Archive through November 07, 2024
Star Fleet Universe Discussion Board: Star Fleet Battles: Rules Questions:
SFB Rules Q&A:
Archive through November 07, 2024
(XE1.25) is a general rule for fast-loaded weapons (15-hex range limit).
(XE10.2) [Hellbore], (XE11.21) [PPD], and (XE21.61) (Ion Cannon) is a specific rule for those weapons that is limits them in range only on their first turn. If held, they use their normal ranges for the second (or subsequent) turn.
This is a case of specific rules overriding a general rule, they are exceptions to the general rule.
Thanks Stewart, that's really helpful and highlights how important it is to look for the more specific rules e.g. when dealing with the different weapon types.
It would have been helpful though if a note were attached to the rules, even if it was just "(partial exception to XE1.25)" in the specific rules. Otherwise it just looks like a mistake.
looking at ISC number of PPDs allowed in a fleet/battle.
1CA 1PPD 1CS 2PPD. 1 CL. Can the CS be the flag ship? Or is the CA the flag ship?
The CA has a higher CR and is the larger ship. My feelings is that the CA must be the flag ship so it would need 3 more ships for the extra PPD.
Well, you need three frigates for the echelon, don'cha? 
It sounds like E.11.17 is working to keep the CS replacing a CL in a standard fleet rather than running off with a cruiser squadron captain who wants to cause trouble. (Are the smaller squadrons it's said to provide PPD for then led by the CS?)
There is the option of the other player's permission, or you could write it up as a special case, a historical or training scenario. Is the CA on the gun line to protect its leader, or is the CS there protecting the stiil-more-expensive heavy cruiser? Or is it some type of reverse echelon, with the CL trying to hold enemy ships away from either PPD weilder?
It is wanting the most PPDs you can get for the BPV.
(S8.21) GENERAL: Each fleet must have a flagship, which will
usually (but not always) be the largest ship or the one with the
highest command rating.
That might give me my answer,
Barring (likely) changes I am not aware of since (many) years ago, the Orion CT cartel can usually field the most PPD's in a fleet. As they do not have a specific limit. BCH leading 10 BRH gets you 22 PPDs. Or similar based on whatever year/BPV you are using. Though the BRH is fairly essential to get lots of PPD's given those take up two adjacent option mounts.
Which of course does not help if you have to play ISC!
I am glad the cartel would not put that many ships together.
I do wonder about the ISC hiring a BRH with a PPD?
The ISC is limited by (E11.17) to 8 in a standard 11 ship fleet, 9 if larger …
Orion Cartel limitations:
70% of option mounts limited to those of home territory race.
20% of option mounts may mount weapons from operating zone races.
10% of option mounts can be any.
So only a cartel based in ISC territory (I forget name) could mount excessive PPDs where adjacent option mounts existed.
And 1 BCH + 10 BRH would be unrealistic due to lack of large hulls for any given cartel. Also 11 ship Orion fleets would be extremely rare. So facing lots of Orion PPDs is nigh impossible.
As a note, it would be the Kublai Cartel; Cirentus-Ta's home territory is Romulan space.
But yeah: the Orions don't field full battle fleets, and the cartels don't risk their lone BCH enforcer on anything other than an enforcement action.
To be fair, some Orion cartels operate more than one enforcer, notably pharaoh operated at least two albeit one was the OK6. And it was noted for renting out (or loaning) the Hammerfield for Operations with other cartels. though not apparently with the fleets of those empires. Suffice to ay that there are different Cartels and each took its own line on its operations. So long as the leader of the Cartel could eventually retire in comfort his loyalty to his followers is always suspect and you may find yourself sold to the highest bidder attacking something you do not want to attack and availing yourself of an Orion's prerogative to RUN (even though that may make the Crime boss put out a bounty on your skull).
I always thought almost all cartels had multiple cruiser enforcers. Some maybe even more than four or five.
SPP,
Question re MONs.
In G3, a MON Bpv is 85/145.
Does this 85/145 include a pallet already or is the line below it at 100/160 the one to use when a pallet is attached ?
Thanks.
Cheers
Frank
Good question, Frank. I wondered about it at first myself and came to the same guess.
(... Or at least I THINK it's a guess I came to; I may have actually read a confirmation somewhere, but for the life of me, I can't remember where... 
)
I also (vaguely) recall that the SCS pallet raises the BPV up to 115/175, but again, I can't even guess as to where I may have read that.
Sorry I can't be any clearer
Module G3, pg 18
Mon (without pallet) is 85/145
Mon (with Support/Fighter/PF Pallet) is 100/160
Mon (with SCS Pallet) is 115/175
MNF (Fast Monitor)
Monitor Pallet entries follow
Jeff/Stewart,
That is what I thought as well, the 85/145 is without the pallet, 100/160 is with.
Thanks.
Cheers
Frank
I have another Carnivon question. At the beginning of a game, at Weapon Status 3, can the extra deck crews from the shuttle bay already be at the DB launching sites, or do they have to move there?
Thanks.
A question I've been meaning to ask, but kept forgetting...
Is there a rule somewhere that ships have to deploy with at least one admin shuttle? I can't find one, but maybe didn't look in the right place. Obviously, a ship could have all its shuttles destroyed in combat. But I'm talking about buying a ship as part of your forces, but with every shuttle replaced by some kind of drogue. It seems to me a ship ought to be required to have at least one admin shuttle, which would prevent small ships with only a single shuttle from using drogues at all. But I'm not aware of a rule that states that.
Alan Trevor: There is no requirement that a ship deploy with at least one shuttle. Special scenario or campaign rules may require a ship to have a shuttle to perform some mission, but except in those cases a ship can replace all of its shuttles with drogues.
Stephen Parrish: Sorry, but extra deck crews will have to move there after the start of the scenario.
SP. OK, thanks.
SPP,
Thanks.
IIRC, there's a scenario (methinks in J2) where a Klingon assault force is attacking a Federation MB. At least one ship, maybe all of them, has/have all shuttle boxes replaced with drogues.
Admittedly, it IS a pretty unique situation (AND a published scenario), but if you wish to have something replacing all your shuttles, like a PC carrying a Web Anchor in place of its single shuttle, I'd say just ask your opponent if s/he is interested in (or at least okay with) a scenario where that's the case. 
A Gorn BC replaces all 6 shuttles with Plasma F drogues.
Captain incoming Plasma Rs. We are going to slow to outrun them. Drougas Deployed. Wild weasel now oops no shuttles. Or you need a SS shuttle to kill the monster ah well.
Which might be one reason to retain at least one shuttle, options …
Your shuttle bay gives you tactical options, whether you fill it with drogues or GAS shuttles. Every option comes at a cost that may not be worth the perceived benefit gained. Like having a full load of drogues and the mission is to rescue the colonists on the planet. Or you need to meet an alien ambassador on an asteroid but have no shuttle to do so.