October 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 has been slightly disrupted by the death of Stephen Cole's mother, who had been ill for quite some time. He was out of the office for most of two weeks and many projects are being rescheduled.

Our combined and reorganized web site, 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 “Dedicated SFU Wiki?” which can be found in the General Discussion category and "Tractors and turn modes" which can be found in the Rules Questions category. 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
SELTORIAN CRACKDOWN

When fighting a multi-ship battle, it is normal practice to concentrate your fire on one target ship on one impulse, so it all hits one shield. The first ship's volley usually brings down the shield, and the other ships' volleys go through the down shield and disable internal systems. When using the Seltorian Shield Cracker as part of each volley, this won't work as well. Shield crackers can only damage shields, and the first ship's volley will often bring down the shield and the subsequent shield cracker shots will be wasted. (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
TO SCATTER OR NOT TO SCATTER

If you are flying Kzinti/Klingon in the tournament bowl, you may wish to read on . . .

Targeting your scatter pack ballistically on a hex, with range break conditions shortened, may help you against those annoying corner dodges, preventing a loss of lock-on at range 36.

According to rule (F4.0), you may target your scatter pack ballistically on any given hex in range, and rule (F4.4) allows ballistic scatter packs specifically to stop in said hex. (More...)

F&E Strategy of the Month
I SHALL FEAR NO SBAA, FOR MY FIGHTERS ARE WITH ME

When the Coalition player places a stasis field generator on one of his Klingon SBs, do not give up the thought of using Alliance marines to assault it. Simply escort the Marine transports with fighters and make them effectively immune to being frozen!

Here is How it Works
Rule (521.374) states that fighter squadrons and PF flotillas can escort commando ships.
Rule (521.375) states that escorted commando ships are "treated as a carrier in a group."
Rule (312.217) states, "Individual fighter factors or PFs (not "ship equivalents") can be frozen as ships."

While rule (312.233) states the Defender cannot select a fighter factor or individual PF as a legitimate stasis target (or as a random target) unless the attacker selects them (312.236) which he must, in order to hit an attrition unit escorted commando ship. (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 #22 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

LATER THIS YEAR
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)
SFB Module Omega 5: Omega Flotillas, SKU 5665, Price $21.95
Federation Commander: Briefing #1, SKU 4021, $12.95 (Scenario and Tactics Manual)
Federation Commander: Border Box #6
, SKU 4406, $99.95 (pewter miniatures)
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)
Starline 2400: Seltorian Heavy Cruiser,
SKU 1504, $8.95 (pewter miniature)
Starline 2400: Seltorian Warships
(CL, DD, FF), SKU 1505, $19.95 (pewter miniatures)
Captain's Log #36, SKU 5736, $18.95
GURPS Federation
, SKU 8402, $24.95
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

Star Fleet Fiction
Rescue on Roon

2359 hrs, Basement Lounge, Celotex
Warehouse #8, east of Roon City, Roon

"The area is secure," Grissom announced on his communicator. "Go back and do a quick search and grab anything interesting." Grissom headed for the office area. He checked on the bald man, who was breathing normally, and began going through his desk. The computer terminal was still on line, and Grissom was able to tell that it was accounting records, but not much more. His tricorder wasn't set up to handle translations, so he couldn't tell what he was looking at.

"Can I assist you, Commander?" (More...)

Ask Admiral Growler

FIGHTERS
Michael Lui asks: In rule (J10.0) Heavy Fighters, it specifies that the heavy weapon range is the same as that of the race's PF (Federation A-20: range 12). Under (R9.PF1) Harrier PF: The fusion beams are limited in range to 10 hexes. Neither (R9.F5) (Super-Stinger) nor (R9.F7) (Stinger-T) say anything about restricting the Hydran heavy fighter fusion ranges to less than 10. So therefore the fusion beams of the heavy Stingers are range 10 for 1 charge. Now, (J10.42) says: Hydrans could fire both charges for a given fusion beam on the same shot, as always, to extend the range. Neither (R9.F5) (Super-Stinger) nor (R9.F7) (Stinger-T) say anything about extending the range past 10. So is this a misprint? Or can the heavy fighters fire out to range 15? (More...)

Federation & Empire Q&A
ALL KINDS OF MOVEMENT

QUESTION: Group A with a Reserve marker is pinned by 24 ship equivalents moving into its hex during Operational Movement. Groups B & C (consisting of 12 ship equivalents each) each have a Reserve marker and are within 6 hexes of the soon-to-be-battle in Group A's hex. Can Groups B&C reserve move to Group A's hex, thereby freeing it (Group A) to use its reserve move?

ANSWER: Yes, this is allowed under rule (203.732). (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. The most recent alerts are:
Alert 70910 More New Minis.pdf
Alert 70913 IR Selts.pdf
Alert 70917 PD20FedRev.pdf

SELTORIANS

The long-awaited Seltorian miniatures were released on 24 September.

Seltorian Miniatures