Questions about ground bases

[terryoc]

Ground base questions, particularly about boarding actions.

Do Marines on a ground base die when their base is destroyed? In SFB they don't, but it seems that in FC there's no exception for crews surviving the destruction of the ship (apart from emergency evacuation). So under the RAW, the Marines die when you blow up the ground base.

Boarding actions: can they be boarded except by transporters? Normally there's two ways of boarding a ship: dock with it or beam in. Docking with a ground base is technically not prohibited (but does not make much sense). There doesn't seem to be anything in the rules that says you can land troops and have them fight their way in, unless you treat them as "landed" and then I think you can move six Marine squads/turn as if docked.

Edit: Cap Log #43 mentions more FC bases in the Supplemental File, but there are none in the Supplemental. Were there supposed to be some in Supplemental, or not, do you know?
Moving troops between bases: there does not seem to be any provision for moving troops between bases even if they are close together (unlike SFB), making it relatively easy to capture a ground base (only two defending Marine squads and one control station).

I propose the following additional rule:

Ground bases are treated as landed on the ground and also "docked" to each of the other ground bases in the same location for purposes of (5F2a).

The implications of this would be that the defender could shift Marines around between bases pretty easily, but OTOH the attacker could, with enough Marines, board multiple bases simultaneously, probably forcing the defender to abandon some bases and defend the remainder heavily.

[mjwest]

Yes, I agree that ground bases can be considered to be "landed". There is no problem with that. This does mean they can be attacked by ground troops already on the ground.

I cannot, however, agree to the idea of "docking" the ground bases. While they are linked for power purposes, they are very rarely ever closed physically adjacent. As such, no, they are not docked.

As an extension to that, I don't think landed ships can dock with a ground base, either. They can land relatively close, but they cannot outright dock with a ground base.

Oh, and, no, marines do not die when their ground base is destroyed. The base does not "blow up" or anything when destroyed, but rather simply stops working because it is a ruin.

[Dal Downing]

MJW - Docking may need a exception when involving Ground Bases on asteroids.

[Capt Jack]

I agree that you can not shift troops between operational bases.

But if a base is destroyed then you surely could transport troops/marines to other bases. (a turn after the base is destroyed or two at a push?)

[Steve Cole]

You cannot land a ship close enough to a ground base for the ship and base to fire at each other.

[mjwest]

I agree that you can not shift troops between operational bases.

But if a base is destroyed then you surely could transport troops/marines to other bases. (a turn after the base is destroyed or two at a push?)

Two bases can shift troops between them as if they were two ordinary ships. They are not treated as "docked", but they can still send troops to and fro using their transporters, shuttles, nearby friendly ships, or the transporter repeater on defense satellites.

Troops left behind after a base is destroyed can be picked up and moved just like any other marine unit can be. (I.e. transporters or shuttles.)

[terryoc]

Can't bases in a power grid in SFB transfer troops via the tunnels (D16.47)? That was my impression anyway.

So if the bases are in a power grid (and presumably within a few miles of each other), can they move troops out into the open on Turn #1 and then move them into a nearby base on Turn #2?

[mjwest]

Can't bases in a power grid in SFB transfer troops via the tunnels (D16.47)? That was my impression anyway.

My rulebook doesn't have a D16.47. It stops at D16.46. And the whole rule D16.4 that I have is talking about movement within a base (or ship), not between bases or ships.

That all said, I will ask Steve what he wants.

[mjwest]

Update: I have sent all of the questions on to Steve, and he is deliberating. Once a decision is made, I will post the results.

[pinecone]

Edit: Cap Log #43 mentions more FC bases in the Supplemental File, but there are none in the Supplemental. Were there supposed to be some in Supplemental, or not, do you know?

I was also wondering about this. Also: can multiple ground bases be placed in a single hex facing of a planet?

[mjwest]

Also: can multiple ground bases be placed in a single hex facing of a planet?

Yes. In fact, for the bases to be "linked" (I forget the specific term), they have to be in the same hex facing. There is no limit to the number of bases that can located in a given hex facing of a planet.

[terryoc]

My rulebook doesn't have a D16.47

Mike, I think your MRB may be out of date - reference is from my eMRB.