Author Topic: Star Fleet Universe (Read 131211 times)

Lore · « **Reply #30 on:** 13 June 2011, 21:03:21 »

Quote from: Nerroth on 13 June 2011, 16:37:12

Recently, the guys at ADB have been hinting now and then about progress on a "mysterious 'U' contract", taking care not to spoil the pot by discussing it publicly until the ink had been dried on it.

Well, now that it has, the other party to this contract has seen fit to post up this!

(There should be a formal press release posted on Wednesday about the new joint venture, and the three new product lines it will entail.)

Very interesting. And I'm keen to see what Mongoose Publishing will bring to the table as part of this venture.

Weirdo · « **Reply #31 on:** 13 June 2011, 21:22:01 »

As long as they keep the mini design and casting in ADB's hands. Mongoose can do some good stuff sometimes, but having seen what they tried to do with B5...we can only hope not.

Lore · « **Reply #32 on:** 13 June 2011, 22:38:47 »

Quote from: Weirdo on 13 June 2011, 21:22:01

As long as they keep the mini design and casting in ADB's hands. Mongoose can do some good stuff sometimes, but having seen what they tried to do with B5...we can only hope not.

I can't even remember where I put most of my B5 minis.

Nerroth · « **Reply #33 on:** 14 June 2011, 00:25:00 »

A few quotes from ADB's side of the equation:

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What it Means for ADB, Inc. and the SFU

THE BIGGEST NEWS IN SFU HISTORY
Saturday we signed a new joint-venture deal with Mongoose, which is one of the largest companies in the Adventure Game industry. They're famous for numerous product lines, including miniatures and roleplaying games. This deal includes three immediate elements, but the future is as open as space and as exciting as a supernova.

Something we have mentioned many times is that retailers only stock the top five or 10 companies (with the proverbial "one shelf" reserved for the other 40 hard-copy publishers, most of which are in less than 10% of stores). Mongoose is in 90% of the retail game stores in the US, Canada, the UK, and many other countries. This contract means that there will now be several first-class products in every retailer with logos on them for the Star Fleet Universe and for ADB, Inc. Each joint venture book will include advertising for all of our Star Fleet Universe products, giving us more exposure to the mass gaming market than we have had since 1982.

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A CALL TO ARMS
This is their well-known space combat game, designed for massive battles with dozens of miniature starships. The new joint-venture deal provides for the production of a series of beautiful hardback rulebooks that will bring together the ships of the Star Fleet Universe and the game system of A Call to Arms. This worked very well for the Starmada product line, and should work even better for the much more widely sold A Call to Arms series.

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PRIME DIRECTIVE: TRAVELLER
One of the most popular RPG game engines in the industry is the Traveller series (produced, in various incarnations, by Game Designerâ€™s Workshop and Steve Jackson Games), and the current â€œMongoose Travellerâ€ incarnation is the most successful ever. They have an â€œopen licenseâ€ and Jean Sextonâ€™s team was already at work doing a Prime Directive Traveller version for that system. Our experiences with GURPS, however, showed that any RPG done by a publisher other than the original will have at most 10% of the sales of books by the original publisher. (Hence, our GURPS books are done to the design standard of SJG books, but sell only a fraction of the numbers.) Doing these books as a joint venture means every retailer will carry them.

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STARLINE 2500
Our new joint venture deal with Mongoose includes a provision that they are going to replace (over a period of a couple of years) every existing Starline 2400 ship with a new computer-generated design. (We call this Starline 2500, but they plan to market it under another brand yet to be selected.) The first ships will appear in late 2011, and ships will then follow every month or two. This will include some entirely new ships. It may also, from time to time, including special limited-production (minor variant) ships available only for a short time, or as part of special offers.
This is truly exciting news. New production ships will be fancier, and those in the vocal and vociferous minority who constantly complained that our ships were â€œnot good enough for the modern marketâ€ will get his wish. Everyone who has an extensive collection can keep it, or perhaps slowly replace it with new designs. (The existing 2400 line could be used for Early Years if you want, or the new 2500 designs could be used for X-ships.)

These ships will be done in resin using 1-3125 scale.

Also, there's a provisional look at one of the WIP 3D prints for Starline 2500 in this thread.

Weirdo · « **Reply #34 on:** 14 June 2011, 07:39:38 »

Not bad...not a fan of them changing the scales, though. I've had a hard enough time finding ships that match my existing SFU stuff, they'll have to REALLY impress me for me to go into a third scale for ST ships.

Nerroth · « **Reply #35 on:** 15 June 2011, 16:22:34 »

An early Q&A posted on the Mongoose blog:

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Q&A on A Call to Arms: Star Fleet

The forums have been alive with news of our recent agreement with Amarillo Design Bureau was made public earlier this week, and a lot of questions have been raised. We will be having a 'big reveal' in 3-4 weeks time, including a look at the first miniatures, but for now there are a few things we can put to rest.

When is A Call to Arms: Star Fleet due for release?
We are currently aiming for (and on schedule for, though it is early days!) being in stores the first week of December. December is a 'short' month for distribution though, and if this is missed, we may delay until the first week of January. But we want December.

Star Trek or Star Fleet?
Star Fleet, which concentrates on The Original Series ships. However, in practice for the miniatures game, there will be little difference. There will be no characters from the TV show or movies, and no Excelsior. However, in return, we get a Trek universe that is internally very consistent, that has lots of opportunites for conflict, a veritable ton of ship designs, and the ability to add new ships and fleets to our heart's content. It is a good trade off. You will still be able to face down Romulans and Klingons!

What fleets will be covered in the main rulebook?
Fairly extensively, Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Kzinti and Gorn. There will also be a range of civilian ships and a smattering of Orion pirates and Tholians.

How long have you been planning this?
Quite some time! The rulebook was written some time ago and is now undergoing playtesting, and we started work on the miniatures about a month ago. Actually, this was relatively easy for us to 'get in to,' as we had already drafted a set of Trek rules when we approached Paramount for a licence a couple of years ago. That did not work out, but this will!

Babylon 5 was good while it lasted, but the licence expired - will the same happen here?
There are no term limits or dates of expiration in our agreement with ADB. Both companies are looking forward to this lasting for a long, long time, and there are various nuts and bolts built into the agreement that make it beneficial for both companies to keep pushing ahead with it.

Star Fleet Battles is all about power allocation - will this appear in A Call to Arms?
Yes. Sort of. Kinda. Remember, we abstract out in A Call to Arms as it is a fleet level game but in short, yes, useage of power will at least be acknowledged.

Why change the scale of the ships?
Because doing them this way will make them ten times better, and we started this with the intention of creating the best Trek gaming experience possible. The differences between old and new models won't be excessive and the rules certainly won't be affected. Anyone who used Fleet Action scale models in ACTA: B5 will know this! In any case, ADB will keep the older models in production for anyone who wants them. But we hope you will like the new models!

What will be released first?
All going to plan, on the first week of December you will be able to pick up the main rulebook, three squadron box sets (five ships a piece) for Klingons, Romulans and the Federation, and three fleet box sets for the same. All ships released in these sets will be available as singles in blisters for specialist shops and mail order, and there will be monthly releases thereafter, at a rate of 2-4 boxes a month, depending on content.

There will be a supplement for the rest, right?
We are currently looking at Gen Con 2012 for the release of this, working title We Come in Peace (Shoot to Kill) - that _will_ change! It will bring in more fleets and new ships for the existing ones, a bit like Fleets of the Fading Suns but bigger.

Does this mean the end of Noble Armada?
Not as far as we are concerned. Noble Armada, while sharing a rules system, has a very different feel, with different technologies and boarding actions going on all over the place! Also, as we now do all our ship modelling in-house, it is exceedingly easy for us to add new ships and fleets to Noble Armada. The short of it is, you keep playing, we'll keep supporting!

EDIT: Press release.

Weirdo · « **Reply #36 on:** 15 June 2011, 17:06:50 »

Yeah, still not happy with the scale change. I *might* give the rules a shot. *Might*.

Top Sergeant · « **Reply #37 on:** 15 June 2011, 20:35:32 »

I do have a few Lyran and Klingon miniatures.

Garrand · « **Reply #38 on:** 18 June 2011, 00:23:35 »

One thing I'd love to see Mongoose do is a) really expand the hull design library of the setting (FREX the Feddies really only have the FF, DD, CL, NCL, CA, BC, CV and DN hull designs...how many different classes of ships were fielded in FREX WWII?), b) incorporate some of the "grey" area ship designs (like the Surya class, a prototype Reliant class, and not one I have ever seen in an official publication) and c) incorporate some of the better (really all) TOS era FASA ships. The latter two points might be going a little too far, but one can hope...

Damon.

Nerroth · « **Reply #39 on:** 18 June 2011, 00:27:50 »

ISC War cover art!

Lore · « **Reply #40 on:** 18 June 2011, 01:24:55 »

Quote from: Nerroth on 18 June 2011, 00:27:50

ISC War cover art!

Oooh! I see another image begging for desktop wallpaper treatment. ;D

Nerroth · « **Reply #41 on:** 23 June 2011, 12:43:25 »

In case anyone's interested, the first podcast from one of ADB's seminars at Origins 2011 is up on Talkshoe; more should emerge as the week progresses.

EDIT: It's hardly a major thing to celebrate, but I was glad to finally get a bound copy of the FC Omega Playtest Rulebook doen up at a local printer!

Had to cheap out on a full colour version, sadly.

Lore · « **Reply #42 on:** 24 June 2011, 00:02:48 »

Tachyon Guns!?!

Neat. ;D

Nerroth · « **Reply #43 on:** 25 June 2011, 10:27:54 »

I like to hope so...

The Talkshoe page has a second podcast from Origins 2011 uploaded; this time from the miniature seminar (where, unsurprisingly, Starline 2500 gets a mention or two...).

(By the way, that site also hosts a weekly discussion during most non-Origins weeks; it's usually on at 9:30pm EST for anyone interested in popping along.)

Lore · « **Reply #44 on:** 25 June 2011, 23:09:43 »

It's truly a shame that I can't access those podcasts from my present location.

Nerroth · « **Reply #45 on:** 29 June 2011, 15:51:14 »

The Starline 2500 thread on ADB's Discus BBS has been updated to show a sample 3D print of the new D7!

Weirdo · « **Reply #46 on:** 29 June 2011, 16:02:49 »

Very pretty, and of one of my favorite Trek classes. I'd resolve to pick up a few and run them as K'tingas, but I've already got plenty of options there, including some already in my possession. Might grab some other Klink classes to fill out a TMP-era fleet, though. Depending on how the prices end up, I might also get some Mongoose Romulans instead of the ADB ones I want to pick up someday.

Top Sergeant · « **Reply #47 on:** 29 June 2011, 18:12:54 »

I always loved the look of the D7.

Lore · « **Reply #48 on:** 29 June 2011, 22:36:31 »

Agreed, Top. It's such an iconic design.

Top Sergeant · « **Reply #49 on:** 30 June 2011, 06:00:34 »

I think I have two of them.

I'm looking forward to checking out Mongoose Publishing's SFB game with B5: ACtA rules which is supposed to come out this December.

Ruger · « **Reply #50 on:** 30 June 2011, 17:23:16 »

Quote from: Top Sergeant on 29 June 2011, 18:12:54

I always loved the look of the D7.

Especially the Romulan Stormbird version with the bird-of-prey painted on...actually found a figurine for it (not from the old FASA game though) a while back...

And I love watching the opening to ST:TMP simply as I can see K't'inga's (later model D7's) in action...

Ruger

HobbesHurlbut · « **Reply #51 on:** 30 June 2011, 18:15:30 »

Quote from: Ruger on 30 June 2011, 17:23:16

Especially the Romulan Stormbird version with the bird-of-prey painted on...actually found a figurine for it (not from the old FASA game though) a while back...

The Romulan R7 in Klingon Academy was simply gorgeous.

Lore · « **Reply #52 on:** 01 July 2011, 00:19:21 »

Quote from: HobbesHurlbut on 30 June 2011, 18:15:30

The Romulan R7 in Klingon Academy was simply gorgeous.

I'm not immediately familiar with this design.

Details?

Void · « **Reply #53 on:** 01 July 2011, 13:27:26 »

Quote from: Lore on 01 July 2011, 00:19:21

I'm not immediately familiar with this design.

Details?

The D7 with the Romulan birdie painted across the bottom, armed with mediumish plasma torpedoes.

(Tinypics were all I could find --it's an old game).

Actually, the link to the site where I found them is amusing, too. The article was written by one of my good friends and the repeated tactical advice towards ramming is just so VERY Don (and very Klingon Academy, too, as folks complained that ramming things was almost unavoidable in that game at times). :D

HobbesHurlbut · « **Reply #54 on:** 01 July 2011, 14:22:58 »

Quote from: Void on 01 July 2011, 13:27:26

The D7 with the Romulan birdie painted across the bottom, armed with mediumish plasma torpedoes.

(Tinypics were all I could find --it's an old game).

Actually, the link to the site where I found them is amusing, too. The article was written by one of my good friends and the repeated tactical advice towards ramming is just so VERY Don (and very Klingon Academy, too, as folks complained that ramming things was almost unavoidable in that game at times). :D

It wasn't just the warbird painted on the bottom it was the entire paint scheme of that ship in Klingon Academy, it was so beautiful. I think they gave her 'Stormbird' designation.

Klingon Academy's Stormbird

vidar · « **Reply #55 on:** 01 July 2011, 15:11:51 »

As an old SFB Hydran player how much change would I expect in the Comnader games?
Used to play with the Doomsday book.

Nerroth · « **Reply #56 on:** 01 July 2011, 18:45:48 »

The Hydrans in Federation Commander have a few differences; fusion beams don't have the suicide overload function, there is only one type of Stinger per era (General War-era Hydrans have the Stinger-2; Middle Years Hydrans the Stinger-1), some ships have a few less fighters than they do over in SFB, and there are no "true" carriers or PF tenders in the "vanilla" game.

(There may be a future "Borders of Madness" product, which might or might not add in things like carriers; but anything added to BoM will not be part of the standard "vanilla" FC game system.)

The Hydrans were added to Starmada in the new Distant Armada book released at this year's Origins; that book hasn't been shipped to stores (or uploaded to e23) yet, so I can't say how the Hydrans work in that system.

Lore · « **Reply #57 on:** 01 July 2011, 21:25:46 »

Quote from: Void on 01 July 2011, 13:27:26

The D7 with the Romulan birdie painted across the bottom, armed with mediumish plasma torpedoes.

(Tinypics were all I could find --it's an old game).

Actually, the link to the site where I found them is amusing, too. The article was written by one of my good friends and the repeated tactical advice towards ramming is just so VERY Don (and very Klingon Academy, too, as folks complained that ramming things was almost unavoidable in that game at times). :D

Ah, yes. I remember now... I just wasn't too sure on the R7 designation [which, on reflection, should've been apparent to me #P].

vidar · « **Reply #58 on:** 02 July 2011, 15:04:55 »

No massed Stinger waves?!? Where the fun in playing Hyrans if you can not force the Amen to chose between killing the fighters or facing overloaded fusion beams at range 1? Well still might be fun to break out the expeditionary fleet and see how the new rules treat them. Yes I have a full set including freighters for that fleet.

Nerroth · « **Reply #59 on:** 18 July 2011, 11:57:20 »

How does the Star Fleet Universe handles Early Years Vulcan ships?

Quite logically.

Also, there are revised 3D images of the WIP Klingon render; which is now being re-purposed.

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Current plan: what you see is the D6 (after the two phasers in question are deleted). [This was a solution to the problem proposed by Steve Petrick.]

The D7 will have a different "belly", properly located wing phasers, and a bigger deckhouse.