Sublight movement suggestion

Ask your questions about Federation Commander game system rules here.

Moderators: mjwest, Albiegamer

Post Reply
User avatar
Kang
Fleet Captain
Posts: 1976
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 12:13 pm
Location: Devon, UK
Contact:

Sublight movement suggestion

Post by Kang »

I've just got hold of my copy of CL#43, and I am greatly enjoying it as always. I noticed that the main story scenario 'A Measure of Fear' is available there for both SFB and FC. Nice. (<brag mode on> Got a tactical paper published too, woohoo!)

In the FC version of the scenario, there are special rules for the Romulan ships which are sublight only. Now, given that we have had a sublight scenario before (The Return of the Hood), (SL211, CL#35) where the movement rules were, iirc, very similar, does the Management think that we should have a 'standardised' ruleset for sublight-only movement?

In other words, could the rules for sublight movement be formalised and placed in the rulebook? I realise this means slightly more complexity, but it's not used all that often....
Image
User avatar
Steve Cole
Site Admin
Posts: 3846
Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2006 5:24 pm

Post by Steve Cole »

The next time they come up, we'll probably have to do that.

Or maybe Mike W will do them for CL44 or CL45.
The Guy Who Designed Fed Commander
Image
User avatar
mjwest
Commodore
Posts: 4103
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:30 pm
Location: Dallas, Texas
Contact:

Post by mjwest »

Well ...

As it turns out, sublight movement rules have already been published in Captain's Log #39. They are rule number (2YF) on page 37. If moved to the main rules, the rule number would become (2F). Which is probably a good idea.

(Doing them again won't be a problem. I need to add one thing to the rules printed in CL#39. Rule (2YF5) says Tactical Maneuvers and Evasive Maneuvers can be used, but doesn't actually specify the costs associated with that. It is implied by the acceleration cost listed in (2YF3), but not directly stated.)
Image
Federation Commander Answer Guy
User avatar
gar1138
Lieutenant Commander
Posts: 345
Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:43 pm
Location: Eugene, OR

Post by gar1138 »

Is the towing cost specified for a sublight unit (I don't have the CL39 rules, so maybe it already is)? This would come into play if a warp unit is towing a sublight unit via tractor beam and wants to accelerate or decelerate. The few games I've played with a sublight Romulan Warbird, we have just assumes a movement cost of 1 for towing. Thanks,

Garrett
User avatar
mjwest
Commodore
Posts: 4103
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:30 pm
Location: Dallas, Texas
Contact:

Post by mjwest »

Oooo. Good point. Nope, the rules didn't have that. They have an effective movement rate of 1, but that is just for the purposes of impulse. Their towing cost would be consistent with their warp powered later versions.

Note, however, that is their cost to be towed by a warp-capable ship (most likely an enemy). To tow each other, the towing cost is effectively zero.
Image
Federation Commander Answer Guy
User avatar
gar1138
Lieutenant Commander
Posts: 345
Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:43 pm
Location: Eugene, OR

Post by gar1138 »

mjwest wrote:Oooo. Good point. Nope, the rules didn't have that. They have an effective movement rate of 1, but that is just for the purposes of impulse. Their towing cost would be consistent with their warp powered later versions.

Note, however, that is their cost to be towed by a warp-capable ship (most likely an enemy). To tow each other, the towing cost is effectively zero.
Cool, thanks. Actually, I was more thinking about friendly towing. We've had times when a Romulan KR (or equiv.) wants to tow an old Warbird into position, then cut the tractor so the Warbird can launch it's Plasma-R. Kind of like a portable Plasma-R cannon. :-)

Garrett
User avatar
gar1138
Lieutenant Commander
Posts: 345
Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:43 pm
Location: Eugene, OR

Post by gar1138 »

Oh, one other question: can a sublight ship perform a High Energy Turn? We played it as no (it was just able to perform 1 tactical maneuver per turn) so it took quite awhile to turn around. Thanks,

Garrett
User avatar
Kang
Fleet Captain
Posts: 1976
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 12:13 pm
Location: Devon, UK
Contact:

Post by Kang »

According to the CL#39 reference that MJW put up earlier in this thread, no they can't.
Image
User avatar
gar1138
Lieutenant Commander
Posts: 345
Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:43 pm
Location: Eugene, OR

Post by gar1138 »

Kang wrote:According to the CL#39 reference that MJW put up earlier in this thread, no they can't.
Great (I don't have CL39, so I wanted to be sure), thanks!

Garrett
Post Reply