Federation Commander

Sir Drake wrote:As the newest player in Pallida Mors campaign playing the Kzinti and now the Lyrans on the other side of the map. I have to say that I really enjoy the role-playing and randomness of the some of the game mechanics (ships stats, officers, and random encounters). I wasn’t sure at first if I was going to be ok with it at all, I thought that it would distract from the main goal of bashing ships about. Very glad to be have been wrong about that, because it works amazingly well in this group. I think that I am extremely lucky to have found a group of players that are kind enough, funny enough, and sure enough in them selves to play the game in the character of their Empire even if it might be slightly risky as a player to do so. I wasn’t sure I would be able to play that way myself but after the first night with the group I felt comfortable enough to take risks as a player to keep in character for the Kzinti. Win lose or draw the Kzinti will do it with their own style. This is not saying that we aren’t trying to smash other empires that opposes us actually I think there is even more at stake than a normal game. The Kzinti have become very dear to me, in their fanatical blood thirsty way, than any other game of Fed Comm I have played. It is a unique gaming situation where the whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts. All I can say is that I am damn lucky to be a part of it.

Sir Drake

Pinkfluffychicken wrote:T14 now finished after last night's battle. Sides as follows: 2xGorn DNH, NHK, BH vs D5W, 3xD5, 2xE5, E4, 4xFed FF and BS. Setup on a fixed map with the BS 35 hexes from the right hand map edge on the centreline of the board. Klingons and Fed setup within three hexes of the BS, Gorns and Roms appeared on the right hand map edge. The game was played at Fleet Scale because the Gorn claimed it made the Fed FFs crunchier.

The Klings and Feds ran out from the BS since the Gorns made clear their determination to stay out at long range from it. After some inconclusive long range fire which did some shield damage on either side the turn ended with drones and plasma Fs on the board aimed at a DNH and FFs respectively. The range was 14.

T2 the Gorns and Roms kept the speed high to stay out of overload range, made a HET, and an alpha strike (including 2 bolted Rs and an S!) at a D5 and stepped off the map after a me-too range ten alpha strike from the Klingons, with a few phasers from the overloaded FFs added in and was most notable for the Klingon cruisers missing with all 16 of their disruptors at 1-3 (this led to a very smug E4 Captain, who hit with his disruptor and now claims to be more dangerous than WHOLE SQUADRONS of cruisers ). The result was an NHK about 4 points off being crippled, and, since both Rs and the S hit, an exploding D5 so overkilled the debris will glow for weeks.

Have to admit I was surprised at the result. I thought the Gorn/Roms were on a hiding to nothing (no cloaking pun intended ) but neither side really made any mistakes that I could see: the Gorns and Roms made their fire opportunity and rode their luck, the Klingons' disruptors were appalling, the bolts were brilliant, and that was that.

Pallida Mors: btw, please don't interpret my comments on the differences between our campaigns as negatively critical of your one - I hope by now my admiration for your achievement is obvious - but we have managed to create very different things out of the same basic game. I would love to come and watch one of your sessions! I suppose as much as anything else it is a compliment to the strength of Fed Commander as a whole.

Have very nearly completed v2 rules, which I will post and invite you to throw rocks at.

The FF is punier in fleet scale. With one type-G drone rack and two phasers (LS/RS) It is pretty inefective. The photons is an advantage but nothing else is.

Federation Commander Campaign Rules (unofficial)

v 3.00

1.0 MOVEMENT

1.1 Each turn is split into 6 movement phases.

1.1.1 Warp capable ships can move 1 hex per phase.

1.1.2 Crippled ships move 1 hex every 2 phases.

1.1.3 Movement is by written order only. The only exception is defending ships on a MB or larger base ( Rule 9.7).

1.2 Strategic Warping

1.2.1 Whilst in friendly space (space that was owned by the player or ally at the start of the turn) a warship with a movement cost of ¼ or more may move at double speed in safety.

1.2.2 If intercepted in enemy or neutral space whilst strategic warping a battle is fought on a fixed floating map under the following conditions:

1.2.2.1 The intercepted ships are placed on the board first, facing in the direction they are on the strategic map, in a single stack in the centre of the tactical map.

1.2.2.2 They must move at speed 24 +1 for the first four impulses of the turn.

1.2.2.3 They may not fire or load any weapon on turn 1.

1.2.2.4 On turn 2 their weapon status is as at the start of a normal scenario.

1.2.2.5 The intercepting ships set up anywhere on the board with whatever facing the intercepting player chooses with his weapons needing only their final turn arming (previous turn overload energy may have been applied at the intercepting player's choice). All capacitors are full and one launch of fighters may be placed within one hex of the launching ship.

1.2.2.6 No disengagement by the intercepted ships is possible until turn 6 (the intercepting player may disengage as normal).

1.2.2.7 If a player hits the map edge before turn six and cannot move legally they count as having Emergency Decelerated in that hex and apply the appropriate benefits and penalties to their ship(s).

1.2.2.8 Should the intercepted player win the engagement they may continue their movement plot at normal speed.

1.2.3 Strategic warping and normal movement may be combined in a turn.

1.2.4 Crippled ships, cloaked ships, freighters, armed cutters and vessels with a movement cost of less than ¼ may not strategic warp. Basically, only warships can.

1.2.5 Armed cutters are defensive units and may not enter neutral or enemy space.

1.3 Towing

1.3.1 A ship may tow another unit of the same movement cost or smaller. A MB counts as having a movement cost of one for the purposes of this rule.

1.3.2 A towing ship may not strategic warp.

1.3.3 A towing ship moves at its normal movement rate.

1.4 Patrol

1.4.1 The default order. Any ship not given specific other orders is assumed to be on patrol if it is moving at normal speed (ie a Strategic Warping ship is Strategic Warping, not Patrolling).

1.4.2 Ships may react into enemy held hexes in their EW nets at normal speed: they may strat warp to the edge of their own space, but the actual movement across the hex edge into enemy held territory must be done at normal speed or risk the penalties of 1.2.2.

1.5 Raiding

1.5.1 A warship designated on its ship card as “Raiding� or “Fast� with movement plotted to start and finish in space that was friendly at the start of the turn may be designated a Raider for that turn and seek to damage the enemy's economy and logistics. Heavy Freighters destroyed cost the raided power 30 BPV; Large Freighters destroyed cost the raided power 20 BPV; Small Freighters destroyed cost the raided power 10 BPV.

1.5.2 The BPV cost of Raiding is the movement cost of the ship per hex.

1.5.3 A Raiding ship may strategic warp through neutral and enemy space without risking the penalties of 1.2.2 .

1.5.4 A Raiding ship cannot convert space.

1.5.5 When a Raid commences, the Raiding player rolls a d6 for each hex raided as the Raider enters the hex. On a roll of 1 a convoy is encountered, but does not detect the Raider or succeed in breaking the jamming if attacked. A second roll of 1 in the turn means a convoy is detected but this time the Raider is also detected and reported. Defending ships on Patrol may begin to react at this point. To determine the size of convoy roll a d2. 1 is a single freighter (roll a d3 for small, medium or heavy). 2 is a larger convoy. Roll d6+1 for number of ships and a d6 for each ship to determine type, with 1, 2, 3 = small; 4, 5 = large; 6 = heavy.

1.5.6 When detected a Raider may abort the raid and retreat back along his movement track. Unused BPV is lost.

1.5.7 If a Raid targets a SY or or small base the Raider will start “jamming� at the moment of attack. On a roll of 1 on a d6 the defenders managed to get a message out and the raid is detected.

1.6 Reconnaissance

1.6.1 Only one ship in any hex can be given the Reconnaissance order. The ship must pay 1 BPV for each hex of movement ordered (as per 4.1) and will convert neutral space, but will stop and act as an EW base actually on the border when an enemy, npc or allied border is detected. While on Reconnaissance the Reconnoitering ship can detect the number of vessels in space the opponent has in the hex directly across the border in the direction the ship was facing when it hit that border, as well as detecting as usual in its own hex. It may not attack while on Reconnaissance. Any unused BPV are lost.

1.6.2 A warship may be given the Reconnaissance order on a known border (Armed Cutters do not count as warships for this purpose). In contrast with 1.6.1 the direction of reconnaissance must be specified in Turn Orders.

1.6.3 Ships on reconnaissance may fill the gaps in an EW net and count for the purposes of reaction. Ie if there is a gap of one hex between Bases defending ships from both bases may react into that hex if the is a friendly ship on Reconnaissance in that hex. If the gap is two hexes ships from the left hand base may react into the left hand hex under Reconnaissance and ships from the right hand base into the right hand hex ditto and so on.

1.6.4 It is possible that two ships from different sides could end up on the same border looking in different directions. In this case they will detect eachother and at the discretion of either player may choose to fight for supremacy on that hex border. If neither player makes this choice they both sit there. Should one player elect to fight the game is set up on a fixed floating map with each ship 15 hexes from the centre of the map facing toward eachother. The game ends when one player disengages or is destroyed.

1.6.5 Reconnaissance hexes may be set up in friendly space.


2.0 SUPPLY

2.1 All ships ending the turn in hexes that were owned by their player or the player's ally at the start of the turn and which can trace a line of friendly hexes to a Supply Point at the end of the turn are automatically in supply.

2.2 Any ship which ends the turn in space not owned by it or an ally at the start of the turn must be within six friendly hexes of a Supply Point or be out of supply.

2.3 A Supply Point is 2 Small freighters or 1 Large or Heavy freighter with a total of 50 Cargo spaces available (but see 7.4), an MB, BS, BATS, SB or shipyard.

2.3.1 To qualify as a Supply Point, freighters must remain within a single strategic hex and be designated as a Freighter Supply Point in their orders. Should they leave the hex for any reason their status as a Supply Point is lost from that moment for the remainder of the turn and any ships dependent solely on that Supply Point are out of supply.

2.4 A ship which ends the turn out of supply takes its DamCon rating in internals. These internals must be recorded separately from battle damage.

2.4.1 Until back in supply, an out of supply ship will take its DamCon rating in internals every movement phase at the start of the phase.

2.4.2 These internals and any other internals taken while out of supply can only be repaired at a Supply Point.

2.5 Fighters are not automatically replaced if out of supply.

2.5.1 Fighters may be placed in storage on a freighter and carried. They may not be used in combat while in this state.

2.6 A region of space cut off from its parent Empire produces no income and cannot be developed. If there is a shipyard in the cut off region it may utilise the income the region produces to develop the cut off region and may eventually become a new empire if not reunited with its parent.

2.6.1 A supply point in a cut off region protects ships from damage under 2.4. Rules 2.4.1 and 2.4.2 still apply.


3.0 SHIP DETECTION

3.1 MB, BS, BATS and SB count as units with a special sensor and can see more detail in a hex than a unit without a special sensor.

3.2 The more powerful the unit, the greater the range of the special sensor.

3.2.1 MB have a sensor range of 1 (ie they see a radius of one hex outside the hex they are in).

3.2.2 BS have a sensor range of 2.

3.2.3 BATS have a sensor range of 3.

3.2.4 SB have a sensor range of 4.

3.3 Special Sensors will detect all vessels in their range except ships under cloak and Orions. Ships under cloak and Orions may be detected, the closer to the base the greater the chance.

3.4 All ships automatically detect all vessels and bases in their hex except Orions.

3.5 The information received is the number of vessels detected only.


4.0 EXPLORATION AND CONVERSION

4.1 Any warship with a movement cost of ¼ or more that is within 6 friendly hexes of a friendly Supply Point can convert the hex it is in from neutral or enemy territory to friendly territory at a cost of one BPV for each hex converted. Costs must be paid at the start of the turn on which it is intended they are to be used and if not used for any reason are lost.

4.1.1 A ship does not have to pay conversion costs when entering neutral or enemy space.

4.2 If, before the end of the turn on which it was converted, a warship of the original owning power or a power friendly to the original owning power with a movement cost of ¼ or more and which is moving normally (ie not strategic warping) enters a hex in the process of being converted by another power, the conversion of that hex is disrupted and at the option of the disrupting player does not occur. If disruption of conversion occurs the original owning power retains ownership of the hex and the converting power is aware of the disruption.


5.0 INCOME

5.1 Planets are rated as to how many Agri(cultural) and Ind(ustrial) bases they can support. Players generate income by taxing the Industrial bases.

5.1.1 Asteroids can produce 10 BPV per turn in tax per hex with an Ind in it.

5.1.2 Supernova, Nebula and Black Hole hexes each produce 5 BPV per turn (a notional average value on research).

5.2 To produce any income at all a hex must have a Science base present.

5.2.1 Exact details about a planet are ascertained by placing a Science base on the planet.

5.3 One Ind base on a planet produces 10 BPV in tax per turn.

5.4 One Agri base is required to support each planet and every 3 Ind bases on that planet (fractional accounting applies, cost rebates are possible).

5.5 Collecting income (in the form of tax) from planets and other more exotic locations involves costs which can be calculated as follows:

5.5.1 For each planet, Costs = Ind*Distance to Tax Base/2 + 3(Agri required – Agri available) in BPV.

5.5.2 For each Asteroid hex, Costs = Distance to Base in BPV.

5.6 For the purposes of income collection, BS, BATS and SB count as Tax Bases.

5.7 Cash savings up to the value of a turn's income may be held without economic ill effect. This must be clearly defined in each turn's orders. Attempts to hoard larger amounts or overuse of over-clever accountants have a damaging effect on the economy. Excess economic resources can be donated to charity.


6.0 PRODUCTION

6.1.1 Shipyards are rated in Space Points (SP) which cost 20 BPV and require 2 SP to build. They are completely inactive until they reach a size of 12 SP at which point they become completely active.

6.1.2 Bases are rated in points (BPV) and require 1 SP for every 10 BPV or part thereof to build.

6.2 Every 1/8 point of ship movement costs 6 SP to build. Thus a Cruiser with a move cost of 1 will require 48 SP to build.

6.2.1 BCH and Tholian DN class ships count as having a movement cost of 1¼ for the purposes of 6.2 and 7.2 thus costing 60 SP to build and occupying 10 SP for the purposes of repair.

6.2.2 DNL class ships generally count as having a movement cost of 1 3/8 and DNH class ships generally count as having a movement cost of 1 5/8 for the purposes of 6.2 and of 7.2.

6.3 BPV costs must also be paid in full in advance.

6.4 Units with a Movement Cost greater than ½ take 6 phases to build.

6.4.1 Units with a Movement Cost of ½ or less take 3 phases to build. The SP they occupied may only be used to build units with a Movement Cost of ½ or less in the remaining 3 phases of the turn.

6.4.2 Bases costing 40 or more BPV take 6 phases to build and may not combine with units under 6.4.1.

6.4.2.1 Bases costing less than 40 BPV take 3 phases to build. They may combine with units under 6.4.1.

6.4.3 Fighters cost 1 SP and their BPV cost each to build. They count as having a movement cost of less than ½ for the purposes of 6.4.1. If built with the ship on which they are to serve the SP cost is waived, up to the maximum number of fighter bays that ship possesses.

6.5 Small bases, MB, SY, fighters in storage and upgrades (but see 8.2.2) may be deployed up to 12 hexes from the SY at which they were built at the end of the turn on which they were built. They go active at the start of the next turn. They may also be deployed onto a freighter up to 12 hexes from the SY at which they were built, and carried further the next turn.


7.0 REPAIR

7.1 Repair points are MB, BS, BATS, SB or SY.

7.1.1 Uncrippled ships may self repair after a battle. These repairs take the remainder of the phase in which the battle occurred. Self repairs cost 2 BPV for each internal box destroyed. Bases may self repair any amount of internal damage for 1 BPV for each internal box destroyed. Repairs are not compulsory, but must be all or nothing (except in combat).

7.1.2 Crippled ships may not self repair but must be repaired at a Repair Point (see 2.3). A ship or Base counts as crippled if at any point it reaches crippled status (ie self repair at the tactical level cannot correct the problem).

7.1.3 Repairs at a Repair Point cost 1 BPV per destroyed internal box and take 1 phase per ship if uncrippled or 3 phases if crippled. A crippled Base may only repair itself until it is uncrippled. One third of the damage is repaired each phase (roll on the DAC to determine which systems are repaired).

7.2 Ships undergoing repair at a Repair Point require 1 SP for every 1/8 movement cost. Thus a crippled Frigate would cost 2 SP to repair. See 6.2.1 and 6.2.2 for exceptions.

7.2.1 A Mobile Base has 8 SP available for repair.

7.2.2 A Base Station has 12 SP available for repair.

7.2.3 A Battle Station has 16 SP available for repair.

7.2.4 A Starbase has 20 SP available for repair.

7.3 Full BPV costs must also be met either from saved funds or at the start of the turn on which repairs are to be made or borrowed for against next turn's income.

7.4 Freighter Supply Points may repair Out of Supply damage. They may not repair battle damage. A Freighter Supply Point can repair Out of Supply damage on any number of ships in one phase


8.0 BASES

8.1 The only small bases currently in existence are the Science Base costing 8 BPV, the Agri costing 8 BPV and the Ind costing 20 BPV. Others may be added.

8.1.1 Science bases can be placed the turn after a line of friendly hexes to their destination is created.

8.1.2 In the case of asteroid hexes an Ind base may be placed at the same time as the Sci base.

8.1.3 In the case of planets Agri and Ind bases can be placed the turn after the Sci base or on any turn subsequently while there is an active Sci base on the planet.

8.2. A MB may be placed by Freighter or towed by a 1 movement cost or greater ship. If placed by freighter each BPV requires 1 box of cargo.

8.2.1 It takes ½ a phase to deploy or pack up and prepare to move a MB.

8.2.2 A MB may be upgraded to a BS if the difference in BPV is built at a production centre. The upgrade is automatically deployed on the base if the base is 12 or fewer hexes from the producing shipyard. If further than 12 hexes it must be deployed by freighter (but may be deployed onto a freighter up to 12 hexes from the Shipyard which produced it). Each BPV of upgrade requires 1 cargo box.

8.2.3 It takes six phases, beginning the phase after the upgrade arrives at the base, to convert a MB to a BS; 9 phases to convert a BS to a BATS; and 12 phases to convert a BATS to a SB.


9.0 TACTICAL ENCOUNTERS

9.1 Each phase players will be informed of any encounters they have. If no disengagement takes place they will set up on a fixed floating map and fight it out.

9.2 For a battle involving six ships or fewer the default is Federation Commander Squadron Level. More than 6 ships the default is Federation Commander Fleet Level. Players may choose any form of SFB or variant by mutual agreement.

9.3 The result, including costs of damage and identifying details of cripples must be passed to the GM by the end of the turn. Crippled ships must be marked as such in Turn Orders.

9.4 Disengaging forces retreat 1 hex on their movement track (if attacking) or one hex in any one of the three opposite directions from the one the attackers entered the map (if defending) and cease all movement for the remainder of the turn.

9.4.1 Disengagement must be to a position in supply if possible. If it is not possible, disengagement to a position out of supply is allowed with all relevant penalties applying.

9.4.2 If the movement plot of the winning side takes them into a hex where there are enemy ships which disengaged from battle on the immediately previous phase a fixed map engagement is fought where any ship from the defending side which disengages is destroyed.

9.4.3 If the attacking side enters a hex where there are enemy ships which disengaged from battle on a phase of that turn other than the immediately previous one, a battle is fought on a fixed floating map as normal.

9.5 The winning side continues its movement plot and orders.

9.6 Attacking forces may choose to cancel their movement for the rest of the turn at the start of any phase.

9.7 Captured ships gain the capturing side 1 BPV per undestroyed internal box.

9.8 Defending ships which start the turn in the same hex as a base (MB or bigger) may strategic warp within the detection radius of that base (including any friendly hexes with friendly ships on Reconnaissance in them) in response to detected threats. If the threat leaves the detection area of a base, defending ships in that detection area may not react to them any longer. After reacting, defending ships will automatically strategic warp back to their base.

9.8.1 Defending ships must react by the shortest possible route and may not pause (ie wait for reinforcements) in that reaction. Reaction must be instant.


10.DIPLOMACY

10.1 Players make and break their own alliances.

10.2 Bribery of the GM is ineffective but always worth a try.

10.3 Beer is good. Cheese and wine too, especially if runny Camembert is included.

10.4 No verbal agreement with the GM is binding (see 10.3).

10.5 The decision of the GM may be wrong, crass, ill considered or downright stupid. It is still final.

Commodore Mendez wrote:

Sir Drake wrote:As the newest player in Pallida Mors campaign playing the Kzinti and now the Lyrans on the other side of the map. I have to say that I really enjoy the role-playing and randomness of the some of the game mechanics (ships stats, officers, and random encounters). I wasn’t sure at first if I was going to be ok with it at all, I thought that it would distract from the main goal of bashing ships about. Very glad to be have been wrong about that, because it works amazingly well in this group. I think that I am extremely lucky to have found a group of players that are kind enough, funny enough, and sure enough in them selves to play the game in the character of their Empire even if it might be slightly risky as a player to do so. I wasn’t sure I would be able to play that way myself but after the first night with the group I felt comfortable enough to take risks as a player to keep in character for the Kzinti. Win lose or draw the Kzinti will do it with their own style. This is not saying that we aren’t trying to smash other empires that opposes us actually I think there is even more at stake than a normal game. The Kzinti have become very dear to me, in their fanatical blood thirsty way, than any other game of Fed Comm I have played. It is a unique gaming situation where the whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts. All I can say is that I am damn lucky to be a part of it.

Sir Drake

all I can say is wow........