A 24XX GAME • ADAM SCHWANINGER

YOU
ARE A
You dance through the void,

STARFIGHTER. strapped into a fragile

hypervelocity shell capable of
glassing moons. Now your
colony worlds burn. Your fleets
are scattered. The false
prophets and traitor kings call
you renegade. They hound you
through uncharted space while
billions of ghosts cry out for
vengeance.
Let them come.
Show them how easily the
hunter can become the prey.
RULES MISSIONS DOWNTIME
PLAY: Players describe what their characters do. The ► Play in order for a campaign; roll for one-shots ► Roll or choose events between missions
game moderator (GM) advises when an action is 1 A comrade owes debts to the wrong people
1 Patrol likely jump points in a system marked by
impossible, requires extra steps, demands a cost, or 2 A party and its aftermath
unusually dense asteroid fields
presents an avoidable risk. Players only roll to avoid
2 Escort fuel tankers Square Cube Outlaw and Haulin’ 3 All hands needed for maintenance work
risks.
Gas to and from a remote depot 4 Basic supplies run low
ROLLING: Roll a d6 skill die—higher with a relevant skill, 3 Fly CAP while the flagship Flower of Carnage picks its 5 Black marketeers trade for favors owed
or d4 if hindered by injury or circumstances. If helped by way through a debris field 6 Fleet considers joining forces with pirates
circumstances, roll an extra d6; if helped by a comrade, 7 Grunts begin oppressing the civilians
4 Hit the enemy starship Cleric before it repairs its
roll your bond die and share the risk. Take the highest die 8 Mandatory zero-g team-building exercise
jumpdrive
and flavor the outcome accordingly (skill, aid, or 9 MPs are after a comrade for a crime
circumstance). 5 Escort search & rescue dropship Skyhammer looking
for downed pilots 10 Mutineers seize the CIC
1–2 Disaster. Suffer the full risk. GM decides if you 11 One of your fellow pilots is a petty thief
6 Hunt down the enemy ace “Dragon”; do not listen to
succeed at all. If risking death, you die. 12 Share a meal and talk about what comes next
their lies
13 Show the rookies the ropes
3–4 Setback. A lesser consequence or partial success. If 7 Strike atmosphere processors on colony surface to 14 Squalor takes its toll
risking destruction, your starfighter is disabled. deny the enemy their foothold 15 The fleet gathers to remember the dead
5+ Success. The higher the roll, the better. 8 Ambush and capture a supply convoy passing through 16 The fleet organizes a talent show to lift spirits
sensor-jamming nebula 17 Virus sweeps the fleet comms
If success can’t get you what you want (you make the 9 Strip listening post’s defenses and defend dropship
shot, but it’s shielded!), you’ll at least get useful info or 18 You get some much-needed hobby time
Paladin as it docks to gather intel 19 You’re contacted by an enemy spy
set up an advantage.
10 Eliminate enemy forces protecting the dreadnaught 20 Your fellow pilots plan a hazing for you
ADVANCEMENT: After a mission, gain a d8 skill, mark an Decolonizer, currently in drydock
► Scuttlebutt
existing one, or raise a marked skill. 11 Hold off enemy forces while boarding party repairs
dreadnaught Decolonizer’s jumpdrive 1 A comrade considers turning pirate
BONDS: Between missions, roleplay a scene with a
comrade to increase the bond die between you (none → 12 Intercept civilian ships before they stumble across 2 A comrade is an enemy spy
d6 → d8 → d10 → d12). Use to help. your position 3 A comrade shows signs of defecting
13 Make contact with the defecting starship Summer’s 4 Allies stand ready, if you can find them
DEFENSE: Break an item or starfighter system 5 Command turned down a peace offering
End and escort it to safety
(spaceframe or loadout) to turn a hit into a brief 6 Command won’t send rescue for downed pilot
hindrance. Broken tech is useless until repaired. 14 Assassinate false prophet traveling on well-guarded
luxury starship 7 Enemy ace is in your sector
HARM: Clear injuries with time and/or treatment. If killed, 8 Enemy guarded a lifepod until rescue arrived
15 Fly atmospheric support for a raid on an enemy penal
make a new character to be introduced ASAP. Favor 9 Enemy pilot let an easy kill make it back
colony; loyalists must be freed
inclusion over realism. 10 Enemy pilots are trained to target lifepods
16 The traitor king’s son fancies himself a star pilot; lure 11 You’d be better off looking for new worlds
GM: Describe characters in terms of behaviors, risks, and the prince away from his escort
12 You or a comrade’s loved ones are still alive
obstacles, not skill dice. Lead the group in setting lines 17 Defend your flagship Flower of Carnage from incoming 13 The enemy is building a planet-killer
not to cross in play. Fast-forward, pause, or rewind/redo enemy strike force
for pacing and safety; invite players to do likewise. 14 The false prophets and traitor king are aliens
18 Infiltrate an enemy research station and steal their 15 The false prophets hate the traitor king
Present dilemmas you don’t know how to solve. Move prototype starfighters
spotlight to give all time to shine. Roll d6 periodically to 16 The Flower of Carnage is your last flagship
19 Use stolen enemy starfighters to decimate the enemy 17 The true heir to the throneworld is onboard
check for (1– 2) trouble or (3–4) signs of it. Improvise
throneworld’s defenses 18 The traitor king is just one of many petty lords
rulings to cover gaps in rules; on a break, revise
unsatisfactory rulings as a group. 20 Escort the Decolonizer to the enemy throneworld and 19 The war was caused by manipulative AI
bring ruin to the traitor king 20 There are no colonies left; you war over ash
 PILOTS DETAILS STARFIGHTERS
► Choose your character’s specialty. ► You may not choose your own callsign. Roll or have All starfighters start as carrier-based short-range
another player determine yours. spacecraft armed with direct-fire weaponry and missiles.
INTERCEPTOR: Sensors (d10) and Piloting (d8).
► Choose two upgrades to detail your spaceframe:
SPACE SUPERIORITY: Piloting (d10) and Gunnery (d8). 11 Arrow 31 Ice-9 51 Quake
FIGHTER-BOMBER: Gunnery (d10) and Sensors (d8).
12 Butcher 32 Joker 52 Rascal ❏ Control surfaces (helps in atmosphere)
13 Buzzard 33 Kinky 53 Sidewinder ❏ Jumpdrive
MULTIROLE: Gunnery (d8), Piloting (d8), & Sensors (d8). 14 Crash 34 Longshot 54 Smokey
15 Crimson 35 Magnet 55 Thunder ❏ Shields (break harmlessly for defense, recharge after
► Choose your character’s background. combat)
16 Dagger 36 Maniac 56 Trigger
ACADEMY: Contacts (d8), Strategy (d8), intimate 21 Downtown 41 Monarch 61 Unicorn ❏ High-performance thrusters (helps with piloting, risks
knowledge of regulations. 22 8-Ball 42 Nails 62 Vapor heat)
23 Flash 43 Nugget 63 Wizard ❏ Advanced heatsinks (ignore overheat risk or break for
COLONIST: Labor (d8), Jury-rig (d8), pictures of home,
24 Feisty 44 Overtime 64 X-treme stealth)
narrow worldview.
25 Goose 45 Pickle 65 Yak
DEFECTOR: Guile (d8), Enemy Tactics (d8), desperate 26 Hornet 46 Princess 66 Zipper ❏ Internal loadout bay (holds a 3rd loadout)
need to prove yourself.
► Take a d6 bond with a crewmate below or another PC: ► Choose 2 loadout options before each mission:
IDEALIST: Inspiration (d8), Insight (d8), charming
naïveté, cute but annoying mascot. 1 Djent “Thrash” Regulus, hothead pilot ❏ Anti-starship strike package (single-use)
2 Olivia “Ghost” Mako, buttoned-up dropship pilot, ❏ Orbital strike package (single-use)
LOOSE CANNON: Attitude (d8), Petty Crime (d8), hidden drinks alone, reluctant storyteller
stash, disarming smile. ❏ ECM jammer (helps in BVR, other uses as needed)
3 Kraid Ronson, chief, squinty with foul mouth ❏ Extended-range fuel tanks
SPACER: Mechanics (d8), Spacewalking (d8), everyday 4 Cameron Zorn, sensors tech, unpopular opinions
vac-suit, fleet knowledge. ❏ Omniflak (break to defend missiles)
about reconciliation
❏ Repair drone (break to repair damage without RTB)
VATBORN: Electronics (d8), Fitness (d8), brainjack, 5 Janet “Rebel” Ledani, current enemy kill leader, ultra-
unfamiliar memories. competitive, likes to gamble ❏ Quantum radar (break to see opponent’s dogfight
tactic)
VENDETTA: Violence (d8), Intimidation (d8), tragic 6 Grig Riker, XO, gruff uncle figure of the CIC
7 Auri Zurora, intelligence officer, runs a thriving black ❏ Dropdrive (single-use jumpdrive)
keepsake, personal enemy.
market, shrewd judge of character
VETERAN: Contacts (d8), Guile (d8), distinctive scars,
grisly trophy. 8 Vega “Tank” Tannhauser, vatborn ace kept on ice
between wars, death wish, superior
WAR HERO: Camaraderie (d8), Combat (d8), self- 9 Paul “Playboy” Brennix, aging pilot, loyal wingman in
aggrandizing stories, medals. and out of the cockpit
► Choose or invent one other d8 skill. 10 Andromeda Rylos, security officer, hardass on duty,
Other skills: Camaraderie, Combat, Contacts, Electronics, softie off duty, aspiring songwriter
Fitness, Guile, Gunnery, Insight, Intimidation, Labor,
► Roll for kills.
Mechanics, Medicine, Piloting, Recon, Sensors,
Spacewalking Defectors and Idealists start with zero kills. Everyone else
rolls the best of Piloting, Gunnery, or Sensors. Vatborn,
Vendettas, and War Heroes add d6 kills to their total.
► You have access to personal equipment as befits your
mission or fleet duties.
COMBAT ENEMY ACES
DOGFIGHTS: Each pair or group of opposing starfighters AMMO, FUEL, O2: Test luck when common sense dictates. ENEMY PILOT: No upgrades, follows general tactics.
chooses a tactic. Reveal simultaneously and consult the 1-2 you’re out or dangerously low, 3-4 you have enough
ENEMY WINGLEADER: 1 starfighter upgrade.
table. for one more run.
ENEMY ACE: 2 picks from upgrades.
❏ Press: Charge in for an alpha strike. Helps against HEAT: Fragile radiators retract for combat, building up
crank, hindered vs merge. heat levels. Risk of overheating - and resulting damage - ENEMY ACE OF ACES: 3 upgrades, choose tactics based
❏ Merge: Maneuver for a dogfight. Helps against press, increases with the length of any engagement. Disengage on their opponent’s Piloting, Gunnery, and Sensors skills.
to cool down, or bleed off heat in an atmosphere.
hindered vs crank. CALLSIGN: Roll or choose.
❏ Crank: Maintain standoff distance. Helps against COLLISION: Depending on the angle and speed of impact 1 Baroness
merge, hindered vs press. collisions could range from a temporary hindrance to
catastrophic annihilation. 2 Chimera
Press Merge Crank 3 Dragon
POSITIONING: Being outmaneuvered or outnumbered by 4 Firefox
Press H2H Dogfight BVR
the enemy can hinder you. If you were escorting
Merge Dogfight Dogfight BVR friendlies, the enemy may inflict casualties on them. 5 Talisman
6 Zardoz
Crank BVR BVR Disengage DIRECT FIRE: Flavor VFX and lethality to suit your group,
although even the most destructive hits should allow for a PERSONALITY/TACTICS: Roll or choose.
Head to Head: Too close for missiles. Roll Gunnery, risk- chance to eject. 1 Knows your entire squadron
ing direct enemy fire or collision.
MISSILE LOCK: Generally one missile is enough to splash 2 Hates a single pilot
Dogfight: Roll Piloting. Risks include missile lock, direct a starfighter. 3 Predictable, but upgrades cover weaknesses
fire, and being outmaneuvered. 4 War criminal
FTL: Starships (and some starfighters) use jumpdrives to
Beyond Visual Range: Missiles only. Roll Sensors, risking travel across interstellar distances. Starfighters without 5 Honorable
missile lock, jamming, and losing contact. jumpdrives can use a dropdrive or be ferried into the AO 6 Taunts
inside a starship. Roll Piloting to “surf” a dropship or star- 7 Prioritizes the weak/sneak attacks
Disengage: Combatants are outside their effective range
ship’s jump “wake”, risking harm and/or arriving at the
and may freely withdraw or recommit. 8 Punches out as soon as it looks bad
wrong place or time.
TACTICS: If the situation allows, roll Strategy or Enemy STARFIGHTER UPGRADES: Enemy starfighters may have
ATTACK RUNS: Choose your tactic when making an attack
Tactics before a dogfight to predict what your opponent other upgrades that aren’t on this list.
on a starship or stationary target:
will do. Your opponent reveals their tactic on a success. A 1 Shields: Absorbs the first successful attack.
❏ Standoff: Fire from long range and risk your attack setback eliminates one tactic. Reveal your tactic first on a
1-2. 2 High-performance thrusters: Hinders Piloting rolls.
being stopped by point defense. Get an appropriate
Counter with your own thrusters or by choosing other
strike package to reduce point-defense risk and GRAVITY WELLS: Fighting from the bottom of a gravity tactics.
maximize effect on target. well such as a planet or moon favors those at the top (hin- 3 Control surfaces: Hinders all rolls in an atmosphere.
❏ Strafing: Fly past point defense and trade shots, dering or helping as appropriate).
Lure them into vacuum or match their capabilites.
risking incoming fire and collision in order to precisely DROPSHIPS: Transport and support shuttles capable of 4 Quantum Radar: Reveal your dogfight tactic first. Level
target your attack. carrying squads and light vehicles. Larger and less per- the playing field with your own quantum radar or use
formant than starfighters, specialized for air-to-ground an ECM jammer.
Roll Gunnery (at short range) or Sensors (at long range)
assault or boarding actions.
to prioritize your attack’s effectiveness. Roll Piloting to 5 Omniflak: Defends against missiles. Overwhelm their
prioritize survival. STARSHIPS: Any larger military or civilian spacecraft defenses or go in for guns.
controlled by a crew rather than a single pilot, such as 6 ECM jammer: Hinders BVR rolls and interferes with
flagships, dreadnaughts, or fuel tankers. communication. Get in close and put eyes on them.
Version 1.2. Text & layout by Adam Schwaninger, adapted from 2400 by Jason Tocci under a CC BY 4.0 license. Art CC BY BEEPLE.