Start-Up Procedure

Starting up a starship requires many systems to boot, diagnostics to run, and mechanics to warm-up. Before becoming fully operable, a ship must start-up by completing 10 initiation procedures. When not under stress, a crew can take an amount of time shown in the Starships Start-Up Time table below to carefully complete these initiation procedures, resulting in automatic success.

Starships Start-Up Time

When under duress, such as in combat situations, a pilot can lead their crew through an emergency start-up procedure by having a number of crew equal to the minimum crew size spend an action to complete initiation procedures. On their turn, the crewmember leading the effort makes an Intelligence (Piloting) check as an action on their turn, and then consults the Start-Up Procedures Results table.

Start-Up Procedures Results

Additionally, the ease of the check is affected by the state of repair of the ship. If the ship has maximum hull and shield points, the crewmember has advantage on the check. If the ship has less than its maximum hull points, however, they have disadvantage on the check.

You may choose to penalize your Intelligence (Piloting) check on each turn by 5 before making them in order to reduce the crew needed to perform the Start-up by half.

Alternatively, you may gain a +5 bonus on your Intelligence (Piloting) check if you have at least 1.5 times the minimum crew size completing initiation procedures.

Hazards of a Cold Start

A start-up procedure, even an emergency one, can always be rushed, being made before all ten initiation procedures are completed, but such recklessness can be incredibly dangerous. If a ship takes off before a start-up procedure is completed, consult the Start-Up Mishaps table below. For every complete initiation procedure, add 1 to your roll on the table below. If you roll a 1 on your die, you roll again on the table in addition to suffering the indicated penalty. If you take off without any initiation procedures and roll a 20, your ship is unscathed, but starts with no power dice available. Power dice then regenerate using standard rules in later rounds.

Delayed Penalty

In certain circumstances, a GM may choose to roll secretly on the Start-Up Mishaps table and delay application of the penalty for dramatic effect.

Start-Up Mishaps