I so hate double posts

[gmjabreson]

Talys Vell: Middle Age Female Human, Scoundrel 8/Tech Specialist 4; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Def 18 (+2 Dex, +6 Class); Spd 10m; VP/WP 89/14; Atk +11/+6 melee (1d4+2, crit 20, punch), +11/+6 or +7/+7/+2 ranged (3d8, Blaster [Heavy Pistol]); SQ +1 bonus to defense against a specific target., +3 Dodge bonus to Defense when fighting defensively, +6 Dodge bonus to Defense when executing total defense action, Illicit barter, Lucky (2/day), Precise Attack +1, Research; SV Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +7; SZ M; FP: 2; Rep: +3; Str 14 (+2), Dex 15 (+2), Con 14 (+2), Int 14 (+2), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 17 (+3).
Equipment: 12000 credits, Blank DataCards (for DataPad, 10) [Mastercraft +2] x10, Blaster [Heavy Pistol], Comlink [Mastercraft +3] x3, Datacard w/ Program x5, DataPad [Personal], Field Kit (Contains 2x condensing canteens with water purification, 1x sunshield roll, 1x week's worth of food rations, 2x glow rods, 2x breath masks, 24x filters, 12x atmospheric canisters, and an all-temperature cloak.), Glow rod, Power pack x5, Security kit [Mastercraft +3] (+2 equipment bonus on Repair checks for security systems.), Thermoguard Jumpsuit [Mastercraft +3], Tool kit [Mastercraft +3] (+2 on appropriate Craft checks.), Utility Belt (Contains 3 days rations, 1x Medpac, 1x Tool kit, 1x Power pack, 1x Energy Cell, 1x Glow rod, 1x Comlink, Couple Empty Pouches)
Skills: Appraise +7 (+2 Int, +5 ranks), Astrogate +9 (+2 Int, +7 ranks), Balance +7 (+2 Dex, +5 ranks), Bluff +10 (+3 Cha, +5 ranks, +2 misc), Computer Use +14 (+2 Int, +7 ranks, +5 misc), Craft (capital ships) +7 (+2 Int, +5 ranks), Craft (space transports) +10 (+2 Int, +8 ranks), Craft (starfighters) +10 (+2 Int, +8 ranks), Demolitions +7 (+2 Int, +5 ranks), Disable Device +14 (+2 Int, +7 ranks, +5 misc), Disguise +8 (+3 Cha, +5 ranks), Escape Artist +9 (+2 Dex, +5 ranks, +2 misc), Forgery +11 (+2 Int, +9 ranks), Gather Information +16 (+3 Cha, +10 ranks, +3 misc), Hide +7 (+2 Dex, +5 ranks), Knowledge (Technology) +7 (+2 Int, +5 ranks), Listen +9 (+2 Wis, +5 ranks, +2 misc), Move Silently +7 (+2 Dex, +5 ranks), Pilot +5 (+2 Dex, +3 ranks), Read/Write Basic, Repair +24 (+2 Int, +10 ranks, +12 misc), Search +7 (+2 Int, +5 ranks), Sleight of Hand +12 (+2 Dex, +8 ranks, +2 misc), Speak Basic, Spot +9 (+2 Wis, +5 ranks, +2 misc), Tumble +7 (+2 Dex, +5 ranks)
Feats: Alertness, Athletic, Dodge, Gearhead, Headstrong, Martial Arts, Nimble, Persuasive, Skill Emphasis (Computer Use, Gather Information, Repair), Weapons Group Proficiency (blaster pistols, simple weapons, starship weapons)

[Terras Jadeonar & Raven]

Heya GMJ , You missed VP/Wp -/14 Might want to adjust that...

I'll toss up a list of my inspirational music also, prolly later tonight once i've got my stuff posted...

[Terras Jadeonar & Raven]

Heya GMJ , You missed VP/Wp -/14 Might want to adjust that...

I'll toss up a list of my inspirational music also, prolly later tonight once i've got my stuff posted...

:edit: kriffing double post, spat back to me as submission errors