Federation Commander

[HappyDaze]

When multiple satellites are in a mothership's hangar and one the satellite ships releases power, does this still follow (3G5c) Transfer? Specifically, how?

For example, if Mamba I releases power from it's front panel will this go down the steps of (3G5c) for the Mamba, meaning that it's companion (Mamba II) only picks up the power in step 4, right?

Is there any way that power released by a satellite ship in the hangar can be picked up by the mothership (it appears not if strictly following steps 1-4) or that it could damage the mothership?

Also, when a mothership is following (3G5c) and has multiple satellites in the hangar, can it split up the points in Step 4, such as splitting 60 points to 15 forward +15 aft and 15 forward + 15 aft on two different satellites before their panels are filled?

[terryoc]

I understood point 4 of (3G5c) to apply only to motherships with satellites in their own hangars, and that satellite ships in the hangar which drop panels would ignore point 4 and suffer internal damage instead.

I also understood the rule to mean that the mothership cannot get power/damage from the satellite ships in the hangar in any way.

This is different to how the SFB rule works, but I figured that's how it worked in FC because it's much simpler.

Mike, may we have a clarification please? Thanks!
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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

[HappyDaze]

I'll point out this line from (5V1c4):

"However, the power absorber panels of satellite ships in the hangar can absorb any power involuntarily released by the mothership or by other satellite ships in the hangar (5V2b)."

Note that (5V2b) refers to energy modules, so this may not be the proper rule to reference here.

Also, as I read it, energy modules have a set number of panels and an energy capacity. They then can absorb 12 points of internal damage per panel (5V2a2). I assume that every 12th point destroys a panel and begins a cascade that only hits the energy module. However, doesn't this increase the true capacity of the module if you're willing to burn it out? This is especially important if the mothership doesn't suffer from excess power/damage being released from hangar-stored satellite ships and modules.

[DirkSJ]

[terryoc]

In SFB, it works as HappyDaze says. ETA: From my reading of the rule, it's intended to work this way in FC too. "It takes 12 points of damage to destroy a power absorber panel", not "... energy module".

Let's assume a small Energy Module (six panels) has been filled up (60 points of energy) and beamed overboard by an Andromedan mothership.

The enemy decides to fire at it, and scores (for example) fourteen points of damage.

Twelve damage destroy the first panel, and then two more points are put towards the destruction of the second. The destruction of the panel reduces the panel bank's capacity to 50, and it's holding 60, so ten points are released. The energy released from the panel bank is resolved as internal damage, adding another ten points to the running total, for a total of twelve, which kills another panel, reducing the panel bank's capacity to 40. It's holding 50, so ten are released, and the running total is now ten points of damage.

At the end of the volley, the Energy Module now has one panel bank of four panels holding a total of 40 points of energy, and has accumulated 10 points of damage towards the next panel's destruction.

So an Energy Module can absorb a total of (10xPanels) + 12 + (2x(Panels-1)) in damage before blowing up. For a small E-Module, that's 82 points. Edit: Assuming that no energy is dissipated.
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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

[DirkSJ]

[terryoc]

Dirk, they are PA panels and they can absorb damage from incoming fire. I did not explain the E-Mod rules properly (as I understand them). Let's say the E-Mod from my previous example survives to the Repair Phase. It dissipates 4 energy per panel (3), for a total of 12, bringing the total energy held down to 18 points. So it's got 3 panels in one bank holding 18 points and 10 points towards the destruction of the next panel. Then a full-strength type-F torpedo hits it (20 points). This fills the panels (12 points), destroys another panel (2 points bringing the running total to 12) and contibutes six points to the destruction of the next panel.

Then, as above, there's 10 points from the destruction of the panel, making 16 on the running total, killing another panel, leaving just one panel left, and the released energy plus the leftover damage destroys the last panel, and the energy module blows up.
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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

[terryoc]

Mike, an example of how the Energy Module rules work would be really good for Communique I think. There's one in module C2 for SFB you could probably crib from.
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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

[DirkSJ]

[mjwest]

[DirkSJ]

[mjwest]

[DirkSJ]

[Kang]

This brings up another question. If the Energy Module has built-in reactors to power its panels, fair enough. But nested satellite ships (in the hangar, I mean) have their own power systems, which they must use to power their panels if they decide they need them.

Does this mean, then, that satellite ships need to perform EA all the time, even when nested? And another thing is that when does a Satellite ship decide how much power its engines are producing? (5V3b) Where does the power come from to run the panels while nested?

As FC is a simplified game system, I would propose the following:

a) Assume that all satellite ships power their panels. (This nicely ties up my first point above). Decide each turn whether this comes from batteries or engines.

b) At the instant of launch, the Andromedan player decides the power output of the engines and sets up his power tracks accordingly (takes power chits, whatever). This power may need to be reduced by the panel cost, depending on whether or not this was paid by battery this turn.

c) Initial battery power levels for each satellite ship will need to be decided as the game begins, and will need to be accounted for normally because the battery power can be used to pay for the panels.

How does everyone else play this?
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[Kang]

Can I ping this one please...
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