Star Wars Universe Roleplaying Game

The Next Generation of Star Wars Tabletop Adventure

    Starship Combat Rules

    These rules cover how starship battles and high-speed vehicle chases work in SWURPG. They are designed to feel cinematic while staying tactical and fast to run at the table.

    Use this page whenever starfighters dogfight above a battlefield, freighters try to outrun Imperial patrols, or capital ships exchange turbolaser volleys in deep space.

    On This Page

    1. Starship Stats

    Starships use specialized stats to represent size, maneuverability, structural toughness, and onboard systems.

    Size Categories

    Starship size affects Armor Class, ease of being hit, handling, and typical hull durability.

    Hull Points (HP)

    Hull Points represent a ship's structural integrity. When a starship is reduced to 0 HP, it becomes disabled or destroyed, depending on its class and the situation (see Outcomes of Combat).

    Shields

    Shields function as temporary hit points. All damage is applied to shields first. Once shields are depleted, damage begins reducing hull HP.

    Handling Bonus

    The Handling Bonus reflects a ship's agility and responsiveness. It is added to:

    Speed

    A starship's listed speed is primarily used narratively: it influences whether the GM grants Advantage on attempts to pull away, chase down, or maintain distance. Faster ships are better at increasing or reducing range.

    Armor Class (AC)

    Starship AC represents how difficult a ship is to hit with incoming fire, independent of its shields. Use the following formula:

    Starship AC Formula

    Starship AC = 10 + Handling Bonus + Size Modifier + Structural Integrity Bonus (SIB)

    Size Modifiers

    Size AC Modifier Description
    Tiny +3 Escape pods, single-seat speeders; hard to track or hit.
    Small +2 Starfighters, light transports; fast and agile.
    Medium +0 Freighters, patrol ships; balanced profile.
    Large −2 Gunships, assault shuttles; broad target signature.
    Huge −4 Corvettes, heavy freighters; massive, slow targets.
    Gargantuan −6 Capital ships; enormous, easy to hit but resilient.
    Colossal −8 Supercapital ships and dreadnoughts.

    Structural Integrity Bonus (SIB)

    The Structural Integrity Bonus reflects hull design, internal bracing, frame density, and reinforced bulkheads. It is added to AC and helps estimate typical hull durability.

    Structural Integrity Examples

    Ship Model Class / Type Size Base SIB Typical HP Notes
    74-Z Speeder Bike Speeder Tiny 0 10 Lightweight and unarmored; designed purely for speed.
    Delta-7 Aethersprite Jedi Starfighter Small 1 25 Highly maneuverable, minimal structure, generally unshielded.
    TIE Fighter (LN) Starfighter Small 0 25 Exposed frame, no shields, weak armor; extremely agile.
    TIE Interceptor Starfighter (Elite) Small 1 30 Reinforced supports but still fragile.
    TIE Bomber Heavy Starfighter Small 2 45 Dual-hull pod with heavier armor around the cockpit.
    TIE Advanced x1 Prototype Starfighter Small 2 50 Reinforced plating and limited shielding.
    TIE Defender Elite Starfighter Small 2 60 Heavy armor and deflectors; built for survivability.
    A-Wing Interceptor Small 1 25 Extremely fast but fragile.
    X-Wing (T-65B) Multirole Starfighter Small 2 45 Durable and balanced; excellent all-rounder.
    Y-Wing Heavy Bomber Small 2 55 Heavy armor and slow; built for durability.
    U-Wing (Standard) Medium Transport / Gunship Medium 2 80 Balanced between armor, cargo, and troop transport.
    Lambda-Class Shuttle Medium Transport Medium 2 100 Durable and stable frame; standard Imperial shuttle.
    Sentinel-Class Shuttle Heavy Transport Medium 3 120 Military hull with thickened plating.
    YT-1300 Freighter Freighter Medium 2 120 Compartmentalized cargo hull with solid integrity.
    YT-2400 Freighter Heavy Freighter Medium 3 150 Thicker plating and sturdier frame than the YT-1300.
    VCX-100 "Ghost" Gunship Freighter Medium 3 150 Rugged, modular hull; highly resilient.
    LAAT/i Gunship Assault Dropship Large 3 180 Heavily armored for close-ground support.
    Havoc Marauder Tactical Gunship Large 3 190 Clone-era dropship with reinforced core structure.
    Gozanti-Class Cruiser Light Transport / Escort Large 3 200 Durable hauler with military-grade plating.
    CR90 Corvette Corvette / Escort Frigate Huge 3 250 Multi-deck hull with heavy bracing.
    Raider-Class Corvette Imperial Corvette Huge 3 240 Slim design but strong durasteel structure.
    Nebulon-B Frigate Frigate Huge 3 280 Modular hull with redundancies for damage control.
    Arquitens Light Cruiser Cruiser Huge 4 320 Optimized armor and strong internal bulkheads.
    Venator-Class Star Destroyer Destroyer Gargantuan 4 500 Dual-hull design with excellent damage tolerance.
    Victory-Class Star Destroyer Destroyer Gargantuan 4 600 Thicker, denser armor than the Venator.
    Imperial I-Class Star Destroyer Capital Ship Gargantuan 5 800 Massive armor plating and extreme redundancy.
    Mon Calamari Star Cruiser (MC80) Capital Ship Gargantuan 5 850 Bioengineered hull with self-repairing structure.
    Lucrehulk Battleship Command Ship Gargantuan+ 5 900 Incredibly dense frame with near-impervious armor.
    Executor-Class Dreadnought Supercapital Colossal 6 1500 Multi-core substructure and enormous armor layers.

    Handling Bonus Examples

    Starship Type Size Handling Bonus Notes
    TIE Fighter Small +2 Basic Imperial precision cannons with manual targeting.
    X-Wing / Republic Starfighter Small +2 Advanced targeting computer and gyro-stabilized fire control.
    Z-95 Headhunter Small +1 Older systems with less efficient fire calibration.
    Blaster Shuttle / Civilian Transport Medium +0 Manual turret control and low-end optics.
    YT-1300 Freighter Medium +0 Military-grade quad turret optics, gyro-linked gunnery.
    YT-2400 Freighter Medium +1 Refined freighter with an upgraded targeting package.
    Assault Gunship / LAAT Large −1 Stabilized turrets and assisted targeting systems.
    CR90 Corvette Huge −2 Dedicated fire control crew with long-range optics.
    Nebulon-B Frigate Huge −3 Multiple gunners with linked targeting arrays.
    Imperial Star Destroyer Gargantuan −2 Heavy sensor arrays and an advanced targeting network.
    Trade Federation Battleship Gargantuan −4 Droid-managed precision targeting with redundant systems.

    Starship Stat Template

    Ship Name [Name] Model [Model]
    Class [Class] Size [Size]
    Crew [Crew Composition] Passengers [Passengers]
    Length [Length in meters] Speed [Slow / Standard / Fast / Very Fast]

    Defenses & Core Stats

    Structural Integrity Bonus Handling Bonus Size Modifier Armor Class Hull Points (HP)
    [SIB] [Handling] [Size Mod] [AC] [HP Max]

    Shields

    Max Shields Current Shields Temporary Shields
    [Max Shields] [Current] [Temp]

    Weapons

    Weapon Attribute Range Band Accuracy Modifier Damage
    [Weapon Name] [DEX / INT] [Dogfight / Close / Medium / Long] [Acc Mod] [Damage Dice]

    Systems & Features

    Hyperdrive [Rating or “None”]
    Sensors [Short / Medium / Long]
    Navigation System [Basic / Standard / Advanced / Limited]
    Tractor Beam [Yes / No]
    Special Conditions
    • [Condition or trait #1]
    • [Condition or trait #2]

    📄 Starship Stat Sheet (Google Sheet Resource)

    Players can use this Google Sheet to track and manage starship statistics during gameplay, including hull, shields, weapons, handling, and system conditions. Just copy the sheet to be able to edit it.

    ➤ Open the SWURPG Starship Stat Sheet

    2. Actions in Starship Combat

    Each starship acts once per round. The crew act on the ship's initiative; crew members do not roll their own initiative.

    Initiative

    To determine starship initiative, roll:

    Starship Initiative = d20 + 20 + Pilot's Initiative Bonus + Handling Bonus

    The flat +20 keeps starship combat clearly separated from ground combat on the same initiative track. If you are not mixing the two, you can ignore the +20 and treat this as a normal initiative roll with a Handling bonus.

    Evasive Maneuvers

    Type: Pilot Action (Defensive)
    Roll: Pilot check + Handling Bonus
    Purpose: Avoid incoming fire and stay alive; you are focusing on agility, not changing distance.
    Restriction: You cannot change range when taking this action.

    Evasive Maneuvers Results

    Roll Result Outcome Effect Example
    Fail by 5 or more Botched Maneuver No AC bonus. One enemy of the GM's choice gains Advantage on their next attack against you. The freighter over-rolls through debris, exposing its flank to enemy fire.
    Fail by 1–4 Partial Failure You steady the ship but fail to juke incoming shots. No bonuses or penalties. The pilot banks late, avoiding a collision but staying in the enemy's sights.
    Success by 0–4 Standard Evasion You gain +2 AC until your next turn and impose Disadvantage on one enemy's next attack against you. A Y-Wing weaves through laser fire, forcing a pursuing fighter to misjudge its next burst.
    Success by 5–9 Skilled Evasion You gain +4 AC and impose Disadvantage on all attacks made against you until your next turn. The smuggler corkscrews through blaster fire, every shot going wide.
    Success by 10 or more Ace Maneuver You gain +4 AC, impose Disadvantage on all attacks, and force one enemy pilot to make a Pilot check (DC = your roll) or lose 1 range category away from their desired position. The ace pilot spins through wreckage, shaking one pursuer completely.

    Increase or Reduce Range

    Type: Pilot Action (Positional)
    Roll: Pilot check + Handling Bonus
    DC: Typically 12–18, depending on clutter, gravity wells, traffic, and similar conditions (set by the GM).

    Before rolling, the pilot declares one of the following:

    Range Change Results

    Roll Result Outcome Effect Example
    Fail by 5 or more Botched Maneuver You drift the wrong way. The enemy controls range and moves 1 category in their favor. A freighter pilot tries to break away but clips debris, slipping from Medium to Close range instead.
    Fail by 1–4 Partial Failure No change in distance. Engines strain or the maneuver stalls. A TIE fighter pushes its thrusters but the freighter jukes; the range holds steady.
    Success by 0–4 Standard Maneuver You shift 1 range category as declared. A Y-Wing closes from Medium (2–10 km) to Close (500 m–2 km), bringing its torpedoes into optimal range.
    Success by 5–9 Skilled Maneuver You shift 1 range category and gain +2 AC until the start of your next turn or impose Disadvantage on one foe's next Pilot check (your choice). A TIE Bomber speeds ahead, shaking a pursuing fighter in ion exhaust as it widens to Medium range.
    Success by 10 or more Ace Maneuver You either shift 2 range categories or shift 1 category and impose Disadvantage on one enemy's next attack and Pilot check. An A-Wing dives from Long range straight into a Dogfight, forcing the enemy to scramble.

    Range Categories

    Range Bands and Effects

    Range Category Approximate Distance Combat Characteristics Typical Actions and Effects
    Dogfight 0–500 meters Close pursuit and extreme maneuvers. Ships are in visual range, often overlapping flight paths. Small craft gain Advantage on attacks.
    Large ships have Disadvantage on attacks due to turret arc limits.
    Ramming and boarding attempts are possible.
    Successful break-away maneuvers can move a ship to Close Range.
    Close Range 500 meters – 2 kilometers Standard starfighter and light cannon range. Blaster cannons, turrets, and ion cannons operate normally.
    Proton torpedoes and missiles can fire without penalty.
    Tractor beams can attempt to lock on (Pilot DC 14 to resist).
    Medium Range 2–10 kilometers Ideal for heavier weapons and slower ships. Starfighters typically attack at Disadvantage (beyond their ideal range).
    Heavy weapons and turbolasers operate normally.
    Pilots frequently attempt range changes to close or escape.
    Long Range 10–50 kilometers Extreme range where only large ship batteries, longblasters, and missiles are reliable. Most starfighters cannot hit effectively (Disadvantage or no target lock, GM discretion).
    Heavy and capital ship weapons function normally.
    A ship that maintains Long Range for 3 consecutive rounds can successfully retreat.

    Attack

    Starship attacks use the following formula:

    Starship Attack Roll = d20 + Proficiency Bonus + Ability Modifier (Dexterity or Intelligence) + Weapon Accuracy Modifier

    Dexterity is common for live pilots manually firing weapons. Intelligence may apply when using highly automated targeting suites or firing from a command console, at the GM's discretion.

    Weapon Accuracy Examples

    Starship Type Size Weapon Accuracy Modifier Notes
    TIE Fighter Small +1 Basic Imperial precision cannons with manual targeting.
    X-Wing / Republic Starfighter Small +2 Advanced targeting computer and auto-gyro fire control.
    Z-95 Headhunter Small +1 Older systems with less efficient fire calibration.
    Blaster Shuttle / Civilian Transport Medium +0 Manual turret control and low-end optics.
    YT-1300 Freighter Medium +1 Military-grade quad turret optics and gyro-linked gunnery.
    YT-2400 Freighter Medium +1 Refined freighter with improved targeting.
    Assault Gunship / LAAT Large +1 Stabilized turrets and assisted targeting systems.
    CR90 Corvette Huge +2 Dedicated fire control crew and long-range optics.
    Nebulon-B Frigate Huge +2 Multiple gunners with linked targeting arrays.
    Imperial Star Destroyer Gargantuan +3 Heavy sensor arrays and an advanced targeting control network.
    Trade Federation Battleship Gargantuan +3 Droid-managed precision targeting with redundant systems.

    Repair or Restore Shields

    Type: Engineer Action
    Roll: d20 + Mechanics (Intelligence)

    The GM sets the DC based on conditions and damage. On a success, choose one:

    An engineer rolls a total of 16 on Mechanics against DC 14 while working in a freighter's engineering bay, restoring 5 shield points to bring the ship back into the fight.

    Command

    Type: Leader / Captain Action
    Skills: Persuasion, Intimidation, or Knowledge: Tactics (GM discretion)

    A leader or captain who is not already using their action to pilot, gun, or conduct repairs can issue commands.

    The commander barks a firing solution to the gunner, using Knowledge: Tactics. On a success, the gunner gains Advantage on their next attack roll.

    3. Flow of Starship Combat

    Starship combat is structured but flexible, allowing you to describe cinematic maneuvers while keeping the round order clear.

    Initiative and Turn Order

    1. Each ship rolls initiative once using the starship initiative formula.
    2. Ships act from highest to lowest initiative.
    3. All actions for a ship and its crew resolve on that ship's turn.

    On a Ship's Turn

    1. Pilot chooses a movement or defensive action (Evasive Maneuvers, Increase/Reduce Range, or maintain current range).
    2. Crew act in any order on the same turn:
      • Gunners make attack rolls.
      • Engineers repair hull or restore shields.
      • Commanders make Command actions to grant Advantage.
    3. Resolve all actions and effects, then move to the next ship in initiative order.

    Example Round

    Situation: A TIE Interceptor is chasing a YT-1300 freighter at Close Range.

    • TIE Interceptor (Initiative 28) acts first and attempts to close into a Dogfight. The pilot succeeds on the Pilot check and shifts from Close Range to Dogfight. The TIE's gunner fires with Advantage due to Dogfight range and lands a hit on the freighter's shields.
    • YT-1300 Freighter (Initiative 24) takes its turn. The pilot uses Evasive Maneuvers and succeeds, gaining +2 AC and imposing Disadvantage on the TIE's next attack. The engineer restores 4 shield points, and the gunner fires back, hitting the TIE for 12 damage and stripping its shields.

    After all ships act, a new round begins and initiative order repeats.

    4. Outcomes of Combat

    Shields Depleted

    Once a ship's shields reach 0, all further damage is applied directly to hull HP. Shields remain offline until restored by an engineer or other effect.

    0 HP: Disabled vs. Destroyed

    Emergency Repairs at 0 HP

    When a ship is reduced to 0 HP but not immediately destroyed, the crew may attempt emergency repairs:

    • Check: Mechanics (Intelligence), DC 20.
    • Success: The ship regains 10 HP, stabilizes, and can move at limited speed, but its weapons remain offline until further repairs.

    Example: A freighter reduced to 0 HP is disabled. The engineer rushes to reroute power and stabilize the core. On a successful Mechanics check, the ship limps away from the battlefield with 10 HP, while the crew argues about which system to fix next.

    Retreat

    A ship can retreat from combat if it maintains Long Range for 3 consecutive rounds without enemy ships successfully closing the distance. At that point, it is considered to have escaped the immediate encounter.

    5. Vehicle Combat

    Speeders, swoops, ground vehicles, and airspeeders use the same core structure as starships.

    Shared Rules

    Targeting Exposed Drivers

    Many vehicles leave the driver partially exposed. Against such vehicles, attackers may choose to target:

    If the driver is incapacitated, the vehicle may crash or coast out of control, depending on speed and environment (GM adjudication).

    6. Environmental Hazards

    Starship and vehicle battles often take place in dangerous environments. Use these hazard tables to quickly add tension and consequences.

    Starship Hazards (d8)

    d8 Hazard Effect
    1 Asteroid Field Pilot DC 16 or the ship takes 2d8 hull damage. On a success, attackers suffer Disadvantage on attacks against that ship until the start of its next turn.
    2 Debris Cloud Pilot DC 14. On a failure, the ship has Disadvantage on all attacks until its next turn due to dust, scrap, and sensor noise.
    3 Gravity Well Pilot DC 18 or the ship loses 1 range category toward the gravity source (pulled closer or away, depending on context).
    4 Ion Storm Engineer DC 15. On a failure, the ship's shields are disabled for 1 round.
    5 Minefield Perception DC 15 to detect in time. On a failure, the ship triggers a mine and takes 3d10 damage.
    6 Enemy ECM Target ship suffers Disadvantage on its next Pilot check or Attack roll (GM chooses based on situation).
    7 Solar Flare All ships in the affected area must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC 15) or have sensors and weapons disabled for 1 round.
    8 Boarding Pods If at Dogfight range, hostile troops attempt to board. The defending pilot can attempt a Pilot check (DC 15) to evade. On a failure, boarding actions begin.

    Vehicle Hazards (d8)

    d8 Hazard Effect
    1 Sharp Turn Pilot DC 15 or the vehicle loses 1 range category and takes 1d6 collision damage from scraping walls, barriers, or other obstacles.
    2 Heavy Traffic Pilot DC 14. On a failure, the vehicle collides with another vehicle or obstruction for 2d6 damage.
    3 Collapsed Stall / Debris Dexterity saving throw DC 14. On a failure, the vehicle takes 1d8 damage and its movement halts for 1 round.
    4 Narrow Alley / Tunnel Pilot DC 16. On a failure, the vehicle crashes and takes 3d6 damage; the GM may also impose conditions such as being stuck or flipped.
    5 Ramp / Gap Jump Pilot DC 15. On a success, the vehicle clears the hazard. On a failure, the chase ends for that vehicle or it crashes, taking 4d6 damage.
    6 Enemy Trick An opponent drops smoke, oil, caltrops, or similar interference. The target has Disadvantage on its next Pilot check.
    7 Fuel Spill Fire Pilot DC 15. On a failure, the vehicle catches fire and takes 1d6 fire damage at the start of each of its turns until the flames are extinguished.
    8 Crowd Panic Pilot DC 12. On a failure, the vehicle is slowed as bystanders scatter, and it loses 1 range category.

    Next Steps

    Use these rules alongside the core Combat System to run cinematic dogfights, tense escapes, and desperate last stands in the void of space or the streets of a crowded city.

    Back to SWURPG Core Rules

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