Federation Commander

We got information today about a print engine that seems workable and affordable. It would, at least in theory, print ship cards on a "one at a time, on demand" basis. The problem is, they would not be laminated, but you can "work around" this using a "sheet protector" available from any office supply store or the office supply department of Walmart.

I would never do this for "regular" cards in "regular" products, but we could easily print no end of cards that are "wanted in smaller quantities, far below the minimum print run". For example, I could sell the 72 cards from briefing #2 on a non-laminated mail-order-only basis for about $72 (less than the $90 for laminated cards).

We could also do borders of madness this way, or indeed, any card from SFB that anybody wanted for FC.

Let me know if this is an idea that would interest you.

Would they be printed on a heavier card stock similar to what the current ship cards are on?

If so, then yes, I'd pay $1 apiece for certain, special issue cards.

I have a heat-seal laminator at home, so laminating them is not an issue.

If they are only going to be printed on standard paper
(or even a heavy bond paper), then No. I can print them out myself for significantly less than $1 each.

I'm right with Tony.

If these would be on standard ADB cardstock and printed in color both-sides, then yes indeed, count me in. $1-2 a piece for special ships, BoM, etc. sounds perfectly fine. $72 for that kind of printing for a batch of Briefing ships also sounds perfectly reasonable.

I too have a heat laminator at home and can laminate any I feel I would actually use in-play a lot. Other ships can just go in page-protectors.

I do this now for Communique ships, but I won't miss having to color laserprint fleet and squadron-scales on bond paper, trim both scales, spray-glue them back-to-back, then laminate, then trim again, to get my "almost ADB" cards. I love them (and so do guys in my play group), but I wont miss some of the hassle. The spray-glue of bond prints is the hard (and smelly and weather-dependent) part and would go away for these.

If this comes to pass, you might want to indicate to customers just how cheap heat laminators have gotten (~$25 at Wal-Mart) and how easy they are to use.

Would they be 8-1/2 x 11 or standard sized cards?

Are there sheet protectors avaiable that would fit standard sized cards?

If 8-1/2 x 11, would two ships go on each side (except for cards for very large ships) like was done with the Briefing #2 SSD pages?

I would have liked the option in the poll for color paper copies, especially if it was at a significantly lower price than $1 per card.

Yes - there are sheet protectors available for the standard ship card size. They are 8 1/2 inch x 5 1/2 inch. I pick them up in packs of 50 at the local Staples or Office Max... or at least I did until djdood found the nice 2-up, half sized sheet protectors.

Well, technically, the things I found are two-pocket storage sheets for use in a binder, but I suppose they could be used as page-protectors in a pinch. I have no doubt that there are 8.5x5 protector pockets though (which may be the ones from Staples that scoutdad is talking about).

OK. You're right - technically...

The 2-up pages are indeed storage pockets for use in a 3-ring binder.
The page protectors I use are shown here! .
I still keep some of them around for use on the ship cards I've printed out at home.

Well fine then, Mr. Helpful-link-poster-guy.

The double (5x8.5) pocket storage pages I found are RaBco MC50's.

So there.

[edited to add picture of said protectors, since I got asked about if the standard FedCom cards fit in them - they do]

Sounds reasonable to me, so long as the cards are firm enough.


I'm trying not to envision the kind of ships I'd want to see on cards like those - I cause enough trouble as it is...

colorcards that are not laminated, sure.

They are 8 1/2 inch x 5 1/2 inch. I pick them up in packs of 50 at the local Staples or Office Max... or at least I did until djdood found the nice 2-up, half sized sheet protectors.

That works for me (the 8-1/2 x 5-1/2 ones that is). Cool.

If the cards were in colour, and if they were of a similar thickness and stiffness to the existing cards, then yes, I would be interested.

I would probably not purchase the Briefing #2 cards, because I am not that interested in that setting, but if it's POD that doesn't matter does it? I would be interested in the escorts & drone bombardment ships from Briefing #1, Captain's Log cards, and Borders of Madness ships (SFGs, carriers, scouts, etc) or ships from the upcoming Briefing #3 which support Fed Admiral. I assume that since these cards are normally done in black and white, it would take a bit of extra work to colourise them? Would that be a problem? I also wonder if this might be a way to do the squadron-on-a-card idea of Tony's.

Edit: you know... might be a way to get some sales from Communique... make the Communique cards available on the cart same day as Comm comes out, say as a pack. Say for example, put it on the cart as "Communique #XX Unlaminated Card Pack" and mention it in communique... it might help monetise Communique and keep Leanna happy.

I think I'm with others here.

If they are the same size as the current cards (the communique ones never seem to be quite the right size), are colored, double sided and good card stock then I'd buy them to laminate myself.

In other words if they are exactly like the current cards but just not laminated.

If so then yes put me down for at least the set of the middle years ships (in color?).

And whilst you have said you would never do it for regular ships I'd like extra copies of all those booster cards that you would normaly only have got 1 of (e.g. the fast cruisers). Or indeed any cards that have only appeared in comminique so far - I don't mind spending 'pocket-money' to avoid the hassle of printing/laminating/chopping ships from communique that never really end up 'fitting' with the existing cards if the ones I'll get will.

The only question might be distribution - If it is the sort of thing I have to order direct then transatlantic shipping costs might put me off.

I'd buy at least some. Not sure what exactly off the top of my head.

If they are color and on card stock, I can always buy laminate sheets at wally world and laminate them myself. So Im down with that.

I didn't vote because nothing applies. I think the pre laminated color card stock cards are worth more then we pay now. So I don't know what these would be worth.

Look man, Im an SFU Junkie. If I need an SFU fix Ill pay a few bucks for the card. So Charge what ever you think is fair and if I need or want it I will buy it.