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November 2017
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Star Fleet Universe News BIG NEWS: SHAPEWAYS: 300+ SHIPS SO FAR Our store on Shapeways continued to expand with 85 new ships by our sculptors on November 1st.
Ships released for both 3788 and 3125 include: Federation Franz Joseph destroyer, Federation Scout (ADB); Klingon D7K, F5WK, HF5K, F5K, F6, F6K, HF5, D6SK, SD7B, SD7K; Kzinti destroyer, scout frigate; Drex battlecruiser and battle destroyer; Lyran PFT, PFW, Puma tug with pallets; Probr Dreadnought, Romulan SaberHawk HDW, Skyhawk, War Eagle; Seltorian strike carrier, destroyer escort, and light cruiser escort; Tholian Battleship (from CL28), DNV, DDS, CC, CCW, destroyer-pinwheel, destroyer pinwheel stand topper.
Omni scale ships included in this release are: Federation fighters (A-10, A-20, F-14, F-15), large and small freighters in ballast mode, large ore carrier, large aux cruiser.
Ships released for 3788 include: Frax Frigate Submarine.
Ships released for 3125 include: Klingon F5B frigate, F5S scout, F5SK scout, F5WB war destroyer, F6B battle frigate, HF5B heavy war destroyer; LDR PFT, PFW, Tug with pallets.
Ships expected next month is a special Christmas Surprise.
You can check out the store here:
WEBSITE:
Our website, www.StarFleetGames.com, continues to grow and improve. You are welcome to send us your requests, comments, and suggestions. Simone Dale, 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.
TWITTER: VIDEOS: Star Fleet Marines Part 1 DOING VIDEOS OF THE SFU
A customer asked about posting "tutorial videos" for our games. We like it when people do that (and even give commendation medals) but you need to have us check the videos to make sure you aren't violating something somehow (or that you didn't make a rules error). Doing such videos to make money is not cool. Please drop us an email before you post the videos.
STARBLOG: STAR FLEET'S LEGIONS EXPAND: This month we feature Battlegroup South Netherlands located in The Netherlands. CO Koen van der Pasch reports that this group is active, running several campaigns. Check them out here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/battlegroup/battlegroup_SouthNetherlands.shtml
Do you have a battle group? Be sure to report your activities here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/battlegroup/report.shtml
Do you want to see if there's a battle group near you? Check out the map here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/battlegroup/gather.shtml#US
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JAGDPANTHER
Custom Decals for Starline ships Tenneshington Decals continues to provide custom decals for all currently produced Federation Starline 2500 miniatures. For more information or to download the order sheet, check them out at www.tenneshington.com. Or if you prefer, email Will McCammon at: will@tenneshington.com or Tony L. Thomas at: scoutdad@tenneshington.com.
Jupiter IV Decals is a source of decals for the 2400 line and will do custom decals as well as all official SFB names. In the near future Jupiter IV will move into the 2500 line and will work to get every listed name on the Starfleet registry completed in both scales.
Their website is: JupiterIvdecals.com
ONLINE TOURNAMENTS Registration for our seventh Internet SFB International Championship Tournament has ended. This is a single-elimination tournament using a standard tree, which Steven Petrick is working on.
Fleet Captain Bill Schoeller (winner of the 2016 tournament) is the judge for this tournament. As we did in Platinum Hat 2016, Tournament Marshal Steven P. Petrick will also "ride herd" on the tournament to ensure that games are played on schedule and the event does not drag. There will, inevitably, be some delays near the end when re-entries have to "catch up" to the initial entries. A firm hand on the helm will ensure that these are as minor as possible. People who do not get their next game completed in a set number of days will be disqualified and the player they beat (or a wildcard selected by the judges) replaces them. Deadlines may be adjusted by the Judge or Marshal to allow for a player's serious real life unexpected problem or issue.
Rated Ace Tournament 47 is up and going with all but one third-round game played! One fourth round game is waiting on that game before the final game can be scheduled. Bill Schoeller is the judge.
SFBOL World League 2017 is a Go! Peter Bakija is running this team tournament, where three-player teams play tournament games against other teams (the games are standard, one on one tournament duels, but your team gets points for advancing based on how the whole team does). Each player will play at least 3 games, more if your team advances.People are now blowing ships up!
DEMOS AND CONS WITH SFU GAMES Ranger Harlan Haskell III will be hosting the 35th annual Star Fleet Battles game on Friday, November 24 from 11:00 am - 6:00 pm PST. at The Gamer's Haven in Spokane Valley, Washington 99206. As usual, he'll provide everything needed, you just need to show up!
Star Fleet Battles games are held weekly in Tempe Arizona each Friday at Game Depot from 2:00 -7:00 pm. Eric Phillips is the person to contact. Star Fleet Battles games are held regularly in Indianapolis, Indiana at Family Time Games. Anthony Harding is the contact person. For more information see: http://www.meetup.com/Star-Fleet-Battles-Indy/. Star Fleet Battles games are played regularly in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday afternoons at the Soldiery. Lee Hanna is the contact person. Games are held in Spokane, Washington on an irregular basis. Contact them to see if there's a game scheduled. They meet at The Gamer's Haven, 2114 N. Pines St., Suites 1 & 2, Spokane Valley, WA 99206, (509) 443-5992 http://www.thegamershaven.net/gamers_haven.php - The website is currently under construction. 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
F&E Strategy of the Month Advanced Operations brought the Federation CF1 casual F-111 group to match the Coalition's CPF (casual PF flotillas). The CF1s were a pale shadow of a real CPF since they could only be deployed at bases. They were a unit, like a monitor, destined to face the enemy once ‹ at best ‹ and not worth buying because their use depended on the enemy attacking them. Now Planetary Operations allows a "megafighter trade-in" which lets the Federation build additional megafighters on Turns #28, #30, and #31 rather than the near useless CF1s.
Rule (535.12) in Planetary Operations states: "Empires can build additional megafighter packs by counting them against their PFT limit (after they are allowed to build PFTs) or against their allocation of casual PF flotillas (524.11)." Costwise, an annuity CF1 costs nine Economic Points while a "pay as you go" CF1 costs three Economic Points plus 2.25 Economic Points of F-111 factors. Both kinds of CF1s can fight the enemy, but neither kind can seek them out. The ship-based mega-markers come in the +2 combat potential (five Economic Point) standard fighter varieties (F-14, F-15, and F-18) and the +1 combat potential, heavy fighter varieties (A-20 and F-111). They can go wherever their carriers do to face the enemy. So ditch the casual F-111s and "megafighter up" three more Federation carriers for more real offensive punch! A Call To Arms: Star Fleet Tactic of the Month KEEPING A DRONE ON OVERWATCH When playing a multi-ship engagement, do not lose track of the damage and which weapons enemy ships have fired. If a unit becomes crippled, there is a chance that it may have lost the ability to fire some or all of its weapons due to critical hits to its weapons systems. Another aspect of being crippled is there is a coin-flip chance that a unit will lose any special traits that it could use for defensive fire such as anti-drone or tractor beam. At a time like this, a seeking weapon (be it a drone or a plasma torpedo) will automatically hit a crippled unit making it a sitting duck. This may make it more than worth your while to chunk a seeking weapon or two at him. Even if you do not manage to outright kill him on impact, you still have a fair chance of causing more critical hits, which can push its escalation level higher resulting in its destruction in the end phase.
Barton Pyle painted these Seltorian gunboats.
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New Releases Communique #143 has been posted to the Commander's Circle Click here to see our previous issues of Hailing Frequencies. Recently Released To be released in 2017
A new Starmada book for both editions.
Federation Commander Reference Starship Book
Traveller Prime Directive Core Rulebook
New starships for the 2500 (1/3125) range including Klingon B10
New starships for the 2400 (1/3788) range including heavy war destroyers and the jumbo freighter.
SHAPEWAYS:
We’re now offering some of our miniatures and some new designs on Shapeways. You can check out the store here: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/amarillo-design-bureau-inc?sort=newest
PDF and EBOOK SALES: RECENTLY RELEASED ON Warehouse 23
Bridge, CA Agincourt, between K3 and K4
"Steady as she goes, Sir," the helmsman reported. "Very well," Captain Skarn responded, his Andorian abruptness showing in his voice. "I wonder if wars always start like this," Commander McClair said. "First we get a war warning, then nothing, then... who knows what will happen?" "The Klingons know," Captain Skarn responded. "They have already decided when the war will begin, if it will begin. The diplomats are going through the motions, but I do not believe for a moment that anything will come of diplomacy." Skarn was an Andorian, a warrior from a warrior culture. War was no stranger to his species, and he was a veteran of a dozen battles with Klingons, pirates, Romulans, and even a Tholian, once. "So what have they decided to do?" McClair asked. "Surely they won't attack us while the Kzintis are still fighting." "My estimation is that they will attack us and very soon, perhaps within days, certainly within a week," Captain Skarn said. "If they wait for a final victory over the Kzintis, the Federation will be too strong." "A final victory over the Kzintis cannot be a year away," McClair said. "That would release another hundred ships for use against us. That's more ships than the entire Third and Fourth Fleets have."
"Today, perhaps," Skarn said, "but not a year from now. Our strength is growing by the day. The first of a new generation of ships is reaching their completion dates, and half of the existing ships have been refitted. The Klingons surely know that the first ships of the reserve fleet have started their reactivations, and a friend of mine in Fifth Fleet says they're undergoing refits to prepare for a very long and very fast redeployment. A year from now, we will have deployed more ships to the frontier than they will be able to take from the Kzinti front." "That many?" McClair asked. "Surely not." "They won't be able to move everything against us," Skarn said. "The Kzintis won't surrender, even if their capital falls. They'll continue to fight, because ... because they're warriors and that's what warriors do. It's what Andor would do. The Klingons can take some ships from that frontier, but not as many as we can deploy." "I think the Kzintis will quit," McClair said. "They quit after our grandfathers defeated them. They haven't come back and tried to recapture the Northern Marches." "The Northern Marches were far from their homes," Skarn said. "The Klingons are on their doorsteps, as are the Lyrans. The Kzintis will keep fighting, at least until they drive them away from their home planets. If the Klingons pull out their ships, the Kzintis will counter-attack before the Klingons can defeat us." (Continue reading here) Ask Admiral Vanaxilth Shawn Hankte asks: A huge volley knocks down a star-base's #1 shield. The damage is applied to the #1 docking module and after the module has run out of cargo damage points, they are applied to the #1 shield of ships docked internally in that module. Then excess damage hits from the #1 docking module are applied to the armor belt facing shields #6-#1-#2. When that is destroyed the base's core and #6 and #2 docking modules and ships docked inside those modules and the augmentation modules behind the #6-#1-#2 shields can be hit. Then when excess damage is hit again after running through the damage allocation chart twice, the armor belt behind the #3-#4-#5 shields is destroyed, then docking modules #3-#4-#5, ships docked internally to those docking modules and the augmentation modules behind the #3-#4-#5 shields. Correct?
ANSWER: Mostly. Per (R1.1D-2A), you have the option to apply cargo hits on the docking module to ships inside that module, even if there are cargo and/or repair boxes remaining in the module. (When there is no more cargo/repair, cargo hits must be applied to the internally docked ships, if present.) Follow-up question: The augmentation modules are referred to as position "A" or position "B." After the armor belt behind them is destroyed (#6-#1-#2) the augmentation modules can then be damaged. I can only assume that the three augmentation modules just clockwise of the three numbered docking modules (#6-#1-#2) would be numbered the same (#6-#1-#2) as those docking modules and could be hit. Then after the second armor belt was destroyed (#3-#4-#5) the remaining docking modules (#3-#4-#5) and the corresponding clockwise numbered augmentation modules (#3-#4-#5) could be hit. Correct? ANSWER: You are correct. Matthew Potter asks: Are civilian base stations (R1.35) subject to rule (R1.R2)? Primarily this affects plasma-D racks, as their introduction date was 45 years after the year in service date for civilian base stations. Kommodore Ketrick replies: Yes, they are subject to (R1.R2) which says says "early base weapons" not "early military base weapons." Plasma-D racks would be replaced by phaser-3s. Follow-up question: Do Hydran civilian bases (of any type) have Gatling phasers? Kommodore Ketrick replies: No, no more than freighters or other "civilian" units do. This is noted on the Hydran line in rule (R1.35) where all weapons are listed as phaser-2s. John Sickels asks: Is there a limit to the number of small and medium ground bases which can be placed on a large asteroid? Specifically, I have in mind a base on an asteroid that would consist of two ground-based phasers, one medium fighter base, and one ground warning station. Is that legal? ANSWER: Kommodore Ketrick replies: The limit under (P3.4) is one such base, but allows that special scenario rules might define an exception for a really large asteroid. An asteroid that could hold four such bases would be fairly rare, requiring an object a couple of kilometers in diameter. There are known to be a dozen or two such objects in our own solar system, plus those "dwarf planet" things like Ceres that would properly be treated as small moon.. (End of Admiral Vanaxilth) F&E Q&A
PRODUCTION Q: When setting up a mobile base, rule (510.22) says if the tug is destroyed or forced to retreat, the base is destroyed. Rule (510.23) adds the wording that if the tug abandons the base, it is also destroyed. What happens if the tug is crippled?
A: For guidance here we must look at what is required for the mobile base to be set-up. This is in (510.22) and specifically in (510.221) with reference to (509.1-C), where the tug must remain with the base until it (the mobile base) is operational, which is at the start of the next player turn. This does not say anything about being uncrippled to perform this duty. Remember, you have those ever-so-capable staff officers to make sure this stuff gets done! So, the now crippled tug, at the beginning of the next player turn during the SoP Step 1F, is required to take on a new mission (Tug Under Repair) (509.1-I), at the tug mission assignment of the SoP. The game designer later confirmed that this was how the rule was written. Q: Can the Federation substitute a CAD (heavy drone cruiser) in the same year they also already substituted a NCD (new drone cruiser)? Rule (432.44) allows one substitution per year and the rest by conversion. The Federation order of battle in (702.0A) allows the first two CLD (light drone cruisers) and first CAD to not count against these limits. A: In this specific case, the first CAD conversion under (525.321) and the first two CLD conversions under (525.322) don't count toward the Federation's general drone production rules. Note that these exceptions apply to these specific CAD/CLD conversions; the Federation is still limited to one drone ship substitution per year. Q: My opponent believes that in Spring Y170 the Paladin is listed as an activation and should cost only one EP to build. My claim is that the Hydrans have no mothballed ships to activate. One of us is wrong. Is the activation a "typo" and/or the real question is how much should the PAL cost to build?
A: The PAL is indeed an activation, but a special case in that it is a conversion as well. See the special rule (442.51) which says Hydran Paladins (converted from Templars on Turn #2 and Turn #4) cost five points each. Fighters are free for these two ships, reflecting the activation of reserve units. Q: Scenario rule (625.596) says that MSY-SpH (CW) and the MSY-F5L (DW) should be in 4716 or 4318. The MSYs can only be built at major planets or starbases according to rule (450.13). Hex 4716 would be the most logical choice as the MSYs would be built by the ENG unit to save money and to more quickly get the yards to produce ships needed in the General War. A: This was a typographical error, the MSY-SP and the MSY-F5L (DW) should be in 4718. Q: The Lyrans kill and then capture a Kzinti BC in Y169; can they convert it into a CV? A: No, per (305.45) conversion of captured ships into maulers, tugs, or carriers is expressly prohibited. Q: ASC production is covered by (526.46) but that rule does not list the date they can be built. According to the SFB Master Ship Chart for the ASC (R1.31) these units can be deployed when an empire has deployed a warship SCS. According to rule (502.71), SCSs can be built on the third turn of PF production. However, I notice on the SITs and in the downloadable Order of Battle pdf that the date available used for the ACS is the second turn of PF production (not the third). For example, the Kzinti ASC has a date available Spring Y181 on the SIT and Y181S+ in (762.0) on page 18 of the downloadable Order of Battle pdf. However, per (600.2) the Kzinti third turn of PF deployment is Fall Y181. When can empires build an ASC, on the second or third turn of PF deployment? A: CVS and ACS are covered by (530.223) [and SIT] other heavy fighter carriers are under the (70x.0) [Kzinti = Turn #20, Y178S, for both]. (End of F&E Q&A)
ASK AUNT JEAN
Dear Aunt Jean, any more progress on the GURPS Prime Directive revision? A: Chapter 5 is laid out and many page references have been filled in across the board. There are extensive changes, so it is being reviewed in house before being sent out to the GPD Team for review. We are working on cross checks and references. It should be out to the GURPS Team this month!
Send questions to Jean at marketing@StarFleetGames.com and she will answer as soon as she can.
(End of Ask Aunt Jean ) 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: Wallpapers 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 FC Tactic of the MonthLYRAN DRONE DEFENSE The ESG is the most effective drone defense system in Federation Commander and it's easy for Lyran captains to get complacent and rely on it too much. The ESG is quite power-hungry and if the Lyrans rely on it too much, a clever Kzinti will keep up a hail of drones just to sap power from the Lyran ship.
The best defense against drones is speed. At high speed, it's often possible to fly around the drones and the Lyrans can then threaten an ESG "ram" against a Kzinti ship. If the drones must be shot down, maneuver so that the drones are at Range 1 or 2 (although Range 1 is best) during the Offensive Fire Phase, then fire one phaser-3 at each drone. At Range 1, two out of three of the drones will be destroyed outright, on average. The remainder can be finished off cheaply by the ESGs after they impact. This method is more energy efficient than just using ESGs.
A ship cannot fire at a small ground base until it reaches Range 5, and some players will advocate refusing to fire a small ground base's weapons until the target reaches this range.
This makes your fire plan highly predictable and lets your opponent maneuver freely. It also prevents you from destroying the opposing ship's weapons before they can fire which is a very important advantage for the ground defenses. Some weapons are just as effective at longer ranges as they are at Range 5 (e.g., photon torpedoes) so if it makes sense to fire these at Range 5 it makes sense to fire them at a longer range in the same bracket. If you think you can score damage that will make a difference, fire away! (End of SFB Tactic of the Month)
Facebook Highlight of the Month SFB - Klingons versus Hydrans underway.
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show our games and to teach potential players some basics. 
