Jamey Johnston:

Correct. That is why the very first sentence says:

"All empires which deployed PFs installed mech-links (K2.2) on some of the tractor beams of some of their ships."

It does not say:

"All empires installed mech-links (K2.2) on some of the tractor beams of some of their ships."

The Federation did not deploy PFs, and so cannot use this refit.

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Wednesday, September 04, 2019 - 09:08 am: Edit

Getting back to the Kzinti gunboat variants for a moment ...

Seems I have not been looking at a broad enough spectrum of gunboats. It would seem that the empires with lots of combat variants are the exception, not the rule. The WYN apparently have zero combat variants.

On the plus side, that leaves a lot of room to explore for K2 ...

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Wednesday, September 04, 2019 - 02:29 pm: Edit

New gunboat question: How restrictive is the deployment of the Romulan Starhawk? Is it insanely restrictive like the Kzinti MRN? Or can just about anything (except Chickenhawks) use it? Is it a free substitution and widely available, or something that is deployed like they are made from gold?

(I do note that they *are* more expensive. Killing a Starhawk nets 50% more victory points than just about any other gunboat in the game. However, that doesn't necessarily mean there are explicit deployment restrictions like with the MRN.)

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, September 04, 2019 - 02:47 pm: Edit

(R4.PF2) STARHAWK MODULAR PF (STH): Produced in Y184, the StarHawk replaced about half of the Centurion (R4.PF1) production.

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Wednesday, September 04, 2019 - 06:10 pm: Edit

Thanks. Don't know how I kept missing that sentence, when it is literally the first one of the rule!

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Friday, September 06, 2019 - 02:00 pm: Edit

OK, new gunboat question:

When looking at the BPVs of the non-combat variants (cargo, fi-con, ground, mine), there seems to be a point in time where the BPVs for them changed. But, bizarrely, the already published gunboats didn't get updated. Why? Should the old ones be updated? Are the new ones wrong?

Here is what I mean:
Cargo: old=20; new=25
Fi-con: old=30; new=25
Ground: old=25; new=30
Mine: old=25; new=30

Note that these point values are not varied based on the gunboat's capabilities. This seems to have been a definite "point in time" change. This is blatant as R2-R14 use the old values and R15 and later use the new values. (Oddly, the Seltorians use the new values for all except the fi-con, which uses the old, higher value.) It is really odd and I am curious as to what happened.

(Do note that there are also some odd unique exceptions. In particular, the Hydran fi-con gunboat has a very odd split value.)

On a related note: Why is the Seltorian gunboat scout 5 points more expensive than literally every other gunboat scout? It displays no obvious superiority. It's just more expensive.

UPDATE:
The above was based on looking through G3. When looking at C6 and E3 and E4, they appear to have gone back to the original values. So, it's even more confusing than I first thought!

By Norman Dizon (Normandizon) on Friday, September 06, 2019 - 04:39 pm: Edit

In a Dark and Dangerous Room in Amarillo, Petrick Smiles Wickedly with a Flashlight shining underneath his Face: Excellent! My Plan to Sow Confusion has Worked after all these Years!!

Now let me Answer as if I Knew Nothing about it...

By Jamey Johnston (Totino) on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 - 07:14 pm: Edit

I've got a counter (I am unsure from which expansion, but it's one of the "in color" ones), for a Federation FBR.

Yet I can't find it in the master ship chart, I cannot seem to figure out what it is. It looks like maybe a Battle Frigate variant, but I'm only aware of FFB, FB(V S E D)

Any help would be appreciated!

By A. David Merritt (Adm) on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 - 07:18 pm: Edit

Captain's Log 48, Escort, Romulan front.

By Jamey Johnston (Totino) on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 - 07:27 pm: Edit

Thanks!

Weird that got a color counter when just a plain ol' FFB didn't. Unless I am missing a counter sheet somewhere lol.

By Chuck Strong (Raider) on Wednesday, October 23, 2019 - 06:33 pm: Edit

Where does one post a report regarding an R-section? Or a report for a future MSSB for the WYN?

R12.14: Specifically, the WYN R-section does not have any ship descriptions on some Orion ships in WYN service. The R-section only has a generic section under (R12.14). There is no ship descriptions including background info on the following WYN ships: OCR, OLR, OLS, OBR. STRONG - 23 Oct 2019

By Marcel Trahan (Devilish6996) on Wednesday, October 23, 2019 - 09:00 pm: Edit

Good day SPP,

I have a question regarding the PDF version of the B10 SSD in Advance Mission.

The conjectural introduction date of the B10 is Y169, the B10B is Y174, B10K is Y175 and B10A is Y195 (in the little boxes)but in the ship data table, it specifies ''B refit (B10B) (Y165) = +11

Seems that the introduction of the B refit is Y165 for most klingon ships.

What is the introduction of the B refit, is it Y169 (Conjectural date for B10) or Y174?

Marcel

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 - 05:14 pm: Edit

Colonel Strong asked on 23 Oct 19:Where does one post a report regarding an R-section? Or a report for a future MSSB for the WYN?

R12.14: Specifically, the WYN R-section does not have any ship descriptions on some Orion ships in WYN service. The R-section only has a generic section under (R12.14). There is no ship descriptions including background info on the following WYN ships: OCR, OLR, OLS, OBR. STRONG - 23 Oct 2019
ANSWER: When the WYN book is scheduled to be done we will either leave the existing data as is or expand it. You can look at other Master Starship Books and see that information is added. For example in the Kzinti Master Starship Book the use by the Kzintis of their police flagships as emergency carriers was separated from the general ship description of their police flagship and expanded into its own entry. You can look at the Klingon Master Starship Book entry for the D7L which was expanded from the simple two or three sentences into its own entry. Right now the WYN ship description for Orion pirate ships in WYN service simply notes what was different from the same ships being operated by the Orions, e.g. cannot double the engines but retains the stealth bonus, and you could otherwise go to the Orion ship description.

Marcel Trahan asked on 16 October 19: Hi Steve
Small question regarding the B10 SSD. It shows in the small boxes the B10 year in service at Y168, B10B at Y174, B10K at Y175 and B10A at Y195. But under the ship’s data table, it shows the B-Refit (B10B) in Y165.
Which is the correct year in service for the B10B, Y168(5) or Y174?
ANSWER: The B-10s have a long history with four being under construction and only two completed, neither in time to serve in the General War (although Insatiable might have been if the Klingons had not decided to again tear out a lot of completed work to turn the B10V into a B10S). There is thus when the refits were installed as part of construction, and when they might have been installed had the B10s been finished when planned. Historically, the B10 Invulnerable might have incorporated the B refit in Y165, but did not formally include it until Y174, but was still something of a "hangar queen" as she did not enter service until after Y185.

By Chuck Strong (Raider) on Tuesday, November 05, 2019 - 11:52 pm: Edit

Question about the WYN CWs and CAs...

The R-Sections for the WYN state the following:

---

Quote:

(R12.23) WYN ORCA WAR CRUISER (CW): The Orca was, arguably, the most superb of the WYN fish designs. The engines, curiously, were standard Klingon D5 types. As with the SparrowHawk, it is not a true CW.

(R12.27) CARCHARODON (GREAT WHITE) HEAVY CRUISER (CA): The Usurper insisted that the design of the Orca be created in such a way as to allow for a "stretched" design that could serve as a command cruiser...

---

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, November 06, 2019 - 02:02 pm: Edit

Colonel Strong:

With the exception of one (1) phaser-3-FX, most of the added mass appears to be added just behind the wing roots and includes conversion of the cargo bay.

I would suspect that such a conversion is (defined by the rule) doable, but is probably more expensive than the typical war cruiser to new heavy cruiser conversion (as defined by Federation & Empire rules). The closest analog (on a fast look) would be the conversion of a Gorn HDD to a CM (in both cases the warp engines are entirely replaced rather than a third, or fourth in the case of the Romulans and Kzintis, engine being added).

The problem is that the Gorns do not have to cut an existing heavy destroyer in half, they simply add a rear bubble and as part of that are able to double the plasma-S torpedo (or install a plasma-R torpedo launcher), while also replacing the engines.

Most other new heavy cruiser designs add more structure to an existing hull, they do not cut the ship in half (the Hydran frigate to war destroyer does do this, but is a much smaller hull).

The WYN conversion is far more intrusive and involves a lot more effort, so I would expect it to cost more, even if you had the extension ready to install (pre constructed), you still need to tie up the dock for an extended period to cut the ship in two pieces, place the extension, and then weld the whole ship together.

So, yes, doable, but expensive and time consuming compared to other war cruiser to new heavy cruiser conversions.

By Chuck Strong (Raider) on Wednesday, November 06, 2019 - 05:18 pm: Edit

Would it be more similar to the Gorn CL conversion to a BC?

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, November 06, 2019 - 05:42 pm: Edit

Duplicate deleted.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, November 06, 2019 - 05:42 pm: Edit

Colonel Strong:

The main factor remains unchanged.

Convert Gorn CL to CA/BC: Add rear bubble, replace engines. Also increase phaser-1s in the wings to two each and completely revamp the balcony and track systems from two balconies on each wing to three balconies on each wing.

Convert Gorn HDD to CM: Add rear bubble, replace engines. Also double the throat plasma-S torpedo to two launchers.

Convert WYN Orca CW to Charcarodon CA: Cut ship in half. Insert new center section and convert the existing cargo bay to other systems. Weld whole ship together (two welds), replace engines. Also add a phaser-3-FX.

The fact remains that in the case of the Gorn ships you are largely simply attaching the rear bubble. In the WYN case you are first cutting the ship in half (the actual division point may not be exactly at the half way point). Having to cut the ship into two pieces to insert a new section is going to be more effort than simply attaching (note, even attaching will involve piercing the existing rear end of the CL or HDD to make power and other connections including connecting passageways/turbolifts, that just does not compare to cutting the ship entirely into two pieces) a new structure. It is one thing to line up the added rear bubble to an existing rear hull, it is another thing when you are doing that twice (line up the new section to the front of the Orca, then line up the back end of the Orca to the added section) and again there is the actual conversion of the cargo bay.

In all three cases you are replacing the existing 12 box engines with 16 (Gorn) or 15 (WYN use of Klingon) box engines.

By Ginger McMurray (Gingermcmurray) on Thursday, November 07, 2019 - 11:31 am: Edit

Is there a unified list of definitions for the notes found in the master ship charts?

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, November 07, 2019 - 02:41 pm: Edit

Ginger McMurray:

Notes specific to a given empire are usually found at the bottom of the given empire's master ship chart entries. Most other notes are generally found at the bottom of the General Ships entries. Some notes specific to a given type of ships, whether general or a specific empire, are after the entries for that general ship type.

By Ginger McMurray (Gingermcmurray) on Thursday, November 07, 2019 - 03:39 pm: Edit

I see those, but they don't cover everything. For example, the Federation TUG+ has the following notes:

TG: not defined, but appears to mean "tug."

R: not defined anywhere I can see in the master ship charts. Many other ships from various races include this note.

N3: Defined under the chart in relation to docking points

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, November 07, 2019 - 03:49 pm: Edit

In Module G3 there is an "Explanation of Terms" on page #110.

This lists (among others):

TG = Tug or Light Tactical Transport (or otherwise capable of carrying a standard pod or pallet). See (G14.0).

R = This ship is a refit of another class listed on the chart, not a new ship type.

N# = Note applicable only to that empire. See note at end of the Empire's section.

By Ginger McMurray (Gingermcmurray) on Thursday, November 07, 2019 - 04:00 pm: Edit

Thanks! It looks like I'll be adding G3 towards the bottom of a long wish list.

By John Christiansen (Roscoehatfield) on Sunday, November 10, 2019 - 07:39 am: Edit

In which product may I find the Seltorian HCL?

By A. David Merritt (Adm) on Sunday, November 10, 2019 - 09:13 am: Edit

Module R12.