To riff on Jean’s suggestion, maybe a book of carrier SSDs with no fighters , just blank spaces for them, and a bunch of fighter squadron sheets. I do agree that for CL/modules, doing the most advanced GW fighter on the SSD is best, as they can always be marked down to earlier versions, but as a convenience supplement, I think it would be more efficient to just do one page per carrier and offer more potential fighter squadrons.

We have gotten various fighter squadron pages across various products, but those have been very scatter shot - and the various history articles in CL have fleshed out what’s available. I certainly don’t expect every fighter at every refit step to be in such a product, but I do think this approach will allow us to go a lot deeper in what is included.

Either way, with no R-sections or annexes, this won’t be stepping on the toes of existing products, but be a helpful extra.

By Alex Chobot (Alendrel) on Wednesday, July 30, 2025 - 11:23 pm: Edit

Going through the Federation SSDs, we have standalone squadrons for

A-20 and F-111 (Module K)
B-52 and B-1 bombers (Module J2)
FB-111 and B-2 (Module J2)

As of the Fed MSSB, there are 19 (R2.Fxx) rules - though three are for SWACs - and 14 (R2.FAxx) rules in Captain’s Logs - though a dozen of those are assorted bombers mainly of historical interest.

Generally four 12-fighter squadrons can fit on a page. That will let a mainline fighter type have a page of its own, while more limited ones share pages. For example,

F-18 page:
F-18/F-18B (one squadron, two data boxes)
F-18B+
F-18CM
????

Similar pages for the F-14 and F-15. Then combined pages with one or two offs of the A-10, F-16, F-4, F-8, F-20, A-20F (?), F-101, etc as needed to make page counts work.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Thursday, July 31, 2025 - 12:28 am: Edit

Jean had suggested that as there is a debate between using Y192 to Y184 fighters on carrier SSDs, we should do the Y184 ones in the main books and the do an alternative book just for carriers and include the other fighters there.

By Alex Chobot (Alendrel) on Thursday, July 31, 2025 - 01:38 am: Edit

Andro War vs General War - that does make sense, and more “ready to play” options is always nice!

Still would advocate for a bunch of fighter squadron sheets at some point, even if as their own book.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Thursday, July 31, 2025 - 09:17 pm: Edit

To clarify, is this thread for Alpha Octant carriers only, or would it apply to Omega Octant carriers also?

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Friday, August 01, 2025 - 01:05 am: Edit

The MSSBs have listings for various squadron configurations for carriers as they matured. New fighter types are introduced, old types are retired.

A product that has separate pages for various squadron configurations for CVAs definitely has my interest (I'm intensely visual).

Thing is, would this be a smaller product, like the North Polar Republic? OR (and this might generate a bit of hate) could it be a "Filler" for some future Module J3, should there be few new angles to address for fighters and carriers...

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, August 01, 2025 - 04:18 pm: Edit

Alpha only.

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Saturday, August 02, 2025 - 10:21 am: Edit

If you're gonna do some carrier SSDs with alternative fighter groups, for the Feds it would be cool to see:
- Fed CVA with 12xF-14, 6xA-20.
- Fed CVA with 12xF-14, 12xF-18.
- Fed NVS with 6xF-101.
- Fed CVS with 6xF-101.
- Fed CVS with 12xF-4.
These are all historical configurations. The first one is likely just the flat out standard configuration of the CVA Y179 and later. The second one is a little shakier from an historical context, but is completely legal and likely to have happened at some point. The F-101 ones are described in the F-101 description as not being uncommon. The last one is actually featured in at least one scenario.

By Alan Trevor (Thyrm) on Saturday, August 02, 2025 - 02:18 pm: Edit

I'd like to see some Tholian carriers, especially the Neo-Tholian SCS, with the mixed Spider-II/Spider-III squadron replaced by a purely Spider-III squadron. It would not only be a bit cheaper (though by a trivial amount compared to the cost of the NSCS group as a whole), but I believe in many situations it is actually better for the Tholians than a mixed Spider-II/Spider-III squadron.

A CWV with the mixed squadron replaced by a Spider-V squadron would also be mice.

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Sunday, August 03, 2025 - 07:32 pm: Edit

Honestly, for the Tholians, I think they should use the Spider-IIp *way* more often. It is an incredibly useful fighter and might fit what you are looking for better.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Sunday, August 03, 2025 - 09:20 pm: Edit

Alpha only; duly noted.

-----

In which case: might it be an option to offer certain Federation HDW and HWX carrier configurations of note?

I'm primarily thinking of what Federation and Empire refers to as the "-Z" configuration: a "short squadron" of 4 F-111 fighters, plus a pair of special sensors in the RA weapon mounts. This was a means by which a Star Fleet HDW or HWX could try to go after Andromedan RTN nodes, in the absence of an historical fast patrol ship tender configuration.

Other F&E-designated "Third Way" HDW and HWX configurations, such as "-Y" (for F-101s) and "-A' (for A-20s), might be useful here also.

Actually, I wouldn't mind an equivalent "-Z" configuration SSD for the Federation DLM, if one were possible to include here as well...

By Alan Trevor (Thyrm) on Monday, August 04, 2025 - 01:45 am: Edit

Mike,

I agree. Unfortunately, the rules are very restrictive regarding deployment of the Spider-IIP. The only mobile unit allowed to operate it is the Police Carrier. Two of its four fighters can be either Spider-IIs or -IIPs. The other two are Spider-IIIs. But a Tholian base can field Spider-IIPs for half its fighters.

By Alan Trevor (Thyrm) on Monday, August 04, 2025 - 01:52 am: Edit

Another suggestion for the Tholians:

The CVH in Module R4T is depicted with 6 Spider-Vs and a mixed Spider-II/Spider-III squadron. I would like to request a version with the mixed squadron replaced by a pure Spider-III squadron. (Retain the Spider-V squadron, of course.)

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Monday, August 04, 2025 - 04:15 pm: Edit

I'd love to see that (6 Spider-V & 12 Spider-III) as well, Alan.