Federation Commander

[mjwest]

In the Plasma Arming thread in Rules Questions, someone asked for a "spoiler preview" of changes in the RRB6. Rather than completely derail that topic (more than it already was), I thought I would answer the question here.

In no particular order, here are the biggest items:
- All "prototype" rules from HA and W&P updated.
- New rules from HA and W&P included.
- "Missing" WYN Radiation Zone rules added.
- Plasma arming now has the option to spend batteries for second turn of arming.
- Particle cannons do not have 3 impulse delay between turns. (They, of course, still do within a turn.)
- ADDs get an "offensive" function. They can now fire at drones and shuttle close by in the offensive fire phase. (And they can now kill suicide shuttles, too.)
- About a half-dozen "contradictions" [e.g. (5L2)] have been clarified.
- Of course the various rulings and CRUL items have been included.

I think those are the main points.
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Federation Commander Answer Guy

[ericphillips]

No Frax rules?

[Targ]

A few big one’s on that list, I thinks thing may get a bit bizzy on the board. I Look forwards to it.

[mjwest]

[ericphillips]

Well, I am waiting with baited breath. Day one buyer here!

[Nerroth]

Some of those will be useful...

[Steve Cole]

NEW UPDATES
FROM THE SIXTH EDITION
If you find a "J" somewhere, that's the dingbat font star marking new rules.
(1E1) Pay to continue Evasive Manuevers (2D4d). Docking (2D5a) or Landing (2D5b) occurs at this point.
(1E2c1) Vudar IPGs use Ionic Wave mode at this point (5R3).
(2D4c) This rule uses (4A4); reference to a die roll of six is obsolete.
(3A4) In the case of Andromedan Power Absorber Panels (3G), PA banks struck determine volleys, not the shield facings.
(3B) All of these diagrams are limited by the presentation of the hex grid. Arcs still apply at Range Zero, and the target ship can only be hit by weapons that bear. See (3C6d) for more clarification.
(3C3b) This occurs in the Repair Phase (1E3d).
(3C6d) Same Hex: In the event that the firing ship and target ship are in the same hex, resolve the question of “which shield was hit” from the position occupied by the last ship to enter the hex on the sub-pulse before it entered that hex (or, if that is the same, by the ship with the better turn mode). If both entered at the same time, judge them from the previous hexes.
If two ships in the same hex move on the same sub-pulse to the same (other) hex, and the ships have the same speed and turn mode, the relative facing remains unchanged (as adjusted by any turns).
(3D3d) A skip does not cause a new die roll unless the last group of the current volley would then exceed 10 points. If the volley has only seven points, a “skip” would be the eighth point of the one group of damage points, not a new group of one point.
(3G2b) Multiple burn through points are combined into a single volley.
(3G4) Power is purged before other repairs take place. A panel repaired a given turn has no effect on the amount of power than can be purged on that turn. The three types of purging can only be done in the order given in the rules.
(4A3) Planets (6A1d) are large enough to block fire through a given hex.
(4C2c) Either all of the ship’s weapons use this pre-arming option, or none of them can. The ship cannot use it for some weapons unless all use it.
(4E3) Anti-drones can be fired during the Offensive Fire Phase (1E2d) of the Sequence of Play. The player who owns the ship firing the anti-drone uses the following procedure.
(4E3a) Step 1: He announces which anti-drone he is firing (which must be un-disabled), and the target (which must be a drone or shuttle within two hexes of the ship). Other players can confirm this data (or show it not to be true) and point out any rule or condition which would prevent firing.
(4E3b) Step 2: The player owning and firing the anti-drone rolls one die. If the result is a 1-3, the target drone is hit. If the result is 4-6, the target was missed. A target drone which was hit is destroyed. A target shuttle which was hit takes damage equal to the roll of one die (i.e., 1-6 points).
(4J2e) In addition, the ship has the option to have the first two turns of loading for all type-G/S/R plasma torpedoes completed, at the cost of not counting the batteries in determining the starting energy. Special scenario rules might prohibit this if the ship did not have time or energy to pre-load the plasma torpedoes. The number of betteries left empty will not exceed the amount of power it would take to load the second turn of arming. All eligible type-G/S/R plasma torpedoes must use the same level of loading.
(4J3d) Armed torpedoes can be launched, but not bolted, from disabled launchers.
(4K2c) If a given ship uses pre-game arming for its hellbores, it must use it for all hellbores on the ship or none of them.
(4M2c) Pre-game arming must be used for all of the PPDs on a given ship, or none of them.
(4P1b) Firing Rate: A given particle cannon can be fired twice in one turn, but these firings must be at least three impulses apart (e.g., Impulse #4 and then again on Impulse #7 or later). This delay does not extend over turn breaks; a given particle cannon fired on Impulse #8 of one turn could be fired again on Impulse #1 (and then #4) of the next turn. Mark the impulse of firing on the Particle Cannon Impulse Used Track.
(5D1) A “SYS” box can be used as a tractor beam (5J3).
(5E1) A “SYS” box can be used as a transporter (5J3).
(5F1b2) In the latter case, both roll, and both take any Marine unit losses. If either succeeds, the target is diabled.
(5L1a) Orions cannot use TR beams, PA panels, IPGs, or displacement devices. They can put ion cannons into any mount that can hold a photon torpedo. Disruptors on the Orion Light Raider are limited to Range 15.
(5L1b) Ion cannons cost +0.
(5L5) Defense satellites can only be deployed around planets or moons.
(5L5b) Unrevealed defense satellites can be hit by ESGs, and would then be revealed (on the next impulse) to other weapons.
(5M3) Snares on Squadron Scale bases fire through the facing and both adjacent shields. Snares on Fleet Scale bases are 360°.
(4N2d) As shield crackers cause no internal damage, they do not use “burn through” (3C8).
(5Q1a) Stingers do not have to declare their intention to HET; they simply perform the maneuver.
(5R1b) A given IPG can use both modes in the same turn, just not the same impulse.
(5R2a) Capacitors: Power (up to a limit of four points) can be assigned to an IPGs during Energy Allocation or using power left over at the end of the turn; power cannot be added during a turn. Power installed in an IPG remains there until used (or until the IPG is disabled). At the start of any scenario, each IPG on a ship is assumed to have two points of power (unless scenario rules say otherwise). The amount of power in an IPG is known to all players, just as is the arming status of all weapons that store energy. Power used by IPGs must be used in whole numbers, i.e., two points not two and a half points.
(5S1) Special sensors cannot be used for any of the purposes herein if the ship is using evasive maneuvers.
(5U4b4) Seeking weapons which are impacted on a displaced ship are removed from play, unless the displaced ship was self-displaced.
(5U5e) A satellite ship launched by displacement is under the restrictions of (5V1b5).
(5V1b) No matter how a satellite ship was launched, it is under the restrictions of both (5U4b) and (5V1b5).
(5V1b2) The cost to launch a Cobra is four Energy Points, not three as the example says. Use half of the stated amount of power in Fleet Scale.
(5V1b5) A satellite ship launched by transporter is also disrupted (5U4b).
(5V1c2) The Andromedan player can choose which satellite ship (if there were more than one in the hangar) takes the damage, and which of its panels was struck. This choice can be changed from volley to volley.
(5V1c3) The Andromedan player can choose which satellite ship (if there were more than one in the hangar) takes the damage, and which of its panels was struck. This choice can be changed from volley to volley.
(5V2c) Damage: If a energy module has at least one panel disabled at the end of a scenario, the opposing player scores 10% of the energy module’s Point Value as Victory Points. If an energy module is destroyed, the opposing player scores all of the energy module’s Point Value as Victory Points. Energy modules cannot be crippled or captured.
(5V3c) The Andromedan player can launch a probe for information (even if he has no need for it) and can transport “garbage” overboard (if the transporters were not otherwise used).
(5X6) If Marine units from a degraded and normal crew are operating on the ssame side in Marine combat (5F2), treat them as if they were on different sides (5F2d) although they do not fight each other.
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The Guy Who Designed Fed Commander

[mjwest]

Quick note in case you don't find a couple rule numbers in your old rulebook.

- (5L1) was divided up a bit to make things easier to "address". The ship-by-ship list of available weapons is now (5L1a) and the list of weapon point value adjustments is now (5L1b).

- (5J) was divided up and added to. (5J1) is the existing "hull" part of (5J). (5J2) is the existing "frame damage" part of (5J). (5J3) covers the "SYS" box so that the system has an actual rule number. (Short version: what is printed on the relevant ship cards.) (5J4) covers "barracks" in preparation for Briefing #3. (Short version: just a center hull box with a different name.)

[Edited to say "old rulebook". Obviously, these rule numbers are in the new one.]
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Federation Commander Answer Guy

[Nerroth]

The updated file is on e23!
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FC Omega Discussion (v3)
FC LMC Discussion

[gar1138]

Just got it and it's great! Thanks!

Garrett

[Nerroth]

My copy of the pdf seems to be missing the rules for Andromedan TR beams (4S)...
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FC Omega Discussion (v3)
FC LMC Discussion

[OGOPTIMUS]

[IKerensky]

Any change on the probe table ?

I dont understand why it is the only table that work in reverse of the other and necessitate special mention in the modifier rules because of that.

[mjwest]

No change on the probe.

The reason it is way it is is because it is easier to say and easier to comprehend "roll range or greater" rather than "subtract range from 7 and roll less than or equal to the difference".
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Federation Commander Answer Guy