Omega Conversion Project

[Nerroth]

I agree, but the 'fuzzy' nature of time in the published Omega material and FC in general might make this a little tricky.

Possibly just use the Omega Cycles as the guide?

That could work.

Say, call the First through Third Cycles (2450-2561) as the 'middle years', the Fourth and Fifth (2562-2591) as the 'main era' and the Sixth and Seventh (2592-2621) as the 'late era'.

That would make for an interesting set of comparisons to outside forces, actually. The 'middle years' early Auroran ships would show up in the first, the Klingon ships that came to Omega with Kraknora would be 'General War-era' ships, while the late missiles wold be aimed at the Andromedan invaders.

Well, and also the Souldra, then eventually the kind of new technology ships that the Seventh Cycle would eventually bring.

Good point, I'd forgotten that most of the TM racks don't get reloads, don't have my book to hand at the moment.

Tachyon-A racks have three missiles each, and no reloads during the course of a scenario.

That's still plenty to cause headaches for an opponent, though...

[pauls]

A couple of thoughts on postings so far.

One Tachyon Gun pre-game arming. I think this should be limited to 2 per torpedo to be in line with the photon torpedo.

Tachyon missiles.
These need to be simple to fit FC but ideally variable to catch the flavour of FC. If NOT allowed reloads I think they can be made more dangerous than if reloads are allowed. The base missile without reloads would probably need to be about twice as good as a alphan drone rack given the relative numbers and launch rates if you can reload them perhaps three times as good if no reloads are allowed.

As a proposal for Tachyon missiles (TM)
These maynot be reloaded during a game. However see special repair rules.

designation speed warhead damage to kill era allowed
A 8 24 10 any
B 8 30 8 any
C 16 20 10 any
D 16 24 8 any
E 24 20 6 any
F 24 20 8 middle
G 24 16 10 middle
H 32 16 4 middle
J 32 16 6 late
K 32 12 8 late

In addition I think ADDs should have a reduced chance at destroying a TM (or do 1d6 damage) and tractors should only succeed in grabbing a TM on a die roll (say 1-4) or need to pay 1d6 counters to succeed.

The player needs only to record a letter in each missiles slot and set-up is done.
The special repair rule is that unlike with drones when a TM rack is destroyed only one missile currently in the rack is destroyed any other missles still in the rack will be available to fire once the rack is repaired.
Example a rack has fired one drone and this is crossed off the missile box on the ship card. It now has three remaining. The ship then takes a drone hit on this rack and the rack is marked as destroyed and at this point one of the unluanched missiles is also marked off on the ship card. Two missiles would remain although they could not be launched until the missile rack is repaired.

[pauls]

Omegan movement.

One of the flavour differences in the Omegan sector is that small ships are faster than big ones.

Is it worth considering the following for Omegan ships.
SC4 ships in omega sector have all the usual movement options
SC3 ships that plot baseline speed of 24 may only accelerate on even numbered impulses (so 2,4,6 and 8 )
SC2 ships that plot baseline speed of 24 maynot accelerate at all

Note some later era ships in the Omegan sector may have these limitations reduced or removed completely.

[Nerroth]

A couple of thoughts on postings so far.

One Tachyon Gun pre-game arming. I think this should be limited to 2 per torpedo to be in line with the photon torpedo.

Well, I'm not so sure - it's a different enough weapon to the photorp to have its own rule, plus the SFB TG can take up to 4 at WS-III, which (I'd guess) your average FC ship is at normally.

Tachyon missiles.
These need to be simple to fit FC but ideally variable to catch the flavour of FC. If NOT allowed reloads I think they can be made more dangerous than if reloads are allowed. The base missile without reloads would probably need to be about twice as good as a alphan drone rack given the relative numbers and launch rates if you can reload them perhaps three times as good if no reloads are allowed.

As a proposal for Tachyon missiles (TM)
These maynot be reloaded during a game. However see special repair rules.

designation speed warhead damage to kill era allowed
A 8 24 10 any
B 8 30 8 any
C 16 20 10 any
D 16 24 8 any
E 24 20 6 any
F 24 20 8 middle
G 24 16 10 middle
H 32 16 4 middle
J 32 16 6 late
K 32 12 8 late

In addition I think ADDs should have a reduced chance at destroying a TM (or do 1d6 damage) and tractors should only succeed in grabbing a TM on a die roll (say 1-4) or need to pay 1d6 counters to succeed.

The player needs only to record a letter in each missiles slot and set-up is done.
The special repair rule is that unlike with drones when a TM rack is destroyed only one missile currently in the rack is destroyed any other missles still in the rack will be available to fire once the rack is repaired.
Example a rack has fired one drone and this is crossed off the missile box on the ship card. It now has three remaining. The ship then takes a drone hit on this rack and the rack is marked as destroyed and at this point one of the unluanched missiles is also marked off on the ship card. Two missiles would remain although they could not be launched until the missile rack is repaired.

Would the warhead strength not go up as the time period advances?

(No TM had explosion-24 until after 2570, while at the upper end, a missile launched in 2600 could be given as high a value as explosion-40!)

Omegan movement.

One of the flavour differences in the Omegan sector is that small ships are faster than big ones.

Is it worth considering the following for Omegan ships.
SC4 ships in omega sector have all the usual movement options
SC3 ships that plot baseline speed of 24 may only accelerate on even numbered impulses (so 2,4,6 and 8 )
SC2 ships that plot baseline speed of 24 may not accelerate at all

Note some later era ships in the Omegan sector may have these limitations reduced or removed completely.

To be honest, I don't agree with that kind of sanction.

The reduced amount of warp power on the ships compared to (most) Alpha equivalents is already represented on the Ship Cards, just as it is for the likes of the Middle Years Hydran Ranger - through the amount of warp boxes each ship has available.

(A Mæsron CA has 2 nacelles with 13 warp boxes each, for a total of 26 - which keeps it in the same ballpark as the 27-warp-box Ranger in Briefing 2.)

The shift to 1/4 MC will help keep most of the smaller Omega hulls faster, while the CLs will be tethered by the shift to 3/4 from 2/3, also.


Although, I'm wondering how much of a relative disadvantage the Loriyill might be in this regard. Their CA is already MC 3/4, and their frigates 1/4, which might not be so bad for the CA (since it retains its edge over rival CAs, and can still out-do most CLs shifting to 3/4) but could be tricky for the FF (which would lose its relative MC advantage over rival frigates).

[Nerroth]

A couple more Omega phaser types.


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(2O1BM) MICROPHASERS

Developed on the Koligahr home world to be the primary weapon of choice for their Solidarity, microphasers were later adopted by powers such as the ancient Loriyill Collective. In an opposite direction to the development made with wide-angle phaser technology, microphasers concentrate the power of the beam into a single point in space. Therefore, the microphaser will either hit with its full force, or miss its target entirely. However, it does provide an advantage when attempting to whittle down incoming plasma torpedo fire.

(2O1BM1) GENERAL RULE
(2O1BM1a) Ship Card: Each ‘PM’ box on the Ship Card (often marked PM-1 or PM-3) represents one microphaser. It is disabled by a single point of damage, counts as a ‘phaser’ when using the Damage Allocation Table, and is repaired by four repair points.
(2O1BMb) Firing Rate: Each microphaser can fire once (and only once) during any given turn. As with an Alpha Octant phaser, one can fire a microphaser on the last Impulse of a given turn and again on the first Impulse of the subsequent turn.
(2O1BMc) Ammunition: There is no need to keep track of “microphaser ammunition� since these weapons are armed directly from the engine power grid.
(2O1BMd) Range: Phaser-Ms have a range of 25 hexes.

(2O1BM2) TYPES OF PHASER-Ws
There are two types of microphasers seen on Koligahr, Loriyill and other vessels in Federation Commander, as follows:
(2O1BM2a) Phaser-M1: The microphaser equivalent to the Phaser-1s and Phaser-2s seen in the Alpha Octant, these cost one energy token to fire. It is marked PM-1 on the Ship Cards.
(2O1BM2b) Phaser-M3: Akin to the Alpha Phaser-3, used as a short-range defense and attack weapon. This costs ½ of an energy token to fire, and is marked PM-3 on the Ship Cards.
(2O1BM2c) Tables: Each of these microphasers has a specific Microphaser Combat Table, presented in SFB Module Omega 1 and the Omega Master Rulebook. However, as the ranges of direct-fire weapons in Federation Commander are restricted to a maximum range of 25 hexes, ignore the entries which go beyond this.

(2O1BM3) FIRING PROCEDURE
Microphasers may be fired during the Defensive Fire Phase (1E2C) (only against seeking weapons which have impacted on the ship) or during the Offensive Fire Phase (1E2d) (against any target) of the Sequence of Play. In either case, use the following procedure:
(2O1BM3a) Step 1: Determine the Range (3A5) to the Target. (In the case of Defensive Fire, this is always one.)
(2O1BM3b) Step 2: Select a microphaser you wish to fire. The weapon must be able to fire in the direction of the target, that is, the target must be within its firing arc (3B) and within range.
(2O1BM3c) Step 3: Pay the cost of firing the microphaser (one, or one-half energy tokens depending on what phaser type you are firing).
(2O1BM3d) Step 4: Roll one six-sided die. Use the result of this die roll and the range to Cross-Index on the Table for the type of microphaser you fired and determine whether the weapon has hit the target. If so, apply the number of Damage Points noted.
(2O1BM3e) Note: microphasers are more effective at countering plasma torpedoes in comparison to other types of phasers. For every one point of microphaser damage, a plasma warhead's strength is reduced by one point. However, when used against Probr HEAT torpedoes (to be detailed at a later stage) two points of damage are required for each point of degradation.
Example: A Loriyill firecruiser wants to fire one phaser-M1 at a Souldra Spectre heavy cruiser. It determines that the chosen phaser-M1 is within arc and is not damaged. One energy token is paid and the phaser-M1 is fired. Count the range (let us say six hexes for this example). Comparing the range to the die roll of “2� means that the beam struck the target, scoring three damage points.


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(2O1BQ) QUANTUM PHASERS

Developed originally by the indigenous empire within the hollow Ryn Nebula, quantum phaser technology was 'acquired' by the Probr Revolution, then later became one of the phaser types operated by the Loriyill Collective, among other Omega powers. It is optimised less for close-range hitting power and more towards providing a somewhat increased long-range ability to the firing ship.

(2O1BQ1) GENERAL RULE
(2O1BQ1a) Ship Card: Each ‘PQ’ box on the Ship Card (often marked PW-1, PQ-2 or PQ-3) represents one quantum phaser. It is disabled by a single point of damage, counts as a ‘phaser’ when using the Damage Allocation Table, and is repaired by four repair points.
(2O1BQb) Firing Rate: Each quantum phaser can fire once (and only once) during any given turn. As with an Alpha Octant phaser, one can fire a quantum phaser on the last Impulse of a given turn and again on the first Impulse of the subsequent turn.
(2O1BQc) Ammunition: There is no need to keep track of “quantum phaser ammunition� since these weapons are armed directly from the engine power grid.
(2O1BQd) Range: Phaser-Qs have a range of 25 hexes.

(2O1BQ2) TYPES OF PHASER-Qs
There are three types of wide angle phasers seen on Rynish, Probr, Loriyill and other vessels in Federation Commander, as follows:
(2O1BQ2a) Phaser-Q1: The quantum phaser equivalent to the Phaser-1s seen in the Alpha Octant, these cost one energy token to fire. It is marked PQ-1 on the Ship Cards.
(2O1BQ2b) Phaser-Q2: Tailored more for long-range fire at smaller targets, the closest analogue in the Alpha Octant would be the Phaser-2, though the comparison is somewhat imprecise. These cost one energy token to fire. It is marked PQ-2 on the Ship Cards.
(2O1BQ2c) Phaser-Q3: Akin to the Alpha Phaser-3, used as a short-range defense and attack weapon. This costs ½ of an energy token to fire, and is marked PW-3 on the Ship Cards.
(2O1BQ2d) Tables: Each of these quantum phasers has a specific Quantum Phaser Combat Table, presented in SFB Module Omega 1 and the Omega Master Rulebook. However, as the ranges of direct-fire weapons in Federation Commander are restricted to a maximum range of 25 hexes, ignore the entries which go beyond this.
(2O1BQ2e) Note: While either a PQ-1 or PQ-2 may be down-fired as a PQ-3, a PQ-1 may not fire a PQ-2 shot, and a PQ-2 may not be fired as a PQ-1.

(2O1BQ3) FIRING PROCEDURE
Quantum phasers may be fired during the Defensive Fire Phase (1E2C) (only against seeking weapons which have impacted on the ship) or during the Offensive Fire Phase (1E2d) (against any target) of the Sequence of Play. In either case, use the following procedure:
(2O1BQ3a) Step 1: Determine the Range (3A5) to the Target. (In the case of Defensive Fire, this is always one.)
(2O1BQ3b) Step 2: Select a quantum phaser you wish to fire. The weapon must be able to fire in the direction of the target, that is, the target must be within its firing arc (3B) and within range.
(2O1BQ3c) Step 3: Pay the cost of firing the quantum phaser (one, or one-half energy tokens depending on what phaser type you are firing).
(2OBQ3d) Step 4: Roll one six-sided die. Use the result of this die roll and the range to Cross-Index on the Table for the type of quantum phaser you fired and determine the damage. The result is the number of Damage Points scored.
Example: A Probr heavy cruiser wants to fire three phaser-Q1s at a Trobrin bolt cruiser. It determines that the chosen phaser-Q1s are within arc and not damaged. Three energy tokens are paid, one for each weapon, and the phaser-Q1s are fired. Count the range (let us say seven hexes for this example). Comparing the range to the die rolls of "3", "4" and “5� means that a total of five damage points were scored.


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(2O1BR) RADIATION PHASERS

The primary weapon used on warships of the mighty Trobrin Empire, this phaser type is also used on occasion by the likes of the Bolosco Merchant's Association on their trading vessels. At first glance, one might wonder why this weapon, which is arguably the most stable type of phaser beam in known space, was not used more commonly in Omega. However, few species could handle the increased radiation levels produced by these weapons aboard ship - levels the silicate Trobrin could handle as a matter of course.

(2O1BR1) GENERAL RULE
(2O1BR1a) Ship Card: Each ‘PR’ box on the Ship Card (often marked PR-1 or PR-3) represents one radiation phaser. It is disabled by a single point of damage, counts as a ‘phaser’ when using the Damage Allocation Table, and is repaired by four repair points.
(2O1BRb) Firing Rate: Each radiation phaser can fire once (and only once) during any given turn. As with an Alpha Octant phaser, one can fire a radiation phaser on the last Impulse of a given turn and again on the first Impulse of the subsequent turn.
(2O1BRc) Ammunition: There is no need to keep track of “radiation phaser ammunition� since these weapons are armed directly from the engine power grid.
(2O1BRd) Range: Phaser-Rs have a range of 25 hexes.

(2O1BR2) TYPES OF PHASER-Rs
There are two types of radiation phasers seen on Trobrin, Bolosco and other vessels in Federation Commander, as follows:
(2O1BR2a) Phaser-R1: The radiation phaser equivalent to the Phaser-1s and Phaser-2s seen in the Alpha Octant, these cost one energy token to fire. It is marked PM-1 on the Ship Cards.
(2O1BR2b) Phaser-R3: Akin to the Alpha Phaser-3, used as a short-range defense and attack weapon. This costs ½ of an energy token to fire, and is marked PM-3 on the Ship Cards.
(2O1BR2c) Tables: Each of these radiation phasers has a specific Radiation Phaser Combat Table, presented in SFB Module Omega 1 and the Omega Master Rulebook. However, as the ranges of direct-fire weapons in Federation Commander are restricted to a maximum range of 25 hexes, ignore the entries which go beyond this.

(2O1BR3) FIRING PROCEDURE
Radiation phasers may be fired during the Defensive Fire Phase (1E2C) (only against seeking weapons which have impacted on the ship) or during the Offensive Fire Phase (1E2d) (against any target) of the Sequence of Play. In either case, use the following procedure:
(2O1BR3a) Step 1: Determine the Range (3A5) to the Target. (In the case of Defensive Fire, this is always one.)
(2O1BR3b) Step 2: Select a radiation phaser you wish to fire. The weapon must be able to fire in the direction of the target, that is, the target must be within its firing arc (3B) and within range.
(2O1BR3c) Step 3: Pay the cost of firing the radiation phaser (one, or one-half energy tokens depending on what phaser type you are firing).
(2O1BR3d) Step 4: Consult the range as listed on Cross-Index on the Table for the type of radiation phaser you fired and apply the number of Damage Points noted. There is no need for a die roll. Round down any fractions caused through radiation phaser fire in a single volley.
Example: A Trobrin deep space dreadnought wants to fire four radiation phasers at an Auroran armored cruiser. It determines that the chosen phaser-R1s are within arc and is not damaged. Four energy tokens are paid and the phaser-R1s are fired. Count the range (let us say four hexes for this example). Comparing the range to the relevant entry on the weapon chart means that a total of sixteen damage points are scored.


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[Nerroth]

This should help a Trobrin playtester pursue the Silicate Plan!

At least until I try the IT rules.


(EDIT: modified, to incorporate the WS-II pre-game arming thing)


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(2O1F) IMPLOSION BOLTS

The main direct-fire heavy weapon equipped on Trobrin warships, this weapon fires a burst of energy that implodes upon reaching a target, causing impact and radiation damage. Opinion is divided among Trobrin naval officers over the effectiveness of this weapon when compared to the implosion torpedo - the Empire's heavy seeking weapon - though certain large Trobrin warships have the luxury of possessing both types of weapon with which to further Imperial interests.

(2O1F1) GENERAL RULE
(2O1F1a) Ship Card: Each ‘IB’ box on the Ship Card represents one implosion bolt. It is disabled by a single point of damage, counts as a ‘drone’ when using the Damage Allocation Table, and is repaired by four repair points.
(2O1F1b) Firing Rate: Each implosion bolt can fire once every third turn, though may be fired in the second turn with the appropriate use of remaining power in a given Impulse.
(2O1F1c) Ammunition: There is no need to keep track of “implosion bolt ammunition� since it is armed directly from the engine power grid.
(2O1F1d) Range: Implosion bolts have a range of 25 hexes.

(2O1F2) ARMING PROCEDURE
Implosion bolts must typically be armed over the course of three subsequent turns. The amount of Energy Tokens required to arm the weapon increases on each turn of arming, with a total of six Energy Tokens required to fully arm the weapon.
(2O1F2a) Arming: Implosion bolts may only be armed during Energy Allocation. During Energy Allocation of the first turn, you pay one Energy Token per implosion bolt you wish to load and mark the “P� (Preload) box on the Implosion Bolt Arming track for that specific implosion bolt. During Energy Allocation of the Second Turn, you pay two Energy Tokens to the weapon and mark the “A� (Arming) box on the Implosion Bolt Arming track for that specific implosion bolt. During Energy Allocation of the Third Turn, you pay three Energy Tokens to the weapon and mark the “L� (Loaded) box on the Implosion Bolt Arming track for that specific implosion bolt. (If you do not pay the required Energy Tokens to complete the loading cycle, the current mark is erased.) You can then fire the implosion bolt during any Direct-Fire Weapons phase of the turn.
(2O1F2b) Accelerated Arming: Alternatively, during the course of the Second Turn, you may pay the three Energy Tokens otherwise due in the Energy Allocation of the Third Turn during the Offensive Fire Phase (1E2d) of a given Impulse in the turn. However, the implosion bolt must be fired at this time, and cannot be held.
(2O1F2c) Holding: If you have not fired the implosion bolt by the end of the thrd arming turn, you may pay one Energy Token in the Energy Allocation Phase of the subsequent turn to “hold� the implosion bolt. You can do this for as many turns as you wish.
(2O1F2d) Pre-Game Arming: At the start of each scenario, the Trobrin player (or the player controlling any ship with an implosion bolt) has the option to have a Pre-Load mark for each implosion bolt on the ship, reflecting loading of that weapon prior to the start of the scenario. The Trobrin player may have as many implosion bolts as he chooses to be given up to two turns' worth of arming at the start of the scenario. This would allow him to pay Energy Tokens on the first turn to continue, or complete, the arming of implosion bolts (otherwise he would have no implosion bolts to fire on the first turn). Special scenario rules might prohibit this if the Trobrin ship did not have time or energy to pre-load the implosion bolts. Note that if the player takes this option, he cannot count the ship's batteries in determining his starting energy.

(2O1F3) FIRING PROCEDURE
Implosion bolts may be fired during the Offensive Fire Phase (1E2d) of the Sequence of Play. Use the following procedure:
(2O1F3a) Step 1: The player owning and firing the bolt announces which weapon is firing (which must not be Disabled) at which target (which must be within range of the gun at its given arming level).
(2O1F3b) Step 2: The range is calculated (3A5). If the target is out of range, the weapon cannot be fired.
(2O1F3c) Step 3: Two dice are rolled for each implosion bolt. Note the result and cross-index it to the range, and to hit value, on the Implosion Bolt Combat Table. If the result equals or lies below the to hit value listed, the appropriate level of damage listed hits.
Example: A Trobrin bolt cruiser fires an implosion bolt at a Vulpa blockade runner. The Trobrin rolls a ‘3’ and "5" to hit, at range eight. The resulting hit scores fourteen damage points.


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I'm not sure if letting the IBs keep the WS-III level of pre-game arming is wise - but if the Mæsron TG is at its WS-III level too, I guess it's only fair?


Or should both go down to WS-II, I wonder...

[pauls]

Fair call on the Tachyon missiles but I was trying to keep the number of different types to a minimum. I guess some basic speed and armour designations for missiles could be designed and then vary the warhead strength by era. Just trying to keep it simple.

On speed sanctions. Its just my opinion but I feel that the differing speeds were a feature of the Omegan sector worth keeping.

On the Tachyon gun pre-loads I have a more serious point. In SFB photons gain 2 overload power per photon (so you could start with 4 power per photon) just the same as the Tachyon gun but in FC this is reduced to just the preload (2 per photon) at the cost of no battery power.
FC uses WS II in SFB terms. At WS II tachyon guns can start with a maximum of two power per gun and that is the level I think you should use.

[pauls]

Neroth,

Same issue with the implosion bolt. The pre-game arming should be two turns pre-arming so needing 3 points on turn one not held. And to fit in with other multi-turn arming weapons available to fire turn one should be forced to start with empty batteries if they take the pre-arming.

[pauls]

On the quatum and radiation phasers. Both of these are resilent to EW effects in SFB. I think some homage to this in FC might be considered.
Some note of the effect of Ew is needed to the radiation phaser rules to take account of orions,EM and other terrain induced shifts.

I'd suggest.
Radiation phasers lose 0.5 damage from the damage listed if firing at a target that would normally gain die roll modifications.

Quatum phasers are not affected by die roll modifiers of +1 or +2 and treat +3 shifts as if +1

[Nerroth]

Fair call on the Tachyon missiles but I was trying to keep the number of different types to a minimum. I guess some basic speed and armour designations for missiles could be designed and then vary the warhead strength by era. Just trying to keep it simple.

I'd still want to make sure that each 'era' of TM allowed matches what is legally possible under the equivalent timeframes in SFB.

So long as it does this, I don't mind too much about the finer points... just yet.

On speed sanctions. Its just my opinion but I feel that the differing speeds were a feature of the Omegan sector worth keeping.

But they are being kept, thanks to what you see on the SSDs/Ship Cards.

Take the Auroran Navy, for example. Why would the ship designs they inherited from the Federation (and others) deserve to have some external clamp on their capabilities, when no such limit exists on those still back in the Alpha Octant?

Indeed, the advantage is notable in the Auroran case. For example, the trusty Auroran CL has a lead over most Omega rivals, as it is supposed to historically, thanks to its 12-box warp engines. Compared to the 30+4 power the Auroran ship has, the Mæsron CL only has two 9-box nacelles and 24+4 total power, in comparison. Plus, unlike in SFB, where the Mæsron at least has MC 2/3, the FC version will be shifted to the Auroran ship's 3/4 MC.

(At least the Mæsron still has those tachyon missile racks.)

And that's still before you consider the advantage the Throne of Ozymondas (which can more or less be represented using the CR Ship Card in B2, yay!) has in Omega.


In short, I wouldn't worry too much about it, for now at least.


Man, I can't help but feel the Aurorans are gonna have a lot of fun in FC!

On the Tachyon gun pre-loads I have a more serious point. In SFB photons gain 2 overload power per photon (so you could start with 4 power per photon) just the same as the Tachyon gun but in FC this is reduced to just the preload (2 per photon) at the cost of no battery power.
FC uses WS II in SFB terms. At WS II tachyon guns can start with a maximum of two power per gun and that is the level I think you should use.

If FC is using WS-II, I'll make the change.

Same issue with the implosion bolt. The pre-game arming should be two turns pre-arming so needing 3 points on turn one not held. And to fit in with other multi-turn arming weapons available to fire turn one should be forced to start with empty batteries if they take the pre-arming.

Again, if WS-II is correct, I'll edit the entries.

On the quatum and radiation phasers. Both of these are resilent to EW effects in SFB. I think some homage to this in FC might be considered.
Some note of the effect of Ew is needed to the radiation phaser rules to take account of orions,EM and other terrain induced shifts.

I'd suggest.
Radiation phasers lose 0.5 damage from the damage listed if firing at a target that would normally gain die roll modifications.

Quatum phasers are not affected by die roll modifiers of +1 or +2 and treat +3 shifts as if +1

So, an Orion would get only .5 of a shift instead of 1 from PR hits, and PQs would plough through his normal stealth coating?

Might make things that little bit trickier for the Throne, after all...

...but I'm not so sure about making these kinds of additions to the FC versions of the rules. For now, at least.



Oh, and as mentioned, the Auroran CR Throne of Ozymondas, as fielded prior to 2577, can be represented by using a cloak-equipped version of the Orion Raider Cruiser Ship Card (F239), as published in Briefing 2.

Prior to 2575, place a Phaser-1 in option mount A, and standard photons in mounts Y and Z. After 2575, replace the Phaser-1 in mount A with a disruptor instead.

Note that in 2377, the Throne had a tachyon missile rack installed in place of its battery - and kept a few spares in one of its cargo spaces - but since rules for TMs are not quite ready at this time, it's advised to either fly the ship as it was prior to the TM refit...

...or refit it anyway, and assume the rack is empty. (Would you miss that battery in that event, I wonder?)

[Nerroth]

Alongside the nitty-gritty of trying to make the rules work, I was thinking of a couple of scenario ideas which might help put these rules into a little context.


So, I had an idea for the first of a number of related scenarios, starting with this one:


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(8OTA) RUNNING FOR NAUGHT

2571 was a busy year in the 'central' area of the Omega Octant. Wars were underway involving the then-Four Superpowers, as the Probr Revolution and Trobrin Empire struggled for dominance, and the Koligahr Solidarity and Vari Combine waged their own semi-related war, amidst the ever-shifting border ares between the various empires.

In the midst of this turmoil, the Mæsron Alliance, still attempting to recover from the ruinous Civil War and Collapse, held firm to its neutral stance, despite pressure from both the Trobrin and Probr to join one side or the other.

However, these efforts were suddenly at risk of being seriously compromised, as the belligerent Vulpa - using ships built in hidden shipyards, in defiance of the terms imposed upon them at the Civil War's end - launched strikes at Trobrin outposts along the Mæsron frontier.

In order to stamp out this activity, the Alliance moved to put an end to the Vulpa insurgents, but found that doing this was no easy matter.

A case in point occurred in a colony system to which one of the new 'Frignaught' designs was deployed by the Alliance fleet. The fleet admiral tasked with covering this region considered the ship to be more suited for defensive operations, and saw the deployment as a means of testing this theory.

What the crew aboard did not expect, however, was to see the Vulpa shpw a new design of their own...

(8OTA1) NUMBER OF PLAYERS
Two. The Mæsron player controls the Frignaught Guardian, while the Vulpa player controls the Vulpa Insurgent Blockade Runner Greywolf.

(8OTA2) INITIAL SETUP
Set up four maps and arrange them in a square (or eight if using the larger hex size), placing the 42xx edge of Map #1 beside the 01xx edge of Map #2, and the xx30 edge of Map #1 with the xx01 edge of Map #3.
Place a counter representing a medium-sized planet in hex 2215 of Map #1, in the corner where the four maps touch. (The colony is on the planet below.)
Place the Mæsron ship in hex 2415 of Map #1, facing A.
Place the Vulpa ship in hex 0105 of Map #1, facing C.
The map is a ‘location map’; the map can float around the colony planet, but any ship more than 100 hexes away from the planet is considered to have disengaged. The Mæsron ship may disengage from the right map edge, while the Vulpa ship may disengage from the left map edge. Any ship which disengages in an unauthorized direction is considered destroyed.

(8OTA3) OBJECTIVE
Mission: The mission of the Mæsron ship is to destroy, capture, or drive off the unusual Vulpa ship.
The mission of the Vulpa ship is to recover an agent (hiding among those ethnic Vulpa who chose to remain loyal to the Alliance, and who has information regarding local Mæsron and Trobrin fleet movements) on the colony below.
Time Limit: The scenario ends if either side’s force is destroyed and/or one or both sides disengage from the map.
Victory: Use the standard Victory Conditions from (8B2). Note that a bonus of 50 Victory Points is added to the Vulpa total for the successful rescue of the insurgent, and the same bonus is awarded to the Mæsron total should he manage to capture the Vulpa ship.

(8OTA4) SPECIAL RULES
Prior to the beginning of the scenario, the Vulpa player must determine randomly which hex facing on the planet's surface the agent is to be found (assume the signal was sent only once the Vulpa are close enough to retrieve the agent in question). He may keep this record a secret, but must retrieve the agent by beaming a landing party to the surface, keep it there for five subsequent Impulses (long enough to meet with the agent) then beam it back to the ship. If the landing party is destroyed by enemy landing parties before it is recovered, the Vulpa player must try again (the agent is assumed to return to cover). The Vulpa player may land 'decoy' landing parties on other hex sides of the planet, but these must be beamed back to the ship before being landed on another hex side.
In the absence of playtest rules for tachyon missiles, assume that the Vulpa ship has expended its stock of missiles in one or more prior engagements, or otherwise has no missiles ready to use in this scenario.

(8OTA5) FORCE DYNAMICS
You can replay the scenario with a number of modifications.
Perhaps the individual on the surface is a 'wayward' Iridani noble, who must be 'rescued' by a certain Questing knight. Replace the Vulpa ship with an Iridani Clipper carrying a VIP module, and add a Frigate (in hex 2615) to the Mæsron side.
Maybe a similar action is taking place in the Alpha Octant. Replace the Vulpa ship with an Orion War Destroyer, and the Mæsron with a Light Monitor.
In order to adjust the balance, perhaps replace the ship on either side with a Mæsron Frigate.

(8OTA6) DESIGNER’S NOTES
This is intended as an aid for those who possess the relevant SFB modules, and would like to try to use some of the vessels which, in theory, could be usable in Squadron Scale with the playtest rules currently available in the thread.

How well it does this is, of course, another matter...

Also, I hope to try and work out two or three other scenarios which would be linked to this one - but I guess it's worth trying to see if this one works first!


-----------------------------------------------------------------


How is that for a first draft?

[Nerroth]

A few ideas - sorry if any are re-treads.


*Eras.

I was thinking we could refer to the First through Third Cycles (2450-2561) as the 'middle years', or M-era.

So, for example, a scenario set in that time could be labelled '8OM...' and so forth.

Similarly, the Fourth and Fifth Cycles (2561-2591) could be the 'transition era', or T for short, while the Sixth and Seventh (2591-2621) would be 'late era', or L.


This could even be noted in a ship list, sort of extrapolating on what is seen in Briefing 2 for Alpha MY ships.

For example, the Mæsron DN would be introduced in the T-era, while some ships might be different depending on the era (the Throne would have no disruptor or TM rack in the M-era, but would in T and L).

Notably, the entire Ymatrian fleet would be M-only, while the entire Echarri fleet, whenever they finally show up, would be only seen in the L-era.


*Tachyon missiles.

I did a bit of number-crunching, and it seems that based on the SFB data, things might not be quite so bad in terms of picking out 'sample' missiles for each era in question.

(I wouldn't be opposed to the modularity thing, but for starters I feel it's better to test at least some type of missile, and try to work in the modularity once the sample missiles work.)

Anyway, the options I came up with - and they are just my own ideas - are as follows.

EDIT: I totally missed the part about the warhead the standard TM has, d'oh.

Standard:
Speed 24 (EDIT: thanks for the clarification, Mike West and pauls!)
Explosion 8
Armour 8 (EDIT: Where on Aurora III did I get 12 from? Sigh.)
Anti-Tractor +1 (EDIT: Adding the 'free' point of negative tractor.)
Point Value 0

(These would be the standard missiles any launcher would be equipped with, should the player not spend any points upgrading any of the missiles therein. Oh, should the 'free' point of negative tractor be added in FC?)


M-era:
Speed 16
Explosion 20
Armour 16
Anti-Tractor +1
Point Value 3

(Given the technological limitations of the era, it's actually easier to settle on a not-half-bad choice, in my view at least. You can't really give it too much in terms of speed or explosion strength, so piling on the armour is as valid a choice as any...)


T-era:
Speed 24
Explosion 24
Armour 12
Anti-Tractor +1
Point Value 4.5

(Missiles can go up to size-10 in this era, as can both speeds and explosion strengths... but there's not enough room to go around. So, a missile which takes that step up to speed 24 can just about squeak a heaver payload and set of armour.)


L-era:
Speed 32
Explosion 32
Armour 8
Anti-Tractor +1
Point Value 6

(Late era missiles can go to size-12, and fit even more powerful engines and warheads, but something has to give. So, this missile trades in even more armour for the sake of an even larger warhead, and the jump to speed 32. Thus, the missile evolves from a slow-ish slug to a sleek and powerful rocket!)



*Mæsrons.

Looking over the kind of power levels that the currently-published Mæsron warships which would be at least broadly feasible for some kind of non-BoM transition to FC, there are a few surprises thrown up by the new system, but not too many.


The BB - published in SSJ1, a conjectural design in SFB, but not necessarily so in FC - is a beast! 72+12 power, loads of weapons to make use of, and no less than eight TM launchers. A fine flagship for the Alliance. If they are allowed to use it, that is.

(According to the R-section, the hull sections were built by 2584, but the project was scrapped due to trouble maintaining a stable warp field - ironically, a few years before the Alliance and FRA made breakthroughs in warp technology that might have made the BB viable. Perhaps in the FC take on things, the Mæsrons were more patient, kept the hull pieces around, and made the ship work when the time came? Whether that would put it as a T-era or L-era ship is debatable, but the important thing would be to try and see if the ship can be viable for FC at all.)


The DN would bring 48 points of power, plus 6 batteries, to the table - which is less than most Middle Years Alpha DNs, and only beats the War Vulture... not a flattering comparison. But then, it's supposed to be a bit weak as dreadnoughts go, so it's probably fair enough.


The three CA variants bring 34+4 to the table, except for the CBA which has 32+4. Respectable enough in a Middle Years context, and in the same ballpark as the Fed CA and OCA in B2, but not as good as some.


However, the CL might not make the transition all that well. Its power is 24+4 - which coupled with a shift in MC of 3/4 will cut down on its options relative to, say, the Federation/FRA CL.


The DD clocks in at 18+2, which on the face of it is in the ballpark of the Gorn DD, but then you have to think of the holding costs for those TGs, even at their lowest levels...


The FF is helped by the shift to 1/4, though. Its output of 14+2 lets it go speed 24 and still (just) be able to fire all of its weapons - although doing so will leave the ship in trouble if it needs any spare during the turn.


Of the other classes, there are a few interesting notes.


The Wallimi-hull SR (which, I guess, might need some kind of edit to remove the special sensors, to echo the GSC in Briefing 2) has 32+2 - and given that it has no tachyon guns to feed, it can keep up a good speed and still have some options. Not that you'd want to take it into too many fights, mind you, but it would be good at running from them.


The FFN is perhaps the biggest surprise. At 20+2 and a MC of .5, it can be a fast ship if it wants to be - and though it hasn't a hope of making the most of all those weapons at speed 24, it does have a number of options, even if you hold the TGs at the lowest level.


The Insurgent VBR is one of the fastest ships of its time in the SFB Omega Octant, though the FC transition isn't quite as helpful to it as one might think. At 20+2, it's got the same output as the Frignaught, though it still has the advantage of those TM racks. It would get smoked by an Iridani Clipper, though - to say nothing of the torrid time the Throne would give it...

...but then, the Throne's supposed to be a Pharaonic pain in the neck in Omega, anyway!


Overall, the Mæsrons look like they'd be a little on the slow side, if they want to be making the most of their direct-fire weaponry, but all those TMs might help with making that happen.

Whether it would be as effective for them as, say, drones are for Kzintis, is a matter for debate - but hopefully playtesting should help give a clearer picture.


(Actually, I might be as well going over the Iridani power curves later, too - though of course the modules play a role in that regard.)

[Nerroth]

Right, so, Iridani.


One of my favourite races in the entire Star Fleet Universe - knightly space-otters who are up for Questing anywhere, and who managed to kick the Andromedans out of their own home space, and have enough in the tank to save the FRA from an Andro onslaught.

Who'd argue with that?


Now, the power levels below are before one starts to plug in modules. I will say, though, that even the weapons module's 2 reactors would make a notable difference, and the power module would be a prize asset!

(In fact, the power module might need to be limited to a max of 1 per ship - but that said, if it does make it to FC, and keeps the breakdown risk from SFB, that might be a mitigating factor.)

And you'd need as much discretionary power as you can squeeze in, too, since FEBs can't be held, and the Iridani have no TMs to ease the pressure.


Anyway, let's start with quite possibly the most fearsome ship ever historically built by an Omega power - albeit one who don't even live in Omega! The MW is currently the only historical battleship in the Omega setting, and what a ship it is. With 70+8 power on the base hull, it's already packing a fair bit under the trunk, and that's before you start plugging in weapons or power modules. (With one of each, and two non-power-granting modules, the ship would go to 76+10 - more than the Mæsron BB can spare, though again without the latter ship's TMs.)


The BG is no slouch, either. Clocking in at 52+6 vanilla (and 58+8 with the aforementioned modules) the ship can go from being a challenge at speed 16, to a threat at speed 24.


The GL is the standard CA-equivalent, and at 34+4 pre-modules, it's in the same ballpark as the Mæsron ship - so unless you pick power-giving modules, you won't have too many options if you try to keep it fast.


Fast, however, is something the CP eats for breakfast! At 40+4, it's essentially an Iridani answer to the CF - albeit one which keeps the 4 FEBs of the Galleon. A weapons module gives it a couple more Energy Tokens per turn to play with, and more PWs to fire them out of.


The BQ is the Iridani light cruiser, and like the Mæsron ship is a little tight power-wise. With 26+3 and the shift to MC 3/4, it's not a vessel you'd get to do all that much with at speed 24 - though again the module you pick might, or might not, affect this, if only a little.


The CR is the biggest ship that can take a module, and before you plug one in gives you 18+2, the same as the Mæsron DD. Again, a weapons module might help, but would you want to bother with a power module for a ship so small?


The frigate-like YW gets a bit of a help relative to SFB with the shift to 1/4, but still only has 14+2 to give you. It has a bit more heavy weapon flexibility than the Mæsron FF, but while you have to really make the latter's TG take the full eight points, each FEB and TI use will add up on this boat.


The SL police ship is ok for what it does, and with 13+2 gives you almost as much power as the YW - but it pays to be careful with it.


Also, there are currently 4 ship classes which have 'Bonnaventure' altered firing arcs - but those ships have the same power curves as the standard GL, BQ, CR and YW. (It's worth noting that while the arcs on the ships are changed, those on the modules are not.)



Overall, the Iridani base hulls vary widely in terms of what they allow a prospective captain to get away with, power-wise - though a Clipper captain with a weapons module might have some fun!

[Nerroth]

A couple more power overviews.


Firstly, the Federal Republic of Aurora - who still need some rules for SRCs and variable-yield photons to work. Not sure if the shuttle bombs are needed though.

(Although, while it would be nice, I feel that the ESG-equipped ships really have to go with the carriers into a potential BoM thing. But they have enough toys anyway.)


The FRA DN is one of the last of its kind to enter service, and is well worth the wait! In FC terms, it has 57+6 power, though whether you'd want to keep it at speed 24 and 'only' have a max of 21 Energy Tokens left to spend on it during the turn... oh who am I kidding!


A ship which entered service not long before the dreadnought is the BC, which is not too badly off power-wise either. It gives 37+7, following a pattern of providing that bit more battery space than many others in Omega, but has the likes of SRCs and TMs to help cut the cost of arming weapons down somewhat, as does having a mix of standard and light photons to choose from.


The first really 'new' hull design built at the Auroran shipyard, the CLA is not too badly off. With 35+5 power, and with light photons to somewhat ease the power requirements, it has a bit more to offer compared to the Mæsron CA in one sense, but can't get the TM refit to help later on.


Below this in the pecking order is the Auroran CL, which isn't much different from the ones it left behind back in Alpha. Still, it having 30+4, and already being at MC 3/4, gives it something of a head-start compared to many others in its weight class.


One of the newer hybrid hulls, the DDL has the makings of being a fun ship to fly in Federation Commander. 24+2 power on a ship with more weapon options than you can shake a stick at... Gotta love those Klingon engines!


It's not quite as loaded as the leader variant, but the 'standard' DD is anything but. It still has 22+2 power, and an array of light photons, disruptor fire, loads of phasers and either an SRC or TM rack.


The trusty Federation POL earned a new lease of life in the guise of the Auroran FF, though it's not got much of an edge on the locals (with 15+2) and has no newer weapons to be fitted to it.


But hopefully, the FRA will get some nice war cruisers and war destroyers in the not too distant future, anyway!


Oh, and last but not least, the one ship in the Omega Octant which can be played using a (mostly) unmodified Ship Card - the Orion-hull CR Throne of Ozymondas!

(To re-iterate, take the CR from B2, then give it the cloak, a prow phaser-1 and two wing photons to represent the M-era ship. For the T- and L-versions, replace the ph-1 with a disruptor, stick a TM launcher in place of the third 'lone' battery, and add an extra three points to the ship's cost.)

While you might need to keep an eye on how those doubled engines are doing, this ship is still able to laugh its way through the Octant, if you aren't too reckless when flying it of course.


Oh, and an interesting note - none of the FRA ships would need to pay the AWR refit cost, since it's irrelevant in FC anyway. Every little helps.


Overall, it looks like the FRA players are going to have fun in this setting - or, at least, so they might think now.


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When they see the caliber of opponent they'll have lined up against them, however, they might need all of the spare power they can get.

The navy of the Trobrin Empire looks like it would have one of the more seamless transitions into the game system. With no ships of MC 2/3 to be bogged down, and anything smaller than a cruiser but bigger than a patroller shifting from 1/3 to 1/4, the Silicate Plan might be on the way to being enabled...


Especially when you inflict the likes of the DSN on an unsuspecting Alpha foe. This monster comes with 54+6 power, which would allow it to fully arm the massive stack of IB and IT weapons aboard, hold them (relatively) cheaply, and fly in looking for a chance to introduce the wonders of Trobrin technology to you.


The somewhat smaller - though still huge - CC is no slouch either. With 38+6 to spend, it can run fast enough to arm, then turn and see about getting up close and personal. Assuming the crew haven't eaten the armour belt already, that's bad news for whoever tries to stop him. Or, it.


As with the Mæsrons, the Trobrin currently have three CA variants. Both the regular and torpedo types have 35+3, and the bolt-er has 36+4. They can be a bit light on the batteries from here on down, but it's not too much of a relief, perhaps.


Next down is the FFL - the Trobrin skipping the use of destroyers or light cruisers, possibly not minding this discrepancy too much. I wouldn't blame them, since the 16+3 frigate leader can get by well enough.


The FF hull has two variants - one bolt-heavy, the other all about the torps. The bolt ship only has one extra point of power (15+2 compared to 14+2) which helps a little when fast-loading the IBs, though is less missed on the torpedo ship anyway.


Finally, the humble PT, the Trobrin police ship. It's got less power than even the Iridani sloop, with only 10+2 on board, but hey, it's a police cutter.


Just how much of an advantage the FC system would give Imperial ships is up for debate, but I can't help but feel that, as they are renowned for being in SFB, FC Trobrin are gonna be trouble.


Well, so long as the IT rules work out properly, I guess!

[pauls]

Neroth,

I enjoyed your power reviews.

On Shuttle bombs and SRC.

Shuttle Bombs
I think shuttle bombs are fairly easy to adapt. Add a track with three Shuttlebomb boxes each of which takes 6 damage. For arming take warhead strength equal to 4 times the power (rather than 3) and add a optional +4 bpv cost for the shuttle bombs in place of one shuttle (maximum). Have the last shuttle bomb box shaded so it is only available in the T or L era. It isn't a perfect fit but avoids changing the rules by date which for a system of limited use I think is fair enough. You could put a 5 power limit in the earlier era but I don't think it is worthwhile.

The SRC
A bit trickier. One related issue is whethera Alphan ADD is enough to destroy a Tachyon Missile. I'll make some more TM comments afterwards.
I think the best approach is just to use the SRC chart substituting drone for SC7 and fighter or shuttle for SC6 and ship for SC1-5 . This should work fine against shuttles and ships except there should be a note stating that all SRC fire can be countered for an impulse by the target ship using even a one point defensive burst of an ESG.
Against drones (and TM) however this version of the ADD is better against drones than the Alphan ADD - as several ships can use their SRC to defend against a drone wave. It does have an energy cost that the ADD doesn't so baring SVC taking an close interest this would likely do for now.

Tachyon missiles
So several points
1 I generally like your one version of each speed /era although I would specifically allow later era ships to pick the earlier era versions at that cost.

2 Anti-tractor I think this needs to be built in I am in favour of a tractor attempt only works on a die roll of 1-3 (or 1-4) rather than having increasing energy cost to attach the tractor as it is simpler than having different anti-tractor costs for different missiles. But perhaps that too muc of a change to the rules?

3. ADD effect against TM. Given how ineffective ADDs are compared to SFB I'd say make no change and have an ADD kill a TM just like a drone.


4. My take on TM designs

Standard:
Speed 16/24 (which would speed-20 in SFB round up/down to?)
Explosion 8
Armour 12
Point Value 0

Armour is actually 8 and explosion 8 in the rules.
I would make the base missile 24 with those stats as the SFB standard drone is speed 20 and gets a boost to speed 24. But that is then in a sense better the early era missile so perhaps have it speed 16 and give it explosion of 12 (at least as good as a Alphan drone then) and armour of 10 so actually a lot tougher than a Alphan drone and give it anti-tractor-1
-I wonder if it might be better listed as anti-tractor 2 indicating that 2 power is required to tractor it rather than 1.

Oh, should the 'free' point of negative tractor be added in FC?)
-Yes please-

M-era:
Speed 16
Explosion 20
Armour 16
Point Value 3

(Given the technological limitations of the era, it's actually easier to settle on a not-half-bad choice, in my view at least. You can't really give it too much in terms of speed or explosion strength, so piling on the armour is as valid a choice as any...)
Note anti-tractor 2 (or 3 meaning it needs 3 power to tractor)


T-era:
Speed 24
Explosion 24
Armour 12
Point Value 4.5

(Missiles can go up to size-10 in this era, as can both speeds and explosion strengths... but there's not enough room to go around. So, a missile which takes that step up to speed 24 can just about squeak a heaver payload and set of armour.)

Because I think the -L era missile is too explosive heavy and because I think you have mis-costed this one. (Size 10 +0.5 speed 32 +1.5 and -4 size leaves 6 24 explosive +2.0 and -4 size leaves only 2 size for armour giving armour 12 +0.5 and -2 size) This would be speed 26 and 4.5 bpv.

I propose changing this to armour 14 and cost 5

L-era:
Speed 32
Explosion 32
Armour 8
Point Value 6

(Late era missiles can go to size-12, and fit even more powerful engines and warheads, but something has to give. So, this missile trades in even more armour for the sake of an even larger warhead, and the jump to speed 32. Thus, the missile evolves from a slow-ish slug to a sleek and powerful rocket!)

With speed 36 propulsion you only get 4 space points to make a speed 32 missile this gives only explosive 28 and armour 8.

I propose speed 32 explosion 28 armour 12 and anti-tractor 2 (requires 3 to tractor)
Cost of 6

This makes all but the -M era misssile slightly better for than the points than their Omegan SFB equilivents but at the cost of thier opponents knowing exactly what the missile is once its speed is declared (bar the base missile and the -M missile)

Paul