Troik Tue: Ships

19 May, 2026

This is Golden Barges based on the damage tables from Troika -- namely those for Small, Modest, Large, and Gigantic creatures. The main concept is that travel distance is rolled against this very table, but with 2d6 rather than 1.

1.0 bargewrights

Barges come in 4 classes: small, modest, large, and gigantic.

• Barge Luck is determined as it is for PCs in Troika!
• Barge Stamina is 2d6 plus 6 for Small, 12 for Modest, 16 for Large, and 24 for Gigantic barges.

1.2 stamina and damage

One point of Barge Stamina/Damage equals six points of normal stamina/damage.

In other words, to inflict 1 point of damage to a barge, a player would have to roll at least 6 damage in one attack. Reciprocally, if a barge inflicted 1 damage directly to a PC rather than to another barge, it would in fact deal 6 damage.

1.3 luck

Luck goes down in decrements of 1 for Small, 2 for Modest, 3 for Large, and 4 for Gigantic ships.

Luck goes down by 1 decrement every time it is Tested¹. Situations where a Test of Ship's Luck may be called for include but are not limited to:

• checking for encounters (see 4.1)
• saving against total hull compromise when barge stamina is reduced to 0
• flagging down rescuers when stranded
• testing the morale/resolve of a crew pushed towards mutiny

Luck may also be spent to increase the dice result of a Barge Roll by 1.

For example, a Modest vessel gets a dice result of 3, which translates to 6 on the table. By spending 1 Luck, the dice result is increased to 4, which translates to 8 on the table.

1.4 barge slots

A small barge has 4 slots.

A modest barge has 8.

A large barge has 12.

A gigantic barge has 16.

Slots can hold any module or upgrade you can think of and pay for (or otherwise appropriate). Many such upgrades could allow you to break the rules laid out in this post. For example, a star-silver nose cone might allow a Small barge to punt through the Hump-Backed Sky as if it were Gigantic. Or a God-Corpse Affixed to the Bow might allow a Gigantic barge to spend Luck as if it were Small.

2.0 the Barge Table

The table below provides a unified resolution for interstellar and tactical movement, as well as damage.

this table has been reproduced with minor modifications from Troika! by Daniel Sell.

3.0 combat

Barge movement is resolved at the end of the round.

PCs and NPCs take turns as normal. They may make boarding actions or operate barge weaponry. On the Pilot's turn, they may choose to pull off a maneuver or extra burst of speed. To do this, roll 1D6 and add the Pilot's Skill Rank (not the SKill Total). Compare the result to the table; the barge may move that many squares.

3.1 Tactical Movement

Once the End of Round token is pulled, all barges get to move by making a Movement Roll. A Movement Roll is made by rolling 2D6 and comparing the sum to the table.

All movement is measured in squares. In tactical space 1 square could equal 100 meters, if you'd like.

ships have inertia.

• A Small ship takes 1 turn to stop.
• A Modest ship takes 2 turns to stop.
• A Large ship takes 3 turns to stop.
• A Gigantic ship takes 4 turns to stop.

For every round that a ship is coming to a halt, it must move half the distance it travelled last round.

3.2 Damage

A Damage Roll is made by rolling 1D6 and comparing the result to the table.

• If Ramming, the barge takes half of the damage it inflicted.
• Barge-mounted weapons deal damage according to class, unless specified otherwise.

When a barge is at 0 Stamina and takes damage, it must Test its Luck or disintegrate.

4.0 Punting the Hump-Backed Sky

To make a Movement Roll, roll 2D6 and compare the sum to the table. This is how far the Barge travels in a Troikan day (6hrs).

Movement is measured in squares. For long-range movement, a square could equal 100km, if you'd like.

Barge-engines function like slingshots. They spool up and then punt the vessel for some distance through the aether. Larger and heavier barges are therefore favoured, because their heft gives them more inertia with which to pass through the heavens. Smaller barges must make more punts at smaller distance increments. The mediating factor is always fuel.

Punting in itself takes no more than half an hour, distance being a negligible factor. It is plotting a course and spooling the engines that takes time.

4.1 Encounters

An encounter roll is made directly after a Movement Roll if the Barge has not made its way into a safe port.

Roll for an encounter by Testing the Ship's Luck. On a failure, compare the result to a 2D6-based encounter table.

Sample encounter table:

4.1.1 Barge Miens

1. Hostile - Feral/Reaving
2. Hostile - Mercenary/Thieving
3. Standoffish - Weapons Armed
4. Standoffish - Afraid
5. Friendly - Trades Info via Comms
6. Friendly - Invites you Aboard for a Party

4.2 Fuel

Whatever fuel your ship uses, whether it's plasmic cores, barrels of crude, or human souls, you use 1 of it per square travelled.

Travelling within a Sphere is free.

4.3 Astrology

Getting lost is as a rule boring and infuriating, but the following may be fun for a a party that wishes to roll for navigation:

When making a Movement Roll, have the Pilot test their Astrology at the same time.

On a failure, control of movement is split between Referee and Pilot. The Pilot controls the Barge for the first half of the distance allotted by the Movement roll, and the Referee controls the Barge for the second half.

#troika-tuesday