Starship questions

By player32462, in Rogue Trader Rules Questions

I just had a couple of questions about the starships, only thing that seems to really be tripping me up thus far.

Could somebody clarify or explain the difference between firing weapons individually and fires weapons as a salvo?

Also, everything I've seen for critical hits says to roll 1d5, but the crit chart goes from 1-11, then has the three catastrophic damage results. I get the last 3 results, they are generated by a "11" on the crit table. Just not sure how you get results 6-11 when you are told to roll 1d5

My guess is that once the hull intergity is depleted, then the crits happen like critical damage on characters.

1) Firing macrobatteries as a salvo allows their damage to be added together and then subtract armor, as opposed to subtracting armor from each damage roll. However, it limits the number of criticals that can be rolled to just 1

2) Every critical hit does 1d5 until hull integrity reaches 0. Once the target is crippled (hull integrity = 0) then instead of 1d5, the critical result is the value of the damage that would be caused to hull integrity.

I would guess:

First Critical 1d5 roll 4
Next Critical 1d5 roll 3, 4+3 = 7 on the chart...

This makes hit and run extremely dangerous but still....my best guess

The critical chart is used as you would use the critical chart for people, damage after hull integrity reaches 0. It also has the effect that low criticals are also used in hit and run and critical hits.

The critical chart is used as you would use the critical chart for people, damage after hull integrity reaches 0. It also has the effect that low criticals are also used in hit and run and critical hits.

Not quite - other than the people crit chart, the ship chart resets to 0 after each hit.

dvang said:

1) Firing macrobatteries as a salvo allows their damage to be added together and then subtract armor, as opposed to subtracting armor from each damage roll. However, it limits the number of criticals that can be rolled to just 1

Incorrect, to a certain degree. When using a single cannon (not in salvo), you still add together all the damage from the hits that don't impact on the void shield. When you use a salvo, you just end up having more hits happen at the same time, so rather than adding up the total damage for each weapon separately, you add them together.

What I said is correct, but perhaps I didn't say it clearly enough.

When I said: "...as opposed to subtracting armor from each damage roll" I was referring to the total damage from each weapon. Weapons can achieve multiple hits, and the damage from all a weapon's hits are totaled and then armor is subtracted. Insert "weapon's" before damage if that makes it clearer.

dvang said:

What I said is correct, but perhaps I didn't say it clearly enough.

When I said: "...as opposed to subtracting armor from each damage roll" I was referring to the total damage from each weapon. Weapons can achieve multiple hits, and the damage from all a weapon's hits are totaled and then armor is subtracted. Insert "weapon's" before damage if that makes it clearer.

Ahh, yea, the first time wasn't clear. Thanks.

Yeah, if only the Edit button on these forums didn't disappear after a few minutes. serio.gif

MILLANDSON said:

dvang said:

1) Firing macrobatteries as a salvo allows their damage to be added together and then subtract armor, as opposed to subtracting armor from each damage roll. However, it limits the number of criticals that can be rolled to just 1

Incorrect, to a certain degree. When using a single cannon (not in salvo), you still add together all the damage from the hits that don't impact on the void shield. When you use a salvo, you just end up having more hits happen at the same time, so rather than adding up the total damage for each weapon separately, you add them together.

Sorry for refreshing, but I don't want to start a new topic for one question :)

So If I understand corretly, the difference is between adding damage together or separate? I mean:

Without Salvo, with two broadside macrobattery, we will shoot twice. STR: 6 1k10+2 and another STR: 6 1k10+2

Enemy of course will absorb damage twice too, but still - in this case we have bigger chance to get more degrees which means more hits. Also, we will have a chance for two critical hits, not one.

So why a single big salvo STR 12 1k10+2 would be better? Of course, enemy vessel will absorb dmg only once, but still - we lose one critical hit and there is almost no chance to get so many degrees which means less hits.

I don't know know, maybe I don't understand something in rules and there is a problem. For now, for me I think that it's better to shoot twice STR 6 1k10+2 with two critical hits (and two absorbs) than one with STR 12.

A salvo only applies armor once. Otherwise, you apply it per battery.

Yes, I know, I've written it but:

Should I sum stats of both batteries? (STR 12 for example?)

If yes, it's still better to apply armor twice because we're doing two roll for BS which will give us more degrees and hits than one big salvo with STR 12 (two macrobatteries together). It's easier to get more degree with two rolls because of stats. Also, we will have two critical hits in this case. Of course, damage will be reduced twice but:

First Roll: For example, 4-5 hits.

One is absorbed which will give us 3-4 hits and critical if we're lucky.

Second Roll: Another 3-4 hits, one is absorbed which give us 2-3 hits and also critical if we're lucky.

In the end, we have between 5 and 7 hits !

And try to do this with one big salvo from two batteries.

You will have only one roll, it's hard to get 5-7 degrees in one roll.

Or I've just something misunderstand?

Btw:

About Archeotech, if we for example chose Ships Master's Bridge but we want to have "bridge of antiquity - It will REPLACE Ships master's bridge or just add stats to it? In rules we have "This can be used as a ship's bridge" but that "can be used" in this case means that it will replace the old one?

Thanks for all replies

No, you don't just do one diceroll for the "to hit" when firing in a salvo. You still roll the "to hit" tests for the batteries individually, but you combine the damage. Basically, it's exchanging the chance of multiple Criticals for greater overall damage.

Finally ! Thank you ! I coudn't understand clearly this part before. :(

Anyway, about archeotech post before... Will It replace?

In theory a bridge is an essential component. You can't have more than one of any one type. So it would replace any other bridges you might have.

I believe it states in the description bit for each one that it does replace.

well it says "CAN" be used as an essential component, but doesn't have to. In my ship I have a Shipmaster's Bridge of Antiquity. But as an Augurr I have only to auto-stabilized logis targer, since it can be used stand-alone as an essential component. Anyway, that's my understanding of the archaeotec components.