Podracing and Research (Revised - The Hoth Cross Country Course)

One of the very first articles I wrote was about a Star Wars campaign I ran that heavily featured Podracing.  A lot of effort went into preparing the campaign, from mapping out the courses from Racer’s Revenge to coming up with a race schedule for the season.

I even made a homebrewed track on Hoth for the group to race on and drew a map for it.  (I really like how it turned out so I am sharing it with all of you today.  The “published” ones from Racers' Revenge were cool and all but this one just “felt” more lived in to me and my players).

For those of you who have no interest in podracing or running a Star Wars campaign that features it, this track could be used for a horse (or ostrich or giant lizard, etc) race with different obstacles that the player characters must win to gain the favor of some NPC or achieve another goal they have been pursuing in your campaigns at home.  Either way, I hope you all enjoy!

Details of the Hoth Cross Country Podrace Course (1 lap)

Low visibility caused by swirling snow and wind imposes a -2 penalty to all pilot checks made along the course.

           Condition                            Game Mechanic

1. Start/Finish                         No roll required
2. Clear                                     No roll required
3. Clear                                     No roll required
4. Turn                                      90° turn left (DC15)
5. Turn                                      90° turn right (DC15)
6. Turn                                      90° turn right (DC15)
7. Turn                                      90° turn left (DC15)
8. Ramp                                    A hardened mound of snow in the center of the track (to Jump, DC5; if the check fails, 2d6 hull damage, to avoid, DC10)
   
9. Slick                                      Ice Patch (Regain Control maneuver DC20)


10. Turn                                      15° right (DC5)
11. Turn                                      15° right (DC5)
12. Debris                                   Debris from the Imperial attack on Echo Base (destroyed snow speeder) in the field.  (Avoid Hazard maneuver DC10 or 1d6 hull damage and lose one speed category)
13. Chasm                                  The track crosses over the trench the defenders dug around Echo Base. Attempt a Jump maneuver (add Defense modifier from speed to the check; DC15 or 4d6 damage)
14. Clear                                     No roll required
15. Obstruction                         Shrapnel from the destroyed shield generator litters this section of track.  Avoid Hazard maneuver DC5 or 1d6 hull damage and lose one speed category
16. Clear                                      No roll required
17. Turn                                       135° left (DC20)
18. Clear                                      No roll required
19. Turn                                       90° right (DC15)
20. Chasm                                  The track re-crosses over the trench.  Attempt a Jump maneuver (add Defense modifier from speed to the check, DC15 or 4d6 damage)
21. Single Lane                         After landing past the trench, the track drops into a narrow ice cave. The cave is unlighted so all Pilot checks suffer a -4 penalty.  This penalty supersedes the Low Visibility penalty and applies to Stretches 21, 22, and 23
22. Turn                                      90° right (DC10)
23. Turn                                      90° left (DC10) and then emerge from ice cave
24. Turn                                      135° right (DC20)
25. Turn                                      90° left (DC15)
26. Turn                                      15° right (DC5)
27. Turn                                      135° left (DC20)
28. Ramp                                    Snow has been piled along the spine of an AT-AT hulk to form a ramp. The AT-AT rests on its neck with its rear legs still in the standing position.  To Jump, DC15, if the check fails 4d6 hull damage.  To Avoid, DC15 or treat as crash at appropriate speed (Low: 1d10 to pod/1d6 to  pilot, High: 3d10 to pod/2d6 to pilot, Boost: 8d10 to pod, 3d6 to pilot)
29. Clear                                     No roll required
30. Clear                                     No roll required
31. Turn                                      15° right (DC5)
32. Turn                                      90° right (DC15)
33. Turn                                      45° left (DC10)
34. Clear                                     No roll required
35. Turn                                      90° right (DC15)
36. Obstacle                              Escape pods ejected from a Gallofree Medium Transport that failed to make the jump to hyperspace.  Avoid Hazard maneuver or treat as crash at appropriate speed (Low: 1d10 to pod/1d6 to pilot, High: 3d10 to pod/2d6 to pilot, Boost: 8d10 to pod, 3d6 to pilot)
37. Clear                                     No roll required
38. Clear                                     No roll required
39. Clear                                     No roll required
40. Start/Finish                         No roll required