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October 2017
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Star Fleet Universe News BIG NEWS: Fifth Wave of Ships Released!
On October 2, 2017, Amarillo Design Bureau released its fifth wave of ships (76 in all, for over 200 available ships) in its store on Shapeways. 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
Facebook Fan Pages
So join us on Facebook and get a fix of your favorite game there, too!
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 PLATINUM HAT
Reminder: Deadline to sign up is October 12! Our seventh Internet SFB International Championship Tournament is open now for registration which will close midnight (Pacific Daylight Time) on October 12, 2017. This is a single-elimination tournament using a standard tree. This tournament will be conducted through SFBOL and you will need to be a member of that service to participate.
We will have at least 32 seats, and up to 64 if there is demand. There will be no entry fee; ADB will provide the prizes. The winner will receive $100 and a plaque (once the "Victory at" article is completed and the winner is paid for this article). The second place winner will receive $50. Third and fourth place winners will get $25 in credit; fifth through eighth place will get $5 credit. After we know the number of entries, we will lock in the format (i.e., decide if there are 32 or 64 seats, decide how many seats will be reserved for re-entries, seed the aces, and assign byes). Aces will be "seeded" according to the total number of ace pins and SFB Gold/Platinum hats (total) each player has in his lifetime record. Other players (and perhaps lower-rated aces) will be distributed randomly in a way to avoid same-ship duels as much as possible. Depending on the size of the tree and the number of active players, we may give some first-round byes to the highest rated players, and we may reserve some seats for re-entries. Re-entry seats will go to eliminated players in the order they ask for them. 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. The winner must send in his Platinum Victory article (which must meet the standards of previous articles) within 90 days of the end of the event or be disqualified (in which case he will get no prize and there will be no winner named). Assistance will be available if the winner would like help writing his article. 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 Council of Five Nations reports a successful con with Bill Schoeller winning the tournament. Congratulations!
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 Location and defense of coalition fleet repair dock parks is a paramount concern for the Klingons. They have an option available to no other empire of putting a stasis field generator onto a starbase. Fleet repair dock parks are vulnerable to fleet raids and drone raids; however, if you locate your fleet repair docks with a starbase fitted with a stasis field generator, the starbase can prevent all drone raids from hitting the fleet repair docks.
You should put a lot of SFGs on bases, specifically where you expect to locate substantial repair assets for long periods. In hex 1407 you can build a starbase with an SFG located over a planet with a planetary repair dock and multiple planetary defense units. You will have a powerful defensive redoubt where you can place FRDs with little to worry from Kzinti raiders. A Call To Arms: Star Fleet Tactic of the Month VOLLEY VOUS ‹ A CALL TO ARMS STYLE When resolving the damage from weapons in A Call to Arms: Star Fleet, the attacking player may choose the order in which the damage from different weapons is resolved. This order can be important because some weapons will average more damage per hit than others when striking the hull of a ship. When rolling on the attack table, a roll of "one" will be a bulkhead hit and score no damage. Any other roll will score one point of damage. On average, a hull hit will score five-sixths of a point of damage. Weapons with the Precise trait, however, will never hit the bulkheads and will score critical hits on rolls of five or six, averaging one point of damage. Hits from weapons with the Devastating trait (limited to photon torpedoes and plasma torpedoes in ACTASF-1.2) will score no damage on a "one," but will score two critical levels on a "six," for one bonus damage point, assuming that they hit an undamaged system, and so should score one damage point, on average. Therefore, you should resolve any weapons damage in the following order: non-precise, non-devastating weapons (e.g., disruptors), then precise and devastating weapons. (The order in which precise and devastating weapons are resolved should not make much difference on average.) If the early fire brings the shield down, the later fire will have more effect. Of course, if the damage is not enough to bring down the shield, or there is no shield, it does not matter what order you resolve the damage in. Developer's Note: This note was edited to reflect revised rules.
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New Releases Communique #142 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 Arbela, First Fleet, 1 Aug Y171
"Well, I expected that one," Captain Jonas said, looking at his new orders. Arbela was part of First Fleet, and most of First Fleet was at the home systems, ready to respond to any enemy threat as the ultimate reserve. Even with that mission, First Fleet was also responsible to provide naval patrols to back up the police and civilian forces in the central region of the Federation, and Arbela was a part of those patrols. The new orders moved them to the limit of the First Fleet's area, adjoining the now-threatened Third Fleet, meaning that when First Fleet went to war, Arbela would be the first ship from First Fleet to arrive at the front.
"There is something to be said for being Œthe first of the First' if you get my point," the XO said. "It's an honor," Nav said. "If we were not the very best ship in the First Fleet, we would not be assigned as the first ship to go in harm's way." "If it weren't for the honor of the thing..." Captain Jonas said. "...I'd rather walk," Weps concluded the old joke from Abraham Lincoln about the man, covered with tar and feathers, being thrown out of town, forced to ride on a fence rail. (Continue reading here) Ask Admiral Vanaxilth Matthew Potter asks: Per (FD20.18), death bolts are launched from a rack holding four of them (until the Y175 refits). Rule (FD20.20) says there is "ready use" and "launch rack." Rule (FD20.123) says that when the rack is hit, the rack and "any death bolt loaded on it" is destroyed. So when a death bolt rack takes a hit, what happens? I get that any death bolt ready-to-launch is destroyed (FD20.123) and the deck crew(s) in the box are killed (FD20.202). I assume the reloads (FD20.183) are not destroyed, but what about the four (or six) death bolts "in the rack" (FD20.18)?
Kommodore Ketrick replies: The actual death bolt rack only holds one death bolt (the one being prepared for launch). The others (up to three, or five for a post-refit rack) are held in safe storage (the "ready use" rack) where they are available to be loaded on the rack. These are not damaged when the rack is hit. The reloads for the rack are in a separate facility on another deck. This is an effect of the instability of the warheads, and why it takes a deck crew action to move a death bolt from "ready use" to the rack (FD20.20) before you can begin preparing it for launch. Because of the safety mechanisms, if the rack is destroyed, only the death bolt on the rack or in the process of being prepared (this includes being moved to the rack from ready use) is lost. The death bolts in the "ready use" rack remain available, but you may be out of "deck crews." You need to be really careful about where the deck crews are. It is better to get the death bolt on the rack and armed while you are not under fire, then have the deck crew leave the room [indefinite transfer (J4.813)] so that when you move into battle if the rack is destroyed, the deck crew is not lost. It is entirely possible for a Carnivon ship to have multiple death bolts available, but to have had all of its deck crews killed and so not be able to use them. (This goes back to the original Early Years rules for them.)
Matthew Potter asks: When a death bolt is identified (F1.4) are the warhead modifications (FD20.5) revealed? How about the targeting (FD20.4)? Kommodore Ketrick replies: The target is revealed as well as any modifications (if you can detect endurance and armor, you can detect the modifications to the warhead). Here is the rule: The second paragraph of the introduction to death bolts (FD20.0) says that (F0.0) is used unless modified; this includes (F1.4). Nothing in (FD20.0) modifies (F1.4), so (G4.2), specifically (G4.231), applies if the death bolt is identified. Matthew Potter asks: It takes eight impulses after launch before deck crews can take a death bolt from the ready use compartment and have it ready to launch (FD20.22). Two deck crews can work on a single death bolt for this purpose (FD20.201). This translates to 24 impulses (in the case of double deck crews) between launches. Is there a limit that states death bolts may only be launched once per turn? Or is it possible to launch death bolts twice in a turn (say, on Impulse #2, and again on Impulse #26)? Kommodore Ketrick replies: That same paragraph says that the rules of (FD0.0) are used, and the rules for death bolts use deck crews. So yes, a given rack could use two deck crews to launch a second death bolt during a given turn provided the first death bolt was launched early enough in the turn to make this possible. (End of Admiral Vanaxilth) F&E Q&A
CONSTRUCTION AND CONVERSION Q: Can the ISC build a DD or acceptable variant under (442.53) at a given starbase in Y178+? The ISC treats its DDs as DWs for the purposes of construction and tactics.
A: The ISC DD is a later design and equivalent to a DW so it can use the rule, as can the Tholian DD. The same does not apply to other destroyers, and specifically to any empire that has both a DD and DW design. Q: Can the Hydrans, per (709.2), if they retain the capital, start performing FF->DW conversions on Turn #10, when the DW shows up on the accelerated build schedule? A: If the Hydrans retain their capital, then they can produce units permitted under the accelerated schedule (709.3) to include conversions of allowed accelerated construction units. Q: Can an empire convert a ship from a carrier to an FCR? If you do, is there any savings in EPs spent on fighters? For example, would a Romulan WarHawk (2.5 fighters, 5 EP) converted to a BattleHawk-FCR (6 fighters, 6 EP) have to pay for the fighters all over again? A: An empire could convert a carrier into an FCR assuming some published conversion on the Ship Information Table allows this. You cannot convert a carrier to an FCR if the base hull of the carrier has no FCR variant. That said, you would have to pay for the un-conversion under (433.24) and (433.241), and then pay to convert the base unit into an FCR. Because the carrier's fighters were already paid for, they could be used in the conversion but any excess fighters (i.e., not used) would be lost. However, this is on a factor-to-factor basis and not an EP basis. In the case cited with a WarHawk with 2.5 factors of fighters, the owning empire must pay for the un-conversion to a base hull then pay the FCR conversion plus 3.5 EPs to cover the additional fighter factors added to the FCR. (Once carrier fighter factors exist they CANNOT be split back into FCR or hybrid factors.) So while an empire could do this type of conversion it would be inefficient and expensive to do so. That said, war often creates situations in which an inefficient and expensive action has to be taken.
Q: How are the Lyrans are permitted to build the space control ship even though they are never permitted to build a CVA? But since the SCS counts against the CVA limit, what is the maximum number of SCSs the Lyrans are permitted to build per year? Just one? (Assuming that the SCS build already falls within the PFT limitations per turn.) A: An SCS replaces the CVA and is limited to one per year, but for the Lyrans it replaces a CV. See (502.72) and (701.0) which refer to the empire-specific carrier builds, but are universally limited to one per year. Q: In the F+E 2000 basic rules (and all previous rules sets), in section (700.0) Annex (701), it states: "Can always substitute a CA or CC for DN; CA for CC." In the F&E-2010 basic rules set, this line is no longer present, and most empires do not have a specific substitution note allowing them to substitute a CC/CA for a DN. (The Federation and Romulans have this exception and the Lyrans an equivalent one regarding substituting a catamaran for a trimaran.) Is this an intentional rules change or an accidental omission? A: This was an accidental omission from section (700.0) of F&E2010. See the ruling on this matter. (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.
The rough draft of Chapter 6 is complete. Added to it are sections on how a character can improve skills and stats.
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 MonthPLASMA-F TORPEDO FIRST PLASMA FOR GORNS This is a reverse of the standard Star Fleet Battles mantra of holding the plasma-F torpedoes, as they cost no energy to hold, and cycling through your heavy plasma torpedoes as quickly as possible. In Federation Commander launching the plasma-F torpedoes first makes a lot of sense. They are ready Turn #1, while the larger plasma torpedoes aren't. Mostly the Gorns should launch them because a plasma-F torpedo launcher, which launches its plasma-F torpedo on Turn #1, can fire it as a carronade on Turn #2, and if power is available it can be fired at full strength, too. The only time for a Gorn to hold plasma-F torpedoes is if the target ends the turn too far away, as anything inside Range 15 is likely worth launching at.
A duel with a Vudar ship often comes down to a head-to-head game of "chicken" as each seeks to make the closest range shot before the Vudar ship toggles its ion pulse generator into jamming mode. Each "Fire Decision Step" is fraught with tension. Even the tactics guide in SFB Module F2 stresses the importance of the Range 4-5 versus the Range 3-4 break on disruptors.
The Vudar have another option that will leave their opponent enraged, at least the first time they use it. That is to toggle on the ion pulse generator jamming before and during the "ion overrun." This tactic is perhaps best used as a rare surprise rather than a routine plan as a prepared opponent will take advantage of its weaknesses. The reasons this can be effective are: 1. The ion cannon uses two dice to resolve hits (as opposed to the single die used for fusion beams, photons, and disruptors) and thus is comparatively unaffected by ECM. Since the ion cannon is an "every other turn" weapon, you can maximize your ECCM to counter some of the natural ECM you are generating. Note that the hellbore is also "two-dice" weapon. 2. The Vudar can tailor the power used in multiple ion pulse generators to make the closest range shots deal with the highest levels of natural ECM. Sequentially released ion pulse generators may ensure the jamming lasts long enough to get out of the closest range. There are problems with this tactic: 1. An opponent may choose to lose the heavy weapons fire exchange in return for delivering a few heavy drones the Vudar will be challenged to deal with if all of their ion pulse generators are in jamming mode. Hydrans, if they can be sure all the ion pulse generators are jamming mode, will gleefully send in their Stingers for Range Zero close combat maneuvers fusion beam and phaser-G strikes. 2. An opponent may choose to hold his fire, turn (or execute a high energy turn) to bring his heavy weapons to bear on the passing Vudar ship, and blow its doors off when the jamming stops. Nobody loves a radioactive gekko, or so it seems. 3. Carefully consider the relative damage done to see if this might not be the best idea. There are opponents that will not lose as much of their damage potential dealing with ECM as you. Your mileage may vary. Additional points to consider: 1. The Vudar must be able to break contact before the jamming protection ends; thus a "counter high energy turn" should be either allocated or available on battery if possible. This is less important if the other ship(s) are at speeds where they are unable to execute a high energy turn. 2. This tactic is much more effective at high speeds as the closing ships pass through the danger zones faster thus maximizing the utility of the ion pulse generator jamming. 3. If your Vudar ship is worried about being hit by drones, it might be wise to consider having a suicide shuttle or two prepared. Even a minimum strength suicide shuttle will kill a drone. (End of SFB Tactic of the Month)
Facebook Highlight of the Month Stephen Cooper is at Tacticon playing Starmada! Go Feds!
Mini of the Month Kent Ing painted this B10B and B10B boom (3125 Scale, Frosted Ultra Detail material).
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show our games and to teach potential players some basics. 
