[FT] Some ideas on crew quality (longish)

One of the subjects that crops up occasionally is the subject of crew
quality in Full Thrust, my ideas on the subject are as follows:

For simplicity, crew quality consists of two factors, the crew
themselves, and the quality of command:

Crew Quality uses the same descriptions as for Dirtside II:
Veteran (3)
Regular (2)
Green	(1)

While Command staff also come in three grades, as in Dirtside, but this
time I've given them descriptive labels:
Good	(+2)
Average (+1)
Poor	(+0)

These two factors are combined to give an overall Crew quality factor:
add the modifier for command to the number for the crew, this will give
a number in a range of 1 to 5, 1 is worst, 5 is best :-)

(The reason that I split these two factors up is largely for campaign
considerations ATM)

Potentially, crew quality could affect a large number of factors in the
game, but, ATM, I'm restricting it to only a few effects:

Morale.
=======

The morale of a ship can be at three levels;
Confident
Shaken
Broken

Under normal circumstances, most ships will begin a scenario with a
morale of Confident.

During a battle, a ship may need to check morale, this is done by
rolling 1D6, applying any relevant modifiers, should the roll exceed the
ships Crew Quality Factor, then the ship has failed the check, the
normal result of this is the ships Morale worsens by 1 step:

A confident ship functions as described in the rules.
A Shaken ship is considered to have a crew quality factor 1 less than
its actual value for the purposes of initiative (q.v.)
A Broken ship will attempt to leave the battle, if it cannot, it will
surrender (see Striking the Colours in More Thrust, p.8).

These probably need firming up, and will probably require adjudication.

Morale checks are made:
When a ship makes a threshold check from general damage (not WDA weapon
special effects).
When an allied ship is destroyed.

Morale modifiers are as follows:
Ship intact: +2
Ship has 3 whole hull rows remaining: +1
Ship has only 1 whole hull rows remaining: -1
Ship has less than 1 whole hull row remaining: -2
Ship under the effect of failed Core Threshold check: -2
Fleet Flagship destroyed: -2

If a ship loses its primary bridge due to a core threshold, then it
loses its command staff modifier, lower-ranking officers will take
charge, roll 1D6, adding old command modifier:
1f 1-3, reduce command quality 1 step, 4-5, command quality unaltered,
6+ command quality increased 1 step (cannot go below +0 or above +2).

A ship that is Shaken or Broken may be rallied at the end of the Damage
Control step, the ship makes a moral check (at -1 if broken), if it
succeeds, its moral improves 1 step.

Initiative.
===========

As an alternative to the standard initiative system, use this:

All ships with crew quality factor 5 fire first, in initiative order.
then crew quality factor 4, etc.

Damage Control.
===============

I'm not sure about this bit, but:

Veteran crews get to re-roll 1 damage control roll each turn.
Green crews _must_ re-roll 1 damage control roll _that succeeded_, and
take the second roll, each turn.

Good command staff provide the same bonus as Veteran crews, Poor command
staff provide the same penalty as green crews, command and crew effects
are cumulative.

Ramming.
========

If using the ramming rules in Full Thrust, page 22, to initiate a Ram
requires a morale check with an additional -2 penalty, in replace of the
D6 roll described. Broken ships cannot initiate a ram (unless crewed by
Kra'Vak).

Others.
=======

Crew quality will probably effect boarding actions as well.

Points Cost.
============

The cost of crew/command quality is a factor of the total NPV of the
ship:

Crew:
Veteran: +20%
Regular: +0%
Green: -20%

Command:
Good: +20%
Average: +0%
Poor: -20%

Alien Crew Quality
==================

Kra'Vak use the system above, except that KV ships that are shaken will
attack the nearest craft of at least 50% of their hull mass, with as
many weapons as possible.
KV ships that are broken will attack as above, but will also attempt to
initiate a ram if possible.

Sa'Vasku ships are always considered regular, with average commanders,
but get a +1 bonus to rallying rolls.

Phalons use the same rules as humans. 

Charles