Players spend much of their time traveling, fighting opponents and undertaking epic adventures. Whether it takes the form of a starship, a bunker hidden on a remote planet, or a secret facility in the middle of a busy city, having a Base of Operations of their own gives them a place to recuperate from such things. There they can recover from injuries, store their hard-earned loot, hone their skills, host important emissaries, and plan their next adventure. This section helps you establish a base for the player characters. It can create anything from a humble shuttle to an entire base with thousands of troops and support staff. When you’re ready to do so, follow the steps below.
Don’t let the lack of an Advantage or Complication prevent you from using it as the campaign develops. Just because you didn’t roll “Contested” on the Complication table doesn’t mean it can’t develop later in the campaign. The results on these tables can inspire you to develop the base or ship and its role in the campaign as you go. Imagine a Krayt dragon attacking the heroes in their base, perhaps it gains the Foreboding trait until the Krayt dragon is defeated.
The Advantages listed on the table below are framed in terms of a typical Star Wars setting. Use your imagination to apply them to other themes. In all cases, “members” refers to any and all permanent party members who have free access to the base and its systems. If an individual quits or leaves the party, or if the base is destroyed, any bonus is lost.
Exotic Location: The base is unusual in some way, such as in the middle of a city, on a remote planet, or a hidden Asteroid. If the base is intended purely to serve as a home for the party rather than be open to the local populace, the group may decide to keep its location secret. This makes it more difficult for enemies to find and attack, while a known location makes it easier to host friendly locals, emissaries, and other allies. If it’s a ship it may be a Prototype or an Archaic design or from an alien species unknown to the galaxy at large.
Hallowed: The structure or its grounds are deeply revered and respected. It may mark the site of a great battle or heroic sacrifice, hold the remains of a legendary person, or is the former home of a Jedi Academy (or similarly respected order). Most citizens have a friendly attitude toward any party members known to operate from its hallowed halls. It may be a ship that is known to have performed an amazing feat, or had a famous owner in the past. Either way all team members start each session with an additional Benny.
Inspiring: Those who walk these corridors are inspired to great deeds of selflessness and heroism. Inspiration might come from a monument to a fallen hero, trophies from previous victories, or even amazing art or architecture that inspires the soul. All party members’ Spirit die is increased by one die type.
Mentor: The base or ship is managed by an exceptional individual. He or she might be a respected leader, a Jedi, a beloved relative of one or more party members, an amusing jokester, a famous pilot, or even a Force spirit. The GM should create an appropriate Wild Card character and use him or her to support the team in their adventures. At the start of each session, randomly choose one player character. Continue to do so each session until every player has been chosen once, then start again. That character may recite a brief tale of the mentor’s guidance or inspiration to gain Conviction that must be used on some action relevant to the anecdote. If the Conviction isn’t used by the end of the adventure, it’s lost.
Productive: The base, ship, or nearby facilities under its control produce exceptional wealth of some kind. Members share in the rewards and enjoy a monthly bonus equal to their starting funds times their Rank (2x at Seasoned, 3x at Veteran, and so on). Of course rivals covet the stronghold's fortune and may attempt to steal or destroy it.
Renowned: The base or ship is famous for something. Perhaps it holds a wondrous library of Jedi texts, is the last remaining structure from a past civilization, or is one of the fastest hunks of junk in the galaxy. All party members gain a permanent die type in a Trait of their choice. The bonus might come from exposure to Force phenomena, exceptional training equipment or tutors, or the high standards the place demands of the party members.
Complications are long-term issues with the base. The heroes might be able to resolve the matter for a while, but it eventually returns, changes, or evolves with a slight twist or change to keep the story interesting.
Contested: A powerful rival wants the base or ship for her own. She’s constantly attempting to take it by guile, force, blackmail, subterfuge, or even through foreclosure! This is usually a villain, but could also be a rival party of adventurers or even an unfriendly aristocrat such as an envious duke or governor, maybe even a local crime boss with a petty grudge. The team gains the Enemy (Minor) Hindrance. The enemy might be powerful but only shows up occasionally, or might be less powerful but more frequent in their actions.
Crumbling: The base or ship is falling apart. It may be old, was built poorly, lies on a barren asteroid or planet, or suffered one too many attacks by pirates or even the Empire. Doors stick, womp rats scuttle in the walls, electronics break on occasion, floors slope at slight angles, or walls or control panels fall randomly. When rolling for Encounters, a roll of 5–9 indicates the Malfunction result instead.
Foreboding: The ship or base is labyrinthine, a junkheap, a reminder of some terrible tragedy or betrayal, ugly, or perhaps located in some strange or unnatural place. Visitors are uneasy there, help is hard to find (and retain), and the galaxy’s perception of its inhabitants is inevitably tainted. Party members have the Bad Luck Hindrance (this doesn’t stack with a character’s Bad Luck). Roll again until you get a different result if the stronghold’s Advantage is Hallowed.
Well Known: The base’s location is known by everyone. Strangers arrive almost daily to ask for help and it’s centered in an area likely to be a valuable target for robbery or attacks. There’s always a crowd outside, including greedy thieves, enemy agents, those asking for spurious help, or those who are truly in need. If the location is difficult to reach, take the Remote result instead. If the base is a starship take the Intruders result instead.
Intruders: The base or ship is frequently attacked by pirates, Jawa type thieves, Imperials, Sith, etc. The building may sit above uncharted tunnels, or have some sort of strategic value. Ships may have a hidden beacon or been marked at a previous spaceport. These foes occasionally find their way inside to cause trouble, steal things, or even attack. They may be bandits, Imperials, Mandalorians, spy's, or beings just looking to stow away.
Remote: The base is in a location far removed from civilized planets. It may be deep in the Unknown Regions, on an uninhabited water world, on a moon, or at an oasis in the center of a desert world. Whatever the location, travel to the base requires time or special maps that show hidden hyperspace routes.
Now that the nature of the base or ship has been established, figure out its general form and appearance. Is it a warehouse beside a bustling shopping sector? An ancient derelict spaceship in the middle of nowhere? A beat up old freighter? A Capital ship run by your patron? Whatever it is, it’s large enough to accommodate the party’s personal quarters, mess, meeting rooms, and any Upgrades. If the team later changes their base or ship so that the current description no longer makes sense, the GM and players can describe an expansion, they can move to a new location, or whatever else fits narratively.
Decide how the heroes came by their base or starship. It might have come from “borrowing” it, a windfall inheritance, a gift for accomplishing a task given to them, the heroes might simply decide to buy or build such a place or starship with some massive treasure they earned in their latest adventure. Don’t worry about the “cost” of the base or ship. Decide what makes sense for the group and their environment and use it as an opportunity to emphasize the flavor of the setting.
If the heroes are newcomers from a distant planet, for example, maybe they have to settle for a building in a seedy part of a city. If the team are beloved folk heroes, maybe a grateful senator grants them a small starship. Both reinforce the feel of the game and even create new adventure ideas. What do the heroes have to do to earn respect? Does the patron expect something in return? If the party is more villainous, maybe they took their structure, or starship during a raid or betrayal. Or perhaps they stole the command codes that override the entry locks and anti-theft protocols to the base or ship (and whoever they stole them from wants it back!).
Large structures, such as bases and capital ships, depend on many crew members to handle day-to-day operations — pilots, droids, maintenance, gunners, commanders, troops, and a host of others. The players and GM should work together to understand and record the basics, naming any important staff members and giving them a few unique personality traits to make them memorable and unique.
The cost to maintain the stronghold isn’t something the players and Game Master should normally track. It might be maintained by the people it offers protection to (loyal planets or governments who share their stance in the conflicts that often arise) or covered by an agreement with the queen or senator who granted it. Financial matters might occasionally create adventures, however! Perhaps a spiteful adversary sets out to ruin his rivals’ income so they have to vacate or sell their building. Or a shortfall forces the party to take a distasteful mission they’d otherwise pass on. Use the maintenance and upkeep of the team’s base or ship to create drama and role playing situations. Don’t worry about counting Credits — that’s not very heroic!
Bases consist of personal living quarters, kitchens, meeting rooms, privies, and other basic areas by default. Anything else is an “Upgrade.” When the group earns an Advance, they may also add any one of the Upgrades below to their stronghold. It’s up to the party to figure out what to do if they can’t agree on which Upgrade to take!
Encounters
Of course there’s a price for owning something so valuable! Whenever you Upgrade your stronghold, roll on the Encounters table. If the party isn’t around for the encounter, the GM can send word of the event or saves it for when they return as she sees fit.
Advanced Firewalls: The team’s electronics are protected by advanced firewalls or protective software that make them very difficult to hack. Any foe attempting to break into their systems subtracts 8 from their Hacking rolls, and failure automatically signals all available team members to the attempted intrusion.
Base Defenses: The base’s entrances have automated turrets equipped with either stun guns or gatling lasers (team’s choice). If this Upgrade is taken a second time, they cover each Upgraded room as well. The exact nature of the defenses should be a discussion between the players and Game Master.
Brig: Prisoners are kept in these advanced security cells. Various methods, from stun cuffs to tranquilizer beds, ensure all but the heaviest hitters can be kept here until they are turned over or set free.
Command Center: This upgrade makes the heroes’ central gathering area a cutting edge command center. It adds interactive holographic maps linked to global, or system-wide satellites, advanced scanners that can detect different kinds of energy, and state-of-the-art communications arrays. The Command Center adds +2 to Research rolls if the information can be found using this room (GM’s call).
Exotic Location: The base is in an unusual location, such as a space station, beneath a volcano, on a private moon, or hidden deep below a city. The group can decide if it’s hidden or not. Either decision has its own story-based consequences on the campaign. A hidden base is harder for villains to find and attack, while a public base makes it easier to host friendly government officials, and other allies.
If the heroes already have a base when they choose this Upgrade they must relocate. Maybe that occurs after a titanic battle that levels their previous home.
Monument: This Upgrade may only be taken after a team member falls! A monument in a prominent location in the base recounts her achievements and final sacrifice. Every member of the team increases their Spirit one die type permanently. This may only be taken once, no matter how many monuments are eventually installed.
Hidden Entrance: Whether it’s the main entrance or a secret back door, the base has a secure method that its members and even its vehicles can enter and exit discreetly. The portal might be a long corridor leading far from the building or cave, a secret elevator into the local turbolift network, or a secret Hyperspace route.
Medical Center: The team has a full hospital with advanced life saving equipment. Add +2 to Healing rolls made to treat patients here.
Force Tradition Library: Jedi or other Force Tradition followers can consult the rare tomes kept within this library. Those allowed to access these texts add +2 to their Force Lore rolls.
Science Lab: The base has an advanced workshop, laboratory, or research room that adds +2 to any Science or relevant Research rolls made within.
Security Team: The base has five security agents (design them yourself or use either the Rebel Soldier or Stormtrooper) to protect it from infiltration and assault. The squad may be taken on missions if desired, but this is generally frowned upon as it often results in their harm. This Upgrade may be taken more than once to gain an additional team or give all existing teams one Advance.
Self-Sufficient: The base has its own water source, generator, foodstores, oxygen (if necessary), and other critical life support systems. The team can survive within for up to 90 days even if cut off from the outside.
Training Room: The training room consists of robots, mechanical traps, and even hired opposition to hone the team’s battle skills. The brutal training grants all team members +1 Toughness.
Trophy Room: The heroes dedicate a room to relics of their most memorable adventures. This Upgrade may be taken up to three times, representing new trophies that add a Benny to a special team pool. When this Upgrade is implemented, and at the start of each session afterward, the players should take turns being in charge of the pool. The player with this role can hand out these Bennies at any time, granting them as she thinks appropriate to her teammates (and even nonplayer characters).
Vehicles: Each time this Upgrade is taken it grants the heroes vehicles such as speederbike for each member, a landspeeder, an airspeeder, or a starfighter.
Vehicle Bay: The heroes have a dedicated vehicle bay that adds +2 to vehicle Repair rolls.
Every time your group Upgrades the base, roll on the Encounter table below. As always, the Game Master should customize details for her game and the team’s particular backgrounds and adventures.
Double Trouble: Roll twice and apply both results!
No Encounter: This time!
No Encounter: This time!
No Encounter: This time!
No Encounter: This time!
No Encounter: This time!
No Encounter: This time!
No Encounter: This time!
New Hyperspace Route: A new Hyperspace route is found on purpose or by accident. Maybe a new species comes out, or maybe the heroes can go in—perhaps even visiting new planets!
Rampage: A giant creature (or creatures) terrorize a nearby settlement or planet —and the team’s base is directly in its path! Perhaps the creatures were driven from some underground system and aren’t truly destructive, or maybe they’re being manipulated by some insidious villain.
Attack: Opponents attack the team’s base. This might be a frontal assault, an attack via “Trojan Horse,” or even a betrayal of some sort.
Collapse: Some part of the base collapses. An Upgrade, chosen randomly, is lost in a bizarre accident, finally crumbles from previous damage, or is the target of an attack. When the team takes their next Upgrade, the damaged Upgrade is repaired as well.
Shortfall: The team’s finances are at a crisis level for some reason. Maybe it’s only a temporary state, but they must raise funds by taking on some sort of task from a disagreeable source to keep the base or starship afloat.
Plague: A plague infects the crew. The heroes must decide how to deal with it. They may have to wait it out, bargain with a healer for her service, or gather some rare cure from a creature or faraway planet.
Hostile Government: The mayor, governor, or some other powerful figure or authority has a beef with the heroes. The authority tries to make the team’s life difficult by slowing construction (Upgrades), filing complaints for violating noise ordinances, or riling up the public by pointing out the financial and physical hazard the base poses for the locals. This might lead to a Social Conflict in court—and perhaps uncover the nefarious involvement of an opponent as well.
Catastrophe: A natural or man-made disaster threatens their base and the area around it. It might be an earthquake or tornado, a battle between extremely powerful creatures, a blackhole or Supernova, or an accident at a nearby high-tech lab (secret or otherwise).
Local Trouble: The local’s have a problem with the group or one of its members. One or more of them have complained to the authorities, filed a lawsuit, or are making terrible accusations in the press of some troublesome wrongdoing. The authorities might be friendly to the heroes, but the locals, led by one or two troublemakers, are adamant about chasing you out of their neighborhood.
Local Crimelord: A local crimelord has a problem with the group or one of its members. He might send bounty hunters after them, try to blackmail them or claim they owe him money, he may even be working for a larger syndicate.
Diplomatic Mission: A rival planet or system has a dispute with the character's faction or their patron. The party is tasked with negotiating the issue somehow, perhaps performing a favor for the rival, uncovering his foul scheme, or finding a suitor for his headstrong son or daughter.
The Senator is Dead!: The party's patron, mentor, or an ally is slain. She might perish in some epic adventure, be the victim of an assassin or a coup, or simply pass after a long and happy life. The heroes are expected to attend the funeral, bring a memento to the family, recover some information or destroy it and perhaps avoid detection or arrest.