APTs (Armed Priority Transports) are perhaps the most underrated asset in Federation & Empire today. They are not sexy, they do not contribute directly to offensive operations, they do not even contribute one combat potential point for free over bases like PTRs (Prime Traders). What they can do for you, however, is sadly overlooked.

If I told you I would sell you a tug for ten economic points, and it has a free Strategic Movement, even in allied territory, that you could build as many as you wanted in a turn and they would not count against your tug or LTT builds, would you take me up on it? Well let me admit, it cannot do any mission other than carry economic points, personnel, or Kestrel spare parts.

Ten APTs can replace a fleet tug for the valuable mission of sending Lyran economic points to the Klingons every turn. You are doing that anyway, so you are freeing other assets if you use APTs. Building ten APT's at one economic point each means this "Tug" costs ten economic points but it has free Strategic Moves.

If the Klingons build ten APTs and the Lyrans build ten APTs they can get their full capacity of twenty economic points a turn without any loss of fleet tugs nor any strategic movement costs. In addition on turns you do not do full transfers you can send 1/10 of a turn of Kestrel spare parts to the Romulans. It might even be worth it to build some extras just for that purpose.

Tugs and LTTs are valuable assets, Theater Transports help some with this burden, but they cost Strategic Moves. APTs are scalable in that they are built freely every turn, and have no impact on your combat hull count, nor do they sap often scarce Strategic Moves. Give them another look!

Rated the Best Tactical Note in this issue of Captain's Log.