Intel - Astrography & Navigation is the skill that separates the elite navigators from the common spacefarer. It is the art of understanding and utilizing the complex systems of interstellar travel and knowing how to navigate safely through the hazards of space. With this skill, you will be able to plot courses across the stars and navigate through asteroid fields, dust clouds, and other obstacles with ease.
You will be able to read star maps, understand the various gravitational forces at play in the cosmos, and calculate your position relative to other objects in space. With this knowledge, you can navigate your ship to any point in the galaxy, and know exactly how to get there. This skill also encompasses surface navigation, allowing you to guide your ship safely to a planet's surface and navigate through hostile terrain.
Whether you're a smuggler looking to avoid the authorities, a trader trying to make a quick profit, or a pirate seeking new targets, the Intel - Astrography & Navigation skill is essential to your success. With this skill, you will be able to navigate the vast expanse of space with confidence, and reach your destination safely and efficiently.
Each navigation or astrography task will have a difficulty rating based on the complexity of space, hazard density, and accuracy required. The more dangerous the region and the more precise the navigation needed, the higher the difficulty.
When you attempt to plot courses, navigate through hazards, calculate hyperspace jumps, read star charts, or analyze spatial phenomena, you will make an Intel - Astrography & Navigation skill check against the task's difficulty rating. The GM may apply Boons or Banes based on factors such as quality of nav equipment, available star charts, time pressure, or environmental conditions.
Rather than spending skill points to move up skill levels, You may instead spend skill points to purchase any of the following tricks.
Cost: 2 Skill points
Requires: Tactical Training
Frequency: Once per Lockdown
Effect: You can use the gravity of celestial bodies to slingshot your ship to higher speeds. When passing near planets, stars, or other massive objects, you can gain a +1d6 Boon to navigation checks and increase your ship's speed by 25% for that leg of the journey, saving time and fuel.
Cost: 2 Skill points
Requires: Tactical Training
Frequency: Once per Lockdown
Effect: You can navigate using only the stars, without charts or instruments. Even if all navigation equipment fails, you can determine your position and plot courses by reading stellar positions. This grants you immunity to nav computer failures and electronic warfare targeting your navigation systems.
Cost: 2 Skill points
Requires: Tactical Training
Frequency: Once per Lockdown
Effect: You can rapidly analyze different routes and determine the most fuel-efficient and time-saving path. When plotting a course, you automatically identify the optimal route that balances speed, fuel efficiency, and safety. Reduce travel time or fuel consumption by 15% (your choice).
Cost: 6 Skill points
Requires: Expert Training
Frequency: Once per Op
Effect: You can calculate exceptionally precise hyperspace jumps. When plotting FTL travel, you gain a +1d8 Boon to all calculations. Your jumps are more accurate (emerging exactly on target), faster (reduced time in hyperspace), and safer (avoiding spatial anomalies). You can also calculate emergency jumps under pressure.
Cost: 6 Skill points
Requires: Expert Training
Frequency: Once per Op
Effect: You can rapidly analyze a star system to determine the locations of all planets, moons, asteroid fields, space stations, and other celestial objects. Given 10-15 minutes with ship sensors, you can create a complete system map, identify potential hazards, locate resources, and spot hidden installations or ships.
Cost: 6 Skill points
Requires: Expert Training
Frequency: Once per Op
Effect: You can navigate across any planet's surface and terrain, even in challenging conditions like sandstorms, blizzards, dense jungles, or zero-visibility environments. You gain a +1d8 Boon to planetary navigation, can always find your way, and can guide vehicles safely through hazardous terrain.
Cost: 10 Skill points
Requires: Master Training
Frequency: Once per Mission
Effect: You can determine your ship's position and trajectory without any astrogation charts or instruments. Your innate understanding of space is so complete that you can navigate purely by feel, stellar observation, and spatial awareness. This works even in completely uncharted space or with all navigation systems destroyed.
Cost: 10 Skill points
Requires: Master Training
Frequency: Once per Mission
Effect: You can identify and safely navigate through hyperspace anomalies, unstable wormholes, spatial rifts, and other dangerous phenomena that would destroy other ships. You can use these anomalies as shortcuts or to evade pursuit. For one operation, you can traverse impossible space and emerge safely where others would be lost forever.
Cost: 10 Skill points
Requires: Master Training
Frequency: Once per Mission
Effect: You can predict and calculate ship trajectories with supernatural accuracy. For one mission, all your navigation is perfect - pinpoint hyperspace exits, perfect orbital insertion, flawless course plotting that avoids all hazards while minimizing time and fuel. Your navigation cannot fail during this mission except through catastrophic external interference.
Each navigation chart grants a stacking Boon to Piloting - Navigation rolls when traveling in charted space:
Boons apply when:
Navigation charts provide practical advantages:
GM Note: Charts become outdated as space changes. Significant astronomical events may require chart updates.
Navigation charts require occasional updates:
Maya "Pathfinder" Torres maps smuggler routes:
Confederation Navy maintains strategic charts: