Federation Commander

Just want to make sure I have this correct. I just played my first game with Lyrans and ESGs last night. My opponent had federation.

So, he has 4 photons, and I knew his favorite (only) tactic was to run to range zero and fire all 4. Which he does, but due to lack of energy, he overloaded 2 at +8 and 2 at +4. Therefore, he did 48 damage to my shield. This cost him 28 energy spread over 2 turns.

I immediately discharged my 2 ESGs, fully loaded at 5 energy each. Each did 20 damage for a total of 40.

He, of course, was unhappy, because it cost him 28 energy to do 48 damage and then he couldn’t use them again next turn, where I spent 10 energy to do 40 damage. He got 1.7 dmg / energy and I got 4 dmg / energy. Admittedly, my ESG is limited to a max range 1 and I’m guessing he won’t do that again.

Can anyone verify I have this correct?

Why go to Range 0?? Range 1 has the same 1-6 To Hit odds. But at Range 2, with 1-5 odds, you're more likely than not to get all four to hit. Even at Range 4, with 1-4 odds, still fairly likely to hit with all four, or at least Three of Four**, and even if you don't, you're not running into a ESG brick wall.

Why overload 2 at +8 and two at +4?? Why not overload all at +6, for the same energy?

Something is wrong with the math. Photons ALWAYS do 2:1 damage, so if he put 28 total in, it should have been 56 damage, not 48.


Garth L. Getgen


** Three of Four is not related to Seven of Nine.

You're right, of course. Bad math on my part. He did 56 damage, not 48.

But essentially, I have the ESG rules right?

And yes, I warned him that he didn't really want to go to range 0 or 1. But he didn't want to take ANY chance at wasting the energy. Bad strategy on his part, I believe.

One question: How can you overload to +6? The PreLoad takes 2 energy. The Load takes 2 energy. And then the last two marks on the Photon track are either +4 or +8. Is there a way to load in between those points for +6?

Thanks for your help. We are both very new, as is likely obvious by the bad strategy points.

RE: Overload to +6 .... I'm thinking SFB rules.