The U.S.S. Saladin DD

[Nerroth]

If I remember right, the Saladin had 15 power rather than the 30 (2 nacelles) that the CA had. I actually liked in SFB how the number of nacelles really mattered like this. With 15 power, it did kind of work like a power drain. BUT the Saladin could, for significantly lower point cost, deliver an unbelievable punch, at least once in a while. Yes it was challenging to play, but fun too.

The power output of each ship matters in Federation Commander as well, but that game is a little more forgiving. (In FC, there is no distinction between warp and impulse power, so a Fed has a little more power flexibility than in SFB.)

And I should note that for both SFB and FC, the power output still matters; both games are alive and well, and both have the Saladin-class available to play in them.

I don't remember what if any the variants were. If I were making them, I'd maybe add some APRs at the expense of some other systems. There were a lot of interesting FASA ships like the Locknar frigate which were little more than Saladins with two nacelles which gives you a cruiser armed, cruiser powered, lightweight ship. Not much good for exploring strange new worlds, but pretty nasty in a fight. That was pretty much what a Miranda was right?

The Main Era refit of the DD replaces four lab boxes with additional reactors, as shown for FC here. (In FC, since warp and impulse power are the same, you just have "reactor" boxes on the Ship Cards instead of APRs or AWRs on an SFB SSD.) The DDG replaces two photons with drone racks, and the DDL relaces the smae photons with type-F plasma torpedoes (supplied by the Gorns) instead.

And a destroyer hull with two smaller nacelles pretty much gives you the Kearsarge-class NCL as it is.

I just don't like destroyers which are essentially frigates with delusions of grandeur. The Saladin has some beauty and grace and elegance, and God knows the Federation needs some scouts so the Nelson is valuable in and of itself. And without the photons, the Nelson really doesn't have many power problems.

The Federation have plenty of scout hulls available, with electronic warfare variants of several different hulls to choose from. (Three of them have already been previewed for ACtA:SF in ADB's Captain's Log #45 and Mongoose's A Call to Arms Journal #1.)

But if you wanted to use the Hermes scout in particular, it is also in the 2400-series Squadron Box #91, so would be a candidate for the 2500-series version of that same box as and when we get one.

(But despite not needing to arm photons, the SC still has problems trying to make the most out of its sensor suite in SFB or FC. In contrast, the scout variant of the NCL may have less sensor mounts, but has more power available to use the channels it does mount more effectively.)

Lastly, the BC based DN might be cheaper for SFB to sell, but the original one was prettier (and plenty sturdy from a practical standpoint). Of course aesthetic views are subjective but I like them much better. I loved playing them too. It was like a CA with fantastic power capacity.

Again, the FJ DN would show up once a 2500 take on SB91 is one the table, but there's nothing to stop you from still flying the ship in either SFB or FC as it stands.



In case you're wondering why I keep referring to Federation Commander along with Star Fleet Battles, FC is the primary reference for A Call to Arms: Star Fleet. FC is a more streamlined ruleset compared to SFB, and the "sub-set" of options that a ship or weapon has in FC tends to be what you see ported over here. (There are a few exceptions here and there.)

So, for example, the Feds can set photons to proximity mode in SFB but not in FC, so photons in ACtA:SF have no proximity mode either. (Similarly, disruptors have no UIM or DERFACS in FC, so neither are available to disruptor users here either.)

 

[Ben2]

One way to do it might be to apply a rule similar to shock to a weapons system.

If the Saladins photons have Power Hungry 2, which means if you fire more than 2 dice of photons you take a power drain (but this does not count as a special action), then it approximates the problems caused by the lack of power. By forbidding taking the same penalty and specifying that Overload Weapons cannot be used in concert with a power drain with the penalty move 6", then you could overload your photons if they were the only weapon system fired and you only moved 6".

I think that would work as a special rule, and show exactly why the DDM and DDL were such good ideas.

 

[archon96]

its too easy just give it the same rule underpowered rule as the wareagle. If it fires over 2 of its torpedoes "which i think it has four of", then it cant have moved over 6 inches and use any other weapon system.

 

[storeylf]

But despite not needing to arm photons, the SC still has problems trying to make the most out of its sensor suite in SFB or FC.

That may be true in SFB (I don't play that), but it certainly isn't in FC, scout channels are very cheap to use power wise, and the reactionary nature of their use in FedCom makes sensors very easy use.

 

[McKinstry]

I like keeping things simple. The power drain if firing more than two photons seems reasonable.

 

[carbon_dragon]

I just spent an hour trying to assemble some fiddly Mongoose B5 Vorlon ships and it made me remember the days when we had both FASA and SFB ships to buy. What I liked about the SFB/ADB ships was that they were easy to assemble and sturdy and they seldom broke. The FASA ships were often difficult to assemble and didn't have adequate structural support and broke easily. On the other hand, they had a lot more artistry in the looks of the ships.

I always wished that they could cooperate, creating a pretty ship that was sturdy and easy to assemble. I think the NCL was pretty artistic and the Romulan Nova was both beautiful and really sturdy. I'd almost rather sturdy than beautiful, but I think ADB could use a little more pretty and the old Zocchi plastic was both and that's why I like to see it remain in a prominent place.

Thanks for the link to the FC Destroyer. I bought FC but never had an opponent to play it. I don't think I have a destroyer in the boxes (I have the Romulan and the Klingon border box). I'd like to play FC sometime but I don't know of any groups here in Atlanta. I have a friend here I play with sometimes but CTA is more what we can play in that setting which is why I liked the idea of ACTA SF.

 

[billclo]

I just spent an hour trying to assemble some fiddly Mongoose B5 Vorlon ships and it made me remember the days when we had both FASA and SFB ships to buy. What I liked about the SFB/ADB ships was that they were easy to assemble and sturdy and they seldom broke. The FASA ships were often difficult to assemble and didn't have adequate structural support and broke easily. On the other hand, they had a lot more artistry in the looks of the ships.

I always wished that they could cooperate, creating a pretty ship that was sturdy and easy to assemble. I think the NCL was pretty artistic and the Romulan Nova was both beautiful and really sturdy. I'd almost rather sturdy than beautiful, but I think ADB could use a little more pretty and the old Zocchi plastic was both and that's why I like to see it remain in a prominent place.

Thanks for the link to the FC Destroyer. I bought FC but never had an opponent to play it. I don't think I have a destroyer in the boxes (I have the Romulan and the Klingon border box). I'd like to play FC sometime but I don't know of any groups here in Atlanta. I have a friend here I play with sometimes but CTA is more what we can play in that setting which is why I liked the idea of ACTA SF.

If you contact Mckinstry, he's in the Atlanta area, I believe. I don't know if he plays FC, but he's a big ACTA:SF player. Try here: http://forum.mongoosepublishing.com/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=18670

 

[McKinstry]

I'm not an FC player but our active ACTA-SF group is between 7-12 players and the game is growing in popularity.

 

[archon96]

ah to live in either tennesse or atlanta. Id really like to live in seattle but alas im stuck in Kansas with nobody to play with but my son.

 

[scoutdad]

As an additional bit of helpful info:
I am part of Battlegroup Murfreesboro. While in Middle TN, not GA - we have a huge play group. We currently encompass about 2 dozen members. Our regular sessions cover anything from SFB, to Fed Comm to ACTASF - to combinations thereof. Our last monthly meeting was 10 people and we had both games of ACTASF and Fed Comm going on in differnet parts of the room.

We typically have one large meeting and 2 or 3 smaller meetings a month.
The large meeting is planned several weeks in advance and lasts 10 to 12 hours on a Saturday. We have players drive in from East TN, West TN, Kentucky, and Alabama.
We've even had players from Missippi, Missouri, and North Carolina. We haven't had any Georgia players attend yet, butMcKinsrty has been invited... In fact - both you and he are now invited.
One of our East Tennessee (Chattanooga to be exact) plays Fed Comm... I am more than willing to forward your contact info to him... you might be able to get together for a game or two.

And don't forget NashCon in May...
Still trying to reach that 16 confirmed ACTASF tournament player mark...

 

[Nerroth]

Thanks for the link to the FC Destroyer. I bought FC but never had an opponent to play it. I don't think I have a destroyer in the boxes (I have the Romulan and the Klingon border box). I'd like to play FC sometime but I don't know of any groups here in Atlanta. I have a friend here I play with sometimes but CTA is more what we can play in that setting which is why I liked the idea of ACTA SF.

The DD wasn't included in either box; the Ship Card for it is found in Booster Pack #91 (along with the other "Franz Joseph" ships). Some of the Ship Cards in that pack state they are used in the Middle Years, or that they are original Franz Joseph designs; which means they are intended to work alongside the "pre-refit" ships in FC: Briefing #2. (The cards in FCB2 are printed in black-and-white, but there are full colour version of them sold in packs of 12 over on e23.) The cards that are marked as "advanced General War designs" should work just fine with the laminated Ship Cards in the two border boxes.

 

[scoutdad]

ah to live in either tennesse or atlanta. Id really like to live in seattle but alas im stuck in Kansas with nobody to play with but my son.

You wanna move?
Our office is looking to hire 3 or 4 new inspectors.
I can kill multiple birds with a single stone... ease my work load, able ot cover more territory, earn a recruitment bonus, buy more minis ('cause I don't have enough!), and get a new ACTASF player in the area!!! 8)

 

[TheRowan]

I can... buy more minis ('cause I don't have enough!)

Don't you have slightly more ships than the DSF?

 

[carbon_dragon]

I'm not an FC player but our active ACTA-SF group is between 7-12 players and the game is growing in popularity.

You're in Atlanta? I'm in Marietta.

 

[McKinstry]

I'm not an FC player but our active ACTA-SF group is between 7-12 players and the game is growing in popularity.

You're in Atlanta? I'm in Marietta.

I'm over in Johns Creek but I game pretty much all around the Metro area. Gigabytes over in your neck of the woods is nice.

We've been running large ACTA games about once a month over at Treefort in Fayetteville (although today was 1/1200 Renaissance naval).

 

[carbon_dragon]

Never heard of Gigabytes before. Are they a store? Do you have an address? Are they a game store? We don't even have a small game store around me anymore except for Hobbytown on Barrett Parkway. I play there with a friend now and then.

Is the Treefort place a house or is it a game store? It would be about an hour's drive but it might be worth an occasional field trip.

 

[McKinstry]

Gigabytes is in Marietta on Roswell Road

http://www.giga-bitescafe.com/index.php

I'm committed to a Dystopian Wars game on the 23rd at Treefort (come by if you'd like to try that). After that, drop me a PM and we can schedule a game.

Treefort is in Fayetteville

http://www.treefortgames.com/

Also in Atlanta there is Tower Games in Suwanee

http://www.thetowergamecenter.com/

The relatively new Gaming Pit in Duluth

http://www.thegamingpit.com/

Treefort and Tower carry some ACTASF stuff when they can get it but have been having trouble getting much from their distributors.