TSGS Sci-Fi SRD
| Author | Craig Schwarze |
| With | Contributors |
| Year | 2008 |
| Licence | Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License |
| Website | Alderon's Tower |
Introduction
You are reading a supplement for The Simple Game System, a role-playing game of supreme simplicity, ease of play, and fast action. This game and it's supplements are distributed free from:
http://tower.newcenturycomputers.net/tsgs.html
This supplement contains details that will allow you to run a science fiction campaign using the TSGS rules.
Skills
The following skills are useful for science fiction campaigns. The GM may modify the list as he sees appropriate. The base ability for the skill is shown in brackets.
Astrogation (Clever) – enables character to navigate a starship through interstellar space.
Engineering (Clever) – enables character to repair and modify mechanical and electrical equipment.
Firearms (Dexterous) – enables character to attack using firearms, such as pistols or rifles.
Info Tech (Clever) – enables character to find information on a computer or network. Also enables character to overcome computer and network security systems.
Medical (Clever) – enables character to heal wounds, with the aid of a medical kit.
Melee (Agile) – enables character to attack using a hand to hand weapon, such as an energy baton.
Perception (Wise) – enables character to sense the motive of whoever he is talking to. Also enables him to notice unusual things, and to find hidden items.
Persuasion (Charming) – enables character to persuade someone to do his will. Also helpful when bargaining.
Piloting (Dexterous) – enables a character to pilot a starship.
Starship Combat (Dexterous) – enables character to attack using a starship's weapon systems.
Stealth (Agile) – enables character to hide effectively, and to move without being seen.
Survival (Wise) – enables character to survive in a hostile environment.
Professions
All characters have a profession, which determines which skill set they start with. At the GM's discretion, the profession may be current, or it may represent a past career.
Diplomat
Persuasion+, Info Tech, Perception, Firearms
Engineer
Engineering+, Info Tech+, Perception
Fighter Pilot
Starship Combat+, Piloting+, Firearms
Merchant
Piloting+, Astrogation, Engineering, Persuasion
Soldier
Firearms+, Melee, Medical, Survival
Spy
Stealth+, Firearms, Melee, Persuasion
Equipment
Following are some standard items of sci-fi equipment. The GM may add to this list as required.
Weapons
Energy Pistol – emits a pulse of plasma.
Energy Rifle – similar to the energy pistol, except with longer range.
Energy Baton – a half meter rod which emits a lethal charge of energy when it strikes a target.
Misc
Respirator – a compact device that enables a character to breath in a low oxygen atmosphere, or underwater.
Security Kit – enables a character with the Info Tech skill to bypass computer and network security.
MultiLink – a hand held combination computer/ phone/camera/scanner.
Medical Kit – enables a character with medical skill to treat wounds.
Hot Torch – a powerful hand held cutting tool.
Lamp – a light emitting device.
Knife – a knife.
Rations – a concentrated yeast-based food source. Very compact.
Shelter – a portable 2-man shelter, self erecting. Very compact.
Starships
All starships may be defined by three attributes – toughness (strength of the hull), speed and agility (maneuverability). In addition, some ships may have energy cannons, missiles or a jump drive.
Following are some typical ship types -
Freighter (tough, clumsy, jump)
Fighter (fast, agile, cannon)
Passenger Liner (fast, jump)
Yacht (fast, agile, flimsy)
Bomber (very tough, slow, clumsy, 4xcannons, 10 missiles, jump)
Modified Freighter (tough, fast, cannon, jump)
Other ship types may be added at the GM's discretion.
Piloting
To operate a starship, a character must have the piloting skill. Skill rolls may be required when attempting a particularly difficult maneuver, for example, piloting through an asteroid belt.
Astrogation
Ships with a jump drive may move nearly instantly between star systems. A jump drive may only be operated by a character with the Astrogation skill. To make a successful jump, the character must make a successful Astrogation skill roll against the toughness of the jump. Jumping along well established interstellar routes is easy. Jumping to remote, less well known systems is more difficult.
If the character fails a jump roll, the ship will end up in a random system, or possibly in deep space. The character will then need to make a Tough Astrogation roll to determine where the ship is, and then they can attempt another jump.
Combat
Starship combat is played out in a similar way to ordinary combat.
Start by making an initiative check, using the pilots Fast attributes. Attacks are made using the Starship Combat skill, rolling against defending ships Agility, Fast or Piloting skill dice, whichever is higher.
If the ship is hit, a damage point is inflicted. Missiles inflict 2 damage points. The ship must then make a Toughness roll against the accumulated damage points or be incapacitated or destroyed (GM's discretion).
Subsequent action penalties exist, as per the personal combat system.
