Fading at turn start

Ask your questions about Federation Commander game system rules here.

Moderators: mjwest, Albiegamer

Post Reply
storeylf
Fleet Captain
Posts: 1887
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:11 pm

Fading at turn start

Post by storeylf »

If a ship starts a turn fading in can it declare a base speed of 24?

A cloaked ship cannot declare a speed greater than 16, but does a faded ship count as 'cloaked'.

Can it declare speed 24 and void the fade that would otherwise affect it for the first impulse, so that it can go fast for the turn?
User avatar
duxvolantis
Lieutenant SG
Posts: 185
Joined: Tue Nov 16, 2010 3:54 am

Re: Fading at turn start

Post by duxvolantis »

storeylf wrote:If a ship starts a turn fading in can it declare a base speed of 24?

A cloaked ship cannot declare a speed greater than 16, but does a faded ship count as 'cloaked'.

Can it declare speed 24 and void the fade that would otherwise affect it for the first impulse, so that it can go fast for the turn?
The rules do seem unclear and this should be clarified by mjwest.

I think you could argue it either way.
Dux Volantis
Romulan Star Empire
User avatar
Sneaky Scot
Commander
Posts: 484
Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:28 am
Location: Tintern, Monmouthshire

Post by Sneaky Scot »

I'd probably say no, as fading in/out is part of the cloaking precedure, but I guess our guru will let us know!
Nothing is quite as persuasive as a disruptor pistol on slow burn and a rotisserie......
wedge_hammersteel
Commander
Posts: 578
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 12:42 am
Location: Lafayette, LA

Post by wedge_hammersteel »

I thought you could set your speed to what ever you want as long as you do not move more that twice during an impulse.
User avatar
JimDauphinais
Commander
Posts: 767
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2009 7:33 pm
Location: Chesterfield, MO

Post by JimDauphinais »

You can't select above Baseline 16 during fade-out, while fully cloaked or during fade-in. Per 5P3f 1.:
At the instant the cloaking device is activated, a ship with a Baseline Speed of 24 is reduced to a Baseline Speed of 16 for the rest of the turn; the lost energy is simply lost. A cloaked ship cannot select a Baseline Speed above 16. The Baseline Speed is limited to 16 for the remainder of the turn, even if the ship uncloaks. This Baseline Speed (not the higher speed of 24) is used for all subsequent calculations, including tractor beams, towing, etc.

I would in particular note the language about "at the instant the cloaking device is activated" and the language "even if the ship uncloaks".

Voiding cloak due to moving more than twice during an impulse pertains to the use of acceleration. If you select Baseline 16, you can use acceleration on an impulse and then use deceleration on a subsequent subpulse of that impulse to cancel one of your three moves to avoid voiding your cloaked status. It is a subtle tactic that is occasionally useful.
Jim Dauphinais, Chesterfield, MO
Image
St. Louis Area Fed Comm Group: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/STL ... Commander/
storeylf
Fleet Captain
Posts: 1887
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:11 pm

Post by storeylf »

Certainly as the rules are written I think you can only declare speed 16. And as it is not me that is affected by this rule I am not to bothered.

However, for a ship that has started to uncloak at the back end of the turn that appears quite harsh, that they are limited to 16 next turn because the fade lasts into impulse 1.

Anyway I said I'd post for a clarification and check if that was the intent.
Last edited by storeylf on Mon Dec 26, 2011 11:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
wedge_hammersteel
Commander
Posts: 578
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 12:42 am
Location: Lafayette, LA

Post by wedge_hammersteel »

I see my confusion. Base of 24 is out but 16 +1 is OK as long as movement is 2 per impulse. Thats what I was thinking about.
User avatar
JimDauphinais
Commander
Posts: 767
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2009 7:33 pm
Location: Chesterfield, MO

Post by JimDauphinais »

Certainly as the rules are written I think you can only declare speed 16. And as it is not me that is affected this rule and I am not to bothered.

However, for a ship that has started to uncloak at the back end of the turn that appears quite harsh, that they are limited to 16 next turn because the fade lasts into impulse 1.

Anyway I said I'd post for a clarification and check if that was the intent.

Yes, it doesn't hurt to check sometimes to make sure that what is written is what was meant. Let's see if Mike West answers differently once he has had an opportunity to see your post.
Jim Dauphinais, Chesterfield, MO
Image
St. Louis Area Fed Comm Group: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/STL ... Commander/
User avatar
Capt Jack
Lieutenant SG
Posts: 102
Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2011 9:33 pm
Location: England U.K

Post by Capt Jack »

I agree with Mr hammersteel. :D
(but I would, as I am the one attacking the Fade in cloaked ship!) :shock:
Captain Jack a.k.a The Unorthodox, Scourge of the Dreadnought and Master of the PH3, Grandmaster of the PH3 RA
User avatar
mjwest
Commodore
Posts: 4103
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:30 pm
Location: Dallas, Texas
Contact:

Post by mjwest »

I have actually been following this, but have decided to escalate prior to answering. Really, I can go either way on this, so I figure I might as well get the word of G.O.D.
Image
Federation Commander Answer Guy
User avatar
Targ
Lieutenant SG
Posts: 125
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 2:04 am
Location: York U.K.

Post by Targ »

Any thing yet ? We had to do the rule ' roll the the die, higher decides'. :?
User avatar
mjwest
Commodore
Posts: 4103
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:30 pm
Location: Dallas, Texas
Contact:

Post by mjwest »

Thought I should give the update on this.

If you cancel your cloak on Impulse #8, you may declare a baseline speed of 24 on the turn break, even though you are still technically under cloak and under the speed limit restriction of 16. This is a special case exception.

Even though one might (and I am not including Lee in this) argue that you could cancel a move to not void the cloak, the cloak is automatically voided by the declaration of baseline speed of 24. So, until the Other Functions phase of Impulse #1, the ship is under the restrictions of a voided cloak during fade-in.

Note that this is an exception to this specific situation. If you were to choose a baseline speed of 24, then activate cloak (dropping your baseline speed to 16), then deactivate cloak all in the same turn, you are still stuck at the baseline speed of 16 for the rest of the turn. This only applies when deactivating a cloak on Impulse #8 and going through the start of turn procedure while in the fade-in period.
Image
Federation Commander Answer Guy
Post Reply