Douglas, I see nothing in (K1.6) or (K2.64) that prohibits putting whole, undamaged booster packs onto damaged engines. It appears that even regular warp engines on gunboats that have been reduced to zero remaining damage points can still have booster packs attached to them.

HOWEVER, as I usually point out when I make comments here, I'm no expert, so I'd say there's probably no more than a 51% probability that it's okay...

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Monday, September 07, 2020 - 05:05 pm: Edit

Nothing in the rules says that a new set of warp packs on damage engines do, or do not, function normally. I would have to say that there is no requirement that the warp pack have a corresponding warp engine box for each of its own warp engine boxes, so it operates normally.

By Douglas Saldana (Dsal) on Monday, September 07, 2020 - 11:51 pm: Edit

Another question regarding warp booster packs:

Per J5.12 fighter packs are different for each type of fighter and are not interchangeable (with the exception of fighters which have a "corresponding type" operated by another empire "since the engines are the same even if the weapons are not").

I can't find an equivalent rule for gunboat warp booster packs. Can, for example, a Hellion use the same packs as a Harrier? Can a Starhawk use the same packs as a Centurion? Could a Lyran gunboat use Klingon packs?

This question is particularly relevant to the WYN who often operate mixed flotillas of Lyran, Klingon, Kzinti, and Orion gunboats.

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Tuesday, September 08, 2020 - 10:57 am: Edit

I would suspect that, with the POSSIBLE exception of the Hydrans, no gunboat can use booster packs designed for another gunboat type.

This is intuitive on my part (and could easily be wrong ), but gunboats developed by people in different parts of the galaxy may have parallel capabilities, but are going to be VERY different under the skin.

Think about it; could an Abrams tank use the fuel pump from a Leopard? They're contemporary tanks...

(Okay, okay... Maybe not the best of examples! Sheesh!)

The only other POSSIBLE exception might be the Starhawk. As I understand her history, the Centurion was in production earlier so it is possible (even if unlikely) that the Great House that developed the Starhawk may have been under orders to make use of standard (i.e.: Centurion) parts as much as possible. The precedent for this is the commonality of parts between the Sparrowhawk series and Skyhawks (and Firehawks, and...)

As far as the WYN being able to use common boosters for mixed flotillas, I would imagine if anyone can pull that off, they'd be a Legendary Engineer.

By MarkSHoyle (Bolo) on Tuesday, September 08, 2020 - 02:09 pm: Edit

Can't forget "Kelly's Heroes" where they were working on the Sherman fuel pump....

Though I could see the Wyn converting PF Engines to a single model.....To simplify maintainence.....
Though I suspect just the shape of the engine housing would cause problem from one Empire to another....

By Douglas Saldana (Dsal) on Tuesday, September 08, 2020 - 02:38 pm: Edit

I believe the Hellion is described as being a variant of the Harrier so I'm guessing it has the same engines.

The Romulans are the only empire I can think of that actually has gunboats of different hull types (unless you count interceptors).

One could argue that since everyone copied the engine technology from the Lyrans (rather then discovering it independently) the engines are essentially the same despite the appearance of the engine housings. The exception might be those empires who chose to build smaller engines in sets of 3 (just the Hydrans and Kzinti if memory serves).

Even then, I don't think it would be the end of the world if a 3 engine gunboat was allowed to use two 3 box boosters instead of three 2 box boosters (leaving the center warp engine without a booster). Given Steve's answer to my previous question (that booster packs don't require "a corresponding warp engine box for each of its own warp engine boxes") such an arrangement might be possible.

Conversely, a twin engine gunboat might be able to use 2 of the 3 boosters from a three engine gunboat but that would leave it comparitively underpowered.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Tuesday, September 08, 2020 - 05:05 pm: Edit

I do not think Warp Booster Packs can be traded across empires without a lot of work, so much so that you would almost be starting from scratch. The attachment points will vary, and the connectors would not connect ("we put our warp transducer at the top of our booster pack and the corresponding connector to the booster packs. What do you mean you put the Drive Feed Manifold there?")

By Mike Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Tuesday, September 08, 2020 - 06:38 pm: Edit

There is a "could you give me an example of" article in an old CL that covers this, IIRC.

By Douglas Saldana (Dsal) on Tuesday, September 08, 2020 - 07:11 pm: Edit

I assume you are referring to "Using PF Variants in a Campaign Setting" in CL #25.

Does it address the Starhawk/Centurion or WYN compatibility examples? I think it's safe to assume that run of the mill PF variants (cargo, ground attack, etc.) use the same packs as the base hull.

By Douglas Saldana (Dsal) on Wednesday, September 09, 2020 - 12:42 am: Edit

When replacing warp booster packs am I required to provide the gunboat with a complete set?

For example, could a Kzinti gunboat be provided with just a single pack (attached to the center warp engine) or just two packs (attached to the right and left warp engines). In this manner I could split a set between 2 or more gunboats or use a set that is incomplete because one or more packs is still undergoing repairs.

If I am required to provide a complete set can I use a damaged booster pack as part of that set? Or would I be required to repair a damaged pack before installing it on a gunboat?

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, September 09, 2020 - 01:32 pm: Edit

Douglas Saldana:

Believe it or not, those do not seem to be questions that have been asked before. I have reviewed the published rules, and these are the answers I am providing:

1.) Warp Booster Packs cannot be used on PFs from another empire.
1a.) Romulan Booster Packs can be used by both the Centurion and the StarHawk, i.e., as the Romulans designed and built both PFs, the shipwrights realized there would be a complication with providing spare booster packs and built them to be interchangeable on their PFs.
1b.) The WYN handled their resupply of warp packs by essentially having static defenses and not a lot of maneuver. The resulting problems in keeping warp packs in supply, while simplified somewhat, was the reason why they developed the Freedom Fighter for offensive operations outside the Cluster.
1c.) Even within an empire, interceptor warp packs cannot be used by PFs or vice versa.

2.) Warp packs for PFs within an empire can be used by any PF version or variant of that empire, except that they cannot be used by workboats. Hence Hydran Harriers and Hellions can both use the same warp pack.
2a.) This also applies to Interceptors of a given empire, e.g., an Interceptor scout can use the warp pack of an interceptor fi-con which can use the warp pack of a combat interceptor, but an Interceptor workboat cannot use the warp packs.

3.) Warp packs can only be used in complete sets. You cannot mount a partial set on a PF or Interceptor. The rules clearly indicate that if a PF or Interceptor drops its packs, it MUST drop all of them, it cannot drop just the part of the warp packs on one engine (K1.622).

4.) A damaged warp booster pack can be mounted on a PF or Interceptor (if you happened to have a warp booster pack that you had taken off of a PF or Interceptor, and not had time to repair it, you could attach it to another PF or Interceptor later.

All the above is subject to review by SVC.

By Mike Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Wednesday, September 09, 2020 - 06:02 pm: Edit

No, I was referring to an old CL article about using a PFT in combat. I'm fairly sure it covered installing WBP on damaged PF engines.

By Bill Phillips (Praetor) on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 - 12:49 pm: Edit

This has probably been asked before, but is the Y175 date for STB listed in G3 correct ?

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 - 01:23 pm: Edit

The Sector Base is Y175.

By Charles H Carroll (Carroll) on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 - 01:54 pm: Edit

Ok fighter for Roms Question. Scenario starts. WS 3. Fighters are now loaded and ready to go. 4 F fighters and 4 PD Fighters.

Now I always thought you had a reload for everyone still in storage. Yes or no?

And if when you have to do reloads for torps...it takes what? 1 1 3 like a regular F and 3 turns to prepare an F to put in a statis Box for the Fighter? And What about Plasma Ds?

Having 4 Plasma F fighters if they have no reloads mean for the most part they are one shot fighters. Especially with carriers carrying 24 fighters. 11 X 3 on that last turn of arming is not happening. So....2 reloads? 1 gets put on for launching the first time? Or 1 reload that gets loaded and then recover fighter and ignore it?

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 - 03:42 pm: Edit

Charles Carroll:

If I am understanding your question correctly:

The loaded fighters used what was in the freezers/ready racks. The only things left in the Freezers/Ready racks are things you chose not to load them with (usually pods). You have to allocate power to the Freezers/Ready racks to prepare them to load the fighters when they return (J4.886).

The ONLY fighters who have a reload available without allocating power are the Hydrans, who have a second reload of fusion charges (J4.831).

A plasma-F freezer requires 1, 1, 3 over three turns (J4.881).

Plasma-Ds are handled by (J4.825) and (FP9.22). The plasma-Ds on the fighters are assumed to be activated.

The rearming of the plasma-F freezers is a planning factor. Are you really planning on recovering all four of the plasma-F fighters? Are you really planning on all four of the freezers being ready in three turns? You can start arming Freezer #1 on Turn #1, Freezer #2 on Turn #2 (continuing to arm Freezer #1), Finishing Arming Freezer #1 on Turn #3 (continuing to arm Freeze #2), on Turn #4 Finish Arming Freeze #2, Pay no Holding Cost on Freezer #1, and Start arming Freezer #3, on Turn #5 begin arming Freezer #4, continue arming Freezer #3, pay no holding cost on Freezers #1 and #2, and so on.

By Charles H Carroll (Carroll) on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 - 10:21 pm: Edit

Steve Petrick

Ok so I was right. Normally see I play Hydran fighters. So got used to the reloads being there. Now playing with Romulan Fighters...and having to relearn a lot. Little things lol. Like 16 impulses after launch they can launch their torps. The first type F fighters...do not even have phase 3s.

Anyway thank you so much. I hate looking silly. I will track down the plasma D rack stuff and see how to load them. And yeah...getting back all the fighters is usually....not something that happens lol.

By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar3) on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 - 10:33 pm: Edit

Just don't forget that with plasma, you can launch from further out (out to 10 hexes if both are closing) ...

By Marcel Trahan (Devilish6996) on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 - 10:42 pm: Edit

I have a question regarding the YIS of ships and refits.

Which is the most accurate and up to date information regarding YIS of refits and YIS of ships? Is it the G3/G3A or the Master Starship books when the information between those two contradict?

Marcel

By Majead Farsi (Devil) on Thursday, September 17, 2020 - 07:02 am: Edit

I have a question with regards to FLG's. in :
(S8.551) A squadron of police ships could be led by a frigate or by a
police flagship. A police flagship cannot lead a non-police squadron.
A police flagship counts as a scout unless it is leading a squadron of
at least two other police ships of frigate size or smaller.

My question is why can't the FLG be counted as a Troop ship or MS? why is it first considered a full blown scout with only 1 channel. If a scout is already present in a fleet then the FLG should fill in as Troop ship or MS ?

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, September 17, 2020 - 05:03 pm: Edit

Marcel Trahan:

Some ships in history got a general refit before it became a general refit. The Federation FFG showed up in Y160 with what became known as the plus refit, but the plus refit was not installed on other ships until about Y165. The DDG appeared in Y155, but G racks were not generally available.

As you go through history there are going to be slippages, and as things stand right now, I would tend to go with what the Master Starship Book says because the ship descriptions might note a ship received a refit (single ship) before the refits became generally available.


Majead Farsi:

I am really not sure about the Troop ship. To the best of my knowledge you do not get a "free troopship" or a "free mnesweeper," but there is such a thing as a "free scout."

By Majead Farsi (Devil) on Friday, September 18, 2020 - 04:36 am: Edit

Sorry Steve my situation is this:

A fleet already has an FFS within it taking up the free scout slot. I was informed that I could not add an FLG to the fleet without any accompanying POL ships as then it would be considered a scout! My question is why? FLG are supposed to be versatile ships being able to fulfil many duties such as Troop ship and MS and scout. Why is it first considered a scout and not just another ship within the fleet?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, September 18, 2020 - 04:48 am: Edit

Well, I would comment that an FLG has no business in a battle fleet. It's a specialized police ship and taking its capabilities away from the police for its pathetic contribution to a fleet is way beyond the bounds of doctrine. But that is just me.

By Majead Farsi (Devil) on Friday, September 18, 2020 - 08:15 am: Edit

To change a CA to a CVS carrier, is this a simple refit or a conversion?

By Jack Bohn (Jackbohn) on Friday, September 18, 2020 - 10:09 am: Edit

R2.29 uses the word "converted," but that may be loose phrasing; it also uses the less precise word "modified." The fleet carriers article in the legendary CL#9 uses the same words and never "refit." The Master Ship Chart does not have a refit "R" in the notes area like the CA+ and CAR do.

My copy of the F&E rules is so old, its conversion rules are for a CA, DD, and FFs into a carrier group. Still, it is a 5 point conversion, and so can only be done in the capital hex.

I would say not a simple refit.