Just going from what is listed in (L9.3) Buying Troops under the Andromedan that none of organizational units have an HQ? Do Andros not need an HQ?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, January 23, 2016 - 04:51 pm: Edit

Andros don't have HQs.

By Andrew Cookson (Awcookson) on Monday, August 05, 2019 - 09:07 pm: Edit

Not that it's come up in any of my SFMarines games, but if grav tanks (and other units) roll over an unarmored unit, will they crush them?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, August 05, 2019 - 11:59 pm: Edit

No

By Randy Blair (Randyblair) on Sunday, August 11, 2019 - 12:48 am: Edit

Ok this came up during my SFB/SFM hybrid scenario from Gen Con.
The Orion base player also had a BR which was battling in space, but entered the atmosphere, to eventually arrive at the SFM map, which basically broke the scenario because the marines couldn't touch it.

So, the question came up about what happens if TWO ships enter the SFM map. Obviously, according to the SFM rules, their weapons are abstracted somewhat and are NOT like they are in space.
I told them that SVC said directly that if you fired a drone or plasma torpedo on a ground combat location, pour kerosene on the map and set it on fire, because that's what would happen.
So then we got to discussing other weapons. Like phasers.
I said that if you used your ship weapons like you do in space, thereby not using the SFM rules as intended, the effect would be the same, you'd roast the whole playing surface. You MUST use the combat table, I said, or you destroy everything, which violates the purpose of the scenario.
I used the dogfight rules as an example. Your weapons are fired at "low power" so that the dogfight can happen at all.

Anyway, I'm asking if my explanation on that issue was correct.

Second, could other ships also arrive in flight in the atmosphere even if they couldn't land like the Orion could (but didn't)?

I did get some excellent feedback on the scenario, and I'll be retooling for playtest again.

By Mark Steven Hoyle (Markshoyle) on Sunday, August 11, 2019 - 08:48 am: Edit

Just figure, every ship weapon fired is equivalent to a 100MT nuke.....

By Tim T (Tim) on Saturday, December 26, 2020 - 08:31 am: Edit

Just picked up the two modules for Star Fleet Marines and had some questions.

1. Is there errata for the last column of the Combat Table for results against Spaceships/Gunboats? The archived Q&A says that column "gives a totally different rule and is just wrong."

2. Are vehicles, bases, bunkers, and turrets destroyed on a second Damaged result. L5.24 only says town hexes are destroyed after two damage results.

3. Do Heavy Assault/Transport Shuttles and fighters, and gunboats also take 3 damage points to destroy?

4. Per question 1, how do you determine damage on a gunboat if the Combat Table is "just wrong?"

5. Does the optional vehicle damage rule of having 4 stuns equal one damage also apply to shuttles, fighters, gunboats?

6. On the Combat table, is a zero result a kill after modifiers. There is only one listing with a zero result, Armed Truck vs. Shuttles, but there is no zero result for all other columns.

7. When a vehicle is damaged, does the L4.3 combat effect of adding +1 to its fire also apply to the reduction of effectiveness listed in L7.27 (e.g. Damaged tanks nd GAVs fire as GAVs, etc. and add +1 to firing) Per L7.27 then APVs, CEVs, and CPVs cannot fire at all rather than having a +1 modifier.

8. In the original Star Fleet Battles, Gorns and Kzintis were said to be physically larger than other species and were compensated by having a larger number of boarding parties. Is this still the case in Star FLeet Marines? If so, shouldn't Kzinti and Gorn organizations have more boarding parties?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Sunday, December 27, 2020 - 12:05 am: Edit

Kzinti and Gorn Marine organizations are what they are. The ships have more boarding parties, the ground units have what they have.

I will have to review the other questions later. It's going to take me a couple of hours just to read the rulebooks and figure out the answers (I haven't read them in a year or two) and I am totally booked right now. Until the counters go to press I am just not available for anything not on the schedule.

By Tim T (Tim) on Monday, December 28, 2020 - 07:21 pm: Edit

Thanks.

Looking forward to the other answers.

Here's two more.

9. L7.21 Extended Range says "A unit may fire at a range that is one hex farther than its normal range limit."

On the Combat Table, Sniper's are listed as 5/5 while all other units have an extended range one more than its normal range, e.g. GCVs and Tanks at 5/6.

Are Sniper's supposed to be also 5/6 with the one extra hex extended range?


10. L7.15b Says Gunboats are destroyed by the 6th damage point. It also says each damage result on a gunboat scores 4 SFB damage points.

As in my earlier question, there is no damage result on the Combat Table for Gunboats.

What are the results for the combat table for Gunboats?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, December 28, 2020 - 07:36 pm: Edit

It is going to take a while, Tim. I am fully booked this week with things that must be done by the end of the year. I spent all of today doing the PDF for GURPS Klingons 2021 and will spent the next two days doing the one for GURPS Romulans 2021. And there are a few tax forms I have to review and sign by Thursday. Then the countersheets have to go to press and they are as always taking too long. But after they go to press I will find time for those questions. Probably going to be February.

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Monday, December 28, 2020 - 07:38 pm: Edit

Tim T I think your last name as a letter violates the board policy. May want to update it.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, December 29, 2020 - 10:37 am: Edit

Indeed, Tim, we use full real names here.

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Tuesday, December 29, 2020 - 04:10 pm: Edit

6. The reason the other entries do not have a 0 result is because it is unnecessary. For those two entries, the only way to get a Kill is with that 0 result. Everything else with such a spread gets a Kill result on a higher number. So, yes, for any other entry that has a number spread, a result of 0 is also a Kill (or Destroy).

Looking at the others ...

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Friday, January 01, 2021 - 03:35 pm: Edit

1, 4, and 10. Steve has to answer this. Right now the only options for gunboats is to use the "wrong" column. Steve will have to provide an alternative column for the one in the rule book.

2. Yes. Anything that can get a Damaged result that is not specifically excepted (shuttles, fighters, and gunboats) is destroyed on the second Damaged result.

3. Heavy shuttles and fighters use the default shuttle rules unless otherwise noted. So, yes, three Damaged results will destroy them.

Gunboats are different. (L7.15b) states it takes six Damaged results to destroy it.

5. The rule specifically states "vehicles", so it probably doesn't apply to buildings and such. That said, bunkers are said to be effectively vehicles that don't move. Personally I recommend using it with anything that can get a Stun result. But Steve has to provide the definitive answer.

6. See prior post.

7. Not sure. Those two rules seem to be alternatives to each other. I'd recommend viewing (L4.3) as the "simple" rule and the other as the "advanced" rule. I am sure it is not intended for them to be used together.

9. Looks to be a typo to me. Steve will have to definitively answer this.

I hope this helps and gives you something to work with until Steve can answer.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, January 02, 2021 - 02:52 am: Edit

Thanks to Mike W for answering those. I finally had a chance this afternoon to read the rulebook and see what is up, that is when I discovered that I forgot to print the combat chart which is in a different software format.

1. I don't know. I forgot to print out the combat chart when I printed a rulebook to take home. I will print one out next time I go to the office.

2. Confirm Mike.

3. I want to look at that one. I don't think I thought of those units when I wrote the rule.

4. I think L7.15b covers it but I need to check the table I don't have.

5. Yes, if you can stun it you can pound it to damage.

6. I cannot tell without the chart I forgot to print.

7. I need to review that one. I might even have to ask Petrick.

8. Answered already.

9. Sounds like it should be 5/6 but I want to check the unpublished design notes file before I confirm it.

10. I need the missing chart to answer that.

By Tim Tow (Tim) on Monday, January 04, 2021 - 07:29 pm: Edit

Thanks for the answers. Regarding L7.15b, it only says that damage results are assessed on gunboats. However damaged results are not possible on the printed combat table.

The current combat table only assesses SFB damage points vs gunships. It's not stated if we're then supposed to roll on the Damage Allocation Chart and doing that would be different than what L7.15b says.

Another question

11. What weapons are destroyed on a gunboat due to L7.15b results when that gunboat returns to the SFB map?

With all this need for record keeping, unique identifiers should have been placed on all of the vehicles and structures if not all on all the units.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, January 04, 2021 - 09:57 pm: Edit

Tim, you asked the question. Mike and I are working on it. No need to keep asking the same thing.

By Tim Tow (Tim) on Friday, February 05, 2021 - 05:36 am: Edit

Here's a summary of the outstanding questions plus some additional ones. It's been about a month now and I can barely remember what I asked, so just refreshing everyone's memory.


1. Snipers, should they be 5/6 for range to be consistent with other units which have +1 for extended range? The combat table lists them as 5/5.

2. Vehicle damage has two rules for its effects. Do both apply or does L7.27 supersede L4.3?

L4.3 says damaged vehicles add +1 to its fire.
L7.27 says vehicles fire as a weaker vehicle (e.g. Damaged tanks and GAVs fire as GCVs, etc.).
L7.27 also says APVs, CEVs, and CPVs, if damaged, cannot fire at all.

3. Heavy Shuttles and most fighters have more damage points in SFB then regular shuttlecraft. Are they also destroyed on the 3rd damage result in Star Fleet Marines?

4. How is combat resolved against gunboats/spaceships. The combat table lists SFB damage point results, but rule L7.15b, it only says that damage results are assessed on gunboats. However damaged results are not possible on the printed combat table. How do you mark off damage points on a gunship or spaceship? If gunship weapons are destroyed, which ones are destroyed when the gunship returns to the SFB map? If a gunboat arrives with damage from SFB, how do its weapons map to what it can use in Star Fleet Marines?

5. Can indirect fire within normal range be used for supporting fire?

6. For counterbattery fire, does the firing unit (i.e. the unit to be targeted for counterbattery fire)m the unit using counterbattery fire and the target hex have to be within range of an HQ for counterbattery fire?

7. Can GWV's perform counterbattery fire? The rules only state heavy weapons units can.

8. Does counterbattery fire within normal range incur the +2 extended range fire modifier or just the +1 counterbattery fire modifier?

9. How is infantry fire, including heavy weapons direct fire, resolved against a bunker? Are all destroy results treated as a stun of 1 unit? Are all other results treated as misses?

10. Depending on the answer to #9, can heavy weapons even damage or destroy a bunker by direct fire. L.711d says infantry cannot damage or destroy a bunker except by close assault. Are Heavy weapons considered infantry units for L.711d. Heavy weapons units cannot perform close assaults.

11. How is indirect heavy weapons or GWV fire resolved against a bunker? Are Destroy results treated as a stun of 1 unit? Are damaged and stun results treated as misses?

12. Can indirect or direct GWV fire damage or destroy a bunker? L.7.11d reads "Indirect heavy weapons fire (L7.21) cannot damage or destroy a bunker but can stun people inside the bunker." Does this also apply to GWV indirect fire or direct fire? Is a GWV different from a heavy weapons unit for damaging or destroying a bunker by direct or indirect fire?

13. Can you fire indirectly at a bunker with heavy weapons or GWV? L7.11d reads reads "Indirect heavy weapons fire (L7.21) cannot damage or destroy a bunker but can stun people. L7.21 reads "Indirect fire attacks.... cannot attack a bunker." Is this the same answer as #9, all destroy results are treated as stun of one unit and everything else is a miss?

14. If Andromedans do not have HQs, are they prohibited from using counter-battery fire and have all the other limitations of L7.12a?

15. Do vehicles in vehicle battle positions in covering terrain have an additional +1 combat modifier for a total of +3. Infantry have an additional modifier +1 for being in an improved battle position in covering terrain, but nothing is listed for vehicles.

16. Do infantry have a +3 combat modifier for being in a walled city? The chart lists this just for vehicles or is it supposed to be for both vehicles and infantry?

17. Is an HQ considered as a militia unit when close assaulting and thus has a -1 close assault bonus?

18. Is marsh considered covering terrain for vehicles? The terrain chart says yes, but the modifiers list only lists forests, towns and walled cities for vehicles.

19. Can units be setup with opportunity fire markers at the start of the scenario?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, February 05, 2021 - 01:21 pm: Edit

As I said, I cannot deal with that until the counters have gone to press. Ever minute of delay in doing that delays everything the company does for the rest of time by exactly that much if not more. There will be a gap between counters going to press and counters coming home during which I will, as I said, deal with those questions. BTW, many of those were answered by Mike West.

By Tim Tow (Tim) on Saturday, February 06, 2021 - 04:38 am: Edit

Thanks for the prompt reply. I've never insisted on immediate answers.

If it's going to take some time that's fine. At this point, do you want no further questions until existing ones are answered?

I've read the entire SFM Q&A forum and read the rules several times so the answers are not on the forum or in the rules.

The first 4 questions on my previous list are ones that you are still working on. The remaining are new and the first time I've posted them.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong here. Is this not a place to ask questions and get answers?

Again, I'm not asking for an immediate answer, but at this point we might just put this game away.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, February 06, 2021 - 11:31 am: Edit

It is going to take some time, as I said before, several times. Feel free to ask every question that comes up and when I can get here (in about a week or tenday) I will do them all. I haven't read that rulebook in five or six years and nobody expects me to have everything I ever wrote perfectly memorized.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, February 08, 2021 - 01:54 pm: Edit

I was going to schedule "Marine day" for Thursday but after the last round of F&E counter reports I am not in a position to promise anything. I can do anything, but I cannot do everything at the same time, and the counters come first and cannot be delayed except for the delays they cause themselves (which are far worse than bad enough).

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, February 13, 2021 - 05:51 pm: Edit

I have scheduled next thursday as "marine day". You will have answers then.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, February 20, 2021 - 02:55 pm: Edit

Turns out I could not predict the four days lost when Leanna had a horribly bad reaction to her Covid vaccination and the two days the office was shut down by snow. We are working on the answers right now.\

Took a while to process all of the above into a format where I could start answering. That took a lot longer because of asking the same question over and over. I understand the frustration of not getting an answer but asking the same question several times DELAYS the answer, it does not goad/prod/push/embarrass us into delivering an answer before the work scedule provides time to study the question.

I should also note that having a blank profile also delays getting answers as there is no way to email Tim directly.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, February 20, 2021 - 05:36 pm: Edit

It took a while but I now have the answers to all questions. However, I have an appointment so I will take the hand written notes home and post the answers from there tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks to Mike West and Steve Petrick.

Snipers should be 5/5 not 5/6. They have an absolute limit and effectively have no such thing as extended range.