Kristak Fleet Adventures: Triangle Trap Part One by Kapact

Kapact felt the deck shudder beneath him, and knew immediately what it was. A flight of Valkyrie class fighters launched from the Kirov had impacted with the Ab'Qaff's exposed ventral hull. "Order the frigates to track and destroy the rest of the fighters!" He ordered QasQa. "Rotate aspect to protect the ventral hull, and get the shields back up!"

The Heavy Command Carrier Ab'Qaff had happened upon a hornet's nest as it smashed through a pirate base deep within the Triangle Zone, the no-man's land where Klingon, Federation and Romulan space intersected. It was cleaning up an area that had been preying upon Klingon convoys, only to discover an advanced shipyard, cranking out the newest in Starfleet technology, the Kirov Class Attack Carrier. While the Ab'Qaff and its battle group of four heavy cruisers and two frigates had caught the first ship before its shield generators were online, the second launched six fighters from within its protective dock envelope. Then it unleashed a plasma torpedo at the Vorcha Class G'monn. The G'monn's shields absorbed the first blast, but a barrage of photon torpedoes from the Valkyrie fighters finished the shields and crumpled the G'monn's hull like a piece of paper. The explosion was a sad testament to the glory that could have been the G'monn. After that, the Kirov burst forth from the dock, and targetted the Ab'Qaff. Its flight of fighters slipped between the Kirov and the Ab'Qaff and began to harrass the Klingon ship as more Federation fighters launched. But the Ab'Qaff was more nimble than it looked, and it swiveled on its axis and smashed into a flight of fighters.

"Where in the name of the Fek'lhr is Sompek?" Kapact demanded as the Ab'Qaff dove faster than the inertial dampers could compensate.

"The Etlh has been caught in a Tholian web!" QasQa shouted, not lifting her head from the tactical display.

"How many Tholians are involved?" He asked.

"None," QasQa answered, dumbfounded. "They are Federation destroyers! Two of them!"

"What?" Kapact asked as he moved to look at the display. "These pirate dogs have no honor." Kapact swore softly, and wished his son a good death, or a surprising victory. Then he saw an alarm at the edge of the display. He tapped the icon to reveal a blue delta with a red outline. Another Federation-based pirate ship inbound. "Computer, identify inbound target!" The blue delta symbol wavered briefly as sensors focused on it. As the specs of the intruder were revealed, Kapact ignored the diving and plunging deck beneath. "Federation Sovereign Class Dreadnought," he muttered. Then another blue delta appeared behind the first. "Two of them."

"Range," QasQa announced, "100,000 kellicams. They are coming in at battle speed." Another alert joined the cacaphony. "Ablative armor is at ten percent. Microfractures appearing in the hull."

"Ghuy'Cha!" Kapact swore. They were being overwhelmed. "Order the DuranQo and the Qap'kuS to maneuver between us and the Kirov," Kapact ordered. "Emergency powers to thrusters." He stared hard at the Kirov, willing it to break apart. "Prepare boarding parties. Tell them to target the Kirov's warp core."

"My lord," QasQa spoke quietly, "the Kirov has three warp cores."

"We only need to destroy one of them."

The Ab'Qaff shuddered again, and Kapact saw the DuranQo, a Feklhr Class Heavy Cruiser, and the Qap'kuS, an Etlh class Heavy Cruiser slip 'below' them. Then the image on the viewscreen rotated 180 degrees. "Shuttlebay, launch four ECM shuttles. Have them initiate a conical EM pulse at the Kirov. As soon as the deck is cleared, launch two scatterpacks. Order them to target the lead Sovereign and fire at 50,000 kellicams. Maximum dispersal."

As the Ab'Qaff fought for survival, Captain Sompek on the IKS Etlh felt the noose of a Tholian web tighten around his neck. He could handle the two cruisers as they circled and dove around the trapped Klingon battlecruiser, though he had never seen a non-Tholian ship equipped with web-emitters. Four disruptors each to fore and aft would have destroyed the enemy craft before they completed the energy net that now pulsed and spat charges randomly. But the Federation destroyers had launched unmanned multiple independently targeting vehicles that swept over the Etlh in a dizzying swarm, occupying the ship's countermeasures so that it couldn't target the main ships and survive.

But Sompek also knew that his father was in trouble. Intermittent sensor readings showed a massive Kirov Class Attack Carrier pounding away at the Ab'Qaff, and he'd also detected two Sovereign Class dreadnoughts at extreme range. He didn't know if he was going to escape the trap he was in, or if his father would survive the assault. But then, one was never guaranteed when death would come, or from whom the blade would fall. But you can always die well. Sompek would, and he would give these honorless petaQ a bad death, or he was not the son of Kapact.

A deep vibration began in his heart, and slowly spread, traveling through his veins to coarse through his body, suffusing every muscle with the barely controlled energy of a giant serpent about to strike. It found its way into his throat, and a deep, deadly hum brought every other sound on the bridge to silence. His crew knew the sound, and had learned to take note. One way or another, the battle would be over soon. It was a funeral dirge, straight out of the barge of the dead. When it ended, there were always dead to clear away. Whether those dead were Klingon or not, or even enemy or crew, they never knew. But they always relished sharing the experience.

The Etlh began to spin, and eight disruptors flashed seemingly at random. In minutes, the unmanned ships were destroyed, and no damage had gotten through to the ship. Then it turned it's dorsal spine, with its eight independently tracking micro-torpedoes to one of the destroyers maintaining the web. Sompek knew that no weapons could penetrate the energy web, but he also knew that the longer the web stood, the more unstable it became. The only problem was the power cost of firing all eight torpedoes at once. And of course, any explosive damage contained by the web would be reflected back on anything in the web. And that was the Etlh. As he eyed the destroyer, visible on the viewscreen between arcing and sputtering lines of contained energy, he allowed the humming to get louder. His eyes narrowed as the dorsal spine lined up with the destroyer. Silently, to himself, he mumbled the last refrain from the ballad of House Ab'Qaff. "For if my line should die, it dies with it's name on the enemy's tongue. It dies with its teeth at the enemy's throat. For just as mere life is not victory, mere death is not defeat. And in the next life, I will kill the foe a thousand times..." The crew would not know that he expected death now. They must not, because if they did, they would already be dead. Instead, his lips bared, and he allowed a feral grin. "Fire," he ordered. When the explosion cleared, the destroyers were smoldering ruins, and the last sparks and discharges of the web were lighting the wrecks from within. Only at that point did he finish the ballad, out loud. "Laughing, undefeated."

"The Etlh is clear of the Tholian web!" QasQa said breathlessly. Then her eyes darkened. "But the lead Sovereign has locked weapons on it."

Kapact saw the massive dreadnought turn to intercept the Etlh, and a chill ran down his spine. "Contact Krom. Tell him we need assistance."

Tag, Krom.....

Stardate 0310.12 Kri'staK Sector wej'Hom System IKS AbQaff Battle Group Planet Seven

The seventh planet in this system revealed that despite a lack of sensor evidence, the Romulans have been in this system, and may still have a strong presence in the sector. Upon achieving orbit, we conducted an intensive scan of the water-covered world. We discovered a device buried in ice near the northern polar region that was incongruous with the apparent lack of technological development on the planet. The device was generating graviton waves sufficient to prevent forming a warp field anywhere near the planet. Further investigation, conducted by excavating the area with disruptor banks, revealed an unmistakably Romulan power signature. We were attempting to discern its purpose when it imploded. The effect continued to grow in intensity until the planet completely broke up under immense pressure. Fortunately, the Ab'Qaff moved away at full impulse before it was endangered.

There is no question that the Romulans have designs on the system. The Ab'Qaff's science officer suggested that the Romulans could have been using the device to construct artificial singularities, presumably to power more ships, just as we use matter and antimatter. Were the artificial singularities intended for ships produced by the shipyard we destroyed? I don't think so.

Summary of Events Stardate 0310.08

Quick Start Play:




If you'd like to be able to jump right in to see if you like this game,

you might want to try a few rounds of Simple Combat. The Simple Combat Game is a way for you to quickly resolve combat between vessels, or fleets of vessels. This is useful if you are playing a scenario or campaign that involves more than a few ships. Otherwise a simple

scenario could take weeks to play through.



It is useful to keep a copy of the Simple Combat Template. This makes

it possible to copy and paste the basics of your bit of 'paperwork', add however many ships you may need to, and change or insert ship names. Here is a very basic template (there are more in the files):



IKS rolls: o/d

USS rolls: o/d

Result:

IKS damage /15

USS damage /15



The first section is for points rolled (1d6 result times the appropriate multiplier), and how the points are allocated (offense/defense). The second "Result" section shows the calculated damage. In the case of basic AI ships, the damage potential is 15.. so you would indicate 5 points damage with 5/15. Pretty simple.



If you are playing a single player game, roll a 1d6 to see who 'wins the toss'. If you roll a 1-3, you do. Then you roll the 1d6 for your opponent first. Allocate available points according to this multiplier chart:



2 (DS) Defense Sat/(FR)Freighter X1

3 (FF) Frigate X4

4 (DD) DestroyerX6

5 (CL) Light Cruiser X8

6 (CA) Heavy Cruiser X10

7 (CC) Command Cruiser X12

8 (BCH) Heavy Battlecruiser X15

9 (DN) Dreadnought X20

10 (BB) Battleship X22

11 (CV)Carrier X25

12 (STB ) Starbase/ (BS)Base Station X50/75 (reroll, 50/50)



Here is an example of simple combat between the Klingon heavy cruiser

Perseus and the Sha'kurian heavy cruiser Count: In this case, I won the

toss, playing as the Perseus. That meant that I had to roll and allocate for the Sha'kurian first. (The point of all this 'coin tossing' is to add randomness to the gameplay in the single player game. It puts the luxury of being able to react to your opponent's first move on a totally random footing. And of course, whoever rolled second first time rolls first the next. Compare it to the coin toss to determine who receives the kickoff in a football game ) That first roll was a 6 (on a 1d6), for 60 points. Acting for the Shakurian, I decided to play it safe, putting it all on defense. As it turned out, the caution was unnecesary. The Klingon only rolled a 1.



IKS Perseus rolls:10 0o/10d

SRS Count rolls:60 0o/60d

Result:

IKS Perseus damage 0/25

SRS Count damage 0/15



For the next volley, the Klingon ship took its turn rolling first. It rolled a "3", for 30 points, and put them all on defense. It didn't save him, because the Count rolled a 6.



IKS Perseus rolls:30 0o/30d

SRS Count rolls:60 60o/d

Result:

IKS Perseus destroyed

SRS Count damage 0/15



You'll note that the Perseus is able to take 25 points of damage. That is because all of my play has given me a "Elite" rating. The increased available points is one of the benefits of that. For details, see "Experience Points: How to Get Them and What They Get You". If you

want to take it a step further, you can capture ships using Simple Combat. You have to cause 10 points of damage to lower the enemy

shields, then transport over. Ah, but to so that you have to lower your

own shields. Do that by giving yourself (just for the 'transport' volley) 10 points damage. A bit tricky, with careful timing involved, but a great tactic. And of course, as new races are added to Fantasy Trek, there will be a few necessary variations to these rules (i.e. Tholian Webs).



So what to do with all of this? As I said, the Simple Combat Game is

ideal for extended scenarios involving many ships in combat. For

example, Head to Head Sector Assault was written with Simple Combat in mind:



Rules

The goal is to conquer and hold all 5 systems.



In order to do this, you must conquer (in order, 1 through 5), and

sufficiently defend all systems while denying your enemy access to

those same systems. Reduce the enemy fleet sufficiently to prevent them from building a shipyard, and stop/destroy enough enemy convoys to deny random reinforcements sufficient to threaten your shipyards. You must also attain a minimum of 13 points (see 'Victory Conditions' below)



System Conquest:

Regardless of whether a system has been taken by enemy forces, you will face a random-sized enemy fleet upon first arrival in a new system.

Roll 1d6 for size of enemy fleet, then subtract any applicable random

fleet disadvantage (see below). If the size of the enemy fleet is less than the random fleet disadvantage, then there is no contact. Then use

appropriate simple combat template. All surviving ships retain damage

but can move and fight until destroyed. They can only be repaired by

remaining in place for two turns (subject to random enemy attack each

turn-50% chance of random attack. 1d6:1-3=no contact. 4-6=attacked) or

by docking at shipyard for one turn (subject to random enemy attack,

same odds as above). The system remains yours once you've defeated the initial fleet, but if left undefended, any attempt to conquer it will only be countered by a randomly generated fleet. You can (and should choose to leave any combination of ships and/or a shipyard to defend it.



Open Space:

Enemy convoys will only be encountered in open spaces. Roll for

encounter (1d6:1-3=contact). Then roll 1d6 for enemy escorts. 1-3= 1 CA escort. 4-6= 2 CA escorts. The random fleet disadvantage does not

affect this. Random enemy convoy(s) must be stopped=at least 3/5

freighters destroyed or captured (5/15 damage and successful boarding

party action), escorts destroyed or disabled (10/15 damage) in 5

volleys or less. Every convoy that is stopped decreases random enemy

fleet size by one. This is the random fleet disadvantage. For every

three freighters captured, your random fleet disadvantage is reduced by

one. You will not encounter convoys in open spaces when you have

conquered both adjacent systems



Shipyard:

Shipyards are recommended. They can only be built in systems that you

hold (by destroying an initial assault fleet). Three starships must remain in system or open space area for three turns to build shipyard. During each turn 50% chance of random attack. (1d6:1d6:1-3=no contact. 4-6=attack, then roll 1d6 for size of enemy fleet. If the size of the enemy fleet is less than the random fleet disadvantage, then there is no contact.) LOS (line of sight) must be maintained to use or attack shipyard. Shipyard has X75 multiplier. Shipyard can construct replacement ships in 3 turns. While your fleet can not exceed 6 ships,

additional ships built at shipyards do not count against this total. They cannot fight with full-sized fleets, but can supplement diminished fleets. The same rule applies to surviving random reinforcements. Since you must have a minimum of three ships to build a shipyard, it is

recommended that you build at least one shipyard and at least two reserve ships just in case of unforseen losses. A fleet reduced to two

ships and no shipyard to fall back would have little chance of victory.



If you want to register as a player, notify me through a comment on the

blogsite. I recommend keeping a record of your games played, as they

add up to experience points that enrich your gaming experience.



Victory Conditions/Points-

Shipyards 5 (max)

Fleet size 6 (max)

Reinforcement capacity 6 (max)

You must conquer 5 systems and attain 13+ VC points

Templates (it is recommended that you keep a master copy of these,

making working copies to modify suit your needs):



Klingon fleet vs Federation Fleet

KCA IKS Kandido rolls: o/d

KCA IKS Kurry rolls: o/d

KCA IKS DuranQo rolls: o/d

KCA IKS Ok'ran rolls: o/d

KCA IKS D'Han rolls: o/d

KCA IKS Glommer rolls: o/d

FCA USS Washington rolls: o/d

FCA USS Roosevelt rolls: o/d

FCA USS Cleveland rolls: o/d

FCA USS Detroit rolls: o/d

FCA USS Abraham Lincoln rolls: o/d

FCA USS Guadalcanal rolls: o/d

results

KCA IKS Kandido damage: /15

KCA IKS Kurry damage: /15

KCA IKS DuranQo damage: /15

KCA IKS Ok'ran damage: /15

KCA IKS D'Han damage: /15

KCA IKS Glommer damage: /15

FCA USS Washington damage: /15

FCA USS Roosevelt damage: /15

FCA USS Cleveland damage: /15

FCA USS Detroit damage: /15

FCA USS Abraham damage: /15

FCA USS Guadalcanal damage: /15



Klingon fleet versus Federation convoy with two escorts



KCA IKS Etlh rolls: o/d

KCA IKS Dk'tagh rolls: o/d

KCA IKS Bertaa rolls: o/d

KCA IKS BortaS rolls: o/d

KCA IKS Chang rolls: o/d

KCA IKS tIQ'etlh rolls: o/d

FCA USS Komack rolls: o/d

FCA USS Nogura rolls: o/d

Fr1 rolls: o/d

Fr2 rolls: o/d

Fr3 rolls: o/d

Fr4 rolls: o/d

Fr5 rolls: o/d

results

KCA IKS Etlh damage: /15

KCA IKS Dk'tagh damage: /15

KCA IKS Bertaa damage: /15

KCA IKS BortaS damage: /15

KCA IKS Chang damage: /15

KCA IKS tIQ'etlh damage: /15

FCA USS Komack damage: /15

FCA USS Nogura damage: /15

Fr1 damage: /15

Fr2 damage: /15

Fr3 damage: /15

Fr4 damage: /15

Fr5 damage: /15



Sample First Turn:



Turn 1)

(1209.13)

System 1: FCA USS Essex FCA USS Challenger FCA USS Tahir FCA USS Robau FCA USS Abrahms FCA USS Orci form Fed 1st Fleet (FF1). Contact: 4 KCA's *won toss. (1209.13) FCA USS Essex FCA USS Challenger FCA USS Tahir FCA USS Robau FCA USS Abrahms FCA USS Orci vs KCA IKS D'Qu KCA IKS NaQjej KCA IKS Ej'QuD KCA IKS Qaw'lu: Klingons destroyed. No damage to FF1.



System 5: KCA IKS Kandido KCA IKS Kurry KCA IKS DuranQo KCA IKS Ok'ran KCA IKS D'Han KCA IKS Glommer form Klingon 1st Fleet (KF1). Contact: 4 FCA's *won toss. (1209.13) KCA IKS Kandido KCA IKS Kurry KCA IKS DuranQo KCA IKS Ok'ran KCA IKS D'Han KCA IKS Glommer vs FCA USS Washington FCA USS Roosevelt FCA USS Cleveland FCA USS Detroit: Feds destroyed. No damage to KF1.



Games in Play:



"Fifty Points" (see Dev notes for rules)



Slow week, but the Federation is learning the difficulties and advantages of having to use diplomacy to build shipyards. Here are turns 39 through 41:



Turn 39)

0310.04

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) at Planet Blue17 Dispatch DD USS Gallipoli to investigate distress signal. FF1 initiates diplomatic contact/permission to build FSY1: Turn 1? Unsuccessful (v,10)

Klingons: KBF (Klingon Black Fleet) Construct KSY1 turn 3/3. (y,13)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan First Imperial Fleet) Construct RSY1 turn 3/3. Contact? No contact (af,14)



Turn 40)

0310.04

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) at Planet Blue17 Dispatch DD USS Gallipoli to investigate distress signal. FF1 initiates diplomatic contact/permission to build FSY1: Turn 2? Unsuccessful (v,10)

Klingons: KBF (Klingon Black Fleet) on station KSY1 complete. (y,13)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan First Imperial Fleet) on station RSY1 complete (af,14)



Turn 41)

0310.05

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) at Planet Blue17 begin construct FSY1 at (v,10) turn 1/2? Pirate contact: Three Fed-based DD's. FDD USS Gallipoli at (w,10).

Klingons: KBF (Klingon Black Fleet) moves to (x,14) KSY1 complete. (y,13)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan First Imperial Fleet) moves to (af,13) RSY1 complete (af,14)



(Ent Era) "Edge of Empire"



Challenger NX-07, on a mission to circumnavigate the Romulan Star Empire, encounters a world that threatens to expose its covert mission. Odinas IV is a world rich in natural resources that could give the Romulans an edge in the war, but doing anything to stop the Romulans could bring the weight of the Romulan war machine down on the.lone ship. What should Captain Sam Carpenter do?

----------------

Captain Carpenter orders the planet scanned. It is K-type, and uninhabited. While it would be tempting to somehow sabotage the Romulan war effort, he decides that the risks to his ship, as well as the intelligence gathering mission outweigh the benefits of depriving the Romulans of the planet's resources. He orders supplies brought up from the surface, filling Challenger's stores before moving off. He also decides to advise Starfleet Command at the earliest opportunity.



--------------------------------



For next week:



(TOS Era) "FutureCast"



A science team investigating space-borne lifeforms in an uncharted system at the edge of explored space discovers a radiolitic nebula that seems to be growing in size and intensity. Projecting along the expected path of the nebula, it is determined that it would eventually engulf a solar system in the early stages of development. Within a century, the system could potentially support a dozen planets, with half of them being Class M. There are also indications of valuable minerals in the matter swirling around the young sun. The properties of the nebula would render the system uninhabitable.



At the same time, the local space-borne lifeforms thrive on the very radiolitic properties that threaten the new solar system, as well as the rest of the inhabited systems beyond.



What Are Your Orders, Captain?



Post your solution here for a Command College Point. Feel free to discuss this with the 'comment' feature



"Captain's Log"



"...recorded message..."



(ENT Era)



Class F Geometallic

Age: 1-3 billion years

Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km

Location: Ecosphere

Surface: Volcanic eruptions due to molten core

Atmosphere: Hydrogen compounds

Evolution: Cools to become Class G

Life forms: Silicon-based

Example: Janus IV



20) At some point during the mission, the planet disappears.



(ENT/Ancient Era: Vulcan Sundering)



Vulcan Star Cruiser T'lalak

Commander Nurok

(Date Classified)



Our investigation of F Class planet Tal Taya revealed information which could, if widely disseminated, cause wide-spread diplomatic damage. Therefore, this log entry will be scrambled and classified, for eyes of intelligence directorate only. Begin scramble//



Tal Taya is in the last stages of its existence. This hostile and geologically violent planet is unusual in that it has a highly charged atmosphere, including a major storm that has dominated the atmosphere for at least two thousand of the planet's approximately 3 billion years.



Deep scans of the storm indicated regularly occuring electrical signals. Too regularly occuring to be natural. Brief examination of the signals revealed a close relationship to several ancient Vulcan dialects that were last in wide use nearly two thousand years ago. The time of Surak. Further examination confirmed what some today believe but few will speak of publicly. The recurring transmission was a recorded message from a dying ship as it was pulled into Tal Taya's atmosphere. It was directed at another ship in orbit, and specifically to a person called S'task. S'task, who was supposed to have led ships full of Vulcan dissidents to eventually found the Romulan Star Empire. What was once myth is now fact, and Vulcans are cousins to Earth's greatest enemy. If word of this reaches Earth, the consequences could be disastrous.



//End Scramble



Tal Taya has now fallen in upon itself, and will eventually form an asteroid belt in this system. Any secrets that the planet hid are now gone for good.



For next week. write a 100+ word log entry including the phrase "...expelled from the nebula...". Post it in the yahoo group or on the blogsite's "comment" feature for a Command College Point.



Dev Notes: A slow week for development. Work and RL have been tiring, and I have a free copy of "Star Trek: Legacy" on its way from a great friend. No change to the Fifty Points rules, but I'll note with extreme gratitude the permission by Lord Krueg and the rest of the Klingon Black Fleet (from Starfleet Command: Orion Pirates Dynaverse2 Community) to use the name "Klingon Black Fleet". The name Klingon Black Fleet has (and deserves) a fantastic reputation. The honor is great. No work done on Heavy Combat either, but I've been thinking about increasing range to Photon torpedoes, as well as dialing up the damage on Packet Disruptors as well. I've scanned the March calender image. It is a 'Project' concept picture for the Ab'Qaff Class. As always, the artwork isn't fancy, but I like it, and it's all mine. In fact, it's a color sketch that !'d done of the Ab'Qaff before I came up with the final version. As a note of trivia, the yIntaG who used to own the yahoogroup "Razor Klaw Fleet" told me that the finished product wasn't good enough for his website. So where is Razor Klaw Fleet now? Among the dishonored dead. One more note: I'm starting to study "C language". I plan to eventually be able to create simple Fantasy Trek mini-games. There is a game called "Space Trader" for the Palm OS, based on the drug runner game. Not that I condone that sort of thing for a second, but the game format seems ideal. Simple but configurable combat, missions, systems, fueling and repairs. That would be cool. Watch this space as I read through "Teach Yourself C in 24 hours". Here are the Fifty Points rules, just as a reminder:



Objectives:

Diplomatic agreement to settle unclaimed zone. Fifty-one planets in

three sectors. Seventeen systems each. Each sector= 10x25 spaces.



Three powers must establish economic/material support locally.



After initial battle group (One dreadnought, three heavy cruisers, two

destroyers), all ships must be built locally.



Each power must successfully transport twelve convoys to unclaimed zone and then back to friendly space.

Winning power must unite at least two sectors in order to win.

Winning power must achieve 17 experience points.

Winning power must win at least 5 heavy combat engagements



Sector Victory Conditions:

Military: 2/3 (12/17) systems conquered-see rules below.

Diplomatic/Subterfuge/Economic: 2/3 (12/17) systems cleared of pirate

threat.



At least ten 100+ word logs required from each power.



Rules



Shipyards:

Initial battle group carries enough duranium and dilithium to build

three shipyards. After that, shipyards require five freighters of

refined duranium and dilithium. Three heavy cruisers take three turns

to build a shipyard (subject to random pirate attack (each turn, 2/6

chance of attack) in systems where pirates are active).



Shipyards require one freighter shipment of duranium and one freighter

shipment of dilithium to build one carrier, three heavy cruisers or

five destroyers.



Shipyards build at this rate:

1 carrier= 6 turns

1 heavy cruiser=3 turns

1 destroyer= 1 turn

1 freighter= 1 turn

1 construction ship= 1 turn



Construction ships build at this rate:

1 defsat= 1 turn

1 dilithium refinery= 2 turns

1 duranium refinery= 2 turns



Each zone contains only four systems capable of supplying duranium and dilithium (for each survey, roll 1d6, 1,2= positive result, until four

are catalogued)



Aside from the twelve convoys that must be transported from friendly

space to unclaimed zone and then back to friendly space, convoys are

required to transport refined dilithium and duranium from refineries to

shipyards in order to build/maintain fleets. Powers can hijack enemy

convoys, but after each such incident, the odds of it being subject to

pirate attack increase. (see ROE)



ROE (Rules of Engagement)



Three powers must turn local populations to their sides. Each power

will have advantages:

Federation: Diplomacy/Economic strength

Klingons: Military

Romulans: Subterfuge



Three powers can use any means, but will face disadvantages when going against their strength. (i e: Federation using military strength will

weaken diplomatic standing. Klingon using diplomacy will embolden local

military resistance. Romulans using diplomacy will have less chance of

success)



During every turn, there is a 1/6 chance of random calamity (convoy

lost, contact lost with colony)



Use the following table:

1d6 roll=result

1= convoy closest to destination lost

2= contact with random colony lost

3= power lost to all shipyards for one turn

4= pirate appears from warp and attacks random colony

5= population stages violent revolt on random colony

6= defsats malfunction, destroy random orbiting ship in random system



Every system has 1/5 chance of being dominated by pirate activity upon

first contact. (1d6= '1'= pirate activity. '2-5=no pirate

activity. '6'=reroll)



Each time a power hijacks convoy, there is a 1/6 (1d6) chance that one

of its systems will fall under pirate attack.



Despite ROE, each power will have to use disadvantage to gain access to

system at least twice



Pirate Attack:

Pirate attacks consist of attacks on planets, installations and

starships. Use simple combat tables to determine number and types of

craft.



Default pirate craft will be determined by 1d6 roll:

Klingons:

1-2= Klingon ship

3-4= Romulan ship

5-6= Federation ship



Federation:

1-2= Federation ship

3-4= Klingon ship

5-6= Romulan ship



Romulans

1-2= Romulan ship

3-4= Federation ship

5-6= Klingon ship



Klingons and Romulans can employ privateers that can be customized.



Capturing enemy ships:

Capture attempts/hit and run attacks can only be used during heavy

combat.



System Conquest:

To conquer a system, you must conquer one controlling planet, including

any defense.



System Defense:

Systems have defense ratings of 1 through 10.



1= No installations

No ships permanently assigned



2= No installations

Less than six ships (Destroyer class) permanently assigned



3= Less than six defsats in orbit

Less than six ships (Destroyer class), or one to three ships (heavy

cruiser class) permanently assigned



4= Six defsats in orbit

Less than six ships (Destroyer class), or one to three ships (heavy

cruiser class) permanently assigned



5= Six defsats in orbit

Six ships (Destroyer class), or one to three ships (heavy cruiser

class) permanently assigned



6= Eight defsats in orbit

Six ships (Destroyer class), or one to three ships (heavy cruiser

class) permanently assigned



7= Eight defsats in orbit

One to three ships (heavy cruiser class) permanently assigned



8= Nine or ten defsats in orbit

One to three ships (heavy cruiser class) permanently assigned



9= Shipyard assigned

Four to six ships (heavy cruiser class) permanently assigned



10= Starbase assigned

Four to six ships (heavy cruiser class), or any number of carriers

permanently assigned



Planets have natural simple combat multiplier of x100 without any added

defense, as well as 100 defenders. To conquer a planet, you must defeat

it in simple combat and boarding party action.



System Negotiation:

On first turn, 2/6 chance (1d6, 1-2 required). On second turn, 4/6

chance (1d6, 1-4 required). On third turn, 5/6 chance (1d6, 1-5

required). if you do not succeed at that point, negotiations fail. You

have to vacate system and wait three turns, then you can return try

again. If you fight off pirates in system, you automatically have 5/6

chance of success. If you attack system and fail to conquer it, system

is closed to negotiation.

Ab'Qaff Class Project Conceptual Image

Fifty Points Update Stardate 0310.03

Admiral April, USS Tiberius acknowledges receipt of distress signal relayed by Klingon Black Fleet. Dispatches FDD USS Gallipoli to investigate.

Summary of Events Stardate 0310.02

Quick Start Play:




If you'd like to be able to jump right in to see if you like this game, you might want to try a few rounds of Simple Combat. The Simple Combat Game is a way for you to quickly resolve combat between vessels, or fleets of vessels. This is useful if you are playing a scenario or campaign that involves more than a few ships. Otherwise a simple scenario could take weeks to play through.



It is useful to keep a copy of the Simple Combat Template. This makes it possible to copy and paste the basics of your bit of 'paperwork', add however many ships you may need to, and change or insert ship names. Here is a very basic template (there are more in the files):



IKS rolls: o/d

USS rolls: o/d

Result:

IKS damage /15

USS damage /15



The first section is for points rolled (1d6 result times the appropriate multiplier), and how the points are allocated (offense/defense). The second "Result" section shows the calculated damage. In the case of basic AI ships, the damage potential is 15.. so you would indicate 5 points damage with 5/15. Pretty simple.



If you are playing a single player game, roll a 1d6 to see who 'wins the toss'. If you roll a 1-3, you do. Then you roll the 1d6 for your opponent first. Allocate available points according to this multiplier chart:



2 (DS) Defense Sat/(FR)Freighter X1

3 (FF) Frigate X4

4 (DD) DestroyerX6

5 (CL) Light Cruiser X8

6 (CA) Heavy Cruiser X10

7 (CC) Command Cruiser X12

8 (BCH) Heavy Battlecruiser X15

9 (DN) Dreadnought X20

10 (BB) Battleship X22

11 (CV)Carrier X25

12 (STB ) Starbase/ (BS)Base Station X50/75 (reroll, 50/50)



Here is an example of simple combat between the Klingon heavy cruiser Perseus and the Sha'kurian heavy cruiser Count: In this case, I won the toss, playing as the Perseus. That meant that I had to roll and allocate for the Sha'kurian first. (The point of all this 'coin tossing' is to add randomness to the gameplay in the single player game. It puts the luxury of being able to react to your opponent's first move on a totally random footing. And of course, whoever rolled second first time rolls first the next. Compare it to the coin toss to determine who receives the kickoff in a football game ) That first roll was a 6 (on a 1d6), for 60 points. Acting for the Shakurian, I decided to play it safe, putting it all on defense. As it turned out, the caution was unnecesary. The Klingon only rolled a 1.



IKS Perseus rolls:10 0o/10d

SRS Count rolls:60 0o/60d

Result:

IKS Perseus damage 0/25

SRS Count damage 0/15



For the next volley, the Klingon ship took its turn rolling first. It rolled a "3", for 30 points, and put them all on defense. It didn't save him, because the Count rolled a 6.



IKS Perseus rolls:30 0o/30d

SRS Count rolls:60 60o/d

Result:

IKS Perseus destroyed

SRS Count damage 0/15



You'll note that the Perseus is able to take 25 points of damage. That is because all of my play has given me a "Elite" rating. The increased available points is one of the benefits of that. For details, see "Experience Points: How to Get Them and What They Get You". If you want to take it a step further, you can capture ships using Simple Combat. You have to cause 10 points of damage to lower the enemy shields, then transport over. Ah, but to so that you have to lower your own shields. Do that by giving yourself (just for the 'transport' volley) 10 points damage. A bit tricky, with careful timing involved, but a great tactic. And of course, as new races are added to Fantasy Trek, there will be a few necessary variations to these rules (i.e. Tholian Webs).



So what to do with all of this? As I said, the Simple Combat Game is ideal for extended scenarios involving many ships in combat. For example, Head to Head Sector Assault was written with Simple Combat in mind:



Rules

The goal is to conquer and hold all 5 systems.



In order to do this, you must conquer (in order, 1 through 5), and sufficiently defend all systems while denying your enemy access to those same systems. Reduce the enemy fleet sufficiently to prevent them from building a shipyard, and stop/destroy enough enemy convoys to deny random reinforcements sufficient to threaten your shipyards. You must also attain a minimum of 13 points (see 'Victory Conditions' below)



System Conquest:

Regardless of whether a system has been taken by enemy forces, you will face a random-sized enemy fleet upon first arrival in a new system. Roll 1d6 for size of enemy fleet, then subtract any applicable random fleet disadvantage (see below). If the size of the enemy fleet is less than the random fleet disadvantage, then there is no contact. Then use appropriate simple combat template. All surviving ships retain damage but can move and fight until destroyed. They can only be repaired by remaining in place for two turns (subject to random enemy attack each turn-50% chance of random attack. 1d6:1-3=no contact. 4-6=attacked) or by docking at shipyard for one turn (subject to random enemy attack, same odds as above). The system remains yours once you've defeated the initial fleet, but if left undefended, any attempt to conquer it will only be countered by a randomly generated fleet. You can (and should) choose to leave any combination of ships and/or a shipyard to defend it.



Open Space:

Enemy convoys will only be encountered in open spaces. Roll for encounter (1d6:1-3=contact). Then roll 1d6 for enemy escorts. 1-3= 1 CA escort. 4-6= 2 CA escorts. The random fleet disadvantage does not affect this. Random enemy convoy(s) must be stopped=at least 3/5 freighters destroyed or captured (5/15 damage and successful boarding party action), escorts destroyed or disabled (10/15 damage) in 5 volleys or less. Every convoy that is stopped decreases random enemy fleet size by one. This is the random fleet disadvantage. For every three freighters captured, your random fleet disadvantage is reduced by one. You will not encounter convoys in open spaces when you have conquered both adjacent systems



Shipyard:

Shipyards are recommended. They can only be built in systems that you hold (by destroying an initial assault fleet). Three starships must remain in system or open space area for three turns to build shipyard. During each turn 50% chance of random attack. (1d6:1d6:1-3=no contact. 4-6=attack, then roll 1d6 for size of enemy fleet. If the size of the enemy fleet is less than the random fleet disadvantage, then there is no contact.) LOS (line of sight) must be maintained to use or attack shipyard. Shipyard has X75 multiplier. Shipyard can construct replacement ships in 3 turns. While your fleet can not exceed 6 ships, additional ships built at shipyards do not count against this total. They cannot fight with full-sized fleets, but can supplement diminished fleets. The same rule applies to surviving random reinforcements. Since you must have a minimum of three ships to build a shipyard, it is recommended that you build at least one shipyard and at least two reserve ships just in case of unforseen losses. A fleet reduced to two ships and no shipyard to fall back would have little chance of victory.



If you want to register as a player, notify me through a comment on the

blogsite. I recommend keeping a record of your games played, as they add up to experience points that enrich your gaming experience.



Victory Conditions/Points-

Shipyards 5 (max)

Fleet size 6 (max)

Reinforcement capacity 6 (max)



You must conquer 5 systems and attain 13+ VC points



Templates (it is recommended that you keep a master copy of these, making working copies to modify suit your needs):



Klingon fleet vs Federation Fleet

KCA IKS Kandido rolls: o/d

KCA IKS Kurry rolls: o/d

KCA IKS DuranQo rolls: o/d

KCA IKS Ok'ran rolls: o/d

KCA IKS D'Han rolls: o/d

KCA IKS Glommer rolls: o/d

FCA USS Washington rolls: o/d

FCA USS Roosevelt rolls: o/d

FCA USS Cleveland rolls: o/d

FCA USS Detroit rolls: o/d

FCA USS Abraham Lincoln rolls: o/d

FCA USS Guadalcanal rolls: o/d

results

KCA IKS Kandido damage: /15

KCA IKS Kurry damage: /15

KCA IKS DuranQo damage: /15

KCA IKS Ok'ran damage: /15

KCA IKS D'Han damage: /15

KCA IKS Glommer damage: /15

FCA USS Washington damage: /15

FCA USS Roosevelt damage: /15

FCA USS Cleveland damage: /15

FCA USS Detroit damage: /15

FCA USS Abraham damage: /15

FCA USS Guadalcanal damage: /15



Klingon fleet versus Federation convoy with two escorts



KCA IKS Etlh rolls: o/d

KCA IKS Dk'tagh rolls: o/d

KCA IKS Bertaa rolls: o/d

KCA IKS BortaS rolls: o/d

KCA IKS Chang rolls: o/d

KCA IKS tIQ'etlh rolls: o/d

FCA USS Komack rolls: o/d

FCA USS Nogura rolls: o/d

Fr rolls: o/d

Fr2 rolls: o/d

Fr3 rolls: o/d

Fr4 rolls: o/d

Fr5 rolls: o/d

results

KCA IKS Etlh damage: /15

KCA IKS Dk'tagh damage: /15

KCA IKS Bertaa damage: /15

KCA IKS BortaS damage: /15

KCA IKS Chang damage: /15

KCA IKS tIQ'etlh damage: /15

FCA USS Komack damage: /15

FCA USS Nogura damage: /15

Fr1 damage: /15

Fr2 damage: /15

Fr3 damage: /15

Fr4 damage: /15

Fr5 damage: /15



Sample First Turn:



Turn 1)

(1209.13)

System 1: FCA USS Essex FCA USS Challenger FCA USS Tahir FCA USS Robau FCA USS Abrahms FCA USS Orci form Fed 1st Fleet (FF1). Contact: 4 KCA's *won toss. (1209.13) FCA USS Essex FCA USS Challenger FCA USS Tahir FCA USS Robau FCA USS Abrahms FCA USS Orci vs KCA IKS D'Qu KCA IKS NaQjej KCA IKS Ej'QuD KCA IKS Qaw'lu: Klingons destroyed. No damage to FF1.

System 5: KCA IKS Kandido KCA IKS Kurry KCA IKS DuranQo KCA IKS Ok'ran KCA IKS D'Han KCA IKS Glommer form Klingon 1st Fleet (KF1). Contact: 4 FCA's *won toss. (1209.13) KCA IKS Kandido KCA IKS Kurry KCA IKS DuranQo KCA IKS Ok'ran KCA IKS D'Han KCA IKS Glommer vs FCA USS Washington FCA USS Roosevelt FCA USS Cleveland FCA USS Detroit: Feds destroyed. No damage to KF1.





Games in Play:



"Fifty Points" (see Dev notes for rules)

Turns 1 through 38.



The opening of Fifty Points hasn't been really really exciting. That is just because the fleets had to move through the corridor, move by move, turn by turn. The trip through the corridor was boring this time, but in the future, convoys will no doubt come under attack. Anyway, the Federation fleet encountered a Kabul.Class Federation-derived pirate heavy battlecruiser, (read the log entry after the turn logs), but the Klingons and Romulans didn't. They moved in and started installing shipyards, while Admiral April on the Fed DN USS Tiberius opened scanned for duranium/dilithium resources and opened negotiations to install a shipyard.



Turn 1)

0210.18

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) launches (z,39)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet launches (z,42)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) launches (ae,41)



Turn 2)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) moves to (aa,39)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet moves to (aa,42)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) moves to (ad,41)



Turn 3)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) enters neutral entrance (ab,39)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet enters neutral entrance (ab,42)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) enters neutral entrance (ac,41)



Turn 4)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,38)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in neutral entrance (ab,41)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in neutral entrance (ac,40)



Turn 5)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,37)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in neutral entrance (ab,40)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in neutral entrance (ab,40)



Turn 6)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,36)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in neutral entrance (ab,39)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in neutral entrance (ab,39)



Turn 7)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,35)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,38)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,38)



Turn 8)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,34)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,37)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,37)



Turn 9)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,33)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,36)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,36)



Turn 10)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,32)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,35)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,35)



Turn 11)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,31)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,34)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,34)



Turn 12)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,30)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,33)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,33)



Turn 13)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,29)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,32)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,32)



Turn 14)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,28)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,31)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,31)



Turn 15)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,27)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,30)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,30)



Turn 16)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,26)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,29)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,29)



Turn 17)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,25)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,28)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,28)



Turn 18)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,24)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,27)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,27)



Turn 19)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,23)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,26)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,26)



Turn 20)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,22)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,25)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,25)



Turn 21)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,21)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,24)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,24)



Turn 22)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,20)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,23)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,23)



Turn 23)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,19)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,22)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,22)



Turn 24)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,18)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,21)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,21)



Turn 25)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,17)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,20)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,20)



Turn 26)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,16)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,19)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,19)



Turn 27)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,15)

Klingons: IKF1 (Imperial Klingon Fleet) Black Fleet in corridor (ab,18)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,18)



Turn 28)

0210.19

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in corridor (ab,14)

Klingons: KBF (Klingon Black Fleet) in corridor (ab,17)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,17)



Turn 29)

0210.20

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in neutral exit (ab,13)

Klingons: KBF (Klingon Black Fleet) in corridor (ab,16)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan Imperial First Fleet) in corridor (ab,16)



Turn 30)

0210.20

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in neutral exit (ab,12)

Klingons: KBF (Klingon Black Fleet) in corridor (ab,15)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan First Imperial Fleet) in corridor (ab,15)



Turn 31)

0210.20

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in neutral exit (ab,11)

Klingons: KBF (Klingon Black Fleet) in corridor (ab,14)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan First Imperial Fleet) in corridor (ab,14)



Turn 32)

0210.20

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in neutral exit (ab,10)

Klingons: KBF (Klingon Black Fleet) in neutral exit (ab,13)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan First Imperial Fleet) in neutral exit (ac,14)



Turn 33)

0210.20

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in open space (aa,10)

Klingons: KBF (Klingon Black Fleet) in open space (aa,13)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan First Imperial Fleet) in open space (ad,14)



Turn 34)

0210.20

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in open space (z,10)

Klingons: KBF (Klingon Black Fleet) in open space (z,13)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan First Imperial Fleet) in open space (ae,14)



Turn 35)

0210.20

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in Federation zone (y,10)

Klingons: KBF (Klingon Black Fleet) in Klingon zone (y,13)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan First Imperial Fleet) in Romulan zone (af,14)



Turn 36)

0210.20

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in Federation zone (x,10)

Klingons: KBF (Klingon Black Fleet) begins construct KSY1. No pirate activity (y,13)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan First Imperial Fleet) begins construct RSY1. Pirate activity reported. No contact. (af,14)



Turn 37)

0210.21

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) in Federation zone (w,10)

Klingons: KBF (Klingon Black Fleet) Construct KSY1 turn 1/3. (y,13)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan First Imperial Fleet) Construct RSY1 turn 1/3. Contact? No contact (af,14)



Turn 38)

0210.21

Federation: FF1 (Federation First Fleet) arrives Planet Blue.17 Pirate activity. Contact? Federation based- 1 vessel BCH Kabul Class ISC (Independent Star Cruiser) Maddoff. ISC Maddoff appears and retreats.Begin survey of system. (see log entry) (v,10)

Klingons: KBF (Klingon Black Fleet) Construct KSY1 turn 2/3. (y,13)

Romulans: RIF1 (Romulan First Imperial Fleet) Construct RSY1 turn 2/3. Contact? No contact (af,14)



Fifty Points Log Entries:



FDN USS Tiberius Admiral April



Stardate 0210.21 Arrival

System designated Blue 17 in Federation Control Zone of Triangle region. As we dropped out of warp at the edge of the system, a Federation Kabul Class Heavy Battlecruiser appeared on short range sensors. Detailed scans showed that it was not the standard heavy battlecruiser load out. The forward sensor dish had been fitted with a plasma torpedo emitter, and the photon torpedo launchers had been replaced with packet disruptor emitters. There was also structural changes to the aft quarter, suggesting that special weapons had been installed there. As soon as the ship, designated ISC Maddoff, according to hull markings, detected us, it warped out of the system. It is interesting to note that the Maddoff's warp trail dissipated unusually quickly. We were unable to track it. We can only assume it is a pirate craft. At that point, we conducted a scan of the system, looking for duranium and dilithium, but found none. Our next move here is to contact the local population and negotiate for permission to build a shipyard here.



Fifty Points Updates:



Stardate 0310.01

Klingon Black Fleet reports Federation civilian distress signal from neutral corridor exit. Retransmitted to Federation fleet at coordinates (v,10).

Klingon ambassador Khemara protests presence of civilian Federation craft in area.



Heavy Combat Games Played: (see Dev notes)

0210.20 KCA IKS Etlh (A) vs FCA USS Constitution (B) (Advanced Test)(2nd test)

0210.21 KCA IKS Etlh (A) vs FCA USS Constitution (B) (Advanced Test)(3rd test)

0210.23 KCA IKS Etlh (A) vs FCA USS Constitution (B) (Advanced Test)(4th test)



"What Are Your Orders, Captain?"



(TNG Era) "Troubled Waters"



Captain Ritchie of the Galaxy Class USS Andromeda discovers a refugee Suliban community living inside of an abandoned colony ship of unknown origin. Standard orders regarding Suliban refugees dictate that they be protected but kept hands-off. No starfleet officer has met a Suliban face to face in more than a hundred years because of a catastrophe involving the crew of the USS April. The problem is that the colony ship is approaching a region of space heavily populated by space-borne life forms that are attracted by impulse emissions.



----------------



Despite his curiosity about the Suliban, Captain Ritchie follows the regulations concerning Suliban. He closes with the colony ship, and rather than attach a tractor to the fragile craft, Ritchie encases the ship in a warp bubble and pulls it out of the area. Then he turns it loose at half impulse in a 'star desert', a large area of space devoid of star systems.



For next time...



(Ent Era) "Edge of Empire"



Challenger NX-07, on a mission to circumnavigate the Romulan Star Empire, encounters a world that threatens to expose its covert mission. Odinas IV is a world rich in natural resources that could give the Romulans an edge in the war, but doing anything to stop the Romulans could bring the weight of the Romulan war machine down on the.lone ship. What should Captain Sam Carpenter do?



Post your solution here for a Command College Point. Feel free to discuss this with the 'comment' feature



"Captain's Log"





"...out of character..."



16) The landing party discovers someone who desperately wants to be taken off the planet.



Class G Geocrystalline

Age: 3-4 billion years

Diameter: 10,000-15,000 km

Location: Ecosphere

Surface: Still crytallizing

Atmosphere: Carbon dioxide, some toxic gases

Evolution: Cools to become Class K,L, M, N, O or P

Life forms: Primitive single-celled organism

Example: Delta Vega



(TNG Era)

Captain April Townsend

USS Nyota

Yeager Class Patrol Ship



Few understand the potential for conflict between the Federation and the Klingons more than my crew. While the rest of the quadrant enjoys the so-called peace of the twenty-fourth century, we patrol the dangerous border of the Triangle Zone where battlecruisers never seem to stop crossing the border. They might have pirate house insignias painted on the hull, or claim allegiance to Korgath the pirate rather than the High Council, but they are still Klingons, and they still enjoy targeting saucer sections. That may not be the politically correct thing to say, especially in these days of glowing friendship between our two peoples following the defeat of the Dominion, and I believe that the Defense Force battlecruisers that fought alongside our ships did so with honor, but the Klingons in the Triangle Zone are completely different. The Korgath captain whose ship I scuttled yesterday would not have been out of character engaging the Enterprise over Organia a century ago.



But then there is D'kerr.



D'kerr was born to a warrior on a battlecruiser at the heighth of the 23rd Century conflict between the Federation and the Empire. According to our records, the warship Qui'tu was one of three battlecruisers attempting an end run around a Federation task force in this sector. The task force caught the Klingon wolf pack in orbit of this uncharted world and opened up with everything they had. D'kerr's mother put him in an escape pod and sent him down before the ship was destroyed. There D'kerr lived, alone on a barely habitable Class G geocrystalline planet. How exactly he survived, with no plant or animal life is beyond me, but he did survive. And with only a few memory banks to draw on for cultural knowledge, all D'kerr knew was the war. And for a hundred years, it's all he ever thought about. Until another ship crashed on his world. The Korgath cruiser that we brought down hit the thin atmosphere in large pieces, and mostly survived the descent. Exploring the wreckage, D'kerr found bodies of Klingons kept in shackles or physically brutalized. And since there were no non-Klingons on board, there was no question of who did it. That cut the slender thread that had been D'kerr's faith in his people (strained over a century with no reinforcement or companionship), and left him with nothing but a desire to leave what now seemed to be a hostile, solitary prison. After we convinced him that the war was indeed over, we offered him a ride. And as we traveled to Qo'noS, I found myself teaching and learning things like tolerance and acceptance from this rough-hewn but surprisingly vulnerable warrior.





For next week. write a 100+ word log entry including the phrase "...recorded message...". Post it in the yahoo group or on the blogsite's "comment" feature for a Command College Point.



Dev Notes:

There was, finally, lots of work done in Heavy Combat. Weapons have been dialed down and defenses dialed up. All that I think needs thought is maybe adjust packet (Klingon) disruptors up a bit, to make up for the three turn turnaround, and balance for the lack of phasers. But basically the heavy combat engine is a go.



I've done the March calender image. It is a conceptual, 'project' drawing of the Ab'Qaff class Heavy Command Carrier. It hasn't been scanned yet. Look for that no later than Friday.



As always, rules tend to change as a game plays out. It has in this case (hardly surprising, considering the complexity of Fifty Points. Changes mainly focus on resource management and diplomacy. Here are the revised rules:



Objectives:



Diplomatic agreement to settle unclaimed zone. Fifty-one planets in three sectors. Seventeen systems each. Each sector= 10x25 spaces.



Three powers must establish economic/material support locally.



After initial battle group (One dreadnought, three heavy cruisers, two destroyers), all ships must be built locally.



Each power must successfully transport twelve convoys to unclaimed zone and then back to friendly space.



Winning power must unite at least two sectors in order to win.



Winning power must achieve 17 experience points.



Winning power must win at least 5 heavy combat engagements



Sector Victory Conditions:



Military: 2/3 (12/17) systems conquered-see rules below.

Diplomatic/Subterfuge/Economic: 2/3 (12/17) systems cleared of pirate threat.



At least ten 100+ word logs required from each power.



Rules



Shipyards:

Initial battle group carries enough duranium and dilithium to build three shipyards. After that, shipyards require five freighters of refined duranium and dilithium. Three heavy cruisers take three turns to build a shipyard (subject to random pirate attack (each turn, 2/6 chance of attack) in systems where pirates are active).



Shipyards require one freighter shipment of duranium and one freighter shipment of dilithium to build one carrier, three heavy cruisers or five destroyers.



Shipyards build at this rate:

1 carrier= 6 turns

1 heavy cruiser=3 turns

1 destroyer= 1 turn

1 freighter= 1 turn

1 construction ship= 1 turn



Construction ships build at this rate:

1 defsat= 1 turn

1 dilithium refinery= 2 turns

1 duranium refinery= 2 turns



Each zone contains only four systems capable of supplying duranium and dilithium (for each survey, roll 1d6, 1,2= positive result, until four are catalogued)



Aside from the twelve convoys that must be transported from friendly space to unclaimed zone and then back to friendly space, convoys are required to transport refined dilithium and duranium from refineries to shipyards in order to build/maintain fleets. Powers can hijack enemy convoys, but after each such incident, the odds of it being subject to pirate attack increase. (see ROE)



ROE (Rules of Engagement)



Three powers must turn local populations to their sides. Each power will have advantages:

Federation: Diplomacy/Economic strength

Klingons: Military

Romulans: Subterfuge



Three powers can use any means, but will face disadvantages when going against their strength. (i e: Federation using military strength will weaken diplomatic standing. Klingon using diplomacy will embolden local military resistance. Romulans using diplomacy will have less chance of success)



During every turn, there is a 1/6 chance of random calamity (convoy lost, contact lost with colony)

Use the following table:

1d6 roll=result

1= convoy closest to destination lost

2= contact with random colony lost

3= power lost to all shipyards for one turn

4= pirate appears from warp and attacks random colony

5= population stages violent revolt on random colony

6= defsats malfunction, destroy random orbiting ship in random system



Every system has 1/5 chance of being dominated by pirate activity upon first contact. (1d6= '1'= pirate activity. '2-5=no pirate activity. '6'=reroll)



Each time a power hijacks convoy, there is a 1/6 (1d6) chance that one of its systems will fall under pirate attack.



Despite ROE, each power will have to use disadvantage to gain access to system at least twice



Pirate Attack:

Pirate attacks consist of attacks on planets, installations and starships. Use simple combat tables to determine number and types of craft.

Default pirate craft will be determined by 1d6 roll:



Klingons:

1-2= Klingon ship

3-4= Romulan ship

5-6= Federation ship



Federation:

1-2= Federation ship

3-4= Klingon ship

5-6= Romulan ship



Romulans

1-2= Romulan ship

3-4= Federation ship

5-6= Klingon ship



Klingons and Romulans can employ privateers that can be customized.



Capturing enemy ships:

Capture attempts/hit and run attacks can only be used during heavy combat.



System Conquest:

To conquer a system, you must conquer one controlling planet, including any defense.



System Defense:

Systems have defense ratings of 1 through 10.



1= No installations

No ships permanently assigned

2= No installations

Less than six ships (Destroyer class) permanently assigned

3= Less than six defsats in orbit

Less than six ships (Destroyer class), or one to three ships (heavy cruiser class) permanently assigned

4= Six defsats in orbit

Less than six ships (Destroyer class), or one to three ships (heavy cruiser class) permanently assigned

5= Six defsats in orbit

Six ships (Destroyer class), or one to three ships (heavy cruiser class) permanently assigned

6= Eight defsats in orbit

Six ships (Destroyer class), or one to three ships (heavy cruiser class) permanently assigned

7= Eight defsats in orbit

One to three ships (heavy cruiser class) permanently assigned

8= Nine or ten defsats in orbit

One to three ships (heavy cruiser class) permanently assigned

9= Shipyard assigned

Four to six ships (heavy cruiser class) permanently assigned

10= Starbase assigned

Four to six ships (heavy cruiser class), or any number of carriers permanently assigned



Planets have natural simple combat multiplier of x100 without any added defense, as well as 100 defenders. To conquer a planet, you must defeat it in simple combat and boarding party action.



System Negotiation:

On first turn, 2/6 chance (1d6, 1-2 required). On second turn, 4/6 chance (1d6, 1-4 required). On third turn, 5/6 chance (1d6, 1-5 required). if you do not succeed at that point, negotiations fail. You have to vacate system and wait three turns, then you can return try again. If you fight off pirates in system, you automatically have 5/6 chance of success. If you attack system and fail to conquer it, system is closed to negotiation.

Fifty Points Stardate 0310.01

Klingon Black Fleet reports Federation civilian distress signal from neutral corridor exit. Retransmitted to Federation fleet at coordinates (v,10).


Klingon ambassador Khemara protests presence of civilian Federation craft in area.