THURSDAY 21 JULY: Steve Petrick and I test the Rickerbee scenario using the new bloodier combat table. Worked great, although it led us to a series of questions that the rulebook does not answer about how to handle civilians. We don't have answers for those yet. Things like: should civilians run away when you shoot at them? Should the Fed Marines really be able to force their own civilians to stand there and get killed to delay the Klingons winning the scenario (because the Klingons cannot enter a town hex with a "federation unit" in it)?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, July 23, 2011 - 01:13 pm: Edit

FRIDAY 22 JULY: Steve Petrick and I did a mock-up scenario (entire Klingon battalion against one company of Federation-Andorian national guard troops). The Feds were "dug in" on the hill mass south of the town, and the Klingons came in from the west in a massive double-envelopment. This was not a "real scenario" but an effort to test the infantry combat system to the maximum.

NORTH (FED RIGHT): I sent my 3rd platoon out to the north to occupy the town and keep him from getting around me, but only one of the three squads got there in time (and got run over), the other two retreating back to the hill to be reinforce by the reserve (10th) squad. This Klingon company took zero casualties during the whole battle, and this Fed platoon almost got out of the trap, but two squads were trapped trying to get over the hill (I should have stayed on the ridge) and the last squad was shot down (by a Klingon combat engineer unit) as it ran away.

CENTER: The Klingon company in this sector was reinforced with the extra artillery, the artillery borrowed from the fast-moving north company, the extra engineers, and the extra platoon. It fought the hardest battle (30% casualties), right up the main hill into the most heavily defended positions. It eventually destroyed the headquarters bunker, having overrun and destroyed the entire 2nd platoon including the weapons squad and company HQ.

SOUTH (FED LEFT): This sector was a patch of woods about 4x4 hexes. I had two squads dug in, with the third on a reserve position guarding the flank and the commando squad over there because it could move through the woods twice as fast. The Klingon company here took heavy casualties (40%) but eventually squeezed the platoon like a grape. The platoon was trapped trying to retreat through the woods as Klingons moved around the woods and along the ridge. The commando squad almost got out but was cut down on the escape route by an entire Klingon platoon firing a mass volley.

The result: Federation company (13 squads) totally destroyed.
Klingons started with 44 squads and lost 11.

Test was successful, infantry system works correctly, still have to fix the civilians, but now we get to try using vehicles.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, March 05, 2021 - 04:27 pm: Edit

Because of all those questions (Thanks Tim Tow!) we will have a Star Fleet Marines Update in the newsletter on 10 March.

Somebody noticed that we had never uploaded the two SFM rulebooks to the PDF stores so Jean tasked me to create the STAR FLEET MARINES BATTLE MANUAL combining the two rulebooks and the update. It should be released on the PDF stores next week (unless the Gods are angered by my giving a schedule for a new product and sent a tribulation to stop me).

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, March 05, 2021 - 04:33 pm: Edit

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, March 06, 2021 - 12:13 am: Edit

Reminding myself to get the captain’s log stuff.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, March 08, 2021 - 02:03 pm: Edit

By MARTIN HALL (Martinhall) on Saturday, June 19, 2021 - 03:57 pm: Edit

Steve - thanks for your response on my earlier question.

Will the SFM Battle Manual be released in Print form?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, June 19, 2021 - 09:41 pm: Edit

I didn’t know anyone would want a print copy.

By Zac Belado (Pixelgeek) on Saturday, June 19, 2021 - 09:59 pm: Edit

Maybe offer it as a POD item at Wargamevault?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, June 19, 2021 - 11:15 pm: Edit

We do not need wargame vault to do POD items. We have better POD equipment than they have.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, June 19, 2021 - 11:48 pm: Edit

I need to fix one mistake (Mike West will have to email me what it is, I don't remember) but then Leanna can print copies for anyone who wants one.

By Nic Trotti (Acentes) on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 - 04:28 pm: Edit

Will the print copies still be a thing?(I'd love a print copy over carrying my laptop to a game)

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 - 08:37 pm: Edit

Sure.

By Scott A Akers (Mjolnir3853) on Wednesday, August 11, 2021 - 02:39 pm: Edit

Unauthorized out-link deleted.--SVC