Federation Commander

cnuzzi · Lieutenant Commander Joined: 10 Jun 2017 Posts: 209

The ship card for the 4-photon Fed DD mentions how some variants replaced photons C and D with drone racks or Pl-F, and even includes ammo/arming tracks for them. Has anyone ever tried replacing them with special sensors to get the benefit of jamming and drone/plasma defense? Would that be "illegal" for some reason?

Perhaps there was such a ship in SFB?

djdood · Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 1:06 am Post subject:

There is a scout based on the destroyer hull, but it is much more elaborate than that.

The Hermes-class scout originates clear back in the original Franz Joseph Technical Manual.

For the SFU-version, the scout replaces all of the photons with special sensors, as well as all four of the side phaser-1 mounts. This gives the scout 8 special sensors in total, more than pretty much anything else in the game.

If it had the engine power to make complete use of those special sensors it would easily be the most powerful scout in the SFU. Given its power limitations, it is just an exceptional one.

The ship card for the scout is in Communique #28. The version based on Franz Joseph's drawings (which lacks the SFU-specific drone rack and phaser-3 mounts) is in Booster #91 (the ships of Franz Joseph). The earlier Middle Years version (similar to the FJ verison) is in Communique #57.
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mjwest · Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 5:31 am Post subject:

As pointed out by the dood, when the ship was given special sensors, it replaces all of the photons (plus some phasers) rather than just half the photons. The reason is because only replacing part of the heavy weapons makes a pretty inefficient ship because of the (5S6) Blinding rules. This would severally restrict how the sensors could be used, and so was rarely ever seen. It is why most scouts have no heavy weapons.
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cnuzzi · Lieutenant Commander Joined: 10 Jun 2017 Posts: 209

Oh, yes, I know all about the Fed SC - I've had the FJ Tech Manual since I was in 6th grade (I won't say exactly how long ago that was, but a peanut farmer was president). I also have the ship cards for both the standard and MY versions. I was thinking of a more heavily armed scout. But I had forgotten about the blinding thing.

I guess that also kills my idea for mounting two sensors in the neck weapons mounts of the Fed BC. Smile

Nerroth · Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2018 3:52 pm Post subject:

cnuzzi · Lieutenant Commander Joined: 10 Jun 2017 Posts: 209

I've heard the Darwin "dark future" timeline mentioned before. What is it, exactly? An alternate future where the Andros won?

Nerroth · Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2018 4:08 pm Post subject:

In Star Fleet Battles Module X1, scenario (SH166.0) RETURN OF THE DARWIN involves NCC-1802 USS Darwin, a galactic survey cruiser then operating in a light carrier configuration. In 2595 (Y195), it uncovered the secret of the Andromedan Rapid Transit Network - but before it could report back, it vanished into a temporal rift. It re-emerged in alt-2607 (alt-Y207), into a timeline in which the Andromedans were on course to conquer the Alpha Octant. Fortunately, the Darwin was able to make it back through the rift, and the "dark future" it encountered [or perhaps inadvertently created, as the RTN was not uncovered in the alternate timeline until alt-2600 (alt-Y200)] was averted.

There is more data in SFB Module C3A on the "dark future" timeline, including a set of four Mothership variants exclusive to that timeline which are armed with a fearsome weapon known as the Dissection Beam.
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cnuzzi · Lieutenant Commander Joined: 10 Jun 2017 Posts: 209

I've heard of the Dissection Beam. From what I understand, it's similar to a weapon used by a cyborg race on a certain TV show. So that's why none of my FC Andro ships have it. I read a comment from someone once that suggested you could actually cut the warp nacelles off of a ship with it!

And some think the Andros are overpowered as is!