PBEM Frigate Captains Game Rules

Rules for the PBEM Frigate Captains Game.

Signups opened 21st June 2002. They are open until told otherwise (see (2) below).

The Current Status of the campaign is available.

To sign up a player should send an email (subject: FCG Signup) to the director with the following information:

• Player name and email address
• Preferred ship, including refits
• Experience at moderating/playing PBEM (see (5) below).
• (Optional) A list of monsters he would like to face, and a list he would prefer not to fight. This does not guaruntee anything, but allows the player to express his preferences.

(1) The non-playing game director is David "CatWhoLeaps" Crew.

(2) The game is open to anyone and places will be expanded to fill all comers (at the discretion of the director). Signups will not 'close' at any particular date - the nature of the campaign allows players to be added at any time. Initially players will only be allowed to play in one game - but this may be relaxed in future depending how things turn out.

(3) SHIPS: The game is the FRIGATE CAPTAINS GAME detailed in module S1. Essentially this is the Captains Game (in Basic Set) played with frigates, with some adjustments to the monsters and scenarios.

(3.1) Ships from any real alpha quadrant race except Andro, Orion, LDR and Jindarian may be used.

(3.2) The year is 170.

(3.3) The following ships are allowed:

• Any MC = 1/3 or less ship with a BPV less than 83 BPV
  • For this purpose only, ships with drones are costed with a full load of type I-M drones
  • The WYN OLR has local option mounts only and may not change them during the campaign.
  • The SNB is under review as being unsuitable to a PBEM environment. It is possible it will be restricted to tourney cloaking rules.
• The following additional ships are allowed:
  • Klingon F5B
  • Romulan K5RB
  • Romulan SEA
  • Lyran DD (no refits)
  • Gorn DD+
  • Peladine FF+
  • Seltorian FF
  • Neo-Tholian FF (Choice of PC's or Disruptors at the beginning of the campaign).
• Neo-Tholian and Seltorian ships may use any technology they could use in the alpha quadrant. They are not limited to 'old galaxy' rules.
• No limited deployment ships are allowed (e.g. WYN Auxilliaries) nor are Naval auxilliaries, Q-ships, scouts, drone bombardment versions etc.
• Any other ship of similar power may be allowed only at the directors discretion. The following ships are SPECIFICALLY excluded so don't bother asking about them: HYD KN, Tholian DD (and variants), Kzinti FFK.

(3.4) All Commanders level rules will be used. No optional rules will be used (note: This means no hidden mines).

(3.5) Unless otherwise specified for the scenario all maps are fixed maps. Any unit leaving the map has disengaged. [This encourages quick engagement and resolution of battles - a concession to the PBEM nature of the campaign].

(4) SCENARIOS: The campaign consists of 9 scenarios. Captains may conduct D9.4 repairs and change commanders options between scenarios. Before repairs and choosing commanders options the players will be informed of which border of their territory they are patrolling. This will reflect what matchup they may face, and allow them to prepare a little for it.

(4.1) The exact order of scenarios is known only to the director who will assign captains to the next scenario only after repairs and commanders options are completed/chosen. This is a change from the normal Frigate Captains Game, but simulates a captain not knowing his exact mission when leaving the starbase and gives the director more flexibility in organising match-ups.

• The scenarios will consist of:
  • Two Frigate Duels
  • 4 Monster Scenarios (from BS, AM, S1, S2 including SH4.0 and SH3.0)
  • Raid on a Convoy (SG4.0) with the Frigate as the Escort
  • Raid on a Survey Camp (SG21.0 in Module S1)
  • Duel with a Pirate Raider (Orion LR)
• Note specifically that different captains may play the scenarios in a different order, and may even play different monsters.
• The scenarios will, as close as possible, reflect historical matchups.

(4.2) In the Orion scenarios the orion ship will be from a cartel which is based in the frigate players territory. The Orion ship player may choose two weapons from the home territory and one from the operating territory for his option mounts. For races with no Orions based in their territory (e.g. Tholian, Seltorian, Peladine) the cartel will be one based in a neighbouring territory and the ship will be under similar restrictions as regards option mounts (consult the director in this regard). No Orions will have cloaks.

(4.3) Specific Scenario Rules Modifications:

• SG4.0 (Raid on a Convoy) - Convoy may only contain large and small freighters (no armed freighters, Free Traders etc.) One Q-ship may be added. The Scenario is scored as a duel but the player loses one victory point if a small Q-ship is present, 2 if a large Q-ship is present. The Orion CR does not have the plus refit or a cloak and cannot disengage before taking internals.
• SH3.0 (Coming of the Meteor) - This scenario has been removed and is a 'roll again' event.
• SM7.0 (Space Dragon) - Score as normal for the Captains Game, but lose one point for each turn the planet is ravaged and one point if the Dragon disengages. Dragon can only disengage if the planet has been ravaged for at least one turn.
• SM10.0 (Coming of Arastoz) - Damage is scored on the facing shield at the end of the turn as per the rules. The shield status is at the end of the turn, not at closest approach (i.e. If you've dropped the shield for some reason, and it is down on impulse 32 you'll take internals, even though it may have been up at closest approach).

(5) It is expected that players will moderate scenarios for other players. This campaign will not work on any other basis. The director will provide dice lists as required. Inexperienced PBEM players will be allowed a few scenarios to grow accustomed to the PBEM environment but will still be expected to moderate later in the campaign (it isn't that hard... :).

(6) The campaign will run in two streams. Each captain will play his ship in both streams simultaneously (i.e. Captains will play two games at once). This will allow the campaign to complete in half the time it otherwise would. The streams are:

• Stream 1: Scenarios #1-4
• Stream 2: Scenarios #5-8
• Scenario #9 will be randomly assigned to stream 1 (after Scenario #4) or 2.
  • This may seem odd, but is done so that the player will be unsure if scenario #4 is the last in stream 1, or if he still has one more to play.
  • When a player reaches scenario #8 he will be told if this is the last scenario or not to reflect the knowledge of this he would have in a normal Frigate Captains Campaign.

If at the end of stream 1, after D9.4 repairs, the player's ship has NO damage he gains the points awarded for not using his major overhaul. These points may be awarded twice if he chooses not to use his elective overhaul as well. Note that there is only ONE elective overhaul, not one for each stream.

{In effect there is a major overhaul which MUST be taken after the first stream to allow the second stream to be played concurrently starting with a fresh ship}.

(7) What the director says goes - no arguing... :) He is the ultimate appeals board of last resort regarding the campaign. There is no higher authority. These rules are a set of guidlines, not a legal document, and the director reserves the right to change them in the interests of everyone having fun.

(8) Any suggested rules changes here should be discussed in 'PBEM Variant Games' on the Star Fleet Games discussion board in the first instance.

Last Updated 2nd April 2003 by David "CatWhoLeaps" Crew (catwholeaps@mac.com).