Archive through March 04, 2019
Star Fleet Universe Discussion Board: Star Fleet Battles: Rules Questions:
SFB Rules Q&A:
Archive through March 04, 2019
Garth L. Getgen:
Yes, you can replace the drone spaces with anti-drones, but whatever you place in the rack for purposes of starting the scenario is going to be in the reloads.
So if you have a type-G drone rack it could legally have an initial load of:
1xAnti-drone
1xtype-VI drone
1xtype-I drone
1xtype-IV drone.
The first set of reloads (prior to the Y175 refit) must be identical to the initial load.
The second reload would still consist of eight anti-drones.
After the Y175 refit, the second load would also be identical to the first load and the third load would be the anti-drones.
See (FD3.7) and (FD10.643).
Thanks, Steve. I knew reloads all had to be the same, but couldn't remember about the ADD vs. VI drones.
Garth L. Getgen
Question re Plasma impact.
A plasma F hits its target on imp 16 of launch, a strength of 0 at this point.
Is the plasma info still revealed ?
ie, is it a fake or not and target of choice ?
Thanks.
Cheers
Frank
no i believe not as there is no impact hehehe
Frank,
Normally without atmosphere the plasma strength is reduced as it travels across the map, an plasma F that has moved 15 is a strength of one, a plasma F will be zero strength on 16 moves.
Impact and minimal damage (one point) will reveal the status of a plasma torpedo as real or pseudo.
Francois Lemay:
The second to the last sentence of rule (FP1.51) says "Once the warhead strength reaches zero, the torpedo has no further effect or function and the counter is removed from the board."
Thank you all !
Cheers
Frank
I believe there is a caveat to the answer to Frank Lemay's question worth noting. SPP, please verify or refute.
Frank's question only states that the plasma F hits its target on imp 16 of launch - but then assumes that it is strength zero. However, the torpedo will only reach strength zero after its movement is called on that 16th movement. Seeking weapons move last relative to their targets. If the target moves into the seeking weapon's hex *before* the torpedo is called to move, then officially the torpedo has "hit its target" "on imp 16 of launch" - but the torpedo has only moved 15 times. In this scenario, the torpedo hits for strength 1, and would have to be revealed as fake or real.
Example: A plasma-F is launched on Turn #1, Impulse #1. On Turn #1, Impulse #17 (16 impulses after launch), Target Ship is in hex 2215 and the plasma F is in hex 2214.
Scenario 1: Target Ship does not move (or does move, but moves to another hex other than 2214). The plasma F, when called to move, moves into hex 2215. However, because it is now strength 0 on it's 16th move, it scores no damage and hence is not revealed as real or fake.
Scenario 2: Target Ship does move. Target Ship must move before the torpedo. Target Ship elects to move into the plasma torpedo's hex in 2214. This movement causes the plasma torpedo to hit. Because the plasma has not yet moved, it is still considered to have moved only 15 times. As a result, it is strength 1 and must be revealed as real (whereupon it does 1 damage) or fake (whereupon it does 0 damage).
This sort of maneuver is done on a semi-regular basis during tournament play. I have both used it and watched it used against me.
Unless we were all mistaken or the rules have changed. Hence, the call for SPP to confirm or deny the caveat.
As a Ferengi, I'd be looking at Frank and pointing to Ted.
"That's what I was going to say and I put that answer in his head".
If a plasma torpedo has moved its last move before hitting strength Zero so that it has Strength one, and on the very next impulse the target of that plasma torpedo enters its hex, the target is hit by the plasma torpedo because the plasma torpedo will move after the target and having not done so, has not expended the last of its strength (FP1.42).
Was this the question Frank Lemay was asking? It was not how I read it, and I answered the question I thought he was asking. "Hits its target" covers things like a stationary unit or unit that was moving away and overhauled by the torpedo. I did not think Frank Lemay was asking if the target closed the range.
Ted,
I know about the target moving closer into the torpedo hex, this does not count as movement for the torpedo.
I wanted to know if the torp data is revealed after it hits it target but at strength 0.
SPP answered my question .
Thanks
Cheers
Frank
playing a scenario where my ship is in a FRD. Ship can not use warp power while docked internally.
1: I am assuming it can once it starts to undock?
2: Says no weapons may be armed in the FRD. So would start out with no phasers armed are heavy weapons and can not start to arm them until after undocking. So on turn2 can start to arm?
3:could i energize phasers? Then use reserve power to fire?
4:can i prepare a Shuttle.. i know a SS would be out of the quistion as would need warp power but could i prep a WW?
Another? Can a FRD use its Impulse engine for a Tac?
Gregory,
(C5.43) Non ship units, it reads
Bases, a type of ship, cannot make tactical manoeuvres at all.
For info on Fleet Repair Dock (R1.10).
Gregory S Flusche asked on Monday, February 11, 2019: I am playing a scenario where my ship is in an FRD. The ship cannot use warp power while docked internally.
ANSWER: Correct under (C13.51).
1: I am assuming it can once it starts to undock?
ANSWER: Yes, for any ALLOWED non-movement function (activating fire control, generating electronic warfare, raising shields, reinforcing shields, etc.), this is why the restrictions of (C13.231) exist. That is to say while your ship at the point of undocking has its warp engines available, it is still prohibited from doing any warp powered (and even some impulse powered, e.g., you cannot use six impulse power for erratic maneuvers) capabilities. NOTE: Your shields are down while you undock, and if undocking from an FRD, you cannot raise them until Impulse #2 (C13.24), even if they were down the entire preceding turn.
2: Says no weapons may be armed in the FRD. So it would start out with no phasers armed or heavy weapons and cannot start to arm them until after undocking. So on Turn #2 can it start to arm?
ANSWER: Yes and no. The undocking takes place in the Initial Activity Phase of the turn. You cannot arm weapons prior to that phase in Energy Allocation (which precedes the Initial Activity Phase), but could of course access your available reserve power after undocking. So, for example, most Federation cruisers could begin arming two photon torpedoes in mid-turn with four points of reserve warp power and complete them during Energy Allocation Turn #2 (even as partial or full overloads if desired). Your ability to arm "energy weapons" is limited to your available reserve power on the turn of undocking, but "physical weapons" such as drones can start loading on drone racks, or scatter packs, etc., once you undock, but this must be planned, that is what physical weapon will begin loading on what platform.
3: Could I energize phasers? Then use reserve power to fire?
ANSWER: Phaser banks can be energized while the ship is docked, see (C13.81), last sentence. You would be able to fire some of them with reserve power, but there are few ships with enough reserve power to fire all of their available phasers, and you might have some other need of your reserve power.
4: Can I prepare a shuttle? i know a suicide shuttle would be out of the question as would need warp power but could I prepare a wild weasel?
ANSWER: Unless a specific rule says otherwise, charging up a wild weasel is not really any different than charging up a disruptor, and (C13.766) only applies to externally docked units, so an internally docked ship cannot charge a wild weasel.
Another? Can an FRD use its Impulse engine for a Tac?
ANSWER: Yes. The impulse engines of an FRD are fully capable impulse engines, there is no restriction on what they can do as part of the FRD, even if the FRD has the maximum number of internally docked units and externally docked units, one point of impulse power will move it one hex, or allow it to change its facing by 60 degrees. Of course, it cannot do erratic maneuvers because it does not have six of them (and its fragile construction would probably see it destroyed if it tried that in any case).
looked under R1 found nothing
should have looked under tac moves hehehe
Thank You SPP
Steve Petrick:
On the question on the FRD doing tactical maneuvers,
I am still seeing that the tactical maneuvers (C5.0) are written for "ships".
In (C5.4) Data on tactical maneuvers, (C5.43) Non-Ship Units: it has written (about the fifth line)
Bases, a type of ship, cannot make tactical maneuvers at all.
Wayne Douglas Power:
Bases are immobile, generally have positional stabilizers and so cannot be towed.
A Fleet Repair Dock is not defined as a "base," is self-mobile using its own impulse engines (something that no "base" has) and does not have positional stabilizers, i.e., it can be tractored and towed. The fact that it can use "base augmentation modules" does not make it a base.
If you can find a rule that specifically states that a Fleet Repair Dock, despite being self-mobile and lacking in positional stabilizers is a base ...
If not, it is a "ship" and can move under impulse power and use all of the allowed abilities of impulse power just as a sublight Romulan Snipe, Hawk, Warbird, or Vulture can, except where specifically noted otherwise, i.e., it cannot disengage by sublight evasion, and when being towed cannot use its own impulse engines for movement (one of the towing ships can provide impulse energy).
But there is no rule defining a Fleet Repair Dock as a "Base."
Steve Petrick:
Thank you for the correction,
I thought the rules for bases would apply to the FRD, however the FRD has its own rules (R1.10), it can be towed and has ability to move at sublight speed. (so yes the FRD can do an impulse Tac).
All good
Will it be of use? just one turn doubt it.. and it is not a base so can not rotate.
Gregory S. Flusche:
A tactical maneuver is an option.
If you are the captain of that FRD, you might put a point of impulse power to recharge one of your batteries. During the turn the enemy destroys your #5 shield, and several drones are approaching it. You have the option at that point to use your two batteries to raise one point of General Shield Reinforcement to block one point of damage, or you could drop that point of reserve impulse power and Tac a new shield to face the drones, which will at least stop 15 points of damage.
Sometimes you can tac that down shield in the opposite direction the enemy ship is moving, and suddenly deprive him of the opportunity to board your Fleet Repair Dock for a little longer, which might be the difference between holding out until help arrives or not. (Preventing the boarding on that turn meant that marines from arriving ships did not have to fight a stronger enemy force already on your Fleet Repair Dock and so could win the boarding action.)
You could also simply allocate the point of impulse for the tac so that you can use the batteries together for some other function.
You do not have to do either, but keeping your options open and fully grasping all of your available capabilities is what often decides if you survive the battle, or die a(n) (in)glorious death.
Circumstances vary, and yes a situation can be such that being able to tac (even for a B11) will mean nothing in the greater scheme of what is about to happen. But a Commander needs to be aware of all of his options and able to seize the opportunities if they arise.
In short, do not just say "well if he downs one of my shields, they are so weak there is no point in turning another one to face him."
Hi Steve, i have a few questions regarding weapon status.
Are fighter pods loaded on fighters at WS 0-2, are pods considered 'reloadable weapons'?
If not, are they part of the 2 turns deck crew activities available under WS 2?
At WS 2, 2 turns activities can be completed on fighters and 2 fighters can be launched. Do you have to take into account the number of deck crew actions that would have been needed to prepare the 2 fighters that have been launched in the number of DC action available?
Example: Fed CVB at WS 2 has launched 2 F-15 and it could have 24 DC actions done. Are 16 of the 24 DC actions been used to laod those F-15 are required or all of them are available to load the other fighters?
If those 2 F-15 DC actions are not required for launched fighters, does it means that you can have 2 fully loaded fighters plus 24 DC actions on WS 2 prior to turn 1 even if the 2 avaialble fighters are not launched?
Marcel
While I'm no expert, Marcel, I think there might be a problem with what you're trying to do.
One of the rules for rearming fighters is that no more than two deck crews are allowed to work on a single fighter. As such, I don't think that two of the fighters could have any more than four DC actions can be conducted on any fighters.
HOWEVER, I'd need to check the rules for Weapon Status conditions for carriers. IIRC, I think that the two fighters that can be launched, unless the ship is "Surprised" (which is different than being caught at a low weapon status), the two fighters on "Combat Space Patrol" will have been fully armed.
SPP, PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that, at WS 2, the Federation CVB will have two if its twelve F-15s in space, both fully armed, and 24 DC actions conducted on the ten fighters that remain aboard, meaning that six of them can have two of their four Type I drones AND all of their Type VI drones loaded aboard, or all ten of the fighters can have all four of their Type VI drones and two of the fighters can have two of their Type I drones (each) loaded on board, or...
Again, Marcel, I'm no expert, but you've asked a good question. 
Marcel Trahan asked on Sunday, March 03, 2019:
I have a few questions regarding weapon status.
Are fighter pods loaded on fighters at WS-0-II:
ANSWER: They can be loaded on the two fighters ready for launch at WS-0 or WS-I, and those are the two fighters that can begin the scenario already launched at WS-II. Note that built-in electronic warfare pods (as found on most electronic warfare fighters, heavy fighters, and bombers) are of course always part of those fighters and cannot be unloaded or changed.
Are pods considered "reloadable weapons"?
ANSWER: Yes, unless they are not "built-in" (only some electronic warfare pods are built-in as listed above). Thus if your fighter is crippled, any pods on the pod rails (or carried on a drone rail) are lost (J1.332). Note that pods in internal bays are not lost (R2.F11).
If not, are they part of the two turns of deck crew activities available under WS-II?
ANSWER: Yes. Basically every fighter (or bomber) ready rack includes pods. It is your choice of what is loaded on the ready rack gets loaded on a given fighter (or bomber). So a rack for an F-16 will have two type-VI drones (or at least positions for them if the rack is empty) and two pods (or again space for them if the rack is empty). A rack for an F-14C will have space for eight type-I drones (four of which might be "special" drones) and two pods.
At WS-II, two turns deck crew actions can be completed on fighters and two fighters can be launched. Do you have to take into account the number of deck crew actions that would have been needed to prepare the two fighters that have been launched in the number of deck crew actions available?
ANSWER: No. The two launched fighters are the two fighters that were ready for launch at WS-0. They have simply been launched. Thus on a typical carrier with 12 fighters you will have 12 deck crews and 10 fighters on which to expend 24 deck crew actions. You might have bought extra (a maximum of four allowed) deck crews under Commander's Options, which would give you (depending on the number purchased) two to eight additional deck crew actions. If the fighters are size-1, you cannot have more than two deck crews working on any given fighter, so if you have two deck crews working on one fighter (since two fighters are fully armed), at least two of the other 10 fighters of a 12 fighter squadron) can have two deck crews working on them. (Extra deck crews would allow up to four more fighters to have two deck crews working on them.) You can use your deck crew actions however you see fit. That is to say you could decide to have the 12 deck crews work on just six of the fighters, giving each of those fighters four deck crew actions, but the remaining four would have no deck crew actions performed.
Example: Federation CVB at WS-II has launched two F-15s and it could have 24 deck crew actions done. Have 16 of the 24 deck crew actions been used to arm the two F-15s that were launched or are all of them available to load the other fighters?
ANSWER: As above, they are all available to work on the remaining 10 fighters, none are expended on the two ready launch fighters which were fully armed even at WS-0.
If those two launched F-15s do not require any deck crew actions, does it mean that you can have two fully armed fighters plus 24 deck crew actions at WS-II prior to Turn #1 even if you do not launch the two avaialble fighters?
ANSWER: Yes. The operable words are "may be launched," you are not required to have launched the two ready fighters.
I hope the above clears things up, and if not, do not hesitate to ask for any needed clarifications.