Star Wars: Ultimate Starfighting Championship

This is a tournament of indomitable will, death-defying maneuvers, and vicious dogfighting!

Talented pilots from around the galaxy gathered on Byblos to test their mettle and push their skills to the limit! Thousands applied but only one-hundred and twenty-eight were accepted into the preliminary rounds.

After an exhaustive series of heads-up contests and elimination challenges, the field has been narrowed to the final 36 pilots!

Now, these 18 elite elements will embark upon the XXX and journey to the Outer Rim and the very edges of Wild Space. There, the tension will heighten as they battle fiercely to prove they are the best of the best... and claim the title of Ultimate Ace!

Welcome... to the Ultimate Starfighting Championship!

The Tournament

Current Standings

Standing	Element	Names	Victories	Popularity
1st	Grand Masters	Bud Abbott & Lou Costello	0	0%
2nd	The Odd Couple	Jack Lemmon & Walter Matthau	0	0%
3rd	OG Comedians	Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy	0	0%
4th	Saturday Nighters	Chris Farley & David Spade	0	0%
5th	Telethoners	Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin	0	0%
6th	Street Jumpers	Jonah Hill & Channing Tatum	0	0%
7th	UK Comedians	Simon Pegg & Nick Frost	0	0%
8th	Saddle Blazers	Gene Wilder & Richard Pryor	0	0%
9th	Shake & Bakers	Will Ferrel & John C. Reilly	0	0%
10th	Frat Packers	Ben Stiller & Owen Wilson	0	0%
11th	Rush Hour Renegades	Chris Tucker & Jackie Chan	0	0%
12th	Classic Commedians	Bob Hope & Bing Crosby	0	0%
13th	Geeky Stoners	Seth Rogan & James Franco	0	0%
14th	Ditzy Dealers	Kevin Smith & Jason Mewes	0	0%
15th	Silly Sisters	Tina Fey & Amy Poehler	0	0%
16th	Wet Bandits	Joe Pesci & Daniel Stern	0	0%
17th	Dumb and Dumber	Jim Carrey & Jeff Daniels	0	0%
18th	The Swingers'	Vince Vaughn & Jon Favreau	0	0%

Ranks

At any given time, each contestant's position is documented by their rank.

• The leader of the best element has the rank of Commander, and their wingman a Major.
• The leaders of the second and third best elements have the rank of Major, and their wingmen are Captains.
• The leaders of the fourth through ninth elements have the rank of Captain, and their wingmen are Lieutenants.
• The leaders of the remaining nine elements are Lieutenants, and their wingmen are Flight Officers.

Squadron Organization

For Squadron level events, the Commander and ranked Majors will serve as leader of their Squadron and their Flight. The Captains will serve subordinate Flight Leaders.

The Squadron Leaders, in order of current standing, get to pick the Captains that serve as their Flight Leaders, and the Lieutenant that will fill out 1st Flight.

The Captains, also in order of rank, get to pick the Lieutenant that fills out the second part of their Flight.

	Aurek Squadron	Besh Squadron	Cresh Squadron
First Flight	Commander	Major	Major
	*Major	*Captain	*Captain
	Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Lieutenant
	*Flight Officer	*Flight Officer	*Flight Officer
Second Flight	Captain	Captain	Captain
	*Lieutenant	*Lieutenant	*Lieutenant
	Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Lieutenant
	*Flight Officer	*Flight Officer	*Flight Officer
Third Flight	Captain	Captain	Captain
	*Lieutenant	*Lieutenant	*Lieutenant
	Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Lieutenant
	*Flight Officer	*Flight Officer	*Flight Officer

The Setting

Hosted by Archetype Technologies Ltd, the Ultimate Starfighting Championship is a tournament that pits the best fighter pilots from around the galaxy in a series of challenges to claim the title, Ultimate Ace.

Challenges will consist of dogfights against other contestants in actual starfighters as well as scenarios set up in the networked simulators.

Rule Modifications

Teamwork

Starfighter Squadrons in Star Wars are 12 pilots (up until the most recent games/novels) so I'm bringing in the concept of wingmen from Kriegszeppelin Valkyrie.

Expanding on this notion... elements of fighters can group up into Flights or whole Squadrons for teamwork bonuses to take down larger capital ships.

Single Fighter... (1-1).... +0 Teamwork Bonus
Element............ (2-3).... +1 Teamwork Bonus
Flight................ (4-9).... +2 Teamwork Bonus
Squadron......... (10-19) +3 Teamwork Bonus
Two Squadrons (20-28) +4 Teamwork Bonus
Wing................. (29-48) +5 Teamwork Bonus

This would primarily be for PC's grouping together to take on Capital ships and as a way to abstract the squadron to squadron combat in the background, rather than rolling dozens of fighters individually.

Fighter Types

	Interceptor	Fighter	Bomber	Support
Obsolete	TIE (original)	N-1 Starfighter	Cloakshape Fighter
Last Generation	TIE Line	Z-95 Headhunter	ARC-170
Current Generation	A-wing, TIE Interceptor, TIE Brute	X-wing, TIE Striker	Y-wing, B-wing, TIE Bomber	U-wing, TIE Reaper
Prototype/Modified

All the main fighters, X-wing, Y-wing, A-wing and B-wing will be defined as current generation fighters. Older fighters such as the Z-95 Headhunter are considered last generation.

Last Gen fighters have 3 stunts worth of bonuses Current Gen fighters have 4 stunts worth of bonuses. Modified or Next Gen fighters can have 5 (or more) stunts worth of bonuses, but may carry with it some additional risks.

Starfighters are classified as either a Interceptor designed for starfighter to starfighter combat, a Bomber designed for attacking capital ships, or as a multi-role... for which we will use the term Fighter... which is capable of both.

The high concept can be invoked for a bonus as long as it is greater than that of the opposing starfighter. A Fighter can invoke it to shoot a Bomber, and an Interceptor can invoke it to shoot a Fighter, but a Fighter can't invoke it to shoot an Interceptor.

Scale

Despite the many different naming conventions found across the galaxy, the Old Republic, Empire and now the New Republic all use the this basic categorization.

0- Starfighters/transports
1- Corvette class 80-195m
2- Frigate class 200-395m
3- Cruiser class 400-895m
4- Dreadnaught class 900-1895m
5- Super class 1900m+

I like the concept of scale that FATE/FAE introduced, so I'll be working different angles to use it as a way to make Capital ships more dangerous and unique.

Aspects

While we could provide statistical bonuses for more aspects of each fighter, the goal of the game is not simulation. The stunts chosen (which are subject to change) are designed to give the feel for each fighter. Aspects provide narrative permission to perform CAA's that simulate the other features.

"Hyperdrive Equipped" Can jump to hyperspace. Duh. "Shield Equipped" The Pilot can use technology to Create Shield advantages. The first one of the combat has Mediocre (+0) difficulty. Only two free invokes can be active at any given time. the difficulty increases by 1 for each invoke that has been used. "Ion Equipped" Can use gunnery to create CAA's related to Ionization of the target ship. Defended against via the targets pilot skill... bypasses shields.

Rebel Starfighters

X-wing (NR)
“Foremost Multi-role Fighter” “Shield & Hyperdrive Equipped”

• High-Performance Engines: Max 1 Pilot die on Overcome and
• Quad Laser Cannons: Max 1 Gunnery die on Attacks with lasers.
• Astromech Slot: Max 1 Technology die on Overcome and CAA actions related to repairs
• Proton Torpedoes: Tech, Corvette Scale, Weapon 2, 2 uses

Y-wing (NR)
“Venerable & Rugged Bomber” “Shield & Hyperdrive Equipped”

• Dorsal Turret (Snap Shots)
• Ion Cannons: Maximize 1 Gunnery die on CAA’s with ion cannons.
• Astromech Slot: Max 1 Technology die on Overcome and CAA actions related to repairs
• Ordinance Bay

A-wing (NR)
“Temperamental & Elusive Interceptor” “Jammer, Shield & Hyperdrive Equipped”

• Event Horizon Engines: Max 2 Pilot (2 stunts)
• Vectored Thrust: Max 1 Tactics
• Concussion Missiles: Tech, Starfighter Scale, Weapon 2, 4 uses (Interceptors Only)

B-wing (NR)
“High Powered/High Maintenance Bomber” “Ion, Shield & Hyperdrive Equipped”

• Heavy Laser Cannons: Weapon: 2
• Ion Cannons: Maximize 1 Gunnery die on CAA’s with ion cannons.
• Advanced Targeting computer: Maximize 1 Gunnery/Technology die for attacks against capital ships.
• Ordinance Bay

U-wing (NR)

Imperial Fighters

TIE/IN Interceptor (GE) AKA “Squint”
“Military Grade Interceptor”

• High Performance Engines: Max 1 Pilot die when defending against attacks
• Quad Laser Cannons: Max 1 Gunnery die on Attacks with lasers.
• Power Shunt: Max 1 Technology died on CAA’s related to power distribution.
• Agile Frame: Max 1 Tactics die on overcome actions related to positioning.

TIE/RB Brute (GE) AKA “Wink”
“Up Gunned Interceptor” “Integrated Droid Processor” “High Speed, High Mass”

TIE/SA Bomber (GE) AKA “Dupe”

• Advanced Targeting computer: Maximize 1 Gunnery/Technology die for attacks against capital ships.
• Reinforced Hull: Maximize 1 Pilot die for defending against attacks.
• Double Ordinance Bay (2 stunts)

TIE/SK Striker (GE) AKA "Uni"

TIE/RP Reaper (GE) "AKA "Brow”

Inspiration & Acknowleddgements

These rules are primarily based on Tachyon Squadron (TS) by Clark Valentine and Kriegszeppelin Valkyrie (KZ)... which as it turns out is also by Clark Valentine.

Go figure.

The game was originally planned to lean more toward TS but has now shifted back toward KZ for ease of gameplay in a PbP format. There have been a few changes, most notably the die maximizing/minimizing concept from TS and slightly more detailed fighters.

In order to fit what I feel is more in the keeping of 'A galaxy far, far away', I want to capitalize on the wingman concept from KZ.

Additional inspiration came from:

• Michael Stackpole's Rogue Squadron series. Duh.
• Top Gun. Also duh.
• Iustam's Salamis/Battlestar Galactica game, run using Tachyon Squadron rules.
• Pstjmack's Raiders of the Rim/Star Wars game, which bases it's space combat on Tachyon Squadron, but expands it to ships of all sizes.
• Discussion posts [1] between Reddit users DaStainlessSteelRat and DiceSpacer who statted many of the fighters and systems for Tachyon Squadron, which I used as a starting point.