November 2007
Download Transmissions

The latest Communique brings you more Ship Cards, scenarios, fiction, and more news from the Star Fleet Universe! It can be downloaded from the Commander's Circle. Don’t forget, you have to register before being able to download the latest full color Communique!

Star Fleet Universe News

The product schedule, delayed by the death of SVC's mother, and further delayed by "the building project", has now been reset. Captain's Log #36, Federation Commander: Line of Battle, Squadron Box #16, Squadron Box #17, Squadron Box #18, and Border Box #6 will be shipped on 14 January and available to mail orders on 21 January. Other products will be rescheduled for next year and this schedule will be announced in the December newsletter.

For those who have not heard about "the building project" here is an update. ADB, Inc. has been in one location since January 1999. We have outgrown it, and need to move to larger quarters. Leanna and Stephen Cole decided to use some of their retirement savings to buy a new building (more than twice as large) and move the company there. Unable to find a suitable existing building, they have contracted to buy a nice piece of land about two miles from their present office and build an entirely new building there. This building will be finished sometime in the late summer of 2008. (It takes 30 days to actually complete buying the land, 45-60 days to get a building permit, 30-60 days for delivery of the pre-engineered steel building, 60-120 days to erect it, another 30 days to build the office space, and another 30 days to move. We're hoping for July or August, but will be happy to get moved by September or October. The mailing address and telephone numbers will not change, but obviously the physical address will change. Expect updates and "construction in progress photos" in future newsletters.

View our preliminary building design (Adobe Acrobat Required)

Our combined and reorganized website, www.StarFleetGames.com, continues to grow and improve. You are welcome to send us your requests, comments, and suggestions.

We are looking for a few good Star Fleet Ambassadors! Our marketing director 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 Federation Commander Ambassadors category on the Federation Commander forum.

Have you missed an earlier Newsletter? Click here to get caught up!

FC Forum Hot Topics

The Federation Commander Site and Forum continues to grow as more gamers find it. We have added a new section to the Forum called Web Requests. If you have any comments, questions, or requests for our Graphics Director, this is the place to let him know. This month’s Hot Topics include a thread titled “Some of my latest ship models...” which can be found in the General Discussion category and "federation commander campaign." For new players, the Federation Commander Forum is a little easier to manage whereas the Legacy Discus BBS can be a bit overwhelming.  Come see what the commotion is about and join the Federation Commander Forum now!

FC Tactic of the Month
A BRIEF LOOK AT SUICIDE SHUTTLES

Suicide shuttles present an interesting tactic. To be useful, the suicide shuttle must pose a credible threat.
Once it poses a threat, it has multiple uses. Suicide shuttles can be used to influence an opponent's movement to your advantage, or they can be used to simply absorb the enemy's firepower. Any resources used against the shuttles will not be available for use against your ships. (More...)

Café Press
Cafe Press

Café Press is an online marketplace 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. We have added tons of new shirts, mugs, and other products. 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 of the products available.

SFB Tactic of the Month
QUICK RELOAD

If you are facing a situation where you have plasma racks and plasma-K torpedoes can be useful (drone-armed opponents, most likely), consider carrying some plasma-K torpedoes as reloads.

While a plasma-D rack only holds four total plasmas [even half-space plasma-K torpedoes per (FP13.41)], the reload speed is dependent on the size of the plasmas. As it reloads two spaces in a reload turn [per (FP10.23) and (FD2.421)], you can reload the entire rack with four plasma-K torpedoes in a single turn while you could only reload two plasma-D torpedoes in the same amount of time.

F&E Strategy of the Month
THE RAID AND STEAL

Planetary Operation allows the unique opportunity to steal crippled ships within three hexes of a friendly Strategic Movement Node with the Espionage and Sabotage missions for Prime Teams. The mission normally succeeds on a roll of 2-5 on 2d6, while not great odds (less than a 50% chance of success) it is not totally improbable, but you get a bonus of minus one to your roll if it is a Size Class-4 ship. Of course you must pay two economic points just to conduct one of these missions, but for the right target they can be worth it. (More...)

Mini of the Month

Every month we will feature one of our miniatures that has been painted by a fan. If you paint miniatures, submit your pictures and you may be our next Mini of the Month!

Click here to view this month's winner.

 

New Releases

Communique #23 has posted to the Commander's Circle

RECENTLY RELEASED
New pewter miniatures
Starline 2400: WYN Warships (CW, DW, FF)
SKU 1223, $19.95
Starline 2400: Federation Operational Carrier (CVO) SKU 0299, $12.95
Starline 2400: Hydran Mohawk New Heavy Cruiser (NCA) SKU 0961, $7.95
Starline 2400: Neo-Tholian Destroyer and Frigate, SKU 0771, $12.95
Starline 2400: Base Station, SKU 0103, $9.95
Starline 2400: Orion War Destroyer, DW
, SKU 0818, $7.95
Federation Commander: Border Box #5, SKU 4405, $99.95
Federation Commander: Squadron Box #13, SKU 4313, $34.95
Starline 2400: Seltorian NCA and DNL, SKU 1525, $17.95 Starline 2400: WYN Fleet Box, 6 ships, SKU 1200 $39.95

TO BE RELEASED ON 14 JANUARY
Captain's Log #36, SKU 5736, $18.95
Federation Commander: Squadron Box #16
, SKU 4316, $34.95 (pewter miniatures)
Federation Commander: Squadron Box #17,
SKU 4317, $34.95 (pewter miniatures)
Federation Commander: Squadron Box #18,
SKU 4318, $34.95 (pewter miniatures)
Federation Commander: Border Box #6
, SKU 4406, $99.95 (pewter miniatures)
Starline 2400: Seltorian Heavy Cruiser,
SKU 1504, $8.95 (pewter miniature)
Starline 2400: Seltorian Warships
(CL, DD, FF), SKU 1505, $19.95 (pewter miniatures)
Starline 2400: Shuttlecraft
, SKU 0104, $17.95 (pewter miniatures)
Starline 2400: Federation Fast Carrier, SKU 0296, Retail $7.95
Starline 2400: Federation New Fast Cruiser, SKU 0298, Retail $7.95
Starline 2400: Klingon D6S Scout Cruiser, SKU 0347, Retail $7.95

TO BE RELEASED LATER IN 2008
SFB Module Omega 5: Omega Flotillas, SKU 5665, Price $21.95 Federation Commander: Briefing #1, SKU 4021, $12.95 (Scenario and Tactics Manual) Prime Directive: Federation d20, SKU 8702, $24.95 (requires V3.5 or "modern" rules)
Prime Directive d20M (Modern),
SKU 8721, $24.95 (for "modern" d20 rules)
GURPS Federation, SKU 8402, $24.95
Federation Commander: Distant Kingdoms
, SKU 4106, $34.95 (new empires, ships, weapons, scenarios)
A whole bunch of individual battleship and dreadnought miniatures.

Star Fleet Fiction
Rescue on Roon

0009 hrs, Basement Elevator Lobby, Celotex Warehouse #8, east of Roon City, Roon

Grissom arrived at the lobby just as Dellik got the metal plate off of the ventilation shaft hatch. Yahnke was starting to sit up, Plemmons was standing nearby shaking, and Kilrathie had just arrived with a crate to place next to the large bag already on the floor. The naked local had been pulled out of the way.
"Dan!" Dellik called up the shaft. "What are you doing?"

"Minute! Busy!" was all he replied.

"Can we go now?" Plemmons asked.

"Shortly, sir," Grissom answered. "Kilrathie, do you know which of the kidnappers Stulak wanted as a prisoner?"
(More...)

Ask Admiral Growler

ANDROMEDANS
Scott Tenhoff asks: If I have an Andromedan Sat Base (or bigger) located on a planet, what are its PA arcs? Normally a base's shields on a planet are split between 2 or 3 firing arcs (depending on the location on the planet). With an Andromedan Base are all PA Panels combined to shield the 180° arc, or are they split to cover a 90° arc. For example the RH panels protecting the left 90° arc, the FH panels protecting the right 90° arc, and if you are directly center-lined (above the base) both apply.

ANSWER: You have to follow (P2.73) where possible. Obviously the Satellite Base (R10.12) with only two PA panel banks would combine them into a single 180° arc. The Desecrator (R10.7) and Battlestation (R10.30), both of which have six panel banks, would operate as any Galactic base with six shields. The Andromedan Base Station (R10.29) is a unique case as normally half of its PA panels are only available for the transfer of energy from its two facing panel banks, so operationally only two of its panel banks can be combined (Banks 1-6 and 19-24), and would be combined as a single panel bank. The two inner banks would also be combined, but would otherwise operate normally under the rules for the Base Station. (More...)

Federation & Empire Q&A
TEST IT IN COMBAT

QUESTION: If the B10VA uses its SFG, it is then directly targetable. What happens with the escorts? Do they retain their Escort status (can only target the outer one) and compot, or do they revert to (515.54) (-1 to their compot)?

ANSWER: The escorts are still escorts and subject to all escort rules. Just the B10VA is now vulnerable due to the SFG use. The B10VA is still part of the group (you could still target the entire group if you wanted, you just now have a special exception to allow you to target the stasis ship by itself is you wish). (More...)

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.

New Alerts will be posted next week.

Battleships

The long-awaited battleships are now in production.

Ships