Federation Commander

Pretty much everything I have (R1-R7, C1-C4, Basic Missions, Advanced Missions, J, K, X1, F1, Y1) is the first printing.

I've heard of a few changes (like phaser 4s not blinding base sensor channels) but I guess my question is: How broken is my game without the updated rules? And more importantly, how important is it to get updated SSD books? I am mostly trying to prioritize catching up on the old stuff vs. picking up new products I do not yet have.

I'm tempted to dodge this issue by trying out Fed Commander first. I can waffle on this for months while I catch up on that.

Edit to add: I do know where the errata page is, but it's nice to not have to refer to it. Plus there's so much of it.

You would really need to ask Steve Petrick (chief of SFB) and he never reads this forum. You can email him at rules@starfleetgames.com.

Thanks much, sent query.

The rule book is far more important than the SSDs. You can download a packet of the most seriously changed SSDs. The rules errata is, as you say, more extensive to download.

That all said, even with first printing, you are still playing the same game. If you play tournament, you likely want the latest. But it is just you and your group, as long as everyone is using the same rules, you're good.

True, although some changes would be nice to have - like the changes to fast loading in the X-Ship rules - but that's an easily available file online.

Where is the downloadable packet of changed SSDs?

Only a relative handful of SSD books have been uploaded as PDFs thus far; you can see the list here.

Perhaps the largest re-write for Alpha Octant material has been with the first-generation X-rules - so much so that the rulebook in Module X1R includes a substantive list of which items have been adjusted (including many BPV listings for various X1-ships) and which have been removed entirely (such as references to overloadable phasers, which are no longer part of the game rules).

X1R is a pretty useful book if you have an interest in the era of first-generation X-ships, particularly if you wish to see more of how these Tech Level 13 hulls - and their "X-raider" variants in particular - played a key role in changing the course of the Andromedan War. However, it's still a print-only product for the time being.

Yeah, I am getting X1R no matter what.

On another note: in terms of actual new rules, the largest expansion of SFB over the past decade and a half has been laterally - into new published settings like the Omega Octant and the Lesser Magellanic Cloud, or with playtest materials like the Triangulum material in Module E2 and Captain's Log #23.

By and large, most of the non-Alpha material in print so far is set at the same Tech Level 12 standard as seen in the "modern" Alpha Octant, though there are some Early Years ships for the LMC in Module C5. That said, most currently-available ships in Omega are essentially akin to Middle Years (pre-refit) ships over in Alpha, though I hope we'll get to see more of their "late" hulls eventually. The LMC is somewhat better serviced in that regard, while the playtest Triangulum SSDs factor in a series of refits also.

The best way to hit the ground running in Omega for SFB is with the 2011 Omega Master Rulebook. For the LMC, Module C5 is a fairly self-contained product for the most part, though there have been a handful of LMC SSDs in recent issues of Captain's Log.

That said, the various non-Alpha settings are not for everyone, particularly if you prefer to stick more closely to the "TV empires", and/or to the SFU-native powers in Alpha (such as the Lyrans, Hydrans, and ISC). But if you are interested in finding new stars to conquer, there are plenty of places out there in which to do just that.

I have Omega 1 through Omega 3, I just didn't mention because I was asking about the core rules. I like the setting and the variety - it's a great alternative to the Alpha Octant just for sheer novelty. Looking forward to getting the LMC supplement for similar reasons.

I think the last time I got anything new for the game was in 2001 or 2002. Maybe 2003 at the latest. At some point in that time frame I ended up putting everything in storage, and I only just recently got it back out. I'm still trying to find the last bits (R7, Omega 1-3, Y1) but there are only a few places they could be at this point.

Oh, okay. Hopefully you'll be able to dig out the remaining files!

If you wanted to go further into Omega once you're settled in with the game again, one handy thing about the 2011 OMRB is that it has all of the rule, OR-section, and scenario data from the five current Omega modules. So you could order the SSD books and countersheets for modules 4 and 5 as spare parts, if you were so minded.

That would also cover any errata you may need to bear in mind for the ships in the three Omega modules you already have, too.


And on a not entirely unrelated (yet probably self-serving) note: if you ever decided to check out the Omega and LMC playtest packs for FC, I'd welcome any comments or feedback you may have on them.

Advice much appreciated.

That reminds me that the Omega countersheets don't seem to be on the spare parts store pages.

I would love nothing more than to splurge my way through FedCom too, but my income is kind of limited right now. Hopefully it will change soon, and then it shall all be mine.

If you click on "Next>" down the bottom of this countersheet page, you should see all six Omega sheets listed.

Excellent.

ElizabethB wrote: I think the last time I got anything new for the game was in 2001 or 2002. Maybe 2003 at the latest. At some point in that time frame I ended up putting everything in storage, and I only just recently got it back out. I'm still trying to find the last bits (R7, Omega 1-3, Y1) but there are only a few places they could be at this point.

Because I like being thorough I wanted to update this with the news that I have finally found the missing R7, Omega 1-3, and Y1.

Gonna finish off my SFB collection next month, I hope.