One clarification for the answer above: If you tractor another ship (or are tractored by one), that will change your speed, and could affect the split-shield calculation in (D3.41). But, the fact that the ship on the other end of the tractor beam is going to move you, does not affect the calculation of your shield facing relative to other units.

If two ships are in a tractor link on the hex spine, that DOES affect the shield calculation for them relative to each other -- use (D3.43C) -- but only the speed of each ship is used for calculating its facing relative to other units.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 10:55 am: Edit

Appeal to Admiral V on above answer.

I don't think that answer makes sense. The tractored ship is actually moving at a pseudo speed of 16.

The answer is kind of like saying a wet naval cutter not under power being towed by a tug boat isn't moving for purposes of targeting the cutter with weapons. That just doesn't make sense, because the cutter does actually have a velocity, even though the power for that velocity didn't come from the cutter.

Same thing in this situation. It isn't common sense to say that the towed ship is treated as speed 0 for split shield determinations.

By Francois Lemay (Princeton) on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 03:41 pm: Edit

Interesting Andy, thanks.
One more question re tractored ships.
Same situation as above, friendly ship moving at speed 31 tractors friendly CA moving speed 0 in same hex, now they are on top of 2 TBs, does the tractored speed 0 ship also roll for detection/detonation or just the speedy tractoring ship of 16 ?
Thanks again.
Cheers
Frank

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Saturday, July 22, 2017 - 06:47 pm: Edit

I would like to hear from SPP on this one, because it does seem a little flaky. But, note the tractored ship has a pseudo speed of 0, not 16. The shield determination case is different from other calculations which tend to use Net Effective Vector. It is based on when it would theoretically move next, based on its current speed, ignoring external factors.

Francois Lemay asks: Follow-on question: The friendly ship moves the combo on top of two T-bombs. Does the tractored Speed 0 ship also roll for detection/detonation or just the speedy tractoring ship at (pseudo) Speed 16?

ANSWER: When either ship in a tractored pair moves the combo, both ships are treated as moving at the Net Effective Vector speed for purposes of mine interactions, per the exception under (C2.451). In this case, the NEV is simply the psuedo speed of the moving ship, 16, so both can trigger mines.

By Francois Lemay (Princeton) on Sunday, July 23, 2017 - 09:07 am: Edit

Thanks again Andy.
Your answer has me thinking about the following scenario.

2 CAs and 2 DDs [ all friendly] are in same hex moving 14. As a result of movement, they must move on top of 3 TBs [ ships facing D ] placed earlier on imp 5, after they move, the TBs are now active as this is imp 7.

The Captains of all 4 ships are aware of your answer above, so one CA Captain uses bttys for an un-plotted SC to 16 and 1 DD Captain does same.
During IA, the speed 14 CA Captain tracs the speed 16 CA so a pseudo speed of 7/8 and the speed 14 DD tracs the speed 16 DD also with a pseudo speed of 7/8.

Imp 8, speed 8 moves and as luck would have it, all 4 ships had some contingent power placed into a HET so now the pseudo speed 8 CA and pseudo speed 8 DD both HET to A and move off the TB hex bringing along the pseudo speed 7 ships.

Now the pseudo speed 8 are facing A and the pseudo speed 7 are facing D.

According to your answer above re TB interactions, the NEV would be 'one' for all 4 ships to determine if one of the 3 TBs blows or not ?
Is this correct ?

Thanks again.
Cheers
Frank

By wayne douglas power (Wayne) on Sunday, July 23, 2017 - 11:53 pm: Edit

Francois Lemay:

After re-reading the rules, I would say Andy Vancil is correct in both cases (shield facing and the mines).

Still see what SPP has on questions.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Monday, July 24, 2017 - 03:25 pm: Edit

In re the question on shield facings.

Rule (C2.413) says that pseudo speed is used for purposes of (G7.36), and (C2.46) says that pseudo speed is used for purposes of determining when each ship will move the combination. Obviously a Speed Zero ship is not contributing to the movement, but still has the pseudo speed of the combination, in this case a pseudo speed of 16, which is its effective speed (C2.45), i.e., despite the fact that it is not itself generating any of the movement, it is moving at Speed 16 for purposes of (C2.41).

Since the firing ship is Speed 0 (noted in a subsequent message), the effective speed of the target ship is the overriding factor under (D3.41). Note that the last sentence of the second paragraph of (D3.41) refers to "tractor rotations" which occur during the Initial Activity Phase of the Sequence of Play and does not eliminate the fact that the ship is moving at an effective speed of 16 during the turn as a result of the tractor link. While its Maneuver Rate (C2.42) and practical speed (C2.411) are Zero, its effective speed (C2.45) and pseudo speed (C2.46) are 16.

Effective Speed is used for triggering mines (C2.451), so a Speed Zero ship being towed by another ship can trigger a mine, and the two ships are two different targets.

By Ken Kazinski (Kjkazinski) on Thursday, July 27, 2017 - 06:54 pm: Edit

(SL93.0) Captain's Log #06 - There is a "NCS", which I thought was the "NSC" but there is a "NSC". What unit should the NCS be?

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, July 27, 2017 - 07:13 pm: Edit

When the Federation New Light Cruiser (R2.18) drone variant (R2.36) was first published, it was called the "New Strike Cruiser" with the three letter designation being "NCS" (new cruiser, strike). This was later changed to the ship being the "New Drone Cruiser" with the three letter designation "NCD." So for the scenario published in Captain's Log #6 the "NSC" is still a "new scout cruiser," but the "NCS" designation changes to "NCD" and the ship in question is a new drone cruiser.

By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar2) on Thursday, July 27, 2017 - 07:17 pm: Edit

(* missed by that much *)

By Joseph L. Brown (Jlbrown) on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 - 09:54 pm: Edit

G35.423 states 'An active displacement beacon helps Andromedan ships (with active fire control and a lock-on to the beacon) move to its location.'

P2.41 allows skipping steps one and two of the landing procedure, and going straight to step 3 with the admonition not to exceed a speed of 1.

Could an Andromedan ship, already moving at speed 0 (or perhaps speed one), displace to an Andromedan Displacement Beacon on the surface of a planet? To a base which is acting as a beacon? If Displacing to the (surface) location of the beacon is not allowed, could a ship displace to the planetary hex-side of the beacon and start the landing procedure at step 3?

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 - 10:13 pm: Edit

Joseph L. Brown asks: (G35.423) states "An active displacement beacon helps Andromedan ships (with active fire control and a lock-on to the beacon) move to its location." (P2.41) allows skipping steps one and two of the landing procedure, and going straight to step 3 with the admonition not to exceed a speed of 1. Could an Andromedan ship, already moving at Speed 0 (or perhaps Speed 1), displace to an Andromedan Displacement Beacon on the surface of a planet? To a base which is acting as a beacon? If Displacing to the (surface) location of the beacon is not allowed, could a ship displace to the planetary hex-side of the beacon and start the landing procedure at step 3?

ANSWER: Although the beacon improves the chances of displacement success, it does not improve the fine-grain accuracy, which is insufficient to control exactly where in the hex the unit ends up. (G18.66) is still the rule here: Any unit displacing into a planetary hex is destroyed. So, no to all of the above questions.

By Seth Shimansky (Kingzilla) on Sunday, August 27, 2017 - 07:55 pm: Edit

If imp 8 I kill his ww with phasers, and imp 9 he starts to brings up fc with it coming active imp 13. His dead ww is on his #2 shield range 1 to him. We are shield 1 to 1 range 1 both speed zero. Imp 12 I launch a f torp towards his ship which will be in his hex next imp, but its targeting his ww. Imp 13 can he turn of FC while the plasma is on his hex? The other player thinks the moment that fc comes up he can turn it off and the f torp will keep targeting the ww. We were both confused on this.

By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar2) on Sunday, August 27, 2017 - 11:41 pm: Edit

Seth, this is SoP

6A2 Movement(plasma)
6B1 Fire Control (changes)

your plasma hits his WW before his FC comes into play ...

By Gregory S Flusche (Vandor) on Monday, August 28, 2017 - 05:16 am: Edit

ok if his WW is dead on imp 8. Any seeking weapons that are targeted on the WW will continue to track the explosion hex. unless the Owner voids the WW. on Impulse 13 regardless if his Fire control is active are not any seeking weapons launched after the 4 impulse explosion period will target the ship not the now dead WW. Now he could launch a second WW dropping FC at that point. Read the rules about voiding and explosion period.

I hate WW and think in tourney play a ship should only ever get to use 1 WW. That would cut down the lengths of games.

By Seth Shimansky (Kingzilla) on Monday, August 28, 2017 - 01:06 pm: Edit

Imp 13 the plasma is on the his ships hex and cant hit the ww by movement with out hetting.

By wayne douglas power (Wayne) on Monday, August 28, 2017 - 05:49 pm: Edit

Fire Control is 6B1, when you can turn it on.
Fire Control is 6B1, when you can turn it of.
(no turning on and of in same impulse segment)

By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar2) on Monday, August 28, 2017 - 06:28 pm: Edit

Guys, since the WW was destroyed by phasers, the WW's coverage lasts until 126D5, the plasma was launched 126B6 so it is tracking the WW (J3.211) and when moving on 13 will hit the WW hex (F), not the ship (A) [if the WW had been behind, rather then beside, it would have moved toward the WW hex then reorient on the active FC (and if that was the same hex, hit on 14)]...

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Monday, August 28, 2017 - 06:36 pm: Edit

Seth Shimansky asks: Impulse 8 I kill his wild weasel with phasers, and Impulse 9 he starts to brings up fire control with it coming active Impulse 13. His dead wild weasel is on his Shield #2 at Range 1 to him. We are Shield #1 to #1, at Range 1, both Speed 0. Impulse 12 I launch a type-F plasma torpedo towards his ship, which will be in his hex next impulse, but it's targeting his wild weasel. Impulse 13, can he turn off fire control while the plasma is on his hex?

ANSWER: The sequence is this: Impulse 13, the plasma torpedo enters his hex, but does not hit his ship, because it is targeting the weasel. His fire control becomes active, voiding the weasel, causing the torpedo to retarget on his ship. (The torpedo does not immediately hit, however; it must wait until it moves again.)

At that point, he could then deactivate fire control, but it is too late, as the wild weasel has already been voided, so that would do no good. He could launch another wild weasel if he has one. Otherwise, the torpedo will impact his ship (on the shield facing your ship, which he might have altered with a TAC or HET) on Impulse 14.

The key point is that fire control goes active before you announce deactivation.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Monday, August 28, 2017 - 07:13 pm: Edit

Seth Shimansky:

In your specific case, he cannot turn off his fire control in time to avoid voiding the destroyed wild weasel.

He activated his fire control on Impulse #9. It became fully active on Impulse #13. Even if he shuts it down on Impulse #13, it already became fully active at the point he decided to shut it down, i.e., he gains nothing at this point (at least in terms of avoiding the impending impact of the plasma torpedo) unless he has another wild weasel ready to launch.

The plasma torpedo will enter his hex (first movement is forced directly ahead after launch) unless the controlling player voluntarily employs the plasma torpedo's one allowed high energy turn (which he could do to turn the weapon to face the destroyed wild weasel on Impulse #13, which would then force it to move directly into the hex of the wild weasel on Impulse #14, thereby setting up a "Zimdar's Dipsy Doodle" situation, but in such a case it would never impact unless something else changed). If the plasma torpedo does not use its HET, it will enter the hex of the target ship on Impulse #13, and if nothing else changes [he does a TAC, he does an HET, some other ship tractors his ship and moves it out of the hex in a direction the plasma torpedo must use a HET to follow, his ship is displaced (or the plasma torpedo is displaced), etc.] will impact the target's #1 shield on Impulse #14.

Note that during the movement segment (6A) of Impulse #13 the plasma torpedo is still locked onto the wild weasel (which is why the HET situation is possible), but is locked onto the ship when its fire control becomes active in the Initial Stage (6B1).

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Wednesday, August 30, 2017 - 02:58 pm: Edit

Question on the sequence of play, segment 6B3. The question relates to what "available" means with respect to the second sub-step in this step, and what "deploy" means in the third sub-step.

The second sub-step provides: "Scouts and carriers use reserve power to increase EW available for lending (H7.2). Legendary Weapons Officer uses his reserve EW point (G22.71 )."

The third sub-step provides: "Scouts begin or voluntarily end lending (G24.212). Scouts deploy reserve EW (G24.2114)."

A dispute arose during a game as to whether electronic warfare for lending, which had its source in battery power, was *actually deployed* in the second sub-step, or the third sub-step.

The opponent contends that energy pre-allocated for electronic warfare lending by scouts must be announced as being lent in the third sub-step, but that energy from batteries for electronic warfare lending by scouts must be announced *as being lent* in the second sub-step.

I contend that the term "available" in the second sub-step merely means that a scout will deploy battery power to the pool available for lending in the second sub-step, but that *any actual lending* form the pool, whether pre-allocated or derived from battery power, must be deployed in the third sub-step when scouts "begin" lending (as opposed to having EW "available") and "deploy" reserve EW.

Why does this matter? Opponent used battery power with his scout and announced lending in the second sub-step of segmeent 6B3. I informed the opponent I thought that was the wrong sub-step for lending, and that I also had lending to announce. While the opponent never actually argued that my lending was prevented by his announcing in the second sub-step, that was the implication - that had he stuck to what he thought was the correct rule interpretation, I would be prevented from using battery-derived power to lend EW using my scout in the third sub step (in which he contends only pre-allocated power would be lent) because I had missed the correct phase.

My argument is that the language of the procedures is clear: the second sub-step is just for adding power to the EW pool; i.e., "use reserve power to increase EW available for lending", and that actual beginning of lending (wherever the source of power may be) is in the third sub-step, as in "Scouts begin lending..." and "Scouts deploy reserve EW."

Please confirm. Thanks.

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Wednesday, August 30, 2017 - 11:51 pm: Edit

Ted Fay asks: Question on the sequence of play, segment 6B3. The question relates to what "available" means with respect to the second sub-step in this step, and what "deploy" means in the third sub-step. The second sub-step provides: "Scouts and carriers use reserve power to increase EW available for lending (H7.2). Legendary Weapons Officer uses his reserve EW point (G22.71 )." The third sub-step provides: "Scouts begin or voluntarily end lending (G24.212). Scouts deploy reserve EW (G24.2114)."

A dispute arose during a game as to whether electronic warfare for lending, which had its source in battery power, was actually deployed in the second sub-step, or the third sub-step. The opponent contends that energy pre-allocated for electronic warfare lending by scouts must be announced as being lent in the third sub-step, but that energy from batteries for electronic warfare lending by scouts must be announced as being lent in the second sub-step. I contend that the term "available" in the second sub-step merely means that a scout will deploy battery power to the pool available for lending in the second sub-step, but that *any actual lending* form the pool, whether pre-allocated or derived from battery power, must be deployed in the third sub-step when scouts "begin" lending (as opposed to having EW "available") and "deploy" reserve EW.

Why does this matter? Opponent used battery power with his scout and announced lending in the second sub-step of segmeent 6B3. I informed the opponent I thought that was the wrong sub-step for lending, and that I also had lending to announce. While the opponent never actually argued that my lending was prevented by his announcing in the second sub-step, that was the implication - that had he stuck to what he thought was the correct rule interpretation, I would be prevented from using battery-derived power to lend EW using my scout in the third sub step (in which he contends only pre-allocated power would be lent) because I had missed the correct phase.

ANSWER: Your interpretation is correct. Reserve power may be used to increase the pool of EW points, but the points in the pool are not allocated, before the Legendary Weapons Officer does his thing. After the Legendary Weapons Officer goes, you begin or end lending, then announce deploying points from the pool. For that last step, there is no difference whether the energy in the EW pool originally came from allocated or reserve power, it is deployed at that same point.

By Francois Lemay (Princeton) on Sunday, September 10, 2017 - 11:24 pm: Edit

Question re ECM drones.
2 CAs are speed 16 with ECM drones following them.
One CA tracs the other on imp 15, pseudo speed is now 8 [ no imp used ] and ECM drones change speed to 8 as well.
Imp 16, CA moves forward along with ECM drones and 2nd CA declares to move forward next imp which is 17.
On imp 17, 2nd CA moves both ships forward.
Question is this,
Do the ECM drones also move on imp 17 even though they are speed 8 ?

I seem to recall a long while back they did but want to make sure my recollection is correct ?
Thanks.

Cheers
Frank

By Jon Murdock (Xenocide) on Sunday, September 10, 2017 - 11:45 pm: Edit

I believe they do assuming they are speed 32 drones. If they are speed 32 they speed up to catch the ship for the impulse.

If they are a speed 20 drone they accelerate to speed 20 to catch the ship and move only if speed 20 moves on that impulse.

By Francois Lemay (Princeton) on Monday, September 11, 2017 - 12:27 am: Edit

They are speed 20 ECM drones.

Thanks
Cheers
Frank