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	Archive through June 16, 2014	25		06/16 10:07pm

Minefields alone could produce 2-3 pages of each combination of HISTORICAL alpha quadrant situations:

Federation 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Kzinti border bases.
Federation 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Klingon border bases.
Federation 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Tholian border bases.
Federation 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Romulan border bases.
Federation 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Gorn border bases.
Federation 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on interior bases.

Klingon 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Hydran border bases.
Klingon 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on LDR border bases.
Klingon 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Lyran border bases.
Klingon 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Kzinti border bases.
Klingon 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Federation border bases.
Klingon 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Tholian border bases.
Klingon 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on interior bases.

Romulan 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Tholian border bases.
Romulan 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Federation border bases.
Romulan 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Gorn border bases.
Romulan 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on ISC border bases.
Romulan 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on interior bases.

Kzinti 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Lyran border bases.
Kzinti 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Klingon border bases.
Kzinti 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Federation border bases.
Kzinti 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on interior bases.

Lyran 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Kzinti border bases.
Lyran 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Klingon border bases.
Lyran 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on LDR border bases.
Lyran 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Hydran border bases.
Lyran 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on interior bases.

Hydran 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Lyran border bases.
Hydran 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on LDR border bases.
Hydran 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Klingon border bases.
Hydran 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on interior bases.

LDR 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Hydran border bases.

Tholian 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Klingon border bases.
Tholian 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Federation border bases.
Tholian 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Romulan border bases.

Gorn 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Federation border bases.
Gorn 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on ISC border bases.
Gorn 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Romulan border bases.
Gorn 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on interior bases.

ISC 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Gorn border bases.
ISC 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on Romulan border bases.
ISC 1,2,3,6 minefield packages deployed on interior bases.

That's 42x4 possible minefields! Granted, some might be functionally similar to others, but you could make a map or two/three for each one, and a few paragraphs explaining the rationale behind the configuration, and you'd almost have a full book right there.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Monday, June 16, 2014 - 01:58 pm: Edit

Perhaps the future publication of Module X2, combined with the long-awaited introduction of the Xorkaelian Empire into the game system, might help build up enough new material to help make a second Alpha Octant tactics volume viable?

By then, you'd have the Carnivons and Alpha-Paravians (as noted above); the Borak, Peladine, and Nicozians; the new threat posed from the far side of the galaxy; plus the impact of second-generation advanced technology on some (or all) of the above.

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By the way, where might tactics for "cross-setting" factions go?

The Andromedans and Jindarians each have a presence in Omega and the LMC as well as in Alpha, but there are few notes looking at how either faction might approach things in those non-Alpha settings. (There is an Andro-vs-Souldra Term Paper in the 2011 OMRB.)

Both the Tholians and Seltorians operate quite differently back in the M81 Galaxy relative to their operations in the Alpha Octant. Not least due to the presence of the Old Galaxy Pirates previewed in CL40, along with any other M81 factions (such as the Nebuline) we will hopefully learn more about in Prime Directive Tholians.

Plus there are individual voyages like that of NCC-1821 USS Sakharov, which was the first ship to make it from Alpha to Omega via the LMC and safely back again. In principle, an article could look at what kind of challenges would have been faced by that ship during the course of its pioneering voyage.

And we don't yet know if the Xorkaelians have been sending ships to other regions of the Milky Way, or out to the Lesser Magellanic Cloud.

But would any future primers or Term Papers for these factions (or individual ships) operating in those settings go here, or in more dedicated venues for each setting in question?

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Monday, June 16, 2014 - 04:10 pm: Edit

SVC wrote:

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Quote:

I cannot see a tactics book being of any use in attracting non-SFU customers. I just don't see a way to do it, or a point. We have other (better) ways to do that (e.g., fiction).

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By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar2) on Monday, June 16, 2014 - 07:50 pm: Edit

Randy, a one-package minefield is a bit similar for all empires as it will either be covering range-15 or range-8 depending on the opponent (trip-wire of small mines is range-20 IIRC)...

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, June 16, 2014 - 10:07 pm: Edit

I cannot see anyone buying 116 pages of minefield tactics. Two or three basic pages and a page or two of key variations will cover it.

By Richard B. Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Monday, June 16, 2014 - 10:51 pm: Edit

Apart from playtesting a scenario last year, I don't think I've used minefields in a game or seen them used in someone else's game since 1990 (Admiral Kosnett's War?). So I think it's not something that needs a lot of coverage.

By Andrew Harding (Warlock) on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 - 02:08 am: Edit

The basic problem with minefields is that they're not much fun to actually play with (designing one, planning traps and laying out approaches is fun; tediously checking records, scanning, creeping along by tractor rotation... not so much).
They're also much better value than (say) defsats - a hundred points spent on a pair minefield packages produces a very dense field when packed within five hexes of ground bases that are immune to ships beyond that range, and provides plenty of firepower from the captors too.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 - 08:00 am: Edit

I agree with warlock, minefields slow down the game, a lot.

Given how long they have been a part of SFBs, I just don't see them changing, nor would I like to see a lot of boring/repetitive pages in tactics manual vol.2 discussing how various empires deal with them.

By Gregory S Flusche (Vandor) on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 - 05:40 pm: Edit

Well as a Romulan player. I love mine fields. I do not care if they are hidden are not and prefer using visible ones. Just not what kind of mine it is. The mine field makes it harder for the other player to run away from Plasma.
As all old Rom ships carry a NSM then add T-bombs a nice mine field can be laid out.

By Dennis Surdu (Aegis) on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 - 09:32 pm: Edit

Playing minefields in SFB is like playing pace laps in a NASCAR game.....boring! Rules should really be cut from game. I think I used them once in 1985.

By Richard Wells (Rwwells) on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 12:22 am: Edit

Minefields should be played at least once so players can see just how deadly bases can be.

I would like to see an integrated fixed position defense article where minefields, bases, and affiliated mobile units would be set up in mutual support with possible tweaks to the force deployment.

By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar2) on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - 09:22 pm: Edit

Ghostlight (SL117) in CL#9 also had an article that showed how the Klingons attacked a Fed BTS (+ 12 F8s, FFG and 2 POL w/ minefield) on Day One...

By AW Cookson (Awcookson) on Thursday, July 10, 2014 - 11:41 pm: Edit

SVC, your 16Jun message with the list is a good example of what could be added to a new revision of the Tactics Manual. Some of those things would add new material to the existing items, also. (Plasma Sabot & ECM plasmas have changed tactics and how other races have to approach them, now, as an example.

I think we could have more of what we already have in the book. Many ship classes deserve more than 1-2 sentences. Some sections on other topics feel 'chopped' to fit them into the space they were given. Give them a fuller treatment.

I'm like to see a little more discussion on some of the *major* variations of common tactics. Clearly, it can't be an exhaustive study of each situation, but I think there is room for more discussion. On the Talk Shoe in the past, I have heard you and others go into more details on tactical variation. Remember the old 'Academy' articles? More presentation on some major variations like that.

The last edition's graphics didn't come out very well. They were muddy and haven't aged well. If FC can have a 'pretty' book, as you called it, why can't SFB?

Speaking of 'pretty', how about releasing a electronic version of the revised Tactics Manual. A color hard copy isn't a very workable idea, but an electronic version could be.

The next thing I would like to see is an idea that I've kind of been letting develop in my head from what I first suggested to you.

There was a four page article in the CL47 Supplemental that was a compilation of several Term papers. It was brilliant and I think would make a great format for a SFB Advanced Tactics manual. The thing is, I don't think you should put out an Advanced Tactics Manual as one book.

SJGames has been pretty successful with their GURPS line in doing ebooks. They are 20-40 pages and run $7-$10 each. How about doing the same with Advanced essays collections? Compile the like you did the CL47 Sup article or used to do with the Academy articles, add a bit more to tie it together, give it 2-3 really good graphics, work it to being 5-10 pages (maybe with some of the detail stuff that SPP writes so well), and release it. Let the player compile his own book (or ebook). Each 'topic' book could be $5-$10.
A format like this would also make it easier to fit it in as a 'mini-project' in the production schedule.

In summary, I think if it was expanded and polished up, there is room and use for a new revision of the SFB Tactics manual and a real need for an Advanced set of works, also.

AW Cookson

By Gregory S Flusche (Vandor) on Friday, July 11, 2014 - 05:08 pm: Edit

what about doing a commanders edition Tactics manual. As well as the basic one. The commanders could have a lot of the best Term papers and more specific tactics to include mid-turn speed changes. A new player can get a lot from the old tactics manual. I know i would love a manual with the best of the term papers plus more in depth tactics that are now used.