Federation Commander

[Nerroth]

Hi.


At the moment, my copies of Hydran Attack and the Reference Rulebook, as well as most of my Captains' Log issues, are in assorted boxes. So, I'm not able to check them at this moment.

Still, I wanted to clarify/refresh a few points.


*Does either HA, the RRB, or CL include any kind of rules, provisional or otherwise, for using the Federation Tug from Booster #91, or the LTTs previewed in Captain's Log? (For example, are they assumed to be always carrying their pod/s, and are their turn modes and movement costs shown accordingly?)


*In the guide to converting SSDs to use in FC, what do Fabrication, Works and Repair boxes turn into?
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FC Omega Discussion (v3)
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[OGOPTIMUS]

The cards for the Tug and LTT include multiple move cost columns, so you are not saddled with only one configuration.

IIRC the repair boxes on the Mobile Base were converted to Cargo (that was the ruling Mike West gave me years ago), but those on the Seltorian Battlewagon were not converted yet (see the recent thread here).

I am not sure about the other two.
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O.G. OPTIMUS


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[Steve Cole]

(5T) TUGS AND LTTS
Many of these ships have internal cargo, which requires no specific new rules. All of them, however, carry cargo pods which require minor rules.

(5T1) CARGO PODS: These simply add cargo boxes to the ship, although they increase the movement cost of some ships (and often worsen their turn mode). The Movement Cost and Turn Mode with and without pods is shown on each Ship Card.

(5T2) ATTACHING AND DROPPING PODS
(5T2a) Dropping: Ships carrying pods can drop them during the Undocking Phase at the end of any turn. On the next turn, the pod is simply left in the hex, as it cannot move on its own. Pods have a towing cost of 1/2 Energy Point per hex (1/4 in Fleet Scale).
(5T2b) Picking Up: A tug or LTT can pick up a pod during the Docking Phase at the start of any given turn. Use the docking rules (2D5a). The ship thereafter operates using the “carrying pod” data. A ship could drop a pod at the end of one turn and pick up a different pod at the start of the next turn. A pod dropped by one ship cannot be picked up by another ship during the same turn or the next turn.
(5T2c) Carriage: LTTs can only carry one pod at a time. Most tugs can carry two pods at a time.
Tugs that use the side-by-side method can carry one pod on the centerline, and can mount two pods by placing one of them to the portside and the other to the starboard side of the ship. A tug carrying two pods cannot drop one without dropping both (the off-center load won’t work at these speeds), and a tug carrying one pod would have to drop it on one turn and then reattach the two pods on the next turn.
The Federation tug uses a fore-and-aft system. One pod is attached to the tug, while the second pod (if carried) is attached to the rear of the first pod. A Federation tug with one pod can pick up a second pod without dropping the first one (although it could drop one pod and pick up a different pod on a later turn). A Federation tug with two pods could drop the rear pod or both pods, but could not drop the front pod without also dropping the rear pod.
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The Guy Who Designed Fed Commander

[Nerroth]

Thank you for the tug and LTT clarification - it'll be most useful.


If Repair goes to Cargo, where might that leave Fab and Works, I wonder...
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FC Omega Discussion (v3)
FC LMC Discussion

[terryoc]

Fab and Works would be cargo too, I'd bet a dozen doughnuts.
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"Captain" Terry O'Carroll, fourteen papers published including six best of issue
"Man, Terry, you are like a loophole seeking missle!" - Mike West

[Nerroth]

Speaking of tugs, I wonder if the type fielded by the ISC (if it ever shows up in FC) might need a note about having to have two pods in the same hex already - or perhaps having to move one into the hex of another via tractor - before being able to pick both up under (5T2b), since due to balance issues an ISC tug can only operate with two pods or none...


Also, if a Tug or LTT drops a pod, can an M81 raider try to capture one - and if so, can either ship type only carry one, or can the OGR carry two?
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FC Omega Discussion (v3)
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[terryoc]

Ehhh, let the ISC carry one pod if they want. I know it's not consistent with SFB, but IMO it's another little detail that is too small to bother with in FC.

I think the Tholians did not use tugs in the old galaxy, so it's really a bit of a moot point as far as the OG pirates are concerned. No tugs means no dropped pods. We know that OG freighters were functionally identical to Alpha Octant freighters, but that doesn't mean they were constructed similarly. Maybe AO-style cargo pods simply didn't exist in the OG. If it comes up in an actual game, just house rule it.
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"Captain" Terry O'Carroll, fourteen papers published including six best of issue
"Man, Terry, you are like a loophole seeking missle!" - Mike West

[Steve Cole]

I don' t think so.
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The Guy Who Designed Fed Commander

[mjwest]

Just to keep things simple, I am gonna say that OGR (both sizes) can only carry a single pod. It has a single mount-point for a ship, and can use it for pods. But it only has one point.

That's my story.

Oh, and if a pod is just lying around, anyone can pick it up. But remember the pick-up procedure mentioned above a few messages. It is a slow process, and the picker-upper is quite vulnerable during that process.
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Federation Commander Answer Guy

[Nerroth]

Thanks for the pod clarifications.

Oh, by the way, is Terry right - do Fab and Works turn to Cargo in FC?
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FC Omega Discussion (v3)
FC LMC Discussion

[mjwest]

Any box that is not otherwise defined is hit as Cargo.

The Repair boxes on the Mobile Base are an exception, and were changed to Lab.

So, yes, Terry is correct.
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Federation Commander Answer Guy

[Nerroth]

Duly noted, thank you.

(Oh, would Repair boxes on other units go to lab as well, or to cargo?)
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FC Omega Discussion (v3)
FC LMC Discussion

[mjwest]

I would need to double-check the ship card to see if it needed the exception. And that won't be until later.

But, in general, anything not specifically excepted anywhere, use cargo.
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Federation Commander Answer Guy

[Nerroth]

Okay.


Oh, by the way, I was looking over the tractor beam rules in (5D), and I didn't see a direct reference to the concept of 'negative tractor' - but I was wondering of that principle is applied via another means?

In other words, is there an aspect of the tractor beam's function in FC which assumes the application of negative tractor points?
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FC Omega Discussion (v3)
FC LMC Discussion

[Mike]