Federation Commander

This question is based on the Turn Mode thread.

There seems to be a number of SFB legacy items that play no role in FC but which hang around anyway adding drag to the system. For example, there's turn mode type (AA, A, B, C, etc) which isn't used by FC. There are different types of command systems (Bridge, Emergency Bridge, etc.) and different types of power (Warp, Impulse, Reactor).

These systems only confuse players, especially new players. They just add data that isn't needed to play and in fact imply some sort of special function.

Are there plans to actually use these SFB artifacts at some point? Couldn't they have been dumped?

It's used, a ship with turn mode AA has better turning than A exc.

MajerBlundor wrote:This question is based on the Turn Mode thread.

There seems to be a number of SFB legacy items that play no role in FC but which hang around anyway adding drag to the system. For example, there's turn mode type (AA, A, B, C, etc) which isn't used by FC. There are different types of command systems (Bridge, Emergency Bridge, etc.) and different types of power (Warp, Impulse, Reactor).

These systems only confuse players, especially new players. They just add data that isn't needed to play and in fact imply some sort of special function.

Are there plans to actually use these SFB artifacts at some point? Couldn't they have been dumped?

Turn Mode is used in Federation Commander. Your turn mode determines how quickly you can turn. The lower (eg, earlier in the alphabet) your mode, the shorter your turing radius.
For a good example, take a Klingon D6 against a Gorn Cruiser. The Klingon will be able to stay out of the Gorns main weapon arcs while keeping him in his own disruptor arcs...

The different power systems / control systems are another matter altogether. True, they don't have a specific use in Fed Comm - but their inclusion isn't that much of a burden on new players and it certainly simplifies things if your FC player decides he wants to play SFB. Then you have to explain to him why there are now four differnet types of control stations and three different types of power system.

They also fill in a usefull place on the DAC... otherwise, it would function quite differently.

Turn modes are used, with possible integration of Gunboats AA should come back into play --- Turn modes differences are just less noticeable because FC only has 3 base speeds --

Bridge, Flag Bridge etc are used, if they are destroyed you have no means of controlling drones/suicide shuttles or launching plasmas ---

Eventhough all power can be used for any use (Photons don't just take warp in FC), making everything warp etc would destroy the flavor of the ships ---

You do use those three different types of systems.

The turn mode category is used in (2A5) to determine move precidence for ships using the same baseline speed.

The different types of control boxes and power systems are used in (3D) Damage Allocation. They do make a difference and have different precidence in how damage is taken.

So, the distinctions are used. They just aren't as prominent as in SFB.

Borders of Madness may also take advantage of those commonalities with SFB.

mjwest wrote:You do use those three different types of systems.

The turn mode category is used in (2A5) to determine move precidence for ships using the same baseline speed.

The different types of control boxes and power systems are used in (3D) Damage Allocation. They do make a difference and have different precidence in how damage is taken.

So, the distinctions are used. They just aren't as prominent as in SFB.

Forgot about the move precedence when I read the turn mode thread. I looked in the rule book, noticed the table, and couldn't figure out why we would reference that table. Thanks!