Solar Runner Tier 6

Solar Runner Tier 6

Small light freighter

Speed 10; Maneuverability good (turn 1); Drift 1
AC 21; TL 21 (assumes 6 ranks in Piloting)
HP 50; DT —; CT 10
Shields Heavy shields 240 (forward 60, port 60, starboard 60, aft 60)
Attack (Forward) linked chain cannons (12d4)
Attack (Port) flak thrower (3d4)
Attack (Starboard) flak thrower (3d4)
Attack (Aft) flak thrower (3d4)
Power Core Pulse Red (175 PCU); Hyperspace Engine Signal Basic; Systems advanced long-range sensors, crew quarters (common), mk 4 armor, mk 4 defenses, mk 3 mononode computer (tier 3, artificial personality), new weapon mount (aft); Expansion Bays cargo hold, science lab, tech workshop; Modifiers +3 to any one check per round, +4 Computers (sensors only), +1 Piloting; Complement 6 (minimum 1, maximum 6)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Limited Fire

When a solar runner is within a star, the physical ammunition that its weapons fire burns up in stellar plasma after the second range increment (10 hexes), preventing these weapons from hitting anything beyond that range.

Overpowered

A solar runner is designed to draw power from the energies channeled through its solar shields and power core, so it becomes much easier to distribute that power to various systems while the vessel is fully immersed in an active star. While inside such a stellar body, the DC for the engineer’s divert and overpower crew actions is 5 lower than normal.

Sensitive System Balance

A solar runner’s systems work in delicate concert, making any adjustment of the ship’s systems risky. Each time a solar runner is refitted or upgraded with new systems, the vessel takes 5d10–20 virtual damage that can also cause critical damage. Detecting this “damage” requires a successful Engineering check (DC = 15 + 1-1/2 times the solar runner’s tier). When detected, this virtual damage can be repaired as if it were real, signifying rebalancing a solar runner’s sensitive systems. If undetected, the damage and critical damage becomes real the next time the vessel enters a stressful situation, such as starship combat. In addition, when a solar runner takes critical damage in starship combat, it has a 10% chance to take critical damage a second time in a random system.

Siccatite Degradation

Prolonged exposure to internal solar forces can eventually fatigue the ship’s siccatite matrix to the point of failure. A solar runner takes 1d4 damage each day it remains in contact with solar forces. This damage can be repaired only in a safe harbor and with 1 Bulk of siccatite per 5 damage or fraction thereof repaired.

Solar Shield Channel

Because the shield system channels destructive solar forces around and through the vessel, a solar runner is considered to have only half its normal shields while within a star (120 for the unmodified Solar Runner). The starship’s shields take half damage from starship gravity, laser, and plasma weapons. These shields also block the irradiate weapon special property. Conversely, a solar runner can’t fire gravity, laser, or plasma weapons through its own shields. A solar runner’s shields also block the EMP and irradiate weapon special properties of any non-tracking weapon the vessel fires.