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May 2019
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Star Fleet Universe News THE BIG NEWS:
SHAPEWAYS
Our store on Shapeways continues to expand with 59 new items released on 1 May.
Ships released for both 3788 and 3125 scales include: Federation Fast Cruiser and Light Tactical Transport (both in plain or grid style), Klingon D5H (plain or Aztek style), Romulan FlameHawk (original and cranked arrow), Gorn large scout, Neo-Tholian heavy dreadnought and heavy command cruiser, Orion Double Raider Cruiser, Hydran Buffalo Scout (DWS), the Lyran War Cruiser Escort, ISC tug with two pods, the Vudar Heavy War Destroyer, and the Seltorian Light Dreadnought. The Andromedans continue to arrive with their Eel, Courier, and Terminator.
New for 3788: Frax Mobile Carrier (DWV).
New for Omega: Ymatrian battlecruiser, Iridani Sloop, and Sigvirion Command Cruiser.
New for Omni Scale are the Andromedan Satellite Base, Hydran Large and Small Freighter, and the Lyran Large and Small Freighter. The Lyran Large Freighter comes in two styles, wide or long.
You can check out the store here:
MORE BIG NEWS
Captain's Log #53 will be released sometime in June.
Modules G3 and G3A have now been released!  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 Alpha Strike, headquartered in Rockridge, Florida. CO Lee Brandt reports they play Star Fleet Battles. Read more here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/battlegroup/battlegroup_alphastrike.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 has all of the 16 Round 1 games played; five of the Round 2 games are completed. Andy Koch is the judge in this "just for fun" tournament.
Rated Ace Tournament 48 is being played with only the final game left to play. Ron Brimeyer has withdrawn as the judge and Steven Petrick has stepped in to usher the tournament to its conclusion.
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/ 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. F&E Strategy of the Month Since elementary school we all knew an "A" was better than a "C." This is not true when comparing the Federation new heavy cruiser with the Federation new command cruiser. Simply changing the "A" to a "C" can make a huge difference.
The Federation starts building one NCA (new heavy cruiser) a turn in Y175. This 8/4 ship costs six economic points, a bargain, but for eight economic points you can substitute the new command cruiser (NCC) which is 10-9/5. This gives you two extra offensive combat points and converts a ship that is inefficient to repair into one that repairs quite excellently (since 9/5s are one of the most efficient-to-repair ships out there). In addition, beginning in Y175 every starbase you have that remains standing can be converting new light cruisers into new command cruisers as they are a four-point minor conversion. A Call To Arms: Star Fleet Tactic of the Month This is where the tactical choices begin. After a conflict intensity is selected, you must purchase your forces. Everyone has a different play style and no one style is right or wrong. Do you select a lot of small ships, a few big ones, or a balanced force containing both small and large ships? Again, it¹s up to you, and there are no "command" and "formation" rules from SFB. Here are some things to keep in mind for force selection:
Quantity: Since ACTA uses the you go/I go method for movement and fire, having more ships than your opponent gives you an advantage during both movement and attack. Quality: Dreadnoughts and other big ships are nice but make enticing targets. They can dish out an astounding amount of fire in a single turn, but your opponent can field three smaller ships for the same price. You have to weigh the potential of your dreadnought against what those three smaller ships can do. Ability: Each ship has multiple traits and those traits should be considered. Is your opponent¹s force a drone-using empire? Then consider getting units with the Anti-Drone trait. Does your opponent have Stealth? Consider ships with Accurate weapons. (End of A Call to Arms: Star Fleet Tactic of the Month)
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New Releases Communique #161 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 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.
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 Then she sat back in her chair and closed her eyes. On the face of it, the incident was simple and obvious. Two drunks, an attractive woman, angry words, a violent outburst, a weapon of opportunity, and a lethal stab wound. Eleven pages.
(Continue reading here)
Ask Admiral Vanaxilth Mind Monster
Russ Simpkins asks: A previously disabled ship has the worst luck and is attacked by a mind monster. Unable to adequately counter the monster or escape, it is completely drained. All crew and computers are wiped. How long does the crew have to live without help? Crew are helpless "vegetables" but is there life support still on the ship or has that been lost when computers are wiped? Special rules in Captain's Log #34 state all power systems go offline. Without power everyone dies immediately (which I have always found a little silly) but it would be beneficial to me if they could survive a little while. Perhaps life support has some fail-safe hard-wired into the batteries? If some crew were away in a few shuttles and return after the mind monster leaves, could they restore life support and save crew? Transporter logs on the ship are wiped so they cannot use those to restore crew. If it has been a week or two since they were last transported (last base they were on), could the crew's minds be restored from those logs per (SM6.452)? They would of course have no memory of anything for the last few weeks.
Kommodore Ketrick replies: Rule (SM6.452) assumes that you did not "lose" the encounter. Your ship was never left completely drained, so the transporter records on the ship are still available. If the ship was completely drained, then all of the operating systems and computer files are gone, and there is no way to restore the crew. That is why the consequences of such an encounter can be "lethal," but if you "win" (or disengage before you completely lose) you can essentially not have had any losses. Now, how long could the crew survive on a completely drained ship? A "mind-blanked" individual can be thought of as being in a coma. The autonomous systems such as breathing, blood circulation, digestion, etc., all continue, but there is no "motive control." The crew are not walking around like brain-dead zombies, they floating around unconcious since there is no artificial gravity. They will "live" until one of several things occurs. They can die of starvation or thirst because they cannot act to eat or drink (this varies by species). The life support systems on the ship are completely shut down. Loss of heat will eventually cause them to freeze to death; loss of cooling may cause them to dehydrate faster. This depends on external heat sorts such as a nearby sun. In any case, the available air in the ship will grow increasingly foul and lack oxygen. Absent any special situation, it would be fair to assume that the crew will begin dying in 72 hours and all have expired in 96. You can literally be in a situation where the mind-blanked individuals on the port side of the ship all froze to death because that side of the ship radiated away heat faster than the starboard side which was exposed to the sun (and close enough to benefit), and those on deck #6 died because there were more of them than on deck #3 and they used up all of the oxygen. If the ship is completely drained, the fail-safes detect errors in the various programs and shut them down until your ship is dead in space. Some battery power might have remained (emergency lighting) but all major systems would be shut down. Your returning crew could, under the rules, eventually use back-ups (non-operating disk files) to get the ship operable again, but there does not seem to me to be anything you could do for the crew who were on the ship when this circumstance came about.
The key point is not to lose the fight with the mind monster. F&E Q&A
BASES: CHAINS OF SUPPLY Q: Rule (506.3) specifically prohibits the Romulans from building any kind of base in their off-map area, but a ruling in CL#38 said they could and a response to a rejected tactical note in the CL#40 Supplemental File said they could not. Can this be clarified, please?
A: This is an issue as old as the game. It was clarified in F&E2010 that the Romulans can build a mobile base or a colony there to provide Strategic Movement or a place to accumulate EPs. F&E2010 also provided the Klingons with an "assumed base" in their leased area in the Lyran outback.
Q: In a confusing situation, an Hydran fleet in Lyran space was out of supply and drained the supply tug so that they would be treated as in supply. Later in the turn, the fleet re-established supply, and then lost the supply link. Did the supply tug get refilled or not? A: It depends on when supply was re-established. Rule (509.53) is only part of the solution; the Sequence of Play establishes certain points at which supply is evaluated. If the supply tug was back in supply at one of those points, it was refilled. If not, it wasn¹t. Q: A diplomatically aligned neutral planet (540.24) generates EPs but is not connected to adjacent grids and is in its own partial grid until such time you are at war with the other neighboring power. They accumulate EPs which may be used to locally construct defenses and/or accumulate. May one use Orion smuggling to transfer EPs to the planet to augment its indigenous EPs for construction projects? A: Sure, if you have them per (410.34). You would have to obey all rules concerning the use of EPs for your empire at that time based on your economic condition. If you are at Peace, you could cancel PWC or use other diplomatic income to do this. Or, if you were at War but this was an inactive fleet you could use money from the general treasury at the local Orion¹s rate of exchange. The local planet would not allow you to remove such income via the Orions as they know it would just make their situation more untenable. (End of F&E Q&A)
ASK AUNT JEAN
Dear Aunt Jean, Is there any word about Shapeways miniatures for Prime Directive? A: Currently, that isn't on the radar. We needed to let the new pricing take effect to see how it would affect our models. We are going to have to look at this in the future after things shake down a bit more.
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 MonthCLOSING THE GAP When fighting in an asteroid field with web caster-equipped Tholian ships, look for opportunities to trap an unwary opponent in the gap between two asteroid hexes.
Here¹s how it works. Since ships tend to avoid asteroid damage by staying out of asteroid hexes and remaining in clear space, the enemy will often fly through single-hex gaps between the asteroids. If your opponent finishes his movement in such a gap, you can exploit this with your web caster. Throw a three-hex web of 16 strength points per hex (at up to ten hexes¹ range), anchoring the ends in the asteroid hexes to either side, with the middle web hex in the same hex as the enemy ship. This will trap the enemy ship immediately, and at worst will ruin his plans for the turn. At best it may well trap him for long enough for you to hit him with a seeking weapon or two. Since Tholians are not big on seeking weapons, this trick is best performed when fighting alongside allied ships that do have such weapons, such as the Gorns. A web hex forms a perfect anchor situation and makes the enemy ship a sitting target for plasma/drone strikes from hexes off to the side of the web strand. The trick still works with larger gaps of course, but it will not slow your opponent as much. The counter tactic to this is to avoid single-hex gaps. Use maneuver, speed, and acceleration/deceleration to make sure that you finish the movement sub-pulses a hex or two away from such gaps, and then dash forward to clear the gap in a single impulse. This works because the web caster can only fire after movement is completed for that impulse. If your ship has already been trapped in a web, or has just broken out of it, it can sometimes even be worth decelerating upon release in order to avoid a similar gap and being trapped again. Then move forward in a burst of speed as above. As this is taking place in an asteroid field, you will need to maneuver carefully to avoid entering asteroid hexes at the sorts of speeds required to break out of webs of that strength; unfortunately these are also the same speeds required to avoid those gaps in the first place. Still, the increased speed will likely give you the initiative, since the Tholians will not necessarily want to be moving at that speed in an asteroid field either ‹ and it can also put your ships into some interesting attacking positions!
Under (J3.11), you can program a course for a wild weasel, and as a matter of habit, you should do this. If there is any chance that the wild weasel will not be destroyed, having a programmed course can be very useful. You never know when those plasma torpedoes might turn out to be pseudoes, or when your opponent might drop tracking on some drones. If you did not program a course, your weasel will be sailing off in a straight line, to eventually collide with a tournament barrier or be lost in the depths of space. If the seeking weapons do impact as expected, you did not lose anything by programming a course.
If you anticipate that you will be stopped or moving slowly for very long, a good plot for your wild weasel would be a circle of radius 1. If it survives, it will stay within tractor range for easy recovery later. On a fixed map, a circular path is usually a good bet. Keeping it away from enemy units is another consideration when plotting a course. Make a habit of programming a course for every wild weasel you launch. Most of the time, it will not matter, but sometimes ‹ perhaps when you least expect it ‹ it can make a difference. (End of SFB Tactic of the Month)
Mini of the Month This starbase is by Kent Ing.
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show our games and to teach potential players some basics. 
