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May 2020
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Star Fleet Universe News THE BIG NEWS:
GURPS FEDERATION: 2020 revision is now available!
The galactic good guys have a book dedicated to them and the United Federation of Planets. With background on the history, politics, and culture, you will have everything you need to play campaigns set during any time period. Want to be part of a budding colony? There is information about the process of colonization. There is a new template for an experienced Federation Marshal so that players have something to worry about should they break the law. Two armored vehicles are presented with statistics to help you play them with the GURPS vehicles rules you are familiar with. There are more species: Antareans, Fralli (with their racial skill of Sparking), and Mantorese. And there are detailed surveys of the planets where the best known species in the Federation reside. Discover more about the Federation military (Star Fleet and Marines), Star Fleet organization, and the Federation Express. Even more personal weapons are now available, including the Fralli pole-whip. Read about even more Federation ships including the deck plans for the Federation Burke-class frigate. Of interest are the story and its sample characters, adventure hooks, and the Donjebruche Trading Post, a perfect spot for roving adventurers to explore. This is a revision of the 2010 book, updating it to the information presented in the 2020 GURPS Prime Directive volumes. If you purchased the original volume as a PDF through Warehouse 23, the revision is already in your library. You will need GURPS Prime Directive volumes 1 and 2 to effectively use this book. Get your copy from these sources: Warehouse 23: http://www.warehouse23.com/products/ADB8402 It is also available in print: https://www.starfleetstore.com/gurps-prime-directive-c-90_91/gurps-federation-2020-p-775.html
SHAPEWAYS
On May 1, 2020, ADB released a total of 41 new items to its shop on Shapeways with over 2,100 items available in total. Notably, we added more advanced technology ships (sometimes called X-technology or "X-ships") to the shop. There are some styles of ships designed to work within the price increase that Shapeways imposed. We also added more ships in the 7000 Scale that is designed to allow you to play with multiple ships on a "regular" map with 5/8-inch hexes. Please note that all ships are available in both 3788 and 3125 scales unless specifically noted, then they are only available in the scale noted. The Federation starts with the Command War Destroyer, Flatbed Operational Carrier (noted as the CVO), and the War Destroyer Collection (two War destroyers, a War Destroyer Scout, and a Command War Destroyer). These are available in both the Federation (gridded saucer) and Fed Classic (smooth saucer) styles. In the 7000 Scale the Battleship is available as a standalone. By customer request, we have sprued together three Heavy Cruisers. The Klingons gain their B10B Battleship Kit which is a multi-piece kit. They also get their D5B War Cruiser Collection (two D5B War Cruisers, a D5S Scout Cruiser, and a D5L War Cruiser Leader). In the more aztecked style are the B10K Battleship Kit and the D5K War Cruiser Collection (two D5K Refitted War Cruisers, a D5SK Refitted Scout Cruiser, and a D5LK Refitted War Cruiser Leader). In response to customer requests, in the 7000 Scale, the Klingons gain a sprue of three D7 Battlecruisers. The Romulans gain a Shrike Light Dreadnought (the Shrike+ was released earlier) and the SkyHawk Destroyer Collection (two SkyHawk-A Destroyers, a SkyHawk-F Scout, and a SkyHawk-L Destroyer Leader). In the 7000 Scale there are the Fleet Fast Ship Collection (a Shrike Light Dreadnought, two FastHawks, and two Fast SparrowHawk-A Light Cruisers) and the Fleet Tug Collection (two each of the SparrowHawk-T Transport with two pods, the SparrowHawk-H Cargo Transport, and the SparrowHawk-T Transport with one pod). These two collections are also available in the "+" or " Cranked Arrow" style. In a new category, the 7000 Scale gets its first Tournament Collection with the ships that are used in Star Fleet Battles tournaments. This collection includes the Federation Heavy Cruiser, Klingon D7 Battlecruiser, and the Romulan KR Battlecruiser (this has the scallops on the wings to distinguish it from the Klingon D7). The Gorns get their 7000 Scale Godzilla Battleship in both the regular and refitted versions. The Tholians also get their X-Ship Destroyer. The Orions get their X-Ship Heavy Cruiser. The ISC gets its X-Ship X-Command Cruiser. The Frax gets its X-Ship Command Cruiser in the 3788 Scale. . Check all these out here: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/amarillo-design-bureau-inc Don't forget to follow us: https://www.shapeways.com/designer/adbinc
WEBSITE:
Our website, www.StarFleetGames.com, continues to grow and improve. You are welcome to send us your requests, comments, and suggestions. Samantha Todd, our graphics director, continues to update the website, do covers for the new products, shut down pirate websites, help out around the company, and learn more about the game business.
TWITTER: VIDEOS: Star Fleet Marines Part 1 DOING VIDEOS OF THE SFU
A customer asked about posting "tutorial videos" for our games. We like it when people do that (and even give commendation medals) but you need to have us check the videos to make sure you aren't violating something somehow (or that you didn't make a rules error). Doing such videos to make money is not cool. Please drop us an email before you post the videos.
STARBLOG: STAR FLEET'S LEGIONS EXPAND: This month we feature Battle Group Hampton Roads, headquartered in Hampton, Virginia. CO William Phillips reports they play Star Fleet Battles and Federation & Empire. They also enjoy attending gaming conventions. Read more here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/battlegroup/battlegroup_HamptonRoads.shtml
Do you have a battle group? Be sure to report your activities here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/battlegroup/report.shtml
Do you want to see if there's a battle group near you? Check out the map here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/battlegroup/gather.shtml#US
Facebook Fan Pages
So join us on Facebook and get a fix of your favorite game there, too! JAGDPANTHER
Custom Decals for Starline ships Tenneshington Decals continues to provide custom decals for all currently produced Federation Starline 2500 miniatures. For more information or to download the order sheet, check them out at www.tenneshington.com. Or if you prefer, email Will McCammon at: will@tenneshington.com or Tony L. Thomas at: scoutdad@tenneshington.com.
Jupiter IV Decals is a source of decals for the 2400 line and will do custom decals as well as all official SFB names. In the near future Jupiter IV will move into the 2500 line and will work to get every listed name on the Starfleet registry completed in both scales.
Their website is: JupiterIvdecals.com
ONLINE TOURNAMENTS Sapphire Star:
The Sapphire Star 4 Tournament is well underway. All of the first-round matches have been played and half of the second-round games are completed. Well done to the participants on keeping the tournament moving! Steven Petrick is the judge for this tournament.
DEMOS AND CONS WITH SFU GAMES Due to the COVID-19 virus, many conventions have been cancelled. We encourage you to check out Star Fleet Battles Online where there is a free demo version. It is a good way to hang out with others who play Star Fleet Battles and Federation Commander. Check it out here: https://www.sfbonline.com/index.jsp
Star Fleet Battles games are held weekly in Tempe Arizona each Friday at Game Depot from 2:00 -7:00 pm. Eric Phillips is the person to contact. Star Fleet Battles games are held regularly in Indianapolis, Indiana at Family Time Games. Anthony Harding is the contact person. For more information see: http://www.meetup.com/Star-Fleet-Battles-Indy/.
Star Fleet Battles games are played regularly in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday afternoons at the Soldiery. Lee Hanna is the contact person. Games are held in Spokane, Washington on an irregular basis. Contact them to see if there's a game scheduled. They meet at The Gamer's Haven, 2114 N. Pines St., Suites 1 & 2, Spokane Valley, WA 99206, (509) 443-5992 http://www.thegamershaven.net/ Download Transmissions HAILING FREQUENCIES: This is our newsletter and will let you know all the news for all our games. You can subscribe here. Have you missed an earlier newsletter? Click here to get caught up! COMMUNIQUE: This monthly magazine repeated much of the same information that Hailing Frequencies does. December 2019 was the last month it was published. Old issues can be downloaded from the Commander's Circle.
Mini of the Month Kent Ing painted this Federation Battle Frigate (3125 Scale, Smooth Fine Detail Plastic).
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New Releases EXTRAS FOR THE MONTH: Call to Arms: Star Fleet Fralli Heavy Cruiser Powerista You can look at Hailing Frequencies Extras here. Click here to see our previous issues of Hailing Frequencies.
Recently Released GURPS Federation Revised,SKU 8402, $24.95 To be released in 2020
FC Federation Epack #5
GURPS Klingons Revision
Star Fleet Universe Index Captain's Log #54
SFB Module R13
The rest of the Starmada Unity Edition
A new F&E module to be named later
ACTASF Book 3
SHAPEWAYS:
We’re now offering some of our miniatures and some new designs on Shapeways. You can check out the store here: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/amarillo-design-bureau-inc?sort=newest
PDF and EBOOK SALES:
RECENTLY RELEASED ON Warehouse 23 GURPS Federation Revised GURPS Federation Revised (DriveThru RPG) "What is your problem, Little Warrior?" the Leopard King asked his house pet. (Continue reading here)
Ask Admiral Vanaxilth DRONES
Garth L. Getgen asks: Can a Federation drone rack launch Klingon drones? Or vise versa?
ANSWER: If the Federation and Klingons are allied in a scenario, then yes. If they are not allies, and one side managed to capture another's drones, then they would not be useable during the scenario, per (D7.55). Mike Kenyon asks: A drone gets launched in direction B; may it do a high energy turn as its first move? ANSWER: Yes, per (F2.135). Lee Hanna asks: Are drone spaces (FD10.6) counted against availability type by the drone or by the module? The question centers on the 8/18 drone (0.5 spaces of armor and 1.5 spaces of explosives) on a two-space frame. Is that counted as two spaces of restricted availability, half a space, or one space? ANSWER: Frame additions apply to the whole drone. Modules are counted against the limits space by space, using whole spaces. So, a type-IV drone with 0.5 spaces of armor and 1.5 spaces of explosive module (i.e., a 0.5 space explosive module and a one-space explosive module), assuming no frame additions, in Y167 or later, would count as one space of general availability (for the one-space explosive module), and one space of restricted availability (for the other module space on the drone, because it includes the restricted availability armor module). Marc Elwinger asks: Can drones be launched at a speed less than their maximum? For example, can a scatter-pack launch six type-I drones, five with a speed of 19 and one with a speed of 20, so that during their movement, the Speed 20 drone will get one hex ahead of the others and act as a minesweeper so they are not all killed by the same mine? Kommodore Ketrick replies: Only advanced technology drones can normally be set to operate at a speed less than their maximum during a scenario (XFD10.3). All other drones only work at the speed at which they are purchased (FD1.23) (which depends on the year). Those are Speed 8 (type-I or type-IV slow speed and the hypothetical type-III and type-VI slow speed), Speed 12 (type-II, type-III, type-V, and type-VI), Speed 20 (type-IM, type-IIIM, type-IVM, and type-VIM), and Speed 32 (type-IF, type-IIIF, type-IVF, and type-VIF). Any of these drones, except the type-VI, might have been made slower through the addition of external armor (FD12.132). However, you purchase the drone speeds before the scenario (including the effects of any external armor) and there is no way to change the speed of any drone during a scenario. That being said, you are required to release the submuntions of a scatter-pack such that the target is in their FA arc. It is entirely legal to, for example, have a scatter-pack in hex 2215 targeted on a unit in hex 2327 and have five of the drones face in direction C when launched and one drone face in direction D. The drone facing in direction D will thus be slightly ahead (although the distance is the same) of the others. If the target were moving in direction F, the drone launched in direction D will eventually be leading the other drones. This is, however, superfluous, as a T-bomb used to counter a flock of drones released from a scatter-pack can use (M2.15) to be programmed to detonate when say the third drone enters its detection zone. So the fact that one drone is leading five other drones, even if it is doing so by five hexes (i.e., it will itself be outside of the T-bomb's detonation radius), will not trigger the T-bomb. One of the five drones in the major stack will, and the lead drone then becomes the only one that need be countered by a phaser, ADD, tractor, or some other system or weapon. Marc Elwinger asks: Can an ECM drone be set to only turn itself on at a distance? For example can a scatter-pack launch six drones including one ECM drone and have the ECM drone become active three hexes from the target. This would be to upset the calculations of how many phasers to reserve to handle the drones. Once this is done with one scatter-pack, then the foe needs to worry about ECM drones in any other scatter-packs. Kommodore Ketrick replies: No. ECM drones become active shortly (four impulses) after they are launched (FD9.12). Follow-up question: I presume the enemy can identify the ECM drone and knows that he does not need to shoot that one? Kommodore Ketrick replies: An ECM drone escorting a valid target other than other drones reveals itself by its actions, i.e., the drone is escorting a ship or base and the ship or base is receiving three points of ECM. A drone escorting other drones is concealed by the other drones, i.e., the enemy does not know which of the drones is the ECM drone unless he identifies the drone under (F1.4) as per (FD9.21). The ECM drone might be a type-IV drone, so you cannot just ignore it because it may still have a 12-point warhead in addition to the ECM module. Drones can pretty much never be ignored. Marc Elwinger asks: If a type-IIIMW drone is in a stack with other drones when the submunitions separate, can the enemy tell which drone body was the type-IIIMW and keep track of it all the way to the target (so they know which drone they do not need to shoot at)? Kommodore Ketrick replies: Yes under (FD8.25). However, unless the frame were identified you will not know what kind of drone the bus vehicle is. Just because it released three submunitions that does not automatically mean that it was a type-IMW, or a type-IIMW (apocryphal), or a type-IIIMW drone. It might be a type-IVMW or type-VMW (apocryphal) drone with the second half of its payload being a 12-point warhead. The launching system (since you can track the launch source) can provide information (most size-1 fighters cannot launch two-space drones). James Everett asks: I was looking at drone loadouts for a Klingon D7 battlecruiser and could not find the cost of an ECM drone in Annex #6 Commander's Options. I did find it in (FD10.0). I have Module G3 Master Annexes. An ECM drone is a Commander's Option is it not? Kommodore Ketrick replies: It is covered by the third "NOTE" (they are not numbered, it is the third "NOTE" in bold) that says"See also (FD10.0) for cost to assemble special drones . . ." Replacing an explosive module with an ECM module is a zero-cost operation, so it only impacts the points you have available for Commander's Options if you want the complete package. That is to say, replacing a type-I drone with a type-IIIECM drone costs 0.5 BPV (the cost of exchanging a type-I drone frame for a type-III drone frame), the ECM module does not cost anything more than the loss of the explosive module it replaces. You can just replace an explosive module with an ECM module on a type-I drone, but the resulting drone will only last three turns rather than the six turns a type-IIIECM drone would last. It will also require that guidance is provided at all times or it will go inert (while a type-IIIECM drone is self-guiding once it gets near the designated target). F&E Q&A
AM I OVER REACTING? Q: Auxiliaries can use Reaction Movement (205.0), but for only one hex (extended or normal). Any attrition units carried could react separately (501.81). So, obviously, an auxiliary in 0705 (co-located with scout or base that can "see" enemy movement in 0703 could use extended reaction and move to 0704, at least telling the enemy if they keep coming it¹s going to be a fight. Then, if the auxiliary is a carrier, could its fighters (or its gunboats if the auxiliary were a PFT) then react separately using short-range reaction into hex 0703?
A: Yes! This is intended in the auxiliary rules. It does not even matter if the enemy fleet stopped in that hex two hexes from the base/scout as regular ships could have moved one hex by normal reaction and the second by extended reaction even if the enemy force did not move closer. Q: Could a real carrier (or a PFT for that matter) move two hexes by reaction (and extended reaction) and then send its fighters a third hex for their independent reaction? A: While the reaction of a ship and its fighters can be independent, overall reaction is limited to two hexes from the original starting point, so the CV could move two hexes and fight beside its fighters, or move two hexes and stay in the support echelon and send its fighters to the battle group, or move one hex and then send its fighters on an independent reaction. (End of F&E Q&A) ASK AUNT JEAN Dear Aunt Jean, what have you been doing working at home?
A: You should see some of the results in this issue of Hailing Frequencies. We made minor revisions to GURPS Federation to bring it more in line with the revised GURPS Prime Directive rulebook. Major changes were made to the Marshal template and to the two Federation armored vehicles. The vehicles now have statistics in line with what you would expect from GURPS vehicles.
We have uploaded the changes to the GURPS Prime Directive page here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/prime/pd-gurps.shtml
Send questions to Jean at marketing@StarFleetGames.com and she will answer as soon as she can. Cool Stuff on the Website In this section we will provide links to various web pages and items that we think you will find "cool". We have also uploaded new Xander wallpapers to our Wallpapers section on the website: Wallpapers STAR FLEET ALERTS These are the press releases we send to the wholesalers, retailers, and media. You can get on the mailing list for them by asking Marketing@StarFleetGames.com to add you to the list. (Obviously, they are free.) They are uploaded to the Star Fleet Alert page FC Tactic of the MonthHIGH SPEED LAUNCH Andromedan satellite ships must fly at a baseline speed no higher than eight on the turn they are launched or recovered. Speed is life! Launch your satellite ships on Impulse #8 so they will be able to change their Baseline Speed during Energy Allocation of the subsequent turn, before any seeking weapons can impact.
Often, after the introduction of mech-links, a commando ship will buy a couple "ground assault fast patrol ships" to assist landing operations. F&E Strategy of the Month Quite often, a player will need to risk auxiliary ships or a slow unit to achieve a set objective, but on the opposing player¹s turn those assets may be lost. To improve the chance of a slow retreat not becoming a rout, include a tug and FRD with the force.
FEDERATION COMMANDER QUESTION OF THE MONTH
Q: Sometimes the Reference Ship Chart (on the website), the PDF version of a card, and the laminated version of a card have different point values. Which is right?
A: If the Reference Ship Chart has a note saying "corrected" or "confirmed" or something similar, that is the correct point value. If not, then the printed and laminated card has the correct value (in which case let us know to correct the PDF copy). If the printed and PDF copies agree but the Reference Ship Chart does not (and isn't marked) then the RSC is probably a typo. Let us know to fix it.
FC Forum Recent Posts
The Federation Commander site and Forum continue to grow as more gamers continue to find them. All of our games currently have topics in the Forum. If you have any comments, questions, or requests for our Graphics Director, this is the place to let her know. Come see what the commotion is about and join the Federation Commander Forum now.
A Call To Arms: Star Fleet Tactic of the Month One of the things that becomes rapidly apparent in A Call to Arms: Star Fleet is that ship-vs.-ship combat is a lot more savage than it is in Star Fleet Battles. Often times in small engagements the fighting can be over in as little as two or three turns. This makes decisions on which Special Action you use crucial to your survival. Empires that have to rely on the Reload Weapons! Special Action in order to bring their heavy weapons back on line may need to take a moment to weigh the options. If you have already taken shield damage, it may be in your best interest to use the Boost Energy to Shields! Special Action over the Reload Weapons! Special Action. Both cause power drain, but the extra shield boxes you gain now can pay off in a bigger dividend than the threat of having heavy weapons ready for a next turn of combat that may not even be needed.
(End of A Call to Arms: Star Fleet Tactic of the Month)
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show our games and to teach potential players some basics. 
