Haven't played this in a while and thinking about trying it again after finishing the current game on the table. We had thought about the whole campaign, but with only two players it may bog down. Anyways I have a question about turn 1 coalition. Can either the Lyrans or Klingons opt for limited war status on turn one? (The purpose being to extend full war economy by 1 turn, whether or not this is a "good" move being immaterial, just if its legal.) Thanks in advance for any clarification of this, the rules are buried currently.

Harry

By Thomas Mathews (Turtle) on Sunday, November 13, 2016 - 08:07 am: Edit

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Quote:

(601.2) SCENARIO SCHEDULE
TURN #1, FALL Y168
Set up in this order: Lyran, Kzinti, Klingon.
Historical: Lyrans invade Kzinti territory.
Lyrans are not required to attack. Kzintis may attack if the Lyrans do not

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By Harry Theodore (Harryt) on Thursday, November 17, 2016 - 12:15 pm: Edit

I take that as a yes, either power can extend full war production through turn 16 simply by being at limited war on turn 1. Thanks.

By Thomas Mathews (Turtle) on Thursday, November 17, 2016 - 07:40 pm: Edit

Harry see reply in Q&A discussion thread.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Sunday, November 20, 2016 - 01:00 pm: Edit

Deleted as answer in Q&A Discussions

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Monday, November 21, 2016 - 12:29 pm: Edit

Q: Conversion of Kzinti SDFs

(701.1) says "May make one scout substitution per turn, and any number of scout conversions."

"Can produce one drone ship per year by sustitution plus limited conversions by empire. Ships which are both scouts and drone ships count against both scout and drone ship limits (432.41)."

(705.3) says "SDF for FF once per turn (within drone and scout limits)" (presumably this governs substiturion only).

The Kzinti are capable of converting a DF to an SDF for 1EP. This is not creating a new drone ship (as the DF is already a drone ship). It is creating a new scout by substitution (which is unlimited).

Can the Kzinti convert an unlimited number of DF into SF (assuming money and conversion capacity) in a single turn?

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Monday, November 21, 2016 - 02:56 pm: Edit

I wrote:
>>The Kzinti are capable of converting a DF to an SDF for 1EP. This is not creating a new drone ship (as the DF is already a drone ship). It is creating a new scout by substitution (which is unlimited). >>

Should be "...It is creating a new scout by *conversion* (which is unlimited)."

By Chuck Strong (Raider) on Monday, November 21, 2016 - 06:10 pm: Edit

Rule (701.1) is definitive:

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Quote:

(701.1) says "May make one scout substitution per turn, and any number of scout conversions."

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By Dana Madsen (Dfm330) on Thursday, December 15, 2016 - 08:27 pm: Edit

Question on rule 425.3 Rapid Combat Repair and it's interaction with Capital assaults (sequence of play).

I did a quick search and didn't see this asked in the past.

Scenario 1.

Attacker offers approach(5-2A)
Defender rejects (5-2A3)

Capital assault procedure (511.52) (paraphrasing) Defender places all crippled ships in the system box. Following this all mobile ships are divided between the system boxes and mobile force.

Then a battle round is fought. In step 5-6X8 after damage allocation Rapid combat repairs are conducted. A crippled ship can be repaired at the field rate but I believe it would stay in the system box (the chance to assign ships to the mobile force has passed).

Scenario 2

Approach battle is accepted.

A single round is fought before the Capital assault procedure is entered. After damage allocation Rapid Combat repair is conducted. Any ships repaired during rapid combat repair are regular ships able to be divided between the mobile force and the system box.

Is the above process correct? By accepting the approach battle am I able to repair ships and get more ships allocated to my mobile force?

Or could I decline the approach battle but still conduct Rapid combat repair before dividing ships.

Thanks,

Dana

By Thomas Mathews (Turtle) on Thursday, December 15, 2016 - 09:01 pm: Edit

In partial answer to your questions:

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Quote:

By Thomas Mathews (Turtle) on Sunday, January 31, 2010 - 05:57 pm: Edit

(425.3)Rapid Combat Repair can be used between combat rounds to repair damaged ships. Can Rapid Combat Repair be used after a declined approach battle (302.22) to repair damaged ships that were damaged in the previous player phase?
By Chuck Strong (Raider) on Monday, February 01, 2010 - 11:37 am: Edit

(425.3) Rapid Combat Repair (RCR)

The rule specifically states that RCR can be done during the "COMBAT PHASE (SoP Phase 5 during 5-6X8) to repair ships in the same hex" as the repair unit. There is no requirement that damage must be scored in the current player turn/location or no requirement that actual combat must be performed; only that these RCR is done in that PHASE.

A "null" combat hex would also be eligible for RCR to enable such things as repair of units damaged during a raid or units that retreat on to a repair facility so long as the damage unit and the repair facility are co-located at the time of RCR; all RCR restrictions still apply.

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By Ryan Opel (Ryan) on Saturday, December 24, 2016 - 07:30 pm: Edit

Police Ships

(531.11) states the player starts with an initial number of Police Cutters.

(531.12) says additional police ship are "called up" up to the limits below.

Since I've seen this done both ways in scenarios and I'm working on updating scenarios right now the question is...

(531.0) Do the initial police ships from (531.11) count against the maximum number of police ships that can be called into military service. (531.12)

My staff opinion on the question. The initial police ships specified in (531.11) should not count the lifetime limit in (531.12) based on the wording of "ADDITIONAL police are "called up" ... when at war, up to the limits below."

By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar2) on Saturday, December 24, 2016 - 10:38 pm: Edit

Personally, I think they should...

By Richard B. Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Sunday, December 25, 2016 - 12:25 am: Edit

Perhaps someone should start a thread in QA discussion for this.

By Richard B. Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 - 09:23 am: Edit

Q:

In my game Follow the LDR, the Coalition has declined to attack the Federation on turn 10.

Several questions:

Can the Federation switch to a wartime economy without attacking the Coalition?

Can the Federation attack the Lyrans without being considered at war with the Klingons (so as not to prevent later Gorn entry into the war as an alliance member)?

May the Romulans stay at wartime status?
If they later switch to peacetime, do they lose accumulated prime teams, EPs, and so on?

I've done research on these issues, but the answer is somewhat unclear, my opponent has not been able to find a good answer either.

By Ryan Opel (Ryan) on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 - 11:05 am: Edit

Fed Wartime Econ. Don't see a reason why they can't.

I would say yes, but only if you can conduct operations against them through your supply network. (BTW, after rejecting the TacNote about this a couple of years ago, we've been trying to get the rule changed to delete the Klingon reference.)

The Romulans can stay on wartime econ. Just remember that exhaustion would still hit on T15.

The Romulans can't accumulate Prime Teams they are on a wartime economy not AT war. (522.1) Each turn, each race receives one Prime Team if it is at war (AT war, not just on a wartime economy unless specifically noted in the rules).

I would say yes they'd lose the accumulated EPs.

Ryan

By Richard B. Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 - 11:57 am: Edit

Q: Is there a difference (definition) in the rules, somewhere, between 'war' and 'wartime economy'?

By Ryan Opel (Ryan) on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 - 12:52 pm: Edit

"war" and "wartime economy". I can only find (652.23) which mentions the two together. But also see (601.162) about the Hydrans being at a wartime economy but not at war. See (603.17) for the Romulans being on a wartime economy but not at war.

By Thomas Mathews (Turtle) on Saturday, December 31, 2016 - 12:48 pm: Edit

Q675A1 (675.A1) states that the Hydrans have recaptured province 0117. How is this possible when the Lyrans are listed as having a PGB on the planet in 0416? The province would be contested as the Lyrans would be allowed to place one or more ships on the planet in 0416. The Lyrans can trace supply from 0416 to 0413 and from there to the Lyran capital without interference from Hydran units.

By Fabio Poli (Fabio) on Sunday, January 15, 2017 - 06:01 pm: Edit

Q: I'm attacking 5 SAF, a convoy and supply tug. All of them are escorted by 2 ships.
How will be handled for the battleline and command rating?
Total 14 escort + tug, SAF's and convoy
Should be the various groups be in the battleline or can the defender put other combat ships in line and declare the escort off (still using them to "escort")?
And what about if i don't have (as in the example) a command ship that can command all the groups?

By rule, a flagship MUST be selected for the battle force:

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Quote:

(302.324) Even ships which are part of “groups” (515.0) must be considered for flagship duty. If the ship selected as the flagship is an escort in a group, it will have to be removed from that group, which could have consequences for the group.

(515.331) A ship used as an escort cannot be the battle force flagship (nor does assignment as an escort remove a ship from the flagship selection procedure) or a member of a battle group (315.0) Advanced Operations.

(302.323) Convoys and FRDs have no Command Ratings. They are required be in the Battle Force (302.231) but are not involved in flagship selection.

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By Fabio Poli (Fabio) on Monday, February 20, 2017 - 02:06 pm: Edit

rule 302.2123A say that the excluded base could be a mobile base being set up by a tug.
I suppose the tug too is being excluded.
And i suppose it will be a tug upgrading an excluded base also.

Right?

By Thomas Mathews (Turtle) on Thursday, February 23, 2017 - 07:42 pm: Edit

Q503.611 (503.611) specifically prohibits the Lyrans from travelling to and through the neutral zone hexes 0805 and 0905 on turn 1 of (601.0). Does this limitation on movement apply to tracing supply (411.4) on turn 1 of (601.0)? I believe the answer is yes. Tracing supply through 0805 and 0905 or through Klingon space in any way would also provide overt proof of their alliance.

By Thomas Mathews (Turtle) on Friday, February 24, 2017 - 07:11 am: Edit

Additional Information to the above question By Thomas Mathews (Turtle) on Thursday, February 23, 2017 - 07:42 pm: Edit

Theoretically this would also cause issues with the hexes used in the retreat priorities under (302.73). Specifically (302.733) 3D and the interaction with (503.1) and (503.4). Again providing proof of an overt alliance and planning for war.

Author's Note: I should have included the above in my original question, but did not think of the interaction with these rules until after the time had elapsed to edit my original post.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Saturday, February 25, 2017 - 04:39 pm: Edit

Q546.0: Seltorian arrival after Tholia conquered and held. This is a three-part question.

Minor Empires specifies that the Seltorians arrived in the Spring of Y182 (Turn #28). They have a single-minded purpose: to "eradicate" the Tholians (Rule 546.21).

Question Part 1:
So, what happens if, prior to turn #28, the Tholians have been completely and utterly conquered (as I have actually done as the Coalition in past games)? What I mean is that Tholia has been held continuously by the Klingons from Turn X through to Turn #28, and every single Tholian base or other supply point has been destroyed.

Presumably, if there are no Tholians at all, the Seltorians move on and keep looking for other Tholians. The rules do not state this; perhaps there should be a ruling to that effect.

FEDS RULING: If EVEN one Tholian ship, unit, or base remains in play, then the Seltorians will set up their base planet and may hunt down and destroy those remaining Tholians; The Seltorian player can select any Tholian unit as the defacto "homeworld" for the purposes of this rule. If EVERY Tholian unit is destroyed, then the Seltorians leave the map and are removed from play.

However, change the circumstances.

Question Part 2:
Same as above (Tholia is conquered, there are no Tholian supply points at all anywhere). However, Tholian ships have been adopted as homeless ships by all three ofthe Federation, Gorns, and Kzinti (this actually happened in a second game where I, as the Coalition, conquered Tholia). In this game, the Alliance player chose to preserve almost all Tholian ships and give up the Tholian capital a bit more easily - but in exchange some 30+ Tholian ships joined the Alliance navies as homeless vessels (swelling their ranks).

Turn #28 arrives. Presumably the Seltorians arrive looking for their archenemies. The Seltorians find that there is no Tholian planet or base anywhere, but there are lots of Tholians floating around on Tholian ships in the Alliance navies.

Now an argument can be made that, if the Kligons or some other Coalition member grant permission, they will "setup shop" (rule 546.11) and then conduct operations hunting Tholian ships, not bases.

Another argument can be made that the Tholians are, effectively, beaten and thus the Seltorians move on. However, given the depth of their hatred, and the nature of sentient life to find a way to reestablish itself if given a chance, maybe they would stay after all to make absolutely certain the job of rule 546.21 is completed!

If they do decide to stay to hunt and kill Tholian ships, what restrictions will the Seltorians be under? For example, rule 546.211 (relentless pressure) does not apply because there are no valid Tholian targets, but presumably the Seltorians are NOT just added to Coalition forces - they have to hunt down Tholians. Another question is, can the Seltorians pick another hex to setup shop, instead of hex 2418 (rule 546.11) - assuming permission is granted? Do the Seltorians in this case continue to operate as a third party to the war, or do they join Coalition efforts? Would Seltorians be required to continue fighting in a hex where Tholians had withdrawn before combat, so only non-Tholian forces remained (compare Rule 546.212 - limited strategic retreat)? If Seltorians, in seeking Tholian ships, attacked and conquered a non-Tholian planet where Tholians had been stationed, would the Seltorian player be able to conquer that planet and claim it for themselves (establishing themselves possibly as a permanent presence in the Galaxy)?

FEDS RULING: SAME AS ABOVE. If, after the arrival of the Seltorians in Y182, any empire that provides any homeless ship support to Tholian units or repairs Tholian units or supports any Tholian units in ANY way, then the Seltorian player is free treat the supporting empire or supporting units as an enemy of the Tribunal at his OPTION. Empires providing safe harbor to Tholians will also be considered enemies of the Tribunal unless all Tholian units are immediately interned AND scraped by the host (safe harboring) empire.

Question Part 3
Assume Tholia is still there at turn #28. What happens if the Seltorians and Coalition actually conquer Tholia and destroy all Tholian supply points sometime after turn #28? Do the Seltorians just leave? Do they stay if Tholian homeless ships join the Alliance? Do they move on if *all* Tholian forces everywhere are wiped out?

FEDS RULING: SAME AS Q2 ABOVE.

I suspect other issues would arise with respect to dealing with Seltorians after Tholia has been destroyed. I haven't thought through all of them - just the ones that came to mind when posting this question.

These questions are not academic. Similar situations have arisen in real games I've played in. I'm looking forward to adding ME to my F&E games, but as a Coalition player I have a soft spot in my heart for stomping on Tholia. I don't do it every game, but I'd like to know in advance how the Seltorians would be dealt with if I "deal" with them either before or after Y182!

Thank you in advance for the time and effort spent on ruling on these issues.

By Thomas Mathews (Turtle) on Sunday, February 26, 2017 - 09:38 pm: Edit

Q315.23 Could the Federation field a battlegroup of all fast ships provided that they otherwise meet the requirements in (315.21) and (315.22) as an exception to the no fast ships in (315.23)?

While most empires do not field fast ships smaller than the war cruiser fast ships which prohibit them from forming a "fast" battlegroup, the Federation player could with the agreement of others in a given game build the DDF, and possibly the NAF, and DEF variants as well. Thus giving the Federation player enough SC4 ships to otherwise fulfill the requirements of building a battle group under the current rules.

By Thomas Mathews (Turtle) on Monday, February 27, 2017 - 06:32 am: Edit

Additional information to the above question. X-ships may form a battle group but all ships in the the battle group must be X-ships. See (315.244).