Federation Commander Forum Index Federation Commander
A NEW fast paced board game of starship combat!
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Federation Engines

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Federation Commander Forum Index -> Miniatures
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
dave
Lieutenant JG


Joined: 26 Jun 2007
Posts: 82
Location: Canton, NY

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 5:53 pm    Post subject: Federation Engines Reply with quote

I think I read somewhere that the New Fast Cruiser should have *blue* warp nacels rather than the standard amber ones because it has "fast" engines.

Is this correct? And if so which other Federation ships available in FC should have "fast" engines?

Also are Federation Impulse Engines a standard blue, or some red like in the current movie, or some other colour all together?

For other empires I am pretty well set on what I want to use for engine colours.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
djdood
Commodore


Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 3412
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The SFU painting guides have traditionally called out Fed impulse engine glow as red.

If I recall the details correctly [somebody back-check me on this, please] , the New Fast Cruiser is an odd duck. It was made "fast" by reducing it's mass and adding an extra standard (orange glow) engine. So all three would be typical orange - this is different than the CF and other "fast" ships.

However, everybody is free to paint their minis the way they want. It's likely I'll paint mine blue, just to keep all my "fast" ships looking the same.
_________________
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Dal Downing
Commander


Joined: 06 May 2008
Posts: 647
Location: Western Wisconsin

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

djdood wrote:
The SFU painting guides have traditionally called out Fed impulse engine glow as red.

Yepper but also like DJ pointed out you paint them they way you think they should look, be it Red, Blue, or Pink with Purple Poka Dots.

djdood wrote:
If I recall the details correctly [somebody back-check me on this, please] , the New Fast Cruiser is an odd duck. It was made "fast" by reducing it's mass and adding an extra standard (orange glow) engine. So all three would be typical orange - this is different than the CF and other "fast" ships.


Close but nope Shocked The Engines on the NCF are actually blue as pictured on the Cover of Booster #10. Even though they appear to be standard 12 box Engines on the Ship Cards they are still balanced as Hot or "Fast" Warp. Same is true of the DNL and the NLF/CWFs when they make it into Fed Com. But as always the rule is you paint them how you think they should look.
_________________
-Dal

"Which one of you is the Biggest, Baddest, Bootlicker of the bunch?"
"I am."
"ARCHERS!!! THAT ONE!!!!"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Scoutdad
Commodore


Joined: 09 Oct 2006
Posts: 4754
Location: Middle Tennessee

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As Will said...

The standard Federation warp engine has a red (or more typically orange) dome at the front of the nacelle.

I do not remember seeing any "official" notice that the "hot" or "fast" warp engines had blue domes. I do recall seeing a photo of a "fast" fleet painted by Mike Raper that showed blue nacelle domes. When asked about it, Mike stated that he painted the domes of the Hot warp engines (and also the X-ship engines) blue to differentiate them from standard engines at a glance.

Since I own a few of Mike's custom kit-builds (made before the Fast ships were available), I chose to go with the same painting scheme and have painted those domes blue and he standard nacelle domes orange.

I think that this scheme has been passed down to other painters / collectors as a standardized, but still unofficial method of designating the "Hot" warp engines.
_________________
Commander, Battlegroup Murfreesboro
Department Head, ACTASF


Last edited by Scoutdad on Thu May 21, 2009 7:20 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Yahoo Messenger
mjwest
Commodore


Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 4069
Location: Dallas, Texas

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NCF engines are indeed "fast" (and therefore blue).

Actually, those 12 point engines cover the full range. You have normal engines, "hot" warp engines (like frigates and war cruisers), and "fast" warp engines (on "fast" ships).

The 12 point engines on the NCL (and its variants) are "hot". They get a higher efficiency at the cost of maintenance and longevity (not a concern to a "war cruiser").

The 12 point engines on the NCA (and its variants) are normal. Don't know how that works, but they are not hot. I am sure I will get some argument on this, but NCAs do not suffer from the same maintenance and longevity issues as NCLs (and other war cruisers). They produce power normally expected for its movement class.

The 12 point engines on the NCF are "fast". Meaning that they have a higher output (like "hot" engines), but produce much higher strategic speeds. The tradeoff is the reduced heavy weapons suite.

All of these engines look the same on the SSD, and even look the same on the miniatures. But they are all, somehow, different. It is just that the differences are not observable at the "granularity" of SFB/FC.
_________________

Federation Commander Answer Guy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
mjwest
Commodore


Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 4069
Location: Dallas, Texas

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 7:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Scoutdad wrote:
I do not remember seeing any "official" notice that the "hot" or "fast" warp engines had blue domes. I do recall seeing a photo of a "fast" fleet painted by Mike Raper that showed blue nacelle domes. When asked about it, Mike stated that he painted the domes of the Hot warp engines (and also the X-ship engines) blue to differentiate them from standard engines at a glance.

First, "hot" and "fast" are different things. Convention has "hot" and normal engines are red/orange, and "fast" as blue.

Yes, the orange/blue differences were introduced into the SFB via artistic license. However, due to continued use in published art, the "blue for fast" convention has entered into at least "semi-canon". The same thing happened with the "saucer racing stripes" for war-era Federation ships(which were introduced by Ted Geibel).

The NCF engines are indeed "fast".
_________________

Federation Commander Answer Guy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Scoutdad
Commodore


Joined: 09 Oct 2006
Posts: 4754
Location: Middle Tennessee

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 7:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I stand corrected. "Semi-canon" status for the blue domed "Fast" engines is exactly the term I was searching for.

Thanks, Mike.
_________________
Commander, Battlegroup Murfreesboro
Department Head, ACTASF
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Yahoo Messenger
djdood
Commodore


Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 3412
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fed DDF, from a few years ago:



I went with the "semi-canon" blue glow Cool

I'm toying with the idea of stripping this one.

It was my first finished paint job in over 20 years. The decals look really good, but this one is an odd-ball in my fleet - I don't use the red "impulse squares" on any of my newer minis (in favor of an empty outline in black). I have also since done up some custom intercooler and window decals for the "neck" which will match the shape of the metal CF saucer I used a lot better (the decals I used were intended for the plastic DD).

Odds-on, I'll just leave it alone. Finished minis are far too rare in my collection and going backwards isn't going to get me any closer to finishing the project.
_________________
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
The Master
Lieutenant SG


Joined: 30 Mar 2009
Posts: 120
Location: SWF

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 11:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

great Job Cool Cool Cool Very Happy
_________________
Dancing to my own drum beat
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
djdood
Commodore


Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 3412
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 11:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks!

I lost the contest I did it for (to scoutdad! Shocked ) but it has some sentimental value since it was "first of the new batch".
_________________
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Scoutdad
Commodore


Joined: 09 Oct 2006
Posts: 4754
Location: Middle Tennessee

PostPosted: Fri May 22, 2009 12:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

yeah, but I only wish I had a DDF...

I've got decals.. just nada to place them on... Crying or Very sad
_________________
Commander, Battlegroup Murfreesboro
Department Head, ACTASF
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Yahoo Messenger
djdood
Commodore


Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 3412
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Fri May 22, 2009 12:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ohhhh... second burn of the day, pal. Embarassed

The weather is supposed to be spectacular this weekend. I have the parts for your DDF's in with my other to-do projects, so odds-on, I'll get that project done this weekend (if I can get wifey to play photographer as I go, as-planned).
_________________
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
dave
Lieutenant JG


Joined: 26 Jun 2007
Posts: 82
Location: Canton, NY

PostPosted: Fri May 22, 2009 2:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't expecting such a "simple" question to generate so much discussion. Surprised

Interesting the bits of "artistic license" that we all adopt without quite realizing it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Starfury
Lieutenant Commander


Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 302

PostPosted: Fri May 22, 2009 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've done my Fed engines red, orange, blue and green.

I use a base of silver paint and then put a coat of transparent paint over it. Gives a nice gem like appearance to the front of the warp engine. I also use this technique on other ships.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Federation Commander Forum Index -> Miniatures All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group