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November 2012
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Star Fleet Universe News THE BIG NEWS this month is the scheduled release of Reinforcements Attack in the next few weeks. Also to be released then will be Boosters 34, 35, 36, as well as the Nova Edition of Distant Armada and Alien Armada, along with both Nova and Admiral editions of Battleships Armada. Counters for Star Fleet Marines: Last Stand and Reinforcements Attack.
In other news this month, the second annual Platinum Hat International Online SFB tournament is well into the third round with 75% of the games played. More information is below in the tournament section, but you can always find the most up-to-date information on the BBS: http://www.starfleetgames.com/discus/. WEBSITE: Our website, www.StarFleetGames.com, continues to grow and improve. You are welcome to send us your requests, comments, and suggestions. Joel Shutts, our graphics director, continues to update the website, do covers for the new products, shut down pirate websites, help out around the company, and learn more about the game business. One of our newest pages is for Starline 2500 where we display photos and 3d renders of the new starships. FACEBOOK: Jean continues to improve our page on Facebook, adding many new photos and other features. VIDEOS: StarFleetGames has taken its act to YouTube and we now have a YouTube channel. Our goal is to create a video for the new product releases during each month. We have "In the Box" videos to show you what you will see when you unpack your new game. We have also done "Spotlights" on a single product or product line. So pull up a chair and join us at the movies! Our newest uploads are: Star Fleet Marines Part 1 STARBLOG: Our StarBlog has moved to a new URL
and all links on StarFleetGames.com websites have been changed to match. The new
site is JAGDPANTHER
Custom Decals for Starline ships Tenneshington Decals recently added a new decal set product, designed to work with the Starline 2500 Squadron Box #7 (Federation Reinforcements). This is in addition to their existing products, associated to the Squadron Box #1 and Federation Fleet Box. They have just released a new sheet of "windows" which can be used to detail any ship.
ONLINE TOURNAMENTS Rated Ace Tournament 38 is now complete. Congrats to Jason Gray on his win in
the Gorn tournament cruiser. Much thanks to Judge Peter Bakija who kept this one
moving along. DEMOS AND CONS WITH SFU GAMES Please send information to Jean via the email in her BBS profile, PM on the Mongoose or Federation Commander forums, or Message on Facebook. If you want convention support, please contact Mike Sparks at support@StarFleetGames.com. Your convention must meet a few simple requirements (one of which is being held in the United States due to shipping costs) which are here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/sfb/tournament/tourn_main.shtml Council of Five Nations has wound up. There were 25 SFB players in attendance. The final game was between Steve McCann flying a 11g1 WYN and Peter Bakija flying a Gorn and Peter pulled off a two-turn win. Ken Kazinski was the judge.
Download Transmissions HAILING FREQUENCIES: This is our newsletter and will let you know all the news for all our games. You can subscribe here. Have you missed an earlier newsletter? Click here to get caught up! COMMUNIQUE: The latest Communique brings you more Ship Cards, scenarios, and more news from the Star Fleet Universe! It can be downloaded from the Commander's Circle. FC Forum Recent Posts
We are very pleased to see the medals, honor bars, and ribbons awarded to players being incorporated into their signatures. It is exciting to see lots of interesting conversations about a wide variety of subjects. Get in on the activity! While for new players the Federation Commander Forum is a little easier to manage, the original (Discus-based) BBS is where most product development takes place. If you have a proposal you'd like to see worked on, don't forget to make sure it is mentioned here. It also has active F&E and SFB forums where players run campaigns, Rated Ace tournaments and other SFB tournaments are organized (most FC tournaments are organized on the Forum), SVC's "My Day" appears, along with current news and strategies dealing with Prime Directive, and each issue of Captain's Log is created. While less colorful (no avatars or sigs), it is a vital part of ADB, Inc.'s communications. F&E Strategy of the Month Demotivationals Throughout the month our graphics director places on the website various cards called Demotivationals. These are like postcards with an image and a phrase that is often used for humor. To see our previous Demotivationals click here. Mini of the Month Starline 2500 Klingon D7
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New Releases Communique #83 has been posted to the Commander's Circle. Recently Released
Captain's Log #45, Stock #5745, $24.95, 144 pages!
Klingon Armada Nova Edition, Stock #6101N, $16.95
Romulan Armada Nova Edition, Stock #6102N, $16.95
Star Fleet Marines Assault, Stock #2101, $34.95
Starmada Nova Edition rulebook, Stock #6120N, $16.95
Starline 2500 Romulan Fleet Box, Stock #30008, $149.99 (JV-Mongoose)
Starline 2500 Squadron Box 6 Kzintis, Stock #30010, $29.99 (JV-Mongoose) Starline 2500 Gorn Fleet Box, Stock #30016, $149.99 (JV-Mongoose) To be released during Fall 2012 A Call to Arms: Star Fleet Reference Cards, Stock #30001, $14.99
Alien Armada Nova Edition, Stock #6103, $16.95
Distant Armada Nova Edition, Stock #6104, $16.95 . Federation Commander: Reinforcements Attack, Stock # 4110, $29.95 Starmada: Battleship Armada, Stock #6105, $16.95 To be released during November 2012 Federation Commander Booster Pack 34 Escorts, Stock #4234, $9.95
Federation Commander Booster Pack 35 Cops & Raiders, Stock #4235, $9.95 Federation Commander Booster Pack 36 Heavies, Stock #4236, $9.95 To be released in 2013 Traveller Prime Directive Core Rulebook, TBA Tribbles vs Klingons.
Captain's Log #46, Stock #5746, $TBA (January) A Call to Arms Star Fleet #2, BattleFleets, TBA (JV-Mongoose) Federation Admiral, Stock #4080, $TBA PDF SALES: ADB, Inc. continues its relationship with Steve Jackson Games and their e23 Warehouse. We chose e23 because they have a philosophy that agrees with ours -- our customers are honest and honorable and wouldn't aid people who want to steal our products. Furthermore, we know from experience how devastating a computer crash can be and want our customers to know that they don't have to worry about the loss of their e-products bought through e23. What do we have there? We have created a new page that allows easy access to our PDFs for sale on e23. From here you can see what we currently have posted and have links to those products. RECENTLY RELEASED ON e23 RECENTLY RELEASED ON DRIVE THRU RPG Star Fleet Fiction Firnx took one look around at the crowded interior of the Fi-Con and realized that there was no way the over-burdened patrol boat was going to be able to make it back to the DNS group without a serious failure of the ship's life support systems. He made his way through a crowd of moaning wounded being treated by a medic to the small ship's cockpit. He had to ease by several stiff and heavy bodies lying in the passageway whose normal, healthy colors had been replaced with a deep shade of black.
"Can we link up with one of the cargo boats and transfer some of these people?" Firnx asked. "Negative," the Fi-Con commander said. "Another Seltorian ship is due here in minutes. We can get away easily enough, but not if we stop. The cargo boats are already running, and it will take too long to link up, slow down, and dock. Maybe we can do that after we break contact." "Then we need to get a message to the Commodore that explains our situation," he said to the Fi-Con commander. "My sensor technician just encoded and transmitted a request for help. We should have an answer back soon." "Good work." He turned around and left. I'm just in the way here, Firnx thought. Maybe I can help with the wounded.
"Commodore, we have messages from both raid groups. Should I feed them to your command console as soon as they finish decoding?"
Arrax looked over at the communications tech. The Tholian was a technical officer that had almost finished its Turn service. He thought he could detect a hint of nervousness in the other being. This sometimes happened when one was near the end of his military obligation, but he did not think it would affect the civilian's work. "No need for that; just read them to me." "Group One reports that the picket has been driven off with heavy damage, with the loss of one patrol boat and some casualties on the Patrol Leader. The special strike group reports mission success, but they have lost a Fi-Con, and have many dead and wounded from it that are being carried on board the other boats. They request that someone meet them to take the extra personnel off. Otherwise, they do not think they will be able to make it back." Arrax thought for a moment. We have to stay here in order to meet the returning patrol boats, he mused. But I do not want to abandon the survivors of the other raid. He looked at the tactical view screen, at the other ships that he had with him. He didn't like dividing his forces, but he had no choice. Which ship to send? Neither the FCR nor his specialty-built escort corvettes were what he considered expendable. In the end, he chose to send the FCR. "Tell the strike group that they will have to make it to our territory, and suggest that they link up to transfer passengers when out of the battle area. Send the FCR to meet them, but warn its commander not to go beyond ... this point." He indicated a map location that was still within Tholian space. He paused for a second. "Tell them to hurry up. Time is getting short." (Continue reading here) Ask Admiral Growler PLASMA TORPEDOES Tim Kinnaird asks: Rule (FP8.43), concerning calculation of damage by plasma bolts, says:
". . . Retain fractions throughout the calculation, then drop all remaining fractions before applying any damage." The rule goes on to say: "Bolts . . . cannot be combined to avoid losing fractional warhead points." Hmm. Two sentences butted up to each other that seem to be saying two exactly opposite things. 1. For example, two plasma-F torpedoes are bolted in a single volley at Range 8 and both hit. Do they score 14 or 15 points of damage? 2. If the answer is 14 (commonly held as correct) then in what circumstances are fractions "retained throughout the calculation"? ANSWER: It may be sloppy writing, but 14 points is the correct answer, and the two sentences are not "exactly opposite" in context. You cannot combine the fractional points of any warheads resulting from bolts. Peter D. Bakija asks: I was flying a Gorn tournament cruiser and my opponent was flying a Romulan tournament Kestrel. My opponent has an enveloped plasma-S torpedo armed in launcher A. On Impulse #28, I score a few points of internal damage and my opponent takes a torpedo Damage Point on his armed launcher A. Due to (FP1.72), a destroyed plasma launcher can be held without power over a turn break, if that turn break happens within the eight impulses allowed to launch a plasma from a destroyed launcher. Does this pertain to enveloping plasma torpedoes as well, i.e., if a launcher with an armed enveloping plasma torpedo is destroyed on Impulse #28, can it be held over the turn break and get launched on Impulse #2 of the next turn? ANSWER: Rule (FP1.71) does not provide an override to the restrictions of enveloping plasma torpedoes and shotgun plasma torpedoes. If such torpedoes could be created during the turn through reserve power there would be a case, but an enveloping plasma torpedo or shotgun torpedo must be launched by the end of the turn in which it was armed. The destruction of the launcher does not change that status. Note that plasma-R torpedoes form an exception because they can (and often are) armed in mid-turn using reserve power to complete a weapon held by rolling delay.
Chris Proper asks a follow-up question: Rule (FP1.961) allows for a held torpedo to be upgraded with reserve power, but the resulting torpedo cannot be held past the end of the turn. Could such a torpedo use (FP1.72) to launch during the subsequent turn? ANSWER: Rule (FP1.961) says it cannot be held past the end of the turn. (End of Ask Growler ) F&E Q&A A TUG ON YOUR HEARTSTRINGS Q: Does the Hydran MTG upgrade a MB to a BATS in the same way as the regular production tug or does it take two of them to perform the base upgrade? In simpler terms, is the MTG an LTT or a tug? A: It is a tug. It's nearly as big as a cruiser-based tug. Q: I found a reference in an expansion to tug missions AA and AB, but no reference to them in the 2010 rulebook. A: They were redesignated J3 and J4, respectively. When we update the expansions, that will get fixed. Q: Did the ability of theater transports (TTs) change in F&E 2010 in so far as how they carry PDUs? Rule (539.72) of Strategic Operations states that a single theater transport can carry and deploy one PDU. A: Changes were made! In F&E 2010 many previous rules were consolidated, updated, and even changed. Under (509.1-K1) groups of three theater transports can deliver a PDU (509.22). A re-study of the engineering showed that no single theater transport could manage the delivery and installation of a PDU. Q: If a colony is being established in a captured province, does the tug performing the mission count (430.22) as the province garrison? A: If the tug is performing any mission other than A, B, G, L, M, N, P, Q, R, or S, it cannot be counted as either a planetary or a provincial garrison. (End of F&E Q&A) ASK AUNT JEAN Q: I was reading the Kzinti history and am confused by this passage: "...produce a new litter of children every year. Some females have given birth to over 20 offspring. A colony of a thousand mated couples can grow to a million inhabitants in a few decades." To clarify, is that 20 offspring in one litter? A: Kzinti females have three to four offspring per litter, 20 in a lifetime of childbearing. If you want more information, check out this page: http://www.starfleetgames.com/deckplanresources.shtml Send questions to Jean at design@StarFleetGames.com and SVC will decide which one Jean will answer next. Cool Stuff on the Website In this section we will provide links to various web pages and items that we think you will find "cool". We have also uploaded new Xander wallpapers to our Wallpapers section on the website. We have new images of our next game Star Fleet Marines posted on our BBS topic page. STAR FLEET ALERTS These are the press releases we send to the wholesalers, retailers, and media. You can get on the mailing list for them by asking Marketing@StarFleetGames.com to add you to the list. (Obviously, they are free.) They are uploaded to the Star Fleet Alert page Many players of Federation Commander think of the plasma-F torpedo as inferior to the other "big" plasma launchers (G, S, and R). This is perhaps a holdover from Star Fleet Battles, where the plasma-F torpedo is not as powerful as it is in Federation Commander. Players often see the plasma-F torpedo simply as "padding" to protect the larger plasma launchers from damage.
However, if we take a closer look at this excellent weapon, we will see why, at least on Gorn, Orion, and Federation ships, it can be better, when receiving damage, to "lose" a larger plasma torpedo launcher instead of automatically disabling a plasma-F torpedo launcher. The carronade function is the real heart of this tactical article. If you are flying a Romulan ship, which cannot have the carronade function, you need read no further. Here are the three main reasons why a captain should seriously consider disabling a larger plasma torpedo launcher when receiving damage, instead of blindly applying the traditional "plasma-F torpedoes are for padding" approach used by most players. o 1. Plasma-F torpedoes have no holding cost. o 2. You can use the carronade function. o 3. The plasma-F torpedo is more flexible than the plasma-G torpedo in terms of tactical choices. o 4. And ... you can use the carronade function. Attacking a large base (base station or above) can be tricky because of the power of phaser-4s. However, if you are willing to take some damage on the way in, a good way to deal with the base and tremendously amplify your damage is to use T-bombs. NEW MINIATURES! Starline 2500 Lyran Light Cruiser
Chef Steve on his trip at the Wolf Sanctuary
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