H eavy Weapons, Starfighter,
and Vehicle Scale Damage
The following are heavy weapon, starfighter, and
vehicle scale damage rules, based on the Ships and
Personal Combat Rules on page 65 of the Star Wars
Roleplaying Game, page 96 of the Star Wars
Sourcebook, as well as inferences drawn from the
Rebel and Imperial sourcebooks.
Rules: Heavy Weapons and Personal
Combat
Vehicles, heavy weapons, and starfighters rarely
fire at individual characters — but it does
sometimes happen.
A vehicle scale weapon firing at a character is
always firing at short range (because a single
character would be impossible for such a heavy
weapon to hit firing from medium range). However,
characters are much smaller than the normal target
for heavy weapons; the difficulty is usually 20. Roll
the weapon’s, vehicle’s, or starfighter’s fire control
and gunner’s skill dice as normal; the targeted
character may dodge.
Heavy weapon, vehicle, and starfighter damage
codes are scaled differently from characters. A
heavy laser cannon has a damage code of 6D — but
it’s much more than 1D more powerful than a heavy
blaster pistol. Heavy weapon, vehicle, and
starfighter die codes are designed for comparison
with other vehicles — not with characters.
If, for some reason, a heavy weapon, vehicle, or
starfighter fires at a character and hits him, double
the damage dice code before rolling (4D becomes
8D). The character still rolls strength (and armor)
dice normally.
When a character fires at a vehicle, heavy
weapon, or starfighter, determine the range and
difficulty number normally. The ship or vehicle can
evade fire, per the normal rules.
Most hand weapons are not powerful enough to
affect heavy weapons, vehicles, and ships. Blaster
pistols and rifles just roll 1D for their damage.
Roll the vehicle’s body or starfighter’s hull (and
shield) dice normally. If the damage roll is less than
half the vehicle’s body or ship’s hull (and shield)
roll, the blaster has no effect; shields are not blown
nor are controls ionized.
Repeating blasters have slightly more power
than handguns; when a medium or heavy repeat
blaster hits a heavy weapon, vehicle or starfighter,
roll 2D for its damage.
Rules: Starfighter and Capital Ship
Combat
Capital ships rarely fire at starfighter scale ships
— but it does sometimes happen. Star Destroyers
occasionally use turbolasers against stock light
freighters, for example.
A capital ship firing at a starfighter scale ship is
always firing at short range (because a single
starfighter would be impossible for a capital ship
gunner to hit firing from medium range). However,
starfighters are much smaller than the normal target
for a capital ship; the difficulty is usually 20. Roll the
capital ship’s fire control and gunner’s skill dice as
normal; the targeted starfighter may dodge.
Capital ship weapon damage codes are scaled
differently from starfighters. A double turbolaser has
a damage code of 5D — but it’s much more
powerful than 1D more than a single laser cannon
(damage code 4D). Capital ship weapon die codes
are designed for comparison with capital ships —
not with starfighters.
If, for some reason, a capital ship fires at a
starfighter scaled craft, and hits, add +2D to the
damage dice code before rolling (4D becomes 6D).
The starfighter still rolls hull (and shield) dice
normally.
Starfighter weaponry is not as powerful as capital
ship weaponry. When a starfighter attacks a capital
ship, roll to hit as normal. Subtract 2D from laser
cannon damage. Roll the capital ship’s hull (and
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shield) dice normally. If the damage roll is less than
half the ship’s hull (and shield) roll, the starfighter
weaponry has no effect; shields are not blown nor
are controls ionized.
Some starfighter weaponry are more powerful —
namely iron cannons, proton torpedoes and
concussion missiles; when such a weapon hits a
capital ship, damage is rolled normally. Torpedoes
and missiles are too slow to hit starfighters.
Starfighter Scaled Weapons
Starfighter weaponry is scaled for starfighters,
vehicles, and heavy weapon platforms. Against
characters, double the damage dice. Against capital
ships, subtract 2D from their damage.
Single Laser Cannon
Fire Control: [2D] (varies)
Damage: [4D]

Unified Weapon Scale Double Laser Cannon or

Capital Ship Scale Weapons Two Laser Cannons (fire-
(fire-linked)
Fire Control: [2D] (varies)
Capital ship weaponry is scaled for other capital
Damage: [5D]
ships. Against starfighters, add 2D to their damage.

Quad Laser Cannon or

Heavy Turbolaser Battery
Four Laser Cannons (fire-
(fire-linked)
Fire Control: [2D] (varies)
Fire Control: [2D] (varies)
Damage: [10D]
Damage: [6D]
Turbolaser Battery
Two Light Ion Cannons (fire-
(fire-linked)
Fire Control: [2D] (varies)
Fire Control: [2D] (varies)
Damage: [7D]
Damage: [4D]
Double Turbolaser
Proton Torpedo (3 per launcher)
Fire Control: [2D] (varies)
Fire Control: [2D] (varies)
Damage: [5D]
Damage: [9D]
Turbolaser
Concussion Missile (4 per launcher)
Fire Control: [2D] (varies)
Fire Control: [2D] (varies)
Damage: [4D]
Damage: [7D]
Ion Cannon Battery
Fire Control: [2D] (varies) Vehicle and Heavy Weapons
Damage: [4D] Vehicles and heavy weaponry are scaled for
starfighters, vehicles, and other heavy weapons
Tractor Beam Projector platforms. Against characters, double the damage
Fire Control: [2D] (varies) dice.
Damage: [4D] (standard); [6D] Star Destroyer;
[9D] Super Star Destroyer Light Laser Cannon
Damage: [4D]

Medium Laser Cannon

Damage: [5D]

Heavy Laser Cannon

Damage: [6D]

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Capital Ship Combined Fire
Capital ships often have high numbers of guns on
them. Star Destroyers have 60 turbolaser batteries
and Super Star Destroyers have 250!
When capital ships open fire, group their guns
together. When several guns or gun batteries are
firing as a group, make a single attack roll and
damage roll instead of making one for each
weapon separately. Use the Guns Modifier Chart to
determine how this affects the “To Hit” and
“Damage” dice rolls.

xample: A Star Destroyer has 60 turbolaser

Example:
batteries. The GM decides that they are arrange as
20-forward firing, 20-portside firing, and 20-
starboard side firing. Each one has a gunner with a
capital ship gunnery skill of 4D, a fire control rating
of 4D, and deals 5D damage.
Instead of making 20 attack rolls against a fleeing
Corellian corvette, you can group the 20 forward
guns together into 5 groups of 4, resulting in a total
bonus of 1D+1. So, you can make five attack rolls at
9D+1 and roll 6D+1 for damage.

If you end up in a major space battle with several

capital ships, it might even be more useful to place
all firing arc guns into one group. That way you have
all 60 guns grouped in to 3 firing arcs (forward, port,
starboard), and you can have the Star Destroyer
shooting at three different targets with just 3 rolls for
attack and damage each (in this case 10D+2 to hit
and 7D+2 damage).
It’s relatively unlikely to have capital ship battles
happen completely unexpected. Since the GM
generally knows in advance which ships will be
involved in a battle between capital ships, it’s very
easy to make some notes on how you’re grouping
the guns together for that battle in advance.