Photon/Hellbore preload question

[Hod K'el]

Because I am using two points of battery that I don't have on Turn 0. So where does that power come from? If it is all or nothing, then it is always nothing.

Afraid I am not following you here. Let's get back to your example ...

You said you wanted to pre-load two photons and not pre-load a third photon. Even if you could "save" energy like mojo jojo wanted, you would still have empty batteries because the Orion BR has four batteries. So, whether you pre-load two photons or three photons, your batteries are still empty. No big deal. No difference in starting position.

Ah! That's what is confusing me...if I have four batteries, I can only preload two photons, not three. So, from where is the extra power coming? If it is all-or-nothing, and I do not have the extra power, then I cannot make it all, therefore, it is nothing! See my thinking?

BTW, I am also a little confused. At first you were insulted by the very existence of the "Pre-Game Arming" rule. Now you are insisting on expanding the rule. Don't get it.

I think insulted is off the mark; more like exasporated (sp). I also think that the game was supposed to stay simple, with the exception of BoM, and we keep getting more details thrown in, which is why I do not like pre-game arming. Most SFB scenarios start at WS III, so why not just say this is the way it is...everybody starts out with everything loaded, OR no one starts with anything loaded? Level playing field. Choose your weapons wisely.

[Kang]

Now, it could be different if you only pre-loaded a single photon. But, at that point, the single pre-load is little threat, and really isn't that much different that just coming in with no pre-loads and full batteries.

In order to do this, the cap rule could apply anyway because you've only pre-loaded one photon.

The cap rule appears to assume that all photons are pre-armed. It just says that 'the number of batteries left empty will not exceed the amount of power it would take to pre-arm the weapons', but without specifying all or nothing. Again, however, its wording does not necessarily preclude partial preloading. I would say that in the case of partial preloads, simply apply the cap rule. Nobody loses out except the guy who chooses to do it.

Regarding the main question itself, and having re-read the (4C2c) paragraph, I do agree that it could be interpreted that you can arm as few or as many as you like. "..the .. player .. has the option to have a pre-load mark for each photon..." - note that it doesn't say 'every' photon. Paraphrasing would give it that you have the option for each photon to have a preload mark; this is neither a logical nor a tautological inconsistency. I would say that this means that the choice for each photon is made on an individual basis; I have never even thought it was an issue, but that is primarily because, like most other players, I'd always go for the full preload option. It's a pretty good deal!

It's an interesting take on the photon/hellbore combination, as to whether they can be pre-armed independently or not. I'd say yes....

[terryoc]

Kang, I always understood the pre-load rule to be all or nothing. I read "each photon" to mean "all the photons". Might be a difference in usage?

Hod K'el, I don't find the pre-load rule excessively complex. I mean, it's been in the game since the very beginning. The only change to it was to fix a problem for units with lots of batteries and few heavy weapons. I like the rule, it's useful in situations where you will be beginning the game close to the enemy (like 26 hexes or so). It means you can fire weapons on the first turn of the game, giving no advantage to fast-loading ships like disruptor boats or fusion ships. (Plasma gets only 1 turn of arming, but at least you can fast-load an F in your G/S/R tubes, and the F-tubes are already loaded.) I think you mentioned Suicide Shuttles, well you don't need to pre-load SS in FC because those are always armed at the instant of launch in FC. Nothing stopping anyone from launching an SS on turn 1.

[wedge_hammersteel]

Hod K'el
I think we are reading too much into the pre-load/battery rule.

To start the scenaro with photons pre-loaded, all of your batteries start the scenario drained. The rule does not say you can only pre-load 1 photon for every 2 batteries.

Say hypothetically that your ship has 6 photons and only 2 batteries. You can start the scenario with all 6 photons pre-loaded but the 2 batteries start drained.

The caveat to this rule is for ships with few photons and many batteries. If your ship has 2 photons and 8 batteries then you can start the scenario with the 2 photons pre-loaded and only 4 batteries drained. (2 bats for 1 photon, this only applies for ships with few photons and many batteries).

[Hod K'el]

Oh! Like SFB brought over to FC! WS-0 goes to WS-I, which goes to WS-II, which goes to WS-III with full loads. WS-III is Turn 1 in FC, so you get preloading from turns before game start to divert engine power or reactor power into weapons so your ready to go on Turn 1, but some of this came from your batteries so you start with them drained. Got it!

[mjwest]

The Federation Commander rules for starting scenarios is roughly equivalent to WS-II in SFB. It is not an exact match, mind you.