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No these map was just a8.5 x11 of the SW corner of the overall F&E Map.

By Joseph Mannino (Joemann) on Sunday, October 05, 2025 - 01:07 pm: Edit

That was in Total War Preview from AoG, which was from Module P3: F&E Mini-Scenario (1101.0) Firewall. Total of 13 hexes and the Hydran Old Colonies. Lyran victory conditions was to build bases in 0117, 0118 and 0119, while the Hydrans were to prevent construction in those hexes. Total of 6 turns.

By Mike Erickson (Mike_Erickson) on Sunday, October 05, 2025 - 01:32 pm: Edit

Is that downloadable from anywhere today?

--Mike

By Ryan Opel (Ryan) on Sunday, October 05, 2025 - 03:26 pm: Edit

I don't think P3 is available for download anywhere. I think all the SFB scenarios have been published outside of playtest now.

We, the F&E staff, could consider adding this to the basic set rules when it's reprint/update comes out.

Ryan
F&E Staff

By Dal Downing (Rambler) on Sunday, October 05, 2025 - 05:54 pm: Edit

Okay now I know whay I am looking for but its all packed away... But thank you. I thought I was going nuts.

By Ryan Opel (Ryan) on Wednesday, October 08, 2025 - 11:08 pm: Edit

DAl,

That last part is a separate question.

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Saturday, October 18, 2025 - 11:29 pm: Edit

I found some old files from like seven years ago -- I was working on a Mirror Universe F&E map / scenario.

Premise: The Federation has become a large, bloated, corrupt empire. It has a very large but outdated fleet (e.g., no NCL yet). The other empires (Klingon, Lyran, Kzinti, Hydran, Vudar, Carnivon, Gorn, and Romulan) are young and hungry. They have much smaller fleets but with newer ships (e.g., CWs). The ISC is a growing threat because they are an expansionist empire who have developed BATS bases that can moved and redeployed rapidly as they push the borders out. Finally, there is the Tholian Holdfast; these invaders from another galaxy just had a population boom (like a cicada brood hatch) and must take territory to grow or die. The Tholians have a unique way of building BATS/SB -- they stack pinwheels.

I made two versions of the map. The first is the same size as the F&E map 61x19.

The second map is larger at 75x25 to cover the entire Federation and ISC empires. It adds the Paravian sanctuary where they rebuilt after being almost annihilated by the Gorn. Finally, the new threat is a wormhole delta: four end points that connect to a passageway to the Andromeda home galaxy. They can send one mothership per endpoint per turn (or per year, if game balance requires).


If anyone is interested in this idea, I can open a separate thread under Scenario Proposals to discuss further.


Garth L. Getgen

By Dal Downing (Rambler) on Monday, October 20, 2025 - 05:46 am: Edit

Dumb question time. What order should I buy the F&E Expansions in?

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Monday, October 20, 2025 - 05:34 pm: Edit

Just bite the bullet and buy everything at once.


Garth L. Getgen

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Monday, October 20, 2025 - 06:12 pm: Edit

@Dal,

That's... a hard question.

Theoretically, each expansion is a stand-alone product that self-balances. So, get whichever seems more interesting if you're budget conscience.

Practically... in reality they were published in a chronological order with prior expansions "in mind." So, I would get the expansions in chronological order of original publication.

On the other hand, Garth is also right. Adding all the expansions together gives you the complete modern version of the General War scenario (the grand campaign, as it were).

It also depends on what you're looking for. If you want to do the ISC romp across the Galaxy, then get ISC war. However, if you're wanting the complete General War experience, then probably ISC war can wait and (to a lesser extent) minor empires can wait, but all the other expansions should be purchased.

YMMV

By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar3) on Monday, October 20, 2025 - 06:17 pm: Edit

Not sure if this is the best order but here's a quick listing …

F&E [2K] (Core game)
FO Fighter Operations
CO Combined Operations
AO Advanced Operations
PO Planetary Operations
SO Strategic Operations
TO Tactical Operations
IW ISC War
ME Minor Empires

By A David Merritt (Adm) on Monday, October 20, 2025 - 06:49 pm: Edit

Another consideration.
If you are joining an existing group, see which they use. Not everyone uses all expansions.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 - 02:31 am: Edit

Accepting 'budget' is always an issue, I personally think the first 3 expansions (FO, CO and AO) add the most to the game and IMHO are the most interlinked.

If you can afford 3 - I would go for them.

if I could only afford '1' - I would go for FO first.


Not sure if I would go for CO or AO second though - CO perhaps introduces the largest single game change dynamic (variable Electronic Warfare) - but AO adds alot in general.

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 - 05:38 pm: Edit

I take it from the lack of response that nobody is interested in my idea for the Alternate Universe / Evil Federation F&E map, posted 18 October 2025.


Garth L. Getgen

By William Jockusch (Verybadcat) on Friday, December 05, 2025 - 03:22 pm: Edit

I have never even remotely considered buying any auxiliary carrier, scout, or combatant. They are not even close to worth the EP cost. For example, rather than investing in LAV fighters, buying FCR is far better.

Aux repair ships may well be worth it as they are presumably more mobile than FRDs. Aux drone ships may be worth it if the Kzinti are sure a capital assault is coming and they lost their initial ones. Aux G ships are probably at times worthwhile to stop rebellions.

This may be intentional on SVC's part . . . I don't know.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Friday, December 05, 2025 - 03:38 pm: Edit

For the Coalition, very early in the war, it's worth it for the Lyrans to buy AUX CVs. They can't get FCRs yet, and it's better to use the FFF (which have a shelf life) on "real" fighters (as opposed to base fighters). Well, aside from the one JGP-V they can get.

Other than that, I agree with William. AUX CVs not worth it.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Saturday, December 06, 2025 - 10:57 am: Edit

I agree - AUX CV's are perhaps poor value...

....but if your attacking - they can be nearly safely used - and as Ted said, they can use your FFF's.

But tactically, they do have 1 thing they can do, which no other Carrier can do - and thats defend a FRD park.

A LAV + 3 Escorts can help cover 5 Tugs (1 being a 'CR 8' Full Tug and balance can be normal tugs) dragging 5 FRD's in a Slow Retreat.

The 12 Fighters plus 3 Escorts can be lost/crippled - and therefore, the persuer prohbably will only getenough damage to kill 1 Tug (and so 1 FRD) - i.e. you do 30 damage say - you let the damage drop and thats the 4 LAV group fighters and an escorts crippled..... or you direct kill a Tug for 24.

WIthout the LAV group - 30 damage can be just dropped and in effect kill 2 FRD's and 2 Tugs.

A horrible high roll for the persuer could see 3 or 4 FRD's die.

But the LAV group will give the persued options -45 damage might just see 1 Tug and 1 FRD die (kill 2 CW escorts and a 5 point escort - 12 fighers and cripple the LAV - or cripple a a Tug and kill a FRD - and not kill anything else???)

So they do have several uses!

By Warren Mathews (Turtle) on Saturday, December 06, 2025 - 12:49 pm: Edit

Here's a warning to slow unit retreat with FRDs and/or other slow units.

---

Quote:

(304.41) CONTROLLING INITIATIVE: If one player has only units that cannot retreat (for example: a base, PDU, FRD, and/or convoy; even those with fighters/PFs) or must use slow retreat (e.g., convoys, towed FRDs), the other player selects both of the numbers (1-4) for the BIR. Variable intensity can still be used.

---

By Warren Mathews (Turtle) on Saturday, December 06, 2025 - 12:51 pm: Edit

The above was discovered in a private discussion over a different but related topic between F&E staff members.

This is what happens when I get forced to think about F&E and my brain is not mush from sleep deprivation.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Saturday, December 06, 2025 - 04:52 pm: Edit

Warren - I was aware of that - hence why 20+ damage is likely in a Slow Persuit battle.

(Other aspect is if there is a normal persuit -those ships do come out of the slow retreat battle line first- so it does reduce the overall damage if you try a slow persuit battle and normal persuit battle).

Makes the LAV critical in taking that damage!

By William Jockusch (Verybadcat) on Saturday, December 06, 2025 - 05:13 pm: Edit

True story. Slow retreat is brutal.

This the main reason why aux carriers are almost never worth buying.

By Warren Mathews (Turtle) on Sunday, December 07, 2025 - 12:11 am: Edit

20+ on average is possible in a slow pursuit battle. It can be far worse depending on the battle force composition and die rolls. The only thing worse is a fight retreat.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Sunday, December 07, 2025 - 03:53 am: Edit

Well, for those that have played long enough.... a brutal slow retreat is better than no retreat

OK -you could self kill the non-retreatable stuff (if you can) prior to retreat so it doesn't auto die - but it wasn't an ideal outcome!

By William Jockusch (Verybadcat) on Sunday, December 07, 2025 - 07:29 am: Edit

Only 20 damage is wildly optimistic for the pursued player as the pursuing player gets a full line, and as mentioned, they pick both BIR dice.

For example, the pursuing player has 90 compot and they set BIR 8, a roll of "1" is already 30% for 27 damage. A roll of "5" is 40% for 36 damage.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Sunday, December 07, 2025 - 10:04 am: Edit

William.... yep - what compot will be alot lower though if 6 ships do the normal persuit.

But - if you have a chance to kill 3 of 4 FRD's with a good roll - you might forgo the norml persuit.

Would a 4 LAV Group make you make a different decision?

i.e. I will only get 1 FRD so will go for the normal persuit too?