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August 2019
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Star Fleet Universe News THE BIG NEWS:
MERCHANTS OF THE FEDERATION
Merchants of the Federation is a trading game for two-to-five players that is based in the Star Fleet Universe. The Federation has opened development of a new sector near the Klingon border. You boldly go there, exploring worlds, finding resources, building colonies, and gathering wealth to buy more ships to find more resources. You might meet a new civilization!
Random Event cards may offer new opportunities or warn of new dangers. The Federation will issue contracts for which you will be paid big credits.
Meanwhile, the Klingons prepare for war!
This is a playtestable PDF prototype including everything you need to print a functional copy of the game.
This game is available from Warehouse 23, DriveThru RPG, and Wargame Vault.
MORE BIG NEWS
SHAPEWAYS
On August 7, 2019, ADB released a total of 61 new items to its shop on Shapeways, bringing it to 1,667 items. There are some styles of ships designed to work within the price increase that Shapeways imposed. We are also releasing some of the smaller ships as multiples on a sprue. We hope you find them more affordable.
The Federation gets its Battle Carrier in both the "regular" (gridded) and "Fed Classic" (smooth body) versions.  The Klingons gain their E6 Battle Escort and G6 Heavy Police Ship. The Tholians gain their Neo-Tholian Stellar Domination Ship and a unique ship: the TK5 Destroyer formed by combining a patrol corvette-class hull with the captured rear hull of the Klingon F5 frigate Blackguard. The Seltorians get their New Strike Carrier. The Gorns gain their Light Gunboat/PF Tender in both the regular and refitted versions. The Kzintis get their Light Gunboat/PF Tender. The Hydrans also get their frigates on a sprue: one sprue of two Cuirassiers, one sprue of two Hunters, and one sprue with both a Cuirassier and a Hunter. They also get their Kiowa War Dreadnought. Their local defenses are beefed up with the Voltiguer Local Defense Frigate and Grenadier Local Defense Cruiser. The Lyrans and their wayward county of the Lyran Democratic Republic get their Local Defense Cruiser. The Andromedans get their Mobile Weapons Platforms that serve as their gunboats/fighters. The ISC gets its System Defense Destroyer. The Jindarians show up with their Light Strike Cruiser. Some units that are common to all empires are added. These include an Augmented Commercial Platform, a Commercial Platform with Pods, two different types of Communications Stations, a SAM Station, and a collection of small ships (Free Trader, Prime Trader, Prime Corvette, Armed Cutter, Armed Priority Transport, and Federation Express Courier). The simulator empires expand. The Frax get their Command Cruiser. The empires include the Flivvers and Canadi'ens which each get their Heavy Cruisers to challenge aspiring captains. In the Omega Octant the Iridani get their Brigantine while the Sigvirions get their New Frigate and New Heavy Cruiser. Check all these out here: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/amarillo-design-bureau-inc Don't forget to follow us: https://www.shapeways.com/designer/adbinc  Check all these out here: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/amarillo-design-bureau-inc Don't forget to follow us: https://www.shapeways.com/designer/adbinc WEBSITE:
Our website, www.StarFleetGames.com, continues to grow and improve. You are welcome to send us your requests, comments, and suggestions. Samantha Todd, our graphics director, continues to update the website, do covers for the new products, shut down pirate websites, help out around the company, and learn more about the game business.
TWITTER: VIDEOS: Star Fleet Marines Part 1 DOING VIDEOS OF THE SFU
A customer asked about posting "tutorial videos" for our games. We like it when people do that (and even give commendation medals) but you need to have us check the videos to make sure you aren't violating something somehow (or that you didn't make a rules error). Doing such videos to make money is not cool. Please drop us an email before you post the videos.
STARBLOG: STAR FLEET'S LEGIONS EXPAND: This month we feature Battle Group Toronto, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. CO Sebastian Palozzi reports they play Star Fleet Battles and A Call to Arms: Star Fleet. Their XO Art Trotman writes scenarios for Federation Commander. Recently they held a Star Fleet Battles tournament. Read more here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/battlegroup/battlegroup_toronto.shtml
Do you have a battle group? Be sure to report your activities here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/battlegroup/report.shtml
Do you want to see if there's a battle group near you? Check out the map here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/battlegroup/gather.shtml#US
Facebook Fan Pages
So join us on Facebook and get a fix of your favorite game there, too! JAGDPANTHER
Custom Decals for Starline ships Tenneshington Decals continues to provide custom decals for all currently produced Federation Starline 2500 miniatures. For more information or to download the order sheet, check them out at www.tenneshington.com. Or if you prefer, email Will McCammon at: will@tenneshington.com or Tony L. Thomas at: scoutdad@tenneshington.com.
Jupiter IV Decals is a source of decals for the 2400 line and will do custom decals as well as all official SFB names. In the near future Jupiter IV will move into the 2500 line and will work to get every listed name on the Starfleet registry completed in both scales.
Their website is: JupiterIvdecals.com
ONLINE TOURNAMENTS Masters 2018 is over with Lee Graves defeating Peter Bakija. Congrats on those who played this challenging tournament. Andy Koch was the judge in this "just for fun" tournament.
The Sapphire Star #1 tournament is under way with its limit of 16 players with hard-and-fast deadlines for play. It started on July 1 and all of the first and second round games have been played. We look forward to the third round starting soon. Steven Petrick is the judge for this series of tournaments.
DEMOS AND CONS WITH SFU GAMES Star Fleet Battles games are held weekly in Tempe Arizona each Friday at Game Depot from 2:00 -7:00 pm. Eric Phillips is the person to contact.
Star Fleet Battles games are held regularly in Indianapolis, Indiana at Family Time Games. Anthony Harding is the contact person. For more information see: http://www.meetup.com/Star-Fleet-Battles-Indy/.
Star Fleet Battles games are played regularly in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday afternoons at the Soldiery. Lee Hanna is the contact person.
Games are held in Spokane, Washington on an irregular basis. Contact them to see if there's a game scheduled. They meet at The Gamer's Haven, 2114 N. Pines St., Suites 1 & 2, Spokane Valley, WA 99206, (509) 443-5992 http://www.thegamershaven.net/
Mini of the Month Kent Ing painted this Federation Heavy Cruiser (3125 Scale, Smooth Fine Detail Plastic).
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New Releases Communique #164 has been posted to the Commander's Circle Click here to see our previous issues of Hailing Frequencies. Recently Released To be released in 2019
A new Starmada book.
Federation Commander Reference Starship Book
A CAll to Arms: Starfleet Book 2
GURPS Prime Directive Core Rulebook Revision
Starfleet Universe Index
SHAPEWAYS:
We’re now offering some of our miniatures and some new designs on Shapeways. You can check out the store here: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/amarillo-design-bureau-inc?sort=newest
PDF and EBOOK SALES: RECENTLY RELEASED ON Warehouse 23 USS Potemkin 3rd Division, 6th Fleet Seated at the head of the table in the briefing room, Fleet Captain Sergei Yefimov drained the last of his tepid coffee and struggled to remain focused through a haze of stress and fatigue. Although his first officer, conducting the briefing, projected as insuperable an image as ever to the crew, he could see the toll of the past couple of days in the bloodshot corners of her eyes and the paleness of her normally cerulean skin. Yefimov made a mental note to order her to take some downtime after the morning battle update concluded and concentrated on the status updates from the ships in his division. (Continue reading here)
Ask Admiral Vanaxilth X-Ships
Alan Trevor asks: Rule (XS8.48) limits the number of cruisers in a "pure X-technology" fleet to three heavy cruisers and three light cruisers maximum, although you could have more than three light cruisers by reducing the heavy cruiser contingent. With most empires, it is clear which X-cruisers are light cruisers and which are heavy cruisers, but there are a couple of cases that are ambiguous. For the Tholians, it is clear that the NCX is a heavy cruiser and the NLX and CWX are light cruisers. But what about the "CA-based" CCX, CPX, CAX, and PAX? They are all based on a ship that is designated as a "heavy cruiser" but which only has a 2/3 movement cost. Then there is the Federation CSX. Granted this ship is conjectural "unbuilt variant," but if the players are using it, would it count as a heavy or as a light?
ANSWER: The Tholian cruiser is defined in its description as a heavy cruiser, so yes, those X-variants are all heavy cruisers. Likewise, the Federation CSX is a heavy cruiser variant, and thus subject to the limit. Alan Trevor asks: If you attach a power augmentation module or heavy power augmentation module to an X-technology base, are the APRs and batteries X-technology? If yes, the BPV for those modules needs to be revised when attached to X-bases. If no, can you upgrade the APRs and batteries per the XP rules? Kommodore Ketrick replies: The SSDs of the Tholian and Hydran X-starbases show hangar bay modules with two APRs, but the cost of the modules is still only 10 BPV as are the hangar bay modules on the Federation and Klingon X-starbases (among others) which have cargo boxes instead of APRs. As the rules normally allow this substitution of APRs for cargo on non-X hangar bay modules for the Tholians and Hydrans (who do not use drones but do use fighters that need energy to charge their weapons) at no change in BPV (10 BPV), the cost for the base augmentation modules is unchanged between a non-X starbase and an X-starbase. As there are no rules for "X-base augmentation modules" in Module X1 or Module X1R, there are no X-base augmentation modules, and a power augmentation module or heavy power augmentation module attached to such a base is not in and of itself an X-module nor becomes one simply because it is attached to an X-base. Upgrading the systems on such modules under (XR0.0) I would be forced to say at this time is allowed because upgrades to non-X bases is allowed [in the introduction to (XR0.0)] and base augmentation modules are not at this time included in the rule on units to which partial X refits cannot be installed (XR0.4). F&E Q&A
ADVANCED RETREAT Q: It is time to retreat. At the time players choose retreat paths, a given hex is a valid option for both players. The defender retreats into this valid hex first (302.72). The hex in question was the only valid hex the attacker could retreat to under (302.733-3D) but the defender retreated into that hex first. (The defender had another choice but picked the one in question to force another round of combat). Does this force the hex to be considered a fighting retreat now?
A: The key here is step (5-7A4) of the SoP. The defending player retreats first using the retreat priorities (302.73). Once that is done, the attacker does the same with the defenders in their new hex location. Retreat is not simultaneous. Start over on the retreat priorities for the attacker and see what hexes are left for them to retreat to. (End of F&E Q&A)
ASK AUNT JEAN
Dear Aunt Jean, What progress is there on the GURPS Prime Directive revision? A: Captain's Log #53 took precedence. Next, I need to finish proofreading the Gorn Master Starship Book. Then I will get back to Prime Directive.
Send questions to Jean at marketing@StarFleetGames.com and she will answer as soon as she can. Cool Stuff on the Website In this section we will provide links to various web pages and items that we think you will find "cool". We have also uploaded new Xander wallpapers to our Wallpapers section on the website: Wallpapers STAR FLEET ALERTS These are the press releases we send to the wholesalers, retailers, and media. You can get on the mailing list for them by asking Marketing@StarFleetGames.com to add you to the list. (Obviously, they are free.) They are uploaded to the Star Fleet Alert page FC Tactic of the MonthHOW TO MOVE TWO SPACES IN THREE MOVES Suppose you are moving at Baseline Speed 24, but only want to move two hexes. This could be to avoid overload range against a Federation ship, gain a Range 1 shot on a drone wave, etc. The most obvious method is to decelerate, but this costs energy. So how can you do this, without using energy? By using sideslips.
On your first move, sideslip. It does not matter which direction. For this example, we will sideslip left. Next move straight, and then sideslip right. The hex you end up in is two hexes from your starting point. You have managed to end up exactly where you would have if you had decelerated, added three hexes to satisfying your turn mode count, but you have not used any energy. You can now use that energy for something else. So go tease that Federation cruiser by maneuvering to Range 9 without using energy for a deceleration. His overloaded photons won¹t even get a chance to fire before your disruptors penetrate his shield and knock one of them out.
It usually does not pay to destroy something you paid ten BPV of Commander's Options for, but sometimes it does. If an enemy ship puts a tractor beam on a Tholian ship, with the intent of pulling him out of the web hex he is in during the next impulse, there is relatively little the Tholian can do to stop him. Becoming a web anchor (G10.1161) would be the easiest way to prevent removal; however, it would normally require some prescience, as 'Assuming or Dropping Anchor Status' happens in step 6B4 before the 'Operate Tractors' step.
There are a few other things that happen between the Operate Tractors step of one impulse and the Movement step of the following impulse, however ‹ and weapons fire is one of those things. With a few phaser-1s at close range (minding the ECM of the buoy when calculating needed weapons fire), an anchor buoy can be destroyed. A destroyed anchor in a web can result in an automatic transfer of "anchor status" to any other Tholian ship in that segment (G10.1161) ‹ including the Tholian ship being tractored. This occurs out of the normal sequence of play, and within the same impulse. This would break the tractor beam immediately, and result in the enemy being unable to remove the Tholian ship from the hex in following impulse. (End of SFB Tactic of the Month) F&E Strategy of the Month The Hydrans tend to have two types of ships: the very good and the very bad (or at least mediocre). One of the latter is the GRV. Seldom put on the line in major battles, it is generally relegated to acting as little more than an FCR. However, it has one feature not normally encountered on such a weak ship: a command rating of 8. So a better use for it can be to command a province garrison force. You can put seven frigates and this ship at the corners where three provinces meet and gather them all together if need be. If it is attacked, the coalition player will have to use a significant force to win the battle, and if he does you can just sacrifice a lone frigate escaping with the rest of the force (and diverting those enemy ships from more important tasks). You could include a DE instead of one frigate to boost fighter support if you see a need for it.
A Call To Arms: Star Fleet Tactic of the Month Asteroid fields are the most common type of terrain encountered in ACTASF. On average one-half of all terrain generated will be an asteroid field. These can range in size from the entire map to just a fraction of one square foot. The ACTASF rulebook recommends an area of 4 to 6 square inches. Asteroid fields have a density rating which indicates how closely packed the individual asteroids are or how quickly they move about in the field. These density ratings range from 6 to 10. Ships may enter asteroid fields at will, but must roll a d6 and add their Crew Quality Rating. If the result equals or exceeds the field¹s density rating, the ship passes through without striking any asteroids. If the roll fails however, the ship suffers an attack using as many Attack Dice as the distance the ship moved in inches. And that¹s total movement, not just movement in the asteroids. A movement of 10" up to the field and then 2" into the field would net 12 AD of potential hits if the roll failed. This is why a handy asteroid field makes a good external shield for your flanks. Not many opponents are willing to brave the asteroid damage to get a good shot on your flank.
For those brave enough to enter the field and survive however, there is good news. Any ship inside an asteroid field receives the trait 5+ Stealth (or a +2 bonus to Stealth if you already have it) when attacked, as the numerous rocks interfere with target locks. That means that on average, 33% of the shots that would normally hit your ship now miss. This penalty does not apply to fire out of an asteroid field. For this reason alone, many ships (especially Orion Pirates, who already have Stealth) like to move to the forward edge of a convenient asteroid field and fire out at other targets. Cloaked Romulans automatically lose the benefit of their cloaks while inside an asteroid field.
A particularly brutal use of the asteroid field is the "Crippled Ship Revenge!" tactic. The captains of ships doomed to die a certain death have been known to charge through a nearby asteroid field at max possible speed to end their movement as close as possible to several enemy ships. If the Crew Quality roll is failed, the ship may blow up in the midst of the opponent¹s ships. (End of A Call to Arms: Star Fleet Tactic of the Month)
Download Transmissions HAILING FREQUENCIES: This is our newsletter and will let you know all the news for all our games. You can subscribe here. Have you missed an earlier newsletter? Click here to get caught up! COMMUNIQUE: The latest Communique brings you more Ship Cards, scenarios, and more news from the Star Fleet Universe! It can be downloaded from the Commander's Circle.
FC Forum Recent Posts
The Federation Commander site and Forum continue to grow as more gamers continue to find them. All of our games currently have topics in the Forum. If you have any comments, questions, or requests for our Graphics Director, this is the place to let her know. Come see what the commotion is about and join the Federation Commander Forum now.
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show our games and to teach potential players some basics. 
