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December 2019
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Star Fleet Universe News THE BIG NEWS:
COMMUNIQUE TO MERGE WITH HAILING FREQUENCIES
Everyone always asked why we were doing two newsletters that basically covered the same news, and we finally (during the annual review of what we¹re doing and how we can do it better) asked that question of ourselves. Even we couldnt remember the original reason to do two separate newsletters.
MORE BIG NEWS  SHAPEWAYS
On December 1st, 2019, ADB released a total of 88 new items in our Shapeways store, which now has over 1,900 items:
New 1/7000 Elite scale ships including the Klingon Core Collection (C8, C7, D7, D5, F5W, F5), ISC Fleet Core Collection (DN, CA, CL, DD, and two FFs) and its Fleet Builder Collection (two each CL, DD, and FF), Vudar Fleet Core Collection (DN, BCH, CA, CW, CW, and FW) and their Fleet Builder Collection (two CWs, two DWs, and two FWs); and the Neo-Tholian 312th Builder Collection. We also released stand covers that expand the half-inch hex-shaped bases to one-inch hexes and two-cm round bases.
The new 1/2500 Prestige Scale gains the Klingon D7K refitted battlecruiser and Lyran Tiger heavy cruiser.
Ships released for both 3788 and 3125 scales include: Klingon D6P gunboat tender, Tholian HDW (PFT mode); Kzinti Heavy Carrier, Space Control Ship, and Super Space Control Ship; Orion LR scout, Patrol Carrier, and DW scout; cost-saving sprues of two Hydran destroyers (2xLN, 2xKN, KN+LN); Jindarian metal frigate (including a sprue of two); Vudar BCH and CA; WYN Orca-V, Grey Shark DN, and DN Kit); North Polar CC, CA, CK, CS, CM, CL, CLM, DD, DDG, DDS.
Released in Omni Scale are the Romulan Augmented Base Station, Battle Station, and Augmented Battle Station; Orion Battle Station, Augmented Battle Station; WYN Aux Cruiser on Kzinti hull; armed freighters (all four sizes); large and small Q-ships (in two modes); North Polar Battle Station.
You can check out the store here:
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 Hampton Roads, headquartered in Hampton, Virginia. CO William Phillips reports they play Star Fleet Battles and Federation & Empire. They also enjoy attending gaming conventions. Read more here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/battlegroup/battlegroup_HamptonRoads.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 Sapphire Star:
Only the final round remains, pitting Jack Taylor's WYN Black Shark (BB) againt Dana Madsens Orion Battle Raider (HHGBB / 11G11). Dana Madsen has announced he will use the two hellbore-FA, phaser-G-FA and type-B drone racks in the wings option. The game is to be completed by 16 January. You can follow the Sapphire Star Tournament #2 here: https://sfbonline.com/show_results.jsp?tournament=sapphire2 Good luck to all the players!
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/
A Call To Arms: Star Fleet Tactic of the Month The largest bodies of terrain usually encountered in ACTASF, planets can range in size from moons as small as 1 inch in diameter to huge gas giants of 12 inches in diameter or more. They will typically only be one planet on the map at a time as they orbit their stars at great distances and the typical gaming table would need to be a mile or so long to include two planets, although a large planet may have several moons in orbit around it and many of these may be on the map. As with other types of terrain, planets block line of sight. Ships may however fly "over" planets without penalty, although if a ship is on the planet template, the line of sight to that ship will be clear to any ship within range. Planets in ACTASF have a unique feature: the gravity well. The depth (or size of the gravity well is based on the size (diameter) of the planet itself. A larger planet has a deeper gravity well. The gravity well can be used by wily captains to gain a great movement advantage. Ships that begin their Movement Phase inside the gravity well and parallel to the planet can "orbit" the planet. So long as the ship stays at the same distance from the planet¹s surface, it may be moved forward around the planet. For all intents and purposes, this movement will be considered straight-line movement as centripetal force and the planet¹s gravity keep the ship in orbit. Gas or ice giants often have a planetary ring around them. Planetary rings are typically 3" wide and located 1d6+6 inches from the planet¹s surface. These are treated as either dust clouds or asteroids fields (50:50 chance of either one). (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.
Mini of the Month Daniel Bostwick painted this Andromedan Conquistador (3788 Scale, Smooth Fine Detail Plastic).
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New Releases Communique #168 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
FC Booster Pack #37
FC Booster Pack #38
FC Federation Epack #5
A Call to Arms: Starfleet Book 2
GURPS Klingons Revision
Star fleet Universe Index
To be released in 2020
Captain's Log #55
SFB Module R13
The rest of the Starmada Unity Edition
A new F&E module to be named later
ACTASF Book 3
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 Galley, USS Mallory (Continue reading here)
Ask Admiral Vanaxilth Jindarians
Francois Lemay asks: The Jindarian dreadnought can have the following non weapon options as indicated on the SSD: rear hull, auxiliary control, cargo, fabrication, forward hull, lab, repair or tractor, with restrictions on special sensors, transporters, barracks as per (R16.1C11), I suspect. The heavy strike cruiser and destroyer can have cargo, barracks, fabrication or labs with no mention of any other options. Can the heavy strike cruiser and destroyer use the restrictions of (R16.1C11)?
Kommodore Ketrick replies: The introduction to (R16.1C) specifically says the rule does ". . . not apply to the conventional size-4 ships (DD, FF)." That in itself pretty much limits destroyers and frigates to just what their own rules say, or what is printed on their SSDs (which is part of their rules). The heavy strike cruiser and light strike cruiser are both size class 3 and (R16.1C) does not say that non-asteroid ships of size class 3 are included in the restriction. However, the heavy strike cruiser and light strike cruiser were in Module R6, not Module F1, and would have to have something specific in their own rule defining what their limits are, and that limit is on their SSDs (which is also considered a rule), i.e., their non-weapon option boxes are limited to what is listed on the SSD. This does mean they have the same limits on what can be in those boxes as the destroyer and frigate. Scientific Research Russ Simkins asks: A unit is collecting scientific research on an object at Range 3 (say a moray eel which is immune to black hole gravity) near a black hole. Gravity pulls the unit within two hexes of the object during (6A1) Involuntary Movement. The unit on (6A2) Voluntary Movement of the same impulse then moves back to Range 3. Which is the closest approach, Range 2 or 3? ANSWER: Range 2. There is no defined point in the impulse where "closest approach" is calculated, so the fact that you were at Range 2 during the (6A1) stage counts. Fusion Beams Robert Estrada asks: Can Hydran fusion beams be held on Turn #1? In the tournament? Under regular rules? Kommodore Ketrick replies: Fusion beams cannot start any scenario (to include tournament games) held because they are not multi-turn arming weapons (S4.13). Effective Range Seth Shimansky asks: When firing overloads you use "effective range" to determine if you hit or not, the damage is then calculated at the "true range." If the effective range is more than Range 8 what are you using to hit with, the standard table? ANSWER: Kommodore Ketrick replies: Yes. If you were trying to fire (as an example) overloaded photon torpedoes at a cloaked ship at a true range of 1, and for some reason the effective range was 13, your photons would hit on a die roll of one, and only one. (You cannot use the proximity to hit because they are overloads, but also because you cannot use proximity fuses at a true range of less than nine even if the effective range is nine or more.) By the same token, you cannot fire a plasmatic pulsar device at a cloaked ship at a true range of 1, even if the effective range is 4 or more. Note that this also applies to standard loaded disruptors at a true range of Zero, and standard loaded photons at a true range of Zero or 1. Even if the effective range is greater, those weapons cannot be fired as standard loads in those circumstances. But basically the "true range" defines if the weapon can be fired and fired in the current mode, and the effective range determines if a hit is scored. So if you have a disruptor, and the true range is eight hexes, you can fire it as an overload. But if the effective range is (to take a ridiculous case) 31-40 hexes, the overloads will only hit on a die roll of one. Note that it is possible for a weapon to be able to fire at a true range and not able to fire because the effective range is greater than the weapon¹s maximum range. This is something that mostly affects smaller disruptor ships, but also plasma bolts from the smaller launchers. Thus a Klingon E3 might have run up on that pirate and have channeled most of its power for overloads at Range 3, but its disruptors have a maximum range of only 10 hexes, and if the effective range is (Range 3 doubled to six for no lock-on plus five) 11 hexes, it will not be able to fire them at the Orion at all (unless conditions change before the end of the turn). Victory Conditions Gregory Flusche asks: A Klingon D7C with a few Commander¹s Options is fighting a Jindarian heavy cruiser. The Jindarian runs in and fires its railguns, doing internals to the Klingon, then slows down and launches shuttles. Next turn, the Jindarian heavy cruiser sits and spins with a cloud of prospecting shuttles. The Klingon fires and destroys shuttles, taking more internals, but not getting crippled. The following turn, the Klingon runs away, disengaging. In all, 10 Jindarian prospecting and two admin shuttles were destroyed. There was damage to some armor of the Jindarian heavy cruiser. Victory points for the Jindarian were 10 for the Commander¹s Options, and 39 for forcing the Klingon to disengage, for a total of 49. The Klingon gets 74 for the shuttles (because prospecting shuttles count their economic value of seven EPV each), plus 12 for Commander¹s Options, for a total of 86, giving the Klingon a tactical victory. Is this correct? It was very smart of the Klingon to run, as he had lost his #2 and #6 shields, with some nice internal damage. Then we found out he had won. ANSWER: Mostly. The total value of the shuttles was 72, not 74, as admin shuttles are worth only 1 EPV. The Jindarian can use prospecting shuttles in combat, in a pinch, but if he does, he is risking economic ruin.
F&E Q&A
THE CRUCIBLE OF COMBAT Q: Do crippled monitors (520.62) and (521.323) provide the die roll penalty to an SAF attack against a planet and do crippled monitors prevent ground assaults against PDUs?
A: Crippled monitors do prevent ground attacks and do defend against SAF attacks. The rules simply cite the presence of a monitor and do not exclude crippled monitors. Q: Can a rescue tug (537.2) be used to "save" the ship that is required to be killed under (302.617)? A: According to rule (537.223) ships destroyed by directed damage or which are trapped in a web cannot be rescued. Q: Can the combined intensity rating (304.5) blunt the effect of a negative variable battle intensity rating roll? For example, the Coalition player, over many combat rounds during a capital assault, has managed to bring the BIR to 10. The Alliance player picks BIR 1. While the combined battle intensity rating is 11, the maximum allowed is BIR 10. Does the VBIR apply to the higher number? For example, if the combined BIR is 11 and the variable roll of "1" is "-2" BIR, then the net BIR would be 11-2=9. However, if the maximum starting BIR is 10, then the VBIR roll of "-2" BIR would bring the BIR to 10-2=8. So, in the rare case that one player has forced the BIR to 9 or 10, does any VBIR subtraction apply to the higher combined BIR, or is the maximum BIR 10 before applying a negative result from rolling a "1" or "2" during the variable BIR? A: Your answer is in the last sentence of (304.5). You apply the VBIR first then apply the increased intensity amount with a max BIR of 10. So a VBIR of -2 would reduce a total of 11 to 9, while a total of 11 would be reduced to 10 if the VBIR was -1 or not being used. Q: Rule (509.33) states the tug-and-pod combination is treated as one unit, but doesn't explain what happens to the (single-sided) pod when the (double-sided counter) tug gets flipped over due to combat damage. A: See (509.43). When a tug is crippled the pods cease to function but are otherwise unharmed. Also, in the same rule: Pods are never crippled and never require repairs. The only way to eliminate pods is to kill the ship carrying them. Q: If a PFT or PDU with PFs is destroyed via directed damage (302.5), must the now homeless PFs be absorbed into an existing under-strength casual PF flotilla (524.21) bringing the casual PF flotilla to maximum strength if no other home is available for them or is that at the option of the PF owning player?
A: We are ruling that PFs from destroyed PFTs/PDUs can be transferred into CPFs per (524.23) but PFs from a destroyed CPF cannot be transferred to PFTs or PDUs per (524.231). (End of F&E Q&A) ASK AUNT JEAN Dear Aunt Jean, how're things progressing?
Well, my fiance and I bought a house ... Oh wait, you mean with the GURPS Prime Directive revision! I got the index updated and the PDF uploaded. Then we found out the PDF went wonky on the pagination and a couple of typos were found. Those will be corrected on the January release.
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 MonthHIT THE SMALL ONE FIRST ! Kzinti players have a huge temptation for taking smaller ships instead of bigger ships . . . drone control. With more, but smaller ships, Kzinti players can launch larger drone waves. The flaw in that philosophy is the ship size. The smaller Kzinti ships cannot stand up to the combined firepower of a fleet, and every ship lost immediately lowers the number of drones in a drone wave. Therefore, when facing a Kzinti fleet, hit the small ship first and work your way up to the bigger ships.
Ttles are worth only 1 EPV. The Jindarian can use prospecting shuttles in combat, in a pinch, but if he does, he is risking economic ruin.
Kzinti destroyers and frigates with Y175 refits have powerful B-racks and C-racks with lots of reloads, but are very short on shuttles. However, they can launch a wave of six drones ‹ the maximum number that they can control ‹ in a single turn. These powerful drone racks make them much less reliant on scatter-packs for building large waves of drones. Launched at long range, scatter-pack drone waves (even if they¹re made up entirely of dogfight drones) can tie down the ship¹s limited number of drone-control slots for long stretches of time. Launched closer in, the scatter-pack is likely to be shot down before it can release its drones. A wise Kzinti small-ship captain will therefore want to be a little choosier about when and how he uses his shuttles.
Enemy ships can easily destroy even large drone waves, especially if they are armed with anti-drone racks or expanding sphere generators. While it may be fun to trick up the perfect mix of specialty drones, the fact that the target can simply turn away and eliminate them with a cheap T-bomb dropped out of a shuttle hatch makes this a risky proposition. Of course, if turning away from you will have really bad consequences (such as leaving a down shield wide open to direct-fire weapons) then it will probably be worth it, even if you do "waste" the drones. All other things being equal, you are only going to be able to overwhelm his defenses by following your drone wave in for an attack run. When he eliminates your first wave of drones, you¹ll be able to feed him a second wave of six more drones, right in his face, from your drone racks. Even if he can handle this, he probably will have used up his labs for drone identification already, and he¹ll have to fire phasers-1s at the drones that slip past his anti-drones or else risk getting hit by a type-IV drone, for example. This means less phaser fire on your ships, which should give you an edge after direct fire weapons have been resolved. Your two drone waves may even be overwhelming in and of themselves ‹ forcing your opposing captain to either launch a wild weasel or be destroyed. This will no doubt eliminate your drone wave and leave you unable to feed him anymore from your racks for several impulses. This is the moment where your scatter-pack will be invaluable, as it will allow you to get a third drone wave on the board and moving directly towards a target that is barely moving and that is likely to have used up much of its phaser power. And wild weasel or not, if you¹ve tracked his weapon fire carefully, you can be certain that he is unable to destroy your scatter-pack shuttle before it can release its drones. Don¹t launch the scatter-pack unless you are sure it will do some good. Because you are likely to be launching your scatter-pack immediately following a battle pass, consider loading it with Speed-32 drones so that they can be sure to catch up with your opponent before the turn break. Finally, if you¹re worried about him foiling your scatter-pack drones by turning away and dropping a T-bomb, the fact that you¹ve made a battle pass gives you the option to leave some T-bombs of your own in the locations that you expect him to turn toward. (End of SFB Tactic of the Month) F&E Strategy of the Month When raiding, try to attack a battle station without a picket on it (any ship co-located with it). Do not attack the battle station unless you have over 14 combat potential, so use (for example) a Hydran Liege or PFT to conduct the raid.
Here is why. The battle station can alter its combat potential so that it falls below the 14-point cap for Small Unit Combat. Here are the steps to do it: 1. It dials its electronic warfare up to 3 (so the combat factor is reduced to six). 2. Six fighter factors (6 more combat factors). 3. A police ship (3 or 4 combat factors) that is 15-16 total. 4. Now, hold up to a third of the fighters in the bays, reducing the combat potential down to 13-14. That is enough, for any single raider that is less than 14 combat potential to have multiple shifts on the (310.0) table. -1: because enemy has a scout (the battle station). -2: because the enemy has 14 combat factors and even a mighty Dragoon with 11 combat factors will get -1. +1 if the raider has a prime team. Net: -1 to -3 on the one die roll for your raiding ship to damage the battle station. These are not good odds. So do not do it.
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show our games and to teach potential players some basics. 
