Thrusters (AKA "JetPack", "Reaction Drive", or "Scooter Pilot") is another skill originally depicted in The Nyotekundu Sourcebook (along with Spin Operations and Zero-G). It enables a character to handle a spacecraft's thrusters (or any space vehicle without a stutterwarp drive), a Scooter, EVA Stick, or EVA Pack.
Any character with Piloting skill will begin with an equal level of Thrusters skill, but increases in either skill after character generation will not affect the other (they must be increased separately).
To avoid an accident: Routine. (Hazardous). Thrusters. Instant. Referee: Failures resulting in Non-Superficial Mishaps are handled by adding each ship's (Lateral + Radial Target Profile Modifiers + 10), and each ship will do this number of points of Battle Damage hits to the colliding vessel (roll for each hit as is normal for space combat, confirming them against armor, but shields will have no effect against this physical attack).
To match velocity with a moving object: Routine. Thrusters. Varies. Referee: On a failed roll, Superficial Mishaps mean a rough ride, but no real problems. Minor Mishaps result in 1x2 Battle Damage to both objects. Major Mishaps are treated as in the task above.
To make a one kilometer trip to a ship (or other object) in Zero-G via EVA Pack or Scooter: Routine. Thrusters + Target Profile Modifier. Variable. Referee: 500 meters or less is Simple, 1000+ to 2000 Difficult, 2+ to 4 km Formidable, and 4+ to 8 km Impossible. Movement is 5 meters/30 second combat turn per one-second fuel-burst (0.6 km/hour), to a maximum of 3000 meters/30-second combat turn (360 km/hour). Failure results in being off-target, and requires correction (see the task below). Performing this task with an EVA stick is one level of complexity higher, and DEX may be added when using it or an EVA Pack.
To correct course after a Superficial Mishap: Simple. Thrusters. 1 second. Referee: Correcting Minor Mishaps is Routine, and Major is Difficult. EVA Sticks are one level harder. Jetpacks and EVA Sticks also allow DEX to be added to the roll, but Scooters and ships do not.
To stop safely at the end of a Jetpack trip through space: Routine. (Hazardous). Thrusters + Zero-G + DEX. Instant. Referee: Failure results in bouncing off (at 1/2 the velocity of impact) in a random direction. The strike is Normal or Blunt Trauma damage (depending upon the surface landed on) with a DPV = 0.3/100 meters of movement per 30-second combat turn. Unless a Total Mishap occurs (when location is rolled randomly), this is always applied to the legs (or arms, if the character went in head first). The potential wound category is determined by the Mishap type: Minor Mishaps yield potential Light Wounds, Major potential Serious Wounds, and Total potential Kills. EVA Sticks are one level harder (Difficult) to use.
To safely pass through an asteroid belt via Jetpack: Routine. Thrusters + DEX. Variable. Referee: Non-Superficial Mishaps result in Normal or Blunt Trauma strikes (depending upon the surface landed on) with a DPV = 0.3/100 meters per 30-second combat turn, as in the above task. Getting through with an EVA Stick is Difficult.
To safely pilot a ship through an asteroid belt on thrusters alone: Difficult. (Hazardous). Thrusters - the Ship's largest Target Profile Modifier. Variable. Referee: Superficial Mishaps result in non-damaging strikes, Minor in 1x1 hits, Major in 1D6x2, and Total in 1D10x2.
To Dock with a rotating station: Routine. Thrusters. Absolute (1D10 + the ship's largest Target Profile Modifier - Thrusters skill level) minutes. Referee: If this task fails, Superficial Mishaps mean a rough docking, but no real problems (although cargo may be strewn about). Minor Mishaps result in 1x2 Battle Damage to the ship and station, and the Pilot will have a lot of explaining to do (not to mention higher insurance premiums)! Major Mishaps are treated the same as a ram (see the next task, below).
To ram another reaction-drive ship in the same hex: Difficult. (Competitive). Thrusters. Absolute (1 action). Referee: Ties are considered a failure by the attacker. If this task succeeds, add each ship's (Lateral + Radial Target Profile Modifiers + 10). Each vessel will do this number of hits of Battle Damage to the opposing craft (roll for location and confirm against armor as is normal for space combat, but ignore shields, which have no effect on physical attacks). If both pilots are attempting to ram one another, this task is not Competitive, and the Thrusters skill level of both pilots is added to the task (making it almost impossible to miss)!
To ram a reaction-drive ship's Hanger Deck, Hull, Missile Bay, or Power Plant, or scrape off a specific Surface Fixture with a reaction-drive craft: Formidable. (Competitive). Thrusters. Absolute (1 action). Referee: The bridge, Drive, Life Support, or TAC sections make this task Impossible. The Computers, Damage Control Parties, and UTES may not be targetted at all, nor may Continuing Damage intentionally be caused. On a failure, any Mishap more serious than Superficial results in a normal ramming attack, as in the task, above. Success results in only the specified area or Surface Fixture being rammed (for the normal ramming damage), while the attacker's ship takes only 1x2 hit. Although it should be obvious, if a stutterwarp vessel is the target of a ramming attack by a reaction-drive ship, the attack will only succeed if the attacker surprises them, as a stutterwarp can easily "jump" out of the way.
To dock with an evading, non-stutterwarp-capable vessel in the same hex when it is moving in the same direction with a lesser or equal velocity: Routine. (Competitive). Thrusters. Absolute (1D10 + the largest Target Profile Modifier of either ship - Thrusters + the Opponent's Thrusters) minutes. Referee: If the two ships wish to dock, use the station-docking task, above. On a failed attempt, Mishaps are treated as in that task, as well.