Fred, yes your understanding of the rule is correct.
Annex #2 has the sequence of play, and in step 4 Announce ECM and ECCM strength (D6.32) including loaning.
In step 6D1 fire allocation stage: Fire decision step: at this point, EW points being generated can be adjusted under (D6.315 Adjustments) by reserve power or various other means.

By Ken Kazinski (Kjkazinski) on Monday, August 15, 2022 - 08:54 pm: Edit

Below are the rules for the units that geneate swing points. They must be declared in the Sensor Lock-on Phase and cannot be changed during the turn.

(D6.315) B. ... So-called “swing points” which can be changed from ECM to ECCM or vice versa are declared in the Sensor Lock-on Phase (#4) at the start of a turn (or at the instant of launch in the case of MRS, SWAC, and PFs) and cannot be changed during the turn.

(J8.41) EW SUPPORT FOR SHIP: ... Swing points are designated as ECM or ECCM during the Sensor Lock On Phase of each turn (as EW pods). See (J8.44).

(J8.43) FIGHTER SQUADRON: An MRS shuttle can be added to a fighter squadron ... 2 x Swing points provided in (J8.41).

(J9.14) FIGHTER SQUADRON: A SWAC shuttle can be added to a (J4.464) fighter squadron ... 2 x Swing points provided in (J9.11).

(J9.511) The E-3 has two ECM, two ECCM, and four swing points available for lending under (J9.11).

(K1.72) SWING POINTS: All PFs have two “swing” points of electronic warfare that can be used for either ECM or ECCM (or one for each) without any energy cost (D6.3142).

(K1.722) The swing points can be dropped during the Fire Decision Step of the Fire Allocation Stage (6D1) of any impulse. They cannot be changed during a turn.

(K3.72) SWING POINTS: All interceptors have two points of electronic warfare that can be used for either ECM or ECCM (or one for each) without any energy cost. These must be designated during the Sensor Lock-on Phase.

By Ginger McMurray (Gingermcmurray) on Monday, August 15, 2022 - 08:57 pm: Edit

Perhaps they were confusing scout loans. The scout puts the power into a pool and doesn't have to decide what it is until it's actually loaned out.

By John M. Williams (Jay) on Thursday, August 18, 2022 - 11:32 pm: Edit

A question about dogfight drones and one about pseudo satellite ships:

1) E5.4 says that an ADD launcher can fire one dogfight drone per turn (provided the target is within six hexes). Suppose a Klingon D5 fires two drones from its B racks and two dogfight drones from its ADD launchers. What does the target know? Are regular drones and dogfight drones and/or drone racks and ADD launchers different enough that the two groups can be immediately identified as separate or does the target simply see four drones coming and labs are necessary to learn more?

2) Rule GC3.2 in the Andromedan Threat File allows PSS's to simulate any type of satellite ship. Can this be changed during a scenario? For example, can a PSS be launched simulating a Terminator, recovered, and then launched a second time simulating a different type of ship?

By Mike Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Friday, August 19, 2022 - 07:39 am: Edit

The tac intel and lab rules cover this.

By Ginger McMurray (Gingermcmurray) on Friday, August 19, 2022 - 11:16 am: Edit

I want to say that you always know which launcher fired which drone unless Tac Intel rules are in play. There's always the chance that I've played wrong for 2 decades.

By Alex Chobot (Alendrel) on Friday, August 19, 2022 - 12:17 pm: Edit

Regarding the drone question: (D17.91) says if not otherwise using TacIntel, all info in levels A-K is known at all times once you have a lock-on. Level I says you know the type of each observable drone rack (I.e. not a bay-mounted rack). Level F tells you the total number of non-bay racks, and E provides knowledge of which mount launches a given drone.

So yes, your opponent would know that there are two type-VI drones and which ones they are by virtue of observing them being launched from the ADD mounts.

By Alex Chobot (Alendrel) on Friday, August 19, 2022 - 01:05 pm: Edit

Regarding the improved PSS question: (GC3.2) says the launching player records the type of satellite ship it is simulating on the impulse of launch. As there is no requirement to make any determination prior to that point, nor any rule that says a selection is in any way fixed after the PSS is recovered (in fact, the rule says the record is only shown if the PSS is revealed before it is recovered), I would say that a given PSS under this rule can be launched simulating a different SatShip every time - but there is some room for me to be wrong here.

By John M. Williams (Jay) on Friday, August 19, 2022 - 07:08 pm: Edit

Thanks. That confirms my thoughts in both cases: that ADD launchers were distinguishable and so the dogfight drones would be immediately recognized as such, and that there wasn't anything saying that a PSS couldn't simulate different ship types in the same scenario.

By Ginger McMurray (Gingermcmurray) on Saturday, September 24, 2022 - 10:46 pm: Edit

What is the range of the MCIDS?

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Sunday, September 25, 2022 - 12:03 am: Edit

(E6.31) FIRING: The monster close-in defense system can be used
up to three times per impulse (at any type or types of acceptable
targets) on targets within three hexes.

By Ginger McMurray (Gingermcmurray) on Sunday, September 25, 2022 - 09:14 am: Edit

Thanks. Somehow I missed the last half of that sentence 3 times. And by "somehow"I mean "screw you ADHD!"

That explains how a monster annihilated the Paravians.

By Gregory S Flusche (Vandar) on Sunday, September 25, 2022 - 10:42 am: Edit

Yeah QWTs suck vs Monsters. Launch at point blank range. 3 die one hits. Unless the monster gets unlucky.

By Ginger McMurray (Gingermcmurray) on Sunday, September 25, 2022 - 11:15 am: Edit

12 damage is a scratch to a planet crusher. I was going to try some monster scenarios to get a feel for maneuvering but there's no point. Maybe if I halve the damage from the MCIDS. At least then something might slip past.

By Gregory S Flusche (Vandar) on Sunday, September 25, 2022 - 04:38 pm: Edit

nope You need to learn how to beat it with what you have.. I can take it out with my Paravian CA

By Ginger McMurray (Gingermcmurray) on Sunday, September 25, 2022 - 05:57 pm: Edit

That doesn't help me learn to use QWTs more effectively. I'm sure it's still beatable with phasers, bombs, and dragging it around the map. That's not my stated goal. My goal is to get better with the basic tactics of the Paravians and how the ships fly with QWTs. "Get to range 0 and launch then all so you hit with 1" is an anti-MCIDS tactic that will rarely be the best option in a duel, especially in the opening phases of one.

By Joseph Jackson (Bonneville) on Monday, September 26, 2022 - 12:10 am: Edit

Instead of a monster you could go up against a Monitor. SG23 Monitor Duty in Advanced Missions might be a good fit.
If you really want to test some tactics, SH2 The Surprised Reversed in Basic lets you unleash the fury before the fight turns ugly.
Or give the whole Captain's Game in Basic a go. Those 9 scenario are a crash course in mastering any ship.

By Randy Green (Hollywood750) on Monday, September 26, 2022 - 04:53 pm: Edit

"That explains how a monster annihilated the Paravians."

Actually it was the Gorn destruction of Paravian space-going capability, the subsequent blockade of their planet, and the criminally slow response of the Gorn garrison ships to the Sunsnake's appearance, that allowed the event to transpire as it did. Of course, as the Paravians considered the Gorns, demons and monsters, I suppose the sentence is factually true.

By Ginger McMurray (Gingermcmurray) on Monday, September 26, 2022 - 05:41 pm: Edit

That part never made sense to me. I've played Gorn v Paravians in the early years. Paravians dominate because the Gorn have to bolt and the Paravians never let them get that close.

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Monday, September 26, 2022 - 07:07 pm: Edit

A good monster to learn against is the Orb (CL #21?). I use it all the time for sparring.

By Randy Green (Hollywood750) on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 - 02:28 pm: Edit

I agree, Ginger. Maybe they played on a fixed map!

By Ginger McMurray (Gingermcmurray) on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 - 02:59 pm: Edit

I think the Gorns lose even then. The bird brains are just much more maneuverable and can go faster on the turns where they're just trying to get away.

That said, they can't be canon and had to die out somehow.

By Jeff Guthridge (Jeff_Guthridge) on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 - 03:40 pm: Edit

(humor)
OH NOES! ITS THE DREADED RETURN OF THE BIRD-FLU!
(/humor)

The Paravians are getting more and more into my tactical brain centers in the ways the Andromedans once did in the '90s.

Makes me wonder for my sanity as I keep seeking out the edge cases for study.

By Ginger McMurray (Gingermcmurray) on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 - 04:28 pm: Edit

Same here. I'll be the attacker in The Admiral's Game using them. I'm looking forward to learning by losing.

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 - 04:28 pm: Edit

Ginger,

Think of it this way: Your observations are likely true for one-on-one or even battles. But, consider this ...

The Gorns gained warp (and bolt and phasers) before the Paravians gained their warp (and seeking QWTs). During this very brief period of advantage, the Gorns destroyed every single sublight ship they could find. This is directly stated in Y1. Also stated is that this was possible because the Paravians couldn't do field upgrades; everything had to go back to the home shipyards for upgrades.

Moving into supposition, this implies that the Paravians did not have either the construction capacity nor the maintenance capacity that the Gorns did. Once they were knocked down to the point where they were virtually starting over, the Gorns could outproduce them and stay ahead, even if they took greater losses.

So, basically, when the Gorns wiped out the sublight fleet, the Paravians were doomed. It would take many more years before that got finalized (probably because of the tactical disadvantages the Gorns had fighting them), but they had already lost. It was just a very long mop-up operation the Gorns had to perform.

Do note that the second part of that is supposition, but it builds on what has been written. This means that the history could be what it says it is, and yet your observation about the fighting abilities of early warp Gorns vs early warp Paravians is still very true. It can still fit together.