Federation Commander

[ncrcalamine]

Yes the game is supposed to be fun. I agree. But with the current x-ship rules the game is not fun if one player has an x-ship and the other does not. This is do to rule 5Z3 maneuver. This allows an x-ship to dictate combat regardless of how much power they put into movement. Super weapons, super shields, super movement, cheap cost. I would delete rule 5Z3 to some what balance the game. Without some balance on x-ships the 95% of the game that is not x-ships has become obsolete and tedious.

Thank you
Nicole Rubins

[mjwest]

Honestly, in X vs non-X, I'd be more worried about (5Z2)-General than (5Z3).

Also, why do you say they are cheap? Each X-ship costs what the next larger class does. So a DDX has the cost of a CW or low-end CA. A CAX has the cost of a DN. So, even in the X vs non-X situation, you still have to fight bigger ships (or more ships).

Besides, I would expect that unless someone is intentionally trying to do X vs non-X, it will usually be X vs X or mixed vs mixed. If someone always insists on bringing X to the game, there is no reason everyone else can't join them. When that gets boring, you can all go back to other ships again.
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Federation Commander Answer Guy

[Nerroth]

In Federation Commander, there is typically more of a "clean" break between Alpha Octant technology eras: from the Early Years previewed in Captain's Log #39 to the Middle Years seen in Briefing #2, and on to the Main Era covered by "standard" FC products. The era of first-generation X-ships is different in terms of how it more closely overlaps with the Main Era; but as noted above, one could approach it by treating it as its own de facto era, by either focusing on X-ship vs. X-ship scenarios, or by focusing on X-ships versus the Andromedan invaders.

That said, there are interesting opportunities in various eras for pitting one level of technology against another. A good example of this is in the Early Years, when the Klingons fought a full-scale war against the Tholians. The Klingons of that era had "Y-era" hulls such as the D4 and F4, whereas the Tholians had a pair of NDDs, four NFFs, a number of PCs, plus a range of command modules adapted into interim warships. In a sense, the Tholian ships were the X-ships of that era, but they were smaller and much fewer in number than what the Klingons were throwing at them.
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FC Omega Discussion (v3)
FC LMC Discussion

[ncrcalamine]

Why are the x ships cheap:
This is klingon x frigate vs d5 and d6
Cost X -128 d5-118 d6- 130
X has best shields with reinforcement
X has best movement cost
X has best power after movement
X always has movement priority and can dictate combat

At range 9-15
Xship takes 3 points shield damage after exchange
Others take 13 shield damage plus bleed
So x ship can just whittle down other ship at range 9-15

At range 5 X ship does 37 points expected targeted weapons damage
Others do 27 and 29 points overload expected damage which does not drop X reinforced shields

X should strip off weapons at range 5 then move in for kill

X has FAST drones
X should launch 1 drone turn 1 and tractor it
Then launch drones turn 2 and release tractor and turn 3 and follow 5 drone swarm in to range 5 for combat. Other ship has to deal with 5 drone swarm that they cannot out maneuver using power and weapons.

The x ship should kill either ship and not be 10% damaged.

xship has enough power at speed 16 to fire all weapons reinforce shields and recharge batteries each turn. power 30+9, speed 16 cost 8 , fire weapons cost 8+4, reinforce shield 9, recharge batteries 9
so 8+12+9+9= 38 points of power.

This is why x ships are too cheap.

Nicole rubins

[ncrcalamine]

why I'm not worried about 5z2 weapons. There are tons of weapons in the game some better than the ones your ship is equipped with . 5Z2 is just another group of superior weapons. You often play a phaser 2 ship vs a phaser 1 ship. To me the game comes down to power allocation and conservation and being able to dictate combat thru use of superior movement. A turn mode E ship can dictate combat to a turn mode A ship by simply going faster.

Nicole Rubins