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 NEXUSm VOL. 3 N 0 .2
O P E N IN G
I IN C S S T A R F IR E
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Starfall—Roy N oyes............................................................................................. 3
Quickly? Yes, sometimes! In an era Large Fleet Battles—Peter Gumeau and Ken Quinnes.....................................4
when men are capable of living in space, T ales o f the L egen d ary T hom as ‘B lack B ea rd ’ C allow ay
smashing atoms into tiny components Fiction and S cen arios—Perrin D. T ong.................................................. 6
and seeing Australian-Rules Football on S team boats & Space S tation s—Steve White
cable, it was bound to happen sooner or T h e In d u stria l E co n o m ic L evel in N e w E m p ir e s ..................... 11
later. Nexus is out on time. H IS T O R I C A L G A M IN G
In the Nexus 16 ‘Opening Lines,’ I indi­ To the A ntipodes!—Christopher Vorder Bruegge
cated that Mark McLaughlin was the de­ A D ecep tiv ely P ea cefu l A p p roach to V ic e ro y s! ......................... 13
signer of East Wind Rain; however, I for­ Q uick-Start E m pires—Mark G. McLaughlin
got to include Chris Vorder Bruegge as A V ic e ro y s! S c e n a r i o ............................................................................ 16
the co-designer of this game. Sorry about V iceroys! E rrata—Mark G. McLaughlin........................................................ 17
that, Chris. E a st W in d R a in : An E conom ic C am p aign —James C. Gordon ......... 18
Gazala as Crusader—James E. Meldrum
Along the same lines, I recently found S cen a rio s for G azala, C lash o f A r m o r ............................................22
a letter in my files from Robert Arm­
strong which names James Stear as co­ D ELTA FORCE
author of ‘Claw Raffaen’s Fear.’ So I The Arm ory—William H. Keith, Jr.
want all of you to get up right now and New W eapons and E quipm ent for D elta F o rce ............................ 25
O peration sta lk er—Nina Barton
write James’s name in your Nexus 16
A D e l t a F o r c e M o d u le ..................................................................... 29
Table of Contents. I do like to give credit
where credit is due. STAR F LE E T UNIVERSE
The N ext F r o n tie r ............................................................................................35
It’s good to know that a few of you
B uild in g the W Y N Fleet—Stacy Brian Bartley..........................................36
have finally listened to me—you sent for
Shipyard R eport: W Y N Ship N am es ...................................................... 37
submission guidelines. For those of you TH E ACA DEM Y
who haven’t sent for the guidelines yet M id-T erm R eview , T erm P a p ers........................................................38
(but want to), all you have to do is send B rothers: Fiction and Scenario—Mark J. Kicmol...................................42
us an SASE and ask for Nexus submis­ C om m and the F u tu r e !................................................................................... 45
sion guidelines. To A sk the Q uestion W H Y ? ....................................................................... 46
We don’t have as many new releases H o w W o u ld Y o u H a n d le ? .....................................................................46
this time around as we did last time. The H eat o f B attle—Fleet Captain Mark Schultz..........................................47
Those releases which are not already out у ъ т з у т а К . я з ф •е м е щ е
T h e S econ d F ed er a tio n -K zin ti W a r —Alan M. Gopin................ 48
are scheduled to be released sometime be­
T h e ISC in F & E .......................................................................................49
fore Origins.
T a c t i c a l N o t e s ......................................................................................49
STAR FLEET COMMUNICATIONS CENTER......................................................... 50
Starline 2200 Miniatures:
Orion Slaver
Andromedan Conquistador and Python The source fox Nexus subscriptions in Australia is:
MILITARY SIMULATIONS PTY. LTD.
SFB Tactics Manual 18 Fonceca, Mordialloc, Vic. 3195
Delta Force Companion
Tricks o f the Trade Nexus is published quarterly by Task Publisher: Allen D. Eldridge
Force Games, 1110 N. Fillmore, Ama­ Editor in Chief: Roy Noyes
rillo TX 79107. Subscriptions are avail­ Associate Editor: Rick L. Buck
Federation and Empire Total War is ex­
able. Editor/SFB: Stephen V. Cole
pected to be released sometime late this Subscription rate is $8.00 fo r four is­
summer, and Captain's Log 5 is cuxxently sues. Overseas subscription rates avail­ Art in this Issue:
scheduled to be an early fall release. able on request. Send all correspondence Christopher White: Cover
to the address above.
Peter Gaut: Page 4 ,13, 18
For Nexus 18, we already have a couple All material copyright © 1987, Task
Force Games unless otherwise noted. William H. Keith, Jr.: Page 6 ,9 ,2 5 ,
of excellent Starfire scenarios and a Bat- 29, 31
Typesetting on Apple® Macintosh
ilewagon scenario lined up. And the Star Ken Mayfield: Page 4, 11, 37, 39, 50
using PageMaker™ by Aldus Corp.
Fleet section will feature First Generation Printing by Standard Printing Co. and Francisco Castillo: Page 41,42, 43,
X-Ships. For people who play our Southwestern Publications o f Amarillo, 44,48
games, this is the place to be. See you Texas. Scott Stanford: Page 46
next issue. Q
 Deadly Nightside
a game-masters aid for
all role-playing systems

if the streets of your city are growing too tame, slip

across the shadowy borders to the little-known dark
side — if you dare! For unexpected adventures,
formidable foes and dangerous predicaments, come to
the Deadly Nightside — it’s the part of town where
you’re most likely to be caught dead!

The Singing Frog Sanctuary

Prodigal's Lantern Mission
Karig th e Stalker
The Bloodm oon School
Sagacity
The Cock and Bull Gaming Club
Nightside in fe rio r Court
The Sewers
The w ell o f Justice
Haansfolk
The und e rcitv
The Big Fish Gang
The House o f in fin ite Dreams
The Steel Man
Domdaniel’sGate
The Yellow poppy
Sutaka's Beasts and Beauties
The Shadow Riders

Produced by BLADE a division of Flying Buffalo inc.

 NEXUS MAGAZINE STARFIRE
Ф8.145) CAPTURED
SPACECRAFT (Optional)
by Steve White
Because of the physical differences be­
tween races and differences in the ways
their corresponding technologies are im­
plemented, a captured ship must go
by Roy Noyes ferings, and if you have anything to through a complete refit before it may be
offer, send it in and we’ll see about used by that race. All ship systems must
How about this weather? How about printing it. be replaced, using the normal refit rules
these articles? How about those fast Someone recently suggested that we in (D8.141). These systems may be re­
freighters? Well, two out of three isn’t start a Starfire Opponents Wanted bulletin placed with systems of the same type or
bad. Since several people have asked me board similar to the one in the Star Fleet with other types [see (D8.141) for any ap­
about fast freighters, let’s talk about section. If you’re interested, let me know; plicable penalties].
proofreading. we could occasionally run one if there’s Note that alien systems removed during
It’s normally best to have more than enough demand. this refit cannot be used at a later time by
one person proofread each article. In the the capturing race, and are put in storage
case of ‘Crasher Force,’ although several or destroyed at the player’s discretion. The
ERRATA
people (myself included) saw the article capturing player would in effect be get­
during play testing, only one person actual­ ting the hull free, but would still have to
ly proofread it. The illegality of the fast (E3.2): At what range can fighters com­ pay for the systems.
freighter design was overlooked. municate with their carrier?
For those of you who have been won­ The chart on page eight of The Gorm- * * * * *
dering, fast freighters are not legal under Khanate War should say ‘SPACECRAFT
the current design rules. At the present (including fighters)’ instead of ‘SPACE­ With the radical increase in anti-fighter
time, warships may have no more than systems, the common strikefighter be­
CRAFT (not fighters).’ That is, fighters
ten percent of their total hull spaces devot­ came less useful. A new generation of
may communicate with their carrier as
ed to cargo holds. fighters (more accurately called bombers)
long as they are in the same system hex
Since Nexus 16, I have received a few as the carrier. were designed to counter and overcome
suggestions for higher tech level Starfire the new defensive systems.
systems. We’re still accepting ideas.
In most areas, the rules for Starfire are (E6.2): Do units on standby retain their Mark I Bomber (MK1)
fairly simple. We’d like to keep it that inherent scanner capability? by Don Jacques
way, so are looking for systems which Yes. Units on standby retain all inher­ Each MK1 costs forty-five MgC and is
would be easy to use and mostly agree ent capabilities which are not delegated to available at HT12. The MK1 begins with
with current rules. If you’ve come up specific spacecraft systems under the defi­ thirteen pulses of movement This is re­
with a system that enhances Starfire and nitions of those systems. duced by one for each point of external
makes some kind of sense, then send it in ordnance carried. The MK1 may carry up
and we’ll consider it. to four items of external ordnance.
Since the Gorms have faster and more
I’m also still looking for new articles. I The MK1 carries three internal weapons
maneuverable ships, do all ST races have
prefer an article with a scenario included, without penalty to movement. One of
this advantage?
although I would consider using an excep­ these must be a laser or a gun. The other
tional piece of fiction without a scenario. No. The Gorms are the only race with two are load points which may carry any
Please write your article with current Star­ this ability. fighter ordnance.
fire rules in mind; it will make things so
much easier for both of us. Our address is * * * * ★ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
on page one in case you don’t have a
copy of our submission guidelines. Have you ever wondered how long a The MK1 was such a splendid success,
From time to time, I will include an op­ Terran crew could operate controls design­ that the opposition decided to go one
tional rule or two in this column for your ed for eight fingers per hand or walk better.
consideration. It will be just that—an op­ around in four-foot-high corridors of a cap­
tional rule—and should not be considered tured Rigelian vessel? Or whether a Tan- Mark II Bomber (MK2)
an official part of the Starfire system. (In grian Corsair would have to stand up dur­ by Don Jacques
spite of what you may have heard before, ing his entire tour of service upon a cap­
Each MK2 costs fifty-five MgC, and is
there are only two sources of “official” tured Orion ship? There are enough phys­
available at HT13. The MK2 begins with
Starfire rules. These are: rules printed in ical differences between most races to real­
fourteen pulses of movement. This is re­
the Starfire products themselves and rules istically prevent operation of their ships
duced by one for each point of external
labeled as “errata” beginning with this col­ and facilities by others.
ordnance carried. The MK2 may carry up
umn in Nexus 15.) Steve White has come up with a solu­
to four items of external ordnance.
If an item here receives enough positive tion to this problem for those players
The MK2 carries four internal weapons
response (or a lack of negative response), who wish to address it (and also for those
without penalty to movement. Of these,
it may be included in a future product. So who just don’t like having their ships
let me know what you think of these of­ captured). — Continued on page 12.
3
 STARFIRE NEXUS M AGAZINE

LARGE FLEET BATTLES There is also another consideration

which the charts do not take into account.
by Peter Gurneau and Ken Quinnies This is that the point defense system may
be destroyed during the volley. This again
is dependent on the particular situation.
If one considers that the missiles from
one volley come in simultaneously and as­
sumes all available point defense fires
before the volley hits, this is no prpblem.
If any point defense systems are lost,
there will be fewer systems for the next
incoming volley, and the player simply
moves left to the appropriate column.
The charts can also be used to help opti­
mize the ratio of point defense to weap­
ons systems for ship designs. And if play­
ers do not wish to use them at all for com­
bat, the charts can still be referenced to
give an idea of what to expect in battle.

THE CALCULATIONS
CHART A (See Facing Page)
Prob. Chance of Rolling
of Hit Hit Prob. or Less
2 1 in 36: 1 - 36 = .0277778
3 3 in 36: 3 + 36 = .0833333
4 6 in 36: 6 * 36 = .1666667
5 10 in 36: 10 + 36 = .2777778
6 15 in 36: 15 - 36 = .4166667
7 21 in 36: 21 36 = .5833333
One interesting aspect of New Empires If each side has a large force with (XO), 8 26 in 36: 26 + 36 = .7222222
is running the economy of an empire and there are basically two ways of resolving 9 30 in 36: 30 * 36 = .8333333
manipulating the flow of resources to the battle. One is to go ‘by the book’ and 10 33 in 36: 33 + 36 = .9166667
knock out opponents. With evenly match­ roll for each volley and for point defense, 11 35 in 36: 35 4-36 = .9722222
ed players, the outcome of battles is deter­ and buy a new set of dice to replace those 12 36 in 36: 36 * 36 = 1.0
mined by how much production is lost. just worn out. An alternative is to use To calculate the number of weapons
After a few months of fighting, battles probabilities to resolve large volleys. that hit, multiply the number of weapons
tend to be quite large—especially if a play­ In this method, matrices give the proba­ fired by the chance of rolling that weap­
er only has one link to his opponent bility of the number of hits scored given on’s hit probability number or less.
The fleet battles in most campaigns a certain number of weapons fired. The Example: Sixty CAP missiles are
dwarf any scenarios to date. For example, number of CAP and STD missiles stop­ fired at a range o f twelve hexes. These
on turn eight in ‘The Orman Incident’ of ped by from one to twelve point defense missiles need dicerolls o f ten or less to
The Gorm-Khanate War, we had a fleet systems is also given by these matrices. hit. The calculation fo r this would be as
battle with three hundred and fourteen Fractions of one-half or greater rounded follows: (.9166667) x 60 = 55.000002 =
ships. Each side had no less than forty- up in these matrices, and those less than 55 hits (rounded down in this case).
five battleships and thirty-three battlecruis- one-half rounded down. This could be con­
ers, taking about seven hours to conclude. sidered to take into account the luck of CHART В (See Facing Page)
Large fleet battles make memorable the conventional method. As volleys be­ Calculating the number of STD
games, but fighting a battle for that many come larger and larger, the error is never missiles stopped by point defense is a bit
hours and realizing only five minutes of greater than one-half, and thus the result more complicated. The method used is
game time has passed is frustrating. tends to be a more accurate representation. essentially the same, but the calculations
The advent of the external ordnance rack There are drawbacks to this method. must be carried out a number of times.
also increased the intensity of battles by One is that it does not take into account Note that these calculations indicate the
increasing the size of the missile volleys critical hits (for those who use them), be­ number of missiles stopped, while Chart
fired. For example, an average datalinked cause of the randomness of the critical hit B, at the end of this article, shows the
group of battleships could unleash sixty being scored against shields or armor number of missiles which will still hit.
CAP missiles in its first volley, which which wouldn’t count. The first time a player rolls against in­
will bring almost any target to its knees. Those who wish to keep critical hits coming STD missiles, he needs a five or
Even smaller groups of ships are now without rolling dice could simply give less, which has a probability of five out
dangerous. The (XO) completely changes one critical hit for every increment of of six, or 5*6 =.833333.
the complexion of the game by making thirty-six weapons fired (since there is a The second time he rolls, he needs a
players put more defenses on their ships. one in thirty-six chance of rolling a two). four or less, or 4+6=.6666667. As he con-
4
 NEXUS MAGAZINE к 5TARFIRIС
tinues to roll successive times: 3+6=.50; One point defense system was idle; Note one point defense system commit­
2+6=3333333; 1*6=. 1666667 each missile may only be fired on once. ted to STD missiles (assuming at least
Example: A ship has one point de­ five incoming missiles) yields: 5+6x(l) +
fense system and five or more missiles CHART С (See Below) 4+6x(l) + 3+6x(l) + 2+6x(l) + l+6x(l)
are going to hit if not stopped. The calcu­ Calculating the number of CAP mis­ = 15+6 = 2.5. Therefore, the player saves
lation fo r this is: 5*6x(l) + 4+6x(l) + siles stopped uses the same procedure, himself 2.5 points of damage.
3-*6x(l) + 2-H5x(l) + l-*6x(l) = 15+6 = but the probabilities are changed. One point defense system committed to
2 5 =3 STD stopped (rounded up). Again, note that these calculations indi­ CAP missiles (assuming at least five in­
In this example, the point defense sys­ cate the number of missiles stopped, coming missiles) yields: 25+36x(l) + 16
tem overloads with the first five missiles, while Chart C, below, shows the number +36x(l) + 9+36x(l) + 4+36x(l) + 1+36X
and will only stop three STD missiles. of missiles which will still hit (1) = 55+36 = 1.5277778. Remember
Example: Twenty-one STD missiles The first time a player rolls for point de­ CAP missiles do two points of damage
are going to hit if not stopped. The ship fense against a CAP missile, he must roll each; therefore the player saves himself
they are going to hit has five point de­ a five or less twice. This has a probabili­ 3.0555556 points of damage.
fense systems. The calculation fo r this is: ty of 25 +36 = .6944444. What this shows is that a player will
5+6x(5) + 4+6x(5) + 3+6x(5) + 2+6x(5) Rolling to intercept a second time, the stop more damage by committing his
+ l-*6x(l) = 71+6 = 11.833333 - 12 player needs a four or less twice, or point defense systems against CAP mis­
STD missiles stopped (rounded up). 16+36 = .4444444. After that, he needs a siles. The difference might not seem
What has happened, in effect, is that three or less twice, or 9+36 = .25; a two much; but when there are sixty incoming
the player has rolled five times for a five or less twice, or 4+36 = .1111111; then a missiles, it adds up.
or less, five times for a four or less, five one twice, or 1+36 = .0277778. Editor's Note: The authors indicated
times for a three or less, five times for a Example: Twenty-one CAP missiles they would be glad to send copies o f the
two or less and finally one time for a one. will hit a ship with five point defense sys­ charts fo r values from thirty-one through
Example: If only four missiles were tems unless they are stopped. The calcula­ sixty to anyone who included twenty-five
coming at that same ship, with five point tion for this is: 25+36x(5) + 16+36x(5) cents and a self-addressed, stamped envel­
defense systems, the calculation would + 9+36x(5) + 4+36x(5) + l+36x(l) = ope with his request. Send it to: Peter
be: 5+6x(4) = 20*6 = 3.3333333 - 3 271+36 = 7.5277778 - 8 CAP missiles Gurneau, 5680 N. Sunny Point Rd.,
STD missiles stopped (rounded down). stopped (rounded up). Glendale W I53209. П
CHART A CHART В CHARTC
I jfWprts Hit Probability #Poss. Number of Point #Poss. Number of Point
I .'Fired Number Required Hits/Std Defense Systems Hits/Cap Defense Systems

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ■10 11 21
1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 o 0 0 0 0 0 0 o 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 _0 j _0
2 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
3 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
4 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
5 0 0 1 1 2 3 4 4 5 5 5 5 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
e 0 1 1 23 4 4 5 6 6 6 6 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 4 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 j f
7 0 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 6 7 7 7 4 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 5 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 _2^
3 0 1 1 2 3 5 6 7 7 8 8 8 5 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 6 5 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 _2_
9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 8 9 9 9 6 4 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 9 7 6 5 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3~
10 0 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 10 10 7 5 4 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 10 8 7 6 5 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3
11 0 1 2 3 5 6 8 9 10 11 11 11 8 6 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 11 9 8 7 6 5 5 4 4 4 4 3 3
12 0 1 2 3 5 7 9 10 11 12 12 12 9 7 5 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 12 10 9 7 6 6 5 5 5 4 4 4 4
13 0 1 2 4 5 8 9 11 12 13 13 13 10 8 6 5 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 13 11 10 8 7 7 6 5 5 5 54 4
14 0 1 2 4 6 8 10 12 13 14 14 14 11 9 7 5 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 14 12 11 9 8 7 7 6 6 6 55 J
15 0 1 3 4 6 9 11 13 14 15 15 15 12 10 7 6 5 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 15 13 12 10 9 8 7 7 6 6 66 5
16 0 1 3 4 7 9 12 13 15 16 16 16 13 11 8 7 6 5 4 4 4 4 3 3 16 14 13 11 10 9 8 8 7 7 6
6 6
17 0 1 3 5 7 10 12 14 16 17 17 17 14 12 9 7 6 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 17 15 14 12 11 10 9 8 8 7 7 7 6
18 1 2 3 5 8 11 13 15 17 18 18 18 15 13 10 8 7 6 5 5 4 4 4 4 18 16 15 13 12 11 10 9 8 8 7
7 7
19 1 2 3 5 8 11 14 16 17 18 19 19 16 14 11 9 8 7 6 5 5 5 4 4 19 17 16 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 88 8
20 1 2 3 6 8 12 14 17 18 19 20 20 17 15 12 10 8 7 6 6 5 5 5 5 20 18 17 15 14 12 11 11 10 9 9
8 8
21 1 2 4 6 9 12 15 18 19 20 21 21 18 16 13 11 9 8 7 6 6 5 5 5 21 19 18 16 15 13 12 11 11 10 99 9
22 1 2 4 6 9 13 16 18 20 21 22 22 19 17 14 12 10 9 8 7 6 6 5 5 22 20 19 17 16 14 13 12 11 11 10
9 9
23 1 2 4 6 10 13 17 19 21 22 23 23 20 18 15 13 11 9 8 7 7 6 6 6 23 21 20 18 17 15 14 13 12 11 11 10 10
24 1 2 4 7 10 14 17 20 22 23 24 24 21 19 16 14 12 9 8 7 7 6
10 6 24 22 21 19 18 16 15 14 13 12 12 11 10
25 1 2 4 7 11 15 18 21 23 24 25 25 22 20 17 15 12 10 9 8 7 7
11 6 25 23 22 20 19 17 16 15 14 13 12 12 11
26 1 2 4 7 11 15 19 22 24 25 26 26 23 21 18 16 13 12
10 9 8 8 7 7 26 24 23 21 20 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 12
27 1 2 5 8 11 16 20 23 24 26 27 27 24 22 19 17 14 11 10 9 8 8
12 7 27 25 24 22 21 19 18 17 16 14 14 13 13
28 1 2 5 8 12 16 20 23 26 27 28 28 25 23 20 18 15 13 12 11 10 9 8 8 28 26 25 23 22 20 19 17 16 15 15 14 13
29 J _ _2__5_ 8 _12 17 j n 24 27 _28J!9 29 26 24 21_ 19 16 J 4 j 12 j n J i _9j J j 8 29 27 26 24 23 21 _20 18 J7 16 15 15 14
30 _1_ _5_ _8_ Л 18 _22 25 _28 29 _30 30 27 _25 22 20 17 [15 13 J 2 _n _10_9j 9 30 28 _27 25j 24_ 22 _21_ 19 18 17 16 15 15

5
 STARFIRE NEXUS MAGAZINE
Another hour passes.
‘IaCes o f the LegendaryThomas The moment everyone is waiting for is
drawing nearer. The tension is mounting.
'‘BCacfCBeard' CaCtoway Breathing is becoming audible, sweat is
becoming visible on their brows as every­
by Perrin D. Tong thing seems to come together. Until,
finally, the young junior classman that
has been sitting in the center of all this
attention for nearly seven and a half hours
stands up like a rocket
“Gentlemen.. . he announces in a soft,
commanding tone. He pauses long
enough to look at each o f his peers before
continuing, “I most sincerely believe we
can bring it off,” he finishes.
A warm smile reaches his lips and
melts away to fill the room and replace
the exhaustion that would normally have
crept upon the students at this time in the
morning. Instead, they all seem to be­
come rejuvenated with the silent victory
o f knowing that their plans would be­
come successful, to the extent that they
configured that night, at least
Thomas J. Calloway was going to lead
these would-be officers further into his­
tory than any one o f them could have
imagined. But Calloway himself always
knew exactly what was going on, where
he was going or what he was doing or say­
ing—always. Except, o f course, when
that disgusting Terran-Khanate half breed
exchange student was around.
Alkosr’alzikhorak, also a junior class­
INTRODUCTION focuses on the locked door. The only man, had been at the Latta Mingh Mili­
Time: 0217 horns. movement is a student wiping his nose. tary University for less than three years.
Date: 15 September, 2368. “Snack time fellas,” whispers a sweet And, at his present rate o f study, Callo­
Place: The Phi-Kappa-Delta fraternity young voice as she stifles a yawn. way figured he would complete the requir­
house, Latta Mingh Military University, The door is quickly and quietly opened. ed criteria for graduation in less time and
Epsilon Eridani, three miles outside the A tray o f quartered sandwiches is accepted with higher scores than he himself. Callo­
greater metropolis of Nova Thaniel, a city silently, with only a smile, by one o f the way couldn’t stand it. And he became
of historical and military museums and students. Another approaches to receive a spiteful towards Alkosr (and all Khanates)
establishments of the original Terran Sur­ tray o f glasses o f milk from another girl because of this.
vey Command Main Base founded in coming down the hall. As quickly as they Calloway, the competitive type, always
2093 to take advantage of the favorable came, the girls leave. Not a word has pass­ prepared to win, believes that he who dies
warp configuration that exists there. ed since she first announced her arrival. with the most toys wins. He had planned
Situation: Several untamed junior The door is closed and locked. to graduate at the top of his class. But
classmen are sitting around a card table Excitement fills the air as nourishment with Alkosr around that wasn’t likely.
with a single, bright desk lamp making is passed out and preparations continue. The Terran-Khanate was an exceptional
the rest o f the den seem dimly lit. The The student at the head of the table specimen for a half breed, which is the
door is closed and locked, the windows are grabs a glass of milk, a napkin and sever­ only reason he had become an exchange
shut, and the blinds drawn. al sandwich bits passed his way and then student at one o f the most prestigious uni­
All attention is focused on a single stu­ falls quickly back into his pace. The other versities in all o f the combined empires.
dent who is figuring, etching and writing students one by one join him. Several Alkosr was scheduled to present his
as he flips back and forth between several times he jabs a hand outward, palm up, as thesis soon, which consisted o f a Frigate
pieces of paper in a notebook. He tears would a surgeon. One student or another class ship fitted with a modified propul­
his notes from the notebook to refer be­ quickly fills it with a pencil, eraser, calcu­ sion system. Ironic as it may seem, Callo­
tween them more easily. lator, template or other implement needed way was planning the same thing. This
The only noise that can be heard is the at the time of his silent beckoning. made matters worse, naturally. Being beat­
shuffling of the paper. Suddenly, a sneeze Everyone knows what is going on, yet en to the head of the graduating class by
startles the silence and then a knock is not a sound is heard save the sound of someone with higher scores than himself,
heard on the door. Even the walls seem to those still eating, the rustling of paper someone who would present an identical
gasp silently as all attention momentarily and the sound of pencil on paper. thesis before Galloway had a chance to
 NEXUS M AGAZINE STARFIRE
show the empire who Thomas John Callo­ Typical Hired Mercenary Khanate furbags went another three
way was—well, that was just too much. Frigate months without their precious supplies
And, as if that wasn’t enough, ‘fur- FG (1) SSSAAZQW(0Lh(0WW(I) (3) and goodies.
balls’ and ‘powderpuffs’ [you figure it Typical Hired Mercenary What a thrill to see a couple o f freight­
out!] from surrounding colleges and other Corvette ers torchedV thought Calloway. He would
star systems were coming to see this Ori­ CT (1) SSSAZQLh(i)(i)(i)(i)(i)(i)F (6) love nothing more than to work off a few
on proteg6. There was even talk o f nam­ anxieties by twitching his fingers on the
ing the spring break, when all theses were Converted Khanate Light fire control buttons of his experimental
to be on exhibit, the ‘Alkosr Festival.’ Cruiser frigate.
How disgusting. CL (2) (6xS)(3xA)ZH(Ii)L(Ii)(Ii)WT(Ii) His frigate—the thought rolled around
With Alkosr in the limelight, what was (fi)QLhXr(fi)DXE (6) on his mental viewscreen. It wasn’t actual­
Calloway to do but beat the bag o f fur to Freighter—Type I ly his, yet, but he was becoming more
the punch line? That meant taking a rath­ FI (3) SSAQHHHHHBHHHHHLhD(I)(I) fond o f the idea with every moment he
er dangerous risk by stepping up his (2) spent working on its drive system. And
plans for testing by many weeks. And he felt it was only fitting that he should
that was what he and his friends were fig­ Freighter—Type Ш name his baby after himself.
uring during that seven and a half hours. F2 (3) SSA(Hx6)B(Hx6)DHHH[EX]HHH “FGX Calloway ” he thought aloud. “It
Alkosr might be popular with the Khan­ DQLhW(I)(I) (2) does have a nice ring to it, doesn’t i t ”
ate in this neck o f the woods, but Callo­ *FGX Calloway has two experimental And those few thoughts were all the
way also had quite a following, establish­ engines. These are designated by the code motivation he needed to hasten his project
ed well before the Teiran-Khanate creep ‘Ш,’ and are the revolutionary engines of and commence making history.
came along. Calloway knew too many his thesis. Each o f these engines provides
other ‘military brats’ like himself who two movement points. They are not com­ SCENARIO I—CALLOWAY’S
also disliked the Khanate, even prior to pletely dependable, but as long as Callo­ FIRST RAID—31 October, 2368
the arrival of Alkosr. way is at the helm he’ll manage to keep
But he had to do what he had to do. them going. FGX CALLOWAY
And so did his peers. Some would follow fThere is a new module available to the
him directly, others only in spirit, and pirate player: the Extracting Module, KHANATE SUPPLY CONVOY
some in spirit now and at his side in the [EX], This module allows for the extrac­ FI (4) SSAHHHHWHHHBHHHHQLhD
future.
It is hard to believe that the following
tion o f valuable goods from any other
ship. It may also create its own dock and
(00) (2)
course o f events was started by a simple airlock. It contains all equipment for dock­ F2 (4) SSAHHHHHB(HxlO)BHHHWHH
personal rivalry. ing, creating a dock and extracting goods HQLhD(I)(I) (2)
within, but may not be used to store
goods. Cargo holds must be employed for Victory Conditions: FGX Callo­
PART ONE: 31 October, 2368—
such storage. way must in less than ten turns, destroy
19 December, 2371 or disable both freighters before they
The [EX] module requires three hull
spaces and is available at HT Ш. Each leave the mapsheet. Any other result is a
The following scenarios are tactical sim­ Khanate victory.
ulations of the early years o f growth of module costs twelve to twenty-two MgC
the legendary Thomas ‘Black Beard’ Callo­ (10+2D6 MgC) and can only be acquired
from a non-imperial (probably illegal) Special Rules:
way and his pirate consortium. The fol­ 1. Opposing ships enter from opposite
lowing lists the ships available to him at source. (The variable price is caused by an
unstable black market) sides o f the tactical mapsheet
any given time or place. 2. The Khanate freighters are battle
Note: All ships listed above are fo r ready.
CALLOWAY’S EARLY PIRATE use by the Pirate player. The other 3. FGX Calloway has the initiative for
CONSORTIUM player’s units will be listed by scenario. the first three turns.
Calloway’s Experimental
Frigate (FGX)* PRELUDE INTERLUDE
FG (1) SAQLh(I)W[I]DX(I)mE (6)
Calloway had spent many long days The raid was a smashing success! A
FGX Upgraded* and nights in preparation for his trial run few pirate ships in the area expressed their
FG (1) SSSAQLh(I)W[T]DX(I)|T|E (6) since that night of reckoning in the den of gratitude over the radio waves. How odd,
DD High Seas the Phi-Kappa-Delta house. But the best thought Calloway, then realized there had
DD (1) SSSAAH(I)TQLh(I)F(I)Xr(I)N(I) part was soon to arrive: the quarterly ship­ been no customs escorts for the freight­
(0 (6) ment o f Khanate ‘Red Cross’ packages ers—which didn’t seem too surprised to
was due in a few days. see a frigate coming their way.
DD High Seas (Refit) Calloway decided that he was going to Calloway soon learned a local mercen­
DD (1) (6xS)AAH(I)TQLh(I)F(I)Xr(I)N(I) kill two birds with one stone; not only ary group, also against Khanates in the
(0 (6) was he going to put his creation through area, had decided to use Calloway to their
Salvager Onet a test flight before Alkosr launched his advantage by drawing the Tenan escorts
F3 (3) SSSSAAA(6xH)[EX](6xH)T(4xH) own thesis, despite all the negative pres­ away from the convoy, thus allowing Cal­
(I)(4xH)[EX](4xH)(I)(4xH)DLhQ(I)(I)E sure he was receiving from the administra­ loway to release some tension upon the
(4) tion, he was going to see that all the freighters.
7
 STARFIRE NEXUS M AGAZINE
Calloway felt impressed rather than INTERLUDE pairing his ship and trying to find and es­
used. And now that he was an oudaw, he tablish a line o f communications with the
Some damage was sustained before the
could use a few friends, wherever they local mercenaries. If he was to grow he
escorts were destroyed, but Calloway was
were. He would worry about that later. was going to need more firepower.
quickly learning batde tactics. He cleverly
For now he had to be concerned with pro­ He also began making contact with
kept out of range o f the weaponry on the
viding for his brave crew of volunteers some old fraternity brothers who should
base until he finished playing around with
while they still respected him as much as have been assigned to ship duties during
the escorts. Once the escorts were gone,
they hated the Khanates. And what better the summer break before their senior sem­
he had yet another problem to solve; how
way than taking from the Khanates. ester. And what better timing than to
to capture the supply base without damag­
make a move during a rather noisy Fourth
ing it in the process. Calloway opened
SCENARIO П—RAID ON of July celebration.
communications while staying at a safe
OUTPOST UNO’BALKA Ш — 14 distance.
November, 2368 A few minutes had gone by with only SCENARIO Ш —MUTINY ON
insults and bluffs being thrown back and THE HIGH SEAS—4 July, 2369
FGX CALLOWAY forth. The customs base was a tough nut
Enters by the right edge o f the tactical indeed, but the supply base was unarmed. FGX CALLOWAY
map. The one thing Calloway least expected
nearly foiled the entire raid; the Khanate TFG ‘HIGH SEAS’
KHANATE SUPPLY BASE AND trash had armed furbags stationed on the DD (1) SSSAAH(I)TQLh(I)F(I)Xr(I)N(I)
DEPOT base. Two full infantry companies at that! (0 (6)
Customs Base Calloway had threatened to destroy the
BS2 (0) SSSSAAHQDQXrXDQLhL(SP) base entirely while the Khanate Base Victory Conditions: FGX Callo­
(0) Commander had threatened to send shut­ way must capture the destroyer to be vic­
In hex 0707. This base has 2xXO with tles of boarding parties to capture the frig­ torious. This is done by approaching the
one capital missile. ate. The Khanate commander knew Callo­ ship, not firing, taking all fire and hoping
Supply Base way wanted the supply base. Calloway the crew successfully carries out its
BS1 (0) SSSSAAHHDHHBHHHHDQLh knew the Khanate was not properly equip­ mutiny.
ped to board his ship. Such idle threats
(0) got them nowhere fast Special Rules:
In hex 0507.
Quickly, Calloway had taken pencil and 1. Opposing ships enter from opposite
Escorts 67 and 68 paper in hand and shonly thereafter had
(1) SAZ(i)(i)GGQLh(i)(i) (4) edges of the tactical map.
come up with the solution. He called his
Placed anywhere in Section E o f the 2. Only the DD High Seas can fire
top engineers, electronics experts and
mapsheet. Each escort has 2xXO loaded weapons unless the mutiny fails (see 3c
weapons technicians to confer. The confer­
with standard missiles. below).
ence was interrupted by the shudder of the
frigate being hit by a large missile. This 3. Use two six-sided dice for a mutiny
Others:
hit one o f his regular ion drives and made enabling roll, as follows:
Terrestrial planet in hex 0605.
him furious. a. On any turn, a diceroll of less
Victory Conditions: FGX Callo­ “Power the energy beam and channel it than the turn number starts the mutiny.
way must destroy the escorts, disable (not through the auxiliary circuits,” he ordered b. On a roll o f two, the entire muti­
destroy) the customs base and knock the weapons technicians. “See what you ny is successful; no combat is required.
down die shields o f the supply base in can do in engineering,” he instructed the c. A diceroll of ten, eleven or twelve
order to gain a victory. Any other result engineers. “Change those transmission indicates a failed attempt to mutiny.
is a Khanate victory. crystals and run the energy beam through d. If a mutiny has started, go to step
the digital delay transmitter probe,” he de­ four.
Special Rules: manded of the electronics technicians. 4. To simulate the mutiny, the player
1. The energy beam will skip (ignore) That had been the ingenious part. With must ‘capture’ all internal systems of DD
the quarters (Q) system in the same man­ the digital delay transmitter probe, he was High Seas, in the following manner
ner as holds. able to spread die energy o f a single salvo
over several minutes, making it harm­ a. The FGX Calloway player rolls
2. The Khanate player determines the
less—sort of. It had just enough punch to two six-sided dice.
facings of his bases.
3. FGX Calloway has the initiative for act like an oversized stun-gun. b. The DD High Seas player rolls
the first three turns. Within an hour, all the Khanate troops one six-sided die.
4. The customs base has a single capi­ had been disarmed and transported to the c. The difference in these rolls
tal missile hidden beneath its outer hull. planet’s surface, out of the way. Most of (2D6-1D6) is the number of internal sys­
Using two six-sided dice, make an enab­ the base crew was shipped to the planet as tems ‘captured.’ Circle them in order,
ling roll each turn (roll the turn number well. A few officers were kept aboard for from left to right If the ‘captured’ system
or less) until this missile is launched. If information purposes only. is a weapon, it can no longer be fired at
the base is disabled before the missile is Calloway and his crew now had a base FGX Calloway. If it is an ion engine, the
launched, the missile launches 1D6 turns of operations, at least temporarily. For ship may be slowed.
later. If the missile is fired after the base several months, Calloway conducted raids d. If the difference in the dicerolls is
is disabled, the frigate will be surprised, only when needed (for morale or actual a negative number, a system is reclaimed
and will not receive a point defense roll. supplies). He spent most of his time re­ by DD High Seas.
8
 NEXUS M AGAZINE STARFIRE
5. If a mutiny has not begun by turn the first missiles may be launched. On
ten, the FGX Calloway player may elect that turn and every turn thereafter, the
to destroy the DD or continue the mutiny planet can launch missiles at the pirates.
attempts in hopes of rolling a two.
6. If the High Seas is destroyed in this SCENARIO V—TYPICAL
scenario, it cannot be used in future NUISANCE ATTACKS—
scenarios. November, 2369 to July, 2371
7. The mutiny attempt may begin as
soon as the High Seas is within weapons Note: This is a variable scenario.
range. Each combat round, all necessary Players must roll dice to determine what
mutiny rolls are made and carried out ships are at their disposal.
(including reclaiming captured weapons)
before combat occurs. FGX Calloway and DD High Seas
8. FGX Calloway may tactically man­ In addition:
euver, but may not move directly away 1-6 Hired Mercenary Frigates
from (appear to be fleeing) the High Seas 1-6 Hired Mercenary Corvettes
during the mutiny attempt without Add Salvager One if any Khanate
causing the attempt to fail. freighters are involved.

Khanate Ships
INTERLUDE Escort
The mutiny was rough, but inevitable. (1) SSAZH(i)(i)QLh(i)(i)L (4)
The Fourth of July party was a great cov­ Frigate
er, catching almost everyone in a post­ (1) SSAAZHWD(I)(I)QLhL(I)(I) (4)
party stupor. And yet, trying to tell a
drunk to sit tight while one took over Destroyers
could still be quite an unpleasant (1) SSSAZH(I)L(I)W(I)Q(I)D(I)Lh(I) (6)
experience. SCENARIO IV— A TYPICAL Light Cruisers
Nearly half of those indulging in the RAIDING PARTY—September, (2) SSSSAAAZ(Ii)L(Ii)(Ii)W(Ii)XrQLh(Ii)
festivities quickly heightened to a fight­ 2369 to August, 2371 W(Ii)DL (6)
ing mode, still having enough wits left to
realize that there was a mutiny in prog­ FGX Calloway (Upgrade) Die Roll Resul f
ress. Of those not partying were the bulk Includes DD High Seas (refit) and Sal­ Number of 1 2 3 4 5 6
of Calloway’s mutineers, operating the vager One.
Escorts J_ 2 3 4 5 0
ship and taking it out of bounds. But, of
course, someone noticed; and the mutin­ Ophiuchi Passenger Liner Frigates 1 2 3 4 0 0
eers had to fight for total control of the F3 (3) (Sx8)(Ax7)HDHDiHDi(5xQ)B Destroyers 1 2 3 0 0 0
ship. Such is life... (5xQ)XrXWOOOOQLhCD(I)(I)(I)(I)E
Now that Calloway had another ship un­ (4)
Light Cruisers J j 2 0 0 0 0
der his belt, it was time for him to build GB (0) SSSSSAAAZHXrWDRMgRcQ Make a separate roll for each ship type.
■a bank. And during the two years that Lh (0) If no warships are available (because of
followed, he did just that. While doing so unlucky die rolls) use two FIs and one
he also began to search out places where Others: F2, as found in Scenario I. Roll one more
people (and other beings) weren’t too Terrestrial planet in hex 1717. time for frigates.
interested in asking too many questions
about the folk they did business with—as Victory Conditions: Capture the Victory Conditions: Fighting con­
long as they had the credits to do business liner. tinues until one side withdraws or has no
with, that is. forces left If Khanate freighters are in­
Calloway slowly established an under­ Special Rules: volved, they must be captured to gain a
ground network for movement, supplies 1. Opposing ships enter the tactical victory.
and communications while at the same map from opposite sides. Players roll for
time conducting random raids on passen­ first choice of entry. Special Rules:
ger liners in both the Terran and the Ophi- 2. At least one extracting module on None in particular. Players may feel
uchi sectors. Of course, he used ships Salvager One must be intact to capture free to come up with special rules and oth­
bearing Khanate markings for conducting goods from the liner. er material to make this scenario more ex­
these raids. 3. All ships are battle ready; the plan­ citing; but these should be agreed upon
Calloway also carried out nuisance at­ et’s defenses warned the liner. before the start of the scenario.
tacks against Khanate border patrols—for 4. The planet has one groundbase,
practice and pure spite. During that time which has been powered prior to the arriv­
(until the Combined Secret Service final­ al of the pirate fleet Roll to determine INTERLUDE
ly discovered there was an outside party the groundbase’s facing. Use a six-sided Two years had passed, and Thomas J.
involved), Calloway managed to keep the die and an enabling roll (roll the turn num­ Calloway was still at large. But now
major powers on the brink of war. ber or less) to determine the turn in which there was a price on his head. The law had
9
 STARFIRE NEXUS M AGAZINE
come to the conclusion that he was the 4. The BBs have a maximum speed o f its destruction came through in the form 1
culprit. What was more unnerving was three and the BC has a maximum speed of o f a surprisingly undamaged battle cruiser
that information had been received that six. All Terran ships are moving at a (it seems everyone was obediently
the Terran Reserve Fleet was demothball­ speed o f three at the beginning o f the scen­ concerned with the battleships).
ing and recommissioning some old battle­ ario. The BC may increase speed the turn The battle cruiser came roaring through
ships and battlecruisers for anti-pirating after it gets within identification range of the warp point at maximum speed, only
puiposes. any pirate ship (20 hexes.) to slow down and appear confused as
Fortunately, Calloway had the fire­ 5. The BBs must use three dice for hit Calloway had his ships disperse upon
power of a captured Khanate light cruiser probability because of aging weaponry. warp transit The last thing detected as
(modified to his liking) added to his collec­ Add two to all dierolls for the BC. Calloway’s Frigate moved out of long
tion. Unfortunately, while burdened with range scanner range was the launching of
supply ships he ran into a battle group en POSTLUDE many drones. No doubt a couple were
route to a nearby shipyard for mainten­ courier drones to warn the rest o f the
Minutes before they reached their target
ance and modifications. Terran forces while the rest were scanner
warp point in the Regius star system,
drones, striking out in all directions in
while en route with supplies for Uno’bal-
search of pirate ships.
SCENARIO VI—A NARROW ka HI (where he still held a base for oper­
ESCAPE— 11 September, 2371 ations even after all this time), Callo­
After his narrow escape from the Terran
way’s supply convoy was happened upon
17th Battle Group, Calloway went into
FGX Calloway (Upgrade) by two battleships and a battle cruiser.
temporary seclusion for some much need­
Add DD High Seas (refit), Salvager Awesome! thought Calloway. I f I could
ed ‘R&R.’ Calloway also let his crew
One, 6xFl, 2xF2 and the Converted Khan get my hands on a couple o f those...
ashore for R&R—indefinitely.
CL. “Get me their group commander,” he in­
After all, each ship in his pirate fleet
structed his communications officer. A
had felt the jaws o f death close upon
Terran Reserve Battle Group 17 channel to the battle group was immedi­
them. It was a wise decision—the R&R
BB Hammer ately opened, and Calloway began a futile
that is. Most o f his followers were shak­
(4) (Sxl3)(Axl2)ZHFW(III)PHT(M2)QP attempt to talk the group into joining his
en by the loss o f their friends and fellow
DW(in)DQLhWFFD(III)(III)(in) (5) band. His answer was a salvo o f missiles.
crewmen aboard the converted Khanate
And those battleships had a lot of mis­
BB Crusher П light cruiser and freighters that were de­
siles to launch.
(3) (Sxl2)(Axl l)ZHFWH(Bn)PHT(M2)Q “Battle stations everyone, and I do
stroyed just before they could escape.
XPDW(D3)DQLhWFFD(III)(IID(III) (5) Despite the tragedy o f the lost ships
mean battle stations,” came the next com­
BC Longsword and their crews, Calloway’s popularity
mand as the two groups of ships engaged
(2) (SxlO)(Ax9)ZHWFPWOT(M3)PFHW was growing—especially after he sent con­
in a struggling race for the warp point
dolences and creditary gifts to the families
D(n)(n)DQLh(n)(n)F(n)(II) (6) “Concentrate on those battleships,” or­
of the deceased. This made news media
dered Calloway, admiring the battle cruis­
Others: headlines all across the empire. Controver­
er as it fell safely behind the hulks o f the
Warp Point in hex 3619 sy arose about the pros and cons of Callo­
battleships in a triangular formation.
way and piracy in general.
“Don’t worry about that battle cruiser just
Victory Conditions: The pirate As Calloway’s publicily continued to
yet,” he scowled, “just get those blasted
fleet must escape through the warp point grow, so did his acceptance into the well-
battleships before they tear us apart”
with as many ships as possible. The fol­ and not-so-well-established underground
Fortunately, the entire Terran group
societies throughout the empire. Callo­
lowing point values are for safe escape or was moving slower than Calloway’s
way cleverly used this to his advantage to
total destruction, whichever applies: ships, apparently because o f aged ion en­
recruit more people into his growing
FGX Calloway 100 gines and dusty engineering controls.
DD High Seas 50 outfit of privateers.
Their weaponry seemed to be a bit dusty,
Salvager One 30 [Editor’s Note: Be sure to look for
too. Soon, most o f the missile launchers
Khan CL 20 further adventures o f Thomas ‘Black
aboard the battleships were damaged, giv­
Beard’ Calloway in future issues.] Q
F2 10 each ing them some more room to breathe.
FI 5 each But something thought Calloway just
Each player receives one point for each
internal hit on an enemy ship. Victory
goes to the player with the highest point
isn't right. Just then, the scanning officer
informed him that the battle cruiser was
picking up speed.
Origins '87
total. Suddenly, everything went blank. J u ly 2nd-5th, 1987 at the B al­
tim ore C onvention C enter and
From the other side of the warp point,
H yatt Regency Inner Harbor.
Special Rules: Calloway waited as scanners and commun­
1. Pirate freighters enter the map at ications came back on line. He paused For more inform ation write:
hex 3201. long enough to watch each of his ships A tla n tic o n
2. The remaining pirate ships enter the come through and direct them to different Dept. C.A.
map at hex 0130. (Calloway tried to lure locations. That is, each ship except the P.O. Box 15405
the Terran ships away until his freighters freighters that were already destroyed and B altim ore, MD 21220
could get to the warp point) the converted Khanate light cruiser that or call
(301) 298-3135
3. Battle Group 17 enters the map at had started to take heavy fire as they got Sponsored by GAMA, the Game Manu­
hex 0701. closer to the warp point The evidence of facturer’s Association.
10
 NEXUS MAGA ZIN E STARFIRE
Steamboats & S pace Stations eration and bums itself out in thirty sec­
onds. High-Tech Level I arrives with the
The Industrial Economic Level in New Empires development o f a controllable ion drive
suitable for powering manned spacecraft
by Steve White we cannot realistically lump all pre­ In short, under these rules a race goes di­
high-tech civilizations on a single eco­ rectly from ‘pre-industrial’ to a level of
The term ‘intelligent life’ is a trouble­ nomic plane. They must be divided into technological competence beyond thehori-
some one in discussions o f extraterrestrial ‘pre-industrial’ and ‘industrial’ levels. zon of 1987 AD.
civilizations. I prefer ‘toolmakers.’ It’s The New Empires star system gener­ In the interest o f realism, I believe the
less snobbish, it has fewer syllables, and ation rules treat this matter with their usu­ industrial economic level should be sub­
it doesn’t get one into arguments with al optimism: in the population table in divided into three intermediate levels.
tiresome people who want to talk about (D4.6), Step 6, civilization is just as Therefore the following optional rule,
whales and dolphins. probable as the absence o f it, ‘industrial’ may be inserted following (D7.21).
The New Empires rules on nonplayer
races are, clearly, not just about tool­
makers, but about civilized toolmakers.
Step 6 o f rule (D4.6) states: ‘Only highly
intelligent lifeforms which are able to gen­
erate wealth are important to the game.
Any civilization which does not meet this
criterion is listed on the Population Table
as “No Population.’”
This could have been better stated. It
does little to clarify the ‘intelligent/civiliz­
ed’ dichotomy.
Perhaps an example would help. Sup­
pose high-tech aliens had landed on Earth
in 6000 BC. Earth, at that time, was in­
habited by a race o f intelligent toolmak­
ers: us. Homo sapiens was present in his
modem form, people as inherently clever
and handsome as you or I.
But could the human population o f that
time have functioned as a New Empires
nonplayer race does? In other words, could
it have offered any significant military re­
sistance to the colonizers and, if conquer­
ed or won over, could it have enhanced
the planet’s economic value?
Not bloody likely! From either stand­
point, our aliens might as well have land­
ed in 6,000,000 BC. In fact, I suspect is three-fourths as probable as ‘pre-indus­ (D7.22) INDUSTRIAL
that in most areas o f 6000 BC Earth— trial’ and High-Tech Levels I through V, ECONOMIC LEVEL
anywhere, in fact, outside the environs o f taken together, are just as probable as ‘in­ SUBDIVISIONS (Optional)
Jericho—the explorers could have hung dustrial’! But that’s all right.
around for some time without realizing Problems arise, however, when we read If a nonplayer race is industrial econom­
the planet held a sentient race at all. rules (D7.21) and (D7.35) and contem­ ic level, roll a single ten-sided die to deter­
A hunter/gatherer economy cannot sup­ plate the technology available at the indus­ mine the race’s exact degree of techno­
port a high population density. For that trial economic level: lunar bases, space logical competence, using the following
you need a large, settled population of stations, missiles, lasers, etc. Essentially, values:
food producers. For New Empires purpos­ this is High-Tech Level I minus shields
es, hunter/gatherers, however high their and the ion engine. As a matter of fact, it Die
IQ, are simply part o f the local planetary does include the ion engine, because it in­ Roll Outcome
fauna. cludes missiles. Steam Age Industrial (equivalent
If a player’s empire discovers a planet Yes, I know, somewhere in the Starfire 0-4 to Earth from the late eighteenth
with a small pre-industrial population and canon there’s a reference to missiles as to early twentieth centuries).
a low REI, he shouldn’t think cave ‘rockets.’ But that’s pure banana oil.
men...he should think ancient Egyptians. Electronic/Nuclear Industrial
These missiles can fly twenty tactical
If the REI is higher, we’re probably talk­ 5-7 (equivalent to Earth in the middle
hexes (ten light-seconds, or 1,860,000
ing Iron Age. to late twentieth century).
miles) in a single thirty-second tactical
But the first industrial revolution repre­ turn, thus averaging one third the speed of High Frontier Industrial (equiv­
sented as great an economic quantum leap light! Clearly, the missiles use a form of 8-9 alent to Earth in the early twen-
as the food-producing revolution had. So ion drive that produces very intense accel­ ty-first century).
11
 STARFIRE NEXUS M AGAZINE
When a conquered or allied population The technology available at the indus­ As fo r the outpost EVM, I ’ve followed
is advanced from the pre-industrial to the trial economic level [under (D7.21) and the usual rule that an industrial-level pop­
industrial economic level, under rule (D7.35)], with the exception o f PCFs, is ulation has two-thirds the EVM o f a High-
(D2.7), the race is assumed to have ad­ only available to High Frontier Industrial Tech Level population o f the same size.
vanced to High Frontier Industrial. populations.
Rationale: Why teach a race about For a newly discovered High Frontier This rule should be crossreferenced
vacuum tubes when you can teach them Industrial nonplayerrace,perform the ‘sys­ from (D4.6), Steps 6 and 7; and from
about transistors? Pyramid-builders, or tem exploitation’ diceroll discussed in (D7.2) and (D7.21). In the table in
even cathedral-builders, willfin d the latter rule (D4.6), Step 7, and subtract thirty (D7.35), note that ‘industrial’ refers only
no more difficult than the former. from the result If the race is allowed an to High Frontier Industrial, with the
When advancing a conquered- or allied outpost, it must be on a moon of the exception that ‘Steam Age’ and ‘Electron­
population from the industrial economic home planet. The EVM of such an ic/Nuclear’ industrial populations can pro­
level to High-Tech Level I, under rule outpost is two. duce PCFs for purely planetary combat
(D7.2), subtract three (to a minimum Rationale: A civilization capable c f Finally, I’m not inclined to alter the
modified value of two) from the diceroll building a military ground base on its Planet Value Tables in rule (D3.314);
for the length of time required for a popu­ moon — as industrial-level populations planets are sufficiently variable in their
lation beginning as a High Frontier In­ are allowed to do by rule (D7.21}—should inherent wealth to account for the fact
dustrial to advance, and add three to the certainly be able to plant a non-military that some Steam Age Industrial civiliza­
diceroll for a Steam Age Industrial outpost there. tions will produce more revenue than
population. In fact, according to rule (D8.32), an some High Frontier Industrial ones, de­
Rationale: This is, i f anything, rath­ outpost-or-greater-sized population is a pending on REI rolls. Consequently, the
er conservative. It shouldn’t take long to prerequisite to ground base construction, single EVM for all industrial-level plan­
‘goose up’ a High Frontier Industrial civi­ and I see no reason why this shouldn't ets, regardless o f their intermediate levels,
lization to High-Tech Level I since it’s hold equally true on the industrial econom­ may be left as is. After all, I think I’ve
practically there already. ic level. already complicated things enough. Q

Starfall continued— ed spaceyard will crank ’em out bigger Capabilities: The capabilities of this
and faster than ever before. module are the same as those for an (SY)
two must be lasers or guns. One of these
weapons is forward mounted (as is normal module, except for the following
for fighters) but the other one is mounted Improved Spaceyard Module increased new construction rates:
in a 360° turret and may operate indepen­ (SYi)
dently o f the other weapons. The other by Roy F. Moore Spaces/ Spaces/
two weapons are load points, and may car­ Item Month Item Month
ry any fighter ordnance. Because of improvements in shipbuild­
ing technology, ships can be built at a Starship 40 Space Station 45
* * * * * faster rate with an improved spaceyard Carrier 40 Freighters 50
module. Base 40 Fighters 50
For those o f you who want to give
your fighters a little more standoff fire­ Costs: Each (SYi) module costs 650
power, the following item has been MgC and requires forty hull spaces. A I would like to thank Glenn Richcreek,
suggested. new (SYi) can be completed in three stra­ Noel Wright, Richard A. Lentz, Jr. and
tegic turns (three months) if it is built at Melvin Krehbiel for their questions and
Fighter Force Beam (fF) an existing (SY), or two strategic turns efforts in helping me more completely
by Roy F. Moore (two months) if it is built at an existing define the Starfire Universe. I would also
(SYi). To build an (SYi) in orbit without like to thank Don Jacques, Roy F. Moore
The fighter force beam module operates the use of shipyard facilities costs 1300 and Steve White for their rules
in the same way as the ship-mounted MgC and requires six strategic turns (six suggestions. Q
version of this system. It is available at months).
HT11 and counts as one load point The development cost for an (SYi) is
Probability of Hit and Effects
6500 MgC for a race with no spaceyard
technology. If a race has already developed
The Source
Table information network has a new Special
the (SY), then only 1500 MgC and 1D6 Interest Group (S1G) for a ll adventure
Range 0 1 2 3 4 5-8 Points months must be spent developing the gamers. Convention listings, news and
Roll 11 10 8 6 4 3 1 (SYi) before it may be deployed. new releases, on-line role-playing and
strategy games, plus a gamer bulletin
* * * * * Prerequisites: The prerequisites for board are all available on The Source.
this module are the same as those for an From Command Level, ju st type
If one’s shipyards are full and he still (SY) module, except that a HT9 or higher FLBUFSIG. For more information on the
SIG, or on signing up for The Source, call
has money he doesn’t know what to do economic level is required. (602) 945-6917 or write Flying Buffalo,
with or he just can’t finish those Moni­ Inc., P.O. Box 1467, Scottsdale, AZ 85252.
tors in time to turn back the invasion Limitations: The limitations of this To call The Source, hook your home
fleet, then maybe he just needs to invest new module are the same as those for an computer's modem into (800) 336-3366.
in some modern equipment The improv- (SY) module.
12
 NEXUS MAGAZINE HISTORICAL

‘ T o
A Deceptively Peaceful Approach to Viceroys! by Christopher Vorder Bruegge

Winning Viceroys! concerns victory the twenty point bonus except through ex­ gation and the Pacific Coast of South
points—not gold mining and privateer­ tremely clever play or by good fortune. America awards, with Asian discovery and
ing. During playtesting and other games, By shrewd alliances, a player can success­ Asian goods markers thrown in for good
I noticed that players became fascinated fully colonize at least once in all three measure. Those alone provide a healthy
with the mining and transportation of and perhaps be dominant in one. Just be leg up to victory.
gold, conquest o f empires or just indis­ certain that no other one player is domi­ Before describing steps for executing
criminate slaughter. This article describes nant in more than one other area. such a strategy, I must address several
one approach to playing Viceroys', that I The key to victory, however, can be points.
believe leads to victory more often than found in Asia and the Unknown Regions, Viceroys! is not a wargame in the class­
not. and the award markers. ic sense of the word. Many pugnacious
Award markers offer victory points, players do not feel comfortable unless
money awards and dieroll modifiers they are laying about smiting hip and
VICTORY POINTS (DRMs) for future attempts at exploration thigh and making general mayhem. This
Look at the victory point list. At first and colonization. is a guarantee for defeat. War in Viceroys!
glance, colonies appear insignificant at Asia is remote to the maritime powers debilitates and distracts from the pursuit
two points each. And indeed they are, ex­ and is less attractive to those who become of victory points.
cept for their additive properties. At the preoccupied with treasure hunting and On occasion, one will be attacked.
extreme, a player who has the only col­ buccaneering. Only Turkey and Russia, if Don’t get angry, just get even. If one
ony in an area could reap as much as twen- played, pose a considerable challenge in must make war, he should go for victory-
ty-seven victory points (two for the col­ Asia. point-bearing targets and make peace
ony, five for a colony in the area and an The Unknown Region, known to the quickly. No wars to the death, please.
additional twenty for exclusive colonies early explorers as the Antipodes, is elus­ And try to fight with allies against play­
in the area). Denial o f this accumulation ive to discovery and colonization. So for­ ers already at war with others. War is a
to other players requires establishment of bidding are the DRMs that few players at­ part o f the human condition, but it should
one’s own colonies in each area. North tempt it. Yet, if done properly, the Un­ not be made a profession in Viceroys!
America, South America and Africa are known Region can provide considerable Gold fever is the second deadly sin.
likely to be heavily colonized by all play­ victory points, and combines nicely with Players frequently become seduced by the
ers and do not offer much of a chance for the Straits of Magellan, the Circumnavi­ lure of gold and silver found in mines and
13
 HISTORICAL NEXUS M AGAZINE
imperial cities and kingdoms. They not ously of more importance, given the poor that improves a discovery dieroll, how­
only search in vain for the lost cities o f ocean access o f these countries. ever, the odds o f making the initial discov­
Cibola, but dispatch troops, leaders and As soon as one has accumulated ery without a disaster in South America,
cavalry to procure these mirages of enough fleets, sail them in at least pairs even in the tropics, is substantially less
wealth. Worse, they invest heavily in when colonizing to get the combat DRM than in Africa with its plus one DRM.
fleets only to tie them up transporting the against natives. Keep the navies shuttling I just prefer to start out with some suc­
riches to Europe, evading pirates and back to Europe with even minimal cess. Also, an initial move to South
other players. amounts o f money, though, to pick up America might tip off another player to a
Too many gold mines and cities serve colonies and troops. later ploy explained below.
only to attract the attention o f one’s com­ The cards are also an important part of The second player should try for South
petitors. Don’t get me wrong. Money is aplayer’s force structure. They are the hid­ America in the tropic areas instead of the
certainly useful and transport o f any den resource with which one can deter other alternative, North America. While
amount back to Europe is not an evil. even the most implacable foe. Players the victory points are the same, South
Just don’t make it a goal that displaces may even want to reveal a hidden card to a America offers more tropical boxes that
the hunt for victory points. threatening player, provided it will encour­ avoid the negative DRM and usually
I have actually won games in which I age the opponent’s restraint offers better discovery results.
possessed no mines, found no cities and The limit of four unplayed cards kept England, because o f its location, might
never received victory points for transport­ hidden will tempt one to play a card consider North America as a temporary
ing the most money to Europe in a turn. against another player rather than discard. alternative.
The taxes in a home country are normally Don’t. Remember that cards can be traded The third player, then, will try to dis­
sufficient to manage a victory program. or sold during diplomacy phases. cover and colonize in the North American
The third deadly sin in playing Even a discard can be used to one’s prof­ zone. The player should just remember to
Viceroys! is rigidity. For some reason, it. For example, if one holds a card that is go after the tropical tier o f boxes in that
players become transfixed with a single particularly dangerous to another player zone (the Caribbean basin) to avoid the
area or method o f play. who is not an enemy, publicly discarding minus one DRM for non-tropical areas.
A dynamic multiplayer Viceroys! game it while loudly drawing attention to the Of course, failure by the first or second
requires a flexible approach with a clear benefit one has performed for the other player opens up some flexibility.
vision o f the possibilities each turn—not player may gain the player some friend­ So where does that leave the fourth and
only for oneself but also for the other ship later in the game. fifth players? Well, success by all three of
players as well. Buy at least one card each turn over and the first three players is statistically un­
Flexibility requires, first of all, good above the free card received. I rarely buy likely. Again, any failure by them leaves
money management A retention o f five two cards unless another player has al­ an opening for the later players.
to ten crowns after building forces is abso­ ready done so and the Master of the Game In the rare event that the first three play­
lutely necessary to handle contingencies has taken that four crowns as his reward. ers do succeed, the last two players need
during a turn. Not only does such a fund But if one has plenty o f funds, he should to remember that the earlier discoveries
protect against certain nasty cards that can spend lavishly on cards. There are too and colonizations make their own coloni­
be played on one, but it provides a slush many benefits to be had. zation easier, with a plus one DRM when
fund for bribing native chiefs. A five- discovering in an area previously discover­
crown bribe is a lot cheaper than using an ed, and a further plus one if discovering ad­
OPENING MOVES jacent to another player’s colony. Similar
infantry that must be carried on ships and
is subject to disaster, loss in battle or In the first turn, much depends on the DRMs affect colonization.
even subversion. order of movement What follows ignores Don’t forget that a discovered box not
Force structure is the second element of the Russians and Turks and concerns the colonized allows a player to attempt colo­
good flexibility. I agree with the designer maritime powers. nization without a discovery dieroll.
that a good initial force for one o f the The first player should take one fleet A player should try to establish colo­
maritime powers is two fleets, two infan­ headed with a colony and an infantry and nies in all three o f the areas mentioned—
try units and two colonies. discover the nearest box in Africa. If he is peacefully of course—by the end of turn
successful, he should attempt to colonize three.
Such a force can be broken into two ex­
peditions to perhaps two continents. I the box immediately, no matter what the
have rarely found leaders and cavalry discovery reveals. MIDDLE GAME
useful, and have never bought a fort or I prefer to start with Africa for several
citadel. The latter two, however, may reasons. Firstly there is a plus one DRM As indicated above, I prefer to scatter
have some value in an end-game scenario, for Africa (the Europeans knew it was my colonies around. Of the three, I usual­
as they equate, at least in effect, to pur­ there!). Secondly, its proximity to the ly try to dominate in Africa if at all pos­
chasing victory points. European capitals makes for easy shut­ sible, because it opens access to Asia and
For the maritime powers, navies pro­ tling o f money back to Europe. Thirdly; does not draw unnecessary attention to the
vide mobility. Nothing can be done with­ the DRMs for discovery and colonization following ploy.
out them. will be veiy useful for the East Coast of On turn four, I will dispatch two fleets
Colony markers are second in import­ Africa attempt and two colonies, with the usual two in­
ance; usually I purchase two per turn. Some might quibble about trying for fantries, around the coast o f Africa, headed
And normally, I will purchase infantry in South America first, because o f the high­ for Asia.
equal proportion to colonies. For Turkey er victory points for discovery and coloni­ Hopefully, I will already have the East
and Russia, leaders and cavalry are obvi­ zation. Unless one has a personality card Coast o f Africa award for a colony there,
14
 NEXUS M AGAZINE HISTORICAL
usually on turn three. This fleet will split Use that method if an opponent has al­ battles or to help win them if they must
on turn five. One half will attempt to dis­ ready preempted the Magellan Strait be fought The limitation on construction
cover and colonize in Asia. The other half boxes. o f colonies and infantry should not seri­
will sail east, continuing east until it ously hamper the above strategy.
reaches the Pacific Coast of South Ameri­ Finally, geographic location provides
ENDGAME Portugal with inherent advantages. It is
ca. The Asian fleet, if successful in colo­
nizing, can pick up money and try to take Naturally, the strategy above may not only ten boxes from the Argentine box
the money back to Europe for another be practicable given luck and the activi­ northeast o f Magellan. Only Spain and
award marker. ties o f other players. Once the variable Portugal can get to the east coast of Afri­
Meanwhile, on turn five, I will dis­ end game dieroll begins, treat each turn as ca in one move. Treasure shuttles are
patch three fleets, three colonies and three the last. Players should immediately re­ much easier for Portugal, whose home
infantry to the South American box north­ place any colony lost that excludes them port is much more difficult to blockade.
east of Tierra Del Fuego to colonize that from an area. If another player has only England is my next favorite, mainly for
box. On turn six, I will attempt to discov­ one colony in a convenient area, consider positional reasons. France’s plus one colo­
er and sequentially colonize both boxes of attacking it. If one does, he should try to nizing DRM is very attractive. I prefer
the Magellan Strait (see the illustration at get some allies or offer generous compen­ not to play Spain, despite its attractive ad­
the bottom of this page). The colony to sation (non-victory point compensation, vantages. The Netherlands, despite my her­
the northeast provides DRMs that should of course) and try to make a written treaty itage, offers little in the way of advan­
offset the negatives for the Horn boxes. with the erstwhile enemy. tages and suffers major shortcomings.
As soon as possible, another two fleets If a player has no opportunities for
are dispatched to discover the Unknown such gains, he should make treaties with
Region adjacent to the Magellan boxes, al­ everyone to prevent his fragile empire
NOTES ON RUSSIA AND
ready colonized. In this case, send just a from being nibbled away. Search for any TURKEY
single fleet to discover. In the event of a undiscovered empires. Don’t bother colo­ These are difficult to play and win be­
lost result or disappearance, losses will be nizing them, just find them for the vic­ cause they have convenient outlets only
less severe. But always have a fleet with a tory points. Finally, consider the Black to Asia, thus limiting the number of regi­
colony on hand to colonize a discovery Legend VPs. At this stage o f the game, a ons that they can colonize easily. Both
immediately, lest an enterprising oppon­ few Black Legend DRMs in terms of na­ should seek ocean outlets and not become
ent move in on your hard won victory tive uprisings will not do one much harm preoccupied with overrunning Asia. If
point opportunity. and the VPs will be useful. As a last re­ both are played, they will usually end up
Last, organize a fleet in the South sort, settle as many colonies as possible bickering over Asia and making war on
Atlantic to marry up with the circumnavi­ —or establish forts if that is one’s fancy. one another — virtually guaranteeing
gating fleet to protect it from ambush by they will not win the game. Turkey, at
envious players who have not been as far­ least, has ocean access and can fight its
sighted as yourself.
MY FAVORITE COUNTRY
way to Africa.
An alternative to discovering and colo­ Having described the strategy, my Their last option, to wage European
nizing the Unknown Region is to col­ choice of country should be obvious. Por­ war against the other players, is difficult
onize the island two boxes west o f the tugal has a plus one DRM for discoveries and will not pay off in victory points un­
Cape of Good Hope in the Africa area. that comes in handy for the Magellan and less one modifies the rules and allows a
Note that that island is adjacent to an Unknown discoveries. The weather gauge player to trade victory points to those
Unknown Region land box to the south. DRM is a nice benefit to avoid dreary sea players for an alliance. Even so, Russia is
nowhere near a maritime power, and must
overrun Poland or Sweden to get in po­
sition, and that’s no easy task.

CONCLUSION
The strategy I outUned requires disci­
pline, flexibility and wise diplomacy. It
features deception by dispersion o f effort,
careful husbanding of resources and peace
—above all else, peace. It is a difficult
strategy for the aggressive player.
Of its drawbacks, I acknowledge it is
fragile. One will lose a colony or two and
have to reestablish them for victory
points. Random events impact this stra­
tegy more because of the dispersed nature
o f the colonies. Finally, it does not cater
to bullionism, treasure hunting and trans­
porting. It is, however, a fun strategy,
.challenging to implement, that usually
leads to victory. Q
15
 HISTORICAL NEXUS MAGAZINE
region being explored, as per the normal
exploration rules. The marker kept indi­
cates the value of that colony.
b. The player who has the ‘Empires’
Л ‘IЧсеГф' Scenario award for the region, however, does not
by Mark G. McLaughlin • draw a marker. He is considered to have
discovered an empire in that box, and
rolls to see if there are any cities in adja­
A. INTRODUCTION colony marker to be placed in any one of cent, empty boxes, as per the normal
the Muslim States boxes in Europe. That draw of an empire exploration marker. He
This scenario is designed for players
placement counts as his draw. determines if the box he has discovered is
who want a quick-start wargame, rather
g. Each player should have the same the capital, as per the normal empire ex­
than a game of exploration, discovery and
number of awards (or draws, in the case of ploration rules.
awards.
the Turkey and/or Russia players) as c. If a player other than the player who
every other player. was given the empire award for a region
B. NUMBER OF PLAYERS discovers an empire, he follows the same
h. I f a player has been ‘shortchanged’
Up to seven players can participate in in the draws, he may place a colony mark­ procedure.
this scenario. er in any vacant box in Europe. Note that 4. Additional Colonies.
boxes marked with the printed starting po­
a. After all initial colonies have been
C. INITIAL FORCES sitions o f other players or boxes in which
placed, each player, beginning with one
a player has placed a colony marker are
Each player receives four free cards and chosen at random, decides how many addi­
not considered vacant.
one hundred crowns to start the game. tional colonies he will have in each regi­
2. Initial Colonies on in which he has placed a colony mark­
a. When a player draws an award mark­ er from the draw. For every ten crowns he
D. INITIAL EMPIRES spends, he may place one colony.
er from the cup, he may place one of his
1. Random Draw. colony markers on any coastal box in the b. Colonies must be placed in vacant
a. Place the ‘Discover,’ ‘Colony’ and region represented by the award. boxes in that region, and must follow the
‘Empire’ awards for North America, restrictions on initial placement, as desig­
Exception: I f the Turkey player nated above.
South America, Africa and Asia in a cup.
picks an African or Asian award, the must
This is a total of twelve markers. c. As new colonies are placed, explor­
place the colony in a box adjacent to one
b. A player chosen at random draws o f the boxes containing a printed Turkish ation markers are drawn as per the initial
one award marker from the cup and then symbol, i f any are available. Similarly, if placement.
gives the cup to the player to his right, the Russia player draws an Asian award, d. The Turkey and Russia players may
who also draws an award marker and pass­ he must select a box in Asia adjacent to place additional colonies in Europe, but
es it on. Continue passing the cup to the one o f the printed Russian symbols, if those colonies cost twenty crowns instead
right until it is empty. any are available. of ten and must be adjacent to other colo­
c. In games where Russia is being nies or printed symbols of that player.
played, the ‘Asian Goods’ award is given b. As the player draws from the cup,
to the Russia player. This award marker he places his colony. Colonies may only
be placed in vacant boxes. D. PURCHASE AND
is treated as the Russia player’s first draw PLACEMENT OF FORCES
from the cup (i.e., he gets the award in­ c. Colonies may not be placed in box­
stead of dipping into the cup the first es that constitute or already contain any After all players have placed their addi­
time it is offered to him). of the following: tional colonies (if any), the players may
d. In games where Russia is being •The Northwest Passage use whatever funds they have left to buy
•The Magellan Straits combat units (infantry, cavalry, navies
played, the Russia player is also given a
port in Europe. He places a colony and a •The Pacific Coast of South America and leaders).
or After all players have purchased what­
citadel in ‘St. Petersburg,’ the box to the
left of his non-capital starting box in Eur­ •The East Coast of Africa (unless ever units they wish, each player may
ope. This is considered to be his second placed initially by Turkey, as place one stack of any size (within stack­
draw from the cup (i.e., he gets the port above) ing limits) on the board. This stack may
instead of dipping into the cup the second •Another Player’s Colony be placed at any colony, at his capital or
time it is offered to him). •An Imperial City or Capital in one of the boxes containing his printed
d. The player keeps the award marker marker. Players are chosen, one at a time,
e. In games where Turkey is being
for dieroll modification purposes. from the cup as if they were moving.
played, the ‘East Coast Colony’ (Africa)
This selection and placement continues
award is given to the Turkey player. It is 3. Initial Discovery.
until all players have placed all units.
treated as his first draw from the cup (i.e., a. During setup, when a player places
he gets the award instead of dipping into his colony on the map, he then ‘explores’
the cup the first time it is offered to him). the box by taking an appropriate number E. GAME START
f. If the Turkey player draws an award of exploration (black) markers from the After all colonies and units have been
for North or South America, he must exploration cup. The number of markers placed, the game begins with a diplomacy
return it to the cup. He instead receives a chosen from the cup depends upon the phase. For this special first turn only, no
16
 NEXUS M AGAZINE HISTORICAL
units or colonies on the map may be trad­ VICEROYS ERRATA least one of the original naval units that
ed or change hands through diplomacy. began the trek must return to the capital.
However, money, cards, etc., may be Page 8, Section IV, Part E, The first player to accomplish this
traded. Subsection lb: wins the award.
There are no random events on the first (Correction to map art note)
turn. Play proceeds as normal from this Page 35, Section XXXVIII, Part
point on. The player’s capitals are marked with a O, Subsection 1:
small red and white star, not with a dark
(Correction o f dropped word)
F. VICTORY outline.
The awards given out in the random The word ‘expand’ was dropped in the
draw from the cup are retained for their die­ Page 20, Section ХХШ, add as typesetting. The complete entity should
roll modifiers, but do not count for vic­ Part J: read:
tory points. All other victory point val­ (Correction of inadvertent deletion) *1. If the NPS is peaceful, rather than
ues, including those for colonies placed in hostile, it will expand.’
the initial setup, do, however, count J. CIRCUMNAVIGATION
AWARD
Page 36, Section XXXVIII, Part
G. TIME LIMIT An award is given to the first player to P, Subsection 4a:
This scenario is much more of a war- successfully circumnavigate the world. (Correction o f dropped line)
game between existing empires than nor­ The player must choose a navy or stack
mal games, and since players have more of navies and move them from his capital The phrase ‘result is treated as an expe­
units, money, cards and colonies on the in Europe around the world and back to dition disappears result for the NPS’ was
map than usual, each turn will take long­ his capital. It may participate in combats, inadvertently dropped in the typesetting.
er than a normal game turn. It is suggest­ explorations, etc., and may acquire other The complete entry should read:
ed that players choose either a time limit awards while in pursuit of its goal. The
or the short, variable ending railing two stack may go east to west or west to east ‘a. An “expedition disappears” or an
dice at the end of each victory phase start­ around the world, as long as it passes “expedition lost” result is treated as an
ing with turn five. If the total is less than through either the Straits of Magellan or “expedition disappears” result for the
the turn number, the game is over. the Northwest Passage on its route. At NPS.’ Q.

DUEL FOR KHARKOV

February 1 ,1 9 4 3
Stalingrad has been freed, five fas­
cist armies have been swept off the
map, and before the tired Red
Army looms a hole in German lines
as big as the entire Western Front
in 1918. But against the flanks of
the drive are looming ten German
panzer and motorized divisions
that are not in retreat but rather
maneuvering to Duel for Kharkov.
A divisional/regimental simulation of
von Manstein’s backhanded blow after the
disaster of Stalingrad and Soviet Offen­
sive’s Leap and Star, February through
March, 1943.
The game includes a rulebook with six
scenarios, two large, colorful m aps and 800
playing pieces. For one to six players.

V
TASK FORCE G A M E S /1 1 1 0 N. Fillm ore/A m arillo, TX 7 9 1 0 7
17
 HISTORICAL NEXUS MAGAZINE

EAST WIND RAIN: An OBJECTIVES

At the start of the game, the Land of
Econom ic Campaign the Rising Sun holds five ER markers
worth twelve points, including Man-
by James C. Gordon
chukuo (five points), Seoul (two), Shang­
hai (one), Saigon (three) and Saipan
(one). Sixteen other objectives are scatter­
ed across the map.
The six zones offering one marker each
are India (five) and Australia (three), in
addition to Nanking (three), Chunking
(three), Kunming (three) and Sian (one) in
China proper. Additional markers are lo­
cated in die Allied controlled cities of
Hong Kong (two), Manila (one), Kuala
Lumpur (three), Rangoon (two), Djkarta
(five), Surabaya (two), Brunei (five), Kon-
dari (three) and Rabaul (one).
The rules allow the Japanese player to
conduct all turn one (4/41) initiatives
first, relegating the Allies to interception
attempts until the Japanese player is fin­
ished. That advantage makes it possible
for Japan to conquer large sections of
Greater East Asia quickly — in some
cases ahead of the historical timetable.
In projecting the Japanese plan of at­
tack, I allow some leeway for taking ad­
vantage of the targets being offered, while
also attempting to parallel the actual
course of battle. (See ‘Chart A,’ on page
21, for the projected turn o f capture of
various objective cities.)
The cutting edge of the Imperial Japa­ exploiting the Economic Resource (ER) After the Pearl Harbor attack, the Japa­
nese Navy led the opening campaigns in objectives. nese player can launch attacks from the
the Pacific theater, 1941 through ’42, The burden of achieving victory rests China coast into Nanking and Kunming
with fast carrier strikes and naval assaults most heavily on the Japanese player. His provinces in addition to sweeping up the
across the South Pacific basin. Simultane­ task is simple: successfully transport ER Hong Kong garrison.
ously, land forces penetrated deep into markers from their city or zone of origin Naval landings should capture Kuala
China. Pearl Harbor, Singapore and back to Japan to receive the face value of Lumpur in preparation for an assault on
Bataan made the early headlines, followed the markers in victory points, and to also Singapore. In addition, conducting two in­
by Coral Sea and Midway, and later, the receive triple that amount in ER points, itiatives in the Borneo area might bring
Solomons, Burma, the Philippines and used for building units and funding Brunei and Kondari into the Japanese net
Iwo Jima. initiatives. The Japanese player should be able to
East Wind Rain (second edition from Winning or losing in East Wind Rain gain a foothold in the Philippines, even if
Task Force Games) illustrates several of boils down to counting the number of vic­ he avoids attacking Manila directly, ex­
the strategic, logistical and economic chal­ tory points collected. cept by air. Rabaul, Wake Island, Guam
lenges faced by both sides in fighting the The Japanese player needs one hundred and the Gilberts are other lightly defended
Pacific War, 1941 through 1945. points by 1943 just to stay in the game. areas which should see some Japanese ac­
In East Wind Rain, both players oper­ A total of four hundred points at the end tivity on turn one.
ate under a variety of limitations, from of the game (the third quarter/1945 turn) If the Japanese player is successful
movement rates and base capacity to area produces a Decisive Japanese victory. enough with these early attacks, Burma,
control status and Economic Resource A Japanese VP total below two hundred New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies
point totals. is a Decisive Allied victory. From two offer additional targets.
Instead of detailing the many strategic hundred to three hundred and ninety-nine On the 1/42 turn, subsequent Japanese
and tactical options available to the Japan points, the results include an Allied Mar­ operations are aimed at bringing the rest
and Allied players, this article will investi­ ginal victory, as well as Japanese Moral of the Southwest Pacific objective cities
gate the function of logistics and econom­ or Strategic victories. under Japanese control. However, with
ics by concentrating on the most critical The Allied player disrupts the Japanese the full turn sequence in operation, the
aspect of the game: victory. Set against player’s VP accumulation by damaging or Allied player should be able to transport
the background of a roughly historical se­ recapturing objective cities, intercepting several o f the remaining ER markers to
quence of events, I will map out a transport convoys or eliminating, through safety ahead of the attackers, delaying the
Japanese logistical/economic strategy for strategic bombing, VPs already collected. initial Japanese retrieval.
18
 NEXUS M AGAZINE HISTORICAL
Surabaya and Padang should fall easily tion with the spread o f his conquests. ER China coast Task Force В takes over the
enough to the Japanese player; but Ran­ collection might begin on the turn an ob­ Indochina and Borneo routes, funneling
goon, Djkarta, Manila and Singapore can jective is captured, particularly during the troops to the Burma campaign. Task
be harder to subjugate. The cities, bases 4/41 turn, when the Japanese player Force С carries forces into the Lesser Sun-
and ER markers for these latter are often undertakes all o f his offensive initiatives das and Malay/Burma areas, to follow
destroyed in the process of taking them. first through on the Indonesian conquests. And
Forces invading China will meet as Often, efficient retrieval of ERs is com­ Task Force D picks up Rabaul and Saipan
much frustration as success. The mechan­ bined with the delivering o f reinforce­ again.
ics of zone combat can turn China into a ments to a given area, such as deploying Ideally, by the end o f the 2/42 turn, all
quagmire which devours units with no combat units to the Solomons with a lay­ objective eities will be in Japanese hands.
lasting effect. over at Rabaul. (See ‘Chart A,’ on page When the advance follows the historical
Ideally, during the 2/42 turn, the Japa­ 21, for a projected retrieval schedule.) pattern, Manila will be the last city to
nese player will conquer any Allied garri­ The logistical campaign should take ad­ fall, with the ER destroyed in the process
sons still holding out inside the main vantage of all three movement phases: and unavailable for transport until 3/42.
defensive perimeter, with campaigns in naval staging, operational movement, and A major land campaign might secure
Burma, the Solomons and New Guinea TF redeployment control o f Kunming in addition to Nan­
threatening India and Australia. Follow­ In the first and third phases, naval king. Following my plan successfully
ing the historical pattern, Manila would movement is immune from interception. will net the Japanese ninety-five VPs
be the last objective to fall, with its ER With a large enough number of TFs, each from the cumulative thirty-five markers re­
available for transport on 3/42, after ER marker could be retrieved separately, trieved over three turns; however, this
being rebuilt making them invulnerable except for the does not take into account any losses
In China, a steady commitment o f time they spend ‘in port.’ However, that from Allied actions.
ground and air units should keep Man- plan requires too many TFs, and using op­ The first ‘complete’ logistical effort for
chukuo, as well as Nanking and/or Kun­ erational movement gives a single TF the the Japanese player takes place on the
ming, in Japanese possession each turn. flexibility to load multiple markers in 3/42 turn, setting the retrieval standard
After establishing the Co-Prosperity one or more areas. that the player will attempt to maintain
Sphere, the Japanese player will find his Using all three phases enables the Japa­ for the next year or two. A total o f six­
resources stretched far and wide to hold nese player to streamline his operation teen markers worth forty-four VPs are
down the new conquests. with a few transport TFs protected by readily collectable, requiring five TFs in
At that point, the tactical manifesta­ combatant fleet TFs. the optimum pattern.
tions of the Japanese strategy might re­ According to my projected sequence of Task Force A retrieves four markers
main offensive—such as launching carrier events, the Japanese player holds Man­ (worth eleven VPs) on the Japan-Korea-
strikes to counter Allied actions or com­ churia, Seoul, Nanking, Shanghai, Hong China circuit Task Force В collects five
mitting troops to continue the land cam­ Kong, Saigon, Kuala Lumpur, Saipan, important markers (sixteen points) in
paigns in the CBI and Southwest Pacific Brunei, Kondari and Rabaul by the end o f Indochina and Borneo. Task Force С oper­
theaters—but once the bulk of the objec­ the 4/41 turn. One transport TF stages ates the dangerous route in the Lesser Sun-
tives are in Japanese possession, the Japa­ from Japan to Korea in the strategic naval das and Malay/Burma, loading five ERs
nese player must consolidate his efforts movement phase, picking up four mark­ (fourteen points).
and concentrate on protecting and retriev­ ers during the turn before redeploying Task Force D picks up two markers
ing ER markers. The strategy switches back to Japan with eleven VPs. (two points) with a triangular run through
from aggressive attack to active defense, A second TF stages out to Indochina, the Carolines and Philippines. Finally,
with economics and logistics becoming carrying additional ground units, and col­ Task Force E retrieves the Rabaul marker
the top priorities. lects the Saigon and Hong Kong markers. (one point) in conjunction with troop
The Japanese player should be able to cap­ movements to feed die island campaigns
LOGISTICS ture Kuala Lumpur during the 4/41 turn, in the southern areas. (See ‘Map A,’ page
but collection in the Malay/Burma area is 21, for an illustration of retrieve routes.)
The Japanese economic lifeline is an
efficient naval transport system. This sys­ open to easy interception by the British
tem consists of a convoy network design­ forces at Singapore. DEFEND AND RETRIEVE
ed to retrieve ERs, combined with protec­ A third TF conducts two initiatives in During the first months of the war, the
tion for this network, both at the the the Borneo area, assaulting Brunei and Japanese High Command did not have to
source and en route to Japan. Kondari while carrier activity neutralizes concern themselves with the problems of
ER markers can be used to fund local in­ the Allied air group at Balikpapan. Final­ defending the new empire. The best de­
itiatives, but should not be spent frivo­ ly, a fourth TF picks up the Saipan mark­ fense was to attack, but the offensive
lously since ERs not taken back to Japan er after snapping up the Rabaul marker could not continue indefinitely.
are wasted VPs. When transportation be­ following a seaborne assault Regardless o f whether history repeats it­
comes impossible—because o f shipping The Japanese player’s logistical efforts self in playing East Wind Rain—with a
losses, movement costs or enemy activi­ on the 1/42 and 2/42 turns resemble those decisive battle in Burma or at Midway—
ties which threaten to recapture the objec­ outlined above, with the player capturing the Allies must halt the Japanese attack
tive in an impending combat—using an a few more objective cities, even if the to stay in the contest The logistical life­
ER marker for an initiative can be a ER markers are shipped out by the Allies line becomes a target for the resurgent
logical recourse. ahead of the conquest Allies.
From 4/41 to 3/42, the Japanese play­ Japan’s Task Force A is locked into the In game terms, the Japanese player’s de-
er’s logistical wheel expands in conjunc­ ‘milk run’ from Japan to Korea and the ' fense o f his ER collection is framed in
19
 HISTORICAL NEXUS MAGAZINE
two areas: guarding the objective cities period o f Japanese success, gains the play­ carriers, submarines, island assaults and
and protecting the transport convoys. er a total o f one hundred and forty-two air raids by the American and Common­
The first line of Japanese defense— VPs. As an example, I assume that Japan wealth forces. The land campaign in
after the deterrent of attack—is to main­ manages to retrieve 90% o f the possible China requires constant attention, and the
tain a naval presence to intercept Allied ER points during the first year (for a total Allied player can make life difficult for
TFs en route to a target area. Some key for that year of one hundred and twenty- the Japanese player with the resilient
naval bases are held by the Japanese play­ six ER points). As Allied activities begin Chinese units.
er at the start of the game (Truk and Sai­ to increase, however, the Japanese rate of The Japanese player can win the game
gon), while others must be built (Kwaja- success drops to 75% during the second automatically by holding ER markers
lein) or captured and possibly rebuilt year, 50% for the next four turns, and worth fifty o f the fifty-six points possible
(Manila, Singapore, Rabaul, Kondari and down to 25% in the last year o f the war. (with Siberia worth five points for this
Djkarta). This is illustrated below, in ‘Chart B.’ purpose only) anytime starting in 1943.
Fast carrier strikes will bite at the edges However, to do this, the player must own
of the Japanese defensive perimeter, and CHART В virtually the entire East Wind Rain
the island hopping campaign will eventu­ Turn—VPs Retrieved mapboard—and this is an event on which
ally cut off and recapture objective cities. he would be wise not to plan. Instead, he
4/41—24 of 26 4/42—31 should look after his transportation net­
Allied forces which avoid the naval 1/43— 31
1/42—28 of 29 work, and should build DDs whenever it
screen will face the local air patrols next. 2/43— 31
2/42—36 of 43 is necessary to ensure that he has an
A picket line of air bases forming an arc 3/42— 38 of 44 3/43—31
through Rangoon, Singapore, Surabaya, adequate number o f escort vessels for the
126 of 142 124 transports.
Kondari, Biak, Rabaul, Nauru, Kwajalein,
Wake, Tori Shima and ending at Yoko­ Other players might wish to devise dif­
4/43—20 4/44— 11 ferent retrieval schedules than the one I
hama holds the entire perimeter of the 1/44—20 1/25— 11
Southwest Pacific basin within its range. have given above—after all, no plan is
2/44—20 2/45— 11 flawless—but no one can dispute the need
When land-based bombers are deployed 3/44—2Q 3/45—I I
instead of Army or Naval air units, the ef­ for a logistical wheel to bring those ERs
80 44=374 (read VPs) back to Japan.
fective range increases by three hexes, al­
leviating the need for some bases. Given In this example, the Japanese player
the limited number of ground units avail­ falls short o f his target number o f victory ERRATA
able, most ER city garrisons will consist points (four hundred VPs), missing it by
of major or air bases, with their intrinsic 6.5%. 1. The main gun ratings for the Japa­
ground strength, as the final protection The first year sees almost phenomenal nese CLs Yubari, Tenryu and Tatsuta
ring surrounding the objective cities. success for the Japanese player; yet during should be ‘one’ instead of ‘zero.’
Allied submarines should be active the last year of the war, Japan is left with 2. The CVs Hiryu and Soryu carry four
throughout the contest, and the last line only the local route in the Yellow Sea. I air strength points (eighty planes).
of defense for the Japanese player’s logis­ factored in a relatively successful cam­ However, their normal complement of
tical network is the convoy escorts—CLs paign in China, figuring that the Japanese planes (fifty-four) was actually closer to
and DDs—assigned to accompany the would hold Nanking and/or Kunming three ASPs.
transports. most of the time, in addition to Man-
The main areas for Allied interceptions chukuo. Conversely, however, I made no 3. Wake Island is a major base, contain­
of Japanese transports will be Malay/Bur­ specific allowance for the Allied strategic ing a port, a nine-thousand-man garrison,
ma, Indochina, Borneo and the Lesser Sun- bombing campaign against Japanese anti-aircraft and coast defense artillery.
das, where most of the transport move­ cities—which is bound to start making However, an air base would better repre­
ment takes place. Given the varied oppor­ itself felt during 1944, reducing the VP sent the actual installation (an incomplete
tunities for the Allies to interrupt the total. harbor and under five hundred marines),
Japanese ER retrieval network, it is un­ Japan faces a monumental task in the with a special rule allowing an AA and
likely that the logistical system will ever logistical campaign, and there is no sub­ CDA strength equal to a major base.
operate at full capacity, bringing in the stitute for planning and persistence in 4. For historical detail, move CA Chi-
sixteen markers worth forty-four VPs as accomplishing this task. Rapid Japanese kuma to Japan, to join the Pearl Harbor
outlined above. conquest is essential early in the game, strike force, and place Variable U.S. Task
Resource and unit limitations handicap but is not enough: those conquests must Force A (with CV Enterprise) within one
the Japanese player at times, and combat be held and the ERs brought home in to two hexes of Hawaii, not Wake, for
losses must be absorbed in both transport order to serve any purpose. historical deployment
and escort forces without a total break­ I anticipate early success because with­
down in the system. out that there is no real contest; late suc­ 5. Both air bases and major bases are
cess for the Japanese player is highly considered to be ports, and each port con­
The Japanese player can expect to
unlikely given the overall strength o f the tains either an air base or a major base.
transport a portion of the available ERs
Allies. tZones are always assumed to have a
home each turn, and his ultimate success
major base.)
lies in his ability to retrieve ERs consis­ Based on the retrieval schedule outlined
tently. Victory requires long-term suc­ above, the second and third years are the 6. In Appendix B, United States forces
cess, not a single effort most critical for the Japanese player. He are allowed to start in Balikipan because a
Collecting the maximum number o f ob­ needs to make steady and sizable econom­ Commonwealth air base is established
jectives during 4/41 through 3/42, the ic collections each turn, in the face o f fast there. £2
20
NEXUS MAGAZINE HISTORICAL

CHART A
Capture/Retrieval Schedule
Objective ER Points Turn of Capture Initial Retrieval Transporting TF on Tur п
1 2 3 4
Manchukuo— 5 Held at Start Turn 1 A A A А
Seoul—2 Held at Start Turn 1 A A A А
Shanghai— 1 Held at Start Turn 1 A A A А
Nanking—3 Turn 1 Turn 1 A A A А
Hong Kong—2 Turn 1 Turn 1 В В В В
Saigon—3 Held at Start Turn 1 В В В В
Brunei—5 Turn 1 Turn 1 С В В В
Kondari—3 Turn 1 Turn 1 С В В В
Saipan— 1 Held at Start Turn 1 D D D D
Rabaul— 1 Turn 1 Turn 1 D D D Е
Kuala Lumpur-—3 Turn 1 Turn 2 — С С С
Padang—2 Turn 2 Turn 3 — — С С
Djkarta—5 Turn 2 Turn 3 — — С С
Surabaya—2 Turn 2 Turn 3 — — С С
Rangoon—2 Turn 2 Turn 3 — — С С
Manila— 1 Turn 3 Turn 4 — — — D
Kunming—3 Turn 2 Turn 3 — — В В
Chunking—3 ?
Sian— 1 ?
India—5 ?
Australia—3 ?
Siberia—(5) ?

21
 HISTORICAL NEXUS M AGAZINE

GAZALA AS CRUSADER
by James E. Meldrum

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Gazala, The Clash o f Armor is on the right flank and a strong advance Tobruk and make a tactical retreat to its
People’s War Games’ simulation of ar­ against the German left and center with base at il Agheila.
mored warfare in North Africa, now dis­ the 30th Corps. Gazala, 1942 can be used to simulate
tributed by Task Force Games. This is a The second phase of the battle lasted this first battle for Tobruk—Operation
highly detailed game covering the final from November twentieth to twenty-sec­ Crusader—quite readily. Many of the
battle for Tobruk on a scale of company/ ond and resulted in both confused and same units participated in both battles,
battalion units and game turns of one day. heavy fighting in and around Sidi Rezegh. and the two battles were fought over
The Battle of Gazala (Operation Caul­ Both sides sustained heavy tank and much of the same terrain.
dron) which is depicted in this game, how­ vehicle losses. One thing that must be omitted from
ever, was not the first battle for the vital In the third phase, on November twenty- Operation Crusader, because of map re­
sea port and supply center of Tobruk. The second, the British spearhead was stopped strictions, is the holding action of the
batde for North Africa hinged on the east- after the Afrika Korps’ 15th Panzer Divi­ British 13th Corps. This holding action
west road along the northern coast of sion mauled the British 4th Armored took place off the map, to the east. Also,
Libya, and Tobruk sat directly astride this Brigade. some units were different, and counters
vital road. General (later to become Field On November twenty-third, the fourth with incorrect historical designations
Marshal) Erwin Rommel made his first phase of the battle began with the destruc­ must be substituted to represent them.
attack on Tobruk in November, 1941, and tion of the 5th South African Brigade by In spite of these limitations, this scen­
the result was a tactical defeat for the the 15th Panzer Division. ario presents a reasonably accurate simula­
famed Afrika Korps. The British called The fifth and final phase of Operation tion of the battle.
their successful counterattack “Operation Crusader lasted from November twenty-
Crusader.” fourth to November twenty-eighth. This
Operation Crusader had as an objective SCENARIO: GAZALA, 1941
last phase consisted of Rommel’s dash to
the relief of the garrison of Tobruk, the wire: an attempt to cross the Egyptian
1. Historical Background and
which was besieged by units of the Afrika border in pursuit of retreating British
Summary
Korps and formations of the Italian forces. At this point, a British counter­
Army. The operation may be broken attack halted Rommel’s advance and the This scenario is intended to simulate
down into five separate phases. New Zealand Division’s penetration of Rommel’s first attack on Tobruk, in No­
In the first phase, beginning November Rommel’s rear area, coupled with its vember, 1941, and the British counter­
eighteenth and nineteenth, the British advance on Tobruk and a successful attack known as Operation Crusader. This
began Operation Crusader by implement­ breakout by the Tobruk garrison, forced counterattack resulted in the relief of
ing a holding action with the 13th Corps the Afrika Korps to abandon its siege of Tobruk.
22
 NEXUS MAGAZINE HISTORICAL
Game Length: Eighteen turns. Play­ at any hex o f the east mapedge south o f Axis replacements enter on the west
ers should expect each turn to take one hex 6120. mapedge; Allied replacements enter on the
hour to play. Turn Eight: 5th Indian Division (All east mapedge. The airpoint chart is not
Units) at any hex o f the east mapedge used. Replacements for Grant tanks are
between hexes 6107 and 6113. halved, with fractions rounded down.
2. Units Available and Locations
Players should identify the component 5. Plotting Information
units of a formation by using the ‘Unit & AXIS PLAYER:
Marker Identification Charts,’ found on Ariete (132nd) Div: All units in or There are no minefields before the start.
pp. four and five o f the rulebook. Divi­ adjacent to hex 5527 (Bir El Gubi). At the start o f the game, the British play­
sion and/or regiment (or brigade) HQs are er may mine hexes occupied by British
Trieste (101st) Div: All units in
found in the counter mix. units forming the defensive perimeter.
or adjacent to hex 2830 (Bir Hacheim).
The subordinate units of each division’s
Trento (102nd) Div: AH units in
brigade/regimental HQs can be found by 6. General
or adjacent to hex 4010.
picking out the correct subordinate units
with the correct designations. Brescia (17th) Div: All units in or On the first three game turns all British
As an example, look at the 7th Div. adjacent to hex 3404. units are in Command Control. The en­
(British HQ marker). This marker has Pavia (27th) Div: All units in or ad­ tire map is in play, but none of the off-
three subordinate brigades (7/7M; 7/4; jacent to hex 4414. map boxes may be used.
7/31). The component units o f the 7/7M Sabratha (60th) Div: All units in
are: 7M/9KR; 7M/2RB; 7M/2KR; and or adjacent to hex 4910. 7. Victory Conditions
7M/4KH. 21st Panzer Div: All units in or ad­
The remaining units o f the British/Al­ At the end o f the eighteenth game turn,
jacent to hex 6012.
lied 7th Division can be identified in the play ceases and players determine the win­
15th Panzer Div: All units except ner according to the following victory
same manner. 15/33 AA and AB recon in or adjacent to conditions:
hex 6107.
BRITISH PLAYER: 90th Light (Afrika) Div: All British Player: For the British
units, except 90L/3A and 3B and the player to win, he must
Tobruk Garrison — (1.) Establish a path of hexes free of
90L/580A and 580B recon units, in or ad­
Free French Bde: All units. At least jacent to hex 5207. enemy units and their zones of control
one unit must be deployed in each of the Recon Units: All detached recon from the east map edge to either hex of
following hexes: 3602, 3603, 3604 and units (15/ЗЗА, 15/33B, 90L/3A, 90L/3B, Tobruk. This path may be o f any length,
3605. 90L/580A, 9GL/58GB) are placed in or ad­ but may only pass through escarpment
50th Div. (Twenty-three units): At jacent to hex 5420 (Bir El Haiad). These hexes via a road hex (any type of road).
least one unit must be deployed in or adja­ units operate independently of their HQs. (2.) Eliminate eleven Axis AFV units,
cent to each o f the following hexes: All other German Units: Any­ with at least five o f these being German.
3607, 3708, 3808, 3908, 4008, 4109, where east of hexrow 3Gxx. The Afrika Axis Player: In order for the Axis
4209, 4310, 4409, 4510, 4609, 4709, Korps HQ is placed in hex 5607. player to win, he can either
4808,4908 and 4907. Axis HQ Units: Use the same unit (1.) Prevent the British player from
32nd Army Tank Bde: All units de­ assignments given in Gazala, 1942. HQ meeting both of his victory conditions.
ployed in or adjacent to hex 3706. units should be placed within eight move­ (2.) Destroy thirty British vehicular
ment points o f the units that are subordi­ units o f any type and maintain a larger
British XXX Corps Units — nate to them at the start of the scenario. number o f AFV strength points on the
The following units are all subordinate map at the end o f the scenario.
to the XXX Corps HQ, which enters play Axis Reinforcements: None.
oh turn two, at hex 6123.
SCENARIO: SIDI REZEGH
1/22 Tank Bde. (Thirteen units): De­ 3. Formation Conditions
ployed in or adjacent to hex 5934. This scenario is identical in every as­
All formations o f both sides are at full pect to the “Gazala, 1941” scenario, but
7/4 Tank Bde. (Eleven units): De­
strength. covers only the first six days o f the oper­
ployed in or adjacent to hex 6123 and the
ation. This scenario therefore has different
XXX/7 HQ.
victory conditions.
ХШ/1АТ Bde. (Ten units): Deploy­ 4. Army Chart Information
These different victory conditions are:
ed in or adjacent to hex 6127. This unit is Use the Army Charts from Scenario
substituted for the 7/37 M Bde. British Player: Must be able to
Two, Operation Venezia. There are no
trace a path o f hexes free of Axis units
wreck hexes at the start o f the scenario,
British Reinforcements — and their zones of control through Sidi
and there may be no units in any o f the
Rezegh and on to Tobruk or have the
Turn Two: XXX Corps HQ at hex off-map boxes. Only those units given in
greatest number of AFV points left on
6123. Section Two of this scenario, ‘Units
the map at the end of six game turns.
7/3 IM (All Units) at any hex o f the Available and Locations’ (including the
east mapedge south of hex 6120. British reinforcements for this scenario), Axis Player: Deny the British
1st South African Division (All Units) may be used. victory conditions. Q
23
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 NEXUS MAGAZINE DELTA FORCE

THE ARMORY:
Amal militias in Lebanon, the PLO—and
many others.

SPECIAL WEAPONS
NEW DELTA FORCE EQUIPMENT STINGER
by William H. Keith, Jr.
HANDGUNS the chamber in emergency or combat
situations.
.357 DESERT EAGLE
MACHINE GUNS Nationality: US
Weapon Type: Shoulder-fired infantry
RPK surface-to-air missile
Diameter of Projectile: 7 cm (2.7
in)
Length of Projectile: 152 cm (60 in)
Weight with Projectile: 14 kg (31
lb)
Weight of Projectile: 10 kg (22 lb)
Nationality: U.S.S.R. Maximum Velocity: Mach 1.2
Nationality: Israel
Weapon Type: Automatic pistol Weapon Type: Machine gun (about 1500 kph)
Caliber: 7.62 x 39 mm Range: The Stinger can lock onto tar­
Caliber: .357
Muzzle Velocity: 2400 fps gets flying at speeds of up to one thou­
Muzzle Velocity: 1100 fps
Length: 26 cm (with 150 mm [6-inch] Length: 104 cm sand kph, at altitudes of up to four thou­
Weight: 5 kg sand, eight hundred meters (fourteen thou­
barrel)
Type of Fire: Selective: Single shot sand, eight hundred feet), and at ranges up
Weight: 1.7 kg
Type of Fire: Semi-automatic or full auto to five kilometers. It cannot engage tar­
Rate of Fire: 600 rpm gets closer than one hundred meters.
Rate of Fire: 40 RPM
Feed device: 9-round magazine Feed Device: 30- or 40-round mag­ The firing character must roll eight or
Magazine Weight: .3 kg azine, 75-round drum more on 2D6 for a successful lock-on. He
Load Time: 3 seconds Magazine Weight: 30-round: .8kg; 40- may add his Skill Level with the Stinger
Range: round: 1.2kg; Drum: 2.1kg as a positive DM. This is a ‘Special
Point Close Medium Long Extreme Magazine Emptied: 30-round: 3 sec; Weapons’ skill, as described in the Delta
Blank (9+) (12+) (14+) (18+) 40-round: 4 sec; 75-round: 7.5 sec Force Rulebook, p. 10.
2 m 20 m 40 m 70 m 140 m Load Time: Magazines: 1 combat Hits: The Stinger will hit an aircraft on
Damage DM round; Drum: 2 combat rounds a basic 2D6 roll of six or more. The fol­
+2 +1 — — — Range: lowing DMs should be applied:
Penetration: 8 Point Close Medium Long Extreme For each 100 kph over 500
Recoil: — Blank (9+) (12+) (14+) (18+) kph speed -1
Failure: — Hand-held: For each point of pilot’s skill -1
Users: This Israeli semi-automatic 2m 70m 150m 300m 600m Target is flying towards firing
W/bipod: character -1
combat pistol is used by various Israeli
forces and special forces. It is also avail­ 2m 80m 250m 500m 1000m Target is a helicopter +2
able to Western special forces operating Damage DM: Hit Results:
in desert environments. +2 +1 — -1 -2 2D6 Results
Notes: The Desert Eagle has been de­ Penetration: 15 3 or Less No Effect
scribed as the most significant develop­ Recoil: — (+1 if fired without bipod) 4-5 Minor Damage to Hull/Tail
ment in hand guns since the introduction Failure: 12+ 6-9 Engine Hit
of the Colt M1911. Its design gives it a Users: USSR, Soviet client states, 10+ Hull Hit
particularly low recoil, which allows easy numerous terrorist groups and militias. Hit Result Explanation:
reacquisition of the target after each Notes: The Ruchnoi Pulemyet Kalish- Minor Damage to Hull/Tail: The
round. Designed as a marksmanship pis­ nikov, or RPK, is a modification of the aircraft suffers some damage to its fuse­
tol, it has a safety switch which can be old, reliable AK-47 and was intended to lage, tail or wing assembly. The pilot
operated by either hand, and the operator replace the outdated RPD as a squad auto­ must roll 2D6 against his EXP plus his
can adjust the sensitivity and pressure of matic weapon. It can take a standard, 30- Pilot Skill, with an RDF of three. The
the trigger pull. These factors are reflected round, AK-47 magazine, simplifying a pilot must also roll against his EXP for
in the range data, which is slightly higher squad’s logistical requirements. Like the those situations listed on the Delta Force
than for most weapons of this type. Ak-47, the RPK has been sold to Soviet ‘Air Travel Modifier Table’ (in the Delta
As with some other automatic pistols, clients all over the world and can be found Force Rulebook, p. 14) with a DM of
this weapon can be carried loaded with a in the arsenals of the Warsaw Pact plus two. A crash or malfunction will
nine-round magazine and a tenth round in nations, Cuba, Libya, Syria, Shi’ite and — Continued on page 28.
25
DELTA FORCE NEXUS MAGAZINE

26
NEXUS M AGAZINE DELTA FORCE

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27
 DELTA FORCE NEXUS M AGAZINE
The Armory continued— SPECIAL GAS MUNITION Typical barriers that may be penetrated
at a range of thirty meters include car
occur on a modified roll of 13+.
FERRET CARTRIDGE windows and twenty-millimeter plywood.
Engine Hit: Severe damage has been Plate glass, storm windows or hollow-
caused to the aircraft engine and/or the core doors can be penetrated at ranges up
engine exhaust system. On a 2D6 roll of to ninety meters.
seven or more, the aircraft will crash. On A character who is hit by a Ferret
a roll of six or less, the aircraft is badly cartridge suffers one light wound to the
damaged; however, it will continue to fly part of his body which is hit by the cart­
with an immediate, successful roll against ridge, and the gas is released from the
the pilot’s EXP plus his Pilot Skill, and cartridge on impact A Ferret cartridge
with an RDF of 1D6. An additional EXP Type: Barricade penetrating gas cartridge
Nationality: U.S. will not injure a character after it has
roll must be made for any maneuver passed through any barrier.
which is listed on the Delta Force ‘Air Filler: 3 cc CS
Fuse: Impact The small amount of gas released by
Travel Modifier Table,’ with a DM of the Ferred cartridge is sufficient to disable
plus three. A crash or malfunction will Delay: Impact
characters inside an extremely small
occur on a modified roll of thirteen or Range/Penetration: Up to 90 meters
space, such as a car interior, or to distract
more for the maneuver. (see notes)
characters inside a larger, enclosed area. It
Hull Hit: The aircraft takes damage to Size: 12-gauge
is useless in the open air or in well-
its fuselage. In single-seat aircraft, this re­ Weight: Less than 50 gm
ventilated spaces.
sult is the same as the result described Penetration: 1
under ‘Minor Damage to Hull/Tail,’ on Burst Effects: The ferret cartridge is de­
page 25. The pilot must roll eight or less signed to penetrate small enclosures and OTHER EQUIPMENT
to avoid one wound. incapacitate those inside. Characters in­
In any aircraft with passengers, in­ side a car or closed room suffer the effects FRAME EXPLOSIVES
cluding passenger-carrying helicopters, air shown on the ‘Gas Effects Table,’ below. Weight: 1 kg
liners and transport aircraft, each passen­ Apply a DM of +2 in an extremely en­ Size: 1 m x 2 m
ger in the fuselage must make a saving closed space, such as the interior of a car, Description: Designed to be lowered
roll of nine or less. On a roll of 10+, that and a DM of -2 in a large space, such as down the side of a building and placed
passenger will receive one wound. Wound a garage or large room. Apply a DM of against the frame of the window to be
severity and location is determined in the +1 for each additional cartridge fired into blown, these explosives consist of a
usual manner. Injuries should be treated the same area. wooden framework with explosives along
as shrapnel (PEN 4) wounds. Gas Effects: the inside and a detonator. The detonator
Penetration: 40 2D 6 or Less 7-11 12+ for these explosives can be triggered re­
NE PI I motely by radio, by a pull-ring fuse ignit­
Recoil: —
Users: The Ferret cartridge is manufac­ er or by a hand detonator.
Backblast: 0 to 5 meters: WND x 1D6
tured by the U.S. AAI Corporation, and
+ 2 (PEN 4)
is designed for use by security or anti-ter­
6 to 10 meters: WND x 1D6 rorist forces. It is available to both U.S. PLASTIC RESTRAINTS
(PEN 2) Weight: Negligible
and allied anti-terrorist units in situations
In closed room: One addi­ Size: Negligible
where terrorists have sought shelter in ve­
tional WND (PEN 2). Ig­ Description: These are strong plastic
hicles or buildings with windows or light­
nore all ‘bleeding’ results. strips which can be used as lightweight
weight, plywood doors.
Failure: 11+ Notes: The Ferret barricade penetrat­ handcuffs to immobilize either hostages
Users: The Stinger was developed in ing cartridge is designed to be fired from or captured terrorists. These plastic re­
the 1960s to replace the unreliable ‘Red­ any standard twelve-gauge shotgun. Rath­ straints are adjustable and self-locking.
eye’ shoulder-fired anti-air missile. It is er than pellets, the casing contains a The only way they may be removed is by
used by the U.S. and various U.S. clients small, bomb-shaped ballistic projectile cutting.
and allies, including NATO countries. Un­ holding three cubic centimeters of a liquid
fortunately, the sale of Stingers to vari­ irritant agent. The projectile is fired GRAPNEL LAUNCHER
ous moderate Arab powers makes it likely through various barriers (Armor Value of Length: 73 cm
that the Stinger could appear in terrorist one); it disintegrates on impact, releasing Weight: 2.7 kg
arsenals as well. the CS as a gas cloud which can be effect­ Type of Fire: Single shot
Notes: The Stinger was designed to ive in an enclosed space. Load Time: Three combat rounds
provide infantrymen with anti-aircraft pro­ The cartridge will not penetrate barriers Description: Similar to an M79
tection at low altitudes and short ranges. with an Armor Value of greater than one. grenade launcher, this grapnel launcher is
Its IR homing seeker latches onto the ex­ It will penetrate any barrier with an Ar­ used to hurl a padded grapnel straight up
haust plume from a jet engine, rather than mor Value of one at ranges up to thirty (to a maximum range of twenty meters).
onto hot metal; but it is still useful meters. Some specific barriers, such as The shot will be successful on a 2D6 roll
against helicopters or turbo-prop aircraft, plate glass or very thin plywood, can be of eight or less. A DM of plus one is ap­
as well as against jets. The guidance sys­ considered to have Armor Values of less plied if the range is greater than ten
tem is useless against ground targets, than one. These barriers can be penetrated meters, and the firing character’s Special
however, unless the target is an aircraft al­ by the Ferret at ranges of up to ninety Weapons Skill (if any) can be applied as a
ready warming up on the runway. meters. negative DM to the attempt. П
28
 NEXUS MAGAZINE DELTA FORCE

OPERATION STALKER and the Special Forces Company of the

Sudanese Airborne Brigade is on stand-by
alert. We hope to obtain additional intelli­
A Delta Force Module by Nina Barton
gence from surveillance by 144th CTU.
MISSION BRIEFING (Sounds o f gunfire in the background. The situation is further complicated by
A panic-stricken voice cries, ‘They're tak­ the presence of two American congress­
MISSION OBJECTIVES ing over! They’re shooting everybody! men, Everett Morton and Justin Farr, in
1. Thp American Ambassador to the My God, I hope someone's listening! I addition to our Ambassador to the Sudan,
Sudan and two American congressmen are hope...' An explosion cuts off the voice.) George Montgomery. It is estimated ap­
being held hostage in our Embassy in It is presumed the operator was shot at proximately fifteen other Americans are
Khartoum. It is imperative that these this point. Digital analysis of the taped held hostage, along with about twenty
three men be rescued. voice yields a 93% probability this was Sudanese members of the Embassy staff.
2. All the other hostages in the build­ Donald Newman, a young attache. It is not known how the terrorists were
ing, both American and Sudanese, should Shortly after this, the British Embassy able to make their penetration.
be rescued. received a phone call from one of the ter­ We have a ‘go’ to plan a mission to res­
3. One or more terrorists should, if rorists, who identified himself as Abu Tar cue the hostages. At this point, we do not
possible, be captured for interrogation. and his group as members of the Abu Ni- know exactly how many hostages are held
dal faction of the PLF. or where, how many may have already
LOCATION: American Embassy, Khar­ been killed— as was young Newman—or
The list of demands presented by the ter­
toum, Sudan. even how many terrorists are present.
rorists includes release of Palestinian pris­
BACKGROUND (As of 1900 oners held in Israel, recognition by the Our primary objective is to rescue Con­
Hours, Saturday, July 4, 1987) U.S. of a Palestinian state and abridge­ gressmen Morton and Farr, Ambassador
At 1505 hours this afternoon, the State ment of U.S. military aid to Israel. Abu Montgomery and the other hostages— es­
Department received word that a hostage Tar, incidentally, meaning ‘Son of Re­ pecially the Americans. Capturing at least
crisis exists in our Embassy in Khar­ venge,’ is almost certainly a code name. one terrorist alive is desirable, but definite­
toum. Someone in the Embassy made it The British are currently conducting the ly secondary to rescuing the hostages.
to the radio room while terrorists stormed negotiations with the terrorists. Elements Note: Players should not read beyond
the building and relayed a brief message. of the Sudanese 144th CTU (Counter-Ter­ this point. The remainder o f this mission
We have a recording of that message. rorist Unit) have cordoned off the area, is fo r the referee’s eyes only.
29
 DELTA FORCE NEXUS MAGAZINE
REFEREE’S EYES ONLY REFEREE’S EYES ONLY REFEREE’S EYES ONLY
THE MISSION either side of the entrance hall, stairways is discussed in the section entitled
The Mission Briefing and the maps of go up to the central balcony on the sec­ ‘Intelligence.’
the Embassy are all the characters should ond floor. This balcony overlooks the Surveillance gear from the Delta Force
be allowed to see while they are planning ground floor entrance hall. Warbook is available by 2000 hours,
the mission. Additional information may An outside balcony at the second-floor with the exception of infra-red detectors
be given to them during the course of the level runs the whole length of the front of and laser sound detectors. These are only
adventure, provided they ask the right the building. The rest of the second floor available on a 2D6 roll of eight or less.
people the right questions. consists of small offices and larger meet­ Explosives could be used to blast
Since detailed blueprints of the Embas­ ing rooms. through the armor-plated glass of the
sy building and maps of this section of There are two separate stairways in ground- and second-floor windows. Frame
Khartoum would be available, the referee rooms adjacent to the second floor bal­ explosives, such as those used in Oper­
should answer specific questions the play­ cony, leading up to the higher floors. ation Nimrod, could be ordered to be
ers might ask based on their examination ТЪе third floor is mainly offices along flown to Cairo, and would reach there by
of the Embassy maps. the outside walls, with communications the time the Delta team arrives. Of
The Embassy is a four-story, flat-roofed and storage rooms in the center. The course, players should keep in mind that a
brick building, facing southeast. It is sur­ fourth floor consists of bedrooms, a small sledgehammer also does a nice job of
rounded by an eight-foot iron fence. The kitchen and a variety of other small penetrating glass windows.
fence is five meters from the building on rooms, some used as offices, some for Explosives could also be used to pene­
all sides. The street in front of the Em­ storage and some unused. trate the roof (which has an Armor Value
bassy is a fairly major thoroughfare, four The characters are considered to be mem­ of twelve) or to blast open the door (Ar­
lanes wide. bers of a Delta team stationed in England. mor Value of ten) to the stairway that
Alleys run along both sides of the build­ The first decision they must make is what leads from the roof to the fourth floor.
ing, and an empty lot in the rear borders equipment they want accessible (see Keeping in mind the Stockholm Syn­
another street. The buildings on either ‘Equipment’). drome, players would be wise to bring
side of the Embassy are single-story resi­ Since surveillance is a significant part along plastic restraints (see ‘The Armory’
dences, too far from the Embassy to al­ of this mission, players should consider in this issue) to tie up the hostages. If the
low a direct assault to the Embassy roof. carefully how different types of surveil­ players overlook this possibility, the ref­
Across the street is a long, low, three- lance gear work and what level of intelli­ eree might wish to have some hostages at­
story apartment building where the 144th gence might be gathered from each (see tempt to shield the terrorists. Alternative­
CTU has set up its headquarters and obser­ ‘Intelligence: Surveillance Techniques’). ly, he might prefer to have one or more
vation post They would be wise not to count too of the Sudanese hostages (supposedly lo­
A gate at the front of the Embassy heavily on only one type of device. cal members of the Embassy staff) actual­
grounds, usually open during daylight Next, the players must decide their ly be terrorists in disguise. The specific
hours, allows access to the main entrance means of transport to Khartoum by way consequences of this are left to the ref­
of the building. Marine guards maintain of Cairo (see ‘Deployment’). While the eree’s discretion.
patrol just inside the entrance. characters are en route, they may plan the
There is a second gate on the southwest actual assault on the Embassy building DEPLOYMENT
side of the building, opposite the entrance (see ‘Approach’). The recommended transport for this mis­
to the kitchen. This gate is usually clos­ sion is the C-141 Starlifter, although the
ed, except when deliveries are made. There EQUIPMENT choice should be up to the players. Flight
are no other gates, and the only other Any miscellaneous equipment or com­ time to Cairo for the C-141 is 3.8 hours
ground-floor entrance to the building is munications gear listed in any Delta with a full payload. Refueling at Cairo
the double doors onto the terrace in the Force Warbook or Nexus Armory section takes about an hour, and the trip to Khar­
rear. These doors, like the kitchen door may be made available to the team by toum requires an additional 1.8 hours.
and the double doors at the main entrance, 2000 hours. Most other equipment will At the time of the initial briefing, no
are heavy wooden doors (with an Armor be available immediately at their Delta deadline has been set by the terrorists. If
Value of ten). base. The similarity between this mission players take an excessive amount of time
All of the windows on the ground floor and ‘Operation Nimrod’ (the storming by deciding on equipment and the manner of
and on the second floor are armored glass the S.A.S. of the Iranian Embassy in Lon­ their deployment, the referee should at­
(with an Armor Value of nine). Third- and don in May, 1980) should make the play­ tempt to accelerate their activities by the
fourth-floor windows are ordinary glass. ers think of climbing or rappelling gear introduction of a deadline (see ‘Compli­
The rooms are all marked on the maps, and ‘flash-bang’ stun grenades. cations: Additional Terrorist Demands’).
and are coded as to type. Most designa­ Access to the roof could be gained Ideally, players should decide to bring
tions are fairly obvious. through the use of helicopters (which with them anything they think they
В = Bedroom О = Office could be borrowed from the Sudanese) or might need, but defer the actual planning
D = Dining Room P = Pantry grapnels, either thrown by hand or fired of the mission until they are in the air.
К = Kitchen S = Storage from a grapnel launcher. The referee should keep in mind that com­
M = Meeting Room U = Unused Surveillance gear is very useful in ob­ munications aboard the aircraft would be
The ground floor consists of a large en­ taining additional intelligence about loca­ secure, and that he could, therefore, ap­
trance hall, two stories high, with kitchen tions of terrorists and their hostages. prise the team of new developments while
and pantry areas to the left, offices to the Note: How well each type o f surveil­ they are en route. This is particularly use­
right, and dining rooms in the rear. On lance equipment might work in Khartoum ful if players are making unwarranted as-
30
 NEXUS M AGAZINE DELTA FORCE
REFEREE’S EYES ONLY REFEREE’S EYES ONLY REFEREE’S EYES ONLY
sumptions about the number and dis­ Night Assault: A night assault tration of the building by separate groups
position of the terrorists, for example. could be planned. Such an assault would and avoiding alarming the terrorists.
Wise players will plan several alterna­ include approaching the Embassy under
tive missions (Plan A, Plan B, etc.) with cover of darkness and scaling the high ARRIVAL IN KHARTOUM
the intention of deciding on the actual iron fence that surrounds the building. When the team reaches Khartoum, they
plan when they get to Khartoum. Grapnels could be thrown to the roof and will make contact with Andrew Beckwith-
the second floor outside balcony. A team Jones, who is coordinating negotiations
APPROACH on the balcony could prepare frame explo­ with the terrorists, at the British Embas­
There are several possible methods of sives to blow the balcony windows; the sy. They will also contact Ibrahim Ham­
staging the assault by helicopter, at team on the roof could blow a hole in the med from the Sudanese CTU.
night, through a frontal assault or by co­ roof itself, blow open the door leading to So far, the CTU has observed nothing
vert means. Whichever method is chosen, the fourth floor or rappel down the side of notable. The British Embassy, however,
the players might wish to select one mem­ the building to penetrate third or fourth has word that one hostage is seriously ill
ber of the team to stay in the British Em­ floor windows. and they are negotiating for his release.
bassy during the assault It will be this Frontal Assault: A frontal assault Note: I f the гф ге е desires, this infor­
character’s task to coordinate the efforts of is just what it sounds like: an all-out rush mation could be given to the players
the assault team with the the negoti- * while they are en route.
ators and the Sudanese CTU. Malcolm Bradford, a press atta-
Possible entry points at the Em­ ch6, seems to be suffering from
bassy are the windows, the doors acute appendicitis. While the terror­
and the roof. Once the team is in po­ ists are not squeamish about the
sition for the actual penetration of death o f one of the hostages, they
the building, a diversion on the prefer the death be at their instiga­
street would be useful to redirect the tion. There’s a good chance they
terrorists’ attention. will release Bradford, rather than let
There should be several separate him die in the Embassy of a ruptur­
groups in the assault force, each ed appendix.
with a different entry objective; Malcolm Bradford’sreleasewould
penetration o f the building should be good fortune for the Delta team,
be simultaneous. It would be very since he could provide accurate,
helpful if the British negotiators though not complete, information
could keep one o f the terrorists on about the number and disposition of
the phone as long as possible while both the terrorists and the hostages.
this is happening. against doors and windows on the ground The referee has two options here. The
Helicopter Assault: One possible floor. The approach could be made at first o f these is that the attache could be
method of assault starts with the team ab­ night; the difference between this method feigning appendicitis to be released with
seiling from a helicopter onto the roof and the night assault is that the latter what he lrnows is vital intelligence. In
and then rappelling down the side o f the attacks multiple floors at the same time. this case, he will be immediately able and
building. The Sudanese Airborne Brigade Possibilities for a frontal assault in­ eager to talk to the Delta members on his
has four Bell UH-1 Iroquois (‘Huey’) heli­ clude, for example, driving an APC (per­ release. Everything he knows will be
copters, which the team could arrange to haps procured from the 144th CTU) available to the team, whether or not they
use for this mission. through the front gate, up the front steps ask the right questions.
Since the unmistakable sound of a heli­ and through the main entrance while other The other option, obviously, is that
copter will undoubtedly alarm the terror­ members of the team storm through the Malcolm really is in need o f immediate,
ists, the team could arrange for the British side and rear entrances. surgery to save his life. This not only de­
negotiators to supply a convincing explan­ Covert Assault: The most risky lays getting information from him, it in­
ation o f the helicopter’s presence in the possibility, this method employs several troduces the possibility that he might not
area. Possibilities include informing the Delta members entering the building as survive the operation. Even assuming а
terrorists that the prisoners they demanded part of or in the guise o f a journalistic or successful operation, it will be a number
released are being flown in by helicopter, negotiating team. Besides the obvious o f hours before Bradford can be interrogat­
that high-ranking officials from the State question of whether the terrorists would ed. The team should not count on him as
Department are being flown in to discuss agree to such a meeting, there is the prob­ their sole source o f intelligence.
diplomatic recognition of a Palestinian lem of how much equipment could be car­
state; or that journalists are being flown ried covertly, even assuming the terrorists INTELLIGENCE
in to provide the world-wide media cover­ don’t strip search everyone. T he actual situation is as follows:
age the terrorists demanded. Shortly before 1500 hours, a catering
One or two other Hueys might be de­ These are possible approaches; the play­ truck backed to the kitchen entrance, sup­
ployed elsewhere in the vicinity to mask ers might think of others. In fact, ele­ posedly to unload supplies for the banquet
the sound o f the helicopter above the ments of all these methods o f assault planned for that evening in honor of the
roof. Barring malfunctions, the team will could be used in a combined approach. two American congressmen. The door of
need about thirty seconds to complete The most important considerations in the truck opened and eight terrorists storm­
their descent to the roof. planning an assault are simultaneous pene­ ed through the kitchen and into the main
31
 DELTA FORGE NEXUS M AGAZINE
REFEREE’S EYES ONLY REFEREE’S EYES ONLY REFEREE’S EYES ONLY
entrance hall, killing all the guards. One G: There is a large group of people in under cover of darkness with the intent of
o f the terrorists was killed in the firefight, М2, a small group of people in M4, a emplacing surveillance microphones and
and one was wounded in the left shoulder. small group of people in M5 and a small perhaps securing rappelling ropes in pre­
Donald Newman, on the second floor group of people in M6. paration for a dawn assault. This could be
balcony overlooking the entrance hall at H: There are approximately twenty to coordinated with the use o f the infra-red
the time o f the assault, raced to the third twenty-five people in М2, five to ten detector during the hour before sunrise.
floor radio room, followed closely by Mal­ people in M4, five to ten people in M5 Those monitoring the surveillance equip­
colm Bradford. Newman managed to send and five to ten people in M6. ment could be in radio contact'with mem­
a brief message before one of the terror­ I: Two of the voices are speaking bers of the assault team, and could, for in­
ists burst into the room, killed him, de­ Arabic. stance, give them up-to-the-minute intelli­
stroyed the radio and captured Bradford. J: The voices in the room sound angry gence even as they approach the Embassy
Bradford was herded, along with twenty- or panicky (referee’s choice). by helicopter.
four other hostages, including Congress­ If Malcolm Bradford is released, he will A half-hour’s appropriate use of any of
man Morton and eight other Americans, be able to provide intelligence items A, the listening devices will yield intelli­
into the large second floor meeting room В, С and D. If he was feigning appendi­ gence item G for the particular room
(М2) in the rear o f the building. These citis (referee’s choice), he will reveal the being surveyed. An additional hour’s use
hostages are always guarded by at least information immediately. If not, within yields item H. One more hour’s use
one terrorist, and sometimes by two. six to twelve hours after a successful ap­ yields item I or J, referee’s choice.
There are fifty-two hostages altogether, pendectomy, he may be interrogated and Use of the laser sound detector would
o f whom twenty are American and the will reveal these items in response to spe­ yield both item G and H within the first
rest Sudanese. (The larger number of hos­ cific questions. half-hour, and either item I or J within
tages than originally indicated is because The referee should feel free to embellish the second half-hour. The referee should
of preparations for the banquet) In addi­ Malcolm’s account, but should keep in use his discretion in describing in detail
tion to the hostages in М2, there are three mind that Malcolm would have no direct either item I or J. For example, the
other, smaller groups of hostages. knowledge about what’s going on in the voices speaking Arabic could simply be
Congressman Fair, with nine other hos­ rest of the building. two Sudanese staff members, wondering
tages (two Americans and seven Sudan­ The CTU observers have been watching whether a rescue attempt is being plan­
ese), is being held in the southwest meet­ the building closely with binoculars. ned, or terrorists discussing plans to exe­
ing room (M5) on the third floor. Anoth­ While the terrorists generally avoid stand­ cute hostages or blow up the building.
er group o f hostages (three Americans and ing in front of windows, they have occa­ The infra-red detector will yield nothing
five Sudanese) is in the other third-floor sionally been seen. The referee may at during the daytime. From 2100 to 2400
meeting room (M4). Ambassador Mont­ any time provide the players with either hours, two hour’s use will yield item G
gomery is held on the fourth floor (M6) intelligence item E or F. Item F, of for the side of the building being survey­
with the remaining hostages (three Ameri­ course, is a false clue. ed. After midnight and until 0300 hours,
cans and five Sudanese). Each o f these Surveillance Techniques: The re­ one hour’s use will yield item G. From
groups is always guarded by one terrorist. maining intelligence items will be given 0300 hours until sunrise, item G will be
Intelligence can be garnered from vari­ only as the result of specific surveillance, provided by a half-hour’s use.
ety o f sources, such as Malcolm Bradford, and the success of the surveillance will de­
CTU observations and surveillance by the pend on the equipment used as well as the COMPLICATIONS
Delta team. The following is a list o f spe­ manner and timing o f its use. The referee Explosives: The players should be
cific items of intelligence that could be should refer to the basic Delta Force War­ alert for the possibility that the terrorists
obtained. The referee should feel free toex- book for descriptions of the capabilities have wired the building with explosives
pand on these items. of the various types of intelligence-gather­ and may be prepared to detonate the
A: There are approximately fifty hos­ ing devices. Shotgun mics, for example, charges at the first sign of a rescue at­
tages, rather than the thirty-five originally work best if the windows are open, which tempt. For this reason, it is essential the
estimated. is not a likely occurrence in the over-100° approach be coordinated so that the pene­
B: About half the hostages are in the heat—unless the air conditioning fails. tration o f the building by different ele­
second floor meeting room, including The infra-red detector works best if ments of the team is simultaneous.
Congressman Morton and nine other there is a substantial difference between It is important that all the terrorists be
Americans. the body temperature of the people to be overwhelmed or killed, and the building
C: There are at least six terrorists, all detected and the ambient temperature of evacuated, as quickly as possible. Since
armed with AK47 assault rifles and all the surroundings; the people appear as hot terrorists are usually both nervous and not
carrying grenades. spots. Since the average daily temperature well trained, it is unlikely that one of
D: The hostages in the second floor in Khartoum at this time o f year is 106°, them will be carrying a dead-man switch.
meeting room are always guarded by one accurate reading is very difficult during At the referee’s discretion, the terrorists
or two terrorists. daylight hours. Obviously, the best time may have placed explosive charges in a
E: One man carrying an assault rifle of day to use this detector is shortly number o f different locations on the
was seen in the window of one of the four before dawn. Sunrise in Khartoum at this ground floor. The terrorist leader, Abu
hostage areas (referee’s choice). time of year occurs around 0515 hours. Tar, will be in charge of the detonator. It
F: A man carrying an assault rifle was A combination of surveillance tech­ is up to the referee to determine Abu
seen, in the window of some other room niques would be most effective. For exam­ Tar’s position and how likely he is to set
in the building (referee’s choice). ple, a small team could scale the fence off the explosives.
32
 NEXUS MAGAZINE DELTA FORCE
REFEREE’S EYES ONLY ■ REFEREE’S EYES ONLY ■ REFEREE’S EYES ONLY
Stockholm Syndrome: The term 1. Release o f forty-one Palestinian pris­ Note that the values given for the terror­
‘Stockholm Syndrome’ refers to the bi­ oners currently held in Israel. ists are all average values. For Abu Tar,
zarre but well-documented emotional bond 2. Recognition by the U.S. o f a Pales­ increase the INT level by two and the
that is often established between hostage tinian state. TRA and EXP levels by one each. Also
and captor. It is well within the bounds of 3. Abridgement of U.S. military aid to include Leadership 2 and Negotiation 1.
possibility that some o f the hostages Israel.
would attempt to help the terrorists, per­ Initially, no deadlines were set. The ref­ Hostage (American or Sudanese)
haps by shielding them from the Delta eree should feel free to introduce a dead­ STR: 8 TRA: — Weight: Varies
team members who are attempting a res­ line at an appropriate point. For example,
cue. During Operation Nimrod, some ter­ AGI: 11 END: 11 Age: Varies
the terrorists could demand that the forty- DEX: 10 EXP: — Morale: 5-8
rorists threw down their weapons and at­
one prisoners be released and brought to
tempted to hide among the hostages. Un­ INT: 11 REA: 10
Khartoum within, say, three hours. They
believably, some of those hostages were
might indicate that if this deadline is not STA: 7
unwilling to identify the terrorists.
met, they will start executing hostages,
Standard procedure in hostage rescueop- beginning with the Ambassador.
erations is to tie up everyone and evacuate Americans have an English skill-level
Ideally, the deadline should be totally o f five and an Arabic skill-level ranging
the area before determining friend or foe. unrealistic (it would take several hours to
One reason for this is to thwart the sort from one to five. High-level diplomats
transport the prisoners to Khartoum), and also have a Negotiation skill-level of two
of hostage interference referred to above.
the negotiators should have to bargain for to four. Sudanese have an Arabic skill-
There is also the possibility, which the an extension. The players should tell the
team should be aware of, that some o f the level o f five and an English skill-level of
negotiators how much o f an extension two to four. In general, morale values
Sudanese staff members are actually they need to have a chance to affect a
terrorists in disguise or collaborators. will be lower for Sudanese hostages than
rescue before the deadline. for American hostages.
Time is of the essence in this sort of Also, the terrorists could announce an
situation. The rescuers cannot afford to be additional demand. An example is world­
gentlemanly while the potential exists for VICTORY
wide television coverage o f the situation. Total victory will be assured by the
a terrorist to blow up the building or hurl Negotiators could agree to a preliminary
a grenade into a hostage group. Delta team members completing all of
meeting with some newsmen, with the the Mission Objectives. The following
Heat: The average high temperature in idea o f inserting members of the Delta
Khartoum in the summer ranges from 98° table can be used to give a more detailed
team with the journalists to gain intel­ assessment o f the success or failure o f the
to 107°; the average low ranges from 76° ligence or at least get a look at one or
to 19°. The lowest temperature ever record­ mission.
mote of the terrorists.
ed in summer is 61°, the highest 118°. The referee should feel free to compli­ .
Heat can be a problem. The Embassy is Victory Points
cate the situation with additional terrorist
air-conditioned, but the players could ar­ demands in any way he sees fit. Each Ambassador or Congress­
range to have die power to the Embassy man Rescued +10
cut so the terrorists would open the win­ Each Ambassador or Congress­
dows. This would be advantageous in one DOSSIERS
man Wounded -5
respect (open windows make surveillance
Abu Nidal Terrorist (PLF) Each Ambassador or Congress­
and penetration easier), but it has the dis­
STR: 10 TRA: 9 Principal Skills man Killed -10
advantage of exacerbating tensions in the
building. The oppressive heat might Each Other Hostage Rescued +5
AGI: 9 END: 10 Driving (Car) 1
make the terrorists more on edge, and the Each Other Hostage Wounded -3
DEX: 10 EXP: 9 Hand-to-Hand
hostages more likely to panic. Further­ Each Other Hostage Killed -5
INT: 9 REA: 8 Combat 2
more, the terrorists might decide to keep First Terrorist Captured +5
the windows closed for security reasons, Knife Fighting 1
Each Subsequent Terrorist
even without air-conditioning. STA: 6 Language (Native:
Captured +3
The heat would also be a determining Weight Varies Arabic) 5
factor in how much the team members Each Terrorist Killed +3
Age: Varies Language (English
could carry (either equipment or hostages) Each Delta Member Killed -2
Morale: 8-10 or Hebrew) Level
and for how long. The referee should de­ Each Delta Member Captured -10
ID-1 on 2D roll
cide, based on the averages given above
of 8+
and the time of day, what the actual tem­ The points are added and the total check­
perature is. In rolling for END Loss (see Night Ops 1 ed on the following table:
Delta Force Rulebook), the referee should Stealth 1
then apply a DM of plus three if the tem­ Weapons Skills Victory Table
perature is 86° to 95°, and a DM of plus Hand Guns 1 Less than 180 Failure
five if the temperature is over 95°. 180-219 Mixed success
Light Auto
Additional Terrorist Demands:
Weapons 2 220-274 Success
When the terrorists first contacted the Brit­
ish Embassy in Khartoum, they indicated Favored Weapon: 275+ Outstanding success
their demands as follows: AK47 Q
33
 Delta Force Companion
Right on Target!
The Delta Force Companion includes a rule-
book section, a Warbook section and a scenarios
section. The rulebook section adds new rules for
new skills and activities for your Delta Force
team, including Character Advancement, Strate­
gic Operations, Espionage, Using Vehicles and
more. The Warbook section adds information on
countries afflicted with terrorism (or actively sup­
porting it), an update on terrorist agencies and
individuals and, of course, numerous listings for
new weapons, equipment and vehicles (includ­
ing Heavy Weapons). Finally, the scenarios sec­
tion provides three short missions to help your
Delta Force team hone its skills.

Coming Soon...

STARLINE 2200 — THE LATEST RELEASES

Available soon in your store are the two newest The newest Andromedan entry in the Starline 2200
releases in the Starline 2200 series of starship miniatures series is a combined package including two new ships:
for use with STAR FLEET BATTLES. the Conquistador light cruiser and the Python destroyer.
The graceful Orion Slaver reflects the sleekness The ships follow the designs created in the previous
and suppleness of this extraordinary cargo ship, which is Intruder and Cobra designs, and will fill in the gaps in your
ready to join, or rather to evade, your fleet. Andromedan Invasion Fleet.

TASK FORCE G A M E S /1 1 1 0 N. Fillm ore/Am arillo,TX 7 9 1 0 7

 STHR FLEET I
UNIUER5E TM

THE NEXT FRONTIER ORIGINS INFORMATION

This issue of Nexus is the first to appear in the "new" format. For the For those going to Origins, here is some information. There will be
first time in years, there is no addenda. (Don’t wony! We’re saving it for two Tournaments (Fleet Captains and Patrol). Prizes will total over $200 in
CL5.) We have continued the popular Academy and Term Paper features. TFG Gift Certificates for EACH tournament. We will use the rules and
The fiction and Why? features restored in the last issue are continued in SSDs from the Tournament Book (available from ADB for $2.50). Addition­
this one. The new F&E section has been continued. al rules will be posted at the Tournament.
In case no one noticed, this issue actually appeared on time. Nexus The Patrol Tournament will be open from noon to midnight Thursday,
#16 got hung up at the printers for about three weeks. This unfortunately dawn to midnight Friday, and dawn to 3pm Saturday. An unlimited number
meant that many gamers received Nexus #16 after the Nexus #17 draft of players can play. You can play as many games as you like. The eight
had been sent to the Committee, which means that it was too late to use people with the best records as of 3pm Saturday will enter into three final
their term papers and articles in this issue. The delay also meant that single elimination rounds (that day) to determine the winner. Last year two
some players got the Nexus #16 survey after the 15 April deadline. We'll finalists arrived Saturday morning and still (barely) had time to qualify.
continue to accept replies to the Nexus #16 survey until mid-August The Reet Captain's (Gold Hat) Tournament will have Preliminary Ses­
sions on Thursday 5pm to midnight and Friday 5pm to midnight. Regis­
SCATTER PACK tration is limited to 128 players. You must play three rounds before clos­
Important announcements o f interest to Star Fleetplayers. ing time Friday night, leaving 16 people to play four rounds on Saturday
* We will list the address of any hobby store with on-premesis gaming for the Championship. We advise you to pre-register. You can register for
facilities and SFB players in the Opponents Wanted Column. Send the the Thursday or Friday Preliminary round; the tickets are interchangable.
information to ADB. Check the ADB Tournament Desk as soon as possible after you arrive to
* Cadet Traschler's comments in'the Nexus #15 Academy were con­ confirm your registration or to be placed on the standby list. Pre­
fused in editing. He proposed dropping a web anchor, laying web, but not registrations are void at 7pm Friday and will be replaced with standbys.
moving as protection against ESGs. He also mentioned SFGs, but meant The tournament is always full, but we always use some standbys.
to say that the web hex would block the SFG from the hexes behind the There will be three seminars: Tactics, Joint Chiefs Meeting, and the
web hex, not that the web hex would protect the ship inside the web hex. Future of the Star Fleet Universe. See the Battle Orders section for
* Commendation to Mike Rawdon of Massachusetts. His letter to the information on how to pre-register. Rumor has it that some rare, out-of-
editors, saying that the SFB SparrowHawk looked better than Fasa's print, and/or unpublished materials may be available only at Origins.
Nova-class ship, was recently published in DCs Star Trek сomic book.
STAR FLEET BATTLES COMPUTER BULLETIN BOARD
PHASER-G The SFB-CBB is on the Golden Billboard (806-372-7883). For ac­
Questions with brief but important answers. cess, send your check ($15 per year, $5 for three months) to Golden Rule
* Why did you reject m y term papers, then change the rules to make Computer Concepts, 506 South Georgia, Amarillo, Texas 79106. You
my tactics illegal? Your tactics were never legal. We didn't change the won't be able to find the SFB section until your payment is verified. When
rules; we just closed a loophole to prevent an abuse. you register on the system, leave a message to the Sysop (in the exit)
* How about doing the SSD Books over, putting a ll o f the ships from saying that you want SFB access and twhen you mailed your payment.
one race in a single book? Not practical. There would be hundreds of You can access the E-mail sections of the board for free. As Steve
people who had bought half of the current set when they suddenly couldn't Cole checks in every 24 hours (at least), it's a good way to get a quick
find the rest and had to start all over, buying many of the same ships answer to an urgent question. Downloads currently available include Hot
again. Plus, we'd have all different-sized books with different prices. News, Rev-1.5 Section H and J rules, playtest scenarios, First Gener­
* Why do you use Russian names for Federation ships? They live on ation X-ships, CL5 Addenda, and the F&E Index.
this planet too, you know. However brutal they are, we must eventually
learn to get along with them or we'll never reach the stars. SHIP'S COMPUTER
* My proposal for Supplement #4 was rejected. Why ca n t I resubmit it The appearance of questions about computer games on the survey
after correcting the problems you listed? Because it wouldn't be fair to let in this issue will doubtless fuel speculation about computer projects.
you compete with people who got it right the first time. Seriously, if every Don't Panic! No decisions have been made, and some marketing obsta­
rejected race were corrected and re-submitted, we'd have 130 qualified cles have yet to be solved. Any programmers contacting us with current
finalists. We have to reduce the number somehow, and rejecting races on or potential programs MUST include a stamped self-addressed envelope
valid objections is the best method we can come up with. to get a reply. Write to us BEFORE sending a program. Don't assume that
* Whatis the official Romulan BCH?The NovaHawk-K. you are the first to think of, or create, or send us such a program.
* What is the best way to find new opponents? Either put a notice on
the bulletin board in your local hobby store, or put your name in the Nexus STARLETTER
SFB Opponents Wanted Column. The official Star Reet Universe newsletter is available from Amarillo
* How can you achieve legendary status in the Captain's Game? This Design Bureau. Each issue includes new material, an updated product
requires 66 points, but the maximum possible score is 641 This is a schedule, and other information. To subscribe, send (to ADB) $3 for five
popular misconception. The actual maximum score is 71 or 78 depending issues if you live in the US, Canada, APO, or FPO. (Elsewhere send $4 for
on the base defense scenario. That scenario provides attack groups of 5 airmail issues.) We accept US funds only. Please don't subscribe for
two or three ships and awards 7 points for capturing each of them. more than five issues at a time. Subscribe now so you won’t miss out on
* What command ratings should we assign to the Andromedans? future previews (including the First Generation X-ships in Starletters #42-
We're trying to work out our own campaign system using F&E. The #46)! The X-Ship issues will be available separately as back issues until
Andromedans don't use the command rating system. SFB rule (U6.23) August. When you subscribe, we’ll send information on how to get them.
effectively establishes their fleet size.
STAR FLEET UNIVERSE
MISSING PERSONS The Star Fleet Universe section of each issue of Nexus is prepared
* Dan Carroll, an artist of some skill, sent in some art in 1983. We by ADB under an exclusive contract with Task Force Games. The SFB
recently reorganized the art file and wanted to use some of his art, but his section is Copyright© 1987 Amarillo Design Bureau. Included within this
address had changed in the meantime and mail was returned as copyright are pages 35-50 of this issue (excepting any advertising).
unforwardable. Anyone knowing Dan should urge him to contact us. Star Fleet Battles, Federation And Empire, and Star Fleet Universe
* Someone submitted a “pseudo plasma cannon" but didn't put his are trademarks held jointly by Task Force Games and Amarillo Design
name on it. Would you drop us a line, identify the proposal, and yourself? Bureau. The small ™ and ® marks are omitted for the convenience of our
* Two of our playtest groups (Burdick, Craig) have let their Starletter readers. All correspondence relating to SFB, including all material for
subs expire. Renew them soon or you'll be replaced. Playtest material Nexus and all black-and-white art, should be sent to Amarillo Design
was sent to the other groups in their last two Starfetter issues. Bureau, Post Office Box 8759, Amarillo, TX 79114. * * *

COPYRIGHT © 1987AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU STAR FLEET UNIVERSE— NEXUS # 17—35

BUILDING A WYNNING FLEET weapon mounts should be built up with lumps of epoxy. The drone racks
should be represented by two slight indentations on each side of the
by Stacy Brian Bartley mount on the front
If you are a die-hard WYN commander, you’ve probably discovered a AUXILIARY CVA: The auxiliary CVA is slightly different. There should
distinct lack of miniatures for WYN ships in the Starline 2200 series. Well, be three heavy weapon mounts on the top of the mount collar. Also the
to an industrious hobbyist, this, shouldn't present an obstacle to having phaser-3s should be removed from the miniatures.
your WYN fleet. With a little work you can modify existing figures to fill the Also on the auxiliary CVA a second weapon mount needs to be
gaps in your fleet. Before we start it will be necessary to have ribbon added on the rear of the miniature. It should be located forward of the
epoxy (available at most hardware stores), an x-acto knife, and perhaps a warp engines.
set of files to smooth out rough spots.
The WYN fleet is primarily based upon the freighter, both small and WYN DESTROYER (LYRAN): To create this WYN ship you will need
large. Starline 2200 has a small freighter miniature which comes in a two the Lyran Destroyer miniature. First, using the epoxy or paint, you will
pack. This will cover most of the auxiliaries, but a large freighter is needed need to add another disruptor mount on each of the two hull sections;
for the Aux-CVA and Aux-BC. Rumor has it that a large freighter will be these are inboard of the present mounts.
released this fall. If you can't wait, you can produce a large freighter from Next, you will need to use your x-acto knife to create a small
the two small ones with some effort indentation underneath the bridge for the drone rack. Be careful to center
this. You may want to darken it with a bit of black paint *
AUXILIARY SHIP ENGINES: For all of the auxiliaries, the warp On the rear of the ship, you will see the present tractor mounts. You
engines need to be built up using the epoxy. After reading the instructions will need to add two of these, one inboard of each of the present mounts.
on the ribbon box concerning mixing, use the epoxy to build up the warp On the front part of the ship on the bottom half of the center section,
engines to approximately twice their current size. The end product should directly under the added drone rack, you will need to add a projection
be squared off, and not dissimilar from the warp engines on the Hydran about the shape and size of a phaser mount for the ADD.
Banger, but without the detail on the front of the engine. This is what you
should use the x-acto knife for. (Hint: Keep the blade clean by keeping it WYN FRIGATE (KZINT1): To start out you will need a Kzinti Frigate
wet while working. It will prevent the expoxy from sticking to the blade too miniature. To make this modification you need only add two disruptor
much.) The supporting struts should also be squared off, but they should mounts using epoxy resin, one on each side of the sensor dish on the top
not be as thick as the warp engine itself. An alternative method for doing of the bridge section.
the warp engine work, for the most patient among you, would be to built up WYN POCKET BATTLE SHIP (LYRAN): Here it is, the big boy of
the warp engines with ribbon and allow it harden before attempting to the WYN fleet. To add this baby to your WYN fleet, you will need a Lyran
shape it. Instead after it has hardened, use hobby files to shape it to its War Cruiser miniature. Add two disrupters on the two outer hull sections
proper form. You could, of course, simply leave the engines alone. as in the Destroyer. On the center sector you will need to add two
AUXILIARY CRUISER: The WYN auxiliary cruiser is built from a small disrupter mounts directly on the nose below the bridge. And you will need
freighter. After the engines, create the weapons mount. This must be to add two tractor links on each side inboard from the present ones.
moulded from epoxy ribbon (see Figure #1). This mount is located WYN POLICE SHIP (KUNGON): As no G -2 miniature is available,
approximately 0.2-inch (5mm) from the front of the freighter miniature and you could use a n F-5 painted in WYN colors.
should be approximately 0.2-inch thick. You can use either of the two
techniques for forming the mount described above (in the warp engine PAINTING
section). The weapons themselves for the ship are located on the sides of The base hull color of WYN ships is flat off-white. The insignia is a
the mount (again see Figure #1). black disk; the outer dots are yellow and the two center dote are red.
General: The top mounting straps should be black as should the fill
AUXILIARY CV: The auxiliary carrier should be identical to the cruiser, between hulls on BC/CVA. Phasers are grey as are mine hatches,
with one significant difference. On the rear of the freighter below the shuttles, and repair bays. Weapon mount collars are black.
impulse engine, paint a shuttle bay which should be the same shape and Auxiliary CA/CV: One insignia on each side behind the weapon
size as the one in front. See Figure #2. mounts.
AUXILIARY PFT: Again you will need a small freighter. Starting about Auxiliary PFT/MS: One insignia on each side, forward of the mech
halfway back from the front of the miniature, you will need to add mech links or mine racks.
links directly on the side of the freighter. These should be silver squares. Auxiliary BC/CVA: The insignia are aft of the weapon mount collar.
These can either be painted onto the hull, or they can be added using Orion Ships: Orion ships in WYN service have the WYN base hull
epoxy. There should be three on each side of the freighter. Behind these color, and the insignia is located on the top of the ship aft of the bridge.
a grey square should be painted. This represents the collapsible repair
bay for the PFs. Other than this no modifications are needed. Well, you've made a start on your WYN fleet. Today the cluster,
tomorrow the galaxy!
AUXILIARY MS: The minesweeper again uses a small freighter figure.
You will again need to make a weapons mount for the phaser-2s. These
are located on the top part of the mount on which the sensor dish is
located. These should be added by using small lumps of epoxy resin. The
phaser-3 is in the same place as the present one (the SSD is deceptive).
The mine racks are painted as small grey squares (hatches) on the
sides of the freighters. There are two on each side and one on the bottom.
AUXILIARY BC/CVA: This will take some major surgery. You will need
two small freighter miniatures. As you’ve probably noticed, the large
freighter is basically two cargo pods strapped together. The auxiliary BC
isjoined by somewhat stronger means.
Before you get down to the cutting, place the two freighters down
side by side. The first thing that has to be done is that the inboard warp
engines will have to go. After that you will have to take steps to join the
two miniatures together. Get your epoxy ribbon out, and move the two
miniatures side by side, making sure that they are aligned correctly (you
want your warp engines symmetrical). Now using your epoxy putty fill in
the spaces filled in in the grey area in Figure #3. The putty should be flush
with the mounting strap on the top of the ship. On the rear a small bump
should be added to represent the RA phaser-3. The fill should continue to
the top edge of the freighters on the front and back of the ship. When you
fill in the bottom, use a stand to make the hole in the center where the
stand can later be mounted. Make sure everything is properly aligned
before the epoxy hardens.
Step two is to enlarge the remaining warp engines as in the aux CA,
except in this case they should be three times larger than the original
engines.
Step three is making the weapons mount (Figure #3); like the
auxiliary CA/CV it needs to be moulded from epoxy resin. The heavy

36—NEXUS #17—STAR FLEET UNIVERSE COPYRIGHT © 1987AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU '

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 П1

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WYN SHIP NAMES

This is the eleventh in our series of articles listing the names of ships
in service during the General War. As with other lists, this is neither a
revised order of battle nor a complete list. You can feel free to continue
using the names you are using. The WYNs did not re-use, change, or
transfer ship names. WYN ships did not display hull numbers. The names
were painted in standard Lyrti (the combined Lyran-Kzinti dialect used as
the common language in the cluster) script on both sides of each ship.
The auxiliary ships were all given female names, although it is
unclear if these were the namesakes of figures from history or favored
concubines. The names listed are the Federation translations of the origi­
nal Lyrti names. It is thought that, in the case of the auxiliary cruisers, no
more than one ship was in service at any given time with the same first
letter, so the list does include several replacements. For example, Fran­
cesca was the replacement for the destroyed Felicia. The other auxiliaries
were given names with the same first letter for a class, thus all mine­
sweepers started with C, and several were in service at the same time.
Lyran Destroyer/Pocket Battleship: Protector.
Kzinti Frigates: Dance Into The Fire, Flame-Broiled Death
Stalker, Flight to Freedom, Immovable Object, Journey From Death.
Klingon Police Gunboats: Defense, Defiance, Denial.
Orion Battle Raider: Aurora.
Orion Raider: Atonement.
Orion Light Raiders: Ghost Dancer, Middle Dark, Shadowfox,
Starbeam, Swift Terror, Well of Souls, Zabaraschuk.
Auxiliary Battlecruisers: Brunhild, Gretchen, Hildegard.
Auxiliary Heavy Carrier: Samantha.
Auxiliary Cruisers: Angelique, Alicia, Beatrix, Daphne, Delilah,
Ekaterina, Felicia, Francesca, Ingrid, Jennifer, Joan, Lisa, Margarine,
Nicole, Priscilla, Roxanne, Ursula.
Auxiliary Carriers: Samia, Shanna, Sharolyn, Stephanie, Sylvia.
Auxiliary Minesweepers: Camellia, Candide, Charfotta,
ASK UNCLE ARDAK
Christina, Clarissa. The enemy has tractored my drone at a range o f one, obviously
Auxiliary PF Tenders: Valerie, Veronica, Victoria. intending to hold it until his phasers can recharge. I wanted the drone to
hit his weak (or down) shield. What are my options ? Is there any way I can
Our thanks go to the players who submitted names for this article. break that tractor and force the drone to hit before the turn ends ?
This article concludes the basic series, but does not complete the This is a classic problem which eventually confronts every captain.
project. Nexus #18 will have both the First Generation X-Ship designs and The first reaction is that, since the drone is held by a tractor beam, there
the names of the individual ships. Nexus #19 will complete the project with must be some solution that would involve your own tractors (shoving it
additional names for all races, including the names for the new classes into his ship), but this is not the case. Tractoring your own drone voids its
added since the original article for that race, and additional names for the tracking (G7.52). Even an allied ship of a different race would automa­
most numerous classes. Thereafter we will update the overall lists as tically be on the same command frequency and would void the drone.
necessary, probably once per year. About the only tractor possibility is that a third ship (in a three-player scen­
You are welcome and encouraged to submit additional names for the ario without allies) could tractor the drone and try to pull it loose using
upcoming articles. In doing so, please keep the following in mind: (G7.37). There is no provision in the rules to apply a tractor beam to the
* Consult the previously published lists for each race, and submit drone and use the beam to “pump” negative tractor energy to the drone.
names which fit within the pattern for that race. But all is not lost. If you can't break the tractor beam, you can at
*' Note that some classes have patterns. Gorn cruisers all end with least try to break the tractor itself. Hit-and-run raids are useful here, as is
“-icon”and Klingon D-5sall start with the letter “R." any internal damage you can score on the enemy ship. Both approaches
* Avoid using historical or geographical names from Earth (except for require a certain amount of luck. If you are using the (D22.0) Energy
Federation ships, of course). Balance rules, hitting his power systems (with weapons or commandoes)
* We prefer the names you actually use to those you simply make up. could force him to release the drone.
* Please do not waste your time copying hundreds of names from Launch more drones. The enemy is actually helping you set up a two-
Jane's Fighting Ships. We have a copy and can do that ourselves. On the wave attack, as the damage from the new drones could release the trac­
other hand, if you want to suggest a few names of actual ships which are tored one. If you don't have enough control channels, cut the tracking to
of particular interest to you, please do. the tractored drone. (If you were close enough for him to tractor the
* You can make one or two ships as your “special request" and we will drone, you're probably close enough for the new drone to hit him before
use these names if at all possible. the turn is over.) What? You don't have another drone rack ready to fire?
* While foreign names (such as Bakurian) can be used with good You mean when you launched that first drone, knowing that he had a trac­
effect, avoid using outright gibberish. tor available, you didn't figure out how soon you would be able to launch
* Make our job as easy as possible. If you want to submit a LOT of another one? How about a suicide shuttle? Even a fake one. Good
names, put a few of them on your “A List” and the rest on your “B List.” If captains can find the options; the best captains create them!
at all possible, type. If you can't type, at least print. If you have more than
a couple of names for each race, put each race on a separate page. This begins a new "advice” column for SFB players seeking the
solutions to complex tactical problems. Address your questions to:
“Ask Uncle Ardak, ADB, P О Box 8759, Amarillo, TX 79114.”
Include a stamped self-addressed envelope if you want a personal reply.
If you enclose your “Ask Uncle Ardak" letter with other correspondence,
please be sure to put it on a separate sheet of paper and provide a
0 dp separate reply envelope. Letters will be answered in Nexus or Captain's
Log on a space available basis. Personal replies will be sent as soon as
possible, but if Ardak has to ask his panel of experts for advice, it could
take a month or more. Please, no more than one request from any one
player at a time.

COPYRIGHT© 1987 AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU STAR FLEET UNIVERSE — NEXUS 017—37
 Bums: Yes, lam.
THE ACflDEmV: Cadet West: You'll have to allocate for his maximum reserve power, plus
enough to keep the tractor active, as adjusted for range. That could
т ш - Т Е н т reu ieu j b o a r d be 30% or more of your total power.
Gopin: No Klingon in his right mind is going to let you hold him in a tractor
long enough to reload photons, not at that range. If you’re depending
The Commander reached for the file and leaned back at his desk to
read the transcripts. on him to use his reserve power for something else, you'd better
It wasn't fair to eavesdrop on the Cadets' mid-term review sessions, have something extraordinary in mind that will force him to use it.
where the senior cadets helped the juniors brush up on their tactics. But, Schultz: You're going to lose a photon and half your phasers. How are
the electronic recording system had been in place for decades and had you going to hurt him then?
become an institution. Listening in on the sessions not only provided an Crull: With a gamble like this, you could lose — permanently.
idea as to which of the junior cadets were likely to become the rising stars Engineer: Very well, that will be all. Who’s next?
of their class, but provided a check on the character development of the Kaufman: Cadet Jay.
senior cadets. More than one graduating cadet had found himself inexpli­ Cadet Jay: The Cadet reports to the Review Board.
cably sidetracked into meaningless assignments because he had Engineer: Cadet, what tactics would you use in the case of direct ship-to-
behaved like a pompous ass during the mid-term reviews. ship combat in the region of a black hole?
He began reading through the file. Jay: When fighting near a black hole, charge the enemy in a traditional
head-on combat pass. If he slows to arm weapons and reinforce the
Engineering Cadet: Ok, are we all set? [Numerous voices respond in the shields, you have him. Arm no weapons, but grab him with a tractor
affirmative.] Who's first? beam and drag him near the black hole. Then cut him lose and es­
Cadet Kaufman: Cadet Beauregard, step forward. [Sound of snoring.] cape. You'll be going faster since you didn't arm weapons. The accel­
Cadet Beauregard: The Cadet reports to the Review Board. eration limits will keep him from escaping so easily, as he'll have to
Cadet Crull: Here's the first question. shift power to movement. Even if he gets out, you will have plenty of
Engineer: All right, Cadet. How would you set up the defenses for a base? time to shoot at him from a distance or commit other mischief.
Beauregard: By the standard procedures. Crull: Impossible. He'll go fora narrow salvo and ruin your whole day.
Crull: Which are? Cadet Gopin: Right. He'll blow your doors off while you're playing games.
Beauregard: Attach modules as appropriate for the situation. Add pods to Smith: The likely damage you'll take will cost you the tractor or the power
provide additional power and volume if they are available. Establish a to run it.
minefield around the base. Deploy captor mines, preferably under Olesen: Arm NO weapons? You could at least have the phaser capacitors
direct control, inside the minefield to provide additional firepower. full in case he has seeking weapons!
Bayless: Can you think of anything else? Zimdars: Have you considered that he might tractor you?
Beauregard: Ask for as many ships as possible to be assigned. Engineer: Your tactic is unappreciated, Cadet Have you any defense?
[Laughter.] Jay: Nothing to add, sir!
Crull: Perhaps you could suggest something that would be more within the Engineer: Your proposed tactic cannot be accepted, Cadet. You can't
control of the base commander? gamble a starship on a trick. You need solid tactics. Who's next?
Beauregard: Well, you could deploy defense satellites around the base. Kaufman: [Sound of a chair falling over backwards.] Cadet Millay.
They could orbit the base at a distance of 30,000kms and provide Cadet Millay: The Cadet reports to the Review Board.
additional firepower. Crull: Here's a good one.
Crull: Amazing! I wonder why no one thought of that before? Engineer: Cadet, what tactics would you use against Hydran fighters?
Cadet Hack: Perhaps it's because defense satellites won't orbit a base? Cadet Millay: Hydran Stinger fighters, with their fusion beams and gatling
There isn't enough mass. It takes a planet, or at least a moon, to phasers, are deadly ship-killers at close range. The obvious solution
establish a center of orbit. of destroying them at long range leaves your ship without weapons
Engineer: Cadet, did you really believe that you had discovered some­ to fire at the Hydran ship. A better solution is to grab the Stingers
thing new? Something no base commander ever thought of? with tractor beams and hold them at 30,000kms. There they can be
Beauregard: Well, yes. picked off at leisure with anti-drones (which are best a* that range),
Engineer: Cadet, things work for a reason. There are a good many more rotated to face unused weapons, dragged into convenient asteroids,
things that have been thought of, tried, and found unsuccessful than or (for the Lyrans anyway) held until the ESG is recharged.
there are things that have never been thought of. Now, you thought Engineer: Doesn't sound that effective. The energy required to hold a
of this idea to use defense satellites before today, didn't you? fighter at 30,000kms would arm three phasers! [Numerous voices
Beauregard: Yes. attempt to speak at once.] I see that many of you have comments.
Engineer: So why didn't you research your idea to see why no one had Schultz: Risky. Stingers can still scratch you at 30,000kms. And by
tried it before? doing a high energy turn, they can break loose and come back at
Beauregard: No excuse, sir! you. Anyway, you can't rotate them fast enough.
Engineer: Who is next? Bayless: Better hope they aren't the H-types.
Kaufman: [Snort.] Ah, Cadet Bums. Olesen: Most ships don't have enough tractors to make this work.
Cadet Burns: The Cadet reports to the Review Board. Crull: This doesn’t work with Hydrans. It only works IF there are asteroids
Engineer: [Period of silence.] Well, are you going to give me a question for around or IF you have ADDs or IF the fighters don't use an НЕТ to
Burns or not? break the tractors or IF you have plenty of power or IF IF IF...
Crull: Give me a second. I'm trying to pick a good one. Cadet Smith: Cadet Millay, you could call this “A desperate solution.." but
Engineer: Well hurry up. [Pause.] All right. Cadet Burns, your photons are you could not call it a “better” solution.
reloading, and a Klingon ship is approaching at high speed. Engineer: It seems your proposal is rejected, Cadet Millay.
Obviously he is planning to make a high speed attack run with full Millay: So it would seem, sir.
overloads before you can reload. What do you do? Engineer. Well, work on it some more. All right, who is next?
Burns: Slap a tractor beam on him at 30,000kms. Kaufman: [mumble] Cadet Richardson.
Cadet Olesen: Whatever for? Cadet Richardson: The Cadet reports to the Review Board.
Burns: This maneuver keeps him out of point blank range. His phaser-lls Engineer: Thank you for having the question ready, Cadet Crull. See
are out of effective range. More importantly, I can control his move­ here, Cadet Richardson, how would you engage an ISC echelon?
ment. I'll be able to drop a non-facing shield and place T-bombs, Richardson: The problem with attacking the echelon is to reach the gun
then push him into them. I'll also have time to fire at any drones and line with intact shields. I would use a bold tactic and approach the
suicide shuttles. Most important, he'll still be in range when my formation in reverse, taking the punishment on your rear shields.
photons are reloaded. (Use suitable reinforcement and jamming.) Upon reaching the gun
Cadet Schultz: At 30,000kms, phaser-lls are still effective. line, you can perform an НЕТ to engage the ships or coast through
Crull: What if he negates your tractor beam? At a range of 30,000kms he the line and fire at the frigates from the rear.
would have a three-to-one advantage. Crull: You gotta be kidding!
Burns: Attackers seldom allocate power for negative tractor. Hack: Bad idea. Your rear shields are weaker, and you can't fire during
Zimdars: But he'll usually have power for offensive tractors, and it can be your approach. You're giving him too many unanswered volleys.
switched over immediately, unless he's trying to tractor you, in which Zimdars: An oblique approach would be more effective.
case your tractors are wasted. Gopin: Even if you managed to pull off the first part of the plan, you'd
Hack: What about his reserve power? have to expose your down rear shields to the ships of the second
Burns: He'll probably use it for something else. echelon — or to the rear-firing torpedoes of the first echelon if you
Engineer: Are you willing to gamble on that? made the НЕТ.

38—NEXUS #17—STAR FLEET UNIVERSE COPYRIGHT © 1987 AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU

Engineer: A high energy turn is something that you do to get yourself out whatever range he wants to.
of trouble. As risky as it is, you shouldn't put yourself into a position Gopin: If the enemy has power reserved for a high energy turn (and most
in which the only thing you can do is make such a turn. will) you will lose.
Richardson: I'll give the concept additional thought. Schultz: Some ships, such as the Hydrans, ISC, and most drone users,
Engineer: You do that. Who's next? could use rear-firing weapons.
Kaufman: [Snoring, followed by] What? Oh, yes. Cadet Johns. Kaufman: If he dropped a mine out the shuttle hatch, you are going to hit it
Cadet Johns: The Cadet reports to the Review Board. full speed with a down shield. It's a good way to win or lose in a hurry.
Engineer: Yes, Cadet. Your ship is crippled in the middle of an enemy Crull: If there is a PPD, EPT, or hellbore in the area you're going to be in
fleet. What should you do? even more trouble.
Johns: The normal tactic is to self-destruct. Instead, just drop all of the Bayless: Try that with a Kzinti, and he'll eat you alive.
shields and hurl transporter bombs throughout the enemy fleet. With Gopin: Or lightly baked and seasoned with herbs.
a crippled ship, you are likely to be destroyed anyway. At least this Engineer: Your tactic cannot be accepted, Cadet.
way, you can do more damage. Lattej: I'll review the situation.
Bayless: Fond of Klingon cuisine, Cadet? Engineer: At length. Who's next?
Johns: Sir? Kaufman: Cadet Reztips.
Bayless: I guess you didn't consider the possibility of capture? Cadet Reztips: The Cadet reports to the Review Board.
Johns: Sir? Engineer: How would you best employ plasma bolts?
Crull: Dropping your shields in the middle of an enemy fleet is to invite Reztips: The key range for plasma bolts is 90,000-100,OOOkms. At that
their marines aboard. Don't assume that the enemy will oblige your range, bolts have a 50% chance of a hit, while photons have only a
tactical ploys by responding as expected. 33% chance. Firing at this range also gives you a chance to turn
Engineer: See if you can get the clipboard away from Kaufman and tell me away before entering overload range if you miss.
who's next. Hack: He's trying to match bolts against photons, and it won't work.
Kaufman: I'm awake! Cadet Arbatrov is next. Schultz: It might, if he can cloak or lay mines while retreating.
Cadet Arbatrov: The Cadet reports to the Review Board. West: And if a seeking torpedo would have no chance of a hit.
Crull: Here, give him this one. Hack: If you can predict that, you're ready for a command.
Engineer: Whatever you think. Cadet Arbatrov, how would you go about West: Thank you. Thank you very much.
designing a minefield that could not be swept? Bayless: Proximity photons have a 66% chance of a hit.
Arbatrov: Virtually all minesweepers have enough shielding to withstand a West: But they do less damage.
mine explosion. Such an explosion slows a minesweeper down, but Schultz: And if you miss, he keeps coming for a phaser duel.
does not damage it. To insure that the minesweeper is actually dam­ Bayless: Let him!
aged, set another mine (even a small one) in the same area, connec­ Engineer: Anyone else?
ted by a chain detonator, so that it will go off simultaneously. The Zimdars: Invalid concept. Wastes a weapon that is slow to reload.
combined explosion will cause enough damage to the minesweeper West: If he's going fast enough to avoid the torps, or has weasels warmed
to shut down the sweeping operation. up, it would be a waste not to bolt them.
Engineer: [Many voices try to speak at once.] Order! You'll all have your Smith: Bolts are more of a consolation shot.
turn, one at a time. Zimdars: I suppose you could bolt them to take advantage of a down
Olesen: A chain detonator is useless if the first mine is swept. shield that's about to be turned away.
Arbatrov: Then you could use a deadman switch. Engineer: Think about this one some more, Reztips. Next?
Olesen: A deadman switch is detectable and will give the ploy away. Cadet Stejay: The Cadet reports to the Review Board.
Hack: Invalid tactic that compromises general deterrent capability. Engineer: Cadet, how would you best employ the destroyer?
Crull: Minesweepers don't sweep mines by themselves. They send mine- Stejay: In fleet actions the Federation destroyer is a liability. With a
sweeping shuttles, or drones, or ESGs, or just about anything else cruiser's weapons (that it can't afford to arm) behind a destroyer's
to do it before they get involved. A lot of these double mines of yours shields, it is the juiciest target in your fleet. If you want a DD to
will be swept before they can explode. survive for its second salvo of photons, keep itout of the action,
Gopin: The damage from a small mine won't hurt most minesweepers. firing prox-photons at long range. A pair of destroyers provides a
Knocking out the front shield does enough good. The minesweeper firebase, and the long range makes them unprofitable targets. Fur­
isn't going to continue operations without that front shield. ther, this constrains the enemy's maneuvers as he can ill afford to
Olesen: Remember, a minesweeper has as much power as the warship it's turn weak shields toward a firestorm of prox-photons.
based on, but without the heavy weapons. It's got plenty of power, Smith: I can't agree that the DD is a liability. They can follow the cruisers
and it all goes into reinforcement and give the enemy a difficult choice of targets.
Cadet West: Unless you do it for every mine, why bother? Crull: Klingons will stay away from a ship with four overloaded photons.
Bayless: Most minesweepers reinforce their front shields anyway. West: The DD can’t move with overloads, but normal loads will do.
Engineer: Think about this some more, Cadet. Engineer: Were the commander here, he would doubtless assign you to
Arbatrov: Certainly. write a report on the best employment of the destroyer.
Bayless: You might consider a captor mine, placed some distance behind Stejay: Doubtless. I will give the matter more thought.
your belt, instead of a second standard mine. Engineer: You do that. I think we can end this session now.
Arbatrov: I'll consider that. [Sound of chairs being moved and general chatter.]
Engineer: Star Fleet calling Kaufman, [laughter]
The Commander closed the file and put it aside. They were basically
Kaufman: Ok, ok! Cadet Ericownis next. good cadets. Some of them had a lot to learn, and some of them would
Cadet Ericown: The Cadet reports to the Review Board.
learn it before graduation. Others would learn it in combat.
Engineer: How would you deal with an Orion Pirate?
Ericown: While Orions often use non-violent combat to avoid destroying
the ships they mean to capture, that system can be effectively em­
ployed against them. It increases the amount of engine damage,
making his power situation critical. He'll be forced to overload his
engines to make up lost power, and that will aggravate the situation.
Cadet Cree: Obviously you haven't studied the percentages on non­
violent combat, which causes 15% engine damage as compared to
22% by the standard targeting system. And of course, with non­
violent combat some 64% of your potential damage is simply lost.
Crull: Orions are short on internals. Giving up half of your damage for this
dubious advantage is nonsense.
Bayless: Send that man to the Andromedan Front!
Kaufman: Cadet Lattej is next.
Cadet Lattej: The Cadet reports to the Review Board.
Engineer: Cadet, how would you conduct a head-on attack.
Lattej: Rather than firing at the reinforced facing shield, plot a high energy
turn and (after taking his best punch) fly over him and turn to face his
rear shields. The trade-off between losing a couple of weapons and
hitting a weaker shield can be profitable.
Olesen: Bad idea. It gives the initiative to the enemy, who can fire at

COPYRIGHT © 1987 AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU STAR FLEET UNIVERSE — NEXUS #17—39
 HEAD-ON — Cadet Jay Hypes, USS Virginia
STAR FLEET fiCflOEtnV Take note of the firing arcs of your weapons and those of your
opponent. Coalition ships (Klingon, Lyran, Romulan) usually have FA
ТЕПШ PAPERS
Each issue of NEXUS presents a series of term papers from the
firing arcs for their forward phasers and heavy weapons. Alliance ships
(particularly the Goms and Feds) tend to have only a few weapons able to
fire across the entire FA arc, with most weapons firing LS or RS. Thus,
students of Star Fleet Academy (i.e. from you, the players). Each paper their firepower is concentrated into a single hex row. Because of this,
presents a specific tactic or new idea for use by the players of SFB. most Coalition ships should approach the enemy from an oblique angle, to
Readers of NEXUS are invited to submit their own term papers to ADB; stay out of this “row of death." Note that all ships have their own firing
see the instructions on page 41. Ranks are assigned on the basis of how arcs, and examine those of your own ship to select the best approach.
many of their term papers have been published (1 = cadet, 2-3 = ensign, 4- See “The Oblique Attack" in the Tactics Manual.
5 = lieutenant, 6-8 = lieutenant commander, 9-11 = commander, 12+ =
captain). Ship assignments correspond to home states. BARRIER DEFENSE — Cadet Danny Indrigo, HMS Ontario
When expecting a large wave of drones, most ships will place a
ALL OR NOTHING — Ensign Graeme Bayless, USS California barrier of T-bombs in their path. The counter-tactic is to have one or two
When defending with a minefield, deploy pairs of command-con­ drones move ahead of the pack to pre-detonate the mines. The counter­
trolled explosive mines. Place these close together in an area you expect counter-tactic is to be sure to kill the lead drones before they detonate
the enemy to move, or where you will be able to draw your opponent. The the mines.
concentrated blast of two mines will often be enough to destroy the front You could use (M 5.16) and set the mines to ignore the first target.
shields of most of the enemy fleet, allowing easy mop-up.
If your opponent doesn't fall into your trap, you'll be out the cost of DRONES THAT HIT — Ensign GeofMahl, USS Indiana
the mines and have an uphill fight on your hands. A ll tactics are based on The drone construction rules allow you to tailor drones with a greater
choices, and the choice here is to gamble between a quick victory and a chance of a hit against any enemy. Against phaser defenses, build two-
less than even fight. Also, using your controlled mines in this manner space drones with a half-space armor module. This has the same chance
denies their primary use in forming an access corridor for your own ships. of survival against two phaser-3s that two type-1 drones have, but does
50% more damage. A two-space drone with a full armor module has a 42%
DISRUPTOR TACTICS — Lieutenant Tom Chartoff, USS New Jersey chance of surviving two phaser-1s at the most common defensive
When short of power and faced with the choice of arming two disrup- ranges. The kinetic-energy anti-drones destroy all drones equally,
tors or overloading one, arm two of them to standard loads because: 1) regardless of size or armor, so when faced with an enemy well-equipped
standard loads can be fired at longer ranges, 2) the chances of a with such weapons, larger numbers of cheaper drones are better.
complete miss are less, 3) they can fire at separate targets if required, 4)
there is less chance that a weapon will be destroyed before it can fire, and ANDROMEDANS: BURNING EXTRA POWER
5) the Mizia concept can be employed with two successive volleys. — Lieutenant Anthony Medici, USS New Jersey
This tactic applies to many other weapons as well. The best way of reducing the power in your batteries during the turn
is by the use of reserve warp power. By using battery power to run your
FIGHTER PACKS — Ensign Mark S Cocheri, USS New Jersey ship and channelling all unused warp power (everything except move­
At long range, use a couple of fighters as scatter-packs. Set them to ment) into your batteries, you create a massive store of reserve warp
release quickly. This will tremendously increase your launch capability; power. If you then need to reduce the power levels of your batteries, you
you can still recover the fighters by tractor and reload them before enter­ have more options than if it were non-warp power. You can start erratic
ing close combat This saves your Admin shuttles for WW duty. maneuver, perform a high energy turn, or (if you really need to drain
USE EVERYTHING!— Cadet David Custar, USS Oklahoma power) initiate an unplotted acceleration (which costs twice as much as a
Deth O'Kay's adage "Use your tractors, dammit" doesn't go far plotted one). Of course, if you don't need to use the power, you'll have it
enough. Not only should every system of the ship be utilized, but every available next turn.
characteristic must pay its way. For example, a SkyHawk can safely Rated the best term paper in this issue.
make its first НЕТ while simultaneously performing erratic maneuvers. LAUNCH SHUTTLES! — Cadet Brian Nosser, USS California
You paid for this ability when you bought the ship, so get some use out of A heavy cruiser carries an average of four shuttles. While some
it Captains who get the most out of their ships tend to win more often. must be kept for Wild Weasel duty, two are usually enough. The other two
Remember that we are discussing capabilities, not requirements. If should not be allowed to sit idly in the bay. Use them as SPs or suicides,
you don't need to do an НЕТ while doing EM, don't feel obligated. or as escorts. The escort role is preferable because it allows them to be
LAUNCHING SUICIDES — Lieutenant Robert Eng, USS New York used every turn. Keep them behind you, and assign them to pick off
The best time to launch a suicide shuttle is when you have tractored approaching drones. If the enemy tries an overrun, his (down) #1 shield
the target. This will block a WW and slow him down. will be facing their phaser-3s, which together have the firepower of a
Time your launch for just before the movement impulse for the speed photon torpedo.
you have selected. This will minimize the number of impulses that the There is a tactical penalty involved, in that you are stuck with slow-
shuttle is on the board and vulnerable to fire. moving escorts, but it could be worth it in some cases. Feds, for example,
Launch a succession of suicide shuttles on alternating impulses (the cant go much faster when charging photons and could use the help.
maximum rate per bay). Set the earlier shuttles for a lower speed, so that COUNTERING KLINGONS — Ensign RichardOros, USS Texas
all will arrive at the target simultaneously. The basic Klingon tactic is to fire overloaded disruptors with UIM s at
Using a tractor is the standard "Gorn Anchor". If the suicide shuttles a range of 8 hexes, where he has an 83% chance of a hit (better than any­
strike the same shield on different impulses, more o f the target's weapons one else). From that point he can use his excellent turn modes to avoid
will be knocked out (via the Mizia Concept). Note that it is much cheaper the four-hex “death zone" in front of a Federation ship. Federation (and
(energy-wise) and is almost as effective to launch a standard shuttle and other) captains need to plan counters for this standard opening attack.
have it fire its phaser through a down shield, if you can wait 1/4-turn. One solution is to plot a speed increase that can unexpectedly close
KLINGON ARCS — Cadet Troy Feickert, USS South Dakota the range. Another is to fire on the Klingons flank shields as he turns
The two most important weapon lines for Klingon ships are those away. Yet another is to use normal loads on the photons, flying slow at
formed by the FA/RX border. On E or F class ships, every weapon can fire first to confirm his belief in your overloads. You could have fighters and
along the two lines. On D class ships, every weapon except the opposite seeking weapons meet him at that point to force him to fire and turn away
waist phasprs can fire there. Maneuver so that the enemy must cross earlier or make him pay to get that close. Most importantly, study your
these lines, and fire for full-effect when he is in the proper position. own weapons. Firing four overloaded photons at range 8 and scoring two
hits will do more damage than four overloaded disruptors.
POINT OF TURN MARKERS FOR MINIATURES
We'd like to hear some other solutions from players.
— AdmiralAlan Gopin, USS New Jersey
Your regular SFB counters are perfect to use as point of turn KZINTi DEATH GRIP — Ensign Rick Peterson, USS New York
markers when you are playing with miniatures. Each ship gets its own The optimum range for Kzinti captains is zero or one hex. Launch
point of turn marker and you can easily tell which turn marker belongs to enough drones to draw a weasel, then move in close while he cannot fire.
which ship. This is particularly useful in large fleet actions. Burn the weasel and grab him with a tractor beam, turning a strong shield
toward him. At point blank range your phaser-3s are most effective, and
HEAVY DRONES — Cadet Warren Okuma, IJS Okinawa
his anti-drones are worthless. You can afford to bid more in a tractor
Type-4 drones should figure prominently in the plans of all drone-
auction because your drones are power-free and your phaser-3s take
firing ships. They cannot be stopped by a phaser-2 and even a phaser-1
only 1/2 point of power. (At that range, two points of power will produce
has only a 33% chance. Since firing rates are limited by number, not size,
more damage through four phaser-3s than through one disruptor.)
slower firing ships in particular should use this weapon.
If you hug a Kzinti, you'll end up with scratches. This is the Gorn
Avoid this tactic when the enemy has plenty of ADDs.
Anchor in a fur coat
40—NEXUS #17—STAR FLEET UNIVERSE COPYRIGHT © 1987 AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU
HOW TO SUBMIT TERM PAPERS HOW TERM PAPERS ARE SELECTED
Each issue, we publish about 20 term papers selected from more Many players have asked about this process. Term papers are
than 200 on file. In an effort to solicity better Term Papers and to simplify screened on receipt for illegal tactics and those that are not suitable ter
our administrative procedures, we are using this valuable space (which use as term papers. (Those which expose potential rules abuses are
could have been used to publish another dozen papers) to give you more diverted to the Addenda file and promptly become illegal.) Next, they are
detailed instructions. Follow these instructions, and your chances will be checked against an index of all published papers to eliminate dupli­
dramatically improved. Failure to follow instructions reduces your chan­ cations. The papers are then filed alphabetically by author. Term papers
ces to virtually zero. The same instructions apply to Tactical Notes for are held on file until used or rejected.
FEDERATION AND EMPIRE When we begin work on each issue, one term paper from each author
* TYPE your term paper. (Computer dot-matrix is OK.) Use decent is typed into the computer, creating the "selection pool” for that issue. A
margins and double space. Use 8.5x11” blank white paper. Use the front print out of this file is sent to the Committee. At .this time, many of the
side only. It would be better to put only one term paper on each page, but papers in the file are diverted to other files (e.g. Academy). At least twice
in any case don't put more than three. as many papers are entered as can be used.
* NEVER include your term paper on the same page as rules questions The Committee searches for loopholes, trick keys, and illegal
or any other submission. We have to be able to put the entire page your tactics, eliminating any such papers (which are sent back to the authors,
term paper is on into the term paper file or we can never use it who often revise and re-submit them). Some are held while rules are
* Put your name and address on your term paper. Your ship is your researched or debated. Each Committee member can use one pre-
home state. (Only Origins champions get the ship of their choice.) If you emptory challenge to block a paper he feels is inappropriate. The remain­
are away from home (in school or the military, etc) just list "Home State der are then graded A-F. The available space is filled with papers in the
____" below your mailing address. Canadians list provinces. Others may approximate order of their average grade. Often a good but very long
list countries or provinces. paper is dropped to make room for two or three shorter ones. The last
* Shorter term papers have a much better chance of being published. papers are selected to improve the balance (regardless of grades).
Use your title for your introduction and get to the point in the first sen­ Unrejected term papers which could not be used for lack of space remain
tence. Note the average length of term papers used in Nexus. Priority is in the computer and go back to the Committee when the next issue is
given to good papers that are easy to use. With the large number avail­ worked on. Some ineffective tactics are transferred to the Review Board.
able to choose from, we can still find excellent papers without having to A few very long papers are re-written into articles.
spend hours boiling down the longer ones down. One comment should be made about rejected term papers! These
* Do not use term papers to discuss philosophy, propose new ships, are sometimes used in the Academy (you'll find the Commander raking
describe your favorite ship, argue about the background, or suggest their authors over the coals), and we are planning more mid-term review
changes in the rules. Do this in regular letters. sessions of the Academy. In these cases, the names are changed to
* We have effectively stopped publishing papers about ship modifi­ protect the sensibilities of the author. We'll select a name that you can
cations. These have been placed in a separate file and might be used in a recognize (perhaps the street you live on, or a contraction of your first
special section later. You are welcome to submit them, but should be and last name). Don't hold back on sending in papers for fear that a
aware that they may never be used. mistake is going to expose you to public humiliation.
* Avoid term papers that "only work if..." An effort is made to return rejected papers. This allows you to revise
* Have a friend (or better a stranger or an enemy) who knows the game and re-submit them, and gives you a chance to cite rules that prove your
read it first to see if you missed something. “illegal” tactic really is legal. If you enclosed an envelope with your original
* Do not copy the tactical hints out of the rulebook or Tactics Manual. papers, and some were rejected on receipt, they were probably returned
We know about those. However, if you can find a new twist, or a common in the envelope. If the envelope was not used, it was placed in the “purple
situation where the standard tactics don't apply, go for it. file” and could be used later if term papers are rejected later. Many rejec­
* Do not copy previous term papers. We remember them. ted term papers are returned in the author's Starletter subscription (for
* Fair or not, papers that come in through the computer bulletin board those who have one). If we have rejected papers and no way to return
have an advantage. If there is a problem with your paper, you will know them, they are discarded. We simply don't have the space to hold them on
about it quickly and can modify the paper immediately. If we rejected your file just in case someone comes looking for them.
paper because we misunderstood it, you can explain what you meant If you want to know how many of your term papers are still on file,
immediately. But this advantage exists only in getting your paper into the ask ADB (in a separate letter or as part of another one). Include reply
selection pool. Once there, all term papers have an equal chance. postage. You can send stamped envelopes to be held in the purple file.

COPYRIGHT© 1987AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU STAR FLEET UNIVERSE — NEXUS #17—41

 Frannic should be in command of a frigate, not a ship such as this.
Kraal had worked his way up through the ranks. He had put himself
through the Empire's Academy and proved himself to be a good officer.
Yet, command had passed him by time and again, in favor of royal pets.
Some of them were good, in fact, most were. But some were like Frannic,
who counted on schemes and craftiness to make up for their lack of
tactical skill. Kraal felt certain that he had been assigned as Frannic’s
second in command just because of that weakness.
"Kraal."
"Yes, captain," answered Kraal, keeping all traces of the hatred he
felt out of his voice.
"Have all sensors at maximum gain. I want to know the instant that
the Hydran ship comes within range. Also, what type of ship, energy
output, and weapon status. Everything. Clear, Kraal?"
"Yes, captain. It shall be as you ordered," replied Kraal. "Shall I begin
charging the sphere generators?"
"Yes. Good idea. We'll want them at full power in the event we have
to ram. See to it, Kraal."
“At once, sir," said Kraal, turning away to issue the proper orders and
praying that his captain's claws would turn inward.
* * *
Hyspathh climbed out of the cockpit of his fighter, pleased that the
coolant fluid pressure leak had been fixed. It was a good fighter, and he
looked forward with a curious sadness to the new fighters they would
receive soon. He didn’t have to double check the deck crews’ repairs like
this, but when his brother had been a pilot, he always did. And he was one
of the best, an ace. Hyspathh was close to that status himself, being only
one victory away. One more victory and he could draw level with his
brother turned ship's commander.
Having a brother as his commander did not prove to be as difficult as
some would think. In public he gave Hygraphht the respect he was due,
but in private both became the brothers that were close throughout their
lives. They managed to meet every couple of days for a running game of
Kegth which Hyspathh was currently winning. Wearing a double smile,
Hyspathh exited the hangar bay in the direction of his quarters, planning
his next move in the game. It would tie Hygraphht in knots.
Jfc ^ 36
The fortunes of war had turned against the Hydrans. Both the "Captain, sensors have detected the approach of a Hydran craft
Klingons and Lyrans had made gains into what once had been Hydran First scans reveal it to be a destroyer class vessel, with shield strength at
space. Attack followed attack, and the beleaguered Hydrans were forced minimum levels. We are too far from the Hydran to determine weapon
to give ground, but they sold their territory slowly and dearly. The new status. Speed of the destroyer is slowing to warp 3."
light cruisers built especially for wartime were just now entering produc­ "Excellent! Tragar, head towards him at full speed! Disruptors at full
tion. But until they arrived at the front lines, defense was left up to the overloads and all available power to the forward shields! Move, curse you
older classes of ships. all, move!"
Phtho-3 was the command base of the Lancer-class destroyer As the Lyran ship leapt forward like a great jungle cat, Kraal swore to
Concept. Only months before, Phtho-3 was just considered to be a supply himself. They were heading straight at the Hydran, and if the Hydran
and repair base. It was now a fortress near the front lines. Two hangar turned, they were going too fast to turn with him! In his eagerness for a
modules had been added to the station, as well as the assignment of the quick kill, Frannic may have cost them that very thing!
Concept and two frigates.
Ж Ж
"Commander, we’ve just received a garbled distress signal from a "Commander, it's a trick! A Lyran light cruiser is approaching head on
ship bearing 224 mark 9. Something about a malfunction in their life sup­ at high warp speed!"
port controls. They are requesting immediate aid from any ship in the Hygraphht was beside himself with anger, yet he issued his com­
area. I have attempted contact, but they do not respond." mands in a cool crisp voice devoid of any emotion.
Hygraphht, commander of the Concept rubbed an area below his "Bring shields up to full power, energize all weapons, and order all
lower mouth, a sign familiar to his bridge crew that indicated he was think­ pilots to fighters. Pylghhit, increase speed to warp 2.7 and turn to 216
ing. As their lives depended on the commander's ability to think and plan, mark 12, with our port shields facing the Lyran. Plyltth, inform Command
they quietly waited for his decision. The position given for the disabled Base we have been deceived and request aid."
ship was off their assigned patrol route. Too far off. The possibility of a As his crew responded, Hygraphht whispered a silent prayer to his
trap occurred to him, but he could not afford to ignore the message. His brother, whom he had to order into combat again. Stay safe, my brother,
Commander's Oath demanded that he investigate. he thought, stay safe.
* # *
‘Helm, change course to 224 mark 9, speed factor 4. Plyltth, keep
trying to raise that ship, and also inform Command Base of our actions. Concept veered sharply as the Djinn o f the Desert spat forth destruc­
tive energy. Energy meant to kill met energy designed to protect.
Have the medical staff put on alert."
The Concept swung about in the vast ocean of space and arrowed in Concept's shields were barely active when phaser fire caused them to
collapse, inflicting minor damage to the destroyer. No answering fire came
a new direction.
* * from the Hydran ship, but the craft did change course again, presenting
Fifty parsecs away, the light cruiser Djinn o f the Desert sat silent and its undamaged rear shields to the Lyran.
Hygraphht considered himself to be very lucky. The damage done to
unmoving. On the bridge Captain Frannic sat in his chair kneading the
padded arms. The signal had been sent, and he knew a Hydran ship was Concept was mainly structural, and all weapon systems were fully
operational.
on its way. All he need do is wait. He did not care what type of ship
"Commander, the Lyran is turning to follow us. We have put some dis­
answered his call; he would destroy it. His ship would be fully prepared, all
tance between us and are out of optimum weapons range, but he is
weapons charged to maximum. The Hydran would not be so ready. It
increasing speed and beginning to close."
would be a quick and easy kill, requiring one, perhaps two salvoes. And
“Thank you, Pylghhit Prepare to launch all fighters and have power
with this victory, Frannic’s power and prestige would increase to the point
available for a high energy turn. How many transporter bombs do we have
where he could receive command of one of the new battlecniisers.
Across the bridge, Commander Kraal, second in command, stole on board?"
"Only six, commander."
glances at his captain. Glances filled with hatred. Kraal felt that he had
"They will have to do. Begin rolling them out the shuttle hatch one at
deserved command of this ship, not Frannic. But Frannic was the scion of
a time. Perhaps we can do him some damage before we are forced to turn
a minor noble family; Kraal was not. Frannic was a climber, using his royal
and face him. After we do turn and fire, have the fighters close and fire
connections to advance farther and faster than he merited. At best,
after we do. If fortune is with us, we can force him to disengage."

42—NEXUS #77—STAR FLEET UNIVERSE COPYRIGHT© 1987 AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU

 "Fighters signal ready, commander. No response from our distress in a new tone of command.
call yet’ "One of the starboard phaser-lll's, commander," answered Tragar.
'Blast! I was hoping for the local patrol frigate at least Well, it looks "Good. Fire it at one of the fighters; it makes no difference which."
as though we are alone in this. Tell Engineer Hyrrth to concentrate on Tragar did as he was ordered, then rose and followed Kraal to the lift
repairing the shields." He paused to look at the impaled Frannic. Suppressing a shudder, Tragar
"Aye, commander." entered the lift and the doors took the sight away from him.
"Commander, the Lyran is closing. Range is now 80,000 kilometers.” -Ж
- Ж
-
"Launch fighters. Prepare to fire on my signal." Their run completed, Hyspathh and the other fighter pilots turned and
* * * saw what had been done to their mother ship. Blackened and charred, she
Kraal sat seething at his station, damning Frannic to the worst fates turned slowly in space away from the Lyran. Hyspathh gasped as he
he could imagine. Their first salvo should have crippled the Hydran, but looked upon the gaping holes inflicted by the light cruiser. Gods! The
instead, only did them minor damage because Krall had fired too soon. It bridge had taken a hit! Sick with fear for his brother's life, he swung his
was obvious to him that this Hydran captain was good. He was using the fighter around in a tight turn and opened the throttle wide open, racing for
superior maneuverability of his ship to put himself in the best possible home. His craft shuddered as phaser fire danced along his hull. Hyspathh
position. Krall expected the Hydran to high energy turn after firing his rear cursed violently as he struggled with the stick trying to regain control of
weapons, and knew Frannic did not consider this possibility. For a his shuttle, while attempting to clear the methane of smoke. He was hurt,
moment he toyed with the idea of not informing Frannic, but only for a but he could still make it home. Damned fur bags! He could swear that the
moment. He had no wish to die because of this fool. Lyran had fired all his phasers! Even as he fought for control, even as the
"Captain, I suspect the Hydran is going to turn suddenly to bring his wall of deadly energy appeared in front of him, even as his fighter encoun­
forward weapons to bear when we close on him. Perhaps we should tered that destroying aura, his last thoughts were not of his own death,
decrease speed and approach with more caution." but of praying for his brother's life.
"And fight two or more ships? Are you mad, Kraal? You know the * Ж *
Hydran called for help, and it's doubtless on the way. Speed is the key "Sir, after that one fighter hit our field, the others all rammed it at the
here, and if the Hydran is stupid enough to let us get dose, our fully same time, taking minor damage but causing the sphere to collapse."
charged ESGs will finish him off if our disruptors and phasers do not "Thank you, Tragar. Well, both we and the Hydran have taken exten­
"No," said Frannic sharply, cutting off the comment Kraal was about sive damage. We can either fight with what weapons we have left or head
to make, "we will continue on the same course and speed." back for repairs and live to fight another day. Set course for home. We
“Yes, sir," replied Kraal in a resigned tone. gain nothing by continuing this."
"Captain, the Hydran has just launched its fighters," said Tragar. Kraal sat back in his chair as Tragar moved to obey. The log was
"Prepare to activate ESG number one. Hold the other for my signal," intact and Kraal had no doubts that he would be made captain of the Djinn
said Frannic. "Continue to close with him." Kraal was a fool! They would o f the Desert at long last. Instead of feeling the normal hatred for the
overrun this destroyer and crush it! Hydran, Kraal felt respect We should have annihilated you, he thought
* * * but because of your skill, and our lack of it you not only survived but also
"Range is 50,000 kilometers and closing, commander. All fighters are forced us to withdraw. My thanks for ridding the universe of that pompous
away and almost in position. All weapons are ready." idiot Frannic.
"Very well. When the Lyran is 40,000 kilometers from us, fire gatlings * * *
and the central phaser, then turn to bring all forward weapons to bear." Hygraphht saw his brother die from the emergency bridge view
"Aye, commander." screen. As soon as the other fighters were brought on board, he ordered
"Commander, the Lyran just encountered one of the bombs we the Concept to return to Phtho-3.
dropped. It exploded on their forward shield. The shield must have been His ship was crippled, and it would be some time before she was
reinforced, because damage to the shield is slight" combat ready again, but it would be even longer before Hygraphht got
"Slight or not, our first blow has been struck. Change course to put over the loss of his brother. It was almost as if Hyspathh's life had bought
another transporter bomb between us and the Lyran," said Hygraphht their own, for as soon as he perished, the Lyran turned away. Hygraphht
unable to keep a trace of a smile out of his voice. "If he's rash enough to adjusted the patch over his left eye. gave the con over to Pylghhit, and
run into one, we shall provide another." headed for sickbay, thankful that the turbo lift doors hid the tear he shed
* * * for his brother.
After the initial shock of the bomb wore off, Kraal had to use every * * *
ounce of willpower he had not to leap at Frannic and tear him to pieces.
They were going too fast! If he were in command, this never would have
happened. Across the bridge, Frannic was literally screaming at the
sensor section for failing to detect the bomb. Little good that does now,
thought Kraal.
"Close with that methane-breathing scum," Frannic growled. "I want
all disruptors at full overloads. Activate sphere generator number one at a
radius of 500kms. We will not take any more explosions on our shields!"
"Captain, what about the fighters?" Kraal warned.
"What about them? We will destroy the mother ship first, then attend
to those shuttles. Kraal, get repair crews on the foiward shield."
At once, captain," said Kraal, stopping his thoughts about roasting
Frannic over a slow fire and considering the possibility of dying. With
Frannic in command, it could happen all too easily.
* *• *
At a distance of 40,000 kilometers, Concept erupted with blinding
phaser fire, then whirled to face the Djinn o f the Desert head on. An instant
later both ships sent bolts of deadly energy at each other. Fusion beams
vied with disruptors in dealing death and destruction. Phasers lanced out
and ripped apart the hulls of both ships. Metal gave way; atmosphere as
well as life leaked out and faded from each vessel. Despite the heavier
weapons of the Lyran, the transporter bomb and the initial fire from the
Concept's gatlings ended this contest equally for the smaller Hydran ship.
Then the fighters roared in.
Getting as close as they could, all four fighters streaked directly at
the downed Lyran shield and fired as one. Phasers and fusion beams
flashed out from the tiny craft and inflicted more damage onto the already
wounded light cruiser.
Kraal watched transfixed as a jagged shard of metal sailed through
the air to imbed itself in Frannic's chest, pinning him to his captain's chair.
Frannic didn't even have time to scream.
The bridge took another hit, and Kraal heard the hiss of escaping air.
"Tragar, activate sphere generator number two at maximum radius,
then join me in auxiliary control. Do we have any phasers left?" said Kraal

COPYRIGHT © 1987 AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU STAR FLEET UNIVERSE — NEXUS #17 — 43
 (SN20.0) BROTHERS (Y171)
(MarkJKicmol, Pennsylvania)
This scenario portrays the events of the story. The scenario begins
immediately after the Lyran ship, in pursuit of the fleeting Hydran, hits the
first transporter bomb.

(SN20.1) NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2; the Hydran player and the

Lyran player.

(SN2Q.2) INITIAL SET-UP

Hydran Lancer in hex 2315, heading in direction F, speed 10, WS-III.
Four Stinger-I fighters within two hexes of the Lancer, facing direction C,
speed at the option of the Hydran player. The fighters are fully armed.
Lyran CL in hex 3119, heading in direction F, speed 13, WS-III.

(SN20.3) LENGTH OF SCENARIO: The scenario lasts for six turns

or until one ship is destroyed.

(SN20.4) SPECIAL RULES

(SN20.41) The map is fixed; it does not float.
(SN20.42) No fighters have warp booster packs.
(SN2G.43) Neither ship has any refits (phasers, shields, etc.).
(SN20.44) The Hydran ship originally had six transporter bombs. One of
these (in hex 3119) has been detonated by the Lyran ship on .the number
one shield in the final impulse of the previous turn. The second is in either
hex 2917 or 2918. The third is in either 2716,2717, or 2718. The fourth is
in either hex 2515, 2516, or 2517. In all cases, the Hydran player secretly
selects which hex the bomb is in, and records this in writing. The other
two bombs are still aboard the Hydran ship.
(SN20.45) At the start of the game, mark off as destroyed the number 5
and 6 shields, five hull, and one phaser on the Hydran ship. These can be
repaired by normal means. Also mark off as destroyed four number 1
shield boxes on the Lyran CL, which represents the damage done by the
transporter bomb (allowing for shield reinforcement).

(SN20.5) YICTORY CONDITIONS: If either ship is destroyed, the

other player wins. If both are destroyed, it is a draw. At the end of turn
six, if neither ship is destroyed, each player totals his internal damage (if
any) using the Cost of Repair chart to arrive at the figure each player
needs to totally repair the internal damage to his ship (including sensor,
scanner, damage control, and excess damage). The player with the lower
total is the winner (even though both ships automatically disengage after
turn six). Shields are not included in the cost of repair total, only internal
damage. There is no penalty for either player for disengaging. Shuttles
and fighters are not included in the cost of repair total.

(SN20.6) VARIATIONS: The scenario can be played again under

different conditions by making one or more of the following changes;
(SN20.61) Replace the Lyran CL with a CW.
(SN2Q.62) Use ships of other races. A Gorn Heavy Destroyer and
Romulan FireHawk are one possible combination.
(SN20.63) Continue the scenario indefinitely. Each player rolls one die
IN ALL FAIRNESS, before energy allocation on each turn (starting with turn five). If the result
is a “1”, a frigate (friendly to that player) arrives 30 hexes (in direction F
MORE TIME, MORE TIME! for the Hydrans, С for the Lyrans) from the friendly ship. Each player can
— Ensign DavidZimdars,
get onlyUSS Montana
one frigate, which arrives at speed max and WS-III.
When reading the impulse chart, the chart reader/player is free to (SN20.64) Reverse the position of the ships. It is the Hydran who is
stop whenever he wishes, while allowing his opponent to pass up prime pursuing the Lyran; the T-bombs were dropped by the Lyran ship.
firing opportunities. There are other advantages to reading the chart too, Possibly replace the Hydran with a Ranger or Horseman.
so many advanced players "volunteer” to relieve that burden from their
unsuspecting opponents, particularly in serious tournaments. Therefore (SN2Q.7) BALANCE: The scenario can be balanced between players
it is much more fair to share that duty with a cadet, explaining to him that of different skill levels by one or more of the following:
the impulse chart can give him a graphical representation of the turn, (SN2Q.71) Replace the Lyran CL with a CA.
allowing him a greater understanding of how and when a tactical plan (SN20.72) Replace the Hydran Lancer with a Horseman, Knight, or
should be executed. Warrior.
The Impulse Chart is the key to the game, and a good player should (SN20.73) Delete one of the Hydran fighters, or use the more powerful
be aware o{ it whether he is the controller or not. This becomes critical in Stinger-2s. Or allow the Hydran fighters to begin on board the ship.
competitive gaming. Don't let the controller announce the next impulse (SN20.74) While neither ship has the refits, either of them could have
until all players have given a definite sign that they do not wish to take received them by this time.
any action. After the controller announces a new impulse, wait a second
before moving to allow your opponent a chance to say "Hold it!" if he isn't (SN20.8) TACTICS
through with the last impulse. This will avoid situations in which a player HYDRAN: Repair the shield damage as quickly as possible. You
who sees his opponent's movement on impulse #18 starts arguing that he will eventually have to turn and fight Keep the Lyran away from the down
wanted to do something on impulse #17 but the controller went too fast. shields.
Complaints were noted at the 1986 Origins Tournaments where the LYRAN: Avoid the T-bomb hexes at all costs. If you go around the
impulse controller was a friend of one player. If there is any question of left side, you'll force him to turn away to protect the weak shields, and
how the chart is being read, stop the game until it is resolved. If neces­ you'll have a long circular route to engage him. Going around the right
sary call a judge or trade controllers with the game on the next table. Try side of the mines will invite him to turn and engage. Bold captains can
to get along with the controller, but remember he's not a gamemaster. crank up the ESGs and proceed full speed ahead. Pick off the Hydran
This article originated as a Term Paper. While the point is important, fighters while waiting for the Hydran ship to turn and fight
it was not o f a tactical nature and it was made into a separate article.

44—NEXUS 017—STAR FLEET UNIVERSE COPYRIGHT© 1987AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU

COMMAND THE FUTURE! * CAPTAIN'S LOG #5 is now scheduled for release at GenCon (mid-
August). This issue is sub-titled “DAY OF THE EAGLE” because it
This regular feature provides updates on future Star Fleet products. includes three separate fiction stories (by different authors), all of which
Player response to this column when it began last issue have been take place on the same day — the day that the Romulans invaded the
overwhelmingly positive. We are still refining the system and will try to Federation. Also scheduled is an addenda section (including some inter­
include information on progress made toward future projects. esting new material), a revised and updated Star Fleet Universe Timeline,
Note that products farther in the future are less clearly defined in new SSDs for the B-1 OS and B-10V, and more.
terms of content, focus, and schedule. It is our intention here to list every * NEXUS #18 itself is scheduled for late September. It will feature a
real or potential project ever mentioned so that you will know exactly complete list of the First Generation X-ships, including ship names, plus
where it is (or isn't) in the development program. Your comments are our usual features. We'll continue to add interesting articles.
welcome; send them to ADB. * MINIATURES: Andromedan Conquistador + Python; Orion Slaver.
Released between Nexus #15 and #16 were Captain's Log #4, F&E These should be released almost immediately.
Fleet Pack, F&E Errata Sheet-1 (22 Nov 86), SSD Book #9, and four
miniatures (Neo-Tholian DN and CA, Fed Starbase, Klingon D5). ON THE HORIZON
These products are scheduled for release after Nexus #18. Do not
RELEASED SINCE NEXUS #16 ask the stores about them until you see an updated schedule showing
In Nexus #16 we predicted the release of six SFU products by mid- them to be on imminent release status. See Nexus #17 for more details.
May. Five of these (the four below and this issue of Nexus) made it. The * MINIATURES: Final selection of the fall releases has not been
sixth (TOTAL WAR) was listed as questionable. completed, but high on the list of possibilities are the Fed battlecruiser,
* REINFORCEMENTS 2 includes two new countersheets (in the new the large freighter, the Romulan FireHawk, the Gorn heavy and/or battle
easier-to-read computer graphics format) for all of the new ships from destroyer, the Kzinti medium cruiser, and a Klingon starbase. At least
SSD Books 7,8, and 9, as well as a few new items and satisfying a couple some of these should be out before Nexus #18. We should be able to
of shortages. Also included is a 16-page play-aid booklet including control make a tentative announcement at Origins.
charts (drones, mines, etc), specialized energy forms (carriers, Androme- * SFB SOLITAIRE MODULE: A selection of solitaire scenarios and an
dans, etc), and ready reference cards (electronic warfare, terrain). It sells advanced version of the “robot opponent" used in INTRODUCTION. This
for $7.50. product creates a requirement for solitaire scenarios. We have relatively
* TOURNAMENT BOOK; Here we had problems. The book was ready few of these on file. Workable solitaire scenarios are, at this time, one of
to print when Nexus #16 hit the streets, but despite many requests for your best chances to get something published.
such a book, few orders resulted. As TFG's presses can't print less than * NEXUS #19: Yes, we may just manage to do four issues of Nexus
a thousand copies, the project was transferred to ADB and released as a this year. Nexus #19 is scheduled to include a major article listing ship
set of separate SSDs rather than a bound booklet. All orders were filled by variants in addition to the regular features.
15 May. We didn't like the delay any more than you did, but kept hoping
that enough orders would materialize to print it as a booklet. The set is DISTANT THUNDER
available for $2.50 (including shipping in US, APO, FPO, and Canada) These are projects that are in the advanced planning stages. Most
from ADB and includes the official Origins Tournament rules and SSDs. will probably appear, but some may not. No release date has been set,
* MINIATURES: Romulan SkyHawk+SeaHawk; Kzinti tug. and you should not assume that all of them will appear in the second half
* NEW COUNTERSHEETS: Task Force has announced plans to of this year. Do not under any circumstances annoy your store manager
replace all current SFB countersheets with the new computer-graphics for­ with queries about these products. We will not have any further informa­
mat developed for REINFORCEMENTS #2. As can be seen in the illus­ tion on the release date for these items before Nexus #18.
tration below, this new format is much easier to read. (We are also stan­ * SUPPLEMENT #4 MINOR RACES: Work is progressing slowly. This
dardizing ship designations between the counters and Master Ship product will appear in 1988. The problem is that it involves a lot of devel­
Chart.) The Volume I and Volume III sheets have already been replaced. opment and playtesting, and that has to be worked in with other projects.
Others will be replaced when reprinted over the next two years. We'll Any staff time spent on Supplement #4 literally delays everything else.
announce them in Nexus and Starletter as they become available. The We are trying to get the first races out to the playtesters as this issue of
new countersheets will be used in newly printed copies of those products Nexus goes to press, but of course products scheduled for earlier release
and are available from Games on Call as spare parts. To order these new have a higher priority. We still have your submissions on file.
countersheets, send $4.00 per set of Volume I or Volume III counters, * SUPPLEMENT#5 STAR FLEET MARINES: See previous report. This
plus $2 per order for shipping and handling, to: Games on Call (1-800-874- product will include the counters and SSDs for the various commando
7907 except in Texas), 2201 S Western #50, Amarillo, Texas, 79109. ships, including many new commando ships to be added in this product
* REINFORCEMENTS-3: Expected to appear after the X-ships article
OLD VOLUME III COUNTERS NEW VOLUME III COUNTERS in Nexus #18 and the Variants article in Nexus #19. Might have four
countersheets or two countersheets and 16 play aid forms (which might
ш. s j R 9 I N S
С 3 include specific Energy Allocation Forms for each race).

V Ж 4t M
с 1
Kg
L Г 1» л х
* STAR FLEET BATTLES TECHNICAL MANUALS: Very preliminary
work is continuing on the first two volumes (#1 Alliance and #2 Coalition),
primarily to determine feasibility of the entire concept. See the preview in
Nexus #16. The general concept is a book of ship drawings, showing each
FOR RELEASE BEFORE NEXUS #18 ship in five-view detail with insets showing the differences between
* STAR FLEET TACTICS MANUAL: Planned as a bound volume for variants. Each drawing will be accompanied by a page of text listing the
release at Origins (early July), this will include the basic tactics and history of the class, known names and hull numbers, and technical
advanced techniques necessary to win in Star Fleet Battles. Updated readouts. A third volume would cover the neutral powers, while others
versions of the tactics material from past issues of Nexus will be includ­ could cover small units (PFs, shuttles, fighters) and X-ships.
ed, as well as new sections covering all races. As this issue of Nexus * SSD BOOK #X: First generation X-ship designs. Will be based on the
goes to press, the Committee and Joint Chiefs are furiously pounding out Nexus #18 article. Probable release in first quarter of 1988.
tactics for everything from the Gorn Anchor to the Kaufman Retrograde, * SSD BOOK #11 (and #12?): The final(?) book(s?) will round up the
from the Mizia Concept to the Oblique Attack Theory. This 96-page book last remaining ships without SSDs and cover the variants listed in Nexus
will sell for $10. #19. Several players have requested that we produce two books so that
* TOTAL WAR is the second F&E expansion. The stated purpose is to SSDs can be provided for various tug+pod combinations and heavy fight­
add the ships, variants, and rules from SFB that wouldn't fit into F&E. er squadrons. Other suggestions are invited.
There will be four new countersheets, two new fleet charts, and a set of * VOLUME IV: In case no one noticed, we have been publishing this
"Fleet Set-Up Charts” used to sort counters into the starting Order of volume on the installment plan, including the Lyran Democratic Republic
Battle. Rules will include advanced pursuit, alternative production rates, in Nexus #13, the Drone and Plasma Modules in Nexus #14, the new
using survey ships in combat, and more. We plan to add more Orions and Energy Balance Due to Damage rules in Nexus #15, and (possibly) four
to add enough ISC and Andromedan units to at least give you a feel for pages of new G, M, and P rules in CL5. The Volume IV counters can be
their operations. (The full ISC and Andromedan fleets will be in future found in Reinforcements-2, and the new ships are in SSD Books #7, #8,
expansions.) TOTAL WAR will sell for $15.00. and #9. We'll have more installments as time goes by.
* F&E ERRATA SHEET #2: This new four-page errata sheet will be * THE BACK BURNER: Still listed on the “someday maybe" list but not
available in June. It's free if you send a stamped self-addressed envelope in active development are: SSD Books #4-R; Sub-Light Battles; Sector
to Task Force. If you already have the previous edition (the contents of Modules; SFB Role-Playing System; Best of Nexus; posters, books,
which is included in this one) mark your envelope “hold for 4-page F&E fiction magazine; Doomsday Rulebook; a cable-TV sit-com based on Task
errata sheer so that the office staff won't send you the old one again. Force; a computer SFB game, and a computer play-aid.

COPYRIGHT © 1987 AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU STAR FLEET UNIVERSE — NEXUS #17—45
STAR FLEET UNIVERSE SURVEY TO ASK THE QUESTION: W 9?"
We'd like to have your opinions on some upcoming decisions we As is well known, questions beginning with "why” cannot be answered
have to make. Write your opinions on a post card or on a separate sheet in the Question & Answer system. Such explanations take too long and
of paper (from all other correspondence) and send them to ADB (not to aren't really necessary to resolve rules questions and get on with playing
Nexus or Task Force) by 15 September 1987. the game. We do take note, however, of the more important, frequent,
and interesting questions and try to provide answers in Nexus.
A. GENERAL INFORMATION Since the boom/saucer on Klingon/Federation ships is separable, can
These are some general questions about Star Reet Battles players. the ship be built twee as fast? This is, of course, nonsense. The same
1. How old are you (in Earth years)? number of people are doing the same number of operations (welding, wir­
2. How do you get Nexus? (Subscribe, store, read a friend’s copy.) ing, installing) regardless of whether or not the two pieces are connected
3. What do you, as an SFB player, want most? (List up to five things. at the time. Other ships can be built in pieces and joined together during
This can include new products, reprints or revisions, new rules, or an construction without being able to do so in combat (Indeed, the US Navy
article or other information that could be included in a magazine.) has been building destroyers and frigates in sections for most of a
decade, and the new Soviet aircraft carrier was built in two pieces.) If you
B. COMPUTERS have a salvaged boom or saucer, the cost of building the rest of the ship
More and more people are acquiring home computers. We'd like to is reduced by the percentage of interior boxes on the salvaged portion.
know about yours and what you do with it Why are there two deceleration rules in the game? During a turn you
4. Do you own a personal/home/micro computer? (Yes, No, No but can only decelerate by half, while between turns you can decelerate to
plan to buy one within a year, Have access to one at work.) zero! The between turns rule (drop to zero) is the more realistic, since
5. Tell us about your computer or the one you plan to buy (brand, cutting off the energy to the warp field brings the ship to a quick halt You
model, memory, number and size of disk drives). can assume that the deceleration was planned and that it was not entirely
6. Do you have a modem? (Yes 300, Yes 1200, No, Plan to buy one.) instantaneous (the ship slowed down during the final impulses of the
7. Do you access any of the public networks such as Source, turn); it is shown as instantaneous deceleration for simplicity.
CompuServe, GEnie, etc? If so, please tell us which ones. Mid-turn speed changes are limited to one-half as a game balance
8. Would you buy an SFB play-aid (record-keeping) program if one feature, to avoid unrealistic play situations. This also simulates how often
were available for your computer? you can change engine output without damaging the engines.
9. Would you buy a computer version of SFB (the complete game, Why is it that no ground base includes batteries? Ray Olesen replies:
not a record-keeping program) if one were available for your computer? Ships have limited space and need batteries as a supplementary power
10. Would you play an on-line SFB computer game if one were source because they take less room than reactors. Planetary bases
available on a public network? have no space limitations, so they are designed with reactors to supply
C. HOW DO YOU PLAY STAR FLEET BATTLES? the power they need. Beyond that, when a ship loses power you can
We'd like to know a few things about how you play SFB. Normally suffocate or freeze; on a planet you can just step outside and wait until
means most of the time. they fix the reactor. Also, as a game balancing feature, ground bases
11. What percentage of your SFB gaming is part of an organized lack the sophistication to use reserve power, and are so small that it
locally-run campaign? wouldn't make much difference.
12. Do you normally use transporter bombs? (Almost always, Some­ Why is it that most Orion ships do not include APRs? Deth O'Kay
times, Rarely, Special Cases only, Almost never.) replies that this is partly a tactical and partly an engineering decision.
13. Do you use plotted movement? (Almost always, Sometimes, Because of their mode of operations, Orion ships can only afford so much
Almost never.) of anything, and would rather have impulse engines, which can do
14. Do you normally allow all races to buy or use Emergency anything that APRs can do, AND move the ship. Also, reactors cannot
Deceleration? (Any can buy. All use at no cost. Feds only.) operate at increased output because they lack the exhaust systems that
15. Do you normally use electronic warfare? (Yes, No, Often, engines have to get rid of waste energy.
Sometimes, Rarely) Why did you give the Tholians a "Battle Pack" for their new Light
16. What percentage of your gaming in the “Late War Era” (all refits, Tactical Transport (SSD BOOK #9) when you said in Nexus #9 that there
fast drones, heavy battlecruisers, etc.)? wouldn't be a Tholian tug because the Tholian players really wanted a
17. Do you normally use Legendary officers or crew quality? (Yes battle pod? In the first place, the battle pod may be the reason why
LOs, Yes CQ, Yes both, Neither.) Tholian players wanted a fleet tug, but it wasn't the reason why they didn't
18. Do you play scenarios which include fighters and PFs? (Yes get one. They didn't get a fleet tug because they didn't need one; they
fighters, Yes PFs, Yes both, Neither.) didn't want a fleet tug for non-combat purposes. As to the Battle Pack,
19. Do you play with X-ships? (Never, Exclusively, Sometimes, Only putting one on the LTT produces almost the same ship as a CW carrying a
first Generation as part of a General War campaign.) cargo pack and isn't a problem. Putting a battle pod on a fleet tug usually
20. Do you allow players to use (S3.3) to modify ships? (Always, produces a dreadnought, which is not something the Tholians need.
Sometimes, Only with additional limits, Never.)

HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE...?

This regular department will help you find game rules to handle
things that arise in your local campaigns or scenarios of your own design.
What is the best way to handle victory conditions in a multi-player
game? Should we use cumulative points o r an individual-vs-individual
basis? The simplest way would be to use the net total of internal damaged
boxes caused by or scored on a ship. For every box you destroy, you get
a point For every one of your boxes destroyed, you lose a point. If you
repair a box, you get the point back but the guy who originally destroyed it
doesn't lose his point If a ship is destroyed, any undestroyed boxes
count for the player who destroyed it. If you force a ship to disengage,
count this (for both players) as destroying 1/3 of the original boxes on
that ship (up to the number actually remaining). You could award a bonus
for the final blow that destroys a ship, but that would encourage people to
wait until the last instant and then gang up on a cripple, so we don't
recommend it. Note that such a system will only work with roughly equal
forces composed of warships.
How do I perform module changes on multi-role PFs on a ship without
deck crews? Well, of course, rule (J4.814) provides any ship with multi­
role PFs two deck crews to change the modules. The simpler solution is to
put StarHawks and Multi-Role Needles on Space Control Ships and
starbases where they belong. Remember, SFB is based on the "history”
of the Universe and doing non-historical things voids the implied warranty
that the results will make sense.

46—NEXUS #17—STAR FLEET UNIVERSE COPYRIGHT © 1987 AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU

THE HEAT OF BATTLE Generally, ships with large numbers of the same type of weapon
(e.g. Klingon and Fed cruisers) will fare better against both single and
by Fleet Captain Mark Schultz multiple volleys than those with an equal number of weapons divided
A thorough understanding of the capabilities of your ship is critical to between two weapon hit category types (e.g. Hydran command ships).
Ships with small numbers of very powerful weapons can often be rendered
success in Star Fleet Battles. Consideration must be given to power
useless with a single small volley. The ISC heavy cruiser turns into just
requirements for both normal and overloaded weapons, speed under vary­
another plasma ship after one small volley destroys its single PPD. War
ing conditions, the optimum ranges of operation of the ship, and other
factors. Many players, however, judge the worth of, choose, and plot the Eagles become minelayers without their R-torp, and the single-torp
(unrefitted) Gom DD is also vulnerable. Another example is the Hydran
tactics for their ship based solely on its capabilities in its pristine, undam­
aged state. While many fights are decided in the critibaj first exchange, Crusader frigate leader with its one hellbore and two fusion beams. This
ship has great quantities of power, but one volley relieves it of all but one
most require the continuation of combat beyond this point. Predicting
fusion beam and a few phasers. The result is a ship which often must
what the condition of a ship will be after an exchange at the expected
disengage with 90% of its power intact. The ship captain might appreciate
combat range can be of immense value in trying to set up the killing blows.
this, but rest assured that the fleet admiral finds it not at all amusing.
Any good captain can evaluate the damage to his and his enemy's ship,
One must also consider that the less powerful weapons can usually
and then make the best of the situation. A better captain will predict what
be repaired. Weapons like the PPD and hellbore take prohibitively long
that damage will be, and set up his position to take advantage of it
times to repair. The Andromedan T-R is a glaring exception to this.
The first step in figuring out the results of combat is calculation of
Because phasers are usually quicker to repair and require less power to
the expected amount of damage. This is usually a simple procedure
arm, they often are the first systems to be repaired. Captains with an eye
although weapons like overloaded photons with their wide deviation in pos­
toward an extended battle will deduce that repairing heavy weapons
sible damage can make this tricky at times. The second step is to figure
rather than phasers results in a more survivable repair, often critical
out the probable internals for a given amount of damage. Tables of
expected damage for two typical and statistically convenient volley sizes because of the limitations on system repair. A ship's entire quota of
system repair expended on phasers can be wiped out in a single moderate
are given below. Table 1 is for 18 internals, table 2 for 36. System hits are
volley, while only one heavy weapon repair will be destroyed in the same
given in order as on the DAC. Cargo was ignored, but can generally be
volley. Ships with more power than weapons should definitely repair
considered as forward hull. Very small ships may get farther down the
heavy weapons, using EDR if necessary. Indeed, EDR is best used on
DAC than these charts consider.
those items taking the most repair points. If the opponent has more power
than weapons, you should repair phasers since your opponent will not
TABLE 1 — 18 Internals Table 2 — 36 Internals
have the weapons to destroy your repairs and because phasers are less
# Svstem £ Svstem susceptible to the EW which will most likely be used by a power-heavy
0.5 bridge 1 bridge ship in an attempt to even the odds.
0.5 auxcon 1 auxcon Consider also the impact on the placement of guards. Realize that it
0.5 transporter 1 transporter is unnecessary to guard a system that will probably be destroyed on the
0.5 tractor 1 tractor first exchange. Hit-and-run raids will usually only be made after the impact
1 drone/phaser 1 drone/impulse of a serious volley. Realize that the number of transporters wilL(and
1 toipedo/phaser 1 torpedo/impulse hence the number of boarding parties assigned to raids or boarding
1 right warp/A hull 2 right warp/A hull actions should) probably be reduced by one or more before the
1 left warp/F hull 2 left warp/F hull opportunity to use them arises. The probable number of tractor hits is only
2 phaser 4 phaser/warp one for a single volley, but plasma ships in particular must consider that
6.5 F hull/batt/imp 14 F hull/batt/imp/lab/warp two volleys (or a couple of hit-and-run raids) may often make them
3.5 A hull/APR 8 A hull/APR/shuttle/warp incapable of executing the famed Gom Anchor.
Another thing that becomes obvious from the tables is that rendering
Several general principles become apparent upon examination of a ship uncontrolled is usually very improbable, as volleys of the size
these tables. Ships with forward to aft hull ratios which aren't near 3 to 2 needed to make the removal of all control probable will usually destroy the
will begin to lose power systems before all of their hull is gone. Klingon ship first. Exceptions to this include the Lyran Wildcat and Hydran
ships (short on forward hull) are especially susceptible to loss of battery destroyers. A good formula for this is to multiply the number of control
capacity and impulse power before all of their aft hull boxes have been spaces by 18 and compare it to the total number of non-shield boxes.
destroyed. On the other hand, Federation ships (short on rear hull) can Ships with more actual boxes than the calculated number (18 x control)
lose APR and shuttle boxes before all of their forward hull is gone. have a reasonable chance of going uncontrolled before being destroyed.
You should determine how many internals will reach battery hits on Note that the number of control hits will not be increased with multiple
the DAC, making it advisable to dump battery power into something before volleys unless the volleys are very large or the firer is very lucky.
they are destroyed. Similarly, ships with inadequate aft hull will lose APR Realistically, only dreadnoughts (and Hydran destroyers) will have their
and shuttles more quickly. Always launch as many shuttles as possible control affected by multiple volleys. Even though all control spaces are
when a volley sufficient to reach the shuttle bay is expected. Shuttles guarded, if there is only one left, a raid (especially with commandoes)
which will chain when hit should obviously receive priority. Unlike the against it may be worthwhile.
battery decision, this decision must be made before the incoming volley is Ships with only center warp will tend to lose most if not all of their
even fired, and thus has a greater element of uncertainty. Obviously "free" hits before taking serious warp damage. These ships usually have a
ships with only center hull make these decisions much more easily. better chance to disengage by acceleration when fortunes turn bad, but
In normal combat, multiple small volleys (i.e. the Mizia Concept) are also the easiest ships to blow up without every box destroyed.
should be used (instead of a single large volley) against ships where the After the initial exchange, both players will be flying damaged ships.
loss of weapons will hurt more than the loss of power (assuming most of The key in determining how to continue the fight is which you are short of:
the hull is gone). For example, almost all plasma ships, and most Feder­ weapons or power. This will greatly affect the speed at which a ship fights.
ation, Hydran, and Klingon ships, are more susceptible to weapons dam­ Ships short on power must slow down; ships short on weapons generally
age and should be targeted by multiple small volleys. On the other hand, speed up in an attempt to out-maneuver the opponent. Special attention
most Lyran tri-hulls, the Kzinti CL+/CVE+, the Federation DD, and some must now be paid to the relative efficiency of weaponry. At close range,
others, have too many weapons and not enough power to start with and charging heavy weapons instead of the remaining phasers is usually a
should be targeted by single massive salvoes to cause more power hits. bad idea. Expenditure of power on EW will often turn out to be mean­
Note that splitting fire into volleys of less than 18 internals will pro­ ingless in a phaser duel, but ships with more power than weapons can
duce only very small increases in the number of weapons hit, as statis­ often turn to EW as a means to win an otherwise unbalanced fight Single
tically most 3's, 4's, 10's, and 11‘s will produce weapon hits on an 18 hit turn weapons are considerably more valuable in these situations than
volley. If phasers are the target, 12-point volleys may be slightly more their multi-turn cousins. This is due mostly to the fact that predicting
effective. If a single weapon is the most important target (War Eagle's R- power and weapon availability becomes more and more precarious as the
torp), smaller volleys produce very slightly higher statistical chances of a battle wears on, since every hit will be on a valuable system.
weapon hit. Ships which have both drone and torpedo weapon systems As a final note, ships with balanced weapons and power (like the
may find much of their heavy firepower destroyed by a single 18 hit volley Fed, Hydran, and Klingon CA's) will tend to stay balanced when damaged.
which does essentially no damage to the rest of the ship. Examples Unbalanced ships like the Wildcat, Fed DD, and Traveler will tend to be­
include the Panther and the Baron. These ships must be extremely come even more unbalanced and even more difficult to play. Thus when
careful to prevent multiple small volleys as this will rapidly reduce them to given a choice between two otherwise equal ships in their undamaged
fast freighters. One efxception to using multiple volleys is when efficient, state, the more balanced ship may fare better in the late turn trenches.
immediate explosion of the target is desired. Multiple volleys will result in Mark Schultz won the 1985 SFB National Championships and now
irrelevant hits, requiring more total hits to produce explosion. serves as the Hydran Viceroy on the Joint Chiefs.

COPYRIGHT© 1987AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU STAR FLEET UNIVERSE — NEXUS #17—47

 NOTE: The CS is represented on the board by a CM counter and
uses the CM combat values. However, it has the command rating of a
heavy cruiser (8). All other units are represented by the normal counters.

(682.22) FEDERATION (Set up first):

Home Fleet (Deploy in 2908): 1xCC, :3xCA, 3xCL, 3xDD, 6xFF, 1xSC,
3xTug, IxFRD, ЗхМВ, IxRESV;3xBattle Pod.
4th Fleet (Deploy in 2201, 2103, 2004, and/or 2006): IxCC, ЗхСА, 3xDD,
3xFF, IxSC, 1xTug, IxRESV.' "
3rd Fleet (Deploy 3 or 4 units per base from 2008 to 2615): 1xCC, ЗхСА,
3xCL, 4xDD,SxFF, 1xSC, 1xTug,1xFRD, IxRESV.
7th Fleet(Deploy in 2816): 1xCC, 1xCA, 2xDD, 2,FF, 1xSC.
(Deploy in 3016): 2xCA, 1xDD, 2,FF.
(682.0) THE SECOND
(682.3) ACTIVATION
FEDERATION-KZINTI WAR (Y136-Y142) Kzintis: Home Fleet, Marquis1Fleet, and Baron's Fleet are active at
This scenario depicts the Second Federation/Kzinti War which took the start of the scenario. The Baron's Fleet can enter by Operational or
place a quarter of a century before the General War. The Kzintis attacked Strategic Movement on turn one. The Duke's fleet is activated when
the Federation after an incursion into the neutral zone by Federation trad­ Federation forces enter a province where ships from that fleet are based.
ers of questionable morals. With anyone else this would have been a min­ The Count's fleet is activated when Federation forces enter a province
or incident, but Kzintis tend to carry a grudge, particularly one of honor, where ships from that fleet are based.
and are almost impossible to stop once blood has been drawn. Federation: Home Fleet and 4th Fleet are active at the start of the
The war ended with no significant change of territory when both sides scenario. The 3rd Fleet is activated when Kzinti forces enter a province
began to feel pressure from their other enemies. The respect gained by where ships from that fleet are based. The 7th Fleet is activated when
both sides for each other during combat in this war would eventually lead Kzinti forces enter a province where ships from that fleet are based.
to the treaty that saved the Hegemony during the General War. NOTE: It is probably unnecessary to set up the Federation 3rd Reet
This scenario was designed by Alan Gopin, Kzinti Patriarch. and 7th Fleet or the Kzinti Duke's Fleet and Count's Fleet
(682.1) NUMBER OF PLAYERS
This scenario is for two players, representing the Kzintis and United (682.4) LENGTH OF SCENARIO
Federation of Planets. The Kzintis are the first player. The scenario begins with the first half (Kzinti Player Turn) of Turn 1
(Spring Y136). The scenario ends after the last step of Turn 14 (Fall
(682.2) INITIAL SET UP Y142). Optionally, have each player roll a die at the end of each turn
(682.21) KZINTIS (Setup second in hexes shown): starting with Turn 11 (Spring Y141). If both players roll the same number,
Home Fleet (Deploy in 1401): 1xCC, 3xCS, 3xCL, 6xFF, 1xTug, 1xDF, the game ends immediately.
1xSC, 1xFRD, 1xMB, IxRESV, IxBattle Pod.
Baron's Fleet (Deploy in the Barony): IxCC, 3xCS, 2xCL, 2xFF, 1xTug, (682.5) AREA OF THE SCENARIO
1xDF, IxFRD, IxMB, IxBattle Pod. Use the Western map only. Units in this scenario are restricted to the
Marquis' Fleet (Deploy in 1902, 1803, and/or 1805): 1xCC, 3xCS, 3xCL, Federation, the Kzinti Hegemony, and the neutral zone between them.
3xFF, 1xTug, 1xDF, 1xSC, IxRESV, IxBattle Pod.
Duke's Fleet (Deploy in 1605): 1xCC, IxCL, 1xFF. (682.6) ECONOMICS
(Deploy in 1405): IxCS. IxCL, IxFF. (682.61) The Kzintis may start the scenario at any economic level
(Deploy in 1205): 1xCS, IxCL, IxFF, IxFRD. (652.2) of their choosing.
(Deploy in 1004): IxCS, 1xFF, 1xDF, 1xTug, 1xSC. (682.62) The Federation must start at a Peacetime economic level.
Count's Fleet (Deploy in 0803): 1xCS 1xCL, 1xFF.
(Deploy in0703): IxCC, 1xCL, IxFF. (682.7) PRODUCTION:
(Deploy in 0701): 1xCS, 1xCL, IxFF. (682.71) The Kzinti construction rate is 1xCS, 3xCL, 3xFF per turn. The
(Deploy in0902): 1xCS, IxDF, 1xTug, IxSC. CS may be replaced by a CC on the Fall turn of even numbered years.
One FF may be replaced by a DF on Fall turns. Can replace CS or CL with
tug once during the scenario.
(682.72) The Federation construction rate is 1xCA, 3xDD, 3xFF. The CA
may be replaced by a CC on the Fall turn of even numbered years. Can
replace CA or DD with tug once during scenario.
(682.73) The Federation only gets production points for planets and
complete provinces on the west (A) map, and for the planets and
provinces in the Federation Survey Area. The provinces on the east (B)
map are supporting the other fleets.
(682.74) No conversions are allowed in this time period.

(682.8) EARLY TIME PERIOD SPECIAL RULES:

(682.81) All Battle Stations are Base Stations with a factor of 8 when
undamaged and 4 when crippled. These cannot be upgraded to SBs.
Upgrading an MB to a Base Station costs 4 points and uses the MB to
BATS procedure.
(682.82) No fighters are available; all fighter factors are ignored.
(682.83) The Kzintis are limited to building the following units: CC, CS,
CL, FF, DF, SC, Tug, Battle Pod, FRD, MB, ground units.
(682.84) The Federation is limited to building the following units: CC,
CA, CL, DD, SC, FF, Tug, Battle Pod, FRD. MB, ground units.
(682.85) No survey ships (505.0) are in operation during this scenario.
(682.86) If pirates are used, the pirate player has one CR and two LRs
at the start, and receives 2 points of automatic income per turn (not 10).

(682.9) VICTORY CONDITIONS

(682.91) SCORING: Victory points are scored at the end of the game
by each side as follows:
Per enemy Base Station destroyed: +2 VP
Per enemy Starbase destroyed: +8VP
Per five points (of production cost) of enemy ships destroyed: +1 VP
Per enemy province captured: +4VP
Per enemy planet not in capital devastated: +2VP
Continued on Next Page, lower le ft quarter—

48—NEXUS #17—STAR FLEET UNIVERSE COPYRIGHT © 1987 AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU

TOTAL WAR PREVIEW SHIPS OF THE INTERSTELLAR CONCORDIUM
The upcoming F&E Expansion “TOTAL WAR" will
DN . CC CA CS CL DD FF ,
include counters and rules to deal with the ISC. While it will
be impossible to provide the entire ISC Fleet in that
1 4 ™
•A •A
12 W 9 ™ 8
A
™
DL

6
Ф
.

5
Ф 4
Ф SC .
♦
2-5
Ф
product, we plan to provide enough counters for a couple
of battle fleets and special rules to reflect attempts to
enter or pass through ISC territory. DN CC CA CS CL DL DD FF SC
Presented here, as a preview, are the factors for the • • •
ISC ships and the rules required to use their special 7 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 0-3
echelon tactics. There is not enough information to add
the entire ISC to a campaign, but there is enough to see
how their rules work.
The rules below are still in prototype form and are 4CVA * 4SCS ф 3CV 3CVS ^ 3CVL 3CVLS HSC , PFT
currently undergoing playtest. When TOTAL WAR is •1 2 ф * • 6 P ( |) * •6 4 1 • 4* « «
6 * !* * Ф
published, the rule number “3F" will be changed to a three- 24-30 * 24-30 * 25 24 • * 16 17 3-7 2-7 6-7
digit number in the 300 series.
4CVA 4SCS 3CV 3CVS 3CVL 3CVLS SR HSC PFT
(3F.0) ECHELON TACTICS •6 •3 P 3 •3 2 2 P
This provides a combat advantage in that the battle 12-15 12-15 12 12 g 9 1-4 1-4 3-4
force in echelon formation has a higher battle intensity
factor than its opponent, and some of the ships in the echelon are not EXAMPLE: The Gorn player selects a battle intensity of 2; the ISC
subject to directed damage. player selects 4. This would normally mean that both forces would fight at
(3F.1) QUALIFICATION: To qualify for an echelon, the battle force a battle intensity of 6. However, because the ISC battle force qualifies for
must include at least 6 ships. Battle forces of 6-7 ships must include one the echelon bonus, the ISC player will use a battle intensity of 8 to
ship equipped with a PPD. Battle forces of 8-9 ships must include two determine the damage he has scored on the Gorn battle force. The Gom
ships armed with PPDs. Battle forces of 10-11 ships must include two player will use a battle intensity of 6, and cannot use directed damage
ships armed with PPDs and at least two additional ships of CL or larger against the core ships.
size. In all cases, the command ship of the echelon must be armed with (3F.3) CORE SHIPS: Battle forces with 6-7 ships have one core ship.
PPDs. If no PPD-armed ship is available, or if the only PPD-armed ships Battle forces with 8-9 ships have two core ships. Battle forces of 10-11
are not among the three with the highest command ratings, the battle ships have three core ships. A base, if any, must be one of these core
force cannot operate in the echelon formation. ships. Ships without PPDs cannot be placed in the core unless all ships
NOTE: For player convenience, those ISC ships which are armed with PPDs are already in the core and there is space remaining within the
with PPDs are marked with a black dot on the counter. Also note, all ISC limit. Core ships cannot be attacked by directed damage.
battle stations and star bases have PPDs and can serve as “core”units. (3F.4) WEB CASTERS: Tholian Web Casters have the ability to
(3F.2) COMBAT EFFECT: If the battle force qualifies to form an disrupt echelon formations by isolating the core ships. See section (3G.0)
echelon formation, it rolls for damage to the enemy battle force with a for details. (Unfortunately, this section is not available for preview
battle intensity 2 points higher than would normally be the case. If this purposes at this time.)
and a Variable Battte Intensity die roll produce an intensity of more than ISC COMMAND RATINGS: 10 = DN, CVA, SCS; 9 = CC; 8 = CA, CV,
10, treat it as 10. CVS; 6 = CS, CL, CVL, CVLS, SR, PFT; 5 = DL; 4 = DD, SC, HSC; 3 = FF.

Per enemy Minor Planet captured: +6VP F&E T A C T IC A L H D T ES

Per enemy Major Planet captured: +10VP
Bonus For Threatening Enemy Capital; FLOODING THE ZONE — Lieutenant David Crump
Hypothetical Kzinti ship in Fed capital hex would be in supply: +20 One way of organizing an offensive is to move enough ships to pin
Hypothetical Fed ship in Kzinti capital hex would be in supply: +10 every enemy force that is in a given area, or which can move there by
Bonuses ignore the effect of defending forces in the capital hex. Reaction or Reserve Movement. Then look at your remaining ships and
(682.92) Levels of Victory: Subtract the Federation point total from determine how many battles you can fight to a decisive conclusion
the Kzinti point total to get the level of victory: (destruction of a base, devastation of a planet, defeat of a fleet). If you
+30 or more: Kzinti Strategic don't have any remaining ships, you have staked out too large an area.
+20 to +29: Kzinti Moderate Look for key fleets that cannot react because they do not have scouts.
+10 to +19: Kzinti Tactical Pin reserve groups with frigates and a single command ship. You should
+9 to -9: Draw plan this with the small-scale map before moving counters.
-10 to -19: Federation Tactical Best Tactical Note in this issue. David Crump also had the best Tac­
-20 to -29: Federation Moderate tical Note in Nexus #16, although we failed to note this at the time.
-30 or less: Federation Strategic
(682.93) Sudden Death Victory: If at any time, either side USING FLEET PACK — Inspector General Felix Hack, USS California
devastates a planet in the opposing capital hex, that side immediately It is tedious to work on the planet and base forms every turn in areas
wins a Decisive Victory. outside of the combat zone. A simple checkmark can serve to say "same
as before" while a large X would mean “no longer exists."
TACTICAL NOTES: This scenario requires tactics that are different The reduced scale maps can be used to keep track of provinces and
from the General War. There are no fighters for attrition, so you will have (particularly) neutral zone hexes. Simply mark the letter of the race that
to use frigates for that role. Also, the primary value of base stations in last moved through the hex. (And remember that Kzinti is "Z” and
combat is their command rating rather than their intrinsic combat value. everyone else uses the first letter of the race name.)
Strategically, this scenario bears a lot of resemblance to the Pacific
Theater of World War II on Earth in the 20th century. The Kzintis start with PLANETARY DEFENSES — Ensign Eric Nussberger, USS Texas
the initiative, but the Feds have a massive economic base. When defending an important planet or capital, the player has the
The Kzintis have to hit the Feds hard on the first turn. The base choice of building a battle station in the hex or upgrading the planetary
station in 2004 puts the Kzinti capital in supply range for the Feds. It defenses. The Battle Station discourages attacks by promising heavy
MUST be destroyed on Turn 1 to prevent the Feds from attempting to win a casualties, but takes two turns to build and does not make the planet less
Sudden Death Victory. In the scenario, the Kzintis must press home the vulnerable to directed damage.
attack as long and as hard as possible. You must gain enough territory Increasing the planetary defenses from a regiment to a brigade, on
and victory points to weather the inevitable Fed counterattack. the other hand, adds just as many factors to the battle force, costs an
The Fed must conduct a fighting withdrawal until they can marshal equivalent number of points, and makes the planet far less vulnerable to
enough forces to stop the Kzinti attack and push them back. directed damage. Even modest attacking fleets can generate the 18
Victory will be determined, in effect, by how far the Kzintis get, how points required to destroy a regiment, and relatively small squadrons can
far the Federation pushes them back, and what it costs each side to do generate the 12 points to cripple it. Brigades are, of course, twice as
so. Some believe the only Kzinti hope is to go for Sudden Death. difficult to destroy. Ground units, however, can't repair ships.
Once your minor planets have brigades, add a battalion to each one
PLAYTESTER'S NOTES: This is an excellent short two-player scen­ of them. As only one unit can be hit by directed damage on each combat
ario without many of the complications of the General War. round, two units will double the enemy's cost to devastate the planet.
COPYRIGHT © 1987 AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU STAR FLEET UNIVERSE — NEXUS #17 - 4 9
STAR FLEET COMMUNICATIONS CENTER SFB OPPONENTS WANTED
HAVING A CONVENTION? This list is provided as a service to SFB players. It is not to be used
Amarillo Design and Task Force Games strongly support local for mail solicitations or advertising. The short schedule since Nexus #16
conventions. Write to each company separately for the services it offers. did not allow us to accumulate many names, but we will reserve extra
Task Force provides prizes to qualified conventions; send them a space in #18 to accommodate as many as possible.
stamped self-addressed envelope to Task Force (well in advance) for the To be included on this list, send your name, address, and zip code
forms to request merchandise to use for prizes. on a post card (or a separate sheet of paper included in another letter) to
Amarillo Design Bureau publishes announcements of conventions Amarillo Design Bureau, Post Office Box 8759, Amarillo, Texas 79114.
with SFB tournaments, and lists of SFB tournament winners, in Nexus. There is no charge to be listed. We can't accept requests for listings
Send information to ADB well in advance of the convention. (We need it which are on the same sheet as questions or other material.
before the next issue goes to press, which could be up to six months When you meet a new opponent, you can play whatever games you
away. Nexus #18 is scheduled to close on 10 Sept 87.) We can only pub­ want to, but you must be looking for SFB opponents to be on this list.
lish the information that we receive. If your convention or winners were not
announed, it's because we didn't get it in time to print it. UNITED STATES
ADB also offers the Tournament Book, a set of SSDs and rules used Robert J Distasio Jr, 40 Perrine Ave Apt #3, Pittsfield, MA 01201
by the official Origins Tournaments and most other tournaments. This is N Erik Krag, 137 Mercier Ave, Bristol, C T 06010
available to anyone for $2.50 (including postage), but only from ADB. Mark V M Edwards, 60 River Road, Apt E-103, Bogota, NJ 07603
Tournament officials may want to order the more complete Con­ Robert Eng, 144-55 Barclay Ave, Flushing, NY 11355
vention Pack from ADB, which includes the Tournament Book, plus the Bill Stec, 7659 Arbory Ct, Laurel, MD 20707
latest Addenda and some preview materials of upcoming SFB products. Howard Newby, Apt С Chase Manor Motel, 2700 Pulaski Hwy, Edgewood,
This costs $4 and is available only from ADB and only to convention MD 21040
officials and judges. You must include the date of your convention with Stacy Bartley, 18-1/2 East 8th Ave, Colombus, OH 43201 (Group)
your request. Those conventions which purchase a Convention Pack (and J D Schuster, 119 Prospect NE #6, Grand Rapids, Ml 49503
no others) are entitled to claim that they are running a “Sanctioned” SFB Dale E Rippke, 14123rd Ave South, Fort Dodge, IA 50501
tournament. Players noting that a convention offers a “Sanctioned SFB DuBois, Jule Jay Jr, 215 N Cedar St, Waterman, IL 60556
tournament” will then be aware that you have the latest information. We Keith Velleux, 1934 N 74th Ave, Elmwood Park, IL 60635
will send your Convention Pack about two-three weeks before your James L Butler, 11 West Blueridge Court, New Orleans, LA 70128
convention, to assure that you get the latest available information. The David Saffell, 2910 Beltline Road, Garland, TX 75042 (Group, F&E)
“Sanction” applies only to one convention; you can use the Tournament Mike Woods, 7853 S Franklin St, Littleton, CO 80122.
Book at a later convention but can’t claim to have a “Sanction" unless you Ted Fay, 21911 Bacalar, Mission Viejo, CA 92691
also have updated preview materials and Addenda. Trent Wallace, 246 Peoria St, Daly City, CA 94014
When you register for a convention, ask them if their SFB tourna­ Greg Trasher, 32120 Rachel Road, Cottage Grove, OR 97424
ment judge has ordered a Convention Pack or Tournament Book. (Include PatThien, 1829 161 NE, Bellevue, WA 98008
instructions on how to do so, just in case they don’t know.) When you Harlan Haskell III, P О Box 1096, Airway Hts, WA 99001 (Group)
arrive at the convention, make sure the judge received the latest Jonathan P Clemens, 8676 Dudley St, Juneau, AK 99801
Addenda, and ask him when he will be displaying the preview materials. OVERSEAS
Simon Portegies Zwart, Nieuwen Dammerdijk 301,1023 Bl Amsterdam,
BATTLE ORDERS Gamers from Australia should contact Mr С J James, Australian
These are upcoming conventions hosting SFB tournaments. Send a Science Fiction Gaming Society, Box 68, Harbord, New South Wales
stamped self-addressed envelope to the convention for information. If 2096, Australia. Include reply postage, and he'll send you information on
you just missed a con in your area, write them anyway to see if they are dubs in your area and on Star Fleet Intelligence, the Australian SFB maga­
having another one next year (or later this year). “Sanctioned SFB zine. Also see Nexus # 16 for a list of a dozen Australian gamers.
Tournaments" include the current tournament rules and ships and have
available the most recent Addenda and preview materials.
* 24-26 April, CON'TRETEMPS 6, Holiday Inn, Council Bluffs Iowa.
Sanctioned SFB Tournament. Info from P О Box 45, Omaha NE 68101.
* 24-26 April, LITTLE WARS, Triton College Illinois. Sanctioned SFB.
Judge Bruce Tognetti, 201 Sturdy Rd, Apt 12, Valparaiso IN 46383.
22-24 May, GAMEX 87, Los Angeles. Includes SFB tournament and
many other events. Info from DTI, Box 8399, Long Beach, CA 90808.
* 22-24 May, ADVENTURE GAME FEST 87, Howard Johnson's West-
shore, Tampa FL. Many events including sanctioned SFB tournament.
Information from Skirmish Line, 7131 51 Ave N, St Petersburg, FL 33709.
This group also has conventions planned for 5-6 September and 2-4
October, but it is unclear if there are SFB tournaments at those events.
* 29-31 May, CONJURATION IV, Hilton Hotel, Tulsa. Sanctioned SFB
Tournament. Info from 918-438-3336 (11am to 7pm).
* June, TIN SOLDIER TROPHY, NSW Inst of Tech; major con with
50 tournaments including SFB. Info from Tin Soldier, 2nd Floor, Dymocks
Building, 424 George St, Sydney, 2000 AUSTRALIA, phone 27-7421.
* 5-7 June, NEO-VENTION, Kent State Univ, Ohio. Sanctioned SFB
Tournament by Inti Federation Training Academy. SFB info from IFTA,
25151 Brookpark Road #815, North Olmsted, OH 44070.
* 12-14 June, DALLAS-CON-87, Regent Hotel, Dallas Texas. SFB
Tournament. Info from DallasCon, P О Box 867623, Plano, TX 75086. BATTLE REPORT
* 2-5 July, ORIGINS 87, National Adventure Gaming Convention. SFB Tournament winners at recent conventions:
Baltimore, Maryland. Send SASE Atlanticon, P О Box 15405, Baltimore, * MSC Con-Ception, 6-8 March, Denver. Sanctioned Tournament. 1st
MD 21220 for a pre-registration flyer. See page 35 for more info. Keith Hurd (Kzinti), 2nd Damien Miller (Fed), 3rd Fritz Nunley (Orion).
* July? EMPEROR'S BIRTHDAY. No information known to us. Contact * Lost Worlds, 7 March, Cedar Falls Iowa. Heavy Battlecruiser
Robert L Hagerty, 227 North 2nd St Apt G, Elkhart, IN 46516. Tournament: 1st F Michael Miller (Klingon), 2ns Kirk Stainbrook (Klingon),
* 25-26 July, GAMEFEST 5. Windsor, Ontario. Info from Windsor RPG, 3rd Jason Steffer (Gorn).
Box 2055, Walkerville Station, Windsor, Ontario, Canada N8Y, 4R5. * Dragonquest V, 14-15 March, Laramie Wyoming. Sanctioned Tourna­
* 4-7Sept, PACIFICON 87, Dunfey Hotel, San Mateo, California. Sever­ ment: 1st Evan Birkby (Orion), 2nd Stewart Holbrook (Fed). Judges John
al SFB events. Info from Pacificon, P О Box 2625, Fremont, CA 94536. Harres and Charles Tucker.
* 4-7 September, NAN-CON, Ramada Northwest Crossing, Houston, * Owl Con VII, 13-15 March, Rice University, Houston, TX. 1st Paul
Sanctioned SFB Tournament, Introduction to SFB Tournament, official Kramer (Orion/Andromedan), 2nd Eric Nussberger (WYN/Orion), 3rd
Star Fleet Universe briefing by Committee Member Frank Crull; Info from Steve Evatt (Orion). Committee member Frank Crull organized and judged
Nan's Game HQ, 2011 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77098. the tournament.
* 2-4 Oct, DRAGON CON 87, Southeast Fantasy and Gaming Con. * Chattacon, Chattanooga: 1st Sean Mattingly, 2nd Arthur Townsend,
100+ gaming events (including SFB), expects 4,000 people. 3rd Mark Smithfield, 4th Alex Matthews.
* November, EARTH CON, Westlake, Ohio. SFB Tournament. We have begun listing the judges in recognition of their hard work.

50—NEXUS #17—STAR FLEET UNIVERSE COPYRIGHT© 1987AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU

 ШЖ
STAR FLEET BATTLES
REINFORCEMENTS #2
216 ADDITIONAL PLAYING PIECES
Additional starships, seeking w eapons and
markers to handle large Patties. C om plete­
ly new playing pieces for all races—includ­
ing the new ships from SSD Books Ф7, #8 and
#9—plus weP anchors, cast weP and drone
swarms. Also included are additional mark­
ers to record special events and locations.
• 14 NEW PLAY-AID FORMS
Ready Reference Cards for electronic war­
fare and terrain; record forms for drones,
plasma torpedoes, minefields, shuttles and
special events; special Energy Allocation
Forms for carriers, Androm edans and large
ships; a small-scale hex m ap to record
your Patties; and a new Master W eapons
Chart.
3 NEW FULL-COLOR PLANETS

y m m m

‘Expfore, rE?(ploit and

Conquer the 0\[его World!
Up to seven players compete to e?(plore and carve out empires from
the пеги lands —but that's only h a lf the fu n . Opportunities abound fo r
treachery, piracy, threats, alliances, bribery, trading, double-dealing
and zvarfare.
Qame features:
• Я пу number, up to seven, may play.
• iPlenty o f action, card playing, bacf^stabbing, etc.
• Solitaire scenario included.
• Colorful period map.
• Numerous paths to victory.
• Three f u l l scenarios ('Sasic, Christopher Columbus,
and ‘The Spanish World).

Task Force Games • 1110 N. Fillmore • Amarillo, TX 79107

 Different Worlds
THEMAGAZINE FOR ADVENTURERS
Have you ever felt th e thrill o f high Each issue com es to you w ith news
adventure? T he sense of w onder and reviews of y o u r favorite action-
while contem plating th e pyram ids adventure books, featu re films, and
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o f gripping suspense? If so, then all th e events fo r adventure gaming,
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A one-year (six-issue) subscription in the U.S. is

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TASK FORCE G A M E S /1 1 1 0 N. Fillm ore/Am arillo, TX 7 9 1 0 7

Be a part of the action
on the; new frontier — 1 Т Л Л

the first two- 2 3 0 0 adventures A v f W

have arrived ! - — . ’ ■. ' ■ — t

The carefree activity around Beta Canum the ice fields of a glaciated world, stories of
often belies the horrible reality of the Kafer war a strange alien race on the verge of civiliza­
in the bright visible stars overhead. O nly the tion. The crew of the LaFarge is com ing back
most experienced and fearless crews dare . to human space after a multi-year odyssey on
travel through that area of space, through the an uncharted world, a world where the evolu­
hotly contested systems of the border. Several tion of life has been perpetually bound lo its
centuries of human civilization can attest to exotic Energy Curve. ■
the simple fact that a frontier is always a As the crew of the survey ship LaFarge, you
dangerous place to conduct business. live out the thrill of discovering a truly alien •
The LaFarge made its final call at a hum an' world. Survival w ill be difficult, and w ill pro­
port at Hochbaden over two years ago, bably depend upon the cooperation of a native
heading into the middle of the Kafer c o n flic t- alien race of beings. Can you com m unicate
on Trilon company business. W hen they did . with them, and can you live among them for
■not return no one was too surprised. They had what might be years before human rescue?
probably fallen victims of the war and that was $ 8 . 00 . • •
that.
But now a routine survey vessel has picked
up survivors from the crew of the LaFarge,
and they tell an incredible story of treks across

The inhabitants of A urore always took a Despite over a year of warfare, little is known
special pride in their home— it was the most of the Kafers, and so Kafer Dawn is a voyage
.• spectacularly beautiful and at the same of discovery as well. Are the Kafers necessarily
^ • time the least hospitable of the garden our implacable enemies, o r can better under­
. planets in the French Arm . For years standing bring peace to both species?
• it was also the end of Kafer Dawn gradually introduces the players
. . ^ e l'ne ' n a colonial to Kafers over the course of four, new,
• С *' arm А*3* terminated at separate adventures (all included in this
- v 4 ^ «planetfess Arcturus, a booklet) which form a mini-campaign. From
.• • dull ruby in A urore’s the time the players ground ship on Aurore
night sky. The Kafers were first encountered as raw recruits to the time they participate in
at Arcturus, and then their invasion fleet and the final drive against the last major groupings
invading armies struck Aurore. The battle was of Kafers in the hotback, they w ill gradually
close, but the m ajor population centers held learn more and more about their violent but
out. Now, the rem aining Kafers need to be com plex enemy. $ 8 .0 0 . • . ..
hunted down and rooted out.
Kafer Dawn covers the campaign to mop
up the Auroran “ hotback” from the viewpoint
of several adventurers who come to join the
fight against m ankind’s most bitter foe.
'GDWM™■
PO Box 1646, Bloomington, IL 61702-1646