Greetings All!
Please have a look at this chart I have created. It is not official in any way, and is based on the Rules as Written for Edge of the Empire plus some snippets from my own campaign and West End Games Tramp Freighters book.
Let me know your thoughts.
Astrogation Difficulty Sheet v1.2
Edited by GM Hooly
Spotted at typo under fuel consumption: "most light frieghterS carry 50 cells"
Edited by DesslokIf some of my reply goes against or questions RAW, I apologize for not being as familiar as I should (yet). 
Concerns
Suggestions
This has been extremely helpful.
The reason I used the base difficulty off of the star port type was based on the fact the higher the star port type, the more it would be visited and therefore the more likely the BoSS and Navi-computer records would be accurate.
Edited by GM HoolyWell, I encountered two issues so far:
i) You always only increase difficulty but never upgrade it, but when you
ii) cap the number of difficulty dice at formidable, where there are examples of more than five dice in the CRB.
So, that's how I handle it:
As the astrogator has to plot their way around an increasing number of obstacles the longer the jump distance, the base difficulty is set by distance.
Much used hyperlanes may decrease the difficulty, jumps that go "off-road" will increase it.
Especially difficult or dangerous routes (e.g. the Kessel Run) will upgrade the difficulty.
Situational modifiers (blue and black) I consider to be: accuracy and currentness of astrogation data, quality of navcom, and aspired speed (x2 without modification, lower with blacks, higher with blues).
I've been using the success/fail axis to determine base travel time in keeping with the "fail forward" concept...the party would not fail to enter hyperspace if they failed the roll, that forces the players to "roll until they succeed". So a base success would get them where they want to go in the timeframe expected. I use the Advantage/Threat axis in a variety of ways, including shaving or increasing time, but mostly for environmental effects or encounters, eg encountering pirates on 3 Threat.
Yeah, I’m not sure I’d have both Success and Advantage affect the amount of time the travel takes. I would think that the base time would be set by the distance plus how well travelled the route is, times the hyperdrive multiplier.
From there, I think I would have each success get you there 10% faster, cumulative. So, five net successes would be 50% faster.
I’m not sure what the Threat/Advantage axis should be, but it shouldn’t directly affect the amount of time taken.
I'll reply to each point:
I don't understand why the destination type influences astrogation. If a planet is on the charts, getting there should be just as easy whether they have orbital docks, extensive starports, or just a beacon on some cleared ground.
As mentioned above, I did that based on how well navigated it would be to a place not many people would go. If a lot of people went there, the starport would be no doubt upgraded. Are there places where smugglers for example would go to hand out but no massive starport? Sure, but they would be exceptions rather than the rule.
For the modifiers, you have many ways to add Difficulty, but only one way to downgrade Difficulty. Most other positive modifiers just add boost dice. This may be the way you intend it.
That was the intention yes. You however are not the only person to mention that, so any suggestions of how to allow a player to downgrade the check would be great.
What does plotting difficulty have to do with ship size? For an intersteller journey, an x-wing and a star destroyer are functionally the same scale. What is the point of plotting difficulty at all? Just to introduce a variable for how long the calculations take?
That was a suggestion from someone else using their difficulties page. I'll change it back to what I had which was a flat rounds, minutes and hours based on how hard the check is supposed to be. This will allow the use of rushed calculations element I wanted in the calculation.
Under the interpretation section, I really like in the book where extra successes can increase your accuracy. Instead of just arrive in the safe zone (usually outer system), you can arrive very close to your target planet. Likewise threat can mean you're off target, requiring extra time (minutes to hours) on sublight drives.
I'll go back and check that.
Let your "anomaly hexes" and "system hexes" increase calculation time by say +25%. The calculation isn't inherently more difficult (no greater chance of failure), but it does take longer.
Anomaly hexes such as gas clouds, supernova's, etc I'll keep as is, mainly because I want that chance that you could "fly right through a star or bounce too close to a supernova". The Kessel Run for example IS inherently more difficult due to the number of black holes surrounding the system - according the EU anyway.
Non-charted routes should be more then just setback dice. Here is where I'd actually upgrade to red dice. There's a reason why explorers get paid as much as they do for finding safe routes
As mentioned above, I think keeping it the way I have works fine. What I will say is that some systems in their write up (in my sector I have 3 that aren't "on the map". All are X systems and one of them Upgrades the difficulty to jump there. This "Upgrade" should be in the planet write up or left to the GM to upgrade with the destiny pool.
Eliminate "rushed" and "thorough" calculations. From everything I've read, you don't get a choice on how much time to spend. It takes as long as it takes, depending on how fast your computer is or how complicated the route. You can't rush it, or take longer (though of course you could run in a couple times if you felt like it)
Going back to the old D6 days - yes I'm an old timer - you can rush it, and there are races and talents which support this.
Add in a "shave distance" or "plot more precise jump" instead. Shaving the distance off a well-plotted route is possible, but might increase the danger. Plotting a more precise jump would be more difficult, but wouldn't necessarily increase the danger unless you were using that precise spot to get somewhere risky (like coming out of a jump in atmosphere).
My understanding was that you couldn't actually jump until a minimal safe distance from a planet's gravity well. That's how I've always played it until I saw what they've said in the FFG Rules Set. I've not read enough EU to support that if there are any instances of this. Looking at the rules for Gravity Well Projectors from an Interdictor, I would suggest that to perform a jump, there is no increased difficulty, but just can't be done until at Extreme range of the planet.
Instead of reducing/increasing travel time by fixed hours, do it by percentage instead. I single threat shouldn't add 2 hours to a 30 minute journey. Likewise an extra 2 hours means nothing after a 4 day journey.
Agreed and changed.
Responses below:
You always only increase difficulty but never upgrade it, but when you
Is this sentence finished? I provide a way to upgrade based on travelling through an anomaly. Would you suggest other ways to Upgrade, other than Destiny Point use. I also base this on the sidebar "Increase, Upgrade or Add?".
ii) cap the number of difficulty dice at formidable, where there are examples of more than five dice in the CRB.
Where?
As the astrogator has to plot their way around an increasing number of obstacles the longer the jump distance, the base difficulty is set by distance.Much used hyperlanes may decrease the difficulty, jumps that go "off-road" will increase it. Especially difficult or dangerous routes (e.g. the Kessel Run) will upgrade the difficulty.Situational modifiers (blue and black) I consider to be: accuracy and currentness of astrogation data, quality of navcom, and aspired speed (x2 without modification, lower with blacks, higher with blues).
I'm basing all my difficulties on RAW and those found in the adventure Beyond the Rim.
I've been using the success/fail axis to determine base travel time in keeping with the "fail forward" concept...the party would not fail to enter hyperspace if they failed the roll, that forces the players to "roll until they succeed". So a base success would get them where they want to go in the timeframe expected. I use the Advantage/Threat axis in a variety of ways, including shaving or increasing time, but mostly for environmental effects or encounters, eg encountering pirates on 3 Threat.
Yes I guess its a case of the check being how well you navigated rather than how well you pull on a lever. I guess I was trying to add in the fact that Navi-computers would have redundancies that would be like a formula you enter in Excel. If the formula (because lets face it - that's what an astrogation roll is) doesn't work, the system would say, "This does not compute. Try again." Then the GM could assign Boost, Setup, Difficulty Upgrades or Skill Upgrades based on Advantage/Threat as per Combat use of Advantage/Threat to the following Astrogation check.
It's been mentioned, but I want to repeat that Fly Casual expands on Astrogation significantly, especially with a chart that covers Advantages, Threats, Triumphs, and Despairs.
I'll reply to each point:
For the modifiers, you have many ways to add Difficulty, but only one way to downgrade Difficulty. Most other positive modifiers just add boost dice. This may be the way you intend it.
That was the intention yes. You however are not the only person to mention that, so any suggestions of how to allow a player to downgrade the check would be great.
I think that downgrading a check would involve choices in exactly what you are calculating. There a cluster of stars that makes it difficult? Plot a course that avoids them, though that might add a few hours or a day to the hop. That choice lets you eliminate some of that difficulty. Precise landing coordinates in a busy system inherently more difficult? Ok, choose to land a dozen light-minutes out. It'll take an extra hour on sublight drives, but it's a much easier calculation.
Add in a "shave distance" or "plot more precise jump" instead. Shaving the distance off a well-plotted route is possible, but might increase the danger. Plotting a more precise jump would be more difficult, but wouldn't necessarily increase the danger unless you were using that precise spot to get somewhere risky (like coming out of a jump in atmosphere).
My understanding was that you couldn't actually jump until a minimal safe distance from a planet's gravity well. That's how I've always played it until I saw what they've said in the FFG Rules Set. I've not read enough EU to support that if there are any instances of this. Looking at the rules for Gravity Well Projectors from an Interdictor, I would suggest that to perform a jump, there is no increased difficulty, but just can't be done until at Extreme range of the planet.
That's my understanding as well. However, my impression was that the farther you are from that go/no-go line, the easier the calculations. And of course in the EU there are many instances of using a gravity well to pull a fleet out of hyperspace on purpose, thus getting as close as possible. Since it's not done all the time, one presumes there is an element of risk.
It's been mentioned, but I want to repeat that Fly Casual expands on Astrogation significantly, especially with a chart that covers Advantages, Threats, Triumphs, and Despairs.
And grrrr! for not having my copy yet.
Yeah, I’m not sure I’d have both Success and Advantage affect the amount of time the travel takes. I would think that the base time would be set by the distance plus how well travelled the route is, times the hyperdrive multiplier.
The RAW says:
Additional (Success) beyond those required to calculate a hyperspace jump may be used to better target the location. While a single net (Success) reaches the target system without incident, extras might place the character's vessel directly into orbit around the target planet. Alternatively, characters may use additional (Success) to reduce the time spent calculating, when rushed.
(Advantage) generated as part of an Astrogation check are most commonly used to reduce travel time. On extended journeys, they might be used to identify convenient stopovers en route, where the vessel can resupply or conduct additional business to help defray the cost of the trip.
A (Triumph) could be spent either to complete Astrogation calculations in the minimum amount of time, or to greatly reduce the travel time involved.
Conversely, (Threat) generated on an Astrogation check could decrease the accuracy or increase the travel time of a hyperspace jump.
(Despair) can be spent in the same way but to greater magnitude, or it could trigger some truly disastrous occurrence, such as jumping out of hyperspace into the path of an asteroid.
From there, I think I would have each success get you there 10% faster, cumulative. So, five net successes would be 50% faster.
I’m not sure what the Threat/Advantage axis should be, but it shouldn’t directly affect the amount of time taken.
By the above rules from RAW, Success affects calculation and position, while Advantage affects time taken.
Edited by GM HoolyIt's been mentioned, but I want to repeat that Fly Casual expands on Astrogation significantly, especially with a chart that covers Advantages, Threats, Triumphs, and Despairs.
Well that is good to know. Don't feel like dropping me a PM with a link to a scan of that chart? My copy is somewhere between here (Australia) and there (Miami sorting centre).
I think that downgrading a check would involve choices in exactly what you are calculating. There a cluster of stars that makes it difficult? Plot a course that avoids them, though that might add a few hours or a day to the hop. That choice lets you eliminate some of that difficulty. Precise landing coordinates in a busy system inherently more difficult? Ok, choose to land a dozen light-minutes out. It'll take an extra hour on sublight drives, but it's a much easier calculation.
So its more of a "OK, so we'll jump to here instead, and instead of making two rolls (one for each jump, we'll just make the one and leave the rest up to the narrative. Hrrrmmm...
That's my understanding as well. However, my impression was that the farther you are from that go/no-go line, the easier the calculations. And of course in the EU there are many instances of using a gravity well to pull a fleet out of hyperspace on purpose, thus getting as close as possible. Since it's not done all the time, one presumes there is an element of risk.
Normally it also meant that the ship's hyperdrive was fried in the process. Pirates also use that as a tactic by pulling asteroids into the middle of known hyperspace trade routes.
I feel I am missing something basic. You keep referring to hexes, but there are no map hexes in either the Core Rules map nor the Essential Atlas map. How big is a hex and where can I find a map of such?
My book got packed. I'm living out of a car for a few days as I travel from Tacoma WA to Kissimmee FL. After I get there it might take me a bit to unpack.
I feel I am missing something basic. You keep referring to hexes, but there are no map hexes in either the Core Rules map nor the Essential Atlas map. How big is a hex and where can I find a map of such?
Yes and this is where my own rules come into play. Example of map as follows:
The rules for interpreting the map are found here:
I feel I am missing something basic. You keep referring to hexes, but there are no map hexes in either the Core Rules map nor the Essential Atlas map. How big is a hex and where can I find a map of such?
Yes and this is where my own rules come into play. Example of map as follows:
The rules for interpreting the map are found here:
Oh, nice. It looks good and seems to have some density for information on it.
You might want to convert the rules over to a more generally available data set if you want more people to enjoy them.
Upon my second run through, this is what I came up with:
Astrogation Difficulty Sheet v1.1
Edited by GM Hooly
Looks really good to me, except for the mis-spelling of “Forumula”. 
I'm clearly spending too much time on the Forums
Yes and this is where my own rules come into play. Example of map as follows:
The rules for interpreting the map are found here:
Wow... This is pretty solid. Takes me way back to Traveller (Or Space Master maybe...). Nicely done! I hope your players appreciate the work here.
You made that sector map using Google?
Edited by RLogue177