Welcome to a demonstration from the The Empire of the Blazing Sun. This will illustrate Ramming and Collisions. Let the simulation commence.
Three Medium Cruiser Gun Ships (A,B, and C) are in an opposing force against Four much smaller Frigates.
The Gun Ships activate and Ship A declares a Ramming Action.
Why do this? By declaring an intentional Ramming Action and if it is a Ram Ship A gains the Crushing Impact MAR. Booyah!
This means that if this attack exceeds the DR of the Frigate its is a Critical Hit. Double the DR and its two Critical Hits. Nice!
Ship A must qualify however for this to be a Ramming Action as opposed to a Collision (even if Ship A would really like it to be a Ram. Of course he does. Wouldn't you?).
Here is the checklist in short.
- Declaration ....TICK
- IR is greater than 0 .....TICK
- Same height level ....TICK
- Target in front 90 degree arc ....TICK (backing in to ships would be a collision).
- Have moved at least Minimum Move ...TICK
All are ticked so it's definitely a deliberate Ram with the engines stoked, crew ready and bracing, and best impact point calculated.
Ship A moves and it stops at the point it touches the Frigate. The Frigate is not capable of changing it's height level (it's not a Diving Model nor a Flyer). It can not attempt to evade.(P.101)
Now Ship A rolls as many dice as it's IR (Impact Rating) statistic allows. At the same time the Frigate rolls as many dice as its IR in hope to damage the much larger Gunship.
Ship A sinks the Frigate with a Critical Hit (only 2 Hull points). Fortunately for Ship A he didn't roll a Double One (Magazine Explosion that could potentially damage Ship A as the Frigate explodes. Frigate does no damage to Ship A from rolling his IR dice. Now what?
Ship A survived with no damage so is free to move in a straight line only if it has movement left. The crew are elated no doubt but there is no longer the possibility to declare another Ramming Action as they are so busy high fiving each other. Ship A ends it movement.
Now Ship B is moved and the captain neglected to tell his crew he is making a Ramming Action (bit of an oversight). So unlike Ship A he misses out on gaining the Crushing Impact MAR (dumb ass!) and it is considered a Collision.
The Frigate and Ship B roll respective IR dice against each other.
The Frigates dice explode out and incredibly he manages 1 damage on Ship B.
Ship B rolls like a drunken sailor and manages 1 Damage on the Frigate. Wow!
Bad news for both of them as now they must roll on a Damage table (P.102). Incredibly they both gain the Engine Failure Critical Effect.
Now the rules move to Disengaging (P.102-103). The Frigate being smaller must Disengage from the collision. It does this by making a Low Speed Maneuver (P.99-100) but does not receive a token for doing this. The rules say that the Frigate should be in a position that it will not have a further collision with Ship B. The Frigate moves backwards and Ship B moves a little further straight ahead and stops.
Ship C not wanting to do the mistake of Ship B declares a Ramming Action but unfortunately for him he is so close to to the Frigate that he can not travel his minimum move before making contact so it will be a Collision instead.
By now you know that it is simultaneous IR dice rolls against each other.
Ship B gets a Critical Hit and destroys the Frigate outright while Ship B suffers no damage.
Ship C now may only move in a straight line. It moves forward so it's turret can get line of sight at another of the Frigates.
So that's the end of the Movement Segment of the Gunships Squadrons Activation. Brutal.
Cheers from Brendon and let me know if this makes sense.
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