SFU Guy with some design Questions.

[adm]

I have read the rules and have been thinking about how they interact with one another. I think you have a good basic game, but I have several questions, most of which are being addresses or are already covered in the posted errata. Some I still have.

1) Battle Stations (unit type); Battle Stations are listed under Civilian units, and therefore, as I understand it, have a -2 Initiative Penalty. Since Battle Stations are military units, wouldn't they have the same initiative as the Empire they are used by?

Follow up question; In SFU Battle Stations are typically on a border as part of a large sensor network, one of a Battle Stations primary functions is traffic control/tracking units across the border. As such would it qualify for an initiative bonus?

2) Why do the Orions lack both a Plasma option, and the option to buy Cloaking devices?

3) In SFU some Orion Cartels rent units to the various Empires as Mercenaries. Would these units have an initiative of 0 to reflect their greater experience with combat?

 

[Da Boss]

Hello

I think that the Space Station rules are just placed there fro conveience and you woudl use the appropriate Empire In modifier as usual - we certainly have when recently trying one out.

The Battle Station does have Command +1 which does the same thing - its in the errata.

Orions - not sure but technically I think at this time they don't have the option to have a Battle Station as they are not listed in the wepaon options?

re Mercenaries - maybe maybe not - see what happens in the future - I would argue that if they are operating under the umbrella of the Empire fleet you just use their In bonus unless they are operting as two different fleets but that could be complicated.

 

[TJHairball]

Orions - not sure but technically I think at this time they don't have the option to have a Battle Station as they are not listed in the wepaon options?

Well, what's odd is that Orions don't have the option to take plasmas as weapons at all in the ACTA rulebook, not just on their civilian ships or battle stations or what-not. It's all "* This weapon may be a Photon Torpedo, Disruptor, Drone (with fIre arc T), or Phaser-1, as chosen by the player."

I've found this odd since the rulebook also says that "Most Orions use the same weapons as the local military, as these are easy to obtain and easier to get spare parts for," and Orions operating out of Romulan space clearly should be using plasma torpedoes.

I honestly don't think it's the best option, but it seems odd they don't have it, from my perspective as someone not an old hand with the SFU.

Using Orion ships as mercenaries within another fleet would be interesting. Would make for a nice check on balance between fleets. Also would give me another reason for buying some.

On the battle station, you might want to note that the rulebook states:

If you have more ships with the Scout trait than the enemy fleet, you may re-roll Initiative for both setting up and during every Initiative Phase, so long as the scenario allows these rolls in the fIrst place.

This means that having a Battle Station or Mobile Base on the board provides a significant effective initiative bonus, above and beyond the Command ratings.

 

[Greg Smith]

2) Why do the Orions lack both a Plasma option, and the option to buy Cloaking devices?

Both will be in the first supplement, when the Orions get a fuller fleet and more options.*

*as ever, playetest material may change.

 

[Captain Jonah]

Orions - not sure but technically I think at this time they don't have the option to have a Battle Station as they are not listed in the wepaon options?

Well, what's odd is that Orions don't have the option to take plasmas as weapons at all in the ACTA rulebook, not just on their civilian ships or battle stations or what-not. It's all "* This weapon may be a Photon Torpedo, Disruptor, Drone (with fIre arc T), or Phaser-1, as chosen by the player."

I've found this odd since the rulebook also says that "Most Orions use the same weapons as the local military, as these are easy to obtain and easier to get spare parts for," and Orions operating out of Romulan space clearly should be using plasma torpedoes.

You jest, any Orion ships operating in Gorn or Romulan space should be stacking up on Drones the way things are at present.

Mr Orion captain sir, we can fit the option mounts with Plasma Fs, nice damage but short range and if we end up in a fight we need to close to the same range the plasma races use.

OR

We go with more Drones to compliment the Drones we already have, gun down the plasma armed ships well outside any range they can return fire at, loot and run away from anything big.

We are Pirates damm it, leave standing face to face exchanging heavy weapons fire to the heroes in the national fleets, use every trick we have available to stop out targets where we take no return fire.

I expect Scouts will be all over the place when they become “Official” as people try them out, then depending on costs become a sort of one a fleet type, some fleets with a dirt cheap DD scout may have two for use as Init sinks and to grab some valuable rerolls (I’m looking at the Fed here).

 

[Yuber Okami]

Now that we are talking about base stations and orions, why don't BS have an option to be armed with Ph-1 instead of the Ph-4? in SFB it was stated that orion BSs never had Ph-4...

Also, i don't see the point in denying plasma torpedoes to orions. Ok, they are short-ranged weapons, but orion raiders have an incredible agility so they can almost always outmaneuver their opponents and get on their tales. I don't see why a weapon which can cripple an escort in a single shot would be undesirable for a pirate.

 

[Da Boss]

see post earlier - at present the Base station is not an option for the Orions - if you wanted one I guess you just decide which wepaons to mont on it.

no idea about plasma torps and Orion ships

 

[Rambler]

The denying plasma to Orions is artifact from them being a preview empire in FedCom. Once Orion Attack came out for FedCom they got optional rules to use any weapon system and cloaks. As had been pointed out the Orions and Tholians will get a huge make over when the next book gets released.

 

[Captain Jonah]

The denying plasma to Orions is artifact from them being a preview empire in FedCom. Once Orion Attack came out for FedCom they got optional rules to use any weapon system and cloaks. As had been pointed out the Orions and Tholians will get a huge make over when the next book gets released.

Yep we will be up to our knees in web chucking extra galactic refugees and a bunch of untrustworthy backstabing sneaky people who are not Romulan :lol:

 

[adm]

Thank you for the various answers.

Pardon my poor formatting the Orion questions were intended to be separate from the Battle Station question.