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February 2021
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Star Fleet Universe News THE BIG NEWS:
ADB Releases Ships for February 2021
Check all these out here: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/amarillo-design-bureau-inc
WEBSITE:
Our website, www.StarFleetGames.com, continues to grow and improve. You are welcome to send us your requests, comments, and suggestions. Simone Dale, 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 Tournament:
Sapphire Star VII suffered a glitch which led to a delay in finishing the first round. The first round is now completed and the second round is set. With the exception of the glitch, all round 2 games are finished. The players are working hard to resolve the last issue and this tournament should be wrapped up on time.
DEMOS AND CONS WITH SFU GAMES Due to the COVID-19 virus, many conventions have been cancelled. We encourage you to check out Star Fleet Battles Online where there is a free demo version. It is a good way to hang out with others who play Star Fleet Battles and Federation Commander. Check it out here: https://www.sfbonline.com/index.jsp
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/ 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: This monthly magazine repeated much of the same information that Hailing Frequencies does. December 2019 was the last month it was published. Old issues 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 Jon Halter painted this Federation Flatbed Operational Carrier (CVO) (3125 Scale, Fine Detail Plastic).
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New Releases EXTRAS FOR THE MONTH:
You can look at Hailing Frequencies Extras here. Click here to see our previous issues of Hailing Frequencies.
Recently Released SFB: Module J – Fighters! 2020, SKU 5604, $19.95 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 Ask Admiral Vanaxilth ECM PLASMA
William Wilson asks: A ship begins a scenario at weapons status two. Preparing a shuttle-bay ECM plasma takes "two turns using a deck crew." When is the earliest it can launch an ECM plasma from the shuttle bay? My opponent contends he can launch it on Turn #2, which would match the usual "two turn" weapons arming rate. I contend it cannot be launched until Turn #3, Impulse #1, because it takes two full deck crew actions by a single deck crew. Furthermore there is no reason to think deck crews could double up on this because the rule says "one deck crew" and, as the ECM plasma is not a shuttle and is not in a shuttle box, there is no reason to expect the general ability to assign two deck crews to one shuttle box would even apply. Who is right?
ANSWER: Kommodore Ketrick replies: You are correct. While the term "deck crew action" is not used, the requirement that the preparation is done by a deck crew means that it does take 64 consecutive impulses to prepare the ECM plasma. Deck crew actions have to be recorded, but their actions can start on any given impulse of a turn (a shuttle lands during the turn, you can have a deck crew, if one is currently available, start working on it). So you can begin preparing the ECM plasma on any given impulse, but it will still require 64 consecutive impulses to ready the ECM plasma. Note, the rule does not provide for two deck crews to work on the ECM plasma to save a turn. Francois Lemay asks: A ship arms a plasma-G torpedo as a sabot on Turn #1 and launches it as a real sabot torpedo, but does not launch the pseudo. On Turn #3, it launches a fast-loaded non-sabot torpedo from that launcher. That launcher is then promptly destroyed. Can the ship launch the pseudo as a sabot ECM plasma (since the sabot surcharge was paid on Turn #1) or must it pay the sabot surcharge again? ANSWER: You can launch the ECM plasma at Speed 40 if you want. There is no cost to launch an ECM plasma at sabot speed. Ships with sabot capability have the option to launch any of their pseudo plasma torpedoes at either Speed 32 or 40. Follow-up question: That being the case, a ship could arm a plasma-S torpedo but have no power to pay the sabot cost. During the turn, this ship could launch a pseudo plasma torpedo at sabot speed for deception purposes and then later on launch the real plasma-S torpedo at Speed 32 since the sabot surcharge was not paid for? ANSWER: This is legal, assuming the ship has sabots. Follow-up question: Ken Kazinski asks: Per (FP6.12), ". . . a pseudo plasma torpedo can be launched for no energy cost . . . and under any condition at which a real torpedo could be fired . . ." This would indicate the ECM plasma could be launched eight impulses after the destruction of the tube. ANSWER: Correct.
Francois Lemay asks: When an ECM plasma runs out, is it removed from play after movement, or at the end of the impulse? ANSWER: It is removed from play before the beginning of the Plasma Torpedo Launch step, in the 6B6 Seeking Weapons Stage, 96 impulses after launch (128 impulses for an ECM plasma with the late-war upgrade). In general, endurance in Star Fleet Battles is measured from some point in the Sequence of Play to the same point in a later impulse. (End of Admiral Vanaxilth) F&E Q&A
WHO OWNS WHAT? AND WHEN DID THEY OWN IT? Q: A question on economics and province ownership. What is at issue is when exactly is a province considered captured? I will use an example during the game. Province 0701 on Turn #2 had a Kzinti BATS in 0701 and nothing else. A Lyran force came in and destroyed the BATS in combat. The Coalition player then retrograded out leaving none of his units in the province and likewise no Alliance units. During Alliance Turn #2 does province 0701 (which can be connected to the Kzinti grid) provide two EP to the Kzintis or only one EP under rule (430.24) Abandoned?
A: Guidance to this issue can be found in Fighter Operations in rule (438.2). "A province is considered to have remained captured if no ships of the original owner are in that province at the end of either player turn." Note the use of ships and not units in this requirement. This also defines a point in time (well, in the Sequence of Play) when the province is considered "captured" for both long-term effects such as those listed in (438.0) but also short term like those in (430.0).
Q: According to rule (503.622), a neutral zone hex is "captured" if it is occupied or if the capturing player was the last to move a unit through it and no enemy ships are in or adjacent to it. However, back in 2005, your predecessor (Nick Blank) said that: "Moving through a NZ hex (you were the last to move through) means you 'own' the neutral zone hex. During [your Economic Phase], if there are no adjacent enemy ships, then you get the income. If there are adjacent enemy ships, then you don't collect the money, but you still own the hex (at least until an enemy ship actually moves through it to capture it for their side)." What is the intent of the rule? Are NZ hexes captured as it is written or does it indeed work the way Nick ruled in 2005? A: What is not clear? You move through neutral zone hex A, and there are no adjacent enemy ships, so you claim the hex. When it comes around to your Economic Phase you check the hex to see if any enemy ships have moved adjacent since you have claimed the hex or the previous Economic Phase. If there are not any, you get 0.2 EPs for that hex. Q: If my Marines (G factors) suppress the rebellion (537.131), does the planet return to status as a supply source immediately? A: The planet returns to status as a supply source upon the next supply check in the Sequence of Play. Q: In the case of liberation of a rebellious planet by the original empire and/or its allies (537.13) does supply return immediately or is it delayed as any other liberation? A: Supply is returned like any other liberation as the rebels are not worried about the infrastructure to run a planet-wide economy, but only worried about if they are going to make life miserable for the conquerors. 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 MonthMORE THAN ONE WAY TO TURN Everybody knows about the "bootlegger" turn. In this, you turn in one direction and then (if you have to move straight) sideslip in the same direction. This tightens the turn radius and gets you away from whatever you are trying to avoid even faster.
Another way to make a tighter turn is to alternate a turn with a slip to the outside of the turn. That is, turn to the right, and on your next move slip to the left; this lets you complete the turn without moving as far from your initial hex. This is useful when you want to bring new weapons to bear but not get closer to the enemy (and his weapons).
According to rule (YFP8.1), "The maximum true range (of an Early Years plasma bolt) is five hexes. If the true range is greater than five, there is no damage to the target." Given that a plasma-F and a plasma-G torpedo have equal strength up to a range of five hexes, there is no reason for the Gorn WBL (and pre-Y105 refit WBI) to arm its plasma-G bolts as plasma-G bolts. It can save the power and arm them as plasma-F bolts.
According to rule (FP1.93) you have to have two points of reserve power to apply to a launcher (two points each for multiple launchers) to finish arming the "two turn F." The WBL/WBI have five boxes worth of battery, enabling them to do so. A potential tactic for this little feature involves the Gorns using their superior mobility (a thought that, by itself, makes me chuckle) to charge in on the second turn of their mutual arming cycle. This is a way of forcing their Romulan enemies to quickly finish their plasma-R torpedoes as plasma-F torpedoes; a balance that will greatly reduce the ratio of Romulan plasma throw weight to Gorn plasma throw weight away from what they would have with fully armed torpedoes. (End of SFB Tactic of the Month)
The Lyrans always have problems producing enough heavy cruiser hull types, as they are limited to one such hull type per turn as production (two, once the NCA hulls come online in Y174). However, if you adjust your damage absorption and conversion strategies early in the game, you can preserve as many of your DDs as possible for conversion to NCA variants.
Early in the mid-game of the General War, starting in Y174 (Turn #12), you can start converting your DDs into NCAs. Starting in Y175 you can start converting them into NCCs, NMCs, NCFs, and NSRs. In Y176 you can convert them into NCVs, NTGs and the excellent NSC scout. In Y178 you can convert them into NPFs, NSVs, and NDSs. Note that some of these conversions will not be available if you are playing without some of the game expansions. The base DD->NCA conversion, while expensive at five EPs, is still a minor conversion. That means that when Y174 rolls around, you can convert many of your DDs each turn at some or all of your starbases. Thus, you can convert your DDs into a lot of high quality cruisers very quickly. Of course, you will still need battle-group-capable ships. However, by Turn #12 you should have built up enough DWs and their variants to fill the battle group role. By converting DDs to NCCs and better, and using DWs in your battle groups, you can substantially increase the combat potential of your battle lines, which increases damage to the enemy and reduces the damage you take by forcing the enemy to withdraw more quickly. To maximize the effectiveness of this plan, you can make some minor adjustments to your early game damage absorption strategy and conversion strategy. Try to send your DDs into combat against lone or under-defended BATS and planets early in the game so that the DDs are used and take damage in low ComPot battles where the enemy is unable or unwilling to direct upon them. While you can use your DDs in larger battles, do not self-kill one when the "required kill" rule is in effect. Do not self-kill DDs for a short-term gain. In situations where the enemy will be likely to direct damage, and the battle is not important, consider using FFs on the line instead of DDs. You lose only three combat potential, but preserve your DDs. Finally, do not convert your DDs to other variants, or do so sparingly. Thus, when Y174 (Turn #12) rolls around, you can start rapidly converting your DDs to NCAs (and starting in Y175, some of their variants). (End of F&E Strategy of the Month)
A Call To Arms: Star Fleet Tactic of the Month Veteran players of other Star Fleet Universe games should take a moment to read the Maximum Warp Now! special action. What this does is allow a unit to escape by going to high warp right in the middle of a battle. The downside is your opponent gets one round to shoot at you when you can only move six inches in a straight line but, if you are playing in a campaign this is a small price to pay for the chance to save a key unit.
(End of A Call to Arms: Star Fleet Tactic of the Month)Do not forget while that key unit is making its run some of your other units can still use their weaponry to help with the defense of the target. Just be sure that you are aware of any notes or rules in the scenario that control what side of the map you can disengage from, otherwise your ship can still be considered lost.
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show our games and to teach potential players some basics. 
