Hey all! Thank you to everyone who has supported the campaign so far! We're less than $1K away from our next stretch goal - which will add 10 more maps to the map book!
Now - onto ship combat!
Ready for sky-ship dogfights? The Space 1889: After 5e core rules feature dynamic aerial combat rules where players take on essential crew roles (Captain, Pilot, Engineer, Gunner). Vehicles have full 5e stat blocks, targetable components, and specialized mechanics, while reworked skills like Physics and Engineering govern your high-stakes maneuvers and mid-battle repairs.
Dedicated Vehicle Statistics & Components Vehicles are no longer just set dressing; they function with full mechanics. The Perfect Metal Beasts Chapter introduces specific stat blocks for air vehicles. Ships have their own hit point pools, armor classes, and functional Components that can be targeted, as well as distinct Drawbacks when damaged.
Character Careers & Essential "Ship Roles" Instead of players just sitting back while the captain steers, vehicle combat is a highly collaborative effort. When you choose a Background (Career), it grants your character proficiency in specific Ship Roles. These roles are essential for aerial combat and traversing space:
Captain / Officer: Commands the crew and coordinates actions.
Pilot / Ethernaut: Manages the wheel and maneuvers the ship.
Engineer / Worker: Keeps the engine room running and repairs components under fire.
Gunner: Operates the ship's heavy artillery and range-finding equipment.
Marine / Lookout: Handles defense against boarding parties and spots incoming threats.
Modification of Core 5e Skills To make aerial dogfights feel authentic, standard 5e skills have been reworked to govern vehicle operations:
Physics: Replaces Arcana and is used for equations, ether navigation, and Piloting checks. The Referee can also use a variant Dexterity (Physics) check to account for the split-second reflexes required to pilot a ship in active combat.
Engineering: Also replaces Arcana and is used to fix, construct, or break machinery and ships. Under fire, a Referee might call for a Dexterity (Engineering) check to repair a failing engine room while dodging shots.
Heavy Artillery and Firepower Aerial engagements rely on massive weaponry. Gunners have specialized training in range-finding and setting fuse timers for explosive shells. Characters with the Gunner career even get a unique feature called Careful Shot, which increases their Ammunition Die maximum by one step.
If you are planning an encounter, you will want to look directly at Chapter 5: Perfect Metal Beasts for the specific vehicle stat blocks and engagement phases, and Chapter 6: Traversing the Unknown for the rules governing travel through the deep ether.
