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MAY 2007
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Download TransmissionsThe latest Communique brings you more ship cards, scenerios, fiction and more news from the Star Fleet Universe! It can be downloaded from the Legacy Site . Don’t forget, you have to register before being able to download the latest full color Communique! STAR FLEET UNIVERSE A MISSION OF VITAL IMPORTANCE! Monthly Communique is now scheduled to always be uploaded and ready for your download on or before the 10th of every month! Star Fleet Universe News The Federation Commander Site has been under construction and slowly making changes. As the Federation Commander Game System continues to grow and expand, so does the site. A “Site Map” button has been placed on the home page to provide easy access to race pages and other pages not available from the home page. If there’s anything you see out of place, typos, a link not working, or have an idea for a new page, please let us know! We have also placed a “banner” page up for those that would like to place one of our banners on another site to link back to Federation Commander. Another new add is the graphics download page where you can find downloads for wallpaper, PDFs to our convention ad (if you’re going to a convention and would like to hand out our flyer), and an event poster. If there’s something else you’d like to see on this page, please, just ask. The Legacy Site is also under construction and users are already seeing changes being made. The front page (by Matt Cooper) is now much more professional (not to mention prettier). Matt has also added a Site Map with buttons for the most-wanted areas, and a Master Site Index which lists everything on the site with direct links to it. Please keep your eyes open when the changes begin and report any typos and give suggestions. This is your site, let's work together to make it better! We are looking for a few good Star Fleet Ambassadors! As the marketing director, I can’t be everywhere and that’s where you come in! Do you go to gaming forums like Board Game Geek, RPG Net, or The Miniatures Page? Then WE NEED YOU! To get complete details of the Ambassador program, please see the FC Forum under the Federation Commander Ambassadors category. FC Forum Hot TopicsThe Federation Commander Site and Forum continues to grow as more gamers find it. This month’s Hot Topics include a thread titled “Ship Building” located under the General Discussions category. Another popular thread is the “Most Interesting Race?” which can be found in the newest category added to the Federation Commander Forum, Tactics. For new players, the Legacy Discus forum can make one feel overwhelmed and lost where as the new Federation Commander Forum is a little easier to manage as a new comer. Come see what all the commotion is a about and join the Federation Commander Forum now! FC Tactic of the month Federation ships should avoid fighting on the first turn while arming full overloads. On Turn #2, Federation ships should make a "defensive approach" on the Klingon ships using evasive maneuvers and using batteries to bounce damage to shields. Approach on an oblique to protect shield number one. Turn toward the Klingons at the end of the turn. Phasers should be used only for drone defense. An ideal Turn #2 should end with Federation ships at range 3-4 from the enemy. On the 1st impulse of Turn #3, Federation ships should fire full overloads and phasers at a range of two or less while targeting enemy power systems. It is critical not to overshoot (fly past the target) while executing this maneuver. After making the strike, the Federation ships should evade for the rest of the turn. Keep a few energy points in reserve for drone defense. The purpose of this tactic is to maximize the chance of hitting with all overloads and phasers in one massive crunch. On Turn #4, the Klingons should be so power depleted they will not be able to close while you rearm photons and position a repeat attack. Café Press
Café Press is an online market place that allows the Star Fleet Universe to produce unique products such as coffee mugs, t-shirts, tote bags, and more with the Star Fleet logos, cover art, and other artwork used for our products. The newest items added include a Tholian Attack Journal, Tholian and Seltorian Refrigerator magnets, and a framed Tholian Attack panel print. Want something you don’t see? Please contact Matt Cooper (Graphics Director) with your request. Visit our Star Fleet Café Press Store for a complete listing to the products available. SFB Tactic of the Month When commanding Hydran Fusion forces to take advantage of the ability of the fully-capable carrier nature of these ships, under (R9.R4), to loan electronic warfare to their squadrons. To go a step further, and save some of those carriers some energy, consolidate those forces into 12-fighter squadrons. By rotating the fighters through landing on one carrier, using the rules in (J4.465) and (J4.466), and an appropriate number of Deck Crew actions, you can base an entire 12 fighters out of a carrier that only brought as few as two to the fight. (More...) F&E STRATEGY OF THE MONTH Something that is often overlooked is that Admirals can be transferred between ships during the various movement phases. Why is this important you ask? Because it ensures that the Admiral can always be used during your turn and your opponent's turn. This is quite simple to accomplish. After using the Admiral during your turn to lead an attack, make sure that a ship moves him by Retrograde Movement to the location that your Reserve Fleet(s) will be at. Then, when you establish your Reserve, move him from the ship that carried him during your turn to the Flagship of the Reserve Fleet. This will give the Admiral maximum mobility during your opponent's turn. This can also be used with Prime Teams. Having four Prime Teams used on your turn and your opponent's turn is the equivalent of an extra Cruiser in a battle line. So Remember to Transfer the Flag!
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New ReleasesWe have just released the Omega Master Rulebook, a complete update of everything from the four SFB Omega Modules. SKU 5660, retail $39.95. Communique #17 will be available on 10 May. See the Commander's Circle. Captain's Log #35 will ship to wholesalers on 21 May and to mail orders a week later. SKU 5735, retail $18.95 Federation Commander: Academy (the low-cost way to join the fun of the new fast-playing space combat game) will ship to wholesalers on 21 May and to mail orders a week later. SKU 4003, Retail $24.95 Star Fleet Battles Module R11 Support Ships will be released at Origins. SKU $5630, retail $23.95 Federation Commander: Battleships Attack, the most-anticipated product of the year, will be released at Origins. SKU 4104, $29.95 Boosters #19-21, Squadron Boxes #19-21, and Border Box #7 will ship during July and August. Time on target While Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc. tries to keep everyone up to speed as to what is about to be released, there will rarely be a product that is released on short notice. The design of some products (by outside contractors) is not in our control, and these are not listed until the manuscript is delivered. Star Fleet Alert, our weekly electronic press releases, announce new products and update the schedule. These go out to our wholesalers, retailers, media, and anyone else that asks to be put on mailing list. If you would like to be on this mailing list, please contact Matt Cooper with “SF Alert Mailing List” in the Subject line. The following is what is currently on the product release schedule for the next 3 months: 2007 May: SCHEDULED FOR SUMMER 07 (Origins Releases): Make sure to make plans for the ORIGINS CONVENTION in July! Here’s some of what you can look forward to if you plan on attending: Wednesday night Sing-along: 4 July, in the food court, 7pm Plans are under consideration to have some players participate from their home cities via Star Fleet Battles On-Line. Check www.StarFleetGames.com/discus for updates on this, or just ask us.
Star Fleet Fiction A Mission of Vital Importance Shuttlecraft, Departing Moon of Coration-III Tiercellus saw Metellus staring accusingly at him as they removed their helmets in the safety of the shuttle. He held up a hand to forestall Metellus' furious argument. "That Gorn had the heart of a warrior and he deserved to complete his mission." "But it was a big risk Tiercellus. What if the Gorn had detonated the weapon instantly?" "Then, we would all be dead," Tiercellus replied. "But I felt that I owed the Gorn his victory, one warrior to another." Metellus started to argue again, but a bright flash stopped him. The automatic filters over the shuttle's portholes stopped most of the light flash, but they both knew what had happened. The two men relaxed back into their harness, and in a subdued tone, began to construct their after-action report. (More...) Ask admiral Growler ANSWER: See (J4.72) "Drones held in ready racks or loaded on the fighters count as part of the ship's storage." Rule (J8.53) is specific that the 12 ADDs mentioned are "reloads", and the 20 spaces of drones are all the drones it has. Based on this, a ship with a drone-armed MRS would have a total of 18 ADDs (six of which are already on the MRS) and 20 spaces of drones. Note that under (J8.53) some of these drone spaces will be type-VI drones. (More...) Federation & Empire Q&A QUESTION: Can the B9 be used in raids? Can it mount an SFG? Two SFGs? Does it rate a new entry in the SFG table, or can we just use the B10 entry? How do the Klingons build a B9? ANSWER: The rule says no battleships as raiders, but this one can be used in raids since it is in fact called a fast RAIDING battleship in the notes on the SIT. The SSD in SFB shows two SFGs, so it would use the B10 entry on the stasis chart. The SIT shows a direct-build cost of 30. It would take the same number of points (40) if built by the die-roll method since the "fast" surcharge equals the cost of items left out. You have to decide before the first die roll if you are building a B9 or a B10. QUESTION: An LTT can move an FRD (516.21F) just like a full-size tug can, but the Romulan SPH is barred from this role. Why is this? It's a war cruiser hull like every LTT. ANSWER: The SparrowHawk is a strange beast with its own rules (516.33), neither fish nor foul, neither an LTT or not an LTT. QUESTION: The Klingons are using three D6Ds to target an SAV with a drone raid. There are plenty of other ships in the hex. Can I assign one of them as an escort to the SAV? ANSWER: No, not at the time of the raid. You don't know it's coming so you cannot instantly react. You'd have to have assigned escorts previously. You can assign, add, and change escorts for any carrier at the start and end of the Combat Step (515.15), and CEDS can replace lost escorts during Retrograde, and the escorts would still be assigned (320.348) to the SAV (unless you moved them out of the hex for some reason).
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