Crew Stations and Actions

Every ship fight is a problem shared across six stations. The pilot keeps the target in the forward arc. The gunner puts rounds through it. The engineer keeps the power on while both of them push the ship past what it was built to do. The sensor operator tells everyone what is actually happening. The astrogator has the exit route half-calculated. The medic is already moving.

A crew that works together wins fights a better-armed crew loses. A crew that does not is just a ship with people in it.

Ship encounters in Void Drifters are designed to involve the whole crew. Each character has a station, each station has distinct actions, and those actions interact. This chapter is the primary reference for what characters can do during ship encounters, what skills govern those actions, and what happens when a station goes unmanned.

The Six Core Stations

Six stations define what a crew does in ship encounters. On a small crew, one character may cover more than one. On a capital ship, each station may represent a department.

Each station entry covers:

• What the station controls
• Which skill governs it
• Standard actions available (cost: 1 Action)
• Bonus actions available with specific talents
• What happens when the station is unmanned

Station 1: Helm

Controls: Movement, facing, range, and all forms of maneuvering. Governing Skill: Pilot (Operate)

The pilot determines where the ship is and who has a firing solution on whom. Every round, the pilot's choices define the tactical situation for everyone else. Keeping the enemy in the forward arc lets the gunner fire. Breaking the enemy's broadside protects the hull. Positioning near terrain or a debris field creates options.

Standard Actions

Advance. Move the ship one range band toward a chosen target. If the pilot wants to close two bands, this costs their Action and one Maneuver (or two Actions with no Maneuver remaining). No Trial required in clear conditions. Hard Pilot Trial if moving through debris, traffic, or opposition.

Break. Move the ship one range band away from a chosen threat. Same cost structure as Advance. No Trial in clear conditions. Hard Pilot Trial if the threat has a Speed advantage or if terrain limits exit vectors.

Hard Turn. Change the ship's facing by 90 or 180 degrees without expending a Maneuver on separate repositioning. Average Pilot Trial. On success, the ship changes facing and holds position. On failure, the ship changes facing but drifts 1 range band along the old vector (which may be useful or dangerous depending on the tactical situation).

Evasive Maneuver. The pilot dedicates the round to making the ship hard to hit. All attacks against the ship this round add 1 Bane Die from the pilot's active avoidance. Add the Handling modifier as Boon or Bane Dice to this roll. Average Pilot Trial to execute cleanly; failure means the ship evades but drifts 1 range band (GM chooses direction), potentially leaving other targets exposed or entering hazardous terrain.

Disengage. Attempt to break contact. The pilot makes a contested Pilot Trial against the most capable pursuing pilot. On success, the ship opens to Long range and the pursuer must spend at least 2 rounds and succeed at an Average Pilot Trial to close again. On failure, the ship remains at current range. On a Calamity, the ship's vector carries it toward a hazard.

Hold Position. The ship maintains current range, facing, and elevation. No Trial. Removes any situational Bane Die the pilot was carrying from previous rounds. Useful when the pilot wants to give the gunner a stable firing platform or let the engineer catch up with repairs.

Take Position. Move into a favorable arc: put the enemy in the forward arc, position the ship to deny the enemy a broadside, slide into the enemy's blind spot. Average Pilot Trial, modified by Handling and relative speeds. On success, the desired arc or position is established. On failure, the pilot partially repositions but does not achieve the specific advantage sought.

Out of Combat

In narrative play, the pilot handles navigation oversight, course corrections, docking approaches, and atmospheric entry. These typically do not require Trials unless conditions are unusual. Hard Pilot Trial for docking in a live combat zone, busy asteroid corridor, or severe atmospheric weather. Simple Pilot Trial (no roll required) for routine orbital insertion or standard docking at a cooperating facility.

Unmanned Helm

When no pilot is at the helm, the ship holds its last commanded course. It can continue in a straight line but cannot maneuver, change facing, or respond to new threats. The ship cannot take Pilot actions. If circumstances require maneuvering (incoming collision, gravity well, terrain) and no one is at the helm, the GM may call for whoever gets there fastest to make an immediate Hard Pilot Trial to avoid a consequence.

If the ship's AI has the Flight Operations package and an Active Channel is available, the AI can sustain basic course-holding and collision avoidance automatically. It cannot execute Evasive Maneuvers, Take Position, or Disengage without a crew member directing it.

Station 2: Gunnery

Controls: All ship weapons, weapon coordination, and point defense fire. Governing Skill: Gunnery (Combat, Gunnery specialty)

The gunner decides what to shoot, when to shoot it, and where to put damage. Weapon choice matters: a fixed forward railgun has better damage and range than a turret but requires the pilot to create a firing solution. A missile rack reaches farther but drains ammunition. A disruption array does not destroy ships; it captures them. Good gunners coordinate with the pilot to exploit arcs and with the engineer to stay within Power Load limits.

Standard Actions

Aimed Fire. Fire one weapon package or individual weapon at a target within arc and range. Average Gunnery Trial for most attacks, modified by range (see Chapter 13 for full range-difficulty table). Add the Handling modifier of the ship as Boon or Bane Dice on attacks requiring precise positioning. On success, deal damage per the weapon's profile. Each additional Success beyond the first adds 1 damage.

Suppressing Fire. Fire to limit the target's options rather than maximize damage. Average Gunnery Trial. On success, the target adds 1 Bane Die to its next action (pilot's Pilot Trial or gunner's Gunnery Trial) this round or next round. Deal half normal damage (rounded down). Useful for pinning a maneuvering ship or creating an opening for another crew member.

Point Defense. Direct the ship's point defense weapons against incoming missiles, torpedoes, drones, or fighters. Average Gunnery Trial, contested against the attack. On success, intercept one incoming missile or torpedo before it hits, or deal damage to a drone or fighter in the Engaged range band. On failure, the incoming attack proceeds normally. A point defense system without a gunner directing it operates automatically at reduced effectiveness (add 2 Bane Dice to auto-defense rolls; see Unmanned Gunnery below).

Target Systems. Rather than maximizing hull damage, aim for a specific system: engines, weapons, sensors, or helm. Hard Gunnery Trial. On success, deal normal damage AND force a System Damage check against the named system. On failure, the shot hits but deals normal hull damage only. Disruption weapons use this action by default.

Coordinate Fire. When multiple ships are coordinating (wingmen, escort), direct fire to set up a cooperative attack. Average Gunnery Trial. On success, the coordinated ally adds 1 Boon Die to their next Gunnery Trial against the same target this round. No damage on its own; this action creates the opening.

Out of Combat

Between engagements, the gunner maintains weapon systems, manages ammunition inventory, calibrates fire control, and tracks power load on weapon systems. After any combat engagement, the gunner should report ammunition expenditure and Flag any weapon damage. Craft Trial to perform basic weapon maintenance is Easy under clean conditions, Average after heavy combat.

Unmanned Gunnery

When no gunner is at the station, the ship's weapons can still fire if the ship has an AI with the Fire Control package, but at reduced effectiveness. AI-only fire control adds 2 Bane Dice to all Gunnery Trials. Point defense runs automatically with the same 2 Bane Die penalty.

If no gunner and no Fire Control AI are available, someone must leave their own station to fire weapons. That character uses the Gunnery skill (or Operate at 2 Bane Dice if untrained) and loses their own station's actions for the round.

Station 3: Engineering

Controls: Power management, damage control, emergency repairs, and system rerouting. Governing Skill: Craft (Engineering specialty)

The engineer keeps the ship alive. Their primary job in combat is managing the interaction between Power Capacity, Heat, and System Damage. When the gunner fires plasma weapons while the pilot is running Overburn and the deflection screens are absorbing hits, the engineer is the person watching all three tracks simultaneously and making the hard calls about what gets shut down.

Standard Actions

Boost Power. Temporarily increase Power Capacity by 2 for 1 round. Average Craft Trial. On success, the ship can sustain 2 additional Power Load this round without triggering an overload response. At the end of the round, the boost ends: if total Power Load now exceeds the normal capacity, an overload response is immediately required. On a Calamity, the boost instead generates 3 Heat and the boost fails.

Emergency Repair. Attempt to restore a disabled or critically damaged system during structured play. Average Craft Trial for minor system faults; Hard for a fully disabled system; Severe for catastrophic damage. On success, the system functions until the end of the encounter or until the GM determines the patch fails. This is a temporary fix, not a permanent repair (see Chapter 11 for full repair procedures).

Reroute Systems. Redirect power from one system to another, granting one system a temporary benefit while reducing another. No Trial required for a clean reroute between compatible systems. Average Craft Trial if systems are from different builders or if the reroute is unusual. Example: pull power from cargo handling to weapon fire control, adding 1 Boon Die to Gunnery Trials but disabling the cargo manifest system until rerouted back.

Damage Control. Manage ongoing system failures, suppress spreading damage, seal compartments, or prevent cascade failures. Average Craft Trial. On success, stop one ongoing damage effect (a spreading fire, a system that is degrading each round, a Heat accumulation effect from a failed system). Each Boon reduces the repair burden for the follow-up repair check.

Manage Heat. Actively manage the ship's thermal load. Average Craft Trial. On success, remove 1 additional Heat beyond normal Dissipation. Each Boon removes 1 more additional Heat. This is the primary tool for keeping the ship below Heat Threshold during sustained combat.

Emergency Vent. Dump Heat aggressively. No Trial required. Immediately remove Heat equal to the ship's Heat Dissipation. Creates a thermal bloom: the ship adds 2 Bane Dice to Signature Management this round and next. The gunner and pilot need to know this is happening, because the thermal bloom is visible to everyone with functioning sensors.

Out of Combat

The engineer handles ongoing maintenance tasks, power system calibration, system inspections, and integration work on new or salvaged components. Standard maintenance between encounters is Easy Craft. Installing a new component is Average to Severe depending on builder compatibility. See Chapter 10 for full integration procedures.

Unmanned Engineering

When no engineer is at the station, Power Load management becomes reactive rather than proactive. No one is watching the thermal and power numbers in real time. The GM may introduce Power overload and Heat consequences that accumulate silently for a round before forcing a response: the crew does not know the ship is overloading until something fails.

If the ship's AI has the Engineering or Damage Control package, it monitors automatically and can alert the crew. It cannot take actions, but it provides the warning information that allows any crew member to address the problem on their turn.

Station 4: Sensors and Comms

Controls: Detection, target identification, electronic warfare, and communications. Governing Skill: Electronics

The sensor operator knows what is actually happening. Their scans tell the crew whether the closing contact is a patrol cutter or a boarding frigate. Their target locks improve the gunner's accuracy. Their ECM can break incoming missile locks. Their comms work can reach relay traffic the enemy would rather not see broadcast.

Standard Actions

Active Scan. Broadcast sensor signals to identify a target in detail. Average Electronics Trial at Short-Medium range; Hard at Long; Severe at Extended range. On success, identify hull class, model, approximate weapon load, current damage condition, and active system emissions. Each Boon provides one additional piece of specific information (number of crew life signs, cargo composition, contraband flag on the ship's transponder, etc.). Creates a signature bloom for the scanning ship: add 1 Bane Die to Signature Management this round.

Passive Listen. Gather information without broadcasting. Average Electronics Trial. Slower and less detailed than Active Scan, but does not increase the ship's own signature. On success, identify ship class and active transponder at the tier's detection range. Useful for maintaining situational awareness without announcing the ship's presence.

Target Lock. Establish a precise targeting solution on one vessel, improving the gunner's accuracy. Average Electronics Trial. On success, the gunner adds 1 Boon Die to their next Gunnery Trial against the locked target this round. The lock must be re-established each round if the target takes evasive action (Hard Electronics Trial to maintain lock against active evasion).

Jam. Actively disrupt a target vessel's sensors, communications, or targeting systems. Contested Electronics Trial (attacker's Electronics vs. defender's Electronics). On success, the target adds 2 Bane Dice to all sensor-dependent actions (Gunnery Trials that rely on targeting, Pilot Trials relying on sensor data, Electronics Trials) until the jam is broken or the operator is defeated in a subsequent contested check. Jamming also signals the crew's own location to anyone with the right sensors.

Relay Contact. Transmit or receive priority communications through the Phased Relay Network, or establish a direct broadcast to other ships in the encounter. Average Electronics Trial if relay traffic is clear; Hard if relay is damaged, censored, or overloaded. Specific relay rules are in Chapter 7.

Electronic Countermeasures. Actively defend the ship against incoming missile locks, targeting solutions, or cyberattack. Contested Electronics Trial against the attacker's Electronics or Gunnery (depending on the threat). On success, break one incoming lock, spoof one incoming missile, or counter one attempted intrusion. See Chapter 8 for full ECM rules.

Out of Combat

Between engagements, the sensor operator tracks relay traffic, monitors for pursuit, researches targets, provides intelligence on local patrols, and gathers route data. These tasks typically require 1 hour and an Average Electronics Trial to produce useful results.

Unmanned Sensors

When no sensor operator is at the station, the ship's sensors continue to operate automatically at reduced effectiveness (add 2 Bane Dice to all sensor-dependent actions). Target locks cannot be established without a crew member directing the sensor suite. Incoming missile locks cannot be actively broken.

If the ship's AI has the Sensors or Electronic Warfare package, it can maintain basic sensor watch automatically and alert the crew to new contacts. It can establish a target lock in place of the sensor operator (using AI assistance rules: remove 1 Trial Die from the difficulty) but cannot take ECM actions without a crew member directing the specific task.

Station 5: Astrogation

Controls: FTL routing, Slipstream corridor calculation, offset exits, and escape vector planning. Governing Skill: Astrogation

The astrogator is thinking two steps ahead. While the fight is happening, they are calculating whether the crew can reach a seam arc in time, whether the corridor ahead is stable, and whether the GM is about to spring a second contact from a direction no one expects. They cannot fight off a boarding party. They can get the ship to a place where no boarding party can follow.

Standard Actions

Plot Course. Prepare a Slipstream entry for an upcoming jump. Average Astrogation Trial for a known, stable corridor with good charts. Hard if the corridor is unstable, poorly mapped, or the entry seam arc is moving. Severe for a route with no reliable charts. On success, the ship is ready to enter Slipspace when it reaches the seam arc. On failure, the calculation is not ready: the ship cannot safely jump this round, and the astrogator must try again.

Recalculate. Revise a plotted course in response to new conditions: a changed corridor status, a different exit point, a faster alternative. Average Astrogation Trial. On success, the new calculation is complete and replaces the prior one. On failure, the prior calculation remains (the crew can still use it) but the new option is not available this round.

Emergency Exit. Force an early exit from Slipspace before reaching the standard exit arc. Severe Astrogation Trial. On success, the ship exits Slipspace at the specified point, albeit at some risk (ship takes 2 System Damage from the rough transition). On failure, the exit occurs anyway but uncontrolled: the ship exits at an unpredictable point near the target, takes 2 System Damage and enters Uncontrolled Drift. A Calamity produces a more severe consequence at GM discretion.

Analyze Corridor. Research a specific Slipstream corridor: current stability rating, expected transit time, active patrols, known hazards, and relay status. Typically a narrative-play action requiring 1 hour and Astrogation + Academics. Full corridor data is in the Sector Atlas; the GM sets what information is available in the current port.

Offset Exit Planning. Calculate an exit point at a non-standard location on the corridor's exit seam arc. Hard Astrogation Trial. On success, the ship can exit at the chosen offset point rather than the standard arrival zone. Useful for avoiding monitored traffic lanes or reaching an unusual emergence point. See Chapter 7 for full offset exit rules.

Out of Combat

Astrogation matters most between encounters: researching routes, updating charts, calculating transit times, and identifying corridors that avoid unfriendly patrols. A crew planning a difficult route through unstable or contested space should involve the astrogator early.

Unmanned Astrogation

When no astrogator is at the station, the ship can still enter a known, charted corridor using automated navigation at a substantial penalty (Hard Astrogation Trial instead of Average, using the ship's AI if available). Emergency exits and offset exit planning cannot be performed without a crew member or AI assistance.

If the ship's AI has the Navigation package, it can calculate standard jump solutions (AI assistance removes 1 Trial Die), but it cannot perform emergency exits or offset exit planning without a crew member directing the specific calculation.

Station 6: Medical and Support

Controls: Crew health, morale, and coordination support. Governing Skill: Medicine

The medic is not fighting the ship. The medic is keeping the people who fight the ship capable of doing so. In a short engagement, this means having stabilization ready for whoever goes down first. In a long campaign, it means the crew does not arrive at the next port already broken.

Standard Actions

Emergency Treatment. Stabilize an incapacitated crew member, treat Wounds, or address an acute medical event. Average Medicine Trial for field stabilization of an incapacitated character (stops the character from deteriorating further; does not restore Wound Points). Hard Medicine Trial to actively reduce accumulated Wounds during combat by 2. On a Calamity, the treatment is attempted but introduces a complication (incorrect dosage, equipment failure, wrong procedure under pressure).

Brace Crew. Prepare the crew for an incoming impact, explosive decompression, gravity spike, or system failure. Average Medicine Trial. On success, all crew members reduce the Wounds or Strain they would suffer from the next ship-damage consequence by 1. This requires the medic to issue clear instructions over the ship's intercom: the crew must be able to hear and respond.

Coordinate. Provide support that improves a specific crew member's immediate action. Average Medicine Trial (or Medicine + relevant skill if situationally appropriate). On success, one named crew member adds 1 Boon Die to their next Trial this round. This represents direct assistance: calling out a targeting solution the gunner had not seen, warning the pilot of a collision the sensors had not registered, coaching the engineer through a repair procedure under pressure.

Triage. Rapidly assess the medical condition of all crew during or immediately after an engagement. No Trial required; takes 1 round. Provides the medic with an accurate status of all crew Wounds, any Critical Injuries, and any developing medical complications from the encounter. Useful for planning recovery priority.

Out of Combat

Between encounters, the medic manages full medical care, long-term Wound recovery, Critical Injury treatment, and crew welfare. Full medical procedures are in the core rules. For species-specific medical complications (Dhoran cardiovascular monitoring in low-pressure environments, Ssarathi thermal management during medical procedures, Ilyari neural fragility during trauma, Felina accelerated healing schedules), the medic adds Bane Dice to Medicine Trials without species-appropriate medical equipment.

Crew morale and welfare are a long-term medic concern. Extended campaigns without rest, resupply, or casualty recovery accumulate Strain on the crew that ordinary play cannot remove. The medic can address this through Medical and Support actions between jobs; see the GM Guide for extended recovery procedures.

Unmanned Medical

When no medic is at the station, crew members who become incapacitated must wait for the encounter to end before receiving treatment. No one is monitoring crew for medical complications during the fight. If any crew member suffers a Critical Injury, it is not treated until after structured play ends.

Any crew member can attempt an Average Medicine Trial to stabilize an incapacitated character in an emergency, but without Medical training, they add 2 Bane Dice.

Double-Staffing and Empty Stations

Double-Staffing

When two crew members cover a single station simultaneously, the station gains 1 Boon Die on all Trials. The second crew member is actively supporting the first: calling out data, managing secondary controls, monitoring subsystems, or providing physical assistance.

Only one character makes the Trial. The other is assisting (standard assist rules apply; the assisting character uses their Action to assist rather than taking an independent action). The station effectively gains both the Boon Die from double-staffing and any applicable Boon Die from the assist.

Double-staffing is most valuable at Engineering (where Heat, Power, and repairs all compete for attention) and Sensors (where coordinated scanning and jamming require split attention between tasks).

Empty Stations

Minimum Viable Crew

The following describes the minimum viable crew for common hull sizes. These are the numbers below which the ship begins accumulating systemic problems rather than just unmanned-station penalties.

Captain and Command

The command role is not a station. It is a function any character can perform.

A character functioning as captain during structured play can take the following command actions without leaving their own station (these are Quick Actions unless otherwise noted):

Direct Focus. Name one crew member. That crew member adds 1 Boon Die to their next Trial this round. No Trial required. The captain simply calls out the priority and the crew responds.

Spend Story Points. The captain has primary authority over spending Story Points in ship encounters. Story Points can be spent by any player, but the captain coordinates which Points go where when multiple players want to spend simultaneously.

Call the Escape. Declare the ship is disengaging and coordinate all stations toward the disengage action. This is a narrative declaration, not a mechanical action, but it signals the pilot to use Disengage and alerts the astrogator to begin jump calculations simultaneously.

Override. Countermand an order or redirect an AI package assignment. Quick Action. Requires command authority over the relevant system (the captain has this by default; other characters may have it for their own station only).

Any character can function as captain. Crew talents may enhance command functions (adding extra Boon Dice from Direction Focus, reducing the cost of multiple coordinated actions, or allowing the captain to take two Quick Actions per round instead of one).

A ship does not require a designated captain to function in combat. Small crews often operate without explicit hierarchy: whoever has the clearest picture takes the lead. This works until everyone has a different picture.

Boarding Actions

When characters leave stations to fight, the ship partially loses its crew during structured play. Handle this as follows.

Station vacancy: When a character leaves their station to respond to a boarding action, their station becomes unmanned. Apply unmanned station penalties immediately. If another crew member can split attention between two stations (possible for some station pairs), the GM may allow it at an additional Bane Die for both.

Boarding initiative: Boarding combat and ship combat use the same initiative order. A character fighting in the corridors acts on their initiative slot in the same round the pilot is maneuvering. Characters switching between the boarding fight and their station must travel between locations: the GM sets how many Maneuvers this takes based on ship size and layout.

Running both simultaneously: When the ship is simultaneously engaged in ship combat and boarding combat, alternate between the two in the same initiative sequence. Ship-scale actions (Pilot, Gunnery, Engineering) happen at the ship's initiative slot. Personal-scale actions (boarding defense, corridor fighting) happen at each character's initiative slot. A character at a ship station cannot take personal-scale actions until they leave the station.

Ship damage during boarding: When the ship takes a Critical Hit during a boarding action, the GM may declare that the hit affects the corridor where the boarding fight is happening: an explosion seals a bulkhead, gravity failure hits a section, or a hull breach exposes a corridor to space. This is a Calamity-level consequence and should be used to create drama rather than simply punish the crew.

Multi-Ship Coordination

When the crew has support ships, wingmen, or escorts, treat coordinated actions as follows.

Wing formations: Two or more ships flying in coordinated formation can share tactical information. The lead ship's sensor operator can feed targeting data to all ships in the formation, granting a +1 Boon Die bonus to Gunnery Trials for all ships attacking the same target that round. This requires an Active Channel on the lead ship's AI (if AI-coordinated) or a Coordinate action from the sensor operator.

Coordinated attacks: When two ships focus fire on a single target in the same round, the second attacker adds 1 Boon Die to their Gunnery Trial. This represents the first attack disrupting the target's defenses and creating a window for the second hit.

Signal-based coordination: Formation coordination requires a functioning Communications link. If comms are jammed (see Chapter 7), coordinated attack bonuses are lost and wing formation benefits require visual signals instead: the lead pilot must keep the formation visible and the others must successfully identify signals (Average Perception check).

Running escort: A ship tasked with protecting another vessel can use the Defensive Control station to redirect point defense coverage to the protected vessel rather than itself. While doing this, the escort ship's own point defense capacity is divided between self-protection and escort protection. The gunner must declare at the start of each round which coverage ratio applies (fully self, split, or fully escort).

AI-Assisted Ship Actions

Directive AI can support crew actions when the ship has a functioning AI Core, the appropriate Directive Package is installed, and an Active Channel is available.

Effect: When AI assistance applies, remove 1 Trial Die from the difficulty pool. If only Crisis Dice remain, downgrade 1 Crisis Die to a Trial Die instead. In an Opposed Check, add 1 Boon Die.

One AI benefit per check. Multiple AI packages do not reduce difficulty repeatedly. A check can benefit from only one AI Directive Package.

Active Channels: Each Active Channel supports one AI-assisted check per round.

Redirecting channels: Redirecting an unused Active Channel is a Quick Action. Redirecting a channel that already supported a check this round requires a Maneuver.

What AI cannot do: A directive AI can reduce the difficulty of a Pilot Trial but cannot choose to disengage without being directed to. It can coordinate point defense but cannot decide that a passenger should be jettisoned to save power. It can monitor Heat and alert the crew but cannot reroute systems without a crew member issuing the directive. Directive intelligence requires someone to decide what must be done. The AI helps execute the order; it does not become the captain.

For full AI rules including Directive Package limits, fault consequences, and the Jaziri Intelligence, see Chapter 7.