Federation Commander

[storeylf]

I was just checking something up regarding the andros, and noticed that on a more general point that whilst seekers have to be launched within 25 hexes of the target, and drones have to remain within 25 hexes of the controller ship, there is no rule about how far the target ship can get from the drone/controller (that i spotted).

Is that correct, that once launched the target can pull away well beyond 25 hexes and still be tracked by the seeker.

It's one of those things that, without checking it up, I would have guessed remains at all time and the seeker loses lock if the target gets away. I tend to see that for FC 25 hexes is the cut off for any sort of weapon lock/track etc.

[mjwest]

[Edit: Fixed the answer.]

The limit is 25 hexes. The drone (or suicide shuttle) must be within 25 hexes of the controlling ship. The distance between the target and controlling ship doesn't matter after launch.

Note that, since plasma are self-guiding, the only restriction is that the plasma and the target be 25 hexes or closer (since the plasma serves as the "controlling ship" in this case). (Which is actually fairly irrelevant, as the plasma would likely end up doing no damage if fired that far away.)
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Federation Commander Answer Guy

[storeylf]

[Bolo_MK_XL]

If they maintain Displacement distance from SFB -- SVC mentioned a table but didn't give the distances --

Moving an opponent is random 1-6 ---
Moving your ship is up to 12 ---

If you care to maintain facing to a Gorn -- time your separation from Plasma where its 1 or 2 hexes when impulse ends -- jump over it, it will have to het and make up the distance you jumped (determined by how close you care to come to the launching ship) ---

[storeylf]

[Bolo_MK_XL]

Meant to mention it --

Drones last till the end of the third turn after launch ---

Effectively giving them 72 hexes to move --

[m1a1dat]

Yes, the target, the drone and the launching/controlling unit all need to be within 25 hexes of each other.

Drones will usually have less than the 72 hexes of movement as they run out of gas at the end of the third turn so if you launch them on impulse 8 of turn one then at the end of turn 3 they run out of gas and really only get 2 turns of movement.

[terryoc]

Somewhat off topic, does displacement cause disrupted fire control in FC? If it does, does it cause drones to lose tracking?
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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

[Mike]

(4F2a)

[storeylf]

Mike - I haven't had chance to go through the rules and see if I missed something, but that is all I saw on a quick flick through as well, hence the question. From the rules I could find it appears as though post-launch the target range is irrelavant.

PS I know about the drones 3 turn limit, thats why I was intrigued in what may be a use if the displacement device to just cause all tracking to drop, rather than spend 3 turns having to avoid them (or deal with them in other ways). Situational, but potentially useful - if the 25 hex limit really does applies after launch.

[mjwest]

[storeylf]

[mjwest]