Federation Commander

Here are some issues I am aware of in the FCOL client that might affect the tournament currently in play, and some work arounds for them. I encourage others to submit any major issues they encounter so we can all be aware of them. To submit issues to Paul Franz, go to: http://www.sfbonline.com/contact.jsp select Contact Support, and please try to be as specific about the issue as possible.

* Stingers only go speed 8 (they should go speed 16).
Work-around: Simply move the Stingers at speed 16 (sub-pulse 2) and ignore the warning that the Stinger isn't scheduled to move that sub-pulse.

* Some Hydran ships cannot launch Stingers. This is a problem with the specific ship definition in question. The ship's fighter boxes are incorrectly marked as Shuttle (not Fighter).
Work-around: Manually add the Stinger to the board (right click on the board, select Add Piece Here --> Other --> Hydran Fighter).

* Hydran Stingers can only be launched facing in direction D (assuming the above bug doesn't occur with your specific ship).
Work-around: After launching the Stinger, right-click on it and select Move --> Change Facing --> <desired new facing>.

* Tractoring a drone/shuttle doesn't cost 1 point of energy.
Work-around: Manually adjust your ship's energy after tractoring the drone/shuttle

* After tractoring a ship, then releasing the tractor, the ships will go back to their original speed, then revert to their (reduced) tractor-linked speed on the next impulse.
Work-around: Simply remember to move the ships at their correct speed, ignoring the warning that they were moved when they weren't scheduled to.

* Tractor auctions are not handled by the client.
Work-around: Manually conduct the tractor auction with your opponent before attaching the tractor beam, then manually adjust your energy. Note that when attaching the tractor beam, the client *will* automatically subtract 1 energy point for the cost of the tractor beam.

* Overload power cannot be added to Photons at the end of the pre-load turn (and possibly the end of other turns).
Work-around: At the start of the next turn during EA, simply mark the Photons to the overload status they should be, then (after EA) manually adjust your ship's energy back up.

* Performing Marine Raids (aka Hit & Run) does not cost transporter energy.
Work-around: Manually adjust the ship's power after performing the raids to account for the transporter usage (equal to the cost of 1 movement point).

* Several of the Marine Raid (aka Hit & Run) rolls are not correct. Rolls 1 and 2 (the important rolls where the targeted system is destroyed) are correct. The issue is a few of the other rolls where the Marines either die or return safely. I'll have to post later since I don't have the details handy with me at the moment for which specific rolls are wrong.
Work-around: Verify the Marine Raid results in the client against the official chart and manually track the Marines you have on your ship.

* Cannot launch Plasma-D torpedoes.
Work-around: Manually add the Plasma-D torpedo to the board (right click on the board and select Add Piece Here --> Other --> <empire specific> Plasma). This will also require you to manually adjust your ship's energy for the activation cost of each torpedo launched and also to track the amount of torpedo ammo on each rack.

* Tholian DD has too much power (one of my ships in the tournament). This is a problem with the specific ship definition.
Work-around: Manually adjust the power at the start of each turn. I have sent in a corrected ship definition to Paul Franz.

* All bases produce zero power. This is due to a new bug where the Base Reactor box doesn't get counted for power during EA (this appears to be newly broken).
Work-around: Manually adjust the base's power at the start of every turn.


I have reported all of the above to Paul Franz (although I do not know when they will be fixed). I will add more as I discover them or remember them.

Please feel free to post additional issue as they are discovered. Thanks,

Garrett

* Shield Burn Through damages one shield box too many.
Work-around: Use Edit Ship to manually restore one damaged shield box.

JimDauphinais wrote:* Shield Burn Through damages one shield box too many.
Work-around: Use Edit Ship to manually restore one damaged shield box.

Actually, it is a little more complicated. As Jim said, when you have 10+ damage, it gives a burn through but DOES NOT reduce the damage to the shields. So, a volley of 10 points will do 10 points to the shield and a burn through, when it should do 9 to the shield. An easier way to do this is to reduce the amount in the damage column by 1.

But there is another problem. If you reinforce against the damage and the reinforcement reduces the damage to less than 10, you should still have a burn through... but it does not do that. You will need to apply the damage and reduce it by 1, and put the reinforcement in. Then you will have to run damage allocation again and do 1 point of internal damage.

I have a feeling there have been many games where people did not realize this, and have unknowingly had the incorrect shields.

Regarding the Marine Raid results, I have the details. It is rolls 3, 4, and 6 that are incorrect (rolls 1, 2, and 5 are correct).

Currently in FCOL they are:
H&R Roll 3 (System Undamaged & BP Destroyed)
H&R Roll 4 (System Undamaged & BP Destroyed)
H&R Roll 6 (System Undamaged & BP Returns)

They should be:
H&R Roll 3 (System Undamaged & BP *Returns*)
H&R Roll 4 (System Undamaged & BP *Returns*)
H&R Roll 6 (System Undamaged & BP *Destroyed*)

What this means is that you will have to manually consult the official chart and manually track the number of Marines on your ships after performing raids. Actually, I think you will have to manually track your Marines anyway, since they might not be automatically reduced by the client. Thanks,

Garrett

Good point about the shield burn through. I've been automatically accounting for it for so long that I forget it doesn't work correctly.

As Eric points out, it is usually easier to reduce the damage (rather than edit the ship later). For example, if 19 points are scored against my #2 shield, I will put in 18 points against shield #2 instead. This will cause 18 damage against shield #2 *and* 1 internal for the leak, which is correct.

Using the above method works great, even when using shield reinforcement, *except* if the total starts above 10 and then falls below 10 due to reinforcement. As Eric mentioned, in this case, the client gets confused and you will likely need to manually go back and allocate 1 point of internal leak damage.

Garrett

* Federation drone racks do not also function as ADD racks (they use the hybrid drone/ADD racks; "type-G" racks for you SFBers out there).
Work-around: It is easiest to track the entire drone/ADD load manually. You can let the client track the drones and only manually track the ADD load if you want, but this could get confusing.

Rhino hunter has some bizarre move cost, any action which requires enrgy based on MP requires that you adjust energy, it won't let you do certain things as you get low on enrgy because of that, as it thinks you don't have enough.

Can't choose to not arm a loaded hellbore during EA, if it was loaded the only option is to keep it loaded. Have to manually adjust energy and let opponent know that you are not packing as much heat as may be apparent.

storeylf wrote:Rhino hunter has some bizarre move cost, any action which requires enrgy based on MP requires that you adjust energy, it won't let you do certain things as you get low on enrgy because of that, as it thinks you don't have enough.

Can't choose to not arm a loaded hellbore during EA, if it was loaded the only option is to keep it loaded. Have to manually adjust energy and let opponent know that you are not packing as much heat as may be apparent.

Looks like the movement cost is incorrectly set to .66 (it should be .5). I'll report that to Paul, unless you already have.

I didn't have any issue with the Hellbore (I could choose to arm it or not). If you can find a more specific set of steps to reproduce the issue, that would be great. Thanks,

Garrett

No - I can't drop an armed hellbore during EA.

Get a hellbore armed, go through to EA the following turn and start EA - all you get is showing Hellbore Loaded and no other option.

Note, playing around a bit, it looks like you can drop armed hellbores during end of turn actions, when the popup comes up, but that is not EA at start of turn when you decide whether to pay for a Hellbore.

storeylf wrote:No - I can't drop an armed hellbore during EA.

Get a hellbore armed, go through to EA the following turn and start EA - all you get is showing Hellbore Loaded and no other option.

Note, playing around a bit, it looks like you can drop armed hellbores during end of turn actions, when the popup comes up, but that is not EA at start of turn when you decide whether to pay for a Hellbore.

Ahhh, got it. Yeah, in a case like that, I think the easiest thing would be to announce to your opponent that you are dropping the armed hellbore. After EA, you would manually adjust your energy back up, and then also fire the hellbore at any target so the client knows it is now discharged.

I reported the incorrect movement cost to Paul.

Garrett

* Launched Seeking Weapon information is hidden from your opponent (including target of weapon and energy level put into Suicide Shuttles).

Work-around: Right-click on the weapon counter on the map to "reveal information" for it right after it is launched.

We also encountered an issue with damage allocation last evening. The automatic damage allocation tool did not register all of the internal damage points incurred. The damage was being applied to an already heavily damaged Federation FF with the relevant shield down and fire targeted at power.

For example, 4 internal damage points were taken. Under damage allocation, 4 points of internal damage were requested (with no reinforcement or bleedthrough). Only the first of the three damage points actually registered. Another time, only three of the four damage points registered.

We saw that to, but don't forget that when aiming you lose skips, so it is quite possible you are not seeing the lost damage points, rather than missing any damage.

I think StoryLF is right. As the damage comes through in the list, it doesn't show you everything, and if he was damaged and you targeted, you throw skips away.

When I was playing the other day I had a FED CL. As the damage scrolled in the chat window it said "Armor #1" then began to give other damage. It looked like Armor only stopped 1 point, but when it was done all the armor boxes were filled in and it was right.

To check, the DAC roll is in parenthesis by the damage, so you could then look at the DAC and make sure it is right.

JimDauphinais wrote:* Launched Seeking Weapon information is hidden from your opponent (including target of weapon and energy level put into Suicide Shuttles).

Work-around: Right-click on the weapon counter on the map to "reveal information" for it right after it is launched.

One quick note: Be sure to click the "Select All" button in the Reveal Info dialog box so that all the info is properly revealed (target, warhead strength, etc.).

Garrett