Anti-Ship Combat

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In large scale battle, mobile suit teams are often launched from, supported, and resupplied by a carrier or assault ship. These ships often come equipped for anti ship and anti mobile suit combat, making them prime targets for elimination or capture.

Because ships are such a vital resource in battle, enemy forces will often heavily protect the vessel and intercept anything approaching it during combat. As such, it is no easy feat to engage a ship directly. To engage a enemy vessel in battle, the pilot must pass an "Engage Check". The DC for "Engage" is determined by the type of vessel, plus the Speed of the fastest enemy on the battlefield as you must first break through enemy lines to reach the ship itself. The roll is modified by the attempting mobile suit's Speed. Engage can be attempted every X (1 + # of enemy MS) rounds. Only a maximum of two suits can participate in Engage at the same time.

• Transport: 10
• Assault: 12
• Carrier: 12
• Assault Carrier: 14

Engage lasts for three rounds, after which the attacking mobile suit must break off and return to regular combat. Enemies engaging a friendly ship are treated as Long Range for the duration. Suits deploying during an Engage period may attack the aggressor directly. Ships may attack hostile forces with long range weapons once per round. If engaged directly, ships follow the same rules for action economy as mobile suits. Ships are not required to make an Engage check to directly confront an opposing ship.

In space, or in other situations where an enemy vessel may be concealed, Engage cannot be attempted until the enemy ship has been located. Every time a ship attacks or launches a machine during battle the group and any friendly vessels can make a Perception check to locate it based on it's firing or launch trajectory. The DC for finding the enemy vessel is equal to its Evasion Rating. If detected, the Engage maneuver can be attempted.

If a ship has all of its deployed defending forces eliminated, it will attempt to Escape. If it fails, the ship can be captured. A ship uses the Intelligence or Wisdom modifier of the Helmsmen in place of Speed when attempting an Escape. A captured ship can be manned after combat, but cannot be repaired without special facilities, which are usually found at bases equipped to harbor ships. Any machines that were inside the ship when captured can be claimed. The crew will usually be detained in the Brig until a base can be reached.

Weapon Influence

Because ships have more armor and bulk than most mobile suits they are also affected differently by weapon categories.

• Cannons/Bazookas: Weapon ignores half a ship's armor rating when dealing damage.
• Heavy Melee (7+): Weapon ignores half a ship's armor rating when dealing damage.
• Launchers: Ignores Armor during Called Attacks.
• Heat and Beam Damage: Applies bonus damage as normal.
• Anti-Ship: Ignores half armor rating when dealing damage, ignores full armor during Called Attacks. Anti-Ship can stack with other ship-based damage bonuses.

Called Attacks

Ships can also be targeted with Called Attacks. The Cripple Value of a ship is higher than that of a mobile suit or mobile armor. When calculating the Cripple Value for a Called Attack against a ship, calculate it the same way as a mobile suit, using the same armor class, but double the number. Below is a list of the general targets for Called Attack and the penalties if destroyed:

• Hangar: Cannot deploy Mobile Suits, Mobile Armors, or Support Craft. Most carriers have more than one hangar.
• Engines: Evasion Rating is halved. Most ships usually have two engines. Both must be destroyed to apply. Helmsmen can only apply half their modifier to Escape.
• Weapon: Weapon is disabled and cannot be used.
• Bridge*: The ship is crippled. However some ships have a secondary bridge that will take one round to activate. Any crew on the bridge must make Death Saves. This can only be targeted if the ship has an exposed bridge. A ship with a destroyed bridge is considered sunk and cannot be captured.