hey all,

So, I tricked a few of my pals into playing the EotE beginner set and now we are going to embark on a full campaign. I'm still working my way through the core rulebook but have a couple of questions.

1. One of my players asked if, instead of the 120k ship value suggested in the core book, he could get a more expensive ship (he has a thing for Lambda's which are 140k) and it have missing certain functionality until the group can raise enough money to fix it.

2. Should I just let him have the Lambda and work the 20k into the story as a debt that has to be repaid?

3. I have "Fly Casual" (and the other Core rulebooks), are there any sourcebooks that I should get for ships in particular, or are there any good online references?

Thanks in advance, I'm sure I'll have more dumb questions later.

The problem I see with the Lambda is not monetary, but that it's essentially "government issue"; it has a Big Fat Restricted next to its price tag.

It is like allowing a disruptor as starting gear (not advisable) for the achievable 500+2500 cr., but one that you can't hide under your codpiece.

The book price for a ship is technically its "as new" listing and a guideline.

A battered, previously scrapped and "not looking all that pretty" ship would in theory cost a lot less, even if it still had all the functionality. An easy fix is for it to be a civilian model and remove some of the weapons. While it looks nice, i don't think the Lambda Shuttle makes for a very comfy ship for long distance travels...it doesn't even have proper crew quarters.

Well nothing would speak against a used, rusty, old Lambda, that its former captain has modded for long distance travel, installing crew quarters, and such things, that somehow landed on the used ships market. Why shouldn't you allow it, if your group really wants it?

42 minutes ago, MasterZelgadis said:

Why shouldn't you allow it, if your group really wants it?

Because it's illegal?!

It's your game, if you want it, make it legal. Maybe it's an old stripped down Lambda the empire has sorted out, maybe it's a version a skilled technician has assembled from spare parts.

Also, most groups of are dubious legality to start with...so long as you are not stopping off at Core Worlds or Imperial Monitored Starports, you'd probably not have to be overly concerned. This is a reason for shadowports, to have places to put your illegal ship or a ship that has had its BOSS code burnt.

Lambda Shuttle is a Starting Shop option in Age of Rebellion; so there's a precedent to giving it to PCs from the get-go.

Part of the extra obligation for spending 20k more on the ship could be that it is stolen (obviously) from Imperials. But, I would explain in advance how much of a hindrance this would be to the PCs in advance.

As another option, perhaps give them a Nu-class or Theta-class shuttle from the Clone Wars era. For legality purposes, it could easily be considered a salvaged ship with its transponder code being completely legal.

As for all of the passenger seats, I would rule that several of them could be ripped out and replaced with cabins. I've used the table below for converting accommodations. Long-Term Facilities represent a galley and fresher(s) which are half the size (encumbrance) of the cabin space.

1 hour ago, Ferretfur said:

Also, most groups of are dubious legality to start with...so long as you are not stopping off at Core Worlds or Imperial Monitored Starports, you'd probably not have to be overly concerned. This is a reason for shadowports, to have places to put your illegal ship or a ship that has had its BOSS code burnt.

There is difference between being a criminal with a bag of illegal weapons in the boot and driving around in a stolen police car, I'd say.

If you're willing to limit yourself to shadowports, go ahead! I wouldn't, just for the benefit of a fancy ride. I just wanted to point, that there is, to my understanding, no way for a civilian to own one of those ships legally.

20 minutes ago, kaosoe said:

Lambda Shuttle is a Starting Shop option in Age of Rebellion; so there's a precedent to giving it to PCs from the get-go.

But as Rebellion character you're a wanted traitor/terrorist, anyhow.

If it fits the campaign you want to run, start them with whatever ship you want. Doesnt matter if that is an escape pod or if it is an imperial star destroyer.

5 minutes ago, korjik said:

If it fits the campaign you want to run, start them with whatever ship you want. Doesnt matter if that is an escape pod or if it is an imperial star destroyer.

That's what I said. It's your game. Play it as it fits your style.

"Don't say 'no', say 'yes, but'"

One thing to consider is that a Lambda-class shuttle is often seen as being an Imperial vessel.

So even if a group is on the Outer Rim or other fringes of space, them showing up in an Imperial military ship is going to at the very least raise eyebrows, if not concerns amidst the galactic fringe, who generally try to avoid any Imperial entanglements.

All that being said, I don't see it as being too much of a problem for an EotE group to start off with one such ship, since one of the starting group resource choices for AoR is a fully-functioning Lambda-class shuttle with (at least to start) various code clearances to get them into and out of Imperial-centric locations without raising too many eyebrows.

I'd say between not having those code clearances to begin with and the added attention they're going to get from other spacers, especially those of a criminal bent, I'd say letting an EotE party start off with a fully working shuttle is fine.

1 hour ago, Donovan Morningfire said:

One thing to consider is that a Lambda-class shuttle is often seen as being widely recognized as an Imperial vessel.

Clarified that for you.

5 hours ago, kaosoe said:

Lambda Shuttle is a Starting Shop option in Age of Rebellion; so there's a precedent to giving it to PCs from the get-go.

Which you need "[...] forged Imperial ID codes [for, if you] want a reliable way of getting around the galaxy [...]" (AoR CRB, p. 111).

Might even be Restricted because of that.

7 minutes ago, Grimmerling said:

Which you need "[...] forged Imperial ID codes [for, if you] want a reliable way of getting around the galaxy [...]" (AoR CRB, p. 111).

Might even be Restricted because of that.

None of that excludes it has a starting resource. It's just going to be something that a group could potentially deal with if the GM wants to make it part of their game.

No Disney lawyer will ever come to your table and sue you, if you change aspects of the game, if you like it to play that way. So if you want to allow a Lambda shuttle, do it.

Why not give him a Nu-class Transport instead?
It's the precursor to the Lamdba shuttle (also known as the Imperial Lambda, Imperial Transport or the Imperial Shuttle, hence the reluctance of many here to say you should give him one... it's like giving a civilian an unarmed LAV-25. Sure, it's probably technically possible to get one as a civilian, but if you're living in a military dictatorship like the Empire, you'll be stopped at every corner).

Well like how we have cop auctions where older cop cars are sold to the public after having some of their parts removed the group could find a decommissioned Lambda that's been stripped of Imperial codes and has been given a different paint job. That way it could have paperwork allowing it in the core worlds and it could be painted with a special insignia so as to tip off people at shadowports.As other have said it's your game your world. If Disney can nuke the galaxy and change what's canon then you can too. The game already sits in between the two worlds by containing legends content and new canon content. The world is yours. I actually include Halo vehicles in mine cause I like their design. So they're freely on the market.

Don't do all the leg work yourself, say they can have it but ask the players to explain exactly how they got a restricted military class vessel for themselves. The hole they inevitably dig themselves will make it a much more personal ship and should bring everyone together. As a bonus they provide a couple of hooks for you to use later on.

If you are concerned about the weapons perhaps downgrade them but I doubt it's necessary.

edit: oh and well done tricking them to play with "those funny dice"

I found this for a civilian layout for a converted Lambda which might help:

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/684054630871787309/

I found this for a civilian layout for a converted Lambda which might help:

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/684054630871787309/

I cant remember how you show the pic in the link here and sorry for duplication of post!

You guys are awesome, thank you for the advice. My pal was going to go with the stolen/decommissioned Lambda idea above but after looking around a bit more I think he is going to go with a GX1 short hauler instead.

I really do appreciate some of the deeper, more philosophical suggestions given here, thanks again!

A hawk-1000 with the paramilitary conversion on page 71 of dangerous covenants is pretty sweet (+1 armor,-1 handling, +2 hull,-2 system strain, +1 defense in 1 zone, 2 quad laser cannons). even though it uses up ALL of your hard points there are still quite a few zero hard point upgrades you can add. like the droid brains, encrypted computer, security measures, reinforced engine cowlings