I like it so far.

By Scott OBrien (Sao123) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 01:10 pm: Edit

Another thought on including y era ships. they could be subject to an "aging rule" that would require them to roll a dice every X turns to determine some random system failure due to aging. The refit cards could "cure this problem" in addition to adding additional hull or weapons to y era ships.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 01:16 pm: Edit

I'm really not interested in putting Y era ships into SFBF.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Thursday, May 27, 2004 - 10:14 am: Edit

CL29 article on SFBF
EXPANSIONS ANNOUNCED
After two years of rumors, plans, and disappointments, ADB Inc. announced at the GAMA Trade Show that it is working on and plans to publish a series of expansion packs for SFBF.
Based on a concept suggested by Andrew Palmer, each expansion will sell for $9.95 and will include 33 cards. Of these, a number (usually 24-27) will be new ships, while the others will be “special cards” such as the existing Klingon Mutiny, Organian Ceasefire, and similar cards. It will be possible to play the game by simply adding one (or more, or all) of the expansions to the existing deck, or by replacing some of the special cards with new ones, and some of the existing ships with new ones. You could include (or leave out) the carriers or commando ships to suit your individual taste. It won’t really be possible to use the expansions without the original game deck.
The plan is to print the cards for these expansions as one single huge sheet, and divide that sheet into three (or possibly four) different expansion decks. The plan is to release these cards this fall (one deck per month), but we must warn you that we have a lot of new product lines to start, and it is anything but clear which ones will be ready for release and, of those, which would have the highest priority. We certainly cannot release all of the planned new product lines this fall; that is simply too much for the design crew, production budget, warehouse crew, and distributor chains to handle. (While this isn’t the place to discuss the other product lines, which are described in detail in the Command the Future article, we will note that these include more GURPS products, the “swordfight books,” Star Fleet Aces, and the “secret” project.)

STAR FLEET CARRIER FORCE
This will be one of the first two expansions, and will include additional carriers and (more importantly) new “escort class” ships for all of the races. (Some unresolved design and playtest issues prevent us from telling you right now if the Hydran and Lyran and ISC carriers will be in this product or Star Fleet Invasion Force.)
Escorts will have a special rule, in that each escort will be assigned to one of the carriers. You cannot target the carrier without first destroying the escort (or the two escorts) assigned to that carrier. This will give carriers a greater role in the game (approaching their place of honor from Federation & Empire).
Some of the special cards in this deck might include Ace Pilot, Advanced Weapons, Jammer Pods, Multi-Warhead Drones, FCR (allows a follow-up attack), and perhaps Plasma Racks or other defensive systems as a refit card.
This product would make the game system much “livelier” since more ships could attack without using cards. To balance this, we might allow ships to “buddy up” with both ships able to fire weapons at the incoming fighters. Several new rules regarding fighter attacks and defenses are under consideration.

STAR FLEET INVASION FORCE
This expansion will include the Lyrans, Hydrans, and ISC. These ships will use the existing drone, disruptor, and plasma cards. Some have asked why the Hydrans won’t get their fusion cards and the Lyrans won’t get ESG cards, but the reason is simple arithmatic. With the original mix, there were 14 (out of 36) ships that carried disruptors, and the 52 weapons cards included 8 disruptor cards. If you add more ships and more weapons, the disruptor ships would be a lower percentage of the ships, and the disruptor cards would be a lower percentage of the total weapons cards, and the game would stagnate as your odds of drawing a card that matches your ship would drop by 50%.
The prevailing theory is that these races will get nine cards each, including the six classes from the original Star Fleet Battle Force box, plus an extra carrier and two escorts. That may change, however, as we complete the playtesting phase of the project.
The Hydrans were presented in Captain’s Log #25 and the Lyrans were in Captain’s Log #27. Keeping with the tradition of adding a race in odd-numbered Captain’s Logs, this issue we present the ISC. Most of their weapons are obvious, but the PPD can fire any plasma torpedo, and doubles the damage from a Plasma-S or Plasma-F. A PPD can fire a plasma-F at long range. An ISC ship (other than the DD and FF) can fire two plasma-Fs at fighter squadrons from each of its plasma-F icons.
Andy Palmer’s suggestion that we include some kind of reference card in the deck to show what weapons a PPD or an ESG can fire and under what restrictions will almost certainly be implemented. It is not clear what special cards would be included in this expansion deck, but we have many to choose from. You can pretty much bet that Andromedans will be one of the special cards.

STAR FLEET STRIKE FORCE
This expansion is to include the planet and base cards done as a playtest draft earlier, along with commando ships for all races. We may also include SFG ships and maulers, as well as drone bombardment ships and web casters.
Special cards in this pack might well include terrain cards. You could, for example, play an “asteroid” card which would make drone attacks harder but web caster attacks easier. A Legendary Navigator card would allow you to steer clear of these problems. A Legendary Marine card would be an obvious inclusion.

STAR FLEET EXTREME FORCE
The fourth expansion will be like a Spanish Pinata. Full of goodies and about as likely to smack you in the head as you are to get a good whack on it.
Some of the possible contents include fast ships (able to get to close range on your main body, the second row of ships), X-ships (all kinds of special rules), scouts (electronic warfare), PF Tenders (the universe turns bloody), heavy battlecruisers (the free sample Fed and Klingon BCHs have been very popular), and of course there are dozens of other classes and types in the Star Fleet Universe for us to pick from. One suggestion was to include modular HDW ships and allow players to select which modules they are using when the ship is deployed.

GENERAL NOTES
It is probable that these four expansions will have to last fans of Star Fleet Battle Force for a couple of years. It might seem more logical to release the expansions one at a time, every three months, over the course of an entire year, but the problem is that the cards are incredibly expensive and once they are in the warehouse we need to get them into the stores. One pack a month is probably about the best we could expect.
Given that these four must all be printed at the same time, the BBS has been especially active in proposing new cards and special rules. There are a lot of ideas floating around that could end up in one of these four expansions, although at this point we cannot nail down which ones are more likely or which product they would be in. We might include a space monster (or two) in each product, or put several monsters into one of them. We might include a few more standard weapon cards to re-balance the deck and we might even include a couple of new weapons. Many have proposed espionage cards that let you find out what is in your opponent’s hand (or steal some of his reserve cards). Refit cards could improve (or radically change) a given ship in mid-game. An FRD card could (like the base cards) provide additional repairs. A commodore card might allow two or three ships to combine their attacks (making it easier to generate a ship-killing strike). Many have asked for a T-bomb card and a hit-and-run raid card. Minefields might be a special card (or a terrain card) and would require including a minesweeper (probably a card not a ship).
We might include some new rules, for example, allowing a ship to “sit and TAC” which would give it additional defenses (shield points) but allow the enemy to concentrate fire on it.
The Tholians seem to think that they need a “pinwheel” card although we’re not sure (yet) how they would use it.
Two new kinds of cards are being considered, which would have special backs to be distinguished from Ship and Action cards. One would be a “special reserve” card which you could keep in addition to your regular hand. These might include a minesweeper or some other special cards. (This might be hard to do given that existing special cards do not have a distinctive back, but this might replace the current “reserve card” system.) Another new category might be a “play immediately” card which might include monsters, raiders from other races (Paravians, Andros, Xorkaelians), and special events (Everybody Draw Extra Ship).
Some “special missions” might be added, such as a supply raid that allows you to get some of the reserve cards, a “reinforcements blocked” card that cancels the “draw a new ship” card, and a “suicide mission” card that lets you send one of your ships deep into the enemy formation (but lets the entire enemy fleet fire on it after its attack is over).
Remember that Captain’s Log #26 included a lot of notes, ideas, and concepts for expansions, and other than the fact that we are no longer trying to create a “stand alone second deck,” all of it remains under consideration. We won’t repeat all of that information here, but you might want to review it.
We are also considering the need to do a new on-line rulebook that would clear up some of the confusion (particularly about the planet-based fighter card).

By Kerry Drake (Kedrake) on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 09:29 am: Edit

Voting has opened for Origins Awards and YOU can vote for your FAVORITE card game online HERE

What? Your FAVORITE card game not listed... you can always write it in.

By Scott OBrien (Sao123) on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 11:49 am: Edit

Will you consider selling a multipak with all 4 expansions in one box???

Yay...I feel like i have contributed successfully. My refit card idea might make the final game.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 01:22 pm: Edit

The refit idea we're using is the one I had. I didn't know anybody else had it. Sure, if you order all four expansions, I'll be happy to put them in one box and call UPS for you.

By Ken Humpherys (Pmthecat) on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 02:28 pm: Edit

BTW when voting for the Origins Awards remeber that SFBF is designed by Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 02:56 pm: Edit

Since SFBF wasn't released in 2003 it wouldn't be eligible anyway.

By Geoff Conn (Talonz) on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 03:09 pm: Edit

Voting is closed apparently?

By Scott OBrien (Sao123) on Thursday, June 10, 2004 - 08:24 am: Edit

Hmm. Dont bust my bubble I want to at least feel like I contributed...

April 6 2004 I posted:
2-Add a Refit card (add a bonus weapon/cloak to a given vessel following normal refit rules)


April 20 2004 You posted:
Refit or conversion card.

Refit: e.g., adds a drone rack and a free hit to any Fed/Klingon/Kzinti ships.

Conversions: e.g., converts one photon or disruptor on a Klingon, Fed, or Kzinti ship to a drone rack.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Thursday, June 10, 2004 - 10:17 am: Edit

You'd be mistaken to think I read every message on the board, or that you're the only one who ever had that idea.

By Scott OBrien (Sao123) on Tuesday, August 03, 2004 - 11:11 pm: Edit

Any updates on the expansions?

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 11:51 am: Edit

Hi,

It may well be far too late to mentn this at this late stage, but as regards the reasoning for keeping the existing disruptor and plasma cards to cover the hellebores, fusion beams, ESGs and PPDs, could the cards not have a two-ended design (akin to how some playing cards have the jack, queen etc shown on both ends), with the standard weapon on one end of the card and the fusion/PPD etc on the other?

(if a reprint of the starter deck is done, the double-ended cards could be divided up according to the type of weapon used, so for example the disruptor/fusion or photon/hellebore cards could be put into both the reprint starter deck and the Invasion Force deck, with the PPD/Plasma and ESG/whatever cards left in the Invasion deck and only the weapon cards with the apropriate second edge can be used for that weapon - or all of the double-edged cards could be put into the Invasion deck to limit their use)

Maybe to represent the limitations that firing ESGs and PPDs have compared to disruptors could be shown by the fact that only half of the, say, Disruptor (or Plasma or Drone of a certain type, or even ESG range/strength rated per strength of plasma, so Plasma-f/ESG size 1, Plasma-s/ESG size 2 etc) cards in a double deck would have the, say, ESG on the other side, so the Lyran player would have a limit on how many times the ESG could be used (the PPD could be placed on only one of the various plasma torp counters, or perhaps the lower-strength torps would have underloaded PPDs and vice-versa for the overload)

Hellebores can go on the photon cards, and fusions could be left as disruptors (overload range only)

Perhaps the Plasma cards of a certain type (S, for example) could have half with the appropriate ESG edge on it, the other half with the PPD edge, to keep these weapons rarer in the deck than the other weapons (for a Lyran, a plasma would be useless so the would only get to use the card if it had the ESG edge, leaving the player to rely on those Phaser and Disruptor cards)

Sorry if it sounds odd, or a bit late in the game!

Gary

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 12:04 pm: Edit

There really isn't any way to do that since the plan is to use the existing disruptor/photon/plasma cards in the thousands of decks now in customer hands. No new disruptor/photon/plasma will be printed, so there is no way to make them two edged.

By John Erwin Hacker (Godzillaking) on Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 08:30 pm: Edit

STEVE;
What happened to the Space Dragon Card?. I have looked all over the place for it but for naught.

Could you repost it or is down for a reason?.

Just concerned.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Sunday, October 17, 2004 - 01:32 pm: Edit

I dunno. I thought it was there. If it's outside of the BBS you need to talk to Joe Butler.

By tim allen (Tim) on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - 01:44 pm: Edit

So, how is the expansions comming along? Havent heard anything for a while...

Any idea when they will be released?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - 02:01 pm: Edit

Nope. Busy with too many things. In theory, I need to sit down, write up the four playtest packs (call that a week, maybe two), recruit playtesters (call that a minute, maybe five), playtest them (call that three-four months), do the graphics for the card sheet (call it a week, maybe two), get them printed (figure three weeks, during which the first of the four rulebooks could be printed and the four covers), sit down in front of the TV with 2000 decks of 132 cards and create 8,000 decks of 33 cards (call it a week), package the first product (call it a week), and ship it.

Now, if that was the ONLY project I had to do, you could add it up and estimate the release date.

Pity, it's not the only thing I have to do.

By tim allen (Tim) on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - 02:21 pm: Edit

"Ah." said tim with a smile slowly slipping from his face.

I did'nt realize things were still in the planning/design stages. I Thought maybe most of the work and playtesting was done.

Guess I'll check back in about a year then.

Thanks for the quick reply!

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - 03:41 pm: Edit

Check back in 3 months and see if we have openings for playtesters.

By tim allen (Tim) on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - 11:29 pm: Edit

Thanks, I'll do that. I have a little group of 4-8 players that try to meet once a month or so. I could see if some of them were interested.

I have never done any playtesting before. What all is involved?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 10:37 am: Edit

You test the game and let us know what unanswered questions exist, and what bizarre unintended consequences result from unpredicted combinations of cards.

By james eller III (Jeiii) on Monday, November 22, 2004 - 07:45 pm: Edit

I know this question might have been asked before I havent looked thru all the archives I have the planet and base cards but no rules to play them do you play then like ships please email me some info or please post a comment I am looking forward to an expansion deck even if it means having extra cards I personally wouldnt mind having 2 romulan dreadnauts in my ship pile who wouldnt? The rules i need are for the starfleet battle force card game

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Monday, November 22, 2004 - 08:42 pm: Edit

.......... (Take as many of those as you need.)