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May 2017
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Star Fleet Universe News BIG NEWS: TIME FOR A CHANGE Every now and then, a company needs to take a deep look at everything it is doing and decide which activities need to change, expand, or be eliminated. Sometimes things grew in unintended directions, other times the market changes and what was once fastionable is now stale. The result is a revitalized company better focused on making customers happy.
We recently conducted such a review, and came to some decisions. A few things have changed; more will change. Communique is one example. It will continue, but items that are duplicated in Hailing Frequencies will be only there, repetitive items will be moved to web pages that are updated annually, and what¹s left will be only the things you really want and need. This will reduce the issue to four pages (the cover page, the scenario, and the two pages of the ship -- in color). Communique will return to its original purpose, a newsletter for the game Federation Commander, and avoid filling up pages with news about other games. (The other games will be covered by Hailing Frequencies, so be sure to sign onto that free newsletter if that is news that you want.)
Lots of other changes are happening. We¹re looking at new sources and methods for producing game components, cutting back on the non-SFU things we post on the BBS, eliminating the 12 blogs that repeat every month and most of the non-company blogs, and keeping the three game designers (Steve Cole, Steven Petrick, Jean Sexton) focused on new products. Steven Petrick has just finished the LDR Master Starship Book and is moving on to the Kzinti Master Starship Book; he also just finished the Module C3 Rulebook update and is moving on to update the Module R3 Rulebook. Jean Sexton is excited about revising GURPS Prime Directive and is knee-deep in creating the new ISC Sourcebook. Steve Cole is updating F&E Ship Info Tables before he starts full-time work on the History of the Star Fleet Universe.
We are still going in the same direction, but with less baggage we just might get there faster.
Warp Speed Ahead!
The LDR Master Starship Book will soon be available in PDF form. The sixth volume in the long-anticipated Master Starship Book series will be available by next week. It includes every LDR ship in Star Fleet Battles, including X-ships, Y-ships, and R1 units that are specific to the Lyran Democratic Republic. The LDR is interesting because its "Lyran" ships have Gatling phasers, and it has some unusual designs that violate all the rules of starship construction.
Every ship is illustrated. All updates, corrections, and errata have been added. The ships are in order (regardless of the product they came from) with the enhanced format listing detailed information in a consistent manner. This book contains the descriptions of the ships, but not the SSDs.
You can purchase online from the following:
Warehouse 23:
DriveThru RPG:
Wargame Vault:
We'll release it in print sometime in Summer 2017.
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 Charlottesville, located in Charlottesville, Virginia. CO Ryan Opel reports that this group is active, running a monthly ongoing F&E game since Fall 2015. They are currently playing the Four Powers War as they bring a new player back up to speed.Check them out here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/battlegroup/battlegroup_charlottesville.shtml
Do you have a battle group? Be sure to report your activities here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/battlegroup/report.shtml
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 Rated Ace Tournament 47 is up and going with six of the eight third-round games played and even one fourth-round game finished! Bill Schoeller is the judge.
Stay tuned for more about the 2017 Platinum Hat Tournament.
DEMOS AND CONS WITH SFU GAMES Battle Group Brevard reports the SFB game at HMGS-South's RECON May 4-7 went well.
On May 13, 2017 at the Proctor's Theatre in Schenectady, New York, ACTASF will be demoed. Rangers Mark Lurz and Tom Talasco are in charge.
Battle Group Galaxy M31 plans on holding a Federation Commander Demo Derby at Nashcon 2017 June 2, 2017 from 2 to 6 pm in the Franklin Marriott at Cool Springs in Franklin, Tennessee. http://www.nashcon.org/ It will be a frigate battle royal in miniature (Starline 2400)
Are you going to GenCon in August 2017? Make plans to play Star Fleet Battles with Randy Blair as the Ranger in charge. He'll be holding four demos there. August 17 at 11:00 am is Eastern Plight, August 18 at 11:00 am is Western Plight, August 19 at 10:00 am and again at 3:00 pm is Survivor! (each is stand-alone). GenCon is held in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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/gamers_haven.php Ranger Harlan Haskell III reports that the last gameday went well and folks enjoyed themselves. 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 addition of power modules in Advanced Operations allows the Klingons to make it astronomically expensive to destroy SFG-equipped starbases.
Unfortunately you have to sacrifice a starbase's two PF flotillas (24 combat potential), but you will have no fear in winning the electronic warfare fight versus the Alliance for that sacrifice. You will have upwards of ten or more electronic warfare points. Here is how: starbase = 6, D6S/D5S = 4/3. Any other single two electronic warfare point ship (PFT, DWS, D6D, etc) = 2. Total: 11+ electronic warfare points. Having this much electronic warfare available will let you choose a Battle Intensity Rating of four, allowing you to use your SFGs or your large combat potential to their maximum effect against the Alliance. This will probably result in the Alliance player not choosing a battle intensity of four (312.122) himself due to the risk of having key ships frozen, but you will still be able to use your starbase's SFGs defensively. A Call To Arms: Star Fleet Tactic of the Month DREADNOUGHT INITIATIVE TACTICS A Call To Arms: Star Fleet's I-go-you-go initiative system rewards shooting first and disabling an opposing ship before it can fire. Dreadnoughts are great for this, because they pack a lot of firepower onto one hull and can do "in one go" what smaller ships would need two or three "goes" to do. That gives the opponent less time to react. Most dreadnoughts also have the Command +1 trait, so you will win initiative (and fire first) more often!
On the other hand, the movement initiative system rewards having a larger number of more maneuverable ships like frigates. Also, a ship which fires all of its phasers in an "alpha strike" is vulnerable to seeking weapons as it has no phasers left to fire. The solution is to balance one or two big ships with smaller ships. The smaller ships will act as "initiative sinks" during the Movement Phase, and can use their weapons during Defensive Fire to protect the dreadnought against seeking-weapon retribution. In general, move your dreadnought last and fire its weapons first.
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New Releases Communique #137 has been posted to the Commander's Circle Click here to see our previous issues of Hailing Frequencies. Recently Released To be released in 2017
Lyran Master Starship Book LDR Master Starship Book A new Starmada book for both editions.
Federation Commander Reference Starship Book
Traveller Prime Directive Core Rulebook
New starships for the 2500 (1/3125) range including Klingon B10
New starships for the 2400 (1/3788) range including heavy war destroyers and the jumbo freighter.
PDF and EBOOK SALES: RECENTLY RELEASED ON Warehouse 23
Bridge, RIS Imperial Truth
"They are turning, Commander. Oblique course bearing to the north of the base." "Will they pass within the estimated range of their transportation device to the base?" "Yes, Commander." "That's as expected. Torpedo status?" "Almost ready, Commander." Clavius watched the tactical display plot. The torpedo might not be necessary. Human psychology had not changed much in 100 years. Yes, yes. . . Bridge, USS Alfred the Great "Range to base, 50,000 kilometers." "Transporter room, pre. . ." The last thing David Winter saw was a flash of bright light. He was never conscious of the incredible heat that consumed his being, or the knowledge that his final mistake of judgment killed his ship and crew. (Continue reading here) Ask Admiral Vanaxilth Stephen McCann asks: A cloaked ship launched a wild weasel almost a turn ago and it is now six hexes from the ship. Between the wild weasel and the cloaked ship is the opponent. The cloaked ship uncloaks and when at +1 fade-in the opponent wants to launch drones at him, even though he is still protected by the wild weasel. The cloaked ship is one hex in direction F from the drone-launching ship; the wild weasel is five hexes in direction C. Can the drones be launched in direction F, aimed towards the cloaked unit, even though they will then track and move towards the wild weasel, or must they be launched facing in direction C toward the wild weasel?
ANSWER: Kommodore Ketrick replies: Any seeking weapons launched at a ship protected by a wild weasel are launched at the ship and must have their target (i.e., the ship) in their FA arc as per (F1.24). Therefore, the drones could legally be launched in directions A, F, or E (assuming nothing to the contrary). Their first hex of movement, irrespective of the wild weasel will be directly ahead as they cannot turn (other than the voluntary use of a high energy turn). From that point, even if the drones had actually entered the hex of their real target, they are chasing the weasel and would have to turn to pursue the still active wild weasel. You cannot launch seeking weapons at the wild weasel and claim they are targeted on the protected unit. They must be launched at the protected unit. If you target seeking weapons on the wild weasel, they are targeted only on the wild weasel and even if the weasel is voided, they will continue to pursue it. No end of "mockingdrone exceptions" might be mentioned. If the cloaked ship has already voided the weasel (perhaps by activating its fire control) you can target it. If the weasel is voided while the seeking weapons are in flight, they change targets at once to the original ship. If an unvoided wild weasel is destroyed, any seeking weapons that accepted it as a target are irrevocably committed to pursuing and hitting it (well, the expanding gas cloud where the explosion happened). Any seeking weapons launched after the wild weasel explosion cannot be targeted on the weasel (which is no longer there) and will track the ship normally. Any seeking weapons destroyed or inactivated while in flight are not relevant to the overall discussion. Francois Lemay asks: Two ships are in the same hex, with the same heading. Each launches a wild weasel off its respective #5 shield. Both wild weasels get hit with plasma-Fs (20 points of damage = five points of collateral damage). Does each ship take five points of damage on its #5 shield and then five points of damage using the random roll (J3.303) for the five points of collateral damage from the other ship's wild weasel, or does each ship take 10 points of damage on its #5 shield? Kommodore Ketrick replies: As you said, rule (J3.303) lets you pick the shield your departing wild weasel is facing, and you picked #5, so the damage your shuttle caused your ship is on that shield. For the other ship, however, this is a random event, so you roll to determine the damaged shield. Within a single hex and single impulse, the players have little control over the precise timing or position, which is why die rolls determine this. Francois Lemay asks: My Gorn base station has a Romulan plasma torpedo targeted on it. If I launch a wild weasel so that it moves behind a planet, the Romulan plasma torpedo and ship no longer have a line-of-sight to it, does the plasma torpedo now target the planet? Kommodore Ketrick replies: This is covered by (P2.3223)-(P2.3224). Further launches with the base as a target are handled by (J3.201) as long as the base does not void the wild weasel. Ted Fay asks: Must a recovered wild weasel be serviced for 32 impulses before beginning charging as a wild weasel again, or does this service rule only apply to using the shuttle's phaser? Kommodore Ketrick replies: The 32-impulse servicing provided by rule (J3.222) is required for any subsequent use of the shuttle. The phaser is just an example.
Francois Lemay asks: These turns, impulses, and steps of the Sequence of Play lead to many questions. Here is what my opponent wants to do to reuse an inert wild weasel. His base station landed its own now inert wild weasel on Impulse #11 of Turn #4. The deck crew starts servicing it on Impulse #12 of Turn #4, so that on Impulse #12 of Turn #5 it can be launched as a shuttle. (So far, so good.) I know that the base station can use reserve power and start preparing it as a wild weasel again at this point, that is, Impulse #12 of Turn #5. (Correct.) Now, here's the tricky part. He wants to allocate energy to the shuttle during Turn #5's Energy Allocation Phase, even though the shuttle is not "fully prepared" for a new mission. I say "no" because the shuttle is not ready to become a wild weasel again, and his only choices are reserve energy now or allocated energy during the next turn. He says he can arm it now. Kommodore Ketrick replies: Interesting question! Rule (J1.868) says you cannot allocate energy to a shuttle box if there is no shuttle there, but in this case there is a shuttle present in the box, even if it is not yet ready to receive the energy. So, yes, you can allocate the energy during Turn #5's Energy Allocation Phase because the shuttle is there, but it would not begin arming until the servicing was completed. After all, energy allocated to a tractor beam might not be used until later in the turn. (End of Admiral Vanaxilth) F&E Q&A
THOSE PESKY THOLIANS Q: Rule (503.33) states that the Tholians may not move more than two hexes outside their territory "including neutral zone hexes." Does this inclusion mean that the neutral zone hexes are included in their territory (solely for this calculation) or are they part of the two hexes distance they may enter? A: They are not included in Tholian territory but are part of the distance that the Tholians can move. They are stuck there, unless supported by (503.331). Q: What happens when the Tholian bases are destroyed and their planets and all of their territory is captured? Do they fade away into history, or do they operate like the Free French or something? I would argue that if all Tholian space is captured, there is no Tholian space and (503.33) no longer applies. A: This is an interesting question, as there are no rules to create a "Free Tholia" operation. Frankly, we're not going to create such rules or a player seeing the Klingon Fleet of Devastation coming across the border would simply have all ships run for Federation territory and become "Mercenary Fleet Tholia" which is what you guys really want anyway. Rule (503.33) limits the Tholians to operating within two hexes of their territory. If they lost all of their territory, they will stay close to home and try to fight their way back in. (They might be adopted by the Federation as a homeless fleet just so they could be in supply, but that doesn't allow them to wander around the Federation as extra ships for Star Fleet. Frankly, it would be bad for the game to allow that to happen.) If they fight a battle in a hex two hexes from their original territory, they cannot retreat into a hex farther away (and would be destroyed if they did so, meaning they fight to the death in that hex). There is a slight exception in (503.331) which allows the creation of a detached fleet that can operate farther from home. That detached fleet is the limit of a Free Tholian operation. (End of F&E Q&A)
ASK AUNT JEAN
Dear Aunt Jean, I've heard that you are revising GURPS Prime Directive. What can you tell me about it? A: I've long wanted to do this revision to correct some mistakes that crept in and to re-add some missing items from GURPS Prime Directive 3e (missing academy templates, for one). I want to clarify things such as which disadvantages are sort of hard-wired into the species and which can (or should) be bought off outside the culture. I also wanted to re-integrate the empire and species sections. To me it made connecting the empire and the species harder as in many cases the people shaped the empire and were shaped by it. Stay tuned as I work my way through the book!
Send questions to Jean at marketing@StarFleetGames.com and she will answer as soon as she can.
(End of Ask Aunt Jean ) 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 MonthLET MAMA KISS IT AND MAKE IT BETTER Andromedan satellite ships are very vulnerable to burn-through damage penetrating their power absorber panels because they lack labs and other "free hits". A few hits from disruptors and you will see your Cobras losing important systems that they cannot quickly repair because of their low repair rating. To combat this, the mothership should cycle damaged satellite ships through its hangar to take advantage of (5V1c4), which allows the mothership to use its own Repair Points on satellite ships in its hangar.
A Cobra in an Intruder¹s hangar will have up to six Repair Points to use instead of only two! If an energy module is also in the hangar, the damaged satellite ship can perform a tactical power dump and the energy module will pick up the dumped energy by (5V1c3). So when the Galactic boys get rough, let Mama fix the satellite ships¹ boo-boos and then send them back out to play some more!
Although T-bombs are often used for their "flashcube" effect to reveal a cloaked ship, a controlled death-rider fast patrol ship is much more capable.
Rule (K7.301) allows, but does not require, a controlled death-rider to be assigned a specific target that will trigger its detonation. The death-rider¹s target can be changed during any impulse, and the death-rider can be maneuvered freely regardless of what its nominal target is. By launching a death-rider and not assigning it a target, it can maneuver into the hex of a cloaked ship and, within the limits on death-rider maneuvering, shadow it. It will not detonate because the ship it is shadowing is not its "target." However, this puts the cloaked ship in a terrible position. If the cloaked ship attempts to uncloak, the death-rider¹s controller can assign it as the target and the death-rider will hit for 35 points of damage one impulse later. If, on the other hand, the cloaked ship remains cloaked, the death-rider¹s controller can destroy the death-rider using his own weapons as a sort of oversized flashcube. Death-riders can also self-destruct normally over a turn break, which will also allow the controlling ship¹s weapons and tractors to recycle at the same time. Because they are unmanned, normal (D5.5) self-destruction restrictions do not apply. Adding insult to injury, the cloak-rider can fire up to two offensive weapons per turn at the cloaked ship it is shadowing. As the Gorns are most likely to be in a position to use this tactic, those weapons could be plasma carronades. The cloaked ship¹s only real defense against the cloak-rider is to make a high energy turn, which will be difficult for the cloak-rider to follow, as it cannot do a high energy turn itself. But the cost of the high energy turn will make it hard for the cloaked ship to maintain its cloak and speed, as well as risk voiding the cloak. While any given ship is likely to have more T-bombs available than death-rider fast patrol ships, the death-rider¹s greater effectiveness (and much higher damage potential) makes it a valuable cloak-hunting weapon. (End of SFB Tactic of the Month)
Demotivationals Throughout the month our graphics director places on the website various cards called Demotivationals. These are like postcards with an image and a phrase that is often used for humor. Here are the newest demotivationals since our last newsletter: Mother of all Drones
Facebook Highlight of the Month Sidney Kanouse reports: Battle Report: My Granddaughter flew a Loryill DD. I flew a refitted Hydran Lancer DD without fighters. We made four battle passes, lots of turning and burning. She had the advantage after Turn #3. The last pass we mutually gutted each other. Glorious battle that resulted in a Taco Bell run. Good times. Next fight she'll be ready for a heavy cruiser.
Mini of the Month Starline 2500 Federation cruiser painted by Tony Thomas
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show our games and to teach potential players some basics. 
