From CL#24

MARINE ASSAULT Update

When we got back to our desks after the Interregnum, we had a lot of message slips in the “in basket”. Many of these were from F&E players, who wanted three things:
1. An updated rulebook; they got that in F&E2K.
2. A new product; this is coming this year as AO.
3. Corrections, updates, and fixes to Carrier War, Special Operations, and Marine Assault.

“What?” we asked. “There is a problem with Marine Assault? Wow. I mean, like... Who knew?”

Some of the problems with Marine Assault have already been handled. The Special Assault procedure (520.4) was fixed in CL22. Various errata items published previously deal with some aspects of Monitors and other units.

(519.0) MONITORS
(519.11) The base must be at least a Base Station; smaller bases (including Mobile Bases and other types not yet in the game) do not count. Previous rules defining how many PDUs could be used to release the Monitor did not cancel the base option.
(519.32) While monitors are treated as slow units during retreat (302.74), they cannot retreat from a planet they are defending unless released under the provisions of (519.11).

(521.0) GROUND COMBAT
(521.34) This chart has confused everyone, particularly since it is supposed to be modified by (521.4) and (521.38). Here is a simpler and easier to understand chart:
2-3 Attacking G destroyed and G supporting attack destroyed.
4-5 Attacking G destroyed.
6-7 No effect.
8 Attacking G destroyed; defender casualty.
9-11 Defender Casualty.
12 Defender Casualty; attacker may roll again (same modifiers), treating any result of 2-7 as “no effect”.
Defender Casualties can be resolved by any of the following: loss of a defense battalion, voluntary SIDS, loss of a defensive-supporting GCE.

(521.381) The defending troop ships providing this support must be in the battle hex but need not be in the battle force (they are in the support echelon, dirdam at 3:1), it being assumed that they deposited their troops and left the area before the attackers arrived. If they are part of the battle force, they can be escorted under (521.372) and (521.373); all provisions of those rules apply to defending troop and commando ships in the battle force.

(521.382) If the defender provides multiple GCEs from supporting ships, each one can provide the noted support for one attack in each Combat Round. If the attacker has, for example, five GCEs but the defender has provided three, the attacker would have to conduct the first three attacks against a “supported” battalion (allowing the defender to use the supporting units to absorb casualties) before conducting the final two attacks against an un-supported battalion. If the attacker wanted, he could of course use one or two of the units (521.36) to support the attacks of two of the others. A supporting GCE can be given up in place of a defense battalion only if it supported the defense of that battalion against that specific attack. An independent GCE supporting the battalion would be destroyed with the PDU under (521.832).

(521.383) No more than one defending G can be used to support any base in a single combat round. A starbase could have two Gs (e.g., its intrinsic one and another), only one of which could defend against any given enemy Marine attack, but either of which could be given up to resolve a defender casualty under (521.34). (Note that many Gs can be deployed on a planetary surface to support PDUs because there is much more room for them to deploy.) While each GCE on a planet can only defend against a single marine assault in a given combat round, a GCE on a base can defend against every marine attack in that combat round (at least, until it is given up as a casualty.)

(521.4) A successful Marine attack on a crippled battle station will destroy it, as a crippled battle station effectively has only one SIDS step. Note that if a Marine element from a ship in the hex is helping to defend the BATS, that Marine unit could be given up as the casualty required by a successful attack. Note, however, that a 12 result (521.34) might cause extra damage and could result in the destruction of the base.
A successful Marine attack [one scoring a defender casualty on (512.34) above] on an uncrippled deployed Mobile Base would cripple it; a successful attack on a crippled mobile base would destroy it. Of course, if the defender has provided a supporting Marine G element from a ship in the hex, that GCE could be given up instead of damaging the MB.
A starbase could, if he wished, give up its own “intrinsic G” to resolve a defender casualty scored under (521.34).
Note that multiple Marine attacks during a single Combat Round are possible, but only one of them can score a SIDS step. However, any number of such attacks can destroy Marine elements. A fleet defending a starbase could in theory send a GCE from a troop ship in the hex (521.38) to the starbase each round (two of them if the intrinsic G was lost earlier) and give up that GCE instead of a SIDS step lost to a Marine attack.

(521.5) There is no requirement to select a particular battle intensity to take advantage of this bonus.

(521.82) This rule is no longer used, as it has been replaced by the Gorn advantage (308.87) in F&E2K.

(521.831) Independent GCEs can be placed on planets in the capital hex within the limits of this rule; the troop ship can then remain in the hex or retrograde to any other supply point within range. Note, however, that these units cannot be placed on the actual capital planet as each of its battalions (521.835) already has a supporting GCE and this rule (521.831) prohibits deployment of IGCEs that exceed the number of battalions.

(521.833) This rule relates only to planets, not to Starbases.

(521.834) An independent GCE placed on a starbase can be given up to resolve a “defender casualty” under (521.34).
Note that the reference to “two or more” defending Gs on a starbase is a typographical error; no more than two Gs can be on a starbase at any given time. This limit (max of 2 from all sources) includes the intrinsic G, any independent G provided by this rule, and any “visiting” Gs provided under (521.38).

(521.835) The IGCE provided by this rule represents the National Guard (or other reserve) planetary defense troops. This IGCE can only perform the defensive support role (521.38); it is destroyed with its defense battalion rather than being given up in place of it; this is the only way this IGCE can be destroyed). This IGCE is used to defend against every Marine attack on that battalion during a given turn in an exception to (521.38). Any ship-based “supporting” GCEs provided under (521.38) could be given up as casualties under (521.34) but each can only be used against one such attack and they provide no additional bonus beyond the intrinsic IGCE.
These intrinsic capital IGCEs could be destroyed by bombardment (521.833), in which case the ship-supplied GCEs would have their normal function. (They cannot be given up voluntarily.) If the battalion survives the Combat Phase, the owner must pay 1 EP to recruit a new IGCE for that defense battalion.
There is confusion in the final part of the original one sentence rule. The planet (not the IGCE) recruits a new IGCE for each defense battalion added, so that every new battalion built has an IGCE from the time it was created.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, November 08, 2002 - 03:55 pm: Edit

CL25 file:

RULES & RULINGS

UPDATES TO “NEW CARRIERS” IN CL#24
The Federation DVL is converted from a DNL. Historically, this was done in Y173. The eight fighter factors are a single
F14 squadron. No more than one can be in service at any given time. This ship can function as an unescorted carrier only
when used on raids under the AO rules.
The note on the Federation CVF means just what it says; you get to build this one ship outside of the normal production
system. Only one can be in service at a time; building a replacement for the original CVF would mean converting a CF (2
points) or a CA (5 points) or building it as a substitution for a CF (10 points), plus the cost of fighters. This ship can
function as an unescorted carrier only when used on raids under the AO rules.
Only one oversized squadron can be in a given battle force, and only with its carrier. If used as an independent squadron, it
must be reorganized into standard-sized squadrons. If two carriers with oversized squadrons are in a battle force, one of
them must reorganize its fighters into standard-sized squadrons.
Area control ships have one squadron of six standard fighter factors and one squadron of eight heavy fighter factors
(unless operating as a single 14-factor oversized squadron).

STRATEGIC MOVEMENT UPDATE
Players have noted a glitch in that ships trying to reach an embattled base or planet are often prevented from doing so by
the presence of small enemy units that are clearly no threat to the base. These rules fix this. While the resulting change
is favorable to the Alliance, it is not regarded as a serious game balance issue and no counter-balance is needed.
(204.22) The moving units can never enter a hex containing enemy units or which is adjacent to a hex containing enemy
units (not merely ships) except as provided below.
(204.221) The Outer Reaction Zone of units with a two-hex Reaction Zone does not block Strategic Movement.
(204.222) Units can leave (i.e., begin their strategic movement in) a hex adjacent to enemy units by Strategic
Movement if they meet all other conditions.
(204.223) Units using Strategic Movement can enter a hex containing a Strategic Movement Node even if enemy units are
adjacent to that node, so long as:
a- The hex which the moving units entered the node hex from is a hex legal for Strategic Movement and
b- The number of friendly ships in the node hex exceeds the total number of enemy ships in all adjacent hexes.

CEDS CONVERSIONS
The CEDS escort replacement rules (allowing you to convert existing ships or even borrow ships from the next turn’s
production) have been controversial from the beginning. These are, obviously, a fudge to make the carrier groups work,
and in a very real sense should be ignored after the publication of Carrier War. This isn’t possible, however, as the effect
on game balance of eliminating this “cheat code” (which is vital to the Alliance on the first few turns) would be
devastating. Even so, it is obviously “wrong” and requires a correction.
(308.132A) If borrowing a ship from the next turn’s production, you must pay a penalty of one EP for “accelerated”
completion of a previously scheduled unit. No penalty for mothball ships.
(308.132B) If converting an existing ship, the conversion counts against the next turn’s conversion capacity for the
owning race. Each starbase can make one three-point conversion, and each escort conversion would take one of these
points (so three escort conversions would use the entire capacity of one starbase). Any unused capacity would be available
for normal use on the next turn. The capital starbase is assumed, for purposes of this rule only, to be capable of making
five-points of conversions, so any escort conversions would reduce its maximum. Example: The Kzintis need to convert
five assorted standard warships into escorts to replace losses. They use the starbase in 1704 to convert three of these,
and use two points from the capital starbase to make two more conversions, leaving it able to make a single three-point
conversion on the next turn.

THE PRICE OF PURSUIT
There has been much discussion over the issue of how many minus points someone can take into a pursuit battle. At a
public meeting with the staff, playtesters, and players at Origins 2002, it was decided that there should be a limit.
(308.2) No battle force in a pursuit battle can use more than seven minus points. If there are more than seven minus
points from previous battles in that hex, they are ignored.
Exception: In a retreat from a battle in a capital hex, the maximum is 14 points, with no more than seven from any one
system.

THE DAWN OF THE FIGHTERS
F&E is focused on the General War, and attempts to use it for Free Campaigns tend to generate hundreds of questions about
the timing of certain units. For example, can a race that hasn’t even invented fighters accumulate hundreds of “free
fighter factors” or start operating generic auxiliaries? Apparently not.
(442.64) In a free campaign, no race begins receiving free fighter factors until it is scheduled to produce its first
regular carrier. Generic carriers, such as auxiliaries and monitor pods, do not become available until that date and do not
change the date.

QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
By Nick Blank
Q2601: Is there a way to get the complete errata file for F&E?
A: Yes. It’s on the web site. I recompile it after each issue of Captain’s Log and have Joe Butler load it into the F&E section.
You can also get a printout by sending a self-addressed envelope with two stamps or ask for it to be included in your next
mail order.
Q2602: Since The Hurricane (603.14) says to set up the Gorns after Turn #11, does this mean that Gorn ships can react
to Coalition movements during the Coalition player turn of Turn #12, or that Gorn reserve fleets can be sent into
Fed-Romulan battles on the Coalition portion of Turn #12?
A: No, it does not. The Gorns enter the General War on the Alliance player-turn of Turn #12. The rules have you set up
before the Coalition Player Turn so the Romulans get a chance to defend against your impending invasion.
Q2603: If I send ships out of supply as a reaction on the enemy player turn, can my ally adopt them as homeless ships and
provide them fuel and ammunition during that enemy player turn?
A: Rule (410.56) says that a player-race declares which Homeless ships he is supporting at the start of his player turn,
so ships which arrived during the previous enemy-player turn cannot be adopted until the start of the host race’s player
turn.
Q2604: Is the Kzinti DDE a heavy escort as in recent rulings or a light escort as in CL20?
A: It is a heavy escort due to the doctrine of its deployment. If you have any left in Y176 or later, you can reclassify them
as light escorts. The ship will be in AO and formal rules there may change this.
Q2605: If the Lyrans do not attack the Kzintis on Turn #1, what Kzinti fleets can be used to attack the Lyrans?
A: The answer is in the rulebook. The Duke, Count, and Home Fleets are released no matter what the Lyrans do or do not do.
But why attack your neighbor? Surely you could just send a diplomatic delegation to resolve the issues amicably?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, January 17, 2003 - 05:37 pm: Edit

(311.21) Shock for non-maulers. This rule is changed as follows. Ships other than maulers which are marked to take shock roll two dice; they are crippled if the total of the two dice is 12.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:23 am: Edit

CL 26 RULES & RULINGS
By Nick Blank

FIGHTING RETREAT
(302.775) In the event that a “fighting retreat” enters a hex with a base (or a non-base unit which is treated as a base for combat purposes) special cases apply as follows:
A: If the hex contains a friendly base (e.g., SB, BATS, BS, MB, LTF) or planet, the conditions and penalties of a fighting retreat do not apply after the first approach battle. The retreating units are merged with the friendly units at the base/planet and conduct future rounds of combat normally (i.e., a fighting retreat just turned into a normal retreat).
B: If the hex contains a friendly “base-like unit” (e.g., FRD, Convoy, Tug acting as a supply point, Tug setting up mobile base) AND (after the retreat) the total friendly forces in the hex (not including those conducting the fighting retreat) have more ships than the total enemy forces, the conditions and penalties of a fighting retreat do not apply. The retreating units are merged with the friendly units at the base/planet and conduct future rounds of combat normally (i.e., a fighting retreat just turned into a normal battle at a base.)
C: If the hex contains a friendly “base-like unit” (e.g., FRD, Convoy, Tug acting as a supply point) AND (after the retreat) the total friendly forces in the hex have fewer ships than the total enemy forces, the conditions of “fighting retreat” apply and the ships would have to fight one round [an approach battle, technically] under the penalty of (302.77) and then continue retreating as required by (302.771). This could involve a separate slow-unit retreat (302.742) by any units of that type. [Note that units are never forced to use a “fighting retreat” and could retreat somewhere else, but that the tactical situation would probably make the choice irrelevant.]
D: If the hex contains an enemy base or “base-like unit”, the conditions of “fighting retreat” apply and ALL of the ships would have to fight one round [an approach battle, which the base-defending player might decline] under the penalty of (302.77) and then continue retreating (effectively abandoning the planned attack on the base). This could involve a separate slow-unit retreat (302.742) by any units of that type. [Note that units conducting a normal retreat would not disrupt the attack on the enemy base. It may be possible in some situations provided in the rules to enter the hex by either a fighting or normal retreat.]

COMBAT RULES
(302.133) Cloaks: If the chosen flagship successfully uses cloaked evasion (306.1), a new flagship is chosen from those eligible units which failed to evade.
(303.5) Destroyer Leaders: Hydran LN and KN destroyers also count for the destroyer leader rule, reflecting the destroyer leaders published in SFB (Count, Earl, and Warrior).
(304.4) Variability against non-mobile defenses: This includes both slow-retreat units and non-retreating bases. We apologize that it was not reworded when “slow-retreat units” were created in the 2K revision.
(305.47) Uses of captured ships: These are some additional notes, rules, and restrictions in response to player questions:
Captured Lyran twin-hull ships cannot be converted into trimarans by the capturing power (e.g., no CL to BC conversions).
Captured Gorn “single bubble” ships cannot be converted into “double bubble” ships (e.g., no DD to BDD conversions).
Captured Romulan SPs cannot be converted into heavy hawks. No captured ship can be converted into a survey ship.
(308.131) This rule allows you to retrograde carrier groups during the enemy player turn, and allows you to repair a carrier group damaged in a previous turn. It does not provide an exception to (206.33) which prohibits retrograding a carrier group that was not in combat on the previous combat phase, so you cannot use this rule to keep retrograding a crippled carrier group twice a turn all the way across the Federation.
(311.21) Shock for non-maulers: Players should direct their attention to the change in Combined Operations. Ships other than maulers which are marked to take shock roll two dice; they are crippled if the total of the two dice is 12.
(315.24) Allowed in Battle Groups: One NCA can replace the one permitted CWL (and only if two standard CWs are present). This item, (315.24), is regarded as a playtest proposal only.

RAIDS ON FIXED LOCATIONS
(314.254) This rule requires some further elaboration.
As you can designate that a fixed unit (e.g., a base) is or is not in the same location (system) as another fixed unit, it is entirely possible that not all of these units might be in the same location. If, for whatever reason, you set up two bases at different locations (or a base in a different location from a planet), each of the items listed in this rule would have to be designated as being at one or the other location.
A tug or LTT setting up or upgrading a base or PDU would of course be located with that base or PDU and subject to the defense provisions of this rule. If you had captured Kzinti planet 1202 and had put four PDUs on it, then a tug setting up a mobile base in the same system as that planet could not be attacked by a raider who had not first battled all of those PDUs. Note, however, that two tugs setting up mobile bases (or doing something else) in this hex would not defend each other. Let’s say that in 1202 you have four Klingon PDUs, a Klingon BATS being upgraded by a Tug, and a Lyran tug setting up an MB. To attack either tug means first fighting the BATS and the PDUs, but not the second tug. Similarly, a tug performing any mission in the hex is not part of the “fixed defenses” protecting anything else there.
A tug acting as a supply point is also covered by this rule since it could be designated as being co-located with a planet or base (if no declaration is made, this is in fact assumed to be true). While one might think that a tug serving as a supply point would never be located with a base or planet which is itself a supply point, this could easily happen when it is an allied tug.
Special Attack Forces are considered convoys in some respects, including this one. Monitors are by definition of their own rules “with” the planet, and hence are protected by all of the bases and PDUs associated with that planet’s location.
A warship in the hex is not protected by the bases or PDUs unless crippled since it is assumed to be on patrol.

OTHER RULES
(431.1) Shipyard: The capital hex is the shipyard hex. (It is curious that this common term was never defined.) For the Romulans this is 4613; for the Gorns this is 4402.
(431.5) Starbases can produce PFs and an FF at the same time.
(431.8) Substitutions: Lyrans can freely substitute the catamaran version of a scheduled trimaran, e.g., CA for DN, CL for BC, DD for CW, FF for DW. Why they would want to is not clear.
(502.91) Fed F111s: The Federation has to pay 10 EPs on each of the three turns that bases get extra fighters to reflect that other races are paying for their PFs. This reflects rule (527.14) in Advanced Operations which has the same cost.
(508.16) Residual Defense Factors are not units in any sense. They do not block retreat or pursuit. You cannot re-devastate them over and over to rack up points. Any mention of Residual Defense Unit should be read as Residual Defense Factor.
(517.43) Overloaded Tugs: Combined Operations corrected the error that said Lyran tugs with SCPs were overloaded; they aren’t overloaded (as it says in SFB).
(705.3) Kzinti FFK: Any FKEs produced by CEDS replacements count against the limit of three FFK/FKEs per turn.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:23 am: Edit

CL26 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS

CARRIERS AND ESCORTS
Q2601: If a carrier escort is already crippled and I want to destroy it using CEDS, does it get the +1 bonus?
A: Real escorts always provide the +1 bonus to other real escorts (whether crippled or not), but an escort only adds the bonus to its uncrippled side. If crippled, (308.111) says it does not receive the +1 bonus. Ad-hoc escorts (515.34) do not give or receive this bonus.
Q2602: My carrier group has one crippled escort, and the enemy wants to use directed damage to cripple the entire group. He claims he can ignore the crippled frigate as it is already crippled.
A: And he is right. See (308.111) which specifically says that if he is directing on the entire group to cripple it, he can ignore ships that are already crippled. Of course, if he wants to destroy the crippled escort that would have to be done in a separate attack, probably on a separate combat round.
Q2603: Can Hydran hybrid carriers send their fighters forward as independent units? And if they can, I’d assume they are stil under the 18 fighter limit, and are treated as carrier fighters.
A: Hydran hybrid carriers use rule (302.35) for sending their fighters forward as independent ship equivalents just like any other race, they get no special benefit or difference. Under (302.35) every six independent fighters count against the command limits as a ship equivalent, and they count against the limit of three ship-equivalents of fighters in the battleforce under (302.332-B) because their carrier is absent.
Q2604: I have a carrier group deployed at start on one of my starbases. The enemy came and attacked, damaged the group, and left. Can I now repair the ships under CEDS and then use Strategic Movement to form the ships into a new reserve?
A: Yes. A ship cannot use Operational Movement (or Retrograde or Retreat) and still form a reserve, but Strategic Movement and repairs have no impediment to forming a new reserve.
Q2605: Could auxiliaries be used as carrier escorts?
A: No, they are non-ship units, and “slow”.
Q2606: Building a carrier counts against the carrier limits. Converting a non-carrier to a carrier counts against the carrier limits. Does converting a carrier into a different kind of carrier count against the carrier limits?
A: We had to go back to SVC on this one since nobody knew why he inserted the rule that a Kzinti CVL converted to a CV counts as a carrier build. He intended that to be a general rule, so any conversion of a carrier to another kind of carrier counts if the ship gains fighter factors in the deal. A Federation NVL being upgraded to an NVS wouldn’t count against the limit. A carrier converted into a scout-carrier counts against the scout limit, but in a specific exception doesn’t count against the carrier limit even though it gains two fighter factors. A carrier converted into an SCS counts against the SCS limit. A carrier converted into a CVA counts against the CVA limit.

TURN ONE, THE QUESTIONS JUST WONT’ STOP
Q2607: Do Klingons get the free prime team on Turn #1 even though they are not at war?
A: Rule (601.161) says they do.
Q2608: Can the Lyrans build auxiliary carriers on Turn #1 or do they have to wait for their real carriers in Y171?
A: The new Order of Battle gives them pre-war auxiliary carriers as a pilot training school. Even if it had not, they can build auxiliary carriers “when at war” as per (513.112).
Q2609: Can I move the tugs from the Klingon Home and Northern Reserve Fleets out of their deployment areas on Turn #1 to set up Mobile bases near the Kzintis?
A: No, rule (601.2) says those fleets are inactive on Turn #1 and ships from inactive fleets cannot leave their areas.

TUGS AND PODS
Q2610: Can tugs in the initial set up have pods or missions? The Sequence of Play usually requires this assignment to done later in the turn.
A: Rule (509.32) says the non-phasing player can assign tug missions before play begins.
Q2611: Are pods assigned to a specific fleet in the initial set up?
A: They are listed as the “pod pool” and can be used by any tug. One might presume that a scenario somewhere might list a particular group of ships as being separate from the main fleet and main supply grid, in which case there would be limits on matching pods and tugs.
Q2612: Can a tug carry around a mobile base without sitting it up? I want to keep it out of reach of the enemy until I figure out a good place to use it.
A: Why not? Just give the tug the mission “move mobile base” and keep an open mind on the destination. It does tie up a tug, but that a choice you can make.
Q2613: How do you keep track of the Hydran supply tug if you happen to move several tugs into a stack?
A: If you have several identical tugs in a stack, then when you want to move out the special supply tug you just say “I am moving that one”. Or you can use the special tug counter provided in Combined Operations.
Q2614: Considering this magical Hydran tug that has 20 ship-turns of supplies and a bunch of spare fighters. Is this a mission or a pod? Does transferring the FCP pod from Combined Operations to a different tug give that tug the supply ability?
A: There is much confusion as these are two different things, and the way you handle them varies between standard F&E and F&E+CO.
The FCP pod (spare fighters) and the supplies are two separate functions. A single tug (the one for the expedition) has both. The supplies are a major pre-war logistic trick that cannot be repeated once it’s used up. In F&E, they both stay with that tug; in CO you can move the pod to another tug but only the original tug has the supplies. The FCP pod can be refilled indefinitely and you can build a new one (if you can afford it) after losing one. The supply tug cannot be replaced and can only be refilled once.

RESERVE MARKERS
Q2615: The Marquis Fleet (except for the six ships left on the Federation Border) is released when the Klingons invade the Hegemony. Can it be assigned a reserve marker on Turn #1 and react to Klingon movement?
A: Yes, in both cases.
Q2616: Can I send more than one reserve fleet to a specific battle hex?
A: Nothing prevents this.
Q2617: If I assign a reserve marker to an inactive fleet and then add active ships to the reserve fleet, what happens when I want to move the reserve fleet but the original inactive fleet is still inactive?
A: Remember that nothing requires you to move every ship in a reserve fleet (203.72). So in your case, you would just leave the inactive ships behind (they would lose reserve status). Now, take special care here. You can do this only because the reserve marker was itself active. You cannot add active ships to an inactive reserve marker due to rule (507.43) which says you can’t.


COMBAT, THE MOMENT OF DECISION
Q2618: Does the leader effect (303.5) add one attack factor, or does it also increase the defense factor?
A: The rule is rather clear that only the attack factor is increased.
Q2619: A Klingon D7A made three stasis attempts, one each on the outside escort of three different carrier groups, and all three were random selection. I claim he cannot pick as a target the escorts that he originally targeted, but he says he can.
A: The rules are complex and fortunately were just fixed in Combined Operations, but even before that time, the answer was the same. First, you have to fully resolve each stasis attempt before the first die roll for the next one. Second, a ship which was targeted but not frozen can be the target of a random selection of a later attempt (312.235). So, if the Klingon bungled his attempt on the outer escort of Group #1 and got a “random” result, he could select the outer escort of Group #2 and Group #3, and the next ship in Group #1, as his three ships. If there were not other defending ships besides the three carrier groups, the defender would have to select other ships inside those groups.
Q2620: When defending my capital, can I redeploy the static units between systems each combat round?
A: No, the rules require the 50% of ships on static defense to remain where they are initially deployed. The only exception in the rulebook is if the attacker pulls back to do more approach battles and then comes back to the systems themselves. Another exception is in the errata file: (511.53) If all bases and PDUs in the hex have been destroyed and all planets have been devastated, all “static” ships are transferred to the “mobile” fleet element.
Q2621: A Klingon fleet enters a hex with a bunch of Hydran units including warships, auxiliaries, an FRD, a convoy, and a military convoy. The Klingons don’t want the hex or even a big fight, they just want to bag the soft support units. What happens?
A: By virtue of rule (302.211), the FRD and the two convoys are treated as “bases” and (after an approach battle) can be attacked. The auxiliary warships can be included in battle forces if the owner wants but don’t have to be.
Q2622: Do plus/minus points from a planet battle stay with the specific planet or are they part of the system?
A: F&E2K clarified that they are with the specific planet. The exception of course is an approach or pursuit battle. See rule (308.25) in the 2K edition.

PRODUCTION, WITHIN LIMITS
Q2623: Is there a limit on the number of scouts you can build in a turn? My opponent just built five of them!
A: Rules (432.41) only allows you to substitute one scout for a base hull, but you can convert as many as you have starbases to do the conversion.
Q2624: Hydran DWs and their variants have service dates of Y173, but a rule says they can only build four of them during Y173-175. Can I convert as many FFs as I want into DWs and DW variants?
A: No, the rule only allows four DWs during that period, and even those can only be built by substitution, not conversion, although most of variants are available for those four production slots.
Q2625: The Hydrans enter the General War on a fall turn. Do they get all of their annualized fighters or only half of them?
A: Half of them.
Q2626: Can a CA be substituted for a CC?
A: Yes. Rule (701.0) lists several allowed generic substitutions including that one.
Q2627: Can the frigate or war destroyer production allowed to starbases be a variant? Can I build an F5E carrier escort or F5G commando ship instead of an F5?
A: No problem with those. See (431.52) which allows only escort and commando variants for starbase production.

MONITOR THE SITUATION
Q2628: In the case of a captured planet with PDUs from two allies, can both of them send a monitor?
A: No! By (508.232) one race is the “owner” of the planet and while he can allow allies to put PDUs there, only the owner can send a monitor there. The really nifty part is that if two allies change ownership of the planet, the monitor of the original owner still has to stay until defenses are built.
Q2629: Can at-start Monitors leave their assigned planets since all planets have PDUs?
A: No, the rules require you to ADD a brigade (or max out the defenses, or add a BATS) before at-start monitors can redeploy.
Q2630: I don’t understand the use of the term “base position” regarding monitors. They always count against command limits (519.21) so just what is this “base position” and what does it mean?
A: It means they count as a base for approach battles.
Q2631: Can monitors be used to garrison captured planets at the start of a scenario?
A: The old Marine Assault rules seemed to imply this could not be done but Combined Operations says it can.

RETREAT IS JUST ANOTHER DIRECTION FOR ATTACK
Q2632: In a fighting retreat, is an overall BIR of 10 used for both sides?
A: In a fighting retreat the person conducting the fighting retreat is at BIR 0 and the person blocking the fighting retreat is at BIR 10. They do not get added together. The retreating player rolls the damage he causes on the BIR 0 line, and the blocking player rolls the damage he does on the BIR 10 line.
Q2633: Do the retreat priorities (302.731) cover Neutral Zones?
A: Only if they are adjoining future belligerants. Once the races are at war, the original neutral zones are just unclaimed territory. Rule (302.731) mostly covers neutral countries such as the WYN, LDR, or ISC.
Q2634: What are the hex-choices for a joint Lyran-Klingon fleet retreating from 0413? Assume (302.76) that the nearest Klingon supply node, 1013, is cut-off and Klingon forces would be out of supply regardless of where they retreat, while 0411 is the nearest Lyran supply node.
A: For joint retreat it depends on who commanded the last battleforce. If the last flagship was Lyran, then everyone uses Lyran priorities, and you must retreat to 0412 (retreat priority step 3-D says so) assuming there are no enemies in that hex.
If the last flagship was Klingon, then everyone uses Klingon retreat priorities, and since in the Klingon case you are out of supply regardless of choice (and Step 3-A says don’t use Step 3 at all), you can pretty much retreat to any hex where there are not overwhelming enemies present (which are prohibited by Step 2), or with fighting retreat you can retreat to a hex containing enemies provided you are not outnumbered there (Fighting Retreat overrules Step 4).
If using separate retreat, then the Lyrans will have to go to 0412 and the Klingons can go to any hex where there are no Hydrans, and maybe even Hydran-controlled hexes with fighting retreat.
The overall situation will dictate the best choice for the Klingons. It might be to retreat with the Lyrans, or it might be to try to get closer to other Klingon units who could rescue them.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:24 am: Edit

CL26 Q&A FOR
ADVANCED OPERATIONS
Q2601: Can I built or convert an IC the expensive way if I still have the homeworld shipyard in Y171?
A: That is what the rule says.
Q2602: In Winds of Fire, the Federation has DDX and other X-ships the SIT says it cannot build. What up?
A: Both the SIT and Scenario are right. If you play the scenario, you have the ships. If you play the campaign, you cannot build them until the authorized turn.
Q2603: Why were the “extra” Fed CVAs removed from the playtest draft in AO?
A: They were non-historical, and we went back and forth for some time on whether to include them and finally decided that it was a historical scenario and could not have extra CVAs that the players build but the Federation did not.
Q2604: Why are the Hydrans and Lyrans allowed fewer SAPs than LAPs by the chart in (762.0)?
A: SAPs have such limited abilities that few were built.
Q2605: Why does the Orion SLV cost 4 EPs when it is such a weak unit?
A: Because it has the special ability to carry EPs.
Q2606: Shouldn’t the CLs in the carrier groups in the Marquis Fleet be CLEs?
A: No, they are standard CLs. As noted in SFB, history reflects that many Kzinti carriers went into the General War with CLs as escorts instead of CLEs.
Q2607: I like the new counter silhouettes better than the old ones. Will all the old sheets be changed?
A: Over time. Sheets ABCD should run out within a year and will be replaced with new silhouettes then. Sheets G-through-M are not likely to run out for years.
Q2608: Was the AO Romulan production schedule changed?
A: Yes, although there have been enough different Romulan production schedules that it’s hard to tell. The one in AO is the correct one.
Q2609: The Romulan SPV is a bad deal as it doesn’t gain any fighter strength over the SPB version. What gives?
A: That’s the way it is. At least the eight heavy fighter factors are one squadron while the eight standard fighter factors on the SPB are one squadron and a fraction. But to add insult to injury, the SIT is correct and you do have to pay two EPs to convert the SPB into the SPV. Poor Romulans. At least the SPV makes a dandy FCR-H to support bigger carriers fitted with heavy fighters.
Q2610: Doesn’t (501.9) which says “Six (actually 6-8)...” mean that the SPB and any other carrier with seven or eight fighter factors automatically has an oversized squadron?
A: No, it means and says no such thing. All that “6-8” part means is that with less than 9 fighter factors you cannot claim 1.5 pinning equivalents.
Q2611: The SIT lists the production cost of an FRX as 12 but to convert one from an FRD is 10. Is that correct? Why so much to convert vs build?
A: Because of the extensive changes to the structure. Yes, the cost of conversion is correct.
Q2612: Are the SFG ship Year In Service dates right?
A: Yes, they are correct. In the original Special Operations, you were (vaguely) warned to use the SFB dates which were not referenced in the F&E system until now.
Q2613: What chart does the C5A use?
A: Same as the C9A, as per CL22 and Combined Ops.
Q2614: The Federation E2 SWAC has an introduction date of Turn #4. Do they get free ones in PWC? Can they buy them if they have control of their economy due to some event?
A: Yes to both.
Q2615: I noticed that FCRs don’t have an escort box on the crippled side. What’s up?
A: As it says in (562.35), they lose the ability to become an escort when crippled, but if crippled while serving as an escort they can stay there.
Q2616: Why were two SAFs added to the Klingons in AO?
A: To balance additions to other races also made in AO.
Q2617: Do the two new Klingon SAFs still have their single allowed strategic movement remaining or did they using it reaching the Northern and Southern Reserve Fleets?
A: This no longer matters as the rules of Combined Operations allowed SAFs to make multiple strategic movements.
Q2618: Why do the Romulans add SEH production so late in the war?
A: As the history (i.e., the SFB background says) the SEH was designed that late and went into production to replace the many lost smaller ships on secondary missions. The SEH production schedule is historically correct.
Q2619: Given the confusion between (441.341) and (527.14), does the Federation use F111s or double fighters on its PDUs?
A: They use double fighters (527.14) and pay for them (502.91). You could put F111s on them by using CP1s.
Q2620: Is Option E (525.74) intended for use on stasis ships?
A: Well, not just them, but it is very useful against them.
Q2621: Given (315.32), if I have six CWs in my battle group can two of them claim the leader bonus?
A: First, you can have six CWs in the battle force (and two of them get the leader bonus) but only three in a Battle Group as it is limited to three Size-3 ships.
Q2622: If the enemy uses an FCR as an escort but I cripple it and it loses its escort mark, is it now an ad hoc escort with all of the vulnerabilities provided by those rules?
A: No. See (526.35) which clearly shows that since it was a valid escort when assigned the job it remains a valid escort even when crippled. If you had crippled it and then it had been added to a carrier group, it would be an ad hoc escort.
Q2623: Rule (523.111) says that the Lyran DDX replaces a CW. Shouldn’t it replace a DW since the DD is subed for a DW?
A: First, the DD can be substituted for either a CW or a DW. Second, the DDX must be subbed for a CW because the DW docks are too small.
Q2624: If a Fed CVA is crippled, what fighters does it have?
A: Three factors of A10s and three factors of F14s.
Q2625: Can the X-ships stacked with X-scouts react (523.222) to a Reserve fleet if they have already moved their full allowed operational movement? For example, if I move a stack of X-ships seven hexes to a given point adjacent to a battle hex, and the enemy moves reserves into that battle hex, can the X-ships then move an 8th hex to enter the battle?
A: Yes. They could also move their one hex to pin part or all of a moving Reserve Fleet. Aren’t X-ships dandy?
Q2626: Is the cost of upgrading a BATS to a X-BATS right? Given all of the upgrade paths from one type of base to another, and from Non-X bases to X-bases, that one seems out of kilter.
A: It is correct. All of the various pathways were evaluated and this one just had the biggest technical problem to solve.
Q2627: Is the cost to upgrade a Romulan SPB to an SUB correct at five EPs?
A: Yes, it is.
Q2628: Does direction of movement of raiding unit (314.241) affect the ability of a reacting unit per (205.16)?
A: This is complicated by the special nature of raid movement, in that defenders can only react to the final destination hex, not the ship during movement. That being the case, the direction of movement is irrelevant and you can react if within range.
Q2629: How would you resolve a battle with a BATS under an alternative attack?
A: Consult (318.7) to see if you can use (310.0) or might be forced into the regular combat system by the 14-point limit.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:24 am: Edit

CL26 AFTER ACTION REPORT:
ADVANCED OPERATIONS
The long-awaited release of Advanced Operations happened during February, although a snow storm impounded most copies in the UPS terminal in Mesquite for several days. In a sudden burst of marketing genius, we offered (by mail order only) an expanded edition with extra counters, and more than two-thirds of all mail orders were for this type.
Our printer managed to introduce some errors in the counters. We have switched to locking the counters in Photoshop to prevent any further errors by them. The known counter errors include: Orion DWV listed as 45 combat instead of 4 fighter and 5 combat. Lyran 3xCWX is listed as 3xCW. The Generic ASC has -4 instead of 1-4. The Federation LAH should be 1-4 not 4. The Gorn BDSX should be 4-9. The Lyran SCX should be a 4-8.
A few things that were discussed early in the design process (like an EW chart that went to +4) were discarded based on playtest reports. Those who saw early drafts but didn’t pay attention to the design process had some surprises. Somebody once started a rumor that base power modules would make all bases have full EW and full combat without losing anything (in AO they lose their PFs doing this) but it was never part of the design.
(314.253) If the raider attacks a PDU, it must first fight a round of normal combat against all bases, PDUs and monitors assigned to the planet. Then, if it survives, (314.28) will allow the raider to attack a single PDU. There are no approach battles during raids. A result of crippled or retreat would destroy the battalion.
(314.28) Note that any alternative attack must use the Single Combat Table, not the regular combat system, unless it qualifies for the exceptions in (318.7).
(315.26) LNH is sometimes misspelled LHN.
(316.229) If an Admiral is removed from an inactive fleet then an admiral produced under the normal rules (316.32) could be sent to that fleet without actually needing a ship.
(318.3) The Federation can start building subsequent battleships under the regular rules two years after this event is triggered.
(318.8) Hydran tugs or LTTs with CV pods: fighters from the pod are a squadron and the fighters on the ship are casual fighters.
(441.341) Federation PDUs do not use F111s but standard fighters, so all references to F111s and their cost should be ignored. Rule (527.14) is correct.
(441.413) The Federation pays 2.25 EPs for the module (not zero) under option (527.16) to pay for the first load of F111s.
(441.432) Should refer to a published SB counter having 12 fighter factors, not 24.
(441.443) This rule is incorrectly numbered (411.443).
(442.321) is misnumbered as (441.321).
(442.31) Also available to carry EPs are the Romulan DemonHawk when using SPH (10 EPs) or SKH (2 EPs) modules and the Hydran LNH using Mission T (5 EPs).
(442.54) Lyran ships sent to the LDR for repairs are exempt from internment. Repaired ships must leave the LDR on the turn they are repaired. No more ships can be sent than can be repaired on the next turn; payment is made when the ships are sent. If the Hydrans return to the map, ships in LDR space can complete their repairs and leave normally (otherwise they would be interned) but no others can be sent there while this condition persists.
(442.93) Should say one SAF per year in either turn.
(523.125) Captured and devastated planets produce XTPs based on their current rates (not affected by exhaustion but still affected by all other conditions).
(523.134) Applies only to Gorn, Romulan, and ISC non-X BSs.
(523.353) X-ships conducting drone bombardment pay EPs.
(524.23) As PFs cannot transfer into a CPF (524.231) delete the words “go to” in this rule.
(525.318) The Hydran player may select a PGS, PGC, PFT, PGF, PGG, or PGV (subject to year of availability) as his free Pegasus. The free Pegasus-hull ships built by the Guilds include their fighters at no cost to the Hydran player. The free Pegasus does not count against any of the limits (scouts, carriers, PFTs, etc.). The four pre-war PGS ships do not count against the limit of four ships of one type.
(525.326) You can combine a CA and a DND and three EPs to get a DN. This is listed under the Order of Battle production notes but some have missed it.
(526.47) This free production is outside of the normal PFT production limits.
(527.14) The double fighters cost double as per (502.91).
(528.434) A Penal ship could honor duel with a single ship-equivalent of PFs or fighters. It could select a partial flotilla or squadron. It could not pick a single fighter or PF out of such a squadron or flotilla.
(530.221) Romulan SPBH proper designation is SPV.
(530.225) The Klingon and Kzinti VHPs are standard pods the same size as cargo pods. They are not under VAP restrictions.
(617.B1) Any returning Remus forces arrive by Strategic Movement in that phase.
(701.0) Should say one SAF per year in either turn.
(706.3) Carriers: Reference to (525.84) should be (525.85).
(709.1B) Reference to (515.316) should be (525.316).
(711.0) JagdPanther sometimes listed as JPG.
(711.3) The Lyrans receive their free fighters from Turn #1, having JGP-Vs and Auxiliary carriers and fighters on bases from that time or before.
(756.0) Non-ship units include Auxiliaries, SAFs, SWACS, Swarms, and LTFs.
(757.7) The note about the Hydran and Kzinti destroyers belongs to (757.8).
General SIT: LAS reference should be CL22. SAS reference should be CL22.
Federation SIT: CC should not have the battlegroup mark.
Romulan SIT: CNH costs 19 (no fighters). SPB to SPV conversion should be 2+0 rather than 0+2. SPB to SUB should cost 5+8.
Kzinti SIT: DWE should have escort mark for both sides.
Gorn SIT: DNC is 13/7, one conversion per year. SP is 2 max in service, not one.
Hydran SIT: FCP service date Y139. FCX should list “CL26” rather than (R9.69); FCX Year In Service is Y183. IC should be listed as part of AO not F&E. SBX should have 18H/9H Stinger-X fighters. SBX converstion from BTX is 45+18.
Lyran SIT: DD can be subbed for CW or DW. SCP+ should not list a “crippled side”. SCX should be 4-8/2-4.
CROSS REFERENCE TYPOS
(105.0) 3A4: Reference to (317.773) should be (318.731).
(105.0) 5-4C2: Reference to (305.211) should be (305.21).
(105.0) 5-4D: Reference to (305.211) should be (305.21).
(105.0) 5-7C: Reference to (307.73) should be (302.73).
(105.0) 5-8F: Reference to (307.73) should be (302.73).
(105.0) 9B: Reference to (314.144B) should be (316.144B).
(105.0) Orion Step 9: Reference to (503.34) should be (504.34).
(105.0) Orion Step 9: Reference to (529.265) should be (529.25).
(105.0) SoP Step 3A4: Reference to (317.773) should be (318.73).
(315.5) Reference to (312.61) should be (312.261).
(318.74) Reference to (317.71) should be to (318.71). Reference to (317.72) should be to (318.72).
(442.91) Reference to (517.1) should be (317.1).
(523.352) Reference to (315.34) should be (515.34).
(524.41) Reference to (502.231) should be (524.231).
(526.258) Reference to (562.261) should be (526.261).
(526.264) Reference to (523.453) should be (523.452).
(529.14) Reference to (529.34) should be (529.24).
(530.221) Fed reference to (529.0) should be (527.0).
(702.4) Heavy fighter reference to (529.0) should be (527.0). Auxiliary reference to (763.0) should be (762.0).
(703.3) Reference to (515.12) should be (525.12).
(709.1B) Reference to (515.316) should be (525.316).

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, June 06, 2003 - 11:25 am: Edit

CL26 FEDERATION EARLY WAR
One of the most confusing parts of the entire game system is the “oh, by the way” rule that if the Federation goes to war before Turn #7, it simply moves up the production schedule. This doesn’t really work, for a number of reasons, including hull type availability, ships assigned to various frontiers, and how quickly production of various types can be ramped up. To understand the situation, we first have to reverse-engineer the 702 Order of Battle to show the actual Federation Pre-War Construction Schedule in proper sequence.

1-Fall Y168: DN Activated for 3rd Fleet (Klingon Border).
2-Spring Y169: [CVB+DE+FFE]; these ships are assigned to the 3rd (Klingon Border) Fleet.
3-Fall Y169: DN activated for 6th (Romulan Border) Fleet, FFS built for the 3rd (Klingon Border) Fleet.
4-Spring Y170: 3xNCL, 3xFF; these ships are built for the 3rd (Klingon Border) Fleet.
[CVB+DE+FFE] built for 6th (Romulan Border) Fleet.
5-Fall Y170: DN activated; 3xNCL, 3xFF built; all built for the 4th (Kzinti Border) Fleet.
6-Spring Y171: [CVA+ECL+2xDE], 3xNCL, 3xFF, FFS; these ships are built for the 1st (Home) Fleet.
7-Fall Y171: DN, CA, 3xNCL, 3xFF (This begins the regular wartime production schedule.)
8-Spring Y172: [CVA+ECL+2xDE], CA, 3xNCL, 3xFF
9-Fall Y172: DN+, CA, 6xNCL, 6xFF
10-Spring, Y173: [CVA+ECL+2xDE], CC, CA, 10xNCL, 12xFF.
11-Fall, Y173: DN+, 2xCA, 12xNCL, 12xFF.

CLASS BY CLASS
Let’s examine each of these ship types in detail.
CA: The Federation had slipways for two cruisers per year, but wasn’t using them since Star Fleet had the required number of cruisers. They could begin building a CA each turn on the first production cycle they are at war. The second CA or CC per turn is not available before Turn #10 regardless of when the Federation enters the war.
CVA production marks the opening of the second “size class two” slipway. The Federation had done this in anticipation of a new war and the need for a stronger fleet, but were in no hurry about it. If an early war erupts, CVA production would start on the next Spring turn, so unless the Klingons invade on Turn #3 or earlier, that’s not going to help. The escorts would come along at the same time.
CVB: The CVBs are built in cruiser slots, and remain unaffected by early war, as do their escorts. (502.95) doesn’t change.
DN: The three activations are “early” DNs being converted and remain unchanged. The Fall Y171 DN is the first of the new series being built. If you go to war early, you don’t get any extra DNs since the DN slipway is full of old DNs being converted. The DN+ isn’t available to build until Y172, so it cannot be moved forward to replace other DNs. So early war doesn’t change the DN situation at all.
FF: The ramp-up to six FFs per turn comes on the third turn of war, so Hydran arrival or a Klingon invasion on Turn #3 would increase FF production to six per turn on Turn #6 and twelve on the next turn.
FFS: The two scheduled to be built remain unchanged and further FFS scouts take up FF slots.
NCLs: These are first available in Y170 so Early War doesn’t get them sooner. The ramp-up to six NCLs per turn comes on the third turn of war. So if the Hydrans arrived on Turn #4 and the Feds went to wartime production on Turn #5, then you would go to six NCLs per turn on Turn #7, ten on the next turn, and twelve the turn after that (although this is limited to ten on turns when CVAs are built).
OTHER NOTES
One problem the Federation suffers from is that if a war begins on the Alliance turn, they will have already done their pre-war construction and won’t have a production cycle until the next turn. That’s just the penalty for being surprised.
The above information covers the transitional turns when the Federation is at war in your game but historically was not at war. That will (over a few turns) bring the Federation production up to the published Y173-Y174 schedule, which they will continue to use until Y175, at which point they would be on the historical schedule. The Y175 schedule cannot be brought forward due to the availability of ship types.
As noted in (601.14), the Federation receives a percentage of its income for these early turns. If the Federation enters the war on its own turn (after production) then the 50% of the budget pays for the PWCs and anything left over is available for other costs or carried over. Thereafter, the stated amount of the economy is available to buy the ships from the schedule (as adjusted by this article) and anything not spent is available for overbuilds, special costs, drone bombardment, etc.
On the first Federation turn of the war, any PWC built that turn is not sent where assigned but is released to be sent to the active front. Thereafter, any PWC assignments are ignored and the ships are released for duty at the front. For example, assume that the Hydrans enter the Federation on Turn #5. The PWC ships for that turn were scheduled for the 4th Fleet, but are instead released and sent wherever the Federation player wants them to go (within the rules; you don’t get to instantly deploy them on the Klingon capital).

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, May 24, 2004 - 10:48 am: Edit

CL29 Rules & Rulings

IN THE ZONE
A question came up on the BBS only a few days before this issue went to press, asking whether the definition of deployment areas by province number meant that ships had to be deployed evenly between the provinces, or if at least one or some ships had to be in each province. The basis for this theory is that province lists are in the form of “1012, 1014, 1016, and 1018” and some think that the use of “and” rather than “and/or” implies some kind of even distribution rule. It does not.

HERE COME THE GORNS
Some have asked where the reference to “set up the Gorns at the start of Turn 12” means that Gorn reserve fleets could move into battle hexes in Fed or Romulan territory during the Romulan portion of Turn 12. It does not. The “set up before Turn 12” is simply a matter of convenience. The Gorn counters aren’t going to be used during the first 11 turns and will get dusty.

THE ULTIMATE RAID
It seems that every “general” rule eventually runs afoul of a specific case which goes beyond its intentions or limits. The rules for raids and single-combat work nicely most of the time, but if you combine a Romulan SUP with a Prime Team, you can get a 50% chance to pick off a Federation DN or DN+ out of the middle of a flock of ships. This is due to the Cloaking Device, which provides for one random ship to find the Romulan.
We are working on solutions to this problem, but it is a complex issue. “Obviously” some ships would never be running around alone trying to run into a cloaked Romulan raider, but it could take a year of arguing (and another column on the SIT) to determine which ships can be or must be excluded. The simple solution is that the hunting player in (314.246) can excuse any of his units from taking part in the hunt, and a cloaked raider cannot then use (314.28) as the cloak makes such an attack impractical.

SINGLE SHIP CARRIERS
It has long been clear from (515.42) that this rule is used for all single-ship carriers not specifically covered in other rules, those being (515.26) for carrier tugs and (515.27) for auxiliary carriers. This establishes the three categories for normally-unescorted carriers. Rule (515.42) was, however, written back in the time when we did not have a SIT and had to use broad generalities in order to avoid a separate rule for each ship. As we did the SITs, we began to insert “medium carrier” (or whatever) into the notes column for single-ship carriers. The intention was to change (515.42) in Fighter Operations to reflect a more precise escort assignment, with each single-ship carrier covered by (515.21), (515.22), or (515.23). In the rush to publication, we left the original text of (515.42) without fixing this detail or correcting an even worse vaguary in the infamous (515.42) as defined below.

REVERTING TO THE SINGLE LIFE
There is a widespread belief that (515.42) allows a single-ship carrier which was assigned escorts to revert to being a single-ship carrier the instant that the escorts are destroyed. It is highly arguable whether this is in fact the intent of the rule, which says “can again be treated”. The problem is that this phrase refers to the escorts being lost or reassigned, and it’s pretty clear that the original intent was that since all carrier groups are formed at the start of the Combat Phase and cannot be changed until the Pursuit Phase that a single-ship carrier given two escorts continues to count as a three-ship group even when the escorts are destroyed. There simply is not black-letter rule that says a single-ship carrier given two escorts changes to a two-ship group when the first one is destroyed and to a single-ship carrier when the second one is destroyed. It is noted that we did rule this way once long ago (although examination of the case files indicates that the logic was faulty at best) and that term papers using this interpretation have been published. But in any case, it was not written that way and has now been corrected.

BACK TO BASICS
Rule (308.85) allows an uncrippled Starbase to repair one of its own SIDS damage steps (deducting 4 points from its next repair phase). No such provision is allowed to smaller bases (BATS or Base Stations).

SUMMARY JUDGEMENT
(308.85) This self-repair ability is not available to BATS or BS.
(314.246) The non-raiding player may excuse any (or all) of his units from rolling to detect the cloaked ship. A cloaked raider may not use (314.28).
(318.36) If a capital is abandoned (511.61) it counts as captured for purposes of (318.3) four turns later.
(515.42) (515.42) Carriers which do not normally have escorts (757.6) can be used to form carrier groups. If so, they are assigned a number of escorts based on their category (heavy, medium, light/escort) as defined in (515.2). If they are assigned escorts, they must be treated as a group, but if all escorts are lost or reassigned, they can again be treated as non-group carriers starting with the carrier group organization step of the next Pursuit Step. Other carriers are treated as groups even if all escorts are lost. Hydran hybrid non-true carriers cannot be assigned escorts unless they qualify under (515.43). Auxiliary carriers can be, but do not have to be, assigned escorts (515.123).
(603.2) While the Gorns are set up before Turn #12, they cannot leave Gorn territory until the Gorns enter the War on the Gorn player-turn of Turn #12. This prevents them from establishing reserves which could enter the war during the Romulan portion of Turn #12.

QUESTIONS ON MOBILE BASES
Q2901: Can a tug carry around a mobile base without setting it up? I want to keep it out of reach of the enemy until I figure out a good place to use it.
A: Why not? Just give the tug the mission “move mobile base” and keep an open mind on the destination. It does tie up a tug, but that’s a choice you can make.
Q2902: Can the Feds (or any race) at limited war build a MB outside their territory?
A: Rule (510.12) says you can setup mobile bases only if you are at war (which includes limited war). At limited war you could only place them in your territory, and in allied territory. Allied territory requires that ally’s permission (510.13). See (602.49) in FO.
Q2903: Can a MB be setup during Strategic movement? Or does it move to a hex during Strat, and does not begin setup till the following turn’s Operational move?
A: Rule (510.22) says that you can declare a MB is being setup at the end of either operational or strategic movement. Either way it will be setup at the start of the owner’s next player turn.
Q2904: Does a mobile base being set up by a tug count against the command limits of a battle force?
A: No, bases never count against the command limits.

INCREMENTAL REACTION
Q2905: I am trying to push a force into enemy territory. I sent a few ships into the blocking hex (a BATs with some ships). These included less than a ship-equivalent of fighters. Next, I moved in more ships (with a few more fighters) from another place. I say that I can count all the fighters together into one ship equivalent, but my opponent says that since the fighters didn’t arrive together they cannot be combined. Who is right?
A: You are. The pinning calculation is repeated every time more ships arrive, and the fighters can be combined.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, May 24, 2004 - 10:49 am: Edit

CL29 AFTER ACTION REPORTS

FIGHTER OPERATIONS
The “large scale map” mentioned is a project of Chuck Strong’s and ADB has no control over it. Chuck is working on the final details and hopes to have them available soon.
Many people noted that the pictures of counters on the back covers are conveniently printed so that you can create some reserve extra counters if you want.
There are (as one might expect) lots of picky little things in and about the SIT. Now that we have the Master SIT on line, these things were fixed there and need not be listed here, but some examples include the various Kzinti “heavy fighter and/or PF ships” (which now have both versions listed on the MSIT with the relevant dates), the service dates of the B10V and B10s, Hydran DWEs convert from HNs not HRs, etc.
Fighter Operations sells for $29.95 and is SKU 3203.
(319.12) Swarms cannot launch offensive fighter strikes.
(440.6) The Gorn CVD, Lyran DCS, and Lyran NDS are all counted as heavy carriers.
(440.7) We considered several ways to restrict the production of the Lyran CVM and finally just gave it a higher cost. The SIT refers vaguely to a production restriction, and that is it. The Federation DVL is escorted as a medium carrier. The first Federation CVF is built in addition to the normal production schedule and limits, costing 11 EPs plus the fighters.
(443.0) This rule number is used for both Commercial Convoys in Combined Operations and for Fighter Storage in Fighter Operations. We were in such a hurry to get the fighter storage rule into the product that nobody checked the rule number. Fighter storage should be (445.0).
(443.11) (445.11) The (xxx.xx) should be (441.4). When SVC writes a new rule he does all of the cross references like that and lets the staff hunt them down. This saves him time. We missed a couple of these for what seems to be the first time. Base Stations can have depots; see (444.11).
(443.21) (445.21) These fighters can be provided to any carrier “within supply” which (assuming no pesky enemy ships are in the way) could be six hexes away.
(515.53) ESCORTS: Escorts can be produced in several ways, even without producing a carrier. [This rule got badly garbled when we tried to include the CL#25 ruling. The following text is the new complete version which replaces all previous versions.]
(515.531) If a carrier group is scheduled for production and you do not want the carrier but do want the escorts, replace the carrier (and possibly some of the escorts) with equivalent standard warships (757.1) and pay the assigned cost for each ship.
(515.532) If a carrier group is an allowed substitution, you can substitute escorts for some or all of the specified (757.1) equivalent ships and simply not bother to substitute a carrier for the corresponding hull. (In this case, you would build the originally-scheduled standard warship.) Escorts produced as substitutes for standard warships do not count against limits on conversions by starbases. The cost of an escort is defined by the SIT.
(515.533) In addition to (515.532), any race may substitute equivalent carrier escorts for up to three ships on the production schedule or produced as overbuilds in addition to specified carrier group production.
(515.534) Escorts can also be produced by conversion at any starbase from the equivalent warship hull for one point, up to the limit of the conversion capacity. (A very few escorts have fighters, and the cost of the fighters must also be paid at the appropriate rate.) Conversion costs are listed on the SIT.
(515.535) As provided in (308.132) Carrier Escort Damage System, escorts can be produced at the end of the turn to fill carrier groups. As per (308.132B) in CL#25, these do count against the conversion capacity of the starbases used for the conversions. See the penalties in (515.54). [At the present time, (308.132B) is the only means by which a starbase may do multiple conversions in a given turn, each using some of its capacity. New rules in a future product will make this a general rule.]
(518.22) BCV and BCS can have one SWAC. Base Stations cannot use SWACs.
(518.37) SWACs cannot produce a shift in small scale combat or single combat.
(530.221) The Hydran LE and MKH also have heavy fighters.
(532.121) This rule is confusing in its reference to (526.36). It means that FCRs can carry heavy fighters but not F111s.
(532.22) The Federation HDW with A20s is variously referred to as the HDWH and HDWA.
(532.224) Reference to (532.222) should be to (530.222).
(518.35) This rule contains an obsolete reference to SWACS having no effect on fighter limits, but the new mission in (518.46) allows them to do so. This was one of the many sloppily-edited changes made in a flurry of last second euphoria as everyone was happy about the product going to press and determined to shoehorn his favorite rules change into it.
(607.61) Kzinti DNE should have salvage 3; Klingon C6 should have salvage 3.6.
(608.53) Lyran sector A has 5 police ships and gets one more each fall turn to a maximum of 8.
(608.F) See (617.F) for updated sector boundary.
(653.4G) The six free fighters here are in addition to those added in F&E 2K.
(703.0) the E4R appears as a 2-4 in FO and a 1-4 in AO. It all depends on how aggressive the skipper is!
(704.0) Activation of the VLV requires buying its fighters.

F&E REINFORCEMENTS
The long-awaited “in store solution” to the chronic shortage of counters is at hand with F&E reinforcements. This product includes five double sheets of 216 counters, including:
The new “TWO” sheet from F&E2K4.
The new “RS” extra ships you love sheet available only here.
The new “V1+V2” sheet of extra carriers.
The old “M+M” sheet with lots of useful extra stuff.
The existing “NO” sheet from Advanced Operations.
We had originally planned to include a Master SIT in this product but finally decided that only by putting it on line could we keep it up to date and clean out the inevitable errors.
F&E Reinforcements sells for $29.95 and is SKU 3201.

F&E 2K4
When we ran out of ABCD counters and needed to reprint them, we rearranged the counters into two new sheets designated ONE and TWO. Sheet ONE includes the ships you start the game with but don’t build more of, while Sheet TWO includes the war cruisers and war destroyers and other ships you buy a lot of as the game goes along. (A few minor changes were made here and there so that it is, for the first time in F&E history, actually possible to set up the game without using the “Ship #” or “X2” counters.)
We don’t mark the boxes any differently since the games are pretty much the same once the counters are punched out. The good news for you is that Sheet TWO made F&E Reinforcements a better product.
MASTER SIT ON LINE
Just in case you never noticed it, we should mention that the new complete MASTER SHIP INFORMATION TABLE is on line. It is in the BBS, under F&E, sub-topic Master SIT Updates. It’s not 100% perfect but we are working on it.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, December 18, 2004 - 04:19 pm: Edit

CL30 rulings

A GRAB BAG OF FIXES
(203.5) This rule requires leaving ships beind equal to the enemy, so a single non-fast ship can pin a single fast ship because the fast ship cannot leave half of itself behind in the hex.
(313.21) While a die roll shift cannot produce a die roll of less than one, that can (308.6) be used to reduce the intensity rating.
(314.21) If the capital (when it falls) does not have a supply path to the new capital (ignoring enemy ships in the old capital hex or surrounding hexes), the raiding pool cannot be transferred and all ships from it are immediately placed on the map in the capital hex and retreat with the remainder of the fleet.
(439.16) The reference to (314.35) should be to (314.25).
(443.51) The destination starbase must be in the original territory of the receiving race. A starbase in captured territory does not count, but one in annexed territory would count. A Klingon starbase on one of the Klingon colonies in Tholian space would not count.
(444.33) It has been decided to allow X-Base Stations. Such a unit is 16(6)u/8(3)u. Conversion costs are on the Master SITS on-line. The unit requires four SIDS steps to cripple and it requires two SIDS steps to destroy a crippled BSX. The EW ratings are:
EWF 1 2 3
ATTACK: 16 9 3
ATTACK(Drone) 16 9 6
ATTACK(Crippled) 8 3 NA
ATTACK(Crip-Drn) 8 5 NA
(448.21) Annexed neutral zone hexes produce double income (0.4 EPs per turn). If an enemy ship enters an annexed Neutral Zone hex, it reverts to a normal NZ hex and can be captured normally.
(511.53) Auxiliary ships (aux carriers, troopships, aux scouts, etc,) are also split 50/50 between the mobile and static elements.
(523.413) This upgrade is applied in the Production Step of the player turn of the race in question. If there is no base at the shipyard planet on the X-date, the race gets the free X-base upgrade after a base is built there. A player may, if he so elects, delay the X-upgrade of a base in the shipyard hex, perhaps to allow it to be upgraded to a larger base.
(531.212) A police ship can enter space containing enemy units during the retreat process.
(601.12) The Marquis area remains an “unreleased fleet” until the Federation enters the war or until the Klingons invade this area, so bases there cannot be upgraded or built. Hex 1805 is part of the Duke’s fleet, so while that BATS can be upgraded, a Coalition attack on it will not activate the Federation.
(673.1L) The Lyran Jagdpanther starts the Cloudburst Scenario in the command configuration.—Nick Blank

HE TWO-STARBASE ISSUE
The interdepartmental committee’s interim findings do seem to suggest that there may be an alignment of possibilities such that the likelihood of an actual probability or probabilities could imply that a preliminary indication can reasonably be inferred that a problem might, indeed, exist. To that end, the following revision of the revised rule is enacted as the final rule.

(302.212) MULTIPLE BASES: It would theoretically be possible for several “bases” to be in the same hex, and these might be at the same location or at different locations (creating what amounts to a multi-system hex). Of course, many capital hexes have multiple systems, each with multiple planets, and more than one base (each with a different planet).
(302.2121) Bases in a hex are recorded at the time they are first built as being with a planet (or a previously-built base) or at a separate location. Upgrading a base does not change its location. Note that the definition of “location” provides that all of the fixed defenses at a location are part of the battle (possibly under the special rules below).
A: In the case of multiple bases at a planet or colony, one base (usually the one provided in the game set up, if any) is designated as being “adjacent to” the planet (302.2123D) and the others are assumed to be “located near” the planet (130,000 km or more away from it). All of these bases are in the same “location” although the rules below will limit all but one base to half of their combat strength, and only if the base “adjacent to” the planet is the primary focus of the battle can the PDUs be damaged (by voluntary or directed damage). If this base is lost, then no base is “adjacent to the planet” until a new one is built there.
(302.2122) Convoys, FRDs, and tugs serving as supply points (collectively known as “sheltered units”) are designated as to their location (whether they are co-located with other “bases”) at the start of each round. They can only be damaged if that base is the “focus” of the attack. See (511.5) to resolve this. They cannot be sheltered by the “excluded” base (302.2123A).
(302.2123) In the event that two or more bases of any type or types (system bases, mobile bases, operational bases, base stations, battle stations, sector bases, starbases, star fortresses) are at the same “location”, none of them count against the command limits. The attacker may use the standard combat system or he may (each Combat Round) elect to use the special rules below.
A: The Defender may, but does not have to, designate one base as “excluded”. This cannot be the base with the planet. This “excluded base” cannot then use any of its combat, EW, fighter, or PF factors in the battle. The Defender may, after any combat round, drop this exclusion, but he cannot change it to another base. Once all other bases in the location are destroyed, these rules will not apply and the excluded base will then be in the battle.
B: The attacker selects (at the start of each combat round) any base other than the “excluded base” as the “focus of attack”.
B1: The base designated as the “focus of attack” is the only base: able to use its full combat power (adjusted for electronic warfare), able to use an SFG, that can be attacked by any means (directed damage, voluntary damage, Marines, or a special attack force), that can be the flagship of the defending fleet, or that can use X-ship counter-attrition damage (523.32).
B2: Other bases (which are 130,000 kilometers away due to positional stabilizer interactions) contribute half of their combat power. The owner selects the EW and Attack ratings and reduces them by 50%. After all are totalled, any last half-factor is ignored.
C: All fighters and PFs from all bases (except for one selected by the owner which are included beyond the limit) count at their full value against the three-squadron attrition limit (302.332) although additional squadrons can be counted as “independent” squadrons (302.35) against the command limit (in excess of the attrition limit). In some cases, a base or bases may be required to keep their fighters or PFs out of the battle in order to respect the limit. Bases in the location can transfer fighters and PFs between each other under the normal rules between rounds.
D: PDUs are not considered bases for this rule. All PDUs may use their fighters and/or PFs in excess of other limits. The PDUs can only use their attack factors if the focus of the attack is the base located “adjacent to” the planet (302.2121A). The PDUs can only be attacked or given up as voluntary damage if the focus of the attack is that base. Colonies and colony bases are considered PDUs for this purpose only.
Special Sequence:
1. Defender designates the excluded (302.2123A) base (not changeable, but droppable on any round) and the location of “sheltered (302.2122) units” (changeable every round).
2. Attacker selects one defending base as the “focus of his attack” (302.2123B). This selection can be changed reach round.
3. Both select battle forces, and combat is conducted normally. “Other bases” are treated under the restrictions above.
Notes: F&E does not distinguish between bases on planets and bases in orbit around a planet. Two bases in the same hex would count as only one base for purposes of victory conditions.

CL30 after action for planetary operations

No product is perfect and a few glitches need to be addressed. A handful of typos are noted on the web site and will be fixed in later printings, but need not concern us here.
In (321.12), you can indeed purchase a Marine General (one is allowed per year) even if the first turn of war is a Fall turn.
Rule (424.2) mentions what to do if a Depot holding box is full, but a holding box can never be full. We had (during one draft) put a limit on holding boxes but later removed it and missed one reference to that removed limit.
There is nothing in (450.12) to stop a Conversion Facility from making a double conversion, nor is there anything stopping you from using (450.4) to produce a Lyran DD in a Lyran CW shipyard.
In (450.4), you can substitute a D7V or D6V for a C8V.
In (533.41), the Orions can build four PDUs on Vegas, not six. This matches the limit in (533.43).
In (534.244), the rescued ship is moved to the nearest supply point in the rescuing supply grid, same as (535.245).
In (537.13), the Residual Defense Unit is more properly Residual Defense Factor as it is not a “unit” in the way the rules use the term.
In Sequence of Play Step 5-3F, if the Tholians turn down the approach battle, the combat round is treated as a null round with no casualties; either side may retreat after such a round. In Step 5-8C, this is done if the roll is NOT successful as 5-8D covers a successful roll.
In Crosswinds, the Kzinti Marquis fleet stays in its traditional home of 1704; a typo in the Turn #2 rules moved him to 1304.
In Backdraft, the Lyran Home Fleet (Spring Y168) is under this additional restriction: Individual ships in the Home Fleet are activated only when enemy units enter the reaction zone of any unit in the hex that that ship is in. All other units, including the reserve marker, from the Home Fleet remain inactive.
In Demon of the Eastern Wind, in (621.13), these are “minor shipyards” rather than “auxiliary shipyards” and have no relation to the production of “auxiliary ships”. These can produce ships at their normal rate if money is available. Another question arose about Demon of the Eastern Wind. The Fed-Gorn commercial convoy could easily reach the Feds on Turn #3, when the Federation (being at peace) wastes the profit rather than being able to save or use it. Gosh, that’s just too bad! You can of course delay the convoy a turn but that might cost the Gorns more than it gains the Federation. No special exception is needed, just decide if you’re willing to waste Fed money or delay Gorn money.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, February 08, 2006 - 11:00 am: Edit

CL31 PROPOSED RULES UNDER REVIEW
We aren’t going to publish them here as new drafts are posted on the BBS so fast that they’d be obsolete before we could ship this issue, let alone before you receive it, but some rules proposals (perhaps spurred by the looming image of the Warbook on the horizon) are being considred:
• Increased Ship Kills: SVC wants to do this to hold down ship counts, but the current proposal (the resolution of any battle round that produces 30 damage points must include the destruction of one SC3 or two SC4 warships, and no, police ships can not be used for this) caused more ship losses than the production schedule could replace.
• Meaningless Pin Battles see groups of 30 frigates meet, fire a salvo in salute of a gallant foe, and retreat. Some wanted to require a group of 20+ ships to fight two rounds and 30+ ships to fight three. This sounded reasonable until players started posting term papers about how they would use the rule (together with interceptions and reserves) to force key battles in hexes without bases). We decided that this needed a lot of further study.
• FRD Changes: Some players proposed very reasonable changes in which FRDs would have to pay an economic penalty to repair an allied ship (even an adopted one), in which all ships (or just allied ships) repaired by FRDs would not get a free strategic move, and in which the production rate of FRDs would be cut from one per turn to one per year (perhaps excepting the Klingons and Federation). The problem is that this does affect the current balance of the game and we need to assess the impact of this change through dynamic playtesting before doing it.
• Pursuit: It has been suggested that we allow multiple pursuit battles (one for each group of ten cripples), allow retreating forces to go ahead and pursue, and allow pursuit despite a base or planet being left behind. The effect on balance has not been assessed but could be serious.
• Get Rid of CEDS Retrograde and Limit Maulers to non-moving targets is, of course, always a topic of discussion.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, February 08, 2006 - 11:01 am: Edit

CL31 RULES AND RULINGS
by Nick Blank
(411.71) Ships could be designated as an Expeditionary fleet without a valid supply path, although there is no benefit to doing so. You would have to pay the cost but the ships still wouldn’t be in supply until a supply path was connected.
(314.248) The Raiding ship is always in supply. The defending ship is in supply if it was in supply before the Raid Phase.
(314.251) Because some ships can be “with the base”, these ships could not participate in a reaction battle against a raider, but would be with the base if a successful raider proceeded to do an alternative attack on the base (which might be an FRD).
(317.4) The fourth PGS is not “inactive” so it cannot come onto the board if the Hydran capital is devastated.
(320.314) Should say that the entering ship “engages” rather than “pins” the raiders.
(320.351) This rule is incorrect, in that these same three groups are used to intercept all of the multiple raids into the hex, and if a group intercepts a raid, it is an “empty group” when rolling for the next raid under (302.352).
(449.2) This rule forms an exception to (601.161). While the ship is technically leaving Klingon space, it is also technically no longer Klingon. Specific rules always overrule general rules, so the specific (449.2) [you can sell it!] overrules the more general (601.161) [you can’t leave!]. Had we known that (449.2) was going to happen before we printed (601.161) it would have included a reference to (449.2). We’ll add one in the Warbook.
(508.23) As every planet must have a garrison ship of the conquering race, if the Klingons asked the Lyrans to garrison some of the planets in the captured Kzinti capital, it is defacto handing over those planets to the Lyrans.
(511.223) If the old Klingon colonies are reactivated, they could be devastated or captured by any race except the Tholians (which, if it “captured” them, would restore them to the previous “non-existent” condition).
(511.51-Step 1) You divide up the plus and minus points between the systems of the capital hex at the end of this step and before Step 2.
(515.14) A carrier that retreats into another battle hex during the same Combat Phase cannot get new escorts under the “once per battle hex” provision.
(525.64) Since this rule says a DemonHawk with SPH modules uses the SPH rules, it would not count as a full tug and could not move an FRD.
(537.112) In effect, the -1 modifier is always active, and has to be countered by one of the additive modifiers in (537.113).
(600.32) If a modular ship is converted, the modules remain with the unreleased fleet until the fleet is released.
(602.49) The host race does not have to pay for the repairs or provide them, and if it doesn’t, the crippled ships can be moved back to home space. The total number of such ships present at any instant cannot exceed the base’s repair capacity.
(709.1B) This rule includes a limit of four Pegasus-type ships of any one subclass in service at any given time. This is complicated by the four free pre-war PGS, and by any built as substitutions for destroyers. Making the complication impossible is the question of converting some free ones to another sub-type. Adding insult to injury, actually having to go through the entire Hydran fleet and count the Pegasus hulls is just ridiculous. So, overturning all previous rules, rulings, errata, and judgements, there is no in-service numerical limit. You can take your free one as any type you like, build any type you like, and convert existing ones into any type you like.
(709.3) If the Hydran capital survives to Turn #10, it uses the Spring Y177-Y180 schedule in spring turns, and Fall Y176-Y180 schedule in fall turns so that it can start building DWs.
(709.33) Since the HN and CU are both part of the “FF base hull” you could un-convert an AH or SC into either.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, February 08, 2006 - 11:02 am: Edit

CL32 UPDATES ON ISC RULES
These general notes will be written into formal rules at a later time, but are part of the ISC playtest set.
ISC Battle Stations: Any ISC ship on an ISC BATS can move three hexes as a reserve fleet to any battle involving ISC forces, whether or not a BATS is involved in that battle. Every ISC BATS has a built-in FRD which costs nothing to operate. Every ISC BATS has [12] spare fighters. These use the FCR rules (it can transfer them to carriers, but cannot operate them itself) and these are replaced free during the normal Sequence of Play. Every ISC BATS generates sufficient income to pay for the repairs it performs and to supply 20 ships. Any ISC BATS which is not performing repairs on a given turn gains one SIDS step and eventually becomes a sector base and later a starbase.
The Original ISC Border: It can be assumed that the ISC had adequate fleets (including ships from Module R8) to defend its borders, so no Galactic Powers ships can enter ISC space.
ISC X-Ships (up to 15 on the entire map or three per sector if playing only one or a few sectors) can make strategic moves without counting against the ISC’s strategic movement limit.
The ISC Scenario: The ISC will have one reserve marker per sector (A, B, C, D, E, and F). Non-ISC Fleets (yet to be defined in terms of strength, but basically equivalent to pre-war ship numbers using post-war classes) are released; if they invade another race, the ISC in that sector allies with the invaded race until all invading ships are destroyed, captured, or withdrawn. The ISC will never capture a planet printed on the map (except for one in a Neutral Zone). Non-ISC strategic movement routes are blocked by ISC bases and the hexes adjacent to ISC Bases.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, February 08, 2006 - 11:03 am: Edit

CL32 RULES & RULINGS
by Nick Blank
Reserve Auxiliary Movement: New rules allow Auxiliary ships to be in a Reserve Fleet, but they can only move three hexes. The rules for Reserve Fleets state that a moving reserve fleet must create the minimum number of new battle hexes, and must leave behind the minimum number of ships to satisfy the un-pinning requirements. In a theoretical situation in which there is a reserve fleet including several auxiliaries, a battle that the Reserve Fleet wants to reach which is within range (but beyond three hexes), and a blocking force (within three hexes) which must be passed through, the Reserve Fleet could use its auxiliaries (well, their fighter and PF groups since the auxiliaries themselves do not count for un-pinning the fleet) to clear the pinning in the intervening hex, but only enough of them to clear the pinning. Say that the Reserve Fleet included six ships and four auxiliaries, and the intervening blocking force was two frigates. The Reserve Fleet would have to leave two of the auxiliaries behind in the starting hex (since they cannot reach either the Battle Hex or the Intervening Pin Hex), and could leave two auxiliary carriers in the Intervening Pin Hex where their fighter groups would keep the two frigates busy. Some players wanted to be able to move all four auxiliary carriers (giving the two frigates a really tough fight!) claiming that as “non-ship units” they were exempt from the rule about leaving the minimum number of “ships” behind. Consider (203.742) to refer to “units” instead of “ships”.

Modular Romulan Dreadnoughts: When a Romulan modular DN is built with SparrowHawk “B” (carrier) modules, it counts as a “heavy carrier” for purposes of being escorted. Players asked, however, if it counted as a heavy carrier for production purposes, or counted against the SPB medium carrier limit. It would seem obvious that it counts as a CVA, but confusion is caused by the fact that the Romulan carrier production limits are written in a different (ship specific) form than other races. We apologize for the confusion and will try to rewrite those limits for a broader range of classes at some future time, but a carrier-DN that is escorted as a CVA counts as a CVA for production.

Raiding a Colony: Can a raid destroy a colony? No, it cannot, although the logic is less than clear and the raid rules are an infamous source of obsure and bizarre interactions. Rule (446.4) has a typo in that the reference to (508.3) should be to (508.2). Note that the rule talks about comparing the devastation of planets (which raids are not allowed to do) to the destruction of a colony. A raid could destroy a PDU on a planet or a colony.

Upgrading Carrier Tugs: Does upgrading a Klingon CVT to a CVT+ (i.e., from 5 fighter factors to 6) count against the carrier limit? Some think it does (see CL26), but others think it does not (since it is the pods being upgraded, not the ship) and upgrading other VP2s to VP3s doesn’t count against the limit. It is noted that the pods on the CVTs are hard welded and no longer separate units. The CL26 ruling lists some exceptions (not including the Klingon CVT) but it could be argued that no Klingon would ever give up a carrier conversion to add one fighter factor to his CVTs, and this argument must finally win the day. So, this upgrade does not count against the carrier limit.

Tholian PFs: The Tholian PF1 introduction date is Spring Y180, but the SIT in F&E2K gives the Tholian PFT an introduction date of Y179. This is a typo that has long since been corrected in the on-line version of the Ship Information Table. The PFT appears in Y180 on the second turn of PF production just like the rules have always said.

Paying the National Debt: Recent rules additions have created a bit of confusion regarding the National Debt. Rule (447.0) in effect created two separate running totals, the treasury and the debt. Other relatively new rules have produced income that arrives at various times during the turn (transfers, commercial convoys, selling ships to the WYN, trade with the WYN, scrapping ships, etc.) when income appears. There are two basic questions: Can your debt be based on future income projections (during the current turn) and can that miscellaneous income be used to pay debt incurred earlier on the current turn and avoid paying interest on that debt?
In the first case, your maximum debt is based on your actual income at the start of the turn. You cannot use income later during the turn to borrow more money (not on the next turn, not at the time you get it, and not before you get it).
In the second case, the mid-turn income goes into the treasury, and does not reduce the debt, so you could have a positive balance (available to be spent) and still have unpaid debt. Debts are paid in Step 5 of the (447.3) Sequence, so if you borrow money at the start of Turn #6 and have income later on Turn #6 you still have to pay interest on what you borrowed at the start of Turn #7. Otherwise, the miscellaneous income just becomes a weasel rule to avoid paying interest. At least, if you don’t spend the income during the turn you get it, you won’t have to borrow so much on the next turn.

Expeditionary Bases: Federation players have taken to sending a tug to build a base in the Kzinti capital and want to know just what the supply status is if there is no direct path.
A base, once it is in place, provides its own supplies for itself (410.4) by virtue of the fact that it is a base and has a catering detachment on board. However, ships are another matter. Ships stacked with bases are in supply (410.4) but not when the base is in allied territory (410.54) since the allies object to the base looting supplies from surrounding territory. (A base in your own territory simply charges the supplies to the government while a base in enemy territory just takes what it needs as spoils of war.) You would have to declare the base and all of the ships as expeditionary units to keep them in supply. You cannot just declare the base to be expeditionary and then have it supply the “cut off” ships without paying the expeditionary cost. The base cannot be upgraded unless it is also in expeditionary status or in direct supply from the main Federation grid.

Partial Grid Replacements: Replacement fighters are free (501.5), unless the carrier is supplied from a partial grid. A partial grid pays one EP for a dozen replacement fighters (413.41). Some players have argued that since a ship stacked on a planet is “in supply” it should get free replacement fighters. That is simply not the case and is not supported by rules. The planet pumps its EPs into the partial grid and the partial grid pays for the replacement fighters.

Repeated Devastation: Rule (508.21) allows the owner of a planet to voluntarily take the ten points of damage that cause devastation, using the planet as a damage sponge to protect some of his ships. Players have asked if a devastated planet can also be used to absorb ten points, resetting the recovery clock. The rules simply don’t support this use. Since the ten damage points are recovered over four turns, getting ten free sponge points per turn is just not realistic.

Penal PF Sacrifice: The penal PF rule (528.28) allows penal PFs to conduct any mission, including Sacrifice (528.41). The sacrifice mission says that the Klingons cripple the unit, and players ask how many points does that resolve (since the rule doesn’t say). Based on similar language in (318.723) the correct answer is 1/3 (3 damage points, rounding the fraction down), leaving seven points which could be targeted as directed damage.

Reserve Sequencing: Players have asked if the assignment of objectives to Reserve Fleets is simultaneous or sequential. The question comes up when a Hydran force attacks the Lyran base at 0413. Two Klingon reserve fleets at 1013 want to intervene. The Hydran BATS at 0714 does not block the reserve force, but once that reserve reaches 0413 it would be out of supply because of 0714. The second reserve could then move to 0714 to open the supply path (203.731). Rule (203.732) shows that assignment is not simultaneous and that this is legal.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, February 08, 2006 - 11:03 am: Edit

CL32 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
by Nick Blank

QUESTION: The Hydran OOB in AO details a scout pod for the expeditionary fleet, and a scout pod under the General section. However, in the following production notes, it says that the Hydrans only have one scout pod at start. What gives?
ANSWER: They only have one scout pod. It should be listed in the general section of their Order of Battle since pods are not normally assigned to specific fleets. When the list was edited to move the pods to a general pod line, we just forgot to delete the pod from its original location.
QUESTION: Can a race not at war convert ships to variants and other types?
ANSWER: The way rule (600.32) is written would seem to require a wartime status, which isn’t necessarily “at war”. However, this rule is limited to inactive fleets. Presumably, if you have an active fleet but are not at war, the ships of the active fleet could be converted (assuming you somehow find the money, which might require cancelling scheduled production).
QUESTION: Rule (520.42) prohibits a simultaneous marine and SAF attack. Can you do that if the two have separate targets?
ANSWER: One might argue that, but the rule doesn’t define a target so the rule must be interpreted as per battle round.
QUESTION: If a PDU is being set up on an undevastated planet, and the planet is devastated before the PDU is active, what happens? Does the Tug have to stay and fight? Can the PDU be targeted before it is set up?
ANSWER: The PDU cannot be attacked before it is set up, and would be destroyed by the act of devastating the planet.
QUESTION: The Klingons capture a Kzinti planet, which then rebels. What happens?
ANSWER: The rebellion has no effect on annexation (448.28) which is based on when the province was occupied. For the Klingons to get income, it must both suppress the rebellion and must also wait for the second turn of the occupation. The two requirements (second turn and no rebellion) must both be satisfied. Even with a rebellion, however, the planet is part of the Klingon supply grid from the start of the next player-turn. If the Klingons had a PDU on the planet, that PDU would affect the rebellion die roll but if a rebellion happens, it would have no effect on the PDU (nor would the PDU have any effect on the ongoing rebellion). Now, if the PDU had an independent ground combat unit (IGCE) that unit could try to suppress the rebellion just like a Marine attack (537.133).
QUESTION: Can a captured monitor be assigned to one of your planets? Or is it automatically assigned to the planet it was originally based at (assuming the planet was also captured)?
ANSWER: See rule (519.23). Once captured, it is treated as any other captured ship (i.e., it is not under any monitor restrictions). You can “convert” it to your technology (like any other captured ship), after which it is treated as a newly constructed monitor and must be assigned to a planet. If you recapture your own previously-captured monitor, its status depends on whether it was “converted to alien technology”. If it was, it’s treated as a captured enemy ship (as above). If it wasn’t, it is treated as a newly-built monitor.
QUESTION: The Hydrans have been kicked off map. Therefore their repair ships also start in the off-map area. The old Hydran capital hex (0617) has recently been taken back by the Hydrans, and EPs have accumulated in that hex (since the old Hydran capital has been cut off from the old colonies). If the Hydrans decide to send a repair ship to 0617 to perform some repairs, can that repair ship use the EPs stored in 0617?
ANSWER: Under (422.3), the repair ships must start at the capital (in this case, the alternate off-map capital) and move by strategic movement to the repair site. Since you said that the old capital was not part of the off-map grid, you can’t get there in the first place. In theory, you could move to a base on the grid and then move on to an FRD (which is a strategic movement node only for limited purposes such as this one) but if you have an FRD in the capital, the capital is close enough to the off-map grid to be part of it. However, rule (422.13) allows you to start some of your repair ships in a separate grid, but a strict reading of that rule says that one of these two grids must be based in the off-map area and the other must be based on the capital (not the original capital, the current one) which is in your case also off map, not allowing you to start a repair ship in a partial grid which is not connected to the current capital or the off map area. So, in the end, the repair ship can’t get there and can’t use the EPs.
QUESTION: Can a single crippled ship block or unblock supply paths?
ANSWER: By rule (411.34), units which cannot react do not block (or unblock) supply in an adjacent hex. By rule (205.14), a crippled ship cannot react. Therefore, a crippled ship doesn’t block a supply path.
QUESTION: Can you raid a province you control? ANSWER: No, and why would you want to? You can fight a ship in such a province (even via the raid rules although it may take some creative geography to create a place you control and can still raid) but you cannot disrupt the production of your own province, and you cannot disrupt production in your own province which you think you might lose in the next turn and then expect that disruption to deny income to the enemy.
QUESTION: Can a tug acting as a supply point use reaction movement?
ANSWER: Reaction (205.0) is a type of movement. Rule (412.2) first sentence says a supply tug cannot move by any means. So no, a supply tug cannot react.
QUESTION: By the second paragraph of rule (447.0), once you start using ADS you can’t use (430.6). This means that if you use ADS, you can only borrow money in the Economics Phase (447.11) and combat (477.2), and can’t borrow money at any other time (e.g., Strategic Movement). However, the first paragraph indicates that this is additional borrowing. So which is right?
ANSWER: The new borrowing in the production step is in addition to the original borrowing during the turn, but the limit is still a per turn limit just like before.
QUESTION: Can the B9 be used in raids? Can it mount an SFG? Two SFGs? Does it rate a new entry in the SFG table, or can we just use the B10 entry? How do the Klingons build a B9?
ANSWER: The rule says no battleships as raiders, but this one can be used in raids since it is in fact called a fast RAIDING battleship in the notes on the SIT. The SSD in SFB shows two SFGs, so it would use the B10 entry on the stasis chart. The SIT shows a direct-build cost of 30. It would take the same number of points (40) if built by the die-roll method since the “fast” surcharge equals the cost of items left out. You have to decide before the first die roll if you are building a B9 or a B10.
QUESTION: An LTT can move an FRD (516.21F) just like a full-size tug can, but the Romulan SPH is barred from this role. Why is this? It’s a war cruiser hull like every LTT.
ANSWER: The SparrowHawk is a strange beast with its own rules (516.33), neither fish nor foul, neither an LTT or not an LTT.
QUESTION: The Klingons are using three D6Ds to target an SAV with a drone raid. There are plenty of other ships in the hex. Can I assign one of them as an escort to the SAV?
ANSWER: No, not at the time of the raid. You don’t know it’s coming so you cannot instantly react. You’d have to have assigned escorts previously. You can assign, add, and change escorts for any carrier at the start and end of the Combat Step (515.15), and CEDS can replace lost escorts during Retrograde, and the escorts would still be assigned (320.348) to the SAV (unless you moved them out of the hex for some reason).

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, February 09, 2008 - 04:37 pm: Edit

CL33 RULES & RULINGS

This section provides rulings where a given rule is found to be unclear, incomplete, or contradictory (to itself, to some other rule, or to the logical background of the game universe). In effect, these are new rules (or, less often, rules changes).

THE COST OF THE D7D
After some study of the problem (nobody builds D7Ds since their higher cost is not justified by the added power) we went back the original Air Force tapes to find out what we missed. Seems that this ship was a pet project of one of the major shipyards. For one such ship per year (produced by any means) the purchase cost is 8.5 instead of 9 and the cost to convert from a D7 is 0.5 instead of 1.0.

JUST WHAT IS A CVD
Many have argued that the Hydran CV and the Tholian CVA be reclassified as “medium carriers” since they are, effectively, just CVDs (cruiser-sized hulls stripped of weapons so they can carry a double-sized CVA fighter group). These ships were published ages ago (in SFB), long before the concept of CVDs came about. After much discussion, the staff has decided to make the Hydran ship a medium carrier starting in Y176.

BUILDING A POD?
Players have asked if a race without a shipyard can build tug pods. Rules (431.22), (509.3), and (511.33) are silent on the issue. Since they are not listed in (511.33) — the list of things you can build after the bad guys burn down your shipyard — the current state of the rules says “no, you cannot”. When players ask a question regarding a matter “on which the rules are silent” there is always the implied question of whether, just maybe, we “forgot” to include something on an “allowed list” (or a “disallowed list”) due to an oversight, and questions are in reality a request for a “clarification” that could turn out to be a “rules change”. We probably wouldn’t have this sort of thing come up except for some previous sloppy rules writing that resulted in this sort of thing actually happening. In this case, however, we did not forget anything. Militarily useful pods (carrier, commando, scout, drone bombardment) are “warcraft” and require a shipyard to be built.

A WHOLE NEW KIND OF WAR
Players asked if Romulans (or certain Orions) could use (306.1) Cloaked Evasion to escape from a raid. The rule itself does not mention raids (since it was written before anyone thought of writing raid rules) and the raid rules do not provide a “withdraw before combat” step (and, honestly, we just forgot to think about and decide this issue). Logically following the engineering can yield any result you want (if you argue long enough). Of course, players really want to see their FRD cloak to avoid being “raided” and FRDs don’t have cloaks, but then (306) talks about “ships” and (756) says FRDs are not ships. After an extensive review, the staff has decided that cloakable ships cannot use evasion to avoid raids.

BASE UPGRADES: HOW LONG?
Rule (433.41) covers upgrading a mobile base to a battle station and upgrading a battle station to a starbase. The problem is, nothing in the rule says how long this takes. Various statements in the rule clearly show it takes some time (as things can happen during that time, such as destroying the tug). We apologize for sloppy writing. Each upgrade step takes one complete game turn, but you can start the next upgrade at the point you finish the previous one, so a mobile base placed on Turn #1 could be a starbase on Turn #4.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, February 09, 2008 - 04:37 pm: Edit

CL33 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

QUESTIONS ABOUT SHIPS
Q: Are command cruisers a separate base hull or are they a variant of the corresponding heavy cruiser hull?
A: They are a variant of the heavy cruiser except for the case of salvage (439.22), where the SIT gives them a separate salvage cost.
Q: Are prime teams “ships” that you can sell to the WYN? They are not listed in (756.0) List of Non-Ship Units.
A: How silly! Of course they are not. Neither are admirals or generals. We will update (756.0) at some future time but until then a healthy common sense covers this.

CARRIERS AND ESCORTS
Q: Why are carrier group counters provided with the minimum escorts but not the maximum escorts?
A: Because the group counters are provided in the basic products where carrier groups can only be a specific combination of ships. Fighter Operations introduces the rules that allow you to add an extra escort and/or to replace the “historical” escorts with other escorts (e.g., replace FFEs with DWEs, replace CWEs with NCEs, and so forth). The very rule that makes other group counters possible makes all group counters useless since you can just use the individual ships and (at the appropriate point in the Sequence of Play) set up the groups any way you want (within limits).
Q: My entire fleet consists of three Small Auxiliary Carriers, each escorted by a frigate. The frigates have the highest command ratings, but (515.33) says that escorts cannot be flagships and cannot be excluded from the flagship selection process. Huh?
A: The rule was written to prevent abuse by hiding high command rating ships inside a carrier group. The rule actually says what it means, and means what it says, although an example would clarify what happens in this case. In this case, one frigate must be removed from a group to become the flagship. That’s how the rule works. Think about three auxiliaries each escorted by a command cruiser and the purpose and logic become more clear.

QUESTIONS ON ADMIRALS
Q: There is a note in (316.14) which says if not using variable admirals, you can ignore all of (316.14) except for (316.146) and a requirement to keep them on CR8 ships. By the wording, I assume that the note is an option and that I can skip variable admirals and ignore the limits described in the note.
A: Wrong! If you use variable admirals, you use (316.146). If you do not use variable admirals, you use the rule defined by the note. You cannot pick the best of both options and combine them.
Q: Can I use a Prime Team assassination (534.23) to eliminate my own incompetent admiral?
A: No, because you cannot attack your own units. While this is not specifically outlawed in the rules (who ever thought there would be a reason to do so?) it will be outlawed in the Warbook just to stop such idle speculation.

QUESTIONS ON RAIDS
Q: If I can slip a ship past the enemy picket lines during raids, why can’t I slip one past those same pickets in Operational Movement?
A: Because raids and Operational Movement are two different things. Because raids don’t have a supply chain following behind them. Because raids are in and out the same hole while Operational Movement is in and out different holes in opposite directions. Words mean things and “raids” do not mean “movement”.

ABOUT THE WARBOOK
These questions were answered by SVC:
Q: Is it your plan for the Warbook to change rule numbers? For example, to put all the tug missions in one place, or to move the Gorn Logistics rule to its proper location, or to put all special ship construction rules in one place?
A: I have no plans to change a lot of rule numbers as this would simply confuse people trying to compare the Warbook to previous editions of the rules set. In special cases, certain things can be done. For example, the original tug mission list could easily include references to other missions (or simply reprint the actual rules, under their original rule numbers, as a sidebar). There could easily be a reference (or sidebar) to handle the Gorn logistics rule. Special ship construction isn’t an easily defined thing, and there are no plans to move a whole bunch of rules to other numbers (since once the Warbook is done it would be used to create updated rules for the other products and those products need their original rule numbers). We can certainly include all special construction rules in the index (even in a sidebar somewhere).
Q: Is it your intention that the Warbook include a new complete index?
A: There is certainly no problem with doing this. Planetary Operations includes the most current and complete Index but if anybody knows of an error or omission in that Index, please let me know.
Q: Will the Warbook include updated versions of General War scenarios adding units from later expansions?
A: This is the plan, and has slowed down the project by months.
Q: Do you plan to remove the tactics boxes to save space?
A: I really haven’t given it any thought. Space isn’t really a concern in the Warbook. In a manual for a specific game, it always drives us crazy because there are about ten or twelve independent sections of the rules (places where the next rule must jump to the start of the next complete page). That is a problem in an individual product but the Warbook will be a compilation and can make more efficient use of space. Some of the confused rules writing has been caused by space issues, where the rulebook for a given product must (for budget reasons) be no more than a certain number of pages and you have to shoehorn every rules section into a defined number of pieces of paper. The Warbook can be whatever size we want it to be.
Q: Do you plan to rewrite all of the rules that are not clear? Do you plan to correct all uses of words which are contrary to the dictionary? Do you plan to rewrite all rules that do not say what they mean or mean what they say?
A: Certainly, but there is one catch. YOU have to tell ME the specific rule numbers and patiently explain to me what you think is unclear with that rule. If you think something is unclear, you have to show me what part is unclear and cite two or more plausible and contradictory interpretations. If you think words are used incorrectly, you need to tell me which ones and why you think that is the case. Now, remember, Nick Blank has “interpreted” dozens of rules for me and those interpretations have been reviewed and published and those published interpretations will be processed into the Warbook. But if there is no published entry for a given rule, there is little chance that the rule will be rewritten unless somebody shows a reason for us to do so.
Q: Is there any hope of fixing the rules on drone raids, fighter raids, and PF raids in the Warbook?
A: Depends on what you mean by “fixing”? If you mean “change the rules so my enemy cannot do that thing that drives me crazy” then probably not. If you mean “change the rules so I can do something to drive my enemy crazy” then probably not. If you mean “make it more clear just what they do mean” then sure, just send in a memo listing what points you think are unclear and what two (or more) possible explanations you think the text supports. If you mean “change the risk-reward ratio” then you have to first convince us that the RRR is wrong. If you mean “add the parts of the rules that the designer apparently thinks are there but which we cannot find” then all you have to do is identify the specific problem and it will be fixed. If you mean “end whatever screw up causes the FRD park to be surrounded by 18 police ships” then help us understand what part of the rule compells you to misuse your police in this way.

GENERAL QUESTIONS
Q: If the Romulans attack the Feds on Turn #10, the Gorns join the war on Turn #12. But if the Romulans do not attack, the Gorns join the Feds under “limited war” immediately (on the Alliance half of Turn #10). Why is this?
A: It’s a matter of commitment and risk. If the Romulans go to war, the Gorns know they will eventually get dragged in so they reorganize their economy, defenses, and fleets for war (something that really isn’t reflected in the game) and that takes them a year. If, on the other hand, the Romulans do not join the war, the Gorns assume that they will not do so. They don’t need a year to build up their border defenses to send a few ships to the Feds. Also, sending a few ships to the Feds is not nearly the same thing as sending your entire fleet (and nation) to war.
Q: Rule (302.14) says that any withdrawal uses the retreat rules and all ships must go to the same hex, but can I claim (302.761) as an exception and send the allied ships to another hex?
A: Yes, because (302.761) is a specific exception to a general rule. This needs to be noted in the Warbook.
Q: If I upgrade a PGB to a PDU, when are the fighters active? If done outside of the capital, does it take a tug? How many can I do at one time?
A: They are effective immediately, since you are adding something to existing defenses (441.31). You have to use a tug if not in the capital (same rule). You can upgrade four of them at a time (and they count against the limit on adding PDUs, which is four).
Q: Can races on a peacetime economy accumulate EPs?
A: No, see (431.4). Unspent EPs are simply lost.
Q: Can ships in the Kzinti Barony react to defend the capital?
A: No. Rule (207.24) prevents reaction by off-map ships.

JUST WHICH IS THE “SPECIFIC” RULE?
Q: Everybody knows that in your rules-writing protocol, a “specific rule” (e.g., Romulan marines carry plasma rifles) overrules a general rule (e.g., all marines everywhere carry phaser rifles). My opponent and I are having a dispute over which of two rules is more specific than the other.
Rule (315.27) says “A single Kzinti CVE with one or two escorts can be included in the battle group.”
Rule (315.23) prohibits heavy cruisers in a Battle Group.
Rule (315.21) says that “No more than three of the ships ... can be size class 3, and these may only be war cruisers or light cruisers.”
My opponent insists that (315.27) is more specific than the other rules and allows anything, even a Kzinti DN, to be used in a battlegroup by declaring it to be an escort for the CVE.
A: This is just silly, and (315.27) is obviously (in the case of a battlecruiser, let alone a DN) far more general than the others. Rule (315.23) is very specific in saying no heavy cruisers, and (315.21) is very specific in prohibiting anything bigger than a war cruiser or heavy cruiser. The rules on carrier escorts very specifically prohibit DNs. Somebody is just toying with you.

Rules & Rulings and Q&A are the work of Nick Blank, the F&E Answer Rapporteur. His rulings are reviewed by F&E Department head Jeff Laikind, supported by other members of the F&E Staff. Only they can take a rules question to the designer.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, February 09, 2008 - 04:38 pm: Edit

CL34 RULES & RULINGS
These are new rules needed to cover things not covered.

Raids From Off-Map
By rule (314.21) ships from the raid pool start in the capital hex, then move to any SMN to conduct the raid. The question is whether a ship can conduct a raid from the off-map area.
The problem is that the above-cited rule says that the strategic movement portion of this raid must obey the relevant rules, and the off-map rules (207.26) prohibit a ship from entering and leaving (or leaving and entering) an off-map area on the same Movement Step.
Read strictly, this would mean raids could never be conducted from off-map areas. This does not seem to be what was intended.
The off-map movement rules do give an exception for tugs carrying EPs, indicating that the rule is not absolute.
The rules on raids do say that the raiding ships are not really in the capital; this is just a means of defining the operations area of the raid pool by limiting it to Strategic Movement Nodes. Even so, the “raid” part of the movement is not strategic movement, but then again, it is the unique “raid movement” construct which is festooned with exceptions to the normal movement rules. Also, the raid movement rules were written years after the original off-map movement rules, which were written at a time when raid rules had not even been envisioned.
Then again, the obvious users of this ability would be the Hydrans and Kzintis, and it’s (no big surprise here) the Klingons and Lyrans who think raids from off map are “obviously illegal”.
After some discussion, the staff agreed (and the designer insisted it was his “obvious intent”) that raids could be conducted from off-map areas. There is even historical evidence that a Federation CF conducted raids from the Kzinti off-map area.

Devastating Planets
Rule (508.21) covers devastating planets. This takes 10 points of damage (20 points of directed damage, without a mauler). This rule also allows the planet defender to take these points voluntarily (using the planet to soak up some damage while hopefully giving some defending ships another round of fighting undamaged). The planet then takes four turns to recover via (508.25). [Note that Strategic Operations includes Hospital Ships (451.31) and Engineers (541.34B) which can speed up this process by a turn or two.]
Now, it has long been a tactic that you might send a fleet to a devastated enemy planet still under the original owner’s control on the last turn of recovery. If your fleet directs more damage on the planet (another 20 directed points), obviously the “recovery clock” should be reset. The rules never actually say you can “re-devastate” a planet during its recovery period, and it never says that such an act “resets” the (508.25) recovery clock, it just makes sense. It is essentially the logical progression of rule (508.213) and the designer insists that this was his original intent, to encourage the invader to attack again and again. This would, in the most obvious case, allow the Klingons and Lyrans to devastate the Kzinti capital continually, and ensures that the Sector B battle is never really over. So it is hereby ruled that you can re-devastate an enemy planet.
The question has previously been asked if a defender could use the voluntary aspect of (508.21) to take more damage on the planet (accepting the re-set clock). This assumes that the Klingons and Lyrans are using capital assaults every turn to force the Kzinti fleet into battle where it can be worn down. This was long ago declared illegal, and an item was published in the Master Errata file (508.21) which says you can only take voluntary devastation on your own undevastated planet. Logically, you could also take this damage “involuntarily” if there was nothing else present that could absorb the damage.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, February 09, 2008 - 04:39 pm: Edit

CL34 MINOR RULINGS
The Hydran Monarch Battleship is a hybrid carrier, not a true carrier. It does not have to be escorted. The BBV and BBS versions of this conjectural battleship are of course true carriers which (being a heavier carrier and a space control ship, respectively) require escorts. This corrects an error made in a previous product when somebody asked the overworked designer a question at the last minute and, shucks, he just got it wrong.
The Federation DDX and HWX are size-4 units, but when used in battlegroups count against the limit on size-3 units (i.e., such a battlegroup can only have a total of three). This eliminates a problem caused by the 6xDDX superpack destroying everything in its sight during Y184. The change in size class is justified in both cases. The DDX is in fact a cruiser, not a destroyer, but is classified as size-4 due to its unique design history. We may yet change the Master SIT. As for the X-version of the HDW, what can we say? HDWs are just “strange” in many ways. They are as big as light cruisers, but classified as size-4 due to their DW design heritage. Allowing it to act as a size-4 unit in a battlegroup seriously warps the game system.
Rules & Rulings are issued by Nick Blank and reviewed by Jeff Laikind and Steve Cole.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, February 09, 2008 - 04:40 pm: Edit

CL34 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
by Nick Blank
DEVASTATION, CAPTURE, AND RECOVERY
Q: The rules for Recovery From Devastation (508.25) say that this takes four turns from the point of liberation. So exactly when does it start producing money again?
A: Recovery takes four complete Game Turns, starting from the instant that the planet is liberated and extending to the exact same point on the Sequence of Play four turns later. Liberation could happen at various times, including recapture of the hex, abandonment of the hex during various movement steps (retreat, operational movement), and even raids destroying the garrison ship. If liberation happens on the owner’s turn (say, recapturing the hex) then it would start producing money on the next turn after the “second subsequent turn” (since the collect taxes step for that second turn is already gone by that exact point). If liberation happens on the enemy turn (say, they abandon the planet by operational movement), then the planet produces income on the second subsequent owner turn. In both cases, it recovers from devastation and produces more money two turns after that.
Q: Why isn’t an “un-devastate planet” phase in the SoP?
A: Because “un-devastation” happens exactly four game turns after the planet is liberated, and liberation could happen at many points in the Sequence of Play.
Q: Can a devastated planet be re-devastated?
A: Yes. This is a new ruling.
Q: The enemy attacked my capital, fought a one-round approach battle, and left. Exercising my option, I also retreated out of my capital (for tactical reasons we need not go into). However, I had an un-towed FRD and my opponent insists it is destroyed under (302.742). Are we reading this right?
A: Yes, you are, but the easy solution is to do a “partial retreat” and leave the FRD as an un-retreated unit.
Q: I recaptured a planet during my part of Turn #10. When do I get income?
A: During your Turn #12 Economic Phase. Rule (508.22) says you get it on the “second subsequent turn”.
Q: If the enemy devastated the planet during their part of Turn #10 and then retreated out of the hex, do I get income on my next player turn?
A: Yes, because the enemy did not “capture” the planet (at least not long enough to trigger the two-turn delay of devastated income).

RESIDUAL DEFENSE UNITS
Q: Does the “Residual Defense unit” of three points come on top of the ten points to devastate the planet?
A: Yes, and no, depending on whether the planet is devastated or has defenses. The “Residual Defense unit” is defined by rule (508.16) which is actually fairly clear. Let’s review the rule, which says:
If a planet’s defenses have been destroyed but it is left in or returned to the control of the original owner, it has a residual defense unit of “3 factors” (no fighters, no crippled rating), representing the residual defense capability. This residual unit is destroyed automatically if the planet is devastated (508.21) and returns automatically if the planet returns to (or remains in) friendly ownership. This residual defense unit has no attack factor and cannot cause damage. It does not block pursuit.
So, let’s consider how this unit could come to be (since each way could produce a different answer to your question).
Case 1: Klingons destroy the PDUs on a Kzinti planet and leave. The RDU then “appears” on the planet (defenses have been destroyed but it is left in ... control of the original owner) as its nominal defense. If the Klingons show up later and devastate the planet, the RDU is destroyed (This residual unit is destroyed automatically if the planet is devastated) without paying three damage points for it.
Case 2: Klingons capture a Kzinti planet (which requires destroying its defenses and devastating it), but the planet is then recaptured. The RDU then appears (returned to the control of the original owner, it has ...) and it is the “defense” of the planet. To recapture the planet before it recovers from devastation, the Klingons have to destroy the RDU. To recapture the planet after it recovers from devastation, the Klingons have to devastate the planet which destroys the RDU (This residual unit is destroyed automatically if the planet is devastated ...).
In either case, if the Kzintis build a PDU on this planet, the RDU would cease to function.
Q: Just how many points does it take to re-devastate a planet? Ten (from the devastation rules), 3 (for the residual defense unit), or 13 (for the residual defense unit and the devastation)? At various times, Nick Blank has given all three answers.
A: And in each of those times, he was correct, because the circumstances of the questions were different, and the term “re-devastate” doesn’t have definition in the rules. If the defenses are eliminated but the planet is not currently captured, it has an RDU of three points. If the planet has not recovered from devastation, capturing it takes three damage points (to kill the RDU). If the planet has recovered but has not been given PDUs, it takes ten (since devastation of a planet with only an RDU for defense destroys that RDU). If the planet has recovered from devastation and has a PDU, it takes 13 (three for the PDU and 10 to devastate it). Remember that once a devastated planet has recovered from devastation, there is really no distinction between it and a planet that has never been devastated. You could re-devastate a recovered planet or re-set the clock by re-devastating a devastate but not yet recovered planet.
Q: If I understand the implications of the various rulings, you can devastate an un-devastated planet with an RDU for three points but an un-devastated planet with a PGB takes 13. That makes no sense.
A: Because you mis-read the ruling. A devastated planet with an RDU takes three points, a recovered planet with only an RDU takes ten, and a recovered or never-devastated planet with a PGB takes 13.
Q: Is a Residual Defense Unit a “unit” which garrisons a province, blocks retreat, blocks supply, forces the enemy to leave the hex, or anything else normally associated with the word “unit”. A: No, it is not a “unit” in any sense of the rules, and the proper term is Residual Defense Factor, but even we do not use that term consistently.

THE RAID’S THE THING
Q: I react a ship-equivalent of fighters from a BATS to combat a raid. Let’s now say that I win the battle. At what point do the fighters return to the BATS?
A: The operative rule is (314.274) which says that reacting fighters (or PFs) return to their base, and this happens at the end of the raid phase (the same time that raid ships return to the raid pool).
Q: If a ship is used to react (or uses an extended reaction) in the raid phase, can the same ship react during the regular movement phase of the same player turn?
A: Yes, see rule (314.274).
Q: Can a ship use extended reaction against a raid to move one hex toward a raiding ship but not enter the raid hex? (This would be a sneaky way to reposition ships for later in the turn.)
A: You have to continue to move into the raid hex, unless pinned along the way (314.241).
Q: Can you retreat from a raid battle?
A: Yes. Rule (318.731) says to continue combat rounds until one side is destroyed or “voluntarily retreats”. If you use Small Scale Combat, the retreats are written into the system and while they are not “voluntary” they are effectively so.
Q: If a slow unit is attacked by a raid, can it auto-retrograde at some point after the raid? If so, when?
A: During the normal CEDS retrograde step, assuming it meets all qualifications to do so.
Q: If the target race uses reaction movement in response to a special raid in step 3A-3C, does the resulting combat happen immediately, before the raid takes place, or in step 3A-3H with any potential reacting forces?
A: If a ship reacts under rule (320.314) it will not engage in normal combat, and it will not “pin” the raiding force, but it will be present for the interception procedures of (320.35).

SLOW UNIT RETREATS
Q: If an escort for an auxiliary carrier is crippled, is it still allowed to participate in the slow unit retreat (continuing to escort its carrier), or will it be stripped off and dumped into the standard retreat force?
A: It can stay with the carrier, or be stripped off during retreat, just like any escort under rule (515.0).
Q: Forced to retreat, I pulled out my fleet. That left three SAVs, each escorted by an F5, for the “slow unit battle” part of the retreat. The flagship rules require me to use an F5 as a flagship, but a flagship cannot be an escort. If I pull an F5 from the “carrier group” I cannot leave it behind as a “slow unit”. What happens?
A: The fact that the three F5s are assigned escorts allows them to be left behind in the first place. The fact that they are escorts does not excuse them from the flagship selection process. The three F5s have the highest rating, so one of them must be the flagship. The flagship cannot be an escort so it must be out of its carrier group at that point. It was eligible for the slow unit battle because it was an escort at the previous point in time. So, you now have an F5 flagship, two carrier groups [SAV+F5], and a lone SAV. Good luck.

STRAIGHT INTO THE NEUTRAL ZONE
Q: The enemy attacked a neutral planet. My large reserve force chased him away, pursued, and killed a couple of cripples. But now, I’m in the same hex as a “foreign” planet and cannot retreat (since I pursued). Must I fight the planet?
A: See rule (503.63). If you send forces to defend a neutral planet, it counts as an “allied” planet for the duration of the Combat Phase. Thus it does not block pursuit, and there will be no combat between your forces and the planet defenses. You can end the turn in the same hex, and there will be no further interaction between your fleet and the planet. You can freely move off as they do not pin you (neutral planets never pin any forces), or you can later choose to attack. And, by the way, your pursuit was legal since the planet was “allied” at the time of the battle.
Q: Can I move through a Neutral Zone hex and claim it, despite a minor planet being in that hex?
A: Yes, see the last sentence of (430.25). This allows you to capture the hex but ignore the planet. Then in 10 turns you can annex the hex (and get the planet along with it at that time). You are giving up 10 turns of potential income (devastated of course) from the planet to do this.

THE FOUR POWERS WAR
Q: The war starts on the Alliance half of the first turn, but says that the previous half of the first turn (the Coalition half) must be “played” which means ... what?
A: The Klingons and Lyrans do their Pre-War Construction and can move ships around within deployment limits, but have no control over their economy and cannot change that production schedule.
Q: The Treaty of Smarba releases six ships from the Klingon Home Fleet. Can they be any ships?
A: Yes.
Q: How many ships do the Klingons have to activate from the Mothball Fleet and send to the Romulans?
A: All of the possible mothball activations starting from the Spring Y159 turn.
Q: The SIT lists some carriers that pre-date the 4PW scenario but are not mentioned in it, these being SAVs and PDUs.
A: Rule (607.11) says the only carriers allowed are the Hydrans. All PDUs and bases are without fighters. Existing Kzinti bases get fighters on Turn #8. The SAV date is the first time it was built by anyone and should be adjusted as to the earliest date that race has fighters.
Q: The victory conditions give you a point for every 20 points in enemy ComPot destroyed. Does that include both sides of the counter?
A: No. The crippled side is effectively included within the value on the uncrippled side.
Q: Are the Hydran “Free Fighter Points” referred to in the 4PW rules hybrid or standard?
A: Standard. The rule that gives them (432.242) is a general rule applying to all scenarios unless noted otherwise by the scenario.
Q: The Klingon starting Order of Battle does not list drone pods, which were available in Y149.
A: Our mistake. The Klingons should have four such pods.
Q: The scenario rules say you “cannot draw supplies from captured planets” which is different from the normal rules. Why is this?
A: It reflects the less sophisticated logistical systems of the time, which is why military offensives could not advance beyond pre-war bases.
Q: On Turn #2, the Klingons attack the Kzintis (at least in theory). The Kzinti fleets available to resist this invasion are “fleets released by the Klingons, plus the Home Fleet”. Presumably, this means that the Kzintis only get the Duke’s fleet (which the Klingons attacked) and the Home Fleet, unless the Klingons enter the Count or Marquis areas. Does this mean that, unlike the General War, the Kzintis cannot use the Count’s Fleet Reserve to fight the Klingons on the Second Turn?
A: That is correct.

SCENARIOS OF THE EAST
Q: In the scenario Demon of the Eastern Wind, do the WE-to-KE conversions cost anything or take conversion slots? And o the “unexplored areas” have to be explored?
A: Since you have control over the economy in that scenario, the conversions cost money and take conversion slots. Rule (621.12) says all normal rules apply unless noted (and nothing says these are free). In a historical scenario, they are free, but then, in a historical scenario, you have no control over the economy in that period. Rule (621.12) says that the unexplored provinces have to be activated just like they do in historical scenarios.
Q: Rule (621.113) says that “All races have full control over their economies...” and most of them can use the money raised to build their scheduled pre-war construction. The Hydrans will have a few extra EPs, but not a big problem. However, rule (621.142) limits the Federation to the anemic pre-war construction schedule, which means that their 107.5-EP economy is (on Turn #1) activating an old DN (for 3 points) and not much else. What do the Feds do with the money? Can they use overbuilds? Can they convert ships? Rules (602.49B) and (600.32) say no, but does the “specific” scenario rule override the “general” rule?
A: While specific rules override general rules, there is no specific rule saying that the Federation can do “wartime” things while at “peacetime”. So, no, they cannot convert or overbuild ships until they are at “limited war” or “war” status.

GETTING TO THE BASE OF THINGS
Q: Can the Lyran Enemy’s Blood Fleet and Klingon Western Fleet upgrade a BATS to a Starbase on Turn #3.
A: Yes. Those fleets are “released” they just cannot attack the Hydrans that turn.
Q: Do you use SIDS on a Base Station, and if so is it still three SIDS steps of 18 points (directed damage) or 4.5 points (voluntary damage)?
A: You are looking for rule (444.15) from Combined Ops. Base Stations are crippled with two SIDS steps (5 points if voluntary). Crippled Base Stations do not use SIDS.
Q: What is the absolute limit on the number of PDU’s that you can build in a capital system on one turn? It doesn’t seem to be based on tugs. Could, for example, the Kzintis lose all of their capital defenses on the Coalition Phase of Turn #3, and then rebuild up to four battalions on each world on their Phase of Turn #3, so that the Coalition must face these new battalions on Turn #4? That seems kind of powerful, but the rules do seem to say that Tugs aren’t required in the capital hex.
A: You can build (431.21) as many PDUs as you can afford (remember that you can store these things for later use). You can place [(433.423) and (508.32)] them on capital system planets without tugs. You can place (433.424) a maximum of four per planet per turn, and of course observing the overall limits in that same rule.
Q: A Mobile Base has a 0 combat factor immediately after being placed. But if a Tug converts a MB to a BATS during its phase of a turn, is it immediately a BATS during the following player’s phase?
A: Here is the sequence in the specific case you asked about:
Turn #C3: The Coalition destroys a Kzinti Starbase.
Turn #A3: Kzintis send the tug/MB and declare setup of the MB.
Turn #C4: The Coalition can attack the tug (but not the MB). If the tug is destroyed or retreats, the MB is automatically lost. If not...
Turn #A4: The MB is now operational at the start of the Kzinti turn. The Kzintis can assign the base upgrade mission to the tug in the Tug Assignment Step and pay the upgrade cost for the BATS in the Production Step.
Turn #C5: The Coalition can attack, and will face a functional MB. If they destroy the MB, the BATS upgrade is lost. Note that destroying the tug at this point has no effect on the upgrade (it will be completed anyway if the MB is not destroyed). If they fail to destroy the MB:
Turn #A5: The Kzintis now have an operational BATS, and can pay the upgrade cost for a Starbase (assuming there is still a tug available with that mission to start the process).
Turn #C6: The Coalition can attack, and will face an operational BATS. Again, if they destroy the BATS the Starbase upgrade is lost, but destroying the tug will not stop the upgrade. If they fail to destroy the BATS on this turn:
Turn #A6: The Kzintis now have an operational Starbase at the start of their turn. The tug (if it has survived to this point) can be given any new mission you want.
Q: Does upgrading a non-X base to an X base (423.415) require a Tug or LTT? I assume that procedure (433.41) is used, but it doesn’t actually state that.
A: Since no procedure is specified (only the cost), the standard procedure is still in effect (i.e., a tug must be there to perform the upgrade).

TEST THAT RULE IN COMBAT
Q: If a force decides to use directed damage against a target and fails to score enough Damage Points to cripple it, what happens? Do they lose all their damage for the round? For example, if a battle force is directing damage against a BATS and scores 22 points of damage, what happens? They haven’t scored the 24 needed to cripple it.
A: Note you decide to direct on a given target after rolling to find how much damage you generated, and you cannot direct on a given target unless you have the required damage to do so. Step 4 (302.4) tells you how much damage you have to work with while Step 5 (302.5) allows you to direct on any target provided you have enough damage points to do so. If you don’t have enough points, you simply cannot direct on that target, and you must choose a smaller target, or simply let the damage fall normally. You could of course do a directed damage SIDS step.
Q: If crippled ships that withdraw before combat are pursued, are the ships that pursue them able to return and participate in further combat rounds with the units in the hex that did not withdraw, or are they considered out of the fight for the rest of the turn?
A: Rule (307.1) says pursuit always takes place in Step 8 of the Combat Procedure, and can be done after any retreat, including opposed withdrawal. So this means that even though the force withdrew crippled ships at the start of combat, you only get to pursue in the normal step after the regular combat sequence. Then you do one pursuit of the withdrawn crippled ships plus any other crippled ships that are retreating. You do not pursue the withdrawn cripples before combat and then possibly another pursuit after combat, you only have one pursuit step for all retreating crippled units. This happens even though the retreat hex itself was chosen in the withdraw step rather than the retreat step. If you retreat yourself, you cannot pursue at all, neither the withdrawn crippled ships nor any crippled ships that may be retreating normally.
Q: Can a single ship (alone in a battle force with no other units of any kind) be the target of Directed Damage or is it just subjected to normal damage allocation? If it’s going to be destroyed by normal damage, can the enemy still use directed damage against it?
A: Yes, they can. Now, for bonus points, why would they want to? Think about it.
Q: Do battle groups have any effect on the comparison of highest command rating for the purpose of pinning?
A: There is no such effect. The battle group allows you to fit an extra ship under a given command rating, it does not modify the command rating. The battle group rule applies during the battle force formation step of the combat phase, it does not apply during movement/pinning calculations.

A Capital Idea
Q: When defending a capital hex that contains more than one system, with no fixed defenses present, must a defender send at least one ship to defend each system that an attacker sends a force into? In other words, does (551.553) mean that the defender must fight at ONE planet or at ALL planets? I note that a DN defending a capital against an attack by three small ships which had already won an approach battle would not, if this is correct, even be allowed to fight. It would be forced to retreat because the smaller vessels would split up to attack at least two systems and the DN could not be present at both, thus being forced to retreat.
A: You can fight at one planet since you have one ship, or at two planets if you have two ships, or at all three planets if you have three or more ships. The rule is to prevent the defender from sitting on a dead capital hex without fighting at all thus preventing the capture/destruction of the shipyard. You do not have to fight at all threatened planets, just one. But if you decline to fight at any of them, then you must retreat under those conditions.
Q: When defending a multi-system hex, in which all locations are devastated and without fixed defenses so that the defending force is placed entirely in the “mobile” pool (with no forces placed for duty at individual systems), is the defender required to fight at every system to which the attacker sends a force, or is it only required that the defender fight at one system per combat round?
A: Only one. If you fight at one you do not need to retreat. If you chose to fight at none, then you must retreat out of the hex.

GENERAL QUESTIONS
Q: How do Penal Ships in the Depot interact with the “Penal Ships must be repaired as soon as possible” rule?
A: If you send them to the depot, you have a problem. The ship still exists so you cannot replace it, but the ship is not available so you have to pay the penalty for that. It’s better to not send penal ships to the depot, but if you must, then use the “free conversion to base hull” and build a new penal ship.
Q: If I have nine EPs sitting in the WYN Cluster (449.0), is it legal to use Blockade Running (320.5) to deliver more EPs to the WYN, then on the return trip bring back the nine EPs that were there from a previous turn?
A: Yes, so long as the EPs you are carrying out were there at the start of the turn. Remember that any you are dropping off do not generate more EPs until the end of the turn.
Q: Returning to F&E after many years, I ordered the 2K rulebook but how do I update my rulebooks for Carrier War and Special Operations?
A: Carrier War was updated and is now called Fighter Operations, and Special Operations became part of Combined Operations. So you just need those two rulebooks.
Q: Do races earn income every turn or every year?
A: Every turn.
Q: What is the speed of an overloaded tug, and just what defines an overloaded tug?
A: See rule (517.4) in Combined Operations. Overloaded tugs have a speed of three (operational, reserve, retrograde) and cannot move strategically. They use the slow unit retreat rules. There is a complete list of which pod combinations are overloaded, but generally any LTT carrying a heavy battle/carrier pod, or a Tug carrying a pair of “heavy” pods, or the Fed Tug carrying a heavy and a standard pod (it cannot carry two heavy pods). Space Control tugs are overloaded, except for Lyrans.
Q: If an FRD with an attending tug does not move during Operational Movement, but performs CEDS repair, can it still move via strategic movement?
A: Yes.
Q: If a planet goes into Rebellion, does suppressing the Rebellion make the hex a Battle Hex?
A: Yes, but because you sent a troopship there, not just because there is a rebellion.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, February 09, 2008 - 04:41 pm: Edit

CL35 RULES & RULINGS

Q: Can the Federation overbuild the NVH “sort of PFTs” that carry F111s? They are “carriers with nine fighter factors” which would mean “no” under current rules, but everybody else gets to overbuild their “really are PFTs” and given the external mech links those things are more like PFTs than carriers. Is it fair that only one race cannot overbuild PFTs? And the rules do say that these are treated like PFTs for most purposes.
A: It’s arguable what the current rules actually say, since they are built under PFT production limits, not carrier limits, but no specific overbuild exception is granted. To be fairly blunt, it’s clear that this was never addressed by the rules and never considered by the staff or designers. The game has so many rules, interactions, exceptions, and interactions with exceptions that it’s hard to anticipate every question that would come up. Is it fair? Well, is it fair that the Federation PFT has only 75% of the attrition firepower? But then, it is fair that the Federation gets what amounts to free replacement PFs?
Ruling: The Federation can overbuild its “sort of PFTs”.

Q: Rule (657.69) sends all of the production from the Federation minor shipyards to Sector E. Is this correct?
Ruling: There are three shipyards each for NCLs, DWs, and FFs. One of each type should be sent to sectors C, D, and E.

Q: Are Planetary Repair Docks in orbit or on the planetary surface? (The point being, can they be targeted by drone raids?)
Ruling: They are in orbit, and cannot be targeted by drone raids. Of course, each planet can only have one, so it’s not like you can build an FRD park out of them.

Q: I have a fleet that I need to retreat, and those troublesome retreat priorities are driving me crazy when they interact with more recent rules. My fleet includes mostly normal ships, but it also has a Fast Ship and two X-ships, which can use a seven-hex supply chain. So my question is, if there is a candidate retreat hex that is seven hexes from a supply source, can I (or must I) count it as a “hex in supply” for retreat purposes?
Ruling: Not unless the entire retreating force is composed of such ships. The whole force must retreat together, and if some of the ships would be out of supply and others not, then the hex is not “in supply” for “the entire retreating force” and is treated as “a hex out of supply” for purposes of the retreat priorities.

Q: Rule (542.16) in Strategic Operations states that further production of obsolete types of survey ships is prohibited for the Federation CLS and Hydran SR. Is the word “production” here used in the strict sense, meaning that conversions (433.0) are OK? (It is missing the infamous phrase “by any means” which is often used to clarify the point.) So I could not substitute as that would be construction, but I could convert?
Ruling: It means “by any means” including conversion.

These rulings were a team effort by the Federation & Empire staff. Nick Blank answers rules questions and sends appeals to Department Chairman Jeff Laikind, Scenario Chairman Chuck Strong, and Designer Stephen V. Cole. Scott Tenhoff, Chris Fant, Mike Curtis, and Joe Stevenson also contribute.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, February 09, 2008 - 04:41 pm: Edit

CL35 Questions & Answers
by Nick Blank

A QUESTION OF SUPPLY
Q: When does a planet become part of the Supply Grid? The example is the Klingons recapture Cygnus on T8A. Does Cygnus become part of the Supply grid at the begining on T9C. Rule (413.2) reads “Captured (or recaptured) planets form part of the Supply Grid at the beginning of the Player Turn after they are captured (or recaptured).” It would seem that the rule is written to have a six-month delay, but in this case it’s not going to happen.
A: There is not a six-month delay. The rule means the planet joins your grid at the start of the next player turn, regardless of whose player turn that is. So if you capture a planet on your own player turn, it joins your grid at the start of the next enemy player turn.
Q: A Romulan Snipe is in supply at start of the Alliance Player Turn. During Alliance Operational Movement, the Snipe is put out of supply. At the instant of Combat, the Snipe is still out of supply. The Romulan player wishes to use cloaked evasion. The cloaked evasion rule states that any ship that is “in supply” can use cloaked evasion. Is this reference to “in supply” referring to in supply for purposes of combat, or in supply at the instant of combat?
A: The rules (410.22) state that a unit in supply at the start of a player turn is in supply for purposes of combat. Since cloaked evasion of part of the Combat Phase, the ship can use that rule.
Q: There is a devastated enemy planet in a hex with one of my ships. My ship doesn’t have to leave or fight since the Residual Defense Factor is no longer a “unit” under the (sloppily written) rules. There are enemy ships (friendly to the planet) in a hex adjacent to the planet. Can the planet supply ships in an adjacent hex?
A: The supply path would be opened to the adjacent ships by those same adjacent ships. See (411.32).
Q: A ship is out of supply at the beginning of its phasing turn. It says in (410.31) that the movement rate is reduced by 50%. Does this mean for the entire turn, or only the phase for which it is out of supply? In other words, if a ship is out of supply, but gets itself into a battle, eligible to retrograde, and retreats to a hex that is in supply for that ship, can he retrograde his full 100% or only 50%.
A: Yes, you can retrograde the full distance. The reason is you are really just out of supply until the next supply check. As you can see (410.24), you get to check for supply in the Retrograde step, and any ship in supply at that point can retro the full amount, regardless of status prior to the retrograde phase.
Q: The Kzintis are being overrun. The Marquis is cut off from the main grid. Province 1503 is unoccupied by anyone and will produce one EP for the Kzinti this turn. The question is, does the EP go to the capital grid in 1401 or to the partial grid based on the starbase in 1704? There are Kzinti ships in 1401 and Coalition ships in 1701, 1502, and 1504. It is the Kzinti preference that hex 1503 (and subsequently the province) is linked to 1401 through 1402. It is the Klingon preference that the supply path through 1503 is blocked by the Coalition ships in 1502 and 1504, forcing the EP back to the Marquis grid.
A: Rule (430.12) says one hex of the province must be linked to the supply grid to get the income. The presence of Kzinti ships in 1401 opens supply to hex 1503 so you could collect the income in the capital grid. Rule (411.1) says that the supply path does not include the hex in question, only hexes from that point and including the hex containing the supply point. So for hex 1503 the supply path is 1402-1401. This is a valid supply path, so that province can be connected to the capital grid and the Kzintis can Email the money there.

A QUESTION OF PLANETS
Q: Rule (537.12) says “Once per turn, one resistance movement on one planet can attempt to infiltrate one of the ships (not bases) at the planet’s location.” One per side or one per race?
A: One per race.
Q: If I capture a planet during the enemy turn, does it take longer (two and a half turns) for me to start getting EPs?
A: Yes, because you get income from new planets on your second subsequent Economic Phase that you possess the planet. (508.22).
Q: Can I retreat through a planet with only a Residual Defense Factor, or does that create a fighting retreat? Annex (756.0) lists planets as a “non-ship unit” so it would seem this would be a “fighting retreat”. Correct?
A: You forget rule (302.732) which says that (for retreat) a planet with PDUs is a unit. A planet with only a RDF is not a unit for retreat. This is why we quit using the term Residual Defense Unit since people assumed that “words have a meaning” and if it was a “unit” it must block supply, retreat, and spam.
Q: There is a devastated enemy planet in a hex with one of my ships. My ship doesn’t have to leave or fight since the Residual Defense Factor is no longer a “unit” under the (sloppily written) rules. There are no ships friendly to the planet nearby. What happens to the planet’s EPs?
A: The planet is an isolated grid all by itself, blockaded by your ship just as it would be if there were ships in the six surrounding hexes, so it retains the EPs until it is captured (the EPs would then be lost) or liberated (at which point the EPs could be moved around by the existing rules).
Q: Does a colony created by a roll of two on a high risk survey count against the “one colony per five new off-map provinces” limit of rule (446.15) in Planetary Operations?
A: It is a separate limit. The standard rule lets you develop one colony per five new off-map provinces. The high risk rule might give you one in addition to this standard effort, but has its own limit after which that result has no effect.
Q: Are there any provisions in Federation and Empire for glassing a planet (melting the surface into glass, rendering it uninhabitable), rather than just devastating it?
A: Nope. That would be unthinkable!

THE FOUR POWERS WAR
Q: In the Four Powers War, what happens if the Lyrans never attack the Kzintis? In the Fleet Release Schedule, it says that the Kzintis can attack the Lyrans on Turn #2 if the Klingons haven’t attacked them, and that the Lyrans can attack the Kzintis on Turn #3 but if the Lyrans decline to attack the Kzintis on Turn #3, can the Kzintis attack the Lyrans at any point?
Ruling: The Kzintis can attack the Lyrans on Turn #4 if the Lyrans have not attacked them.
Q: The Lyrans decline to attack the Kzintis on Turn #3, leaving the Kzinti Count’s Fleet (the one on the Lyran border) unreleased. They are not technically at war with the Kzintis at this point. Can they still move ships, FRDs, and money into Klingon space, repairing Klingon ships, even though they aren’t fighting the Kzintis?
A: If the Lyrans are not at war, then they can’t do those things. If they go to war on Turn #3 without actually attacking (releasing the Kzinti border fleet and allowing the Kzintis to attack the Lyrans on Turn #3A), then they could do these things.
Q: The Kzinti Marquis fleet isn’t released unless their deployment zone is violated, or on Turn #4, and only then if a SB is destroyed or the capital is attacked. Does the Marquis fleet get released before Turn #4 if a SB is destroyed or the capital is attacked before then (i.e. if the Klingons attack the capital on Coalition Turn #3, is the Marquis fleet released on Kzinti Turn #3, or do they still have to wait until Turn #4?)
A: Nice try. Wait untilTurn #4.

PRODUCTION AND CONVERSION
Q: Rule (515.52) in Fighter Operations states that CVAs can only be produced in the shipyard. What about other “big carriers” which are not CVAs, such as Space Control Ships? What about the Romulan SUB or the modular Romulan DNs with SUB modules? What about the Lyran CV which is treated as a heavy carrier by (515.21)? What about the Gorn CVD, the Lyran DCS and NDS, which are treated as heavy carriers by (440.6)? Or the Gorn MCS which is a heavy carrier by the SIT?
A: You are mixing two different usages of the term “heavy” carrier. Anything that counts as a CVA for production must be built in the shipyard. Medium carriers which can be or must be escorted as heavy carriers are still produced as medium carriers and can be produced outside of the shipyard.
Q: Can Division Control Ships (toothless cruiser hulls which have both PFs and fighters) be built by overproduction?
A: They are cruisers (which can be) and fighters with less than eight factors (which can be) so they can be.
Q: Rule (431.33) says that the Federation CVB cannot be overbuilt, but rule (432.5) says that the surcharge is not doubled if it is overbuilt. Huh?
A: This is just a glitch. As the CVB cannot be overbuilt, the note in (432.5) is effectively meaningless.
Q: The Hydran Guild Shipyard gets (511.321) “three free fighter factors for hybrid ships” per turn. Are these three “hybrid factors” (worth three EPs) or three “standard fighter factors but only usable on hybrid ships”. Can they use them to build a ship such as the IC which uses standard fighter factors? Since Free Fighter Factors were changed to an annual allowance, does the Guild Shipyard really get six per Spring turn and none in the Fall?
A: They are three “hybrid factors” (worth three EPs). They could be used on the IC but each one would give the IC only half of a fighter factor. While this could be an exception due to the way the rule is written, feel free to treat it as six per Spring turn.
Q: Are the Federation Strike Cruisers in Strategic Operations activated instead of or in addition to a CA?
A: Instead of.

ALL KINDS OF MOVEMENT
Q: Group A with a Reserve marker is pinned by 24 ship equivalents moving into its hex during Operational Movement. Groups B & C (consisting of 12 ship equivalents each) each have a Reserve marker and are within 6 hexes of the soon-to-be-battle in Group A’s hex. Can Groups B&C reserve move to Group A’s hex, thereby freeing it (Group A) to use its reserve move?
A: Yes, this is allowed under rule (203.732).
Q: I want to retrograde a force. Does the force itself “hold open” the entire retrograde path (since these are hexes moved not a “supply path” full of uncounted freighters)?
A: Only the six hexes surrounding the starting hex of the retrograding units are “opened” by the retrograding units. Once beyond that area, they must have an open path (not of their own making).
Q: Heavy Fighters, F-14s, and F-15s have added combat factors due to their quality. When pinning, do I count ship equivalents or combat factors?
A: Rule (203.54) says each ship equivalent of fighters pins one ship. A group of eight factors of F-14s is still only one ship equivalent according to (302.352). You must count ship equivalents, not attack factors.
Q: Cripples are half of a “pinning point”, as are 3-5 fighters. Can I combine a cripple and a few fighters for one pinning point?
A: All the fighters in your fleet combine their efforts for pinning. Crippled ships can combine for pinning. But you cannot combine say three fighter factors and a crippled ship for 1 pinning point (203.54). Only like things can combine: fighters with fighters, PFs with PFs, crippled ships with crippled ships. A force with three ships, one crippled ship, and nine fighter factors could pin four ships and two crippled ships.
Q: Can a carrier leave its fighters behind to resolve pinning requirements and continue moving? For example, a force of Hydran ships are pinned by Lyrans. Could they leave fighters (and some ships) behind to resolve the pinning, and send the fighterless ships on to the target?
A: No, they can’t. See rule (203.53).

TEST IT IN COMBAT
Q: If the B10VA uses its SFG, it is then directly targetable. What happens with the escorts? Do they retain their Escort status (can only target the outer one) and compot, or do they revert to (515.54) (-1 to their compot)?
A: The escorts are still escorts and subject to all escort rules. Just the B10VA is now vulnerable due to the SFG use. The B10VA is still part of the group (you could still target the entire group if you wanted, you just now have a special exception to allow you to target the stasis ship by itself is you wish).
Q: Rule (320.331) allows a base with a SFG to protect FRDs, SAFs, LTFs, troop ships, and monitors (in certain situations) from drone raids. Why can’t SFG ships do the same?
A: Because those units are kept at the stasis equipped (or any) base. So on any given day when the drone attack happens to occur, the base is co-located and can protect them. A stasis ship is a ship not a base, it is mobile and is out scouting/patrolling around the hex as a matter of course. It is not a dedicated escort ship for the listed units. On any given day when the drone attack happens to unexpectedly show up, the stasis ship is not physically present at the same location as the listed units (or is so unlikely to be present at the site of the drone attack that the rule assumes it is not).
Q: Can a unit that is victorious in Small Scale Combat retreat like it could in regular combat?
A: It can retreat if the combat was part of the Combat Phase (when ships in regular combat can retreat). It gets trickier in a raid. Raids can use regular combat (which can end with one unit retreating) or Small Scale Combat (in which retreats are defined by the die roll). But there is no “retreat step” following raid combat because the raid ends when the raider goes home. If a defending ship was victorious against a raider in Small Scale Combat, it would have no reason to retreat (and no “step” to allow it). If a raider was victorious in Small Scale Combat, it would not need a retreat step as the raid rules provide for its timely departure from the scene.
Q: The Gorn DNT gets the mauler bonus because it has two R-torps. Would this not then apply to the Vulture?
A: No, it would not. The Vulture is old and slow and is not, by doctrine, used as the Gorns used the DNT.
Q: If the defender declines the approach battle, doesn’t the attacker get to withdraw without pursuit?
A: See rule (302.23)! You can still pursue, but with a die roll penalty to catch the retreating ships (provided there were retreating crippled ships present).
Q: Does a race have to be at war to use Prime Teams on Espionage & Sabotage (534.0) missions?
A: Yes. They are just a form of “raid” and raids are conducted only when you are at war, or when allowed by special rules (e.g., Romulan privateers).
Q: I thought a mauler could only attack one target with its bonus, but my opponent says it can attack all of my crippled ships during pursuit.
A: And he is right. Rule (307.4) in the 2K rulebook states that multiple crippled ships in pursuit can be declared to be one target for a direct damage attack and that a mauler can be used for this “one” attack.
Q: Does an operable SWAC count as a scout for purposes of generating a modifier in Small Scale Combat?
A: No. There is no provision for SWACS in SSC.

SURVEY SAYS...?
Q: If the survey ship (542.27) is crippled, does the player have to pay to repair it? Or does he only lose one turn of survey and the ship returns to duty? In other words, is (542.27) “crippled” in the normal sense of the term, or this just a special one-turn delay?
A: If it was a special one-turn delay, it would say so. Crippled means crippled, and you’ll have to have the ship repaired (presumably by the off-map starbase) and pay the cost of doing so before the ship can resume surveying. (Notes made during the design process means that we did consider this and use the proper term.)
Q: The Klingons send their survey ships into Lyran Off-Map territory and start rolling for new provinces. But are not the Klingon survey ships required to be in supply from the main grid? How does the money reach the Klingons?
A: This is part of their treaty with the Lyrans. The Klingon survey ships get to count Lyran bases in their supply chain, and use those bases as strategic movement nodes to send the money home. This is at no cost to the Klingons or Lyrans and the cargo ships involved in carrying the money are subsumed into the game’s background, not seen on the map.
Q: If the Romulans build more survey ships under (542.1) in Strategic Operations, can these assist in exploring the on-map provinces (603.15)? And is (603.15) partially obsolete in that it specifically mentions SPCs when many new types of survey ships are available in Strategic Operations?
A: Any Romulan survey ship can survey these provinces.
Q: The Klingons send their two pre-war survey ships off map (through Lyran territory) on Turn #1 by free strategic movement. If they build more survey ships, can they also send them off map by free strategic movement?
Ruling: A newly constructed ship gets free strategic movement on the turn it is built, but this is only inside its own territory. The pre-war treaty with the Lyrans includes the two ships moving through Lyran territory at no cost. However, the Lyrans didn’t sign up for an endless stream of Klingon survey ships crossing their territory for free. Use of Lyran strategic movement nodes for survey ships beyond the first two requires Lyran permission, and the Lyrans may (but do not have to) demand payment from the Klingons for the privilege. The Lyrans have, by the treaty, given permission for Klingon ships to enter their territory by normal movement.

THE RETREAT IS THE THING IN WHICH TO CATCH...
Q: The Klingons are retreating after a failed attack on the Kzinti capital. The Kzintis pursue, and divide their pursuit force between the cripples and the slow units. Can the ships chasing the cripples switch to the slow unit battle if they fail to catch the cripples?
A: No. See (302.742-B).
Q: If an Attacker offers an approach battle and is declined, then he can (302.23) either attack the base or retreat with a bonus against pursuit. If he retreats, can the Defender also retreat?
A: Certainly. A retreat is a retreat, and the Defender has the option to retreat if the Attacker retreats.
Q: The Klingons have surrounded the Hydran capital, but the Hydrans still hold the (also in the same trap) major planet in 0718. The Klingons then capture the homeworld.
Part two: Can the Hydrans retreat to the major planet in 0718? Must they? (It is in the wrong direction, and they don’t want to go there!)
Part three: If the Coalition retreats, and the Hydrans use their option to also retreat, can they go to 0718? Do they have to? They’d rather retreat toward the Old Colonies, of course!
A: The planet at 0718 is considered a partial grid at this point (as it is no longer connected to the capital, which no longer exists). Any ships that retreat there would be in supply (since they would be stacked with a planet).
As for the second part of your question (being forced to retreat to the planet), it depends on whether the retreating Hydrans are outnumbered in the other five possible retreat hexes. If so, those hexes are eliminated by Step 2, and 0718 is the only retreat option. If there is at least one of those five other hexes where the retreating Hydran fleet is not outnumbered, then that hex is not eliminated by Step 2. You can then voluntarily eliminate 0718 in Step 3, since that step lets you eliminate a partial grid hex if it is not the only remaining option.
As for the third part of your question, if the capital is not captured, then the planet in 0718 remains a valid supply point (supplied by the capital), and the Hydrans must retreat there since this would be the shortest distance to a supply point.

THOSE PESKY THOLIANS
Q: Can SAFs be used against the SB over Tholia and the PDUs on Tholia itself while a Web is present? The web rules do not exclude SAFs, but then when the web rules were created there were no SAFs. It would, logically, seem that SAFs should be exluded.
A: Rule (512.1) in F&E2K states “Directed Damage cannot be used against a Tholian base or planet. [Exception: SAFs (520.0) in Marine Assault.]”
So, SAFs can be used against Tholian bases/planets in web, and, even though SAFs were invented after webs, we did go back and review the issue at the time.
Q: The Tholian Homeworld has fallen. Did the Shipyard and Depot go with it? What happens to Tholian Salvage?
A: Yes, the Shipyard and Depot are gone. Salvage goes into the partial grid as per (439.12) and (439.13).
Q: Rule (520.62) gives a -1 die roll penalty to SAFs attacking if a monitor is defending the planet. The Tholians are allowed to have two monitors at their capital (519.11). Does this give them a -2 bonus?
A: No, but the -1 bonus continues until both monitors are destroyed.
Q: Do Tholian Monitors have to be in the battle force to achieve this shift? Or do webs mean they can be left out of the battle force, even if the planet’s PDUs are in it?
A: They must be in the battle force.
Q: What are the movement and basing restrictions of Tholian Monitors built in addition to the two already at the capital? Are they free to move to any Tholian base and stay there since there are no other Tholian planets?
A: All monitors must be assigned to a planet, and the Tholians only have one planet. You can build more monitors but they don’t really have much use. You are trying to create an exception through the Q&A process.
Q: How would those restrictions change in event the Tholians started a colony?
A: Then rule (446.32) applies, and it says that a colony is a planet and can have a monitor, but a colony can be voluntarily excluded from the process of deploying monitors.
Q: Rule (503.33) limits the Tholians to only operating within two hexes of their border. Does this affect E&S attacks and raids since they are beyond that limit?
A: Rule (503.33) is referring specifically to ships, and does not apply to E&S teams. Also, see rule (314.19) which allows Tholian Raiding ships to ignore the 2 hex restriction.

A REALLY ... REALLY! ... MOBILE BASE
Q: Gale Force (608.B2) lists a Lyran BATS in 1305 (presumably to support Lyran ships operating on the Federation border), but later scenarios put it in 1307.
A: Historically, the BATS in 1305 was destroyed in Y177 by a famous Federation raid, and then rebuilt in 1307 (a more secure area).

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, February 09, 2008 - 04:43 pm: Edit

CL36 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
by Nick Blank

A QUESTION OF MONEY
Q: Using the Advanced Deficit Spending rules, the Klingon spent 120% of the EPs available to him in the Economics Phase, then spent additional points during the Combat Phase (for drone bombardment), and for Field Repairs. Is this legal? Isn’t there a 20% cap on overall Advanced Deficit Spending?
A: Yes, the total limit on Advanced Deficit Spending during the entire turn is 20% (430.6). All that Advanced Deficit Spending does is allow you to spend some of the original limit during the Production Phase (something that is not allowed without the ADS rule) and to carry a debt forward rather than repay it immediately. You could borrow some of your 20% cap during Production and more (up to the 20% cap) during the rest of the turn. But whenever you hit the 20% limit, you’re done.
Q: At what point during the Sequence of Play are you able to repay your debt?
A: Step 5 of (447.3) is when repayment occurs, after you calculate and pay interest. This was in Captain’s Log #32.
Q: When do I calculate and spend salvage money? Does it change my limit for Advanced Deficit Spending?
A: Salvage can be calculated after every combat round, which gives you money to spend, but it does not allow you to borrow more or recalculate the limit. If you borrowed the full 20% already and spent it, then you have no money left for drone bombardment. Say then you get ten EPs of salvage; that gives you ten points for drone bombardment or field repairs, or whatever, but you cannot borrow 20% of your salvage since salvage proceeds are not part of the calculation of borrowing limits.
Q: When I pay my interest on Advanced Deficit Spending, is the interest based on the debt before or after I pay some (or all) of it back?
A: Before. The sequence is to collect your normal income, calculate the interest on the existing debt and pay that interest out of that income, then (if you want) pay some or all of the debt, and finally (if you want) borrow some more (up to the 20% cap).
Q: When do I pay the principle?
Ruling: At the point where you could borrow more. Sorry that this was not clear.
Q: Why are XTPs convertable back to EPs?
A: That’s just how it works. Basically, you can spend XTPs for anything you could spend EPs on, so you can “convert” them during the spending process. There is really no benefit to converting them (and a serious penalty), but if you want to, you can.
Q: Are the five EPs you get for a High Risk Survey subject to exhaustion? Seems they should not be as you just “found” them.
A: There is no exhaustion effect on “found” EPs. You just get the straight five EPs.
Q: Can you start one colony per turn, or only have one in development at a time?
A: You can start one per turn. You might have several in various stages of development.

A QUESTION OF SUPPLY
Q: Do crippled ships still block (and unblock) supply?
A: Yes. See rule (411.3).
Q: I have some ships out of supply, and want to use an Armed Priority Transport to get supplies to them. How does this work?
A: It’s more complicated than it looks, due to the Sequence of Play. For Operational Movement, supply is determined at the start of the Operational Movement Phase. So if you wait until then to send the APT to link up with your ships, they will be out of supply for movement, but not for combat. If you want them in supply for movement, send the APT to them as a blockade runner during the Raid Phase.
Q: Does supplying ships with an APT or other small cargo ship cost anything?
A: If it picked up the supplies from the main grid, then no. If it picked them up from a partial grid, the partial grid would have to pay for them.
Q: I have a tendency to use supply tugs a lot, due to my free-wheeling style of play. I want to be sure I never lose a tug to an attacking enemy. It appears that I can avoid losing the tug by just stacking another ship with it, allowing the enemy to destroy that ship in an approach battle, and then retreating, right?
A: Yes, you can, but you can always do that by using Withdrawal Before Combat (302.1) by sacrificing half of your ships, without bothering with an approach battle. Retreating in any case ends the tug’s ability to function as a supply point, which could have certain effects on later battles of the same turn (e.g., without being in supply, there is no salvage) and will of course impact the ability to maneuver units on the next turn. It could even affect available retreat options and retrograde routes.

HEAVY WAR DESTROYERS
Q: The Gorns (706.3) and Lyrans (711.3) are limited to the production of one FCR per year. Does the Modular Heavy Destroyer rule (525.23R) mean they can get one more FCR equivalent HDW-FOP per turn in addition to that one FCR per year?
A: Rule (525.23R) specifically says you can build one FOP in addition to your normal FCR, and can build another FOP in place of the regular FCR, so yes.
Q: The Gorns and Lyrans are limited to the production of one Heavy Fighter CV per year (see 530.223) in Advanced Operations until PF deployment. Does (525.23H) in Advanced Operations mean they can produce one more heavy fighter armed HDW-HOG per turn in addition to that limit?
A: Yes, it is in addition to the normal heavy carrier production. HDWs create a lot of “one more” cases but there are only so many HDWs.
Q: Does (525.23H) in Advanced Operations mean the Federation may make one more A-20 carrier per turn in addition to the one per year/turn limits of (532.223) Fighter Operations?
A: It means you can build one HOG in addition to any other normal carrier builds on a given turn.
Q: Does (532.222) in Fighter Operations [which references (530.222)] mean that a Federation F-18 armed HDW-COG can be converted to an A-20 armed HDW-HOG per (530.222)?
A: You cannot convert COGs to HOGs. You don’t convert a HDW directly from carrier to heavy carrier mode, you build a COG and a HOG, and you can switch them out with the HDW modularity rules. As HDWs, they work differently from normal conversions. HDWs are just strange.

COMBAT QUESTIONS
Q: Can Planetary Repair Docks be targeted by drone raids?
Ruling: No, they cannot.
Q: If I use a mauler in Advanced Small Scale Combat (318.74)-AO, I get the +1 bonus, but do I roll for shock?
A: No. Shock is only rolled for when the mauler is used for directed damage, which isn’t part of Small Scale Combat. Now, to be sure, we all know that the Small Scale Combat rules don’t work right, and this matter can be attended to when they are fixed.
Q: Is the attack factor of a mauler reduced 50% in Small Scale Combat if it lacks the consort ships required by (308.43)?
A: Correct. However, (318.74) grants a +1 bonus if it does have the consorts present.
Q: A Klingon F5 is a garrison ship over a Kzinti planet when a Kzinti raider shows up. Does the presence of the planet change the small scale combat calculation?
A: Not really, since the planet has no combat ability, is not a unit, and cannot absorb damage. If the planet happened to have Klingon PDUs, then you would have to go through the approach battle process, and those battles may or may not qualify for small scale combat.
Q: Can a Klingon F6J conduct the (528.42) “Special Attack” mission?
A: No, because it is not a cruiser-class ship.

PRODUCTION AND CONVERSION
Q: Can a single starbase convert a B10 to a B10VAA or does it take three, one for each conversion?
A: The stasis conversion is a separate conversion from the carrier. You can do two stasis kits as one minor six-point conversion under the rule (312.32), and the carrier as a second conversion, before or after the stasis conversion. You cannot do the stasis and carrier conversions together as a single conversion, and two starbases in the same hex cannot both do a conversion on one ship in a single turn.
Q: When can the B10S be built? SFB says Y189, but F&E says Y179.
A: SFB lists the year it was built, or, if not built, the year it could have been built. F&E lists the year it is available to be built. Both are correct as they use the dates differently.
Q: Is the B11 a legal unit?
A: It is, but it is conjectural and the use of conjectural units is up to each playing group. The counter is in Reinforcements and the data for the ship is in the on-line Ship Information Tables.
Q: Exactly when does the Federation get CVBG technology on Turn #26? During the Coalition turn or the Alliance turn?
A: The rule simply says Y181, so they can form CVBGs during the Coalition part of Turn #26.
Q: Fighter Operations says that the Klingons get heavy fighters in Spring Y178, but Planetary Operations provides them with megapacks for heavy fighters in the Fall of Y177. Does the data in Planetary Operations change the rules in Fighter Operations?
A: No, it does not. Spring Y178 is the date the Klingons can start converting carriers to heavy fighters, but they have some specific ships with heavy fighters (such as the D7U) as early as Y176, so they will have some heavy fighters in service in F177 when the megapacks become available.
Q: Do the Tholians use FRDs? There isn’t one in their OB in (707.0). It is also not listed in their SIT (other races do have it there). Rule (421.0) makes no mention of it either way.
A: Tholians cannot build FRDs or PRDs.
Q: When can races build an SBX? The rules have various dates but the Master SIT has only Y182 and the On-Line SITs have that date for every race.
A: This happened when the Generic SIT was eliminated (by player demand) and the SBX line was copied to every racial SIT (well, the ones that can build an SBX). This has been noted and the On-Line SITs will be corrected in future.
Q: What is the difference between a “conjectural” ship and an “unbuilt variant”?
A: These terms (and some others) come from SFB Module G2. The empire in question has the design for an “unbuilt” variant but chose not to build it; you can make a different decision when running that empire. A “conjectural” unit is one that the designers at ADB, Inc., added to the database as something that seemed logical but was never contemplated, and players can only build conjectural units if all agree to do so or if specific rules apply. Now, the term “unbuilt variant” came into use long after “conjectural” and some “conjectural” ships were redesignated as “unbuilt variants”. It’s not impossible that some “conjectural” ships should have been redesignated and were not. If you think this applies, send a line item to the Master SIT topic and the item will be reviewed. There are also certain specific rules built into the game, sometimes allowing everybody to build a conjectural type (e.g., battleships) and sometimes “trading off” by allowing certain ships to be built (sometimes in limited numbers). If there is supposed to be a specific exception for a given ship, there is one, so there is no need to ask if a rule is missing.
Q: Minor shipyards have a Year In Service of Y170, but take multiple turns to build. Can you start building one earlier that would be finished in Y170, or do you have to wait for Y170 to start building one?
A: You can start building them on Turn #4, Y170, and not before then.

GENERAL QUESTIONS
Q: I recently started playing Federation & Empire and bought all the products. I have seen references to Carrier War, Special Operations, and Marine Assault but cannot find them on the shopping cart.
A: Carrier War was expanded, revised, and re-issued as Fighter Operations. Special Operations and Marine Assault were combined, expanded, revised, and re-issued as Combined Operations. References to these older products will be eliminated in a future edition.
Q: If an admiral is removed from play during the beginning of a turn by rolling a “6” under (316.229), does the player get to replace him on the same turn?
A: Yes. The Sequence of Play governs. Since you mislaid this admiral before the Production Phase, you get to replace him in the next Production Phase which (by that Sequence of Play) just happens to be during the same turn.
Q: Rule (449.133) on transporting EPs requires them to be picked up from somewhere that has them (at least a partial grid) and delivered to somewhere that can receive them (at least a partial grid). Does this mean that the tug taking the EPs out of the WYN Cluster need only stop at any base in the grid or does it still need to go to the capital to drop off the EPs from the Cluster?
A: It could drop them at any grid (but that would make a satellite stockpile if not part of the capital grid). If you want the cash to go into your treasury, and there is no grid extending out from the capital, you have to bring it all the way to the capital.
Q: Can the Corps of Engineers help build a shipyard?
A: Engineers are prohibited from building major or medium shipyards, but they are allowed to build minor shipyards, even off-map.
Q: Can (534.3) be used to assign an additional Prime Team to defend a diplomat like they can protect a general or admiral? This was a Planetary Operations rule and diplomats were introduced later in Strategic Operations. Yes, I know that a diplomatic team includes a Prime Team.
A: No, you cannot assign more Prime Teams to protect the diplomats. There is no rule to allow it. Your question is valid because (as complex as the game is) the designer just might have forgotten to include an enabling rule, but the Prime Team inside the diplomatic team is all the protection they get.
Q: Rule (540.11) says that the Klingons have one D7N and one D5N (so does the Order of Battle), and this is three diplomatic teams. Are the Klingons missing a team or a cruiser? Or does the third team ride around in an APT?
A: The D7N carries two teams.

CARRIER GROUPS
Q: I sent a carrier with two escorts on a pursuit, and my opponent insists that since pursuit is by “so many ships” he can use directed damage on the carrier, ignoring the escorts.
A: Wrong. It’s a carrier group like any other.
Q: I don’t understand the sequence of attacking a carrier group. Can I attack the carrier by directed damage after crippling the escorts, or do I have to destroy them?
A: You have to cripple the escorts to be allowed to cripple the carrier. You have to destroy the escorts to be allowed to destroy the carrier. You can, of course, use directed damage to flip over (cripple) or destroy the entire group as a unit.
Q: We are confused about how to build carrier groups during retreat from a major battle, when every group we have includes crippled escorts. In one case, we had twelve crippled ships and ten healthy ones spread across five groups.
A: First, use rule (308.122) to swap around ships, creating groups (if possible) with all healthy ships and all crippled ships. The healthy groups can then get away, and the crippled groups can stay for the heroic last stand. Your “battle force” then includes all of the crippled ships, three uncrippled ships, and (only if the command limit allows) additional uncrippled ships. The force must include all groups including a cripple, but is still under the limit of uncrippled ships. In this case, use rule (515.15) which allows such a mixed group to drop its crippled escorts (which are then no longer in a group, but just loose ships) and have the healthy ships escape. Every situation is different, but generally speaking you want to get carriers out of this mess if you can, which means making sure the healthy ones leave, making sure the crippled ones are in groups, and being very careful in deciding which three uncrippled ships to leave behind. It might be a good idea to make these carriers (with crippled escorts) since groups are tough to attack, but that might risk the carriers (which could be crippled by directed damage since the escorts are already crippled).

SCENARIO QUESTIONS
Q: I am confused by The War That Almost Was in Captain’s Log #21. It says that the Federation cannot enter Gorn space, but that Gorn fleets are released when the Federation enters Gorn space. Huh?
A: The Federation cannot initiate the war by invading the Gorns, but if the Gorns start the war, the Federation can counter-attack into Gorn space, which might release some other Gorn fleets if the Federation goes too far.
Q: The rules allow me to send one ship from an unreleased fleet outside the deployment zone for conversion. My opponent insists that this allows him to set up one ship from any unreleased fleet in another sector.
A: Not so fast! Rule (600.322) allows any unreleased fleet to send a ship outside the sector to be converted, but only if that fleet has no starbase in its sector. There is, moreover, no rule allowing you to set up a ship outside of its assigned sector; you can only do this during a scenario.
Q: Rule (603.5), covering Gorn Limited War status, allows this under a variety of conditions mostly using the term “attack”. Can the Gorns go to Limited War to support the Federation if the Klingons and Romulans did not attack the Federation and the Federation used their option to attack the Klingons and/or Romulans?
A: The use of the term “attack” is precise. If the Federation started the war, the Gorns will stay out of it (unless and until the Gorns are attacked).
Q: What happens when the Tholians are forced to return to their space on Turn #28? Can they conduct raids on the Klingons and Romulans? Can they move out to attack a Klingon target as long as they are home by the end of the turn?
A: They withdraw to their home space because the Seltorians show up and attack them. For all practical purposes, you can take the Tholians off the map and just ignore them from that point, as they were only able to fight the Seltorians and the Seltorians had no interest in attacking anyone other than Tholians. When Civil Wars appears, you will have Seltorian counters and the two races can conduct their own private war. The Tholians could raid a Seltorian target, but no other target.
Q: If the Klingons and Romulans decline the privilege of attacking the Federation by Turn #10, what does the Federation do? Does it go to full war or limited war?
A: It’s their choice. They could go to limited war and support the Kzintis, or full war and invade the Klingons on Turn #10 (and the Romulans on Turn #20), or the Federation player could just decide to sit out the war. This may depend on who bought lunch or who is dating whose sister.
Q: Orion left the Federation when the Klingons sent an E4 into the province. Several turns later, I cut the supply path, Orion rejoined the Federation, and the rules say that the interned E4 is now captured by Star Fleet. Can I convert it into a Federation ship? Is this cheaper since it is not damaged? Can I scrap it for more money since it is undamaged?
A: You captured the ship. You can convert it (which costs 3 EPs) but this is no cheaper for it being undamaged (except that you do not have to also pay the repair cost). The SIT gives only one salvage value for each ship, whether it is damaged or not, so you get no more money for scrapping it. You might donate it to the WYN cluster; they’d love you for it.
Q: Advanced Operations rule (525.241) says that the Lyran JagdPanther is assumed to start in K mode, but rule (673.1L) in Captain’s Log #30 says it starts in C mode for the Cloudburst scenario. Does this change the historical scenario?
A: No, it is simply a special exception for Cloudburst.
Q: Is there a scenario in F&E for the Hydran Liberation (Y135) campaign?
A: No, there is not, but it sounds fun. Remember, however, that technology evolved over time. Note the various special rules in the Four Powers War scenario. For the even earlier Hydran Liberation, supply lines would be four hexes, and there would be no mobile bases. There might be other things, such as repair ships, that would have to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Q: Gale Force (608.B2) lists a Lyran BATS in 1305, but later scenarios put it in 1307.
A: The BATS in 1305 was destroyed in Y177 by a famous Federation raid, and then rebuilt in 1307 (a more secure area).

THE MOBILE BASE THAT NOBODY KNEW
I have a chain of questions regarding the special two-turn set-up of mobile bases in the Four Powers War, when nobody had really figured them out yet. Rules (510.21) and (510.22) define the procedure for setting up a MB. Rule (510.232) states that (in combat) if the tug is not with the MB, the MB is considered abandoned. Rule (607.16) describes the scenario rule for setting up a MB as taking two turns for Step 2 (510.22). In my case, a tug which began setting up a MB on the Strategic Move portion of its previous turn, and wants to change missions during the Economic Phase [Step 1F (509.32) Declare roles for tugs] of the current turn.
Q: If the tug voluntarily changes missions is the MB lost/destroyed?
A: Yes.
Q: Would the MB be considered still ‘packed’ since it has not been a full turn OR is it considered ‘partially set-up’?
A: It is partially set-up; it has no combat factors, but can no longer move or retreat with the tug.
Q: Then in that ‘partially set-up’ case, could another tug (assuming a valid SMN) show up during the Strategic Movement Phase of the current turn to complete the MB, basically picking up where the first tug left off?
A: No, sorry. If the first tug leaves (or is given another mission at the start of the turn), the MB would be lost at that point.
Q: In that ‘partially set-up’ case, does the interruption of the setup this turn force the process to begin again on the next turn (i.e., a tug could there by strategic-movement this turn but would not be able to continue deployment until the following turn)?
A: No, sorry. Interrupting the set-up process loses you the MB, immediately. There is no chance for another tug to show up from elsewhere. There is no provision in the rules for one tug to take over the mission of another tug in the middle of the mission, even if the mission takes more than one turn.