Vessels for SAGA volume 1.0
by Byron MolixThis is my first shot at writing up building and vehicle statistics and sub-rules for interacting with them. It doesn't cover captains or navigation skills, or working together on specific actions like modifying rigging or defending against a siege attack. Let me know what you think.
Buildings and Vehicles each have a small set of statistics.
Manoeuvrability
Structure
Magic Resistance
Defence
They can also have Weapons and Notes, which includes Powers, Vulnerabilities etc. Weapons will have varying degrees of damage classes, and siege weapons are weapons with protective armour or buildings built around them. Certain building materials will make the final object, building or vessel, vulnerable to specific kinds of attacks. Wood is vulnerable to fire for instance, and metal is vulnerable to Lightning unless it is not touching the ground or a water source.
Manoeuvrability
This ability refers to how agile the vessel or object is versus other vessels or mobile objects. It is not necessarily intended to work versus characters directly, but more often than not, people will try to launch missiles at a boat, or smash in a castle door. If an object doesn't have a score in this ability, it means it is immobile. It's motive power is none. Some objects may have no motive power but still be manoeuvrable. If an object is completely immobile, characters attacking a portion of the vessel or building should make Average Strength (Structure) or Average Dexterity (Structure) actions. They are trying to defeat the strength of the walls, not simply hit in this instance.
Anything else works as a modifier to all attacks made to the vessel or object. When a character uses regular weapons or magic to attack an inanimate object, the modifier to their action check is Ma -4. For slow or awkward vessels this translates into a bonus to hit. Any time a character uses a ship class or siege weapon versus a vessel, the Manoeuvrability statistic is used unmodified. In most cases, this ability score also determines about how fast the vessel can travel. A schooner with Ma 6 is faster than a Merchantman with Ma 4, even though they are roughly the same size.
Here is a chart to help determine the Manoeuvrability.
Size
| Small | 7 | Wagons, Small Yachts, Coaches, Rowboats |
| Medium | 5 | Small Ships, Caravans, Siege Towers, Small Buildings |
| Large | 3 | Warships, Engines of Destruction, Small Castles |
| Huge | 1 | Large Fortresses, Small Floating Islands |
Body Shape
| Sleek | +1 |
| Average | +0 |
| Bulky | -1 |
Control Scheme
| Magic | +1-5 Includes motive power caused by magic spells or artifacts. |
| Wheels | +1 |
| Rudder | +0 |
| Animals | -1 |
Structure
Sometimes called Hull or Walls, this is the ability that reflects the strength of the vessel or building's makeup. This score repels physical attacks and withstands the elements. Since this also takes into account the size of the vessel or building, any ramming damage would be determined by this ability. Note, when attacking characters will often not directly assault the walls or the hull. The sails, windows and doors are much easier targets. As the narrator you should either decide on a value for each of these things, or simply halve the Structure value and use that. In most instances it will make the action challenging enough that teamwork and co-operation will yield better results.
| Small | 10 |
| Medium | 16 |
| Large | 24 |
| Huge | 30 |
Made out of...
Wall Thickness
| Cloth | -4 | |
| Soft Wood | -2 | |
| Hard Wood | +0 | |
| Soft Metal | +3 | Copper, Gold |
| Hard Metal | +6 | Bronze, Silver |
| Strong Metal | +8 | Iron, Steel |
| Super Metal | +12 | Adamantite, Mithril |
| Dirt | -2 | |
| Rock | +2 | includes Brick |
| Stone | +6 | |
| Thin | -2 | an inch at most |
| Average | +0 | at least two inches |
| Thick | +2 | at least six inches |
| Very Thick | +4 | at least 1 foot |
| Super Thick | +6 | at least 2 feet |
Magic Resistance
This rare ability means that the structure is enchanted to resist magic or is made of a naturally magic resistant material. Simply add the value of this ability as the opposition score to any magic cast on the vessel or building.
Defence
This ability works just like armour
for players. It is determined by what the walls are made of, and
how thick they are. Enchantment adds directly one for one, and a
ship can be enchanted on a one point of magic per point basis, but
the spell has to be long-lived if not permanent to gain any real
effect. Defence works better for buildings and vessels than it does
for characters. Magic and magical abilities that cause physical
damage have their damage rating reduced by the Defence before they
are taken off the structure.
| Cloth | -3 |
| Wood | -6 |
| Metal | -9 |
| Hard Metal | -12 |
| Stone | -9 |
Wall Thickness
| Thin | +2 | an inch at most |
| Average | +1 | at least two inches |
| Thick | +0 | at least six inches |
| Very Thick | -2 | at least 1 foot |
| Super Thick | -2 | at least 2 feet |
For instance, a small Fortress made out of Rock, with foot thick walls would have the following statistics. Structure 36 Defence -10. Anyone trying to break in the reinforced gates would have their strength action opposed by a value of 13, and anyone trying to blow a hole in the wall would have their strength action opposed by a value of 26. If someone were to cast a spell on the walls, or if it were under assault from dragon breath, subtract the defence of -10 from their damage.
| Weapons | Action ability is Dexterity |
| Ballista | +6 to +10 |
| Canon | +8 to +16 |
| Catapult | +12 to +18 |
| Greek Fire | +9, and one less each round. |
Vulnerabilities
| Cloth | No defence versus Fire or Acid |
| Wood | No defence versus Fire, Half Defence versus Electricity |
| Metal | No defence versus Electricity if grounded, Half Defence versus Fire |
| Stone | Half defence versus Cold and Acid |