Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Rule Book

PLANETARY SCALE IN SPACE

AND ON THE GROUND

P

lanetary scale range bands can represent

longer or shorter distances depending on

whether the encounter is taking place in space

or on (or just above) a planet's surface. This is

because space is a much larger environment

than any ground-based environment, and with-

out air friction and terrain to hinder movement,

starships can move much faster than even the

fastest airspeeder. This is why each planetary

scale range band talks about the distances

represented in space and on the ground.

CLOSE RANGE

Close range in planetary scale is slightly further than
extreme range in personal scale, and can cover every-
thing from a few dozen meters up to several kilome-
ters in distance between two points. This might seem
like a great deal of space, but most vehicles can cover
this distance in several minutes at worst, and micro-
seconds at best.

On the surface of a planet, most ground vehicles

engage at close range, using their larger heavy blast-

ers and laser cannons to hit targets a regular soldier

would have trouble seeing, much less hitting. In the air

and in space, close range is the metaphorical "knife

fight" range where dogfights between snubfighters

or high-performance airspeeders take place. Capital

ships endeavor to stay out of close range of each

other, as it is essentially point-blank for their weapon

batteries. Two large warships slugging it out at close

range can tear each other to bits in short order.

SHORT RANGE

Short range in planetary scale is anything up to roughly

several dozen kilometers away. On the surface of a plan-

et, this is far enough that vehicles no longer engage each

other with line-of-sight weaponry (although artillery

weapons can still pound opponents with indirect fire).

In space, short range is just out of dogfighting

range, and beyond the range of most starfighter and

patrol boat weapons. However, most self-propelled

weapons can hit targets within short range, so these

smaller vessels often carry concussion missiles and

proton torpedoes to extend their reach. Short range

is still uncomfortably close for capital ships, though

not quite as brutally point-blank as close range.

MEDIUM RANGE

On the surface of a planet or within a planet's atmo-

sphere, something is within medium range if it is with-

in roughly fifty kilometers, long enough that only the

most powerful artillery weapons can engage it.

In space, something may be within medium range

at a somewhat longer distance, up to a few hundred

kilometers. This is far beyond the reach of most

starfighter weapons, but at the ideal range of most

of the big guns mounted on capital ships. Thus, most

capital ship engagements happen at medium range,

with starfighters dogfighting between them.

LONG RANGE

Long range on a planet's surface can be anywhere

from a hundred to two hundred kilometers away. En-

gagements never happen at this distance, with ene-

mies appearing as flickering phantoms on the screens

of each sides' scanner systems.

In space, long range can be up to several thousand

kilometers away. At this point, engagements between

ships become rare, with only the largest capital ship

weapons able to bridge the gulf.

EXTREME RANGE

On a planet's surface, extreme range is the far edge of

a vehicle's scanners, far enough that weapons cannot

hope to reach.

In space, extreme range is likewise beyond the range

of almost all starship weapons, even those mounted on

capital ships. At extreme range, opposing ships are still

jockeying for position before engaging each other, and

both sides still have the chance to break off and escape.

STARSHIPS AND VEHICLES

"EDGE OF THE EMPIRE