Airship Roles for 5e _ adapted from Dewitte

# Owen's Pocket Guide to Airships

##### How not to crash your airship, die, or both

>### Acknowledgements
>Most credit goes to Kelly Dewitte, whose excellent version of this can be found at the link below. 
>https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/B8QriulX5
</div>

\pagebreakNum

# Airship Crew Roles
Everyone has a role on the airship, and everyone must contribute for the voyage or battle to be successful. Each role is suited to characters with different strengths and weaknesses, so choose wisely and don't let your comrades down!

## Pilot                       
The Pilot is in control of the ships movement, it is your duty
to keep the rest of the crew out of danger. positioning is
everything and you need to trust your fellow crew members
to have your back, give your gunner a clear shot, avoid attacks
to give your engineer a break.
If the Pilot is at the Helm, you may add the Pilots Dexterity
or Wisdom modifier to the ships AC.

### Ship Movement
Roll a Dexterity or Wisdom (Pilots choice) skill check (d20 +
Dexterity/Wisdom modifier + proficiency if proficient with
airships). Use the table below to determine the movement for
the round.

| Roll Result | Effect |
|:---:|:---|
|**1**              |DM has ship control; and rolls for move actions (minimum of 1)|
|**2 - 9**         | 0 move actions|
|**10-14**         | up to 1 move actions|
|**15-19**| up to 2 move actions|
|**20-30**         | up to 3 move actions|
|**Nat20 of 30+**   | up to 4 move actions |

If the pilot leaves the Helm for any reason, the ship will
continue to drift in the direction it is already heading or may
be buffeted around by environmental occurrences.

### Rally the Crew
The Pilot is capable of intimidating/inspiring the crew once
per battle. Roll a Charisma check with a DC of 10 (or higher
if the crew is disloyal or in serious trouble). One ability check
or saving throw may be performed at advantage by each crew
member on a successful check. This may be only be
attempted a number of times equal to that of the Pilots
Charisma modifier.

### Find Weakness
Allow the Pilot to look for a weakness in the defenses of the
enemy's vessel. Make an Intelligence check (DC 15; adjusted
as needed for tougher conditions) to spot a weakness and
give advantage on the next attack roll that targets that
weakness.

\columnbreak
### Plotting a course
To get where you're going, you need to decide on an engine speed and a heading. Combining these factors with the wind speed and direction creates a course. 
To set the wind, the DM will roll a d4, a d6, and d8 (or directional die). The d4
will determine the wind speed (see airship travel speeds later
in this chapter). The d6 determines how many hours this
direction of wind will last. the d8 (or directional die) tells you
where the wind is coming from. Your DM may decide that some areas have prevailing winds

|d8|Direction|
|:--:|:--|
|**1**|North|
|**2**|Northeast|
|**3**|East|
|**4**|Southeast|
|**5**|South|
|**6**|Southwest|
|**7**| West|
|**8**|Northwest|

### Fuel Consumption\Travel Speed

As you travel, the engines consume fuel. The faster you go, the more fuel is used. It is possible to move with the wind and expend no fuel at all in some situations.

|Movement Speed| Kilometers per Hour| Fuel used per hour|
|:--:|:--:|:--:|
|**1**|3 mph|1 unit/h|
|**2**|6 mph|2 unit/h|
|**3**|9 mph|3 unit/h|
|**4**|12 mph|4 unit/h|
|**6**| 15 mph | 5 unit/h|
|**7**| 18 mph | 6 units/h|

\pagebreak

## Engineer 
The engineer is the role that keeps the ship flying, in the heat
of battle, important components can get severely damaged, as
an engineer it is your job that these problems don't overflow
to spell disaster for you and the rest of the crew

### Repair
Make an Intelligence check (add your proficiency bonus if you
are proficient with Repair Tools). Use the table below to
determine the effect.

| Roll Result | Effect |
|:---:|:---|
|**1**              |Roll your repair die; result is damage dealt|
|**2-14**| No effect |
|**15-19**         | Roll your repair die, add your INT modifier (and your proficiency bonus if proficient with Repair Tools)|
|**Nat 20**          | Double your Repair dice and add your proficiency bonus to health gained.|
|**30+**   |  Roll your repair die, add your INT modifier (and your proficiency bonus if proficient with Repair Tools) |

### Optional Rule: Repair Beyond Destruction

Sometimes we act better than we ever could when faced with
a stressful situation. Getting the job done when it really
counted. If you are proficient with repair tools and you roll a
natural 20 (or an ability check of 30+) to repair a component
(not hull armor or gas bags) that is at 0 hit points, You may
repair it for 1d4 health.

### Buff
Make a roll the same as you would for Repair. This
determines how successful a buff you apply to the
component. Rolling a natural 1 just means you are
unsuccessful, no damage is done to the component.
Buffing a component can do a few things:
* 1: Grant temporary hit points to a buffed component
* 2: Enhance the ability of a component ie, a gun deals more
damage, engines turn faster, balloon lifts and descends
more efficiently

### Rev the Engines
During the Pilot's movement rolls, the engineer may buff the engines to assist the Pilot's rolls: Follow the steps above to buff, and add your repair die to the pilot's (d20) movement roll.

\columnbreak
### Take Off
During takeoff, the engineer controls the airships altitude by using the gas generator to fill the Gas Bags. The engineer selects the rate of altitude gain up to 10 ft per round or per 50 ft per minute.
During take-off, the engineer can roll to buff (following the rules above) the gas generator to rise more quickly, with his repair die being added to 10 ft/round rate (so rolling an 8 would provide 18ft/round of rise)

### Landing

When landing, the engineer must carefully balance the forces of gravity and lift. The DM will provide a **landing DC**, which may be rolled or chosen deliberately. The objective of the engineer is to get as close to that value as possible:
* Roll a D20 and optionally add or subtract your Intelligence modifier to the roll. If you are proficient in Air Vehicles, optionally add or subtract your proficiency bonus from the roll as well. 
* If the result is *higher* than the Landing DC, then you will approach the ground very slowly. If the result is WAY higher than the Landing DC, you may not land at all. 
* If the result is *lower* than the landing DC, you will drop too quickly and may strike the ground. 
* In either case, the engineer may attempt a DC 14 Intelligence saving throw and on a success may optionally add or subtract either or both of their modifiers to the original roll again.

\pagebreak

## Gunner
As the gunner you will be making sure the opposing ship is
never at its full strength, slow your heart rate, keep breathing
and take the shot. If the enemy can't shoot back then you have
done your job splendidly!

### Fire Ship Weapon
Each ship weapon has a magazine size. This is is the number
of actions that can be taken before the weapon must be
reloaded.

### Reloading
Each ship weapon has a reload time. When a weapon is
empty, you must spend attack actions equal to the reload time
to reload the weapon. This does not need to happen all at
once. For example, a 5th level Fighter shoots once and
spends his next attack action to reload a weapon with a
reload time of 2. Later, another crew member comes by and
spends their attack action to complete the reload.

### Sight In
You may expend one action to sight in your target granting
you advantage on your next attack. You must be proficient
with Airship Weapons to utilize this Feature.

### Call The Shot
Before firing you may declare where you intend to hit your
target if you are proficient with Airship Weapons. If the shot
is a confirmed hit, you may roll a 1d4 alongside the d12 used
to determine which component takes damage. You may use
the d4 to adjust the d12 result to get closer to your intended
target. If you are unable to hit your intended target you have
two options. You may pick a component that would be
physically closest to your target or pick the most strategic
component option (work with your DM to determine the
result).

## Sailor
Airships have sails too! these can be adjusted by adroitly leaping across the strewn and heaving deck, pulling and letting out lines, and leaning out precariously over the side of the ship.

### Trim the Sails
After the pilot's movement roll, once movement has been determined, the Sailor can trim the sails.
Roll a dexterity check with a DC of the pilot's Ship Movement roll (the Wisdom or Dexterity check they make to start the movement). 
* On a success, add up to 2 to the ships movement speed.
* On a critical fail, you must succeed on a DC 8 Dexterity saving throw or tumble off the side of the ship

### Tie off during landing
When landing, the Sailor must leap from the airship holding a rope and tie it off to some sturdy object. Doing this well can save a terrible landing, but doing it poorly can take things from bad to worse. As the Engineer makes their landing roles, seize your moment to jump to the earth and tie your line. Make an Strength(Acrobatics) and Strength(Athletics) check, with a DC equal to 10 + the difference between the **landing DC** and the engineers landing roll.

## Spotter
It's easy to grow complacent floating through the sky, but danger (and its lover, Adventure) lurk round every cloud. The spotter's job is be the Airship's eyes and ears, and  to look out for all manner of risks and opportunities. A spyglass or other magnification is extremely helpful due to the long distances airshipmen tend to deal with.

### Scan Specifically
When your crew is looking for something in particular, you may make Wisdom(Perception) checks to search for it. If using a spyglass, you may make Intelligence(Investigation) checks to inspect specific things you see through it by finely adjusting the focus.

### Assume a lookout
For longer journeys, you may post up as a lookout for hours at a time, looking for nothing in particular. At the beginning of your watch, make a Wisdom(Perception) check to see what you can see see see. Be careful though! The soft rocking of an airship on the breeze can lull anyone to sleep. On a critical fail, you fall asleep for the duration of your watch.

\pagebreak

## Navigation Modes
There are three modes of Airship navigation: Combat, Low Altitude Exploration, and High Altitude Exploration. Each has different rules and presents its own difficulties and opportunities.

### Combat Navigation
In combat, your ship and any enemies move in turns according to your pilot rolls. Your movement takes place on hexes or tiles, with one ship speed level = one hex. Fuel is not considered during combat, nor are other constraints like food and water. Weather can absolutely be relevant!

##### Combat  Step-by-Step
1. Preparation: The ship with the lowest pilot roll will
move and stop when they are prepared for the attack
phase; crew members can spend their Movement,
Action, and possible Bonus Action at this time.
Anything left over is done during Phase 3.
2. Attack: All ships roll their attacks, determine
components hit and damaged, then onto end of turn
phase.
3. Final Actions: Any movement of the ship that is left
over after the attack phase can be used now, any
crew movement or remaining actions can be taken at
this time, this phase follows the the initiative order
just like Phase 1.
4. Begin the next round: Roll another piloting check to
start the next round.
</div>

### Low-Altitude Navigation
Navigating at below 500ft from the ground has many advantages: things on the ground are easy to see, especially with a spyglass, and easier to get to if they are of interest. Many of the perils of the skies don't venture this low, and your airship is visible from a much shorter distance.

However, navigating near the ground comes with the risk of hitting it, so the engineer must carefully monitor the elevation of the Airship, the spotter keep a hawkish eye out, and the Pilot carefully navigate around any hazards. Wind currents are different near the ground and generally slower (1d4 speed, outside of storms) this can be either a good thing, when high winds up above are not favorable, or a bad thing, when low altitude winds complicate your landing strategy.

\columnbreak

### High Altitude Exploration
Cruising above 500ft also has its benefits and perils. It greatly simplifies navigation: winds last for longer, so heading adjustments are less frequent. There is little to run into, so altitude control is simpler. However, there are adventures and dangers aloft of which the earthbound know little. Beasts of the sky flit darkly amidst storm clouds: Ice and Wind elementals, dragons, griffins, hippogriffs, pegasi and more! There are said to be floating islands obscured in cloudbanks, and elves that have never touched the earth. The big sky is anything but empty!

* Winds last 1d6+3 hours instead of 1d6
 * Wind intensity is 1d4+3 instead of 1d4 
 * Altitude adjustments are needed only infrequently under normal conditions
 * Things on the ground are harder to spot, and things in the air are more likely to need spotting

### Total Ship Speed
 Total ship speed is determined by taking the
ship speed and adding or subtracting the wind
speed depending on if the wind is with or
against your ships direction of travel.
For example, if the wind is at a speed of 2, is
with your direction of movement, and your ship
is operating a a speed of 1, you would be
moving at 2 wind speed + 1 ship speed or 50
km/h + 25 km/h, for a total of 75km/h. The
opposite applies for headwinds. Using the same
example, if the wind is opposite to your ships
direction of travel, your ship would be traveling
backwards at a speed of 25 km/h for the
duration of the wind speed, or until your ship
movement increases to 2.

|Total Ship Speed |Distance traveled|
|:-:|:-|
|1 |3 mph|
|2|6 mph|
|3|9 mph|
|4|12 mph|
|5|15 mph|
|6|18 mph|
|7|21 mph|
|8|23 mph|

\pagebreak

## Air-to-Air Combat

### Weapon Arc
There are 2 Sections of Weapon Arcs: Forward & Aft as well
as Port & Starboard. Within these there are 3 types:
* Low Arc or "Line" - Generally found on anti-ship sniper
weapons (such as the Mercury Light Field Gun)
* Medium Arc - Generally found on most weapons, although
not the highest damage dealers.
* Wide Arc - Loved for their versatility, wide arc weapons
are most commonly seen on support style weapons, made
to disable rather than go for the kill; don't expect much in
terms of damage from these. However, their ability to lock
down opponents is unrivaled by other arcs of weaponry.

### Damage Locations
When a hit is declared against an airship, the next thing that
needs to happen is to determine where exactly the shot lands.
* Roll a d12 to see
what component gets damaged by the attack. For the
specific layout of components, refer to the individual ship
classes

|d12 |Component|
|:-:|:-|
|1 |Gas Bag (1)|
|2 |Gas Bag (2)|
|3| Gas Bag (3)|
|4 |Guns (Forward/Rear)|
|5 |Guns (Port/Starboard|
|6 |Turning Engines (Port/Starboard)|
|7 |Main Engine|
|8 |Gas Generator|
|9 |Helm|
|10 |Hull Armour|
|11| Hull Armour|
|12| Hull Armour|

\columnbreak

> ##### Component Call Out
>Before making an attack, anyone proficient with
Airship Weaponry may "call out" their shot
allowing them to roll a d4 to adjust the roll of the
d12 by an equal amount of spaces as the result of
the d4 towards their intended target.
For example, if the Gunner calls out that they are
aiming for the Main Engine (Component 7), they
roll a 3 on the d12, and a 3 on the d4, they may
choose to hit either components 3, 4, 5, or 6 -
whatever makes most sense visually or
advantageously.

### Damage to Crew
If crew is in the area of a component under attack, the crew
rolls a dexterity saving throw. If the attacking weapon is a
light weapon, take no damage on a successful save and half
damage on a failed save. If the attacking weapon is a heavy
weapon, take half damage on a successful save, and full
damage on a failed save.

### Ramming and Collisions
When you move into an occupied hex there is an opportunity
for collisions to happen, sometimes this is intentional, other
times unintentional.

### Intentional Ramming
You move into an occupied hex, roll an attack and add
proficiency (if you are proficient with sky craft). If the roll
exceeds the opposing ships AC you successfully ram.
* Dealing damage: As long as you have already traveled in
a straight line for 1 hex (50m) you deal 1D10 Damage to
Hull Armour then Durability. Any additional hexes left in
your movement can add 1d10 to the damage you deal. If
you haven't moved at least one hex in a straight line, it is a
glancing blow and deals negligible damage.
* Reducing damage: The pilot of each ship can roll a Dex
or Wis save to reduce the incoming damage. If the
attacker’s attack roll does not exceed their own Ship AC,
they automatically pass their save. The DC is the attack
roll used to initiate the collision. If you make the save you
take half damage. On a failed save, you take full damage
regardless of whether or not you are the one who caused
the collision or not.

As the pilot who caused the collision, if you successfully
passed your save and your opponent did not. You push them
back in the direction you hit them and you occupy the hex
they were previously in. If you push the target into another
object then follow the miscellaneous collision rules below. If
you fail your save as the instigating ship you stop adjacent to
the ship and the opposing ship does not get pushed whether
it passed its Dex or Wis save or not.

\pagebreak

# Airship Components and Functionality
## Component Status
### Functional
When a component is above half health, it is functional and
works normally.
### Broken
When a component drops below half health it receives the
**Broken** condition, rendering the component non-functional
however it can still be repaired.
### Destroyed
The **Destroyed** condition is when the component drops to
0hp, when this happens the component cannot be repaired
during combat. Outside of combat, if parts are available, you
may take a period of time (determined by your DM) to repair
the destroyed component. If you do not have the spare parts
available you must have the component serviced at a repair
dock (generally found in skyports) the cost of these repairs is
determined by your DM

## Components of an Airship

Each of these components come together to make an Airship
function at its best. Like an ecosystem, if one part gets
damaged it is likely that it may lead to more issues down the
line, keep everything in working order as long as you can so
you can make it safe to port.
### Durability
**Durability** is the total airship health, representing the
foundational structure of the Airship itself. It can't be repaired
on the move, it can an only be restored at a repair dock/in
Port. Durability damage is only taken when hull armor has
been rendered non-functional. If Durability drops to 0hp then
the ship is destroyed. Once the ship is destroyed it begins to
fall apart, the crew has ~2 rounds to do what they can to
escape or become trapped within the debris as they plummet
to the ground, this can be cut short if the ship hits the ground
before the 2 rounds have completed. The total amount of time
for the destruction is ultimately up to your DM so get creative
with it.

### Hull Armor 
**Hull Armour** is what protects the Durability of the airship. If
Hull Armor receives the **Broken** condition the Airship will
begin to take Durability damage the next time the Hull
Armour is targeted by an attack.

\columnbreak
### Gas Generator

**The Gas Generator** grants the ability to
ascend/descend the Airship, if the gas generator receives the
**Broken** condition, no further height adjustments may be
made until repaired.

### Gas Bags
The **Gas Bags/Balloon** allows the Airship to stay in flight. As
long as one out of the three Gas Bags remain functional the
Airship may continue to float through the air normally. If **all**
Gas Bags have the **Broken** condition, The Airship will
descend 200m every round until Repaired or impact with the
ground.

### Helm
The **Helm** allows the maneuverability of the Airship, if the
helm receives the **Broken** condition, no further adjustments
may be made to change the ship’s current course until
repaired.

### Engines
The Engines allow lateral movement of the Airship, There
are two types of engines; **Main Engines** and T**urning
Engines.**

**Main Engines** Provide most of the forward thrust, if they
receive the **Broken** condition, speed is reduced by half
until repaired.

**Turning Engines** Provide most of the turning power, if they
receive the **Broken** condition, speed is reduced by one
quarter for each engine. A Broken Turning Engine will also
cause x2 movement cost while turning towards opposite
direction of Broken Engine (Turning Starboard with a
Broken Port Turning Engine costs 2 movement per hex
rotation)

**Fractions**: If you have less than 1 hex of movement available
due to damage to your engines you must use enough move
actions to equal one hex of movement, If you are unable to
do so then the ship is unable to move that turn

### Weapons
The Weapons are the devices made to damage and disable
opposing airships and foes. There are two types of Airship
Weaponry; **Light**, and **Heavy**. If they receive the **Broken**
condition the guns retain their current reload state, however
they cannot be fired or be reloaded until repaired.

\pagebreak

### Firing Weapons
If you are proficient with Airship weaponry then you may
add your proficiency to your attack roll. If you are using Heavy
Airship Weaponry without Airship Weaponry proficiency, all
attacks made with that weapon are made at disadvantage.
During the shooting phase of combat you may use your
attack action to fire the weapon. When the weapon's
capacity is 0 you must use the attack action to reload the
weapon. Reloading uses up 1 magazine of the required
ammunition. Each weapon has its own health pool, if the gun
drops to half its max health it is broken and cant continue to
fire or be reloaded, its current state of reload or shots used
remains the same. If the gun drops to 0hp it is Destroyed;
the ammunition is lost and can not be repaired untill you
dock and buy supplies to repair it (value is determined by
your DM)