Fate Core/Fate Accelerated Hack - Crimson Skies

This hack is likely pretty obscure, but it's been a Great White Whale for a while. I love the Crimson Skies universe. It's a settign where the US broke up shortly after the Great War, and, because of it, air shipping has come into vogue. Which means air pirates, cocky pilots and zeppelins full of loot.

Crimson Skies has been a board game, a Clix game, a computer game, and Xbox game and now it's compatible with both Fate Core and Fate Accelerated.



This is about designing the planes as Extras. Everyone should have one, since they are as common as cars in the setting. The only difference is splitting up stress between the separate tracks in Fate Core. 

This hack could also be used for any setting where vehicles play a big part in the action like Car Wars or Battletech. 

Construction Hangar

Step 1: Ratings
Planes have four Ratings.

Armor: The plane's general toughness and ability to take damage from combat or other sources.


Aerodynamics: The plane's quickness and ability to avoid damage.


Air Speed: The plane's ability to move from zone to zone quickly and outrace other vehicles.


Air Superiority: The plane's attack strength based on the mixture of guns, rockets and weapons on board.

You have ten points to distribute between the four ratings, to a maximum of Superb (+5).Step 2: Stunts

Stunts are special ammunition loaded into your guns and rockets. Guns target specific planes, rockets target zones. Each plane has three Stunt slots.

Step 3: Special Equipment

A plane may also carry up to three aspects reflecting unique modifications, such as Nitrous Oxide or Gunnery Turret. 

Flight School


The GM sketches out the zones where the dogfight takes place. 

A plane may move a number of zones equal to its Air Speed for free, or beyond that by taking an action to roll.

When a pilot takes an action in their plane, they add the relevant Rating to their roll.

When attacking another plane, the pilot chooses if they are using guns or rockets. Guns may only target a plane in the same zone. Rockets may only target a zone the attacker currently does not occupy.

When a pilot takes stress in their plane, they may choose to reduce that stress by one point for every point of they take off from the plane's ratings. For example, they could absorb a 3-point stress hit by losing three points in air speed, two in armor and aerodynamics or one in air speed, armor and aerodynamics.

When a plane's rating is zeroed out, the pilot takes a stress hit equal to the number of ratings currently zeroed out.

Honest John's Aeroplane Dealership

Whittly & Douglas M210 Raven
Aerodynamics: Fair (+2)
Air Speed: Fair (+2)
Armor: Good (+3)
Air Superiority: Good (+3)











Curtiss-Wright J2 Fury
Aerodynamics: Good (+3)
Air Speed: Good (+3)
Armor: Average (+1)
Air Superiority: Good (+3)

McDonnell S2B Kestrel
Aerodynamics: Fair (+2)
Air Speed: Good (+3)
Armor: Fair (+2)
Air Superiority: Good (+3)

Bell Valiant MkII
Aerodynamics: Great (+4)
Air Speed: Great (+4)
Armor: Average (+1)
Air Superiority: Average (+1)

Curtiss-Wright P2 Warhawk
Aerodynamics: Average (+1)
Air Speed: Fair (+2)
Armor: Great (+4)
Air Superiority: Good (+3)

Grumman E-1C Avenger
Aerodynamics: Great (+4)
Air Speed: Fair (+2)
Armor: Fair (+2)
Air Superiority: Fair (+2)

Hughes-Lockheed Firebrand
Aerodynamics: Fair (+2)
Air Speed: Fair (+2)
Armor: Good (+3)
Air Superiority: Good (+3)

Hughes Aviation Bloodhawk
Aerodynamics: Good (+3)
Air Speed:  Great (+4)
Armor: Average (+1)
Air Superiority: Fair (+2)

Marquette PR-1 Defender
Aerodynamics: Great (+4)
Air Speed:  Good (+3)
Armor: Average (+1)
Air Superiority: Fair (+2)

Fairchild F6II Brigard
Aerodynamics: Good (+3)
Air Speed: Fair (+2)
Armor: Fair (+2)
Air Superiority: Good (+3)
Rear Turret









Hughes P21-J MkIII Devastator
Aerodynamics: Fair (+2)
Air Speed: Good (+3)
Armor: Good (+3)
Air Superiority: Fair (+2)










Sanderson FB14 Vampire
Aerodynamics: Average (+1)
Air Speed: Average (+1)
Armor: Superb (+5)
Air Superiority: Good (+3)

William and Colt Peacemaker 370
Aerodynamics: Good (+3)
Air Speed: Good (+3)
Armor: Fair (+2)
Air Superiority: Fair (+2)

Ravenscroft Coyote
Aerodynamics: Average (+1)
Air Speed: Good (+3)
Armor: Fair (+2)
Air Superiority: Great (+4)









Ammo Counter:
Armor Piercing Rounds:  2-point bonus against any defense roll using Armor.
Dum-Dum Rounds: 2-point bonus to Air Superiority attacks against planes with one or more Mediocre ratings
Magnesium Rounds: When you succeed with style, gain an additional invoke on your Burning Plane advantage.

The Rocket Rack:
Armor Piercing Rockets:  2-point bonus against any defense roll using Armor.
High Explosive Rocket:  2-point bonus against any defense roll using Aerodynamics.
Flak Rockets: 2-point attack to all planes in a zone.
Flare Rockets: 2-point bonus to Create Advantage rolls using Aerodynamics in the target zone.
Sonic Rockets: 2-point bonus to Create Advantage rolls using Air Speed in the target zone.
Beeper Seeker Rockets: 2-point bonus to Create Advantage rolls using Air Superiority in the target zone.