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Do you have what it takes to be a hotshot, to feel the g-forces crash against your body without passing out, to keep your cool as bolts of plasma tear through your engines, to face death with every flight and laugh in its face? There's only one way to find out!

Hotshots is a lightweight system for creating pilots in fragile starfighters going on daring space adventures. Be they racers or rebels, stuntmen or soldiers, hotshots live dangerous (and short) lives. They wouldn’t have it any other way.

Hotshots takes inspiration from cinematic dogfights and races in space, simulators that require you to keep an eye on multiple parts of your starfighter, and OSR D20 simplicity and deadliness. You fighter's AI, weapons, armor, engines, and repulsors can all help you past obstacles and out of danger, adding smaller dice to your d20 rolls. They all also have their own health. Losing some systems leaves you vulnerable. Losing others leaves you dead.

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, so you can make and distribute whatever Hotshots content you want or include these rules in your own systems. If you use the rules or make ships, missions, expansions, settings, or anything else, let Mitchell Daily know because he'd love to see it and promote it.

The character sheets folder includes the standard character sheet, a fillable version, a fillable version with three characters per page (for funnels), and a sample character.

Find the very first adventure for Hotshots here!


Soft Itchfunding

If I recognize interest in this project, and have the funds to put more investment into it, it will grow! I already will be creating adventures and content, but there will be special content directly tied to purchases of Hotshots content. All purchases of a Hotshots product made by Mitchell Daily will contribute to funding goals and unlock things like supplemental rule books, setting guides, and more art in Hotshots.

$25 - The ACT Guide: Advanced Combat Tactics FUNDED

I will write and put out The ACT Guide, a collection of ideas for spicing up combat in Hotshots including special maneuvers and tips for using the environment to your advantage.

$50 - Sabotage in the Circuit FUNDED!

I will put together and put out Sabotage in the Circuit, a guide to intrigue and skulduggery among racers covering topics like securing sponsors, bribing officials, and messing with the ships of other racers before and during the race. Includes Dustpan Station and the Capello Belt Circuit, a setting first created for a Vultures bounty that prompted the creation of Hotshots.

$75 - The Ember Rebellion FUNDED!

I will write and put out the first setting guide for Hotshots presenting the plucky, doomed freedom fighters standing up against the Empire, as well as affiliated and favorite planets and people.

$100 - The Holy Space Empire

I will write and put out the second setting guide for Hotshots presenting the Holy Space Empire, the big bads of the galaxy with a fanatical interest in ancient and fey technology and in ruling the rest of the galaxy with an iron fist.

$150 - Art!

I commission an artist to give Hotshots interior art. This will probably be black-and-white art with a sketch look as that’s the vibe I’m feeling for the game.

$200 - Short story

I don’t know what it will be yet, but I’ll put out a short story featuring a hotshot in the Ember Rebellion universe.

$300+ - More Art!? Sky’s the limit!

I’ll start putting art as I can afford it into Hotshots supplements, possibly commissioning new color covers for the books.

StatusReleased
CategoryPhysical game
Rating
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
(3 total ratings)
AuthorMitchell Daily
GenreAction, Role Playing
Tagsd20, OSR, rules-lite, Sci-fi, Space, starfighter
Asset licenseCreative Commons Attribution v4.0 International
Average sessionA few hours

Download

Download NowName your own price

Click download now to get access to the following files:

Hotshots.pdf 5 MB
Character Sheets.zip 387 kB
Logo for your Hotshots projects 305 kB

Is this Itchfunding?

Support this game at or above a special price point to receive something exclusive.

Hotshot

I’ll run a mission in Hotshots for you! Join me for a game with others who purchase Hotshots at this level. You’ll also be added to a thank you section in Hotshots and any future guides.

You'll be expected to be respectful to other players, honor safety tools, and participate in a way that promotes fun for everyone. Playing through an entire game with me is not guaranteed for anyone who engages in bad-faith or hateful behavior.

Squad Leader

I’ll run a mission in Hotshots for you and up to three of your friends! You’ll also be added to the thank you pages!

Expectations for engaging in safe, fun, and respectful play are the same as at the Hotshot level.

Confirmed Ace

I’ll run a mission for you and your friends (like the Squad Leader), I will make a ship to your specifications (to go into The Holy Space Empire or The Ember Rebellion), and I will write a two-page mission or race (either based on a prompt you give or my own ideas, your choice).

Development log

Comments

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(+1)

Been waiting a long time for a game like this! Super excited to show this to my friends!

(+1)

Thank you! I'm glad you like it!