I can't believe its still around!

runkrod · Post by **runkrod** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:45 am

So I'm doing some spring cleaning and I find a really really old box. It would appear that this box has moved a good 15 times over 20 years without being opened. And what do I find inside but my old Starfleet Battles binders (rules and a huge SSD binder) as well as a box of old miniatures. Fascinating trip down memory lane since I haven't played or even thought about this stuff since, maybe 1989..??..
So now my 11yr old son takes a peek at what I've got (there's a surreal moment for you) and is interested in this massive game book. So after dusting things off I try to setup a quick tutorial based on what little I remember and some quick refresh reading. (of course, no big hex map, so its cardboard counters only). Now he's hooked. So I figure I'd search online to see if anyone (ie ebay) might still have the pewter miniature models. Wow am I surprised to find this website and see that SFB is alive and well, and has spawned a "son" in Fed Cdr. I may have to check this new incarnation out as a way to get all of my kids and wife into playing with my "old toys". I honestly figured that games like this had gone the way of the doo-doo with the rise of the computer game. Good on you.
Cheers

mjwest · Post by **mjwest** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:07 am

Well, if you want to give Federation Commander a quick try, please get the free PDF of First Missions. It will provide you some base rules to see how the game works. Assuming you like it, you can get either entry product, either Klingon Border or Romulan Border. However, if either is too much for an initial investment, check out Federation Commander:Academy. It provides a paper map (instead of the map panels), four ship cards (instead of a full 16) and 1/2 inch counters (no 1 inch counters). However, it includes the FULL rulebook you would find in either Border product.

Then, which ever of the game systems you chose, check out Commander's Circle. Each issue includes several new ships and a scenario, and there are current 39 to download!

Finally, for everyone's convenience, you can also get all of the ship cards published in Communique from the Ship Card page on the Commanders' Circle. There is also another page for the Scenarios.

djdood · Post by **djdood** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 4:27 am

Welcome back to the fold.

Post by **Steve Cole** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:42 pm

Welcome back!

dave · Post by **dave** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:50 pm

Welcome back.

SFB survives, I think, because of the strength of vision of two men.

Gene Roddenberry who created Trek and inspired us all.
Steve Cole who designed a solid game that has eveolved but remained true to its core.

I expect SFB will still be around in another 20 years.

David · Post by **David** » Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:33 pm

Same as the OP. I first learned SFB back in 1986 while serving overseas in the military. Now that my son is 10 I wondered if the game was still around. I checked the net and to my delight, not only was the game still around...it was huge! More material than we had in 86 by far.

Well I bought the basic set and refreshed myself on the rules and we started to play and we had a blast. Now we have a campaign going on (my sons favorite is the Kzinti).

My hat is off to all the hard work you folks have put into this game. Well done and thank you.

MikeBurke · Post by **MikeBurke** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:43 am

You know David to do something like that has always been my biggest fantasy. I have all the SFB stuff and nobody to share it with. I am very happy for you, perhaps to the point of being jealous.
But I sit like a Fed CA after having rolled boxcars at a range of 4 on overloaded photons. You can imagine what happened after that.

David · Post by **David** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:59 am

MikeBurke wrote:You know David to do something like that has always been my biggest fantasy. I have all the SFB stuff and nobody to share it with. I am very happy for you, perhaps to the point of being jealous.
But I sit like a Fed CA after having rolled boxcars at a range of 4 on overloaded photons. You can imagine what happened after that.

I know exactly how you feel Mike. After I came back state-side and I joined the Sheriff's Office...then got a girlfriend...then got married...then had a little boy. I had the game back then (early 90's) but not only had no one to play but no time if I did. But that was then and this is now. It's kinda cool sharing things with my son now that he's 10 and old enough to understand and appreciate it. We watch the old episodes online and I tell him what it was like 'back then' i.e. only three stations that went off the air at night, no DVD's or computers etc LOL.

I hope you get someone to teach the game to and start having a blast. It really is a good way to spend some time with friends.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:41 am

Sounds like your story is similar to many others, David. I found the Designer's Edition back in about 1981, learned the game, played it, wrote a few things for it, and then family concerns made it go away for many years. In the early 90's I picked it up again and began teaching it to middle school students where I taught. Then I moved to a high school and continued with it there.

We had used our own "house rules" for years in order to speed things up so we could fit games into a couple of hours after school. Boy, were we surprised to suddenly find out a couple of years ago that many of those ideas had been incorporated into Federation Commander! Now whenever we play, that is the only system we use.

Welcome back!

Scoutdad · Post by **Scoutdad** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:53 pm

I first purchased SFB in '79 and my friends and I played it almost exclusively... until we starting dating / working / got married / had kids / etc.

Then I started teaching my sons to play and things took off again. My oldest is now 25 and Plasmaboy just turned 19. Unfortunately, they've both moved out and now of gaming group is once again dwindling down. We still have a core group of the same 5 of us that have played since the early 80's and 3 or 4 new-comers, but it's getting harder and harder to get more than 2 or 3 of us together at a time.

irashaine1972 · Post by **irashaine1972** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 4:46 pm

Scoutdad wrote:I first purchased SFB in '79 and my friends and I played it almost exclusively... until we starting dating / working / got married / had kids / etc.

Then I started teaching my sons to play and things took off again. My oldest is now 25 and Plasmaboy just turned 19. Unfortunately, they've both moved out and now of gaming group is once again dwindling down. We still have a core group of the same 5 of us that have played since the early 80's and 3 or 4 new-comers, but it's getting harder and harder to get more than 2 or 3 of us together at a time.

You would think that this sort of thing would get easier. Kids older or moving on doing there own thing. Work more routine but I find myself with LESS time and companions for gaming then say when I was 25. Seems in those days with wives and babies and full time jobs there should have been less time but looking back on those times it seems like it was a "golden age" of gaming. Gaming all the time. Now....only occasionally.

My conclusion has more or less been that I had more energy in those days as opposed to more time. I probably do have more time now but not as much energy to burn.

Bolo_MK_XL · Post by **Bolo_MK_XL** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:07 pm

Work and family takes lots of time, but many just use what spare time they have on pc/internet ---
Video/PC/online gaming put f2f gaming on the back burner for most, but the hardcore gamers ---
Few around that prefer to paint minis instead of buying plastic in colors that they wouldn't use in the first place --

Can only wait and see if things on the gaming front get any better ---

Czuhars · Post by **Czuhars** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 4:16 am

Same story here. Of course back then I couldn't find players either - everyone I knew was only into AD&D. But after ditching my original Commander's Edition (stupid!) I bought another copy from eBay last year and that sparked a whole new fever. Now I have Federation Commander Academy and SFB Captains Basic set. I'm waiting for my daughter to get old enough to teach her.

It is crucial to understand the need for new blood and introducing younger players like we were. (as do the two Steves) and I think FC is the best entry point unless a kid specifically wants to start with SFB. The rules are simpler and satisfies the "immediate gratification" itch.

I've been advertising around town, trying to generate interest in starting a local gaming group. It hasn't been easy, especially since we don't have a local game store. But I've posted ads at the library, the YMCA and other public locations. You just need to be persistent. I've even thought of hosting an SFB Open House in my garage some Saturday or even setting up a table at the local Farmer's Market.

I really believe you need to target High School and College kids - you know, the ones who have time to burn before life bogs them down like it did for us

Hopefully, the old adage of, "what's old is new again" also works for table-top gaming - there's the kids who love the things their parents were into, especially if the kids are of the same mindset we were regarding old-school gaming. I know there has to be ones who want something more social than just hanging out at a friend's house for hours playing Call of Duty.

You just need to get yourself out there and advertise. Short of standing in front of the local high school with a sandwich board touting free FedCom lessons, you need to cleverly advertise where the "choice potential players" will take notice. I'm desperately trying not to stereotype, but I think you know the mindset I'm getting at. Of course, an initial interest in Star Trek helps, so perhaps that's the way in. Or go door-to-door in your neighborhood:

"Hi. I'm from the Church of Amarillo Design Bureau. Have you heard of Federation Commander? Would you like to know more?"

Keep us posted how things go. Share your ideas of how you spread the gospel.