Tank Actions
There are several "positions" crew members can occupy and operate while in the tank. These positions are not set for your character, rather any member of the crew can occupy any position (only 1 crew at a given time for each position). These positions offer certain actions you can take or bonuses you can give out while operating the tank. It takes a move action to occupy a position. A crew may use movement as part of occupying or leaving a position, moving themselves into or out of the tank (as long as hatches are open). It costs an additional 5' of movement to move through a hatch, and 5' of movement to occupy/leave a position. So for example, a crew member could move from the gunner seat (5') through the top hatch (5') to a rear corner of the tank (10') jump down and move an additional 10' - using 30' of movement.
Each member of the Crew is given a key, which they can use to open or lock hatches, and turn on the tank. You should, somewhere on your sheet (probably where you determine equipment), mark where you keep this key.
The positions and their actions are as follows:
Commander
Generally sits/stands with head or upper body poking out of the top of the main turret (Cover). May close the hatch (Total Cover) and observe through a periscope-like device instead, with a -2 to perception checks. The Commander serves as the primary lookout, observing the battlefield situation from the best vantage point. The Tank can be driven and fired from the commander position (i.e. operated solo), albeit not very efficiently.
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Field of View: May make unobstructed perception and knowledge checks at the usual action cost (Other position at -4 perception)
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Commander Fire: Fire the main cannon as a full-round action. This counts as an attack action.
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Fire the top-mounted weapon as a Standard action (as a normal attack)
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Commander Controls: Drive the Tank up to its speed as a Standard action, see Driver section for more details
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Giving Orders: May use the Aid Another action on other crew members or the Tank as a move action
Gunner
The gunner occupies the seat in the primary turret. They have control over swivel and elevation of the turret, and also have a machine gun cannon next to them to use against personnel. The turret may fire anywhere within a 90 degree arc of its current facing, but swiveling it beyond that requires an additional action. They are able to reload the main cannon, but need to move around to do so, spending a standard action. When firing the cannon, the gunner uses their character's BAB (rather than the "Crew" BAB) and may use either their Int or Dex modifier to calculate their total attack bonus.
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FIRE! Fire the main cannon as a standard action. This counts as an attack action.
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Mini-gun: Fire a mini-gun in the same direction the turret is facing (200' line attack, 5d8 damage, ref half).
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Swivel the turret up to 180 degrees as a move action.
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Fire a secondary weapon in the same direction as turret (if one becomes attached later).
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Make a called-shot as a Full-round action (as normal called shot rules)
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Acquiring Target: Line up a shot through minor adjustments, using a move action. +2 circumstance bonus to attack roll
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Gunner Reload: Reload the main gun as a standard action
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Straight Down the Barrel: As a standard action, may point the barrel of the main gun at a target and make an intimidate check, using the Crew's level + practitioner ability modifier for the check. Regain Martial Focus.
Driver
The drive sits at the front of the tank and looks through a well-protected viewport to drive the tank forward. Their main priority is moving the tank to the most advantageous positions. The Tank moves more like a creature than by vehicle rules, with several exceptions.
Movement
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Move: Move the tank up to its speed. This can be done as a move action, standard action, or both (moving twice per turn).
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Facing: The tank is much bigger and bulkier than a standard creature. Each change of the direction it is facing by 90º costs 5' of movement. Changing facing also changes the orientation of the turret an equal amount
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If the Tank does multiple turns during a single action of movement (a zigzagging path), a successful Drive (or relevant profession) check DC20 allows only the end change in facing to count for movement cost.
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The tank can veer in a direction rather than fully turn (representing turning less than 45º). This means that for every two spaces it moves forward it can move 1 square laterally.
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Charge: Full round action to move up to twice speed, and make vehicular combat maneuver at the end of the movement at +2 to CMB. Ending the Charge with a Vehiclur Ram maneuver adds 1.5x STR to the ramming damage (rather than just 1x). Otherwise follows most rules for a charge.
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Withdraw: Follows normal withdraw rules.
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5 foot roll: Like a 5'-step, if the tank hasn't otherwise moved for the turn, it can move 5' forward or backward, and/or turn in place up to 90º.
Vehicular Combat Maneuvers. The Driver uses the vehicle base CMB (+4) plus their own BAB+Drive modifier to make a combat maneuver check. Whenever the tank would enter a square occupied by another creature/vehicle/object, it makes one of the following maneuvers.
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Vehicular Overrun: Against something smaller, the Tank can move completely through its space. The creature being overrun can choose to let the tank pass. If it does not, the driver makes an Overrun check against it. Failure means the Tank does not pass trough. Success of 5 or more means the Tank also does its ramming damage (6d6+14) to the creature, and knocks it prone. Creatures two sizes or more smaller cannot choose to get out of the way. Full details.
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Vehicular Ram: Against something the Tank's size or bigger, moving into the target's space delivers ramming damage to the target. Normally, the ramming vehicle also receives half the damage dealt. The Tank is heavily armored in front (is considered to have a ram for the purpose of receiving damage) and does not receive half ramming damage when ramming in the direction it is facing (it would if it backs into something or side-swipes). Full details (scroll down).
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Vehicular Bullrush: As a swift action, you may replace any overruns you make with bullrushes until the end of the turn, pushing the vehicle/creature away without doing harm. If you exceed the target's CMB by 5 or more, you may choose to apply Ramming damage. Either way, for every 5 by which you exceed the target's CMD you may move it an additional 5'. Normally you may not move it into space occupied by another vehicle/object/hazard (some talents/feats may change that). Full details
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Feats and Talents: Any feats or talents a tanker or The Crew possesses which modify Bullrush and Overrun maneuvers also apply to the above Bullrush/Overrun maneuvers. Ram isn't actually a maneuver, but some effects which modify Bullrush might possibly apply to Ram.
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Reach: Since the Tank has no limbs or melee weapons, it has an effective reach of 0 and threatens no squares. However it can take the Shove action from the Brute sphere against any creature/vehicle it is adjacent to, as well as some similar actions that would be a touch attack.
Other Actions
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Evasive maneuvering: as a swift action, give the tank a dodge bonus to AC equal to half the driver's ranks in Drive, but the tank suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls.
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Steady maneuver: As a move or standard action, move the tank no more than 10'. The tank receives a +2 circumstance bonus to attacks from the main cannon until beginning of next turn if you make no more movement.
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Fire secondary weapon: Fire a forward facing Machine Gun (may only target in front of tank) as a standard action.
Engineer
The engineer occupies the position nearest the Tank's engine at the rear. They should be trained in engineering the tank (min Knowledge: Engineering 3). They are able to push the engine beyond normal limits, and make quick repairs as needed. Not all repairs will be able to be made from inside the Tank.
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Push it: as a swift action, disable the governor on the tank's engine, giving it a boost of speed. The tank gains +10' speed, +5 per five ranks in Knowledge: Engineering. Each round this is active, the Tank takes 10 stress.
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Overdrive: As a Standard action, you throw every system into a heightened state, giving the tank a bonus to all attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and saves equal to +2, +1 per five ranks in Knowledge (Engineering) for 1 round. The tank takes 10 stress.
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Add Reactive Armor Panels: As 1 round action, give the tank Temp HP equal to the results of a Craft (mechanical/armor) check. You must crawl on the outside of the tank as part of this action. Further uses of this ability replace previous uses.
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Battlefield Repair: As a standard action, you may suppress one condition listed under Heroic Resolve (without expending martial focus) for a number of rounds equal to your ranks in Knowledge (Engineering).
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Keep It Running: You may, as a standard action, reduce the stress on the tank by 5 by succeeding on a Craft (mechanical) check with a DC of 15. You may increase the DC by increments of 5 to reduce stress by 5 more. You may not take 10 or 20 on this check while in combat.
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Engine Control: The Engineer can drive the tank at a slower pace, using a move or standard action to move it half its speed. This action can't be performed if the tank has already moved its speed this round (and taking the action precludes other positions from moving the tank).
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I'm Giving It All She's Got! As a standard action, you may expend your personal martial focus to regain the Crew's martial focus. You may give the tank 10 stress to do this as a move action.
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Mini-Gun: You may fire any of the side or rear facing machine guns.
Loader
The loader's primary job is to efficiently load the cannon so that it keeps firing. They also keep the secondary weapons well-supplied with ammo, utilizing the tank's mill. Plenty of strength is required to work this role most efficiently.
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Load: As a standard action, load the main cannon
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Rack 'em up: As a move action, you may make a Strength check DC 15 to place a cannon round on a special loader rack. Once placed, the cannon can be reloaded in one step less (so a move action currently) by either the gunner or loader.
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Sweet Spot: The old gun can be temperamental, but if ammo is placed in the breach just right, it flies truer. As a swift action when they reload the cannon, the loader can make a Wisdom or Intelligence check DC 15 to give the next attack with the cannon a +2 circumstance bonus to attack and damage.
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The loader may add alchemical or other types of components to cannon ammunition if they have the requisite talents.
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Need More Ammo: Can mill ammo or parts in a hurry. As a full round action (or standard by expending their own or the crew's Martial Focus), the loader can add 4 temporary uses of the machine gun or launcher, or 1 temporary use of another gadget (like a detonator) for the crew. These are very make-shift gadgets, and will quickly fall apart or become inert, disappearing after 10 rounds.
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Mini-Gun: The loader can fire any of the side or rear facing machine guns.
All Positions
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All Adjacent: May use the Aid Another action on each other if they are operating the tank
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Gadgets: May use the Crew's gadgets while operating the tank
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Launchers, including Permanent Gadget Launcher (4 uses)
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Hook and Pulley, including permanent version (4 uses)
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Grapple Gun (Proceed with cautionThere is a function of the grapple gun that allows you to sip up to a wall or even ceiling. I'm actually not going to limit what you CAN do with this ability, the steel cable is strong, but what you SHOULD do with this ability is another matter. The tank is not exactly agile about landing on its feet.)
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Viewports: Any creature within the vehicle may create an opening as a move action, reducing this bonus to Improved Cover (+8 to AC, +4 to Reflex saves), to allow him to still make attacks and interact with targets outside the vehicle. When making an attack in this fashion, targets outside the vehicle gain partial cover against attacks originating from inside the vehicle (+2 AC, +1 Reflex saves).
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Hot Swap: May swap positions with another occupant, using up both character's move actions for the round (if the off-turn character's action has already been used, it uses their next round's action). This may be done against an unwilling target, making a reposition or grapple attempt vs their CMD.
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Veteran Tankers: All crew members are so accustomed to getting around their tank, they do not need to make any climb checks to get on top or any acrobatics checks to move around in or on the tank while it's moving. These checks may still be required in more extreme circumstances.
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Mounted: When on the tank, occupants are considered Mounted, and take associated penalties if trying to make an attack while the vehicle is moving at high speeds. There are no penalties for moving up to 2x the tank's current speed. 2x and above gets a -4 penalty. Moving at Run speed incurs a -8 penalty.
OTHER NOTES:
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It may be contrived with a full crew to be able to fire the main cannon more than once per round. This is allowed, but each additional time it is fired per round, the tank takes 20 stress.
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I will be allowing tank-related permanent inventions to be created through the Greater Craftsman insight, and they will be able to be affixed to the tank. Space and load restrictions may end up becoming a concern, and inventions should somehow fit as tank upgrades/add-ons. This uses a process similar to crafting magic items, and multiple crew members can participate to reduce time.
Ammunition Manufacturing
The main cannon is a specialty bore that only accepts rounds created or modified by the onboard ammunition production manufactory. Fortunately, this system can also modify found or purchased rounds to be fired from the main gun. It also manufactures ammunition for the built in Machine Guns placed throughout the tank.
- The Tank has capacity for 12 uses of the Machine Guns and 30 shots from the main cannon.
- A hopper that can be accessed internally or externally at the rear of the tank compacts and stores up to 500 lbs of "raw material" which is mostly metals salvaged throughout travels.
- Each round for the main cannon consumes 50 lbs of scrap material, or 25gp worth of supplied materials available for purchase.
- Restoring the 12 uses per day of Machine Gun ammunition consumes 10 lbs. Using the Loader action to produce 4 uses of MG ammo also consumes 10 lbs (less efficient).
- The main cannon rounds produced by the ammo mill are simple slugs, little better than cannon balls. They deal 8d6 B/P damage to their target.
- Crew may also acquire more sophisticated tank ammo, as detailed below.
Tank Ammo
- High Explosive: Deals 8d6 B/P/S damage to target and in a 30' radius (Ref save DC20 for half). Splash damage is not increased by vital strike or critical hits. 300 gp.
- Armor Piercing: Deals 8d6 B/P/S damage, and splash damage in a 5' radius. Ignores 10 DR/Hardness to the target of a direct hit. 350 gp.
- Canister: Anti-personnel shot. Deals 8d6 B/P/S in a 30' cone from the end of the gun, extending to the end of its first range increment. Ref save DC25 for half damage. Deals half damage to objects. 350 gp.