Several questions

[OrneryRooster]

Greetings all,

Old SFBer here looking to give this game a try and I have a few questions.

I have the rulebook and it talks about scouts but so far I haven't seen any scout ships in the rulebook or in either Fleet Update. Are they in another product?

I've read the Drone Strike rules in Fleet Update 2 but I've also read in several posts that there is some controversy with them; should I just hold off on them until something official comes out regarding them?

When are new products coming out for the game? I've read posts from earlier in the year talking about new products for the game but so far I don't see anything new.

Thanks all.

 

[Reynard]

The scouting rules and scout ships are in A Call to Arms: Journal #1.

My friend and I haven't tried the drone expansion rules. We're still testing larger fleets each session and alternating our races to learn tactics. We have incorporated both scouts and escorts plus other ships introduced in the Updates and Journal and may see how various drones add to the game but, with greater fleet sizes, we prefer to keep the play as simple as we can. I believe the new ships and drone rules are all 'beta' for playtesting but that hasn't stopped us from enjoying them. Best thing to do is play them if you like and see how it works. Dump what you don't like.

I think they're still testing the rules from all the suggestions so far and that may explain why the reference cards for the ships in the book are so long in coming. So far, we enjoy what is there even with the slight changes from the erratas. I saw a mention for a second book in Captain's Log and hope that means the races suggested in the rulebook and we will anticipate this. So far things have been very slow. Maybe too many irons in the fire. We'll see.

The game works well. Worry less about what may com later and play the game as is.

 

[Myrm]

The SF A Call to Arms rules are based on an existing game engine that has been used for WWI, WWII, Noble Armada SciFi and Babylon 5 SciFi - so there is a lot of existing rules text about for different situations. Since Scout as a trait existed in those games and Scouts exist in the SFU then then they left reference text in there and a basic ruleset in the core game for people who were running ahead (its not hard to make up the stats for some of the more basic scouts).

There are two Call to Arms Journals with some extra rules published in them - these rules are considered as Playtest ideas. They are not official, although some turnaments have used them, they are certainly not final release, and they are not all completely tested. Yes there was/are a lot of issues with the drone rules - several nice ideas, but also some that didnt work, some that didnt fit and so on....as befits a playtest level rule.

 

[billclo]

Greetings all,

Old SFBer here looking to give this game a try and I have a few questions.

I have the rulebook and it talks about scouts but so far I haven't seen any scout ships in the rulebook or in either Fleet Update. Are they in another product?

I've read the Drone Strike rules in Fleet Update 2 but I've also read in several posts that there is some controversy with them; should I just hold off on them until something official comes out regarding them?

When are new products coming out for the game? I've read posts from earlier in the year talking about new products for the game but so far I don't see anything new.

Thanks all.

Scout rules in the main rulebook are obsolete, use the playtest scout rules in Journal 1. I believe they were also published in a recent Captain's Log.

Drone Strike rules were ruled DOA by Steve Cole. He apparently did not check them before Matt published them, and the rules were found to have some fatal flaws. I don't know if the rules will be revised and re-published, but for now you can consider them to a failed experiment.

 

[Lincolnlog]

I can only find 1 Journal, it can be obtained on Wargamers Vault and has the Scout Ships and Playtest Rules:

http://www.wargamevault.com/product/103336/A-Call-to-Arms-Journal---Issue-1 Downloadable for $6.99.

Then there are two free fleet updates that can be downloaded of the Mongoose Store same page as rule book, at bottom of page along with the errata and FAQ.

 

[Democratus]

So are we intended to pay for a fix to the Scout rules? Or is that fix available in isolated form for download somewhere?

 

[scoutdad]

So are we intended to pay for a fix to the Scout rules? Or is that fix available in isolated form for download somewhere?

Only if you have to have them now, and don't mind beta test rules.

There are no scouts in the core rulebook but there are abbreviated scout rules.
They do not function as SFU scouts do, but as Noble Armada scouts. They are somewhat playable, if you careto go to the effort to convert scouts from the SFB ship system displays.

When ACTASF book 2 comes out, it will have the final version of the scout rules and the stat blocks for over a dozen scouts.
As well as expanded fleet lists for the Orion Pirates and the Tholians, some new ships for the Federation, Klingons, Romulans, gorn, and Kzinti... and maybe even an entire new fleet.

 

[Greg Smith]

The scout rules in the rulebook work. They worked in B5 ACTA and in Noble Armada ACTA. They just don't fit how scouts work in the Star Fleet Battles universe.

 

[scoutdad]

Ah.. my bad. Poor choice of wording.
Greg is correct. The scout rules in the core rulebook do work, they just do not replicate the SFU scout function.

Sorry, no slight intended towards ACTA: B5 or ACTA: NA.

 

[OrneryRooster]

Thanks everyone.

So there are scout rules in the main rulebook but no scouts unless we purchase Journal #1 at which point we also have new scout rules....?

 

[Greg Smith]

There is at least one set of unofficial ship record sheets that include scouts. So you might be able to get them that way, without paying for the magazine.

 

[Democratus]

Thanks for all the answers, all. Just wanted to check on what my options were.

I was a huge ACTA:B5 fan. So those Scout rules don't seem unfamiliar to me.

Have also been an SFB fan for 25 years. Would be curious to see how lent ECM/ECCM would be reflected in a fast paced game like ACTA.

Here's hoping the franchise flourishes so we see more books!

 

[billclo]

There is at least one set of unofficial ship record sheets that include scouts. So you might be able to get them that way, without paying for the magazine.

I've done SOME of the scouts in my unofficial format. I really ought to spend a little more time and do the rest of them.

 

[scoutdad]

For "quick and dirty" scout conversions - just remove all heavy weapons and replace with special sensors.
Scout X equals number of sensors divided by two; rounded up.

It's not perfect... but it will replicate over 75% of the existing scouts.

The actual conversions are a bit more detailed as some ships rearrange weapons suites / system boxes to add the sensor suites required by the scouts; and the Scout "X" value is based on the Federation and Empire EW rating... but in a pinch, and with the core rulebook scout rules - this will get you by.
Of course these "unofficial" conversions are only house rules and will not be allowed in a sanctioned event...

 

[JohnDW]

Some of the battle stations/starbases have the scout rule in the rulebook, but none of the ships do. So at least there was something that used the rule.