Background:

Question: What checks, if any, would handle a ballistic re-entry into a specific area (roughly a square kilometer)? They aren't really controlling the re-entry 'pods', so I don't think it'd be a piloting check. Though it'll be a piloting - planetary check to make sure the ship is on the right vector for the release. Soon as they hit the release point the manually disengage from the ship, enter a freefall, and deploy their MOOSE's. Maybe a Discipline or Cool check to make sure they release at the proper time? Anyone got thoughts on this?

Sounds like you're on it (though I'd use astrogation for the vector instead of piloting)

The amateur astrophysicist in me is blowing holes in this plot idea.

Besides that. the reentry burn is basically a retrograde thust of a certain delta-v at a certain time.

I would do a hard coordination check myself, with a boost die given for proper deployment

And the GM in me is poking holes in darn near every stage of their plan. The re-entry idea came from one of the players playing Kerbal Space Program, which they're current using as a 'simulator' to test things out. Things like "And the re-entry effects will be like the meteors! If they don't pick us up on sensors leaving the ship during orbital egress, they'll never see us coming!" are being said. I'm just smiling and nodding my head thinking this is as close to running Jewel of Yavin as we're going to get.

Out of curiosity, what’s the reasoning behind a coordination check?

I think he's going with coord for the players to get in the right position to reenter without toasting themselves. Not a bad idea.

If it's all about doing the math and timing the burn, then Knowledge (Education) is a good skill to go with here. Besides, Knowledge skills need some love.

I like using skills that don't often get used.

You are trying to fire your thruster perfectly through your center of mass. if you are wrong, you go into a spin and make it more difficult.

OK, right now I'm thinking a Knowledge (Core Wolrds) check for atmospheric and gravational data so they have an idea for a safe re-entry vector and a accurate ballistic trajectory to the LZ. IMO a Knw(CW) check would pull a bit more specific information about Aurea than a general Knw(Edu) check. However I could probably allow that and/or astrogation for planetary data too and maybe at a slightly higher or equal difficulty. It would then take a Piloting (Planetary) to put the ship on the right course and to do a properly timed retroburn (or the Star Wars equivelant.) The MOOSE release will take, unless the Outlaw Tech does make a automated release system (which he might), a Cool or Discipline check if I decide they need to make a check at that point. Though I'm starting to think they don't need a check, because at this point, they've done far dumber things and I doubt an unpowered decent into a planets atmosphere is going to rattle the crew at this point. The decent itself, other than the deployment of the MOOSE, is a total hands off affair and will not require a check.

That sound good?

The question to ask yourself is: "What happens if they fail?"

Unless you're trying to kill them by having them burn up upon re-entry, I'd just let them choose one of the following skill checks:

• Knowledge (Education) — To represent being smart enough to re-enter correctly
• Piloting (Planetary) — To represent having the skill and chops to re-enter
• Discipline — To represent having nerves of steel

Success and advantage get them where they want to go quickly and safely. Failure puts them off course. Threat could deal strain. Despair could but them far off-course or worse.

The question to ask yourself is: "What happens if they fail?"

Unless you're trying to kill them by having them burn up upon re-entry, I'd just let them choose one of the following skill checks:

• Knowledge (Education) — To represent being smart enough to re-enter correctly
• Piloting (Planetary) — To represent having the skill and chops to re-enter
• Discipline — To represent having nerves of steel

Success and advantage get them where they want to go quickly and safely. Failure puts them off course. Threat could deal strain. Despair could but them far off-course or worse.

Oh believe me, I got the 'what if they fail' angle covered. Fortunatly however, so do they (mostly). Talking to two of the players, they already have a go/no-go list set up depending on the checks they roll up to disembark point. Also, as nasty as I can be as a GM sometimes, I'm probably not going to kill them on decent. What you have is similar to how I'm going to handle it I think. Right now the worst I'm planning on doing to them is they go in at too steep an angle and must make several resiliency checks on the way down to mitigate the strain and possible damage. Of course the land way short of the intended LZ in this case.

As for the skill checks on the approach... For sake of simplicity the Piloting check is going to be the only check that will directly affect the re-entry. Not to mention the notes the Outlaw Tech's player is sending me kind of shows they're trying to idiot proof the process as much as possible (they've known me for too long I guess.) I think the Knowledge checks they take will add setback or boost dies depending on result to the check, and maybe a coordination check to shift the mass inside the MOOSE (its a really tight fit) enough to change the deflection angle a bit to adjust course. Though, at a minimum, that last one is going to be a hard check.