Gameplay Manual & Reference Guide

Table of Contents

Game Play Manual 9INTRODUCTION 10STARTING YOUR CAREER 12TAKING THE CONN 14RANGE AND TURNS 15RED ALERT 15TARGETING 16MOVEMENT 16

TURNING 17Turn Rate 18Movement Cost 18Emergency Deceleration 18Erratic Maneuvers 19Intercept Target 19High Energy Turns 20

WEAPONS 20Phasers 21Heavy Weapons 22

Direct Fire Weapons 22Seeking Weapons 24Anti Missile Defense (AMD) 25Expanding Sphere Generators 25

Firing Arcs 26Weapon Status 27Selecting Weapons 27Firing Your Weapons 28

Shields 29Internal Damage 29Electronic Warfare (EW) 30

ECM 30ECCM 30USE of Electronic Warfare 30Shield Reinforcement 31Defensive Officer 33Point Defense Phasers 33Defensive Tractors 33Sensor Decoy Launch Panel 33

Science Officer 34Probes 34Deep Scan 34Self Destruct 35

Communications 35Security Officer 36

Hit and Run Raids 36Capturing Enemy Ships 37

Mines 38Transporters 38

Transferable Objects 39Transporter Bombs 39

Shuttles 40Administrative Shuttles 41Fighters 41Shuttle Conversion 41

Pseudo Fighters (PFs) 42Tractor Beams 42Repairs 43Cloaking Device 44Energy 45Fleet Control 46

Fleet Control MFD 46Fleet Control Panel 47Formation Selection Control 47Formation Detail Control 48

Terrain 49Planets 49Suns 49

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Chat Modes 104Chat Color 104Your Fleet 104Host START MULTIPLAYER GAME Button 106

Chat Messages in Multiplayer Games 106

TAKE THE CONN MISTER 108Tactical Screen Overview 108Quitting A Mission 109Tactical 3D Space 109

MOVEMENT 110Tactical Information 111

Class or Name of unit 112Range to unit 112Speed of unit 112Unit damage reports 112

Data Displays 113Your Hull Integrity 113Phaser Capacitor 113Target Hull Integrity 114

Mission Timers 114Speed 115Energy 115Alert Indicators 116Fire Selected Weapons Button 116

Tactical Officer MFD 116Tactical Officer MFD – Helm 117

Emergency Deceleration 117Erratic Maneuvers 117High Energy Turns (HETs) 118Orbit Target 120Intercept Target 120Normal Maneuvering 120

Tactical Officer MFD – Repair 120Repairing Damaged Systems 120Spare Parts 121

Tactical Officer MFD – Science 122Standard Probes 122Weapon Probes 124Special Probes 124Deep Scan 125Self Destruct 125

Tactical Officer MFD - Security/Marines 125Capturing 126Hit and Run Raids 127

Tactical Officer MFD – Weapons 130Mines 130Destroy/Disable Target 131Cloaking Device 131

Tactical Officer MFD – Communication 131Message Filter Buttons 131Communication Buttons 132

Tactical Officer MFD – Defense 133Emergency Deceleration 133Toggle Active Point Defense 133Defensive Tractors 134Wild Weasels 136

Tactical Officer MFD – Mini Map 138Tactical Officer MFD – Fleet Control 139

Fleet Control MFD 139Fleet Control Panel 140Formation Selection Control 140Formation Detail Control 141

Tactical Officer MFD - Energy Management 144POWER 145SYSTEMS 145Movement 145Weapons 145Shields 145Tractors 145Sensors 146Other Systems 146Excess Energy 146Cloaking Device 146Batteries 146Running out of Power 147

Tactical Officer MFD – Preferences 148Grid Toggle 148

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Asteroids and Dust Clouds 50Black Holes 50Nebulas 50

Reference Manual 51STARFLEET COMMAND BRIEFING 51GALACTIC GOVERNMENTS

The Gorn Confederation 51The Hydran Kingdoms 54The Interstellar Concordium 56The Klingon Empire 60The Lyran Star Empire 63The Mirak Star League 65The Romulans 67The United Federation of Planets 70The Orion Pirate Cartels 72

GAME PLAY MENUS 74SELECT YOUR GAME 74

Single Player 74Multiplayer 74Film Room 74Hot Keys 74Credits 75Vessel Library 75Exit 75

Single-player Games 75Tutorials 75

Tutorial Screen Information 76Skirmish 76

Select Skirmish Screen Information 77Advanced Customize Skirmish 78Basic Customize Skirmish 80

Campaign 81Campaign Selector 82New Campaign 83MAP 85MISSION SELECTOR 87NEWS 87SUPPLY 88SHIPYARD 89MEDALS 90

MULTIPLAYER GAMES 91Game Connections 91

METAVERSE 91STANDARD MULTIPLAYER 92LAN TCP/IP 92LAN IPX 92OTHER CONNECTIONS 93TCP/IP 93SERIAL PORT 93MODEM 94

Select Game 95Available Games Information 95

Create Multiplayer Game 97Game Name 97Password 98Scenario 98Map Type 98Options 98Maximum Players 99BPV Limit 99Game Speed Slider 99Technology/Game Era 99Announce Game 100Mission Briefing 100

Multiplayer Startup 100Session Information 101Player Information 101Ping 101Ready 102Type 102Player Name 102Star Empire 102Team 102BPV 103MAX 103Special Host Commands 103

Cooling 181Normal 181Overload 181Suicide Overload 182

Hellbore Cannons 183Normal 183Overload 184ESG Interaction 184Reduced Effects of ECM 185

Photon Torpedoes 185Normal 185Overload 186Proximity 186Switching Modes 187

Plasmatic Pulsar Devices (PPDs) 187Normal 189Overloaded 189Underloaded 190

Missiles 190Missile Types 190Type-I 190Type-IV 190Missile Speeds 191Energy Cost & Reloading 191Missile Racks 191Fire One/Fire All 192Guidance & Control 192

Plasma Torpedoes 193Charging 194Feedback Damage 194Firing Modes 194Normal 194Enveloping 194Shotgun 194Type-R 195Type-S 196Type-G 196Type-F 197Type-I 198Pseudo Plasma Torpedoes (PPTs) 199Plasma Defenses 199Destroyed Plasma Launchers 200

Expanding Sphere Generator 200ESG Capacitor 200Radius 200Activation 201Damage 201Hellbore Interaction 202

Cloaking Device 202Operation 202Cloaked 203Uncloaking 203Cloaking 203Energy Cost 204Cloaking Weaknesses 204

Terrain 205Asteroids 205Planets 205Suns 206Nebulas 206Dust Clouds 207Black Holes 208

Credits 209Technical Support 217Limited Warranty 220Glossary of Terms and Acronyms 223Hotkey List 229Firing Arcs Table 231

Manual by: David FerrellGame play Tips by Scott “Captain Krumb” BrunoRacial Backgrounds: Scott Bennie, Nancy Berman, E.L. Crisler and David FerrellEdited by: Beth DrummondManual Design & Layout:Schlieker Design 76

Quicktips Toggle 148Exit Mission 148Camera Views 148Text Speed Slider 148Game Speed Slider 149Overall Volume Slider 149Music Volume Slider 149Voice Volume Slider 149

Tactical Ship Schematic & System MFD 150System Buttons 150Shield Indicators 151Weapon Icons 151Firing Arc 152Weapon Firing Status 152Selecting Weapons 152Select All Weapons 153Disabled Systems 153Destroyed Systems 153

Tactical System MFD – Shields 153Raise 154Lower 154Normal 154Reinforcement Slider 155Reinforce 155Reinforce All 155Reinforcing More Than One Shield 155

Tactical System MFD - EW (Sensors) 155ECM 156Target ECCM 156ECCM 156Target ECM 156Energy Cost 156Maximum Electronic Warfare 157ECM vs. ECCM 157Cloaking Device 158

Tactical System MFD – Transporters 158Marines 159Items 159Transporter Bombs (Mines) 160Shields and Transporters 160Energy Cost 161

Tactical System MFD – Tractors 161Defensive Tractors 161General Tractors 162Targeting 162Beam Strength 162Hold 163Repel 163Engage 163Rotation 164Effects of a Tractor 164

Tactical System MFD – Shuttles 165Types of shuttles 166Admin Shuttle 166Wild Weasel 166Ground Assault 166Suicide 167Scatterpack 167The Shuttle Panel 167Docked 167Active 167Target Options 168Launch 169

Tactical System MFD – Shuttles Conversion 169Tactical System MFD – Weapons 170Weapon Systems 172

Offline Mode 173Normal Mode 173

Phasers 173Phaser, Type-1 (ph-1) 174Phaser, Type-2 (ph-2) 174Phaser, Type-3 (ph-3) 175Phaser, Type-4 (ph-4) 175Phaser, Type-G (ph-G) 176Phaser Capacitor 176

Anti Missile Defense (AMD) 177Disruptor Beams 178

Normal 179Overloaded 179Switching Modes 180

Fusion Beams 180

Star Trek®: Starfleet Command®

Volume II Empires at WarGame Play Manual and Reference

98

deliberate and almost stately affair. The ship’s turningradius, speed, and recharge rate all combine to makehandling one of these ships a job for a real captain -one who knows his ship and its capabilities. Mind you,a good captain has a pretty good idea of what hisenemy is working with, too.

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INTRODUCTIONWelcome to Starfleet Command Volume II Empires atWar also known as SFC II or as it is often referred toin this manual just plain SFC. SFC is a game ofStarship combat set in the 23rd century world of StarTrek. In SFC II, a new more immersing single playerand online experience has been added; knowncollectively as the Metaverse.

The Metaverse will allow you to play as a member ofone of the eight Empires, and your successes orfailures will have a direct impact on the fate of yourchosen race. In the online Metaverse, you will beable to join hundreds of SFC players as you try to helpyour Empire in a galaxy wide conflict.

Starfleet Command was inspired by the board gameStar Fleet Battles (SFB) from Amarillo Design Bureau.SFB has been a popular, long-running franchise sinceits beginnings in the “pre-movie” Star Trek years.Starfleet Command uses a great deal of the SFBmaterial, but has also made some changes andenhancements; one of the most important of these isthat the game is no longer turn based, but occurs inreal time in a 3D environment. (Diehard SFB playerscan take advantage of the game speed slider to havethe game run almost as slowly as a turn-based game,though!).

But you shouldn’t think that we tried to turn SFC intoa first person shooter, or even a dogfight simulator.

The ships in Starfleet Command are vastwarships, and like ships in the age of sail, anaval engagement between these vessels is a

Scattered throughout both the Game Play andReference manuals you will find these gray boxes.Inside, you will find gems of knowledge to help you findyour path on your way to a career in Starship Command.These can take different forms, from explanations ofdifficult concepts to tips from experienced Captains.

Complete details onthe campaign gamecan be found on page81.

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STARTING YOU CAREER.In SFC Volume II, you will play as a member of one ofthe eight empires to help your empire conquer thestars and defeat the plans of your enemies.

To start your career in one of the eight empires ofSFC Volume II, Left-click on Single Player and thenchoose Campaign from the Single Player menu byLeft-clicking on the button.

To reach the New Campaign screen, Left-click on theNEW GAME button on the bottom of the CampaignSelector screen.

On the New Campaign screen, there is a list ofavailable Campaigns; choose the one you wish to play.The campaign you choose will determine what raceyou will be a member of. Pick an appropriate namefor your alter ego and then Left-click on BEGIN NEWCAMPAIGN to begin your career.

From the Campaign (also known as Meta) screensyou can move your ship, pick missions to fly, buyships, and many other things. While on the mapmenu, you can move your ship by Left-clicking into oneof the hexes adjacent to the your current position.

After you move, you can switch to the Missionsscreen to see a list of available missions. Left-click onPLAY to start a mission and jump to the conn of yourship.

Your own space in the galaxy

RANGE AND TURNSAll ranges and distances will be stated in standardunits. Each unit has a value of 10,000km, so if youwere at a range of 5.0 units from your target, yourdistance from the target would actually be50,000km. The way ranges are calculated is asfollows: A range includes the area from the actualnumber up to just before the next range. Forexample a range of 0 is anything from 0.00 to 0.99,a range of 1 is from 1.00 to 1.99.

A Turn is a convenient way to measure the passage oftime. There are no artificial breaks in the flow ofaction, turns are just a way of expressing the amountof time an action, such as arming a weapon, will take.

RED ALERTThe first thing a new captain should do when enteringa battle is go to Red Alert. You can do this bypressing the “R” key or by clicking on the Red Alerticon in the lower right hand portion of the tacticalscreen. Once at Red Alert, the shields will come upand ship’s battle systems will come on line and begincharging.

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TAKING THECONNOnce you haveaccepted a missionyou will be transportedto the tactical screen.From here you willcommand your ship,and eventually, a fleetof up to three ships.Take a quick look

around the screen. There is a lot of informationavailable to you, Captain, and once you gainexperience with it, you will have the ability to utilize theentire screen in any mission as you see fit. We willtake a step-by-step approach in learning to use yourship’s systems.

Welcome to your new workspace.

The pace of the game may be changed; in single-player,games may be changed while in play by using the “[“ and “]”keys. If you are new to the SFC universe or just prefer amore leisurely paced game, use the “[“ key to slow downthe passage of time in the game. If a game speed of 1 isstill a little too fast, single-player games may be paused byusing the Pause key on your keyboard to give you even moretime to familiarize yourself with the controls. When itcomes time to speed up the pace of the game, use the “]”key to pick up the pace.

You cannot change the pace of the game during amultiplayer game. The host will choose what game speedyou will play at during the setup of the game.

You can control your alert status here

decelerate can control your ship’sspeed. As you change yourspeed, you will notice that thereis a marker set at your desiredspeed. Your ship may take sometime to reach this speed due toacceleration rates. You may alsonever reach a desired speed dueto power limitations, particularlyafter taking damage during abattle. Regardless of availablepower, the absolute maximumspeed for any ship is limited to31.

Special movement commands are handled using theHelm Officer multi-function display (MFD) [see page117].

TURNINGTurning your ship to a new heading is easilyaccomplished by Left-clicking in the 3-D tactical displaywhere you want your new heading to be. If you Left-click on an enemy ship, your heading will change toput you on a course directly for that ship. As youbegin a turn, you will notice an arc that has appearedbetween your current heading and your desiredheading. There is a color code to let you know theapproximate time to complete this turn.

As your ship completes its turn, the indicator willchange color to show you how much further it has togo.

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TARGETINGOnce you have gone to Red Alert, press the “Y” keyand take a look around you. You have just targetedan enemy vessel, if any are in range. Your shipstargeting reticle will bracket the enemy’s position andthe Heads UP Display, or HUD, will give you vitalinformation about the enemy ship. Above the ship isyour targeting lock-on indicator. This tells you if yourship’s computer has a good ‘fix’ on your target for firecontrol purposes. If the word “Allied” appears abovethis, your current target is an ally. Not to fear, yourships computer will prevent you from accidentallyfiring upon an allied ship. Below the ship will be givenits class and your current range to the vessel. Tapon the “Y” key to cycle through the enemy ships,taking note of their ranges. The final item ofinformation is the target’s current speed. You willnotice that this information is also repeated in thelower left hand corner of the 3-D display along withthe Attack Shift [see page 30] and your currentlyselected weapons.

MOVEMENTThe next item you will want to take care of is givingyour ship some speed. At the bottom middle of theTactical screen is the speed bar.

You may click anywhere on the speed bar toset your desired speed. Alternatively, using the“S” key to accelerate and the “A” key to

You can change your speed by clicking on thespeed slider at the bottom of the screen.

Special Movement iscontrolled via the HelmOfficer Display.

Erratic ManeuversErratic Maneuvers (EM) isputting your ship into a series ofjink actions. This causes yourship to move back and forth inan unpredictable pattern. Thismakes your ship harder to hit.Your ship also feels the affect ofEM in that your own weapon’sability to hit their targets is equally degraded. Thecost of performing EM is six points of movementenergy. The use of EM puts the following restrictionson your ship:

No shuttles, fighters, missiles, or plasma torpedoes can be launched.

Mines cannot be laid, nor can tractor beams be used.

Your ship is more difficult to turn. The turn rate of your ship isincreased by one.

High Energy Turns are more difficult to accomplish.

The chance of failure is increased by approximately 17%.

Intercept TargetClicking on the Intercept Targetbutton puts your ship under theHelm Officer’s control. He willattempt to plot the best coursetowards the current target. Youwill retain control of the ship’sspeed.

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Turn RateEach type of Starship has an associated Turn Rate.The Turn Rate determines how long it will take aparticular ship to complete a 180-degree turn. Thelower the Turn Rate, the faster the turn will becompleted. As the speed of a ship increases, theamount of time to complete a turn will increase.

Movement CostEach type of Starship has a Movement Costassociated with it. This is the amount of energyrequired to move the ship. Smaller ships tend tohave low movement costs while Dreadnoughts andBattleships have the largest costs.

The actual amount of energy required to move at anygiven speed is the Movement Cost multiplied by thedesired speed.

Emergency DecelerationEmergency Deceleration usesthe warp engines to quicklybring your ship to a completestop. This can be a usefultactic to help keep your ship ina desirable location that wouldotherwise be overshot. Thedrawback is that the maneuverputs a high amount of stress on

the engines, causing a delay before your ship will beable to move again.

When you need to stopon a dime, this is yourbutton.

If nothing else, EM willmake you dizzy.

Clicking on this buttonwill help you stay on his six.

PhasersPhasers are the primary and most plentiful of theweapons on a starship. Phasers are Direct FireWeapons, which means that they hit or missinstantaneously when fired. There are five differenttype of Phasers, four of these are carried onboardStarships. The Type I phaser is the strongest of theship bound phasers, followed by the Type II, and thenthe Type III and Type G. The Type G has the samefiring strength as the Type III, but may fire as many asfour times during a turn while all others types ofphasers can only fire once. All shipboard Phasertypes take 1 point of energy to fire except the Type III,which takes 1/2 point. The final type of Phaser isthe Type IV. The Type IV is the strongest of all thephasers, and is only mounted on Bases and Planets.

When energy is allocated to Phasers it is notallocated to a specific one. Instead, there is a PhaserCapacitor that stores the energy in a pool. When aPhaser is order to fire, it draws the energy it needsfrom this pool. Further details on Phasers and theCapacitor can be found in the reference section [seepage 173].

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High Energy TurnsHigh Energy Turns, or HET’s for short, are a fast butdangerous way to quickly turn your ship around inbattle using Warp Power. Complete details on HET’scan be found in the reference section [see page118].

WEAPONSThere are two basic types of ship-mounted weapons inStarfleet Command: Phasers and Heavy Weapons.All Starships have at least one type of Phaser andusually have at least one type of Heavy Weapon. Yourship’s weapons and their current status can be foundin the Tactical Ship Schematic and System Multi-Function Display (MFD). Each icon represents aspecific location, or hardpoint, on the ship where allthe weapons are of the same type and can fire in thesame direction. The main portion of the iconindicates the type of weapon, while the small dots atthe right, or front of the icon, indicate how many ofthat weapon type are in that hardpoint.

Your ship and it’s weapons statusavailable at a glance.

From L-R Phasers Type I, Type II, TypeIII, Type IV and Type G

armed it takes 3 units of energy per turn to hold aHellbore Cannon until fired. Hellbore Cannons have amaximum range of 40 and are most effective atranges of 15 or less. Their strength does decreaseover range, but does not decline as rapidly as theFusion Beam, making this an effective long rangedweapon.

Photon Torpedoes are the primary heavy weapons ofthe Federation. Photon Torpedoes take 2 units ofenergy for 2 turns to arm. Once armed, it takes 1unit of energy per turn to hold a Photon Torpedo untilfired. Photon Torpedoes have a maximum range of30. Photons are most effective at ranges of 8 orless. The Torpedoes strength does not dissipate overrange so a Photon that hits at a range of 30 doesthe same damage that one fired at range of 2 does.

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Heavy WeaponsHeavy Weapons are high yield weapons carried byStarships. They come in many different types basedupon the Race of the ship that carries them. Thereare two different classes of Heavy Weapons: DirectFire and Seeking Weapons.

Direct Fire WeaponsDirect Fire Weapons are weapons that hit or miss,instantaneously when fired. Examples of Direct FireWeapons are Disruptors, Fusion Beams, HellboreCannons, Photon Torpedoes, and the Plasmatic PulsarDevice.

Disruptors are the primary heavy weapons used bythe Klingons, Lyrans, and as support weapons by theMirak. Disruptors take two units of energy and oneturn to arm. Once armed, it takes 2 units of energyper turn to hold a Disruptor until fired. Disruptorshave a maximum range of 40 but are most effectiveat short ranges, 4 or less, as their destructive energydissipates over greater ranges.

Fusion Beams are one of the heavy weapons of theHydrans. Fusion Beams take 2 units of energy andone turn to arm. After firing a Fusion Beam, theweapon must be cooled for one turn before arming.Fusion beams have a maximum range of 24 but aremost effective at very short ranges, 1 or 0, as thebeams destructive energy greatly dissipates as rangeincreases.

Hellbore Cannons are the other heavy weaponin use by the Hydrans. Hellbore Cannons take3 units of energy for 2 turns to arm. Once

How would you like your PhotonTorpedoes, Normal or Overloaded?

Plasma Torpedoes are the primary heavy weapons ofthe Gorn and the Romulans. Plasma Torpedoes comein many types, and in normal mode, they all takethree turns to arm. For a plasma torpedo, theamount of energy to arm, the amount of energy tohold, and the maximum range are dependent on thetype of plasma torpedo. The amount of energy toarm can vary between 5 and 9 units spread over thethree turns, and, once armed, it can take up to 5units of energy per turn to hold until fired. PlasmaTorpedoes have a maximum range that can vary from15 to 30, with their warhead strength beginning todissipate at ranges greater then 10 (5 for an “F”type) until they eventually degrade down to a strengthof 1 when at maximum range.

Anti Missile Defense (AMD)The Anti Missile Defense system is carried primarilyby the Klingons and the Mirak, but is also found onFederation ships equipped with Missile G racks. TheAMD system will attempt to shoot down incomingmissiles and fighters. It is a very rapid-fire systemwith a limited supply of ammunition.

Expanding Sphere GeneratorsThe Expanding Sphere Generator (ESG) is neither aDirect Fire nor a Seeking Weapon, but a differentbreed of cat altogether. The ESG is used by theLyrans as both an Offensive and Defensive heavyweapon. The ESG creates an energy sphere aroundthe firing ship that will damage enemy ships andweapons that come in contact with it. The ESG mayhave its diameter set from 0 to 3 units. The amountof damage it will cause is dependent on thesize of the sphere and the amount of energythat has been allocated to it.

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The Plasmatic Pulsar Device (PPD) is the primaryheavy weapon in use on large ships by the InterstellarConcordium. The PPD takes 4 units of energy for 2turns to arm. Once armed, it takes 2 units of energyper turn to hold a PPD until fired.

Note:The Phaser, though not a heavy weapon, is adirect fire weapon. This is due to the fact that iteither hits or misses instantaneously when fired.

Seeking WeaponsSeeking Weapons are weapons that, after being fired,must seek or travel to their target before detonating.Seeking Weapons may be degraded or even destroyedbefore they reach their target. Examples of SeekingWeapons are Missiles and Plasma Torpedoes.

Missiles are the primary heavy weapon of the Mirak,and are used as secondary heavy weapons by theKlingons and the Federation. Missiles require noenergy to arm but must be reloaded from their rackafter firing, which will take between 1/2 to 2 turnsdepending on the type of Missile rack. They havespeeds that vary from 12 to 34, and will track thetarget for 3 turns before running out of fuel. Missileshave fixed warheads that do the same damage when

they hit a target, no matter what range theyare fired from.

From L-R Disruptor, Fusion Beam, HellboreCannon, Photon Torpedo and PPD

Weapon StatusWeapons have various states, of which, they can onlybe in one at a time. The states are as follows:destroyed, stunned, discharged, charging, and fullycharged. When a weapon is destroyed, it may nolonger fire unless first repaired, and while down, it willno longer use any energy. A stunned weapon hasbeen damaged by enemy weapons fire, and may notitself be fired until the time period of the stun iscomplete. An icon that is a lighter color than usualindicates a discharged weapon. A weapon that ischarging is indicated by a darker shade of the samecolor filling the icon from left to right. The progressof this change from light to dark will indicate to youthe progress of the charge. An icon that iscompletely filled with the dark color indicates that atleast one weapon on that hardpoint is fully chargedand ready to fire.

Selecting WeaponsTo select a weapon to fire, you may Left-click on eachindividual weapon. To select a group of weapons byLeft-clicking, select the first weapon, then hold downthe shift key while Left-clicking on other weapons untilyou have selected all the weapons you desire. In theheat of battle, though, this is not an acceptablesolution. To remedy this, four hot-keys havebeen provided to allow you to automaticallyselect your favorite weapons’ groupings.

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Each particular Heavy Weapon has it’s owncharacteristics and modes of fire. For examplePhoton Torpedoes may be fired in Normal, Overloadand Proximity mode. A full explanation of the HeavyWeapons types and modes of fire can be found in thereference section [see page 178].

Firing ArcsEach weapon has a specific firing arc. This is thedirection relative to the forward portion of the ship(bow) that the weapon can fire. There are manydifferent arcs, and your weapons may use any ofthem or a combination of several arcs. There aretwo simple ways to tell which arc a weapon may firein. The first indication is when a single weaponhardpoint is selected; the highlighted portion of theFiring Arc pie chart will indicate the direction, relativeto the bow of the ship that the weapon may fire.The second method, is when a target is selected, allweapons that can currently fire at that target will beindicated by highlighted lines that border the weaponbox.

Weapons that could fire are borderedby bright lines.

From L-R Destroyed, Stunned, Discharged,Charging, Ready to Fire

ShieldsWhen weapon fire hits a target, the first thing it willdamage are the ships shields. When a ship isbrought to Red Alert, the shields are raised to normallevels. The ship’s shields are not a single entity;instead they are six separate arcs that work togetherto protect the ship. Once one of these shields hasbeen destroyed, weapons fire can reach the shipthrough that shield’s arc, and do internal damage.Complete details on shields and their reinforcements,along with other settings, can be found in thereference section [see page 153].

Internal DamageOnce weapon fire goes through a downed shield,internal damage occurs to that ship. Internal damagewill be spread out over all the ships systems. Ship’sinternals include: batteries, bridge spaces, hull (crewspace), impulse engines, labs, probe launchers,sensors, scanners, shuttle bays, tractor beams, warpengines, weapons, as well as and other systemsdepending upon the individual ship. As these systemsare destroyed, the ship grows weaker and less able tofight, until it is finally destroyed.

Note: If you have not already, now would be a goodtime to work through the first two tutorials. Theseare Command 190 and Command 290. Much ofwhat you have learned so far will be reinforced andexpanded upon in the tutorials.

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These are the “1”, “2”, “3” and “4” keys located onthe top row of the keyboard (note: not the ten-keypad). As you press each of these, you will see theselected weapons, indicated by the bracketssurrounding the corners of the weapon icons. Youmay change these groups to reflect your personaltaste. When allocating a hot key, select the groupingyou want using the Left-click and Shift+Left-clickmethod described above. When your desired groupis selected, let go of the Shift key and hold down theCtrl key while pressing the hot key you want toassociate with this group. To select all weapons youcan Left-click on the Select all Weapons button.

Firing Your WeaponsWhen a target is selected and is at the optimalrange, you may fire your weapons by one of severalmeans. To fire a weapon, it first must be selected.Press the “Z” key or Left-Click on the Fire button inthe Weapons MFD to fire the weapon. To fire allselected weapons in one massive volley known as anAlpha-Strike, hold down the “Shift” key and press the“Z” key.

Tactical Tip: The Fifth Weapon GroupMany people use one of the four available weapon grouppresets as an “all weapons” group. This is unnecessary,however, as an “all weapons” button is already built in.The “R” key which brings you to Red Alert status alsoselects all weapon systems, so if you’re already at RedAlert then just think of the “R” key as the fifth weapongroup, and save the other four for different groupings.

than your opponent uses ECCM, you produce a NetECM Shift. This shift reduces both the enemy’s abilityto hit your ship and the damage a weapon will dowhen it hits.

To help ensure that your weapons have a goodchance of hitting your opponent, you must use moreECCM than the target’s ECM. If an imbalance existsthat is not in your favor, a Net ECM Shift is producedand is shown on the lower left hand corner of the 3-Ddisplay.

The total amount of EW that your ship can produce isbased on the current number of sensors on your ship(sensor rating). At the beginning of an encounter, thisnumber is usually six. If you set your ECM to 6 andthen set your ECCM to 2, your ECM wouldautomatically be reduced to 4 in order to keep yourtotal amount of EW used under the limit of 6. Theactual ECM value may be higher due to other factorssuch as Erratic Maneuvers and terrain.

Direct fire weapons, such as Disruptors and PhotonTorpedoes, are particularly vulnerable to ElectronicWarfare. For all the aspiring Federation Captains outthere, unless you want to see your valuable Photonsthat took two turns to arm sail off into the sunset,you’d better keep a close eye on your opponent’sECM. For a more in-depth look at EW, go to thereference section [see page 155].

Shield ReinforcementShields may be reinforced to provide extraprotection to the shield arcs that you expect to 3130

Electronic Warfare (EW)Electronic Warfare (EW) is the use of the shipssensors to produce a jamming effect that will diminishan enemy ship’s chance to hit your ship. EW can alsobe used by the firing ship to try and break through thejamming of the target.

ECMElectronic Counter Measures (ECM) is used todegrade an enemy’s ability to fire accurately at a ship.It is a form of jamming which the ship’s sensorsproduce in order to prevent an enemy’s firingcomputer from providing an accurate fix on a target.

ECCMElectronic Counter Counter Measures (ECCM) is thefiring ship’s attempt to break through the jamming ofECM. If used properly, this will reduce or evenremove the negative effects of ECM.

USE of Electronic WarfareECM is used when trying to prevent an enemyfrom hitting your ship. If you use more ECM

Scramble your opponents picture anddecode his with the EW panel.

Defensive OfficerIn the Defensive Officer panel, you are able to set upautomatic defensive options to help protect your shipfrom incoming seeking weapons. You access thisthrough the shield icon.

Point Defense PhasersIf the Point Defense toggleswitch is on, the DefensiveOfficer will automatically fireany available phasers at anincoming missile or plasmatorpedo. He will continuefiring at the target until allphasers that can fire have, orthe target is destroyed.

Defensive TractorsHere you may allocate asmany tractor beams as youwish, up to the currentmaximum of your ship, tograb any incoming missilesand hold them until they run out of fuel.

Sensor Decoy Launch PanelFrom the Sensor Decoy Launch panel, you can launchan unmanned Senor Decoy Shuttle to distractincoming seeking weapons. The shuttle will draw allenemy seeking weapon’s fire to itself until it isdestroyed or the launching craft does something tovoid the protective power of the decoy, such as fireweapons or travel at high speeds.

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come under enemy fire. To reinforce a shield, youmust Left-click on that shield in the Shield SystemMFD. Then, you must allocate the desired amount ofreinforcement by moving the Reinforcement slider tothe right. Left-click on the REINFORCE button tocomplete the process.

You can reinforce multiple shields by selecting morethan one shield, or all shields may be selected by Left-clicking on the REINFORCE ALL button. You may Left-Click on the ship in the center of the arc selector totoggle to select all shields, or no shields.

As you select more than one shield, the amount ofenergy allotted becomes diluted over the selectedshields. When all are selected, shields share only1/2 the added protection that you would have gottenby selecting a single shield.

Reinforcing your shields is a snap withthe handy dandy shield panel. From L-R, Top to Bottom,

Emergency Stop, PointDefense toggle, DefensiveTractor selector andSensor decoy shuttlepanel.

If your Deep Scan is on and you get close enough toan enemy ship that is hiding something, your ScienceOfficer should inform you of what he has found.

Self DestructActivating the ship’s Self Destruct control will set yourship on a short 5-unit countdown to destruction. Youmay abort the countdown by Left-clicking on thecontrol again.

CommunicationsThe Communication Officerpanel provides the Captainwith access to a log of allprevious communications. Italso provides you with theopportunity to communicatewith the Captains of otherships in the game.

Communications Buttons willappear at the bottom of thepanel when it is possible tocommunicate with thecurrently targeted ship.Often a Captain at war will not have kind words foryou. There are times, though, when communicationis essential to completing a mission.

Do not forget that it is also possible to communicatewith planets and bases as well as other ships.Remember to choose your words carefully. Morethan one war has been started by a poorchoice of words. 3534

Science OfficerIn the Science Officer panel, you can launch scienceprobes, activate your ships Deep Scan capability, andorder your ship to Self-Destruct.

ProbesProbes can be used togather data on targets fromgreat distances. Whenlaunched, they will travel tothe target, and then providea glimpse of the target’sinternal configuration.

Probes may also beconverted into crudeweapons using theScan/Weapon toggle. They

take two units of energy to arm, have a maximumrange of 6. Despite all this, a resourceful Captaincan still make effective use of them.

Special Probes may become available from time totime. Your Science Officer will notify you of theiravailability.

Deep ScanYour Science Officer can divert more energy into thesensors to improve their range. For an additional 3units of energy, your sensor range will be increasedby 33%.

Deep Scanners can also be used at closerange to scan an enemy ship for hidden items.

I need answers, Mister.

Hailing frequencies open Captain

To perform a raid, simply choose your target by Left-Clicking on it to place it in the queue. When you arewithin a range of 5 to the chosen enemy ship and adowned shield is presented, your marines will beamaboard the enemy ship and try to destroy the selectedsystem. An available, charged transporter is requiredfor a raid.

Marines on the defending ship that are not otherwiseoccupied will provide protection for critical ship’ssystems. Therefore, when your marines arrive, afirefight might ensue preventing destruction of thetarget.

Capturing Enemy ShipsWhen a ship has been damaged sufficiently, acapturing action may be appropriate. In a capturingaction, you send as many of your marines as possibleto the enemy ship in order to overwhelm thedefending Marines and capture/destroy the target’scontrol facilities.

Left-click on the CAPTURE toggle when you are withintransporter range (5 or 50,000km) to beam overyour Marines to attempt to capture an enemy ship.

You can send over all available Marines by Left-clickingon the ALL MARINES button. If you wish to send overone Marine at a time, Left-Click on the individualMarines.

The progress of your capturing action will be shown atthe top of the MFD (Multifunctional Display).The controlling race’s emblem is in the centerof the display. To the left of that is the number

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The Communications panel can also be used to giveorders to your crew to perform special functions. Asan example, your Science Officer may tell you aboutthe availability of a special probe. You would probablyorder him through the Communications panel tocreate this “special” item.

Security OfficerThe Security Officer panel provides the Captain withthe ability to order the ship’s Marines to performeither Hit and Run raids on the target ship, or toattempt to capture the ship outright. There areactually two separate screens available here whichare selected via the Capture and Hit & Run toggleswitches.

There are a finite number ofMarines aboard your ship, souse them wisely. Marineshave high attrition duringboth Hit and Run Raids andCapturing actions.

Hit and Run RaidsBeaming your Marines overto an enemy ship in order todestroy a particular ship’ssystem is called a Hit andRun raid. If the Hit & Runtoggle is selected, you will be

presented with a schematic of the enemy ship,showing all possible targets. Destroyed targets are

shown as blacked out icons.

All right Marine, take outthat phaser bank on thebounce!

Transferable objectsItems of interest may beavailable for transportto or from a ship.These will vary from thefrequently present spareparts, to spies that canbe useful during specialmissions.

In the BEAM OUT section are the items currently onyour ship that you may beam to another ship (Marinesnot included). In the BEAM IN section are the itemsof interest on the currently targeted object.

When in transporter range (less than 5), you maytransport an object to or from your ship by Left-clicking on the object and pressing the ENERGIZEbutton. In order to have a successful transport youmust be in range to the object or target, the targetmust have no shield up in your direction, and youmust have a transporter that is powered up andready.

Transporter BombsTransporters may also be used to transport minesinto space. When this is done the mines are calledTransporter Bombs (T-Bombs). T-Bombs can be placed by clicking on the T-Bombicon, or by pressing the “B” key. This will change themouse pointer to a large red X. When you move themouse to a position in the 3-D display close enough tothe ship to lay a mine, within a range of 5, themouse pointer will change to a round reticleindicating you may transport a mine to that

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of defending Marines and control spaces. To theright of that is the number of attacking Marines. Ashort period of time after the number of defenders isreduced to zero, and there are still attacking Marinesremaining, the ship will be captured and the flag willchange to the appropriate race.

If you capture a combat ship, it may be added to yourfleet for the duration of the mission. If not, it willprobably try to disengage by leaving the map.

MinesStarships are capable of carrying mines for useagainst enemy targets. These mines may either byused as Transporter Bombs (see below) or they canbe rolled out of a shuttle bay and laid as conventionalmines.

To lay a mine, click on the deploy button in theWeapons Officer MFD, or press the “M” key. Afterdeploying a mine, it will take a short period of timebefore the next one is prepared for laying.

After the mine is laid, your ship must move to adistance of 2 away before the mine will activate.When activated, the rings around the mine willchange from green to red.

TransportersThe Transporter may also be used through theTransporter MFD to send items to and from your

ship. Transporters can also be used totransport mines into space, creatingTransporter Bombs.

The marvelous miracle machine,the Transporter.

your ship). The finalthing is to actuallylaunch the shuttle byclicking on theLAUNCH button. Ifyou should need yourshuttle to re-dock,click on the shuttle inthe Active sectionand the click onRETURN.

Administrative ShuttlesAdministrative shuttles are the common type ofshuttlecraft, and almost every starship comesequipped with at least one of these. They can beused in a pinch to help harass your enemy or defendyour ship.

FightersFighters are highly specialized shuttles carried bystarships referred to as carriers. Fighters are veryheavily armed, but are still easily destroyed due totheir small size and lack of shields. Fighters mustreturn to the carrier after firing their heavy weaponsto reload.

For information on additional types of shuttles, seepage 166 in the reference section.

Shuttle ConversionAdministrative shuttles can be converted to othertypes of shuttles such as ground assaultshuttles, scatter packs, suicide shuttles, andwild weasels, via the Shuttle Conversion panel.

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location. Left-click to transport the mine to thatlocation in space. When you transport the mine, ashield will be automatically lowered to enable thetransport.

To lay multiple T-Bombs in a short time, press the “B”key then hold down the shift key. As long as thereare Transporter that are energized and Minesavailable, you can lay T-Bombs by Left-clicking at thedesired location.

Note: This would be a good point at which to take abreak and work through tutorials Science 310,Weapons 380, and Weapons 480. Pack a lunchbefore starting 310, as it is a bit long.

ShuttlesShuttlecraft or shuttles will be available in differingquantities and types based upon your current starshiptype. You may launch these shuttles, and dependingon the type, they will have different actions that theywill be able to take.

Administrative shuttles and fighters are the only twotypes of shuttles that will naturally appear onboardyour ship. If you want to have any of the additionaltypes, you will need to construct them out of availableparts and a standard Administrative shuttle.

To launch a shuttle, you must choose a shuttle fromthe docked portion of the panel. Next, you must give

it an initial order: Attack Target, HarassTarget, Defend Target, or Defend Me (defend

Send your people out to die valiantlyin these small unshielded craft.

From the Tractor MFD,you may set the powerlevel from 1 to 5, set toHOLD or REPEL, andENGAGE the beam.When you have set thepower level and chosenHOLD or REPEL, you canthen press ENGAGE. Theactual beam will notengage until you are withina range of 2.5 from the target.

In order to hold a target, you must have tractorstrength greater than your targets repel strength. Torepel a holding action, your tractor strength must beat least equal to the enemy’s beam strength.

Once a target is held, it may be rotated to try andgive the holder an advantage. This would most likelybe used to rotate towards a downed shield or awayfrom the majority of its weapons.

RepairsAs your ship is damaged, it will become necessary toperform repairs. There are two ways repairs cantake place: automatically and deliberately, through theuse of spare parts.

As your ship takes damage, your engineers springinto action and repair the engines and shield systems.There is no action that you as Captain need to take,and no allocation of men or materials need tobe made. The engineers just slowly bringthese items back to capacity. 4342

Each type of shuttle has differentrequirements for the rawmaterials required for conversion,but each of them requires 2 turnsto convert.

To begin conversion, simply clickon the shuttle type you wish tomake from the selections at thetop of the panel; if the propermaterials, including an availableadministrative shuttle exist,conversion will begin. When theconversion is complete the shuttlewill drop back into the shuttlepanel under the docked portion ofthe Shuttle MFD and will be readyfor use.

Pseudo Fighters (PFs)Pseudo Fighters (PFs) are neither fish nor foul, theyare smaller than frigates but larger than fighters.PFs, unlike fighters, have shields and are able to armtheir own heavy weapons, but they are incapable oftraveling at interstellar speeds and are carried intothe field of battle by Tenders.

Tractor BeamsTractor Beams may be used to anchor a ship close toyour own (HOLD), for either combat reasons or toprovide assistance, such as towing. You may also useyour tractors to break free from some one who is

holding you (REPEL). A single ship may eitherhold or repel. It cannot do both at the sametime.

Need a wild weasel,the shuttle conversionpanel will allow you todo it yourself!

Grab your target with yourtractors and then slap itaround a bit.

without warning, but rather that the enemy ships havea more difficult time hitting the target due to a lack ofsensor lock-on. In fact, seeking weapons may not befired at a cloaked ship and a cloaked ship will notdetonate mines as long as it maintains a speed of 6or less.

While a ship is cloaking and uncloaking it is vulnerableto enemy fire, as it does not enjoy the protection ofbeing cloaked. In addition, during this period it cannotuse its weapons, tractor or transporter systems.

The Cloaking Device may be activated from manyplaces including the EW MFD and the EnergyManagement MFD. Using the “X” key will alsoactivate it. More information on the Cloaking Devicecan be found in the reference section [see page202].

EnergyEnergy is the life’s blood of astarship, and the proper useof it can be the differencebetween victory and defeat.Starships have a limitedamount of energy, and findingthe proper balance betweenspeed, weapons, andprotection, is crucial to asuccessful campaign.

This crucial balance may bechecked via the Energy Management MFD,where Power is the amount of energy your 4544

You can take proactive measures to repair ship’ssystems by using spare parts which come standardwith your ship and may also be purchased separately.These spare parts appear as ‘screws’ in both theEngineering Officer MFD and the Transporter MFD.

To begin manual repairs, go to the Engineering OfficerMFD and Left-click on a Damaged or Destroyedsystem. If there are still spare parts available, it willbe placed in the queue to begin repairs. If it is thefirst in the queue, repairs will begin and proceed untilthe item is restored to full capacity.

To repair ships in a moretimely manner if spare partsare available, Left-click on theREPAIR ENGINES button at thetop of the screen. The Repairof engines this way may takeplace at the same time as therepair of other damagedsystems in the queue.

Cloaking DeviceThe Cloaking Device is a defensive weapon in use bythe Romulans, Orion Pirates, and a few Klingonvessels. While a ship is cloaked it is invisible to thenaked eye, but can still be tracked by the ship’smotion scanners. A ship that is cloaked or in theprocess of cloaking/uncloaking may not fire weapons.

The net effect of the Cloaking Device is notthat the ship is totally invisible and can strike

You want it when?

Where does the energy go?

order to issue orders to yourfleet. The Fleet Control MFDallows you to jump to directcontrol of a particular ship.To jump to the command ofanother ship in your fleet,click on the square to theright of that ship’s name inthe Fleet Control MFD.

The Fleet Control MFD alsoallows you to determine if aparticular ship will be amember of your formation and be controlled by theFleet Control panel. To release a ship from yourformation, Left-click on the participation toggle to theright of the ship’s name. To return a ship to theformation, Left-click on the toggle again.

Fleet Control PanelThe Fleet Control panel appears in the main tactical 3-D view and is broken up into two logical parts. Thefirst part appears on the right of the screen and isthe Formation Selection control. The second part isthe Formation Detail control and there is a Detailcontrol for each ship in your fleet.

Formation Selection ControlThe Formation Selection control lets you choose whichformation the ships in your fleet will adhere to. Thereare several to choose from, including lines andchevrons. To switch to a different formation, Left-clickon the desired formation. There are variantsof each formation available by Left-clicking onthe formation a second time.

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ship is producing, and Systems is the total amount ofenergy currently being used.

When there is not enough energy to fulfill all thedemands placed on a ship by its various systems, theEngineering Officer prioritizes the delivery of energy.This ensures that the vital systems get the energythey need and the least important are shut out untilthe extra is available. The priority list from highest tolowest is provided below.

1. Life Support 7. Heavy Weapons2. Fire Control 8. Sensors3. Cloaking Device 9. Transporters4. Shields 10. Tractors5. Speed 11. Shield Reinforcement 6. Phasers 12. Batteries

Additional details on energy management can befound in the reference section [see page 144].

Fleet ControlThe eventual command of more than one ship is alogical step in the career of a Captain. Once enoughexperience and prestige is gained, there will be theopportunity to acquire command of a second andeventually a third ship.

To control additional ships in battle, an additionalinterface is required. The Fleet Control panel allowsyou to control the actions of the other ships in yourfleet.

Fleet Control MFDThe Fleet Control MFD must be selected in

Take Command using theFleet Control MFD.

The final sets of controls are the Weapons Statecontrols. These allow you to set the weapons oneach ship in your fleet to: offline, normal, overload,and special if a special mode exists, such as proximityphotons. The final button orders the ship to go tomaximum ECM, or if equipped with a cloaking device,orders it to cloak.

Note: It’s time to give the last tutorial, Command590 a whirl. That is if you have waited this long toplay it.

TerrainSpace is often thought of as a void. For the mostpart this is correct, however, the high speeds traveledmake the few objects that do exist more of aproblem. Another factor to consider is that manyengagements in Starfleet Command take place nearimportant landmarks, like planets.

PlanetsPlanets are large celestial objects. A collision withone will put a quick end to even the most promising ofcareers. They provide cover from weapons fire andprevent detection by sensors. Planets may also havedefensive weapons and shields.

SunsDue to the large amount of radiation created by asystem’s sun, it is very dangerous to approach one.They damage objects out to a range of 60,000km.As the range to a sun gets closer, the damagingeffects can quickly become fatal.

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Formation Detail ControlThere are four different areas in the FormationDetail control. These allow you to control youroffensive options, see the current assignmenttarget and health of that target, set the level ofdiscipline within the fleet, and finally control theweapons status within your fleet.

Your Offensive Options for the current targetare to destroy, capture, or defend it. There isa final button that can be used independently ofthe others to order a ship to tractor its target.The current condition of the fleet ship is alsodisplayed here along with the ships name.

The Ship State panel shows the ship’s currenttarget, the target’s condition and the task thatthe ship is performing on that target.

The Formation Disciple control allows you todetermine how ships in formation will behave.All ships in the formation will fly in formation. In

a loose formation, the ship will choose its own targetsand firing time. In a Medium formation, a ship willattack your target but pick the time it thinks is optimalfor firing. In a tight formation, the ship will attackyour chosen target but will only fire its weapons when

the Fire Now button is pressed. The Fire Nowbutton will fire all available ship’s weapons atthe selected target immediately.

There are so many to choose from, it makes it hard to decide.

Set your fleets tasks and weapons settings here.

Reference Manual

STARFLEET COMMAND BRIEFING:

GALACTIC GOVERNMENTS

The Gorn ConfederationThe Gorn Confederation is located spin-ward of theUnited Federation of Planets along the galactic axis,and core-ward of the Romulans. This positions theConfederation squarely between the galactic arms.Having only a sparse region of space, the GornConfederation has few habitable systems.

The average male Gorn is around 2 meters in height,and has a mass of about 215 kilos. Their hide has atough, leathery quality that serves as a strong naturalarmor. Their physical strength is even greater thanappearances would suggest, as the Gorn possess ahigh percentage of muscle mass. As impressive asthe male Gorn is, the female is terrifying. Averagingalmost 2.5 meters in height and around 250 kilos,the females are the stronger of the Gorn sexes. Thishas resulted in females making up the largest portionof Gorn marine units and their officers. The Gorn arenot quite as dexterous as Humans, appearing almostsluggish, however, slow movement does not meanslow of wit; the Gorn are a highly intelligent race.

Positioned as they are, the Gorn have hadcontact with only three races during their

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Asteroids and Dust CloudsSmaller than planets, asteroids are still largeinterstellar objects. Like planets, collisions with themwill almost certainly be deadly. They also block line ofsight, preventing weapons fire and sensor detectionthrough them.

Asteroids are surrounded by dust clouds. Theseclouds are often found free floating (separate fromasteroids) and are made up of various materials. Animpact with a dust cloud is not instant death, thoughmoving at high speeds through them can deplete yourshields and damage your starship. Therefore, lowspeeds are encouraged while traversing dust clouds.

Black HolesWho can explain the great enigma that is a BlackHole? If your starship encounters the gravity pull ofone these objects, you just might be able to. That is,if you didn’t die after your starship was pulled apartthen compacted down to nothing before its journeythrough it.

NebulasNebulas are very large interstellar phenomenacovering vast expanses of space. They provide anatural 9 point ECM bonus to all units within them.While inside a nebula, shields operate only atminimum levels, shuttles that are launched aredestroyed, seeking weapons are damaged as they flyto their targets, and sensor and deep scan rangesare halved. Cloaking Devices, ESGs, Mines, Probes,

Tractor Beams, and Transporters are alluseless while inside a nebula.

The Gorn Confederation is a loose governmental bodythat oversees the major issues faced by the Gorncitizens. Each planet is autonomous, but sendsrepresentatives to the Confederation Council todetermine race wide issues.

Actually, the Gorn species is comprised of threedifferent races, each having evolved on a separateplanet. Soon after these races made contact,scientists discovered that genetically, all three were infact the same species. In turn, it was discovered byexamination of fossil records, that none of the threehome worlds was the true world of origin for theirspecies. This helped to quickly cement the threeraces into a solid political unit.

Gorn Space Command is responsible for the defenseof the Gorn Confederation. Even though the Gornposses fewer ships than any other galactic power, theGorn Space Command maintains one of the mostfeared fleets. Gorn officers are highly trained and allhave combat experience. This combination of strongships and well trained crews makes the Gorn veryformidable indeed.

Gorn StarshipsThe Gorn ships are designed with an attitude thatreflects the Gorn people, straight forward and to thepoint. Gorn ships tend to be less maneuverable thanthose of the other races, however, they make up for itwith excellent phaser arcs; most of a ship’s phaserscan fire in almost any direction. Their shielding isabove average and, like the Gorn themselves,the vessels are very tough, able to withstand afair amount of damage and still be battle

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recorded history. Their firstencounter with anotherspecies was with theParavians. This contact ledto a fierce war and theeventual extermination of theParavian race. The secondrace they had contact withwas the Romulans. As theRomulans are also in aplanet poor section of space,conflict ensued as both racescompeted for the few planetsthey could find. The resultingwars were vicious andbloody. Even to this day, theGorn are in a constant state

of conflict with the Romulans. Based on these twoencounters, the Gorn understandably became a bitxenophobic. As such, when a Federation colony wassetup on a Gorn world, the Gorn’s response wasimmediate and aggressive. Fearing yet anotherinvader, the Gorn responded with decisive force. Awar between the Federation and the Gorn followed.Fortunately, negotiations were started, and the warwas short-lived. The Romulans, fearing aGorn/Federation Alliance, attempted to disruptnegotiations, however, this only served to cement therelationship between the Gorn and the Federation. Tothis day, the Gorn/Federation Alliance one of the fewin known space that seems based on mutual trustand respect.

A Gorn officer poses forthe camera.

Theoretically, any one of theprinces could ascend to thethrone. There is an extendednobility that involves itself ininternal politics and a strongCivil Service that actually runsthe day-to-day affairs ofgovernment.

The Hydrans were onceconquered by the Klingonsand Lyrans and held as aclient state for nearly 50years. Powerful Hydranmerchant guilds set up the“Lost Colonies”, a haven forHydran refugees, during this time and eventuallydeveloped the technology and resources to removethe Klingons and Lyrans from their space.Hydran StarshipsThe starships of the Hydran Kingdom come in one ofthree flavors: fusion and fighter armed for closecombat, hellbore armed for long-distance support fire,and command ships with both types of weaponry.The hellbore-armed ships are less common than thefusion and fighter armed ships. This is fitting with theHydran fighter doctrine. The smaller fighters areused to harass and attack the enemy, giving thefusion-armed ship time to close the distance andreach firing range. Hydran ships are well known fortheir sturdiness. They can take a substantial amountof internal damage before losing critical systems.

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worthy. The heavy weapon of choice for the Gorn isthe plasma torpedo, and Gorn ships typically carrymore firepower than other races’ ships of the sameclass.

The Hydran KingdomsThe atmosphere of the Hydran homeworld is rich inmethane, which they breathe. This is uncomfortable(if not fatal) to most Federation species. .

Hydrans have three arms, three legs and three eyes.Their skin is tough and leathery. Hydrans have threesexes, which are generally referred to as Male,Female, and Matriarchal. All births result in triplets(one of each sex) that are cared for by theMatriarchal. Males tend to dominate the commandand technical positions, while females form most ofthe labor force, fighter pilots, and ground combattroops. Some females, however, can hold commandpositions, or even the throne. Matriarchals are non-sentient and never hold positions in business orindustry.

The Hydrans have a Pantheon of minor gods, some ofwhich are of a higher order (and the order maychange as different political factions come to power).Each household has its own god or gods, as doeseach starship, squadron, and fleet.

The Hydran government is a Monarchy. The lines ofsuccession are quite complex since the Hydrans areanything but monogamous. The Royal Family consists

of approximately 30,000 beings, with some1,200 Princes (both male and female.)

A Hydran pilot on themove.

forcing the victim to endure a telepathic recreation ofthe crime. Because telepathy is widespread amongthe member races of the ISC, no central authorityexists among the member races to control it.

Recently, the Organians returned and asked the ISCfor assistance in bringing order to the majorcivilizations of the alpha quadrant. As a result, the ISCmoved the bulk of their military forces into thequadrant and began a peacekeeping operation torestore their idea of peace and harmony. All of thequadrant’s native empires resisted the ISC effort, andas a result, a new war erupted. The ISC went into thePacification campaign expecting an easy victory,arrogantly believing that their moral supremacy wouldquickly translate into a military victory; this proved tobe a complete, and bloody, lie.

The main member races of the ISC include:

The Meskeen. The so-called “Captain’s race”, theMeskeen are an amphibious race that resembleterran frogs with digits. They occupy much of thesame position in the ISC that humans do in theFederation, having similar levels of intelligence,ambition, and assertiveness. Meskeen growth doesnot slow down or halt as they age, nor do Meskeendie from old age. They continue to grow throughouttheir entire lifetime; while the average Meskeen iscomparable to a human in age and size, the oldestare more than five meters long and thousands ofyears old.

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The Interstellar Concordium The Interstellar Concordium (or ISC) is atechnologically advanced collection of races located onthe far side of the galaxy, beyond the Gorn-Romulanborder. The Concordium is composed of over sixtysentient species occupying over two hundred settledworlds, and controls a sphere of influence only slightlysmaller than that of the Federation. The ISC believesin peace at any costs, and will not hesitate tointerfere or intervene in even the most trivial conflict.The ISC’s prime conviction is, “a peaceful, harmoniousand well-ordered universe is the right of all sentientspecies. Civilizations collapse when that right isviolated, therefore it must be protected at all costs.”The dark underside of the ISC is that they have norespect for individual or cultural rights that violate thisfundamental principle, and will go to any lengths toenforce their idea of “peace, order, and goodgovernment”.

The ISC is a democracy governed by a council of fivecentral members, although some argue it’s really adictatorial oligarchy. There is no central ISCconstitution; a loose “Declaration of Ideals” is theguiding principle of the Concordium, and as long asthe two-thirds majority believes that an actionsupports the Declaration, their decision will not bechallenged. There is no judicial branch to provide a“check and balance” on the legislature, and the idea of“tyranny of the majority” is an alien concept to mostISC member cultures.

Justice in the ISC is determined by telepathicinvestigation, and punishments often include

great builders and structural engineers; themonuments of Pronhoulis are famed throughout thegalaxy. They are also capable soldiers and securityofficers. They have developed a preternatural “combatintuition”, where they are able to anticipate anenemy’s move with uncanny accuracy.

The Rovillians. The newest member race of the ISCresembles a cross between a turtle and a dolphinwith crudely articulating digits. This race is barelycapable of stellar travel, but their telepathic powersare the most formidable in the entire ISC. Despitetheir telepathic talents, they have a reputation fornaiveté; most are incapable of understanding otherspecies’ darker impulses. Those Rovillians who haveearned command of ISC ships seem to be morepractical, and even the Veltressai admit that the bestand brightest of the Rovillian race are more than amatch for anyone else in the galaxy. Next to theMeskeen, they’re the most ambitious race in the ISC,and the two races have increasingly become rivals inthe ISC Parliament.Rovillians can breathe in an oxygen atmosphere. Theyare ungainly on land, but their telepathic talentincludes an aqua-kinetic ability that allows them toperfectly adapt to any aquatic environment, and alsoallows them to move with extreme gracefulness inwater, even at great depths or under the effects ofextreme atmospheric pressure and gravity.

The Korlivilar. It’s unclear whether these “lynxes of thegalaxy” are related to the Lyrans; they’re certainlysmaller than the Lyrans and their world isquite distant from the Lyran homeworld, andas is the case with the many humanoids in the 5958

The Veltressai. The mostrespected race of the ISC,they sometimes give birth to“quadruplicates”, telepathicallylinked quartets who shareeach other’s experiences andwork together as one mind.The quadruplicates lead manyof the ISC’s scientific andengineering operations, asthere are advantages to fourminds simultaneouslyanalyzing a problem.Veltressai and are a verygaunt and bald humanoidrace. Their large crania show

multiple pronounced lobe areas. Some havecompared their physical appearance to the natives ofthe restricted Federation world Talos IV. Veltressai areavowed pacifists, though they have a reputation forarrogance.

The Q’Naabians. This ancient race joined the ISCsolely out of curiosity about the rest of the universe.They have a love of history and an appetite forstorytelling that is seemingly unmatched by any otherrace in the galaxy.Those few Q’Naabians who rise tothe position of captain, perhaps taking a cue fromtheir fictional heroes, have a well-earned reputationfor boldness. They breathe an oxygen-chlorineatmosphere, which often forces them to keep tothemselves.

The Pronhoulites. This saurian race may berelated to the Gorn, although they are smallerand faster than their alien cousins. They are

A Meskeen. The“Captain’s race” of the ISC.

sun and stars are only visible on one day in ahundred.

The Klingon Empire is relatively poor, and can onlymatch the Federation in military power at the price ofa harsher standard of living for its people.

Outsiders generally regard Klingons as a brutalwarrior race, but this characterization is not entirelyfair. The Klingon culture is surely more violent thenthat of the Federation. They do not hesitate to useforce if it is the most appropriate course of action,but they do not necessarily think of force as the firstor only alternative. Theviolent attitude of the racemay be due to the shorterlife span of the Klingon,proving the adage that thelight that burns shortestburns brightest.

The Klingon Empire includesat least 12 planetsthroughout multiple systems.All of these planets havenative sentient races whichare all subservient to theKlingons. Some of these“subject races” serve ascrewmen on Klingon ships. It need not be said that asubject race would never be allowed to hold acommand position aboard a Klingon starship.

The Klingon military forces include the DeepSpace Fleet (DSF), which is the regular military 6160

galaxy “not everything that looks alike has a commonorigin”. The Korlivilar are quick and aggressivecreatures that love combat more than any other racein the ISC, and use “play-fighting” rituals to settlepersonal disputes.

The Korlivilar have the keenest senses of any of thegalaxy’s known sentient species, and are extremelyadept at hiding and using natural camouflage to theiradvantage. They are often employed as scouts by theISC. A friendly rivalry exists between the Korlivilar andthe Pronhoulites (which other ISC worlds finddistasteful), and the two races cooperate to form thebulk of the ISC’s Pacification teams and ground forcesand compete for personal honor.

ISC StarshipsThe typical ISC starship is very capable; their PPDgives their large ships a strong punch at long range.Most of their designs did not appear until after theirenemies had fielded their fleets. It seems the ISC arenot above spying on and stealing ideas from the‘lesser’ races. The ISC do not name their ships as a government;instead they designate their ships with the ship typeand a number designation. Proper names however,are often given by the ship’s captain at its discretion.

The Klingon EmpireThe capital planet of the Klingon Empire is sometimescalled Klinzhai. To outsiders, it is known as Qo’noS(pronounced “chronos”). It is also referred to as

simply “the homeworld.” Klinzhai is an M classplanet that is covered by clouds so that the

An Imperial race Klingon.

The Lyran Star EmpireThe Lyran government is based on a feudal structure.There are 21 counties, each ruled by a count. Fourof the 21 counties are “duchies,” each ruled by aduke who governs four of the remaining counties inaddition to his duchy. The King-Emperor rules the21st county. The duchies include:

Homeworld (Royal-Imperial Province)Red Claw Duchy

Black Stripe CountyPelt Hunter CountyGolden Fang CountyPredator County

Enemy’s Blood DuchyWhite Stripe CountyHidden Dagger CountyBloody Claw CountyDark Star County

Far Stars DuchyDoom Star CountyBlood Star CountyNight Star CountyDark Storm County

Foremost DuchyApex CountySilver Moon CountyBlack Claw CountyNight Roar County

Each county controls, and pays the cost ofmaintaining, a portion of the Lyran fleet. The localcounty controls each station along its border, and theduchies control the starbases. There is a good dealof conflict within the Lyran Empire, which has kept therace as a whole from dominating a muchlarger area of the galaxy. 6362

Navy, and the Internal Security Force (ISF). All shipnames (DSF and ISF) are preceded by “IKV” (ImperialKlingon Vessel).

The ISF, which mostly operates small ships, is acombined police, customs, tariff regulation, borderpatrol, safety & rescue, and anti-piracy force. It isalso assigned the duty of watching the various subjectplanets for signs of dissidence. The ISF is inferior (inmilitary, political, and social standing) to the DSF.

Imperial Security and IntelligenceImperial Security is responsible for keeping orderaboard Klingon starships. They operate from aspecial section within the pod of larger vessels, wherethey monitor the activity of the crew to make sure allis in order. They ensure that no activity, legal orotherwise, that is not approved of by Security, takesplace on board a Klingon vessel.

Imperial Intelligence is the most feared of the KlingonEmpires governmental branches. II is responsible forthe well being of the Empire, operating above the lawwhere necessary to ensure that the future of theEmpire is always kept as priority one.

Klingon Starship descriptionsAn accurate description of the typical Klingon starshipwould be heavier forward shielding and weapons,weaker rear shields, excellent turning rates and goodfiring arcs. Klingon ships are meant for battle, sothey include fewer un-essential systems.

The Mirak Star League The Mirak Star League is a medium-sized stellarempire on the border of Lyran and Klingon space.The Mirak are a race of aggressive predatorycarnivores. To be a Mirak is to be a survivor in harshconditions against terrible enemies and predators,both on the harsh surface of Mirak worlds, and in thecold dark vastness of space.

The official Mirak government is led by the Patriarch,who lives on a starbase in orbit around the originalMirak homeworld. The Patriarch’s primary duty is tocoordinate the movements of the Mirak fleets, inorder to make certain they don’t come into conflictwith each other (wars between various fleets haveoccurred three times in the past two hundred years).The Patriarch has a private fleet, but it’s hardly largeenough to enforce his will, so he has to settle mattersthrough diplomacy. Except in situations where thePatriarch is extraordinarily strong, the Mirak have aweak central leadership with several roving centers ofstrong regional power. The Patriarch is traditionallygiven authority over Mirak foreign relations, but thefleets also have influence; each fleet typically travelsclose to the border of a different Mirak neighbor, andrelations with the neighboring empire is oftendependent on the strength of the individual fleet. Verystrong fleets don’t hesitate to send ships acrossborders and raid worlds, even those belonging totraditional Mirak allies It’s impossible to talk about the Mirak Star Leaguewithout talking about their vendetta against theLyrans. Although neither side takes the ideaseriously, the Hydrans discovered remarkable 6564

The Lyrans (pronounced Lear-uhns) are a feline, warrior race.They are the size of a largehuman and possess incrediblestrength. The Lyrans areextremely violent and brutal intheir dealings with otherempires, though this extremeruthlessness does not implythat they are without allies.They Lyran are well acquaintedwith the theory that, “an enemyof my enemy is my friend”.

The Lyrans are bitter enemiesof the Mirak. The nature of

both races makes personal contact between the twodangerous if not deadly. One Klingon Captain washeard to remark that it is better to spend an hour inthe interrogation both than be caught in the middle ofa Lyran-Mirak blood feud.

Lyran Starship descriptionsLyran starships use Disruptors as their primary heavyweapon. They also have the Expanding SphereGenerator (ESG) that can be used both defensivelyand offensively. The Lyrans have excellent ships; theyare well balanced and well designed. They are difficultto attack with missiles or fighters.

Many of the Lyran starships are based heavily onconversions from smaller hulls. Lyrans use as many

common parts and systems as possible.

A Lyran officer examineshis battle claws.

and regain their lost territory. The commander of thelead fleet took over the vacant position of thePatriarch, and greatly strengthened it.

Since then, the Mirak has engaged in anuncharacteristically patient rebuilding campaign. Alsouncharacteristically, they sat out of the recent generalwar that occurred between the galactic powersfollowing the disappearance of the Organians. AllMirak fleets are considered to be at full strength, andall key worlds are well fortified. There has been awave of new developments in technology that has keptthe Mirak on par with the other galactic powers. Onlythe strength of an unusually powerful and respectedPatriarch has restrained the fleet captains from“running amok”. Tensions continue to rise between theLyran Empire and the Mirak, and it is likely that anyincident could ignite the fires of a full-scale war.

Mirak StarshipsMirak starships use missiles as their primary heavyweapon but also carry disruptors in limited numbers.The Mirak were the one of the first races to employshuttles in the fighter role. They were also the firstrace to build a dedicated carrier and still continuetheir reliance on the Missile – fighter combination.

The RomulansThe Romulan people are an offshoot of the Vulcanrace. They have been separated for at least twomillennia, and nobody knows how or why the twocivilizations came to exist so far apart.

The heritage of their Vulcan blood is whatdrives the Romulans to such great extremes.They are thoughtful and passionate; given to 6766

similarities in Mirak and Lyrangenetic markers, and theorizedthat originally, the Mirak andthe Lyrans shared the sameplanet, and had evolved from acommon ancestor. Thepublication of this theory wasconsidered by the Lyrans to bea deliberate insult, and used itas a pretext for a war againstthe Hydrans that lasted forthree years.

The first Mirak-Lyran warbegan 150 years ago, and

hasn’t formally ended, as any attempt to get the twosides to negotiate with each other has broken downinto lethal hand-to-hand combat between thediplomats. The Mirak also fought six wars against theFederation, but losses in those wars weakened theMirak fleet to such an extent that when theFederation offered peace, the Patriarch accepted itwith open paws. Since then, a tense spirit ofcooperation has existed between the Federation andthe Mirak. The Mirak also assisted the Hydransduring the Klingon-Lyran occupation, sealing a long-term alliance with them as well.

Several decades ago, there was a major Klingon-Lyranexcursion into Mirak space, and it appeared asthough the Mirak Star League might collapse.However, a combination of internal Lyran treachery, a

Federation offensive against the Klingons, andthe unexpected strength of surviving Mirakfleets allowed the Mirak to make a comeback

A Mirak Captain on thehunt.

development of warp drive-capable starships held backtheir possible early rise togreatness, though their recentalliance with the Klingons hasbeen beneficial; the Romulansgained advanced warp drivetechnology, and the Klingonsgained a powerful ally againstthe Federation. The latestdevelopments from thisexchange have seen Romulanship designs reach newheights; integrating high powerplasma torpedoes and cloakingdevices, along with the latest innovations in warp drivetechnology. In fact, some Romulan ships with cloakingtechnology are even beginning to find their way intothe Klingon Navy.

Romulan Starship descriptionsRomulan ships come in three distinct generations: OldSeries, KR and New Series.

The Old Series ships were all originally sublightdesigns that had been modified for warp travel due toa technology exchange with the Klingons. These shipscomprised the Romulan fleet for a long period of time.Their lack of sophistication left the Romulans unableto fulfill their dreams of conquest and they weregenerally regarded as a nuisance by the other races.

The Klingons provided dozens of older lightcruisers and hundreds of frigates and escorts, whichmake up the KR series. While these wouldhave been mothballed by the Klingon DeepSpace Fleet due to their age and cost to refit,

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be calm intellectual beings one-moment, and savagelydriven warriors the next. Despite what many believe,the average Romulan is well adapted to be a capablecitizen, family person, warrior, or scientist. TheFederation propaganda that portrays them as ruthlesssavages is nothing more than that - propaganda.

The Empire itself is driven by a martial philosophy ofduty, glory, and obedience. The Romulan military isfilled with well trained and disciplined warriors forwhom the ability to serve the Empire is a high honor.The Romulan people do not necessarily believe thatthey are destined to rule the galaxy, however they dobelieve that it is the duty of the strong to control theweak, and if an enemy’s weakness is perceived, theymust go to war. With that said, the Romulansconsider themselves, and their distant brethren theVulcans, to be superior beings.

In the Romulan government, the Senate representsthe people of the Romulan Star Empire. The Senateis also responsible for selecting the Praetor, whoserves as the head of government and suprememilitary commander. It is the Praetor who sets thetone for the Empire’s dealings with foreign cultures,and rules over the senate when issues of interestarise.

While a monarchy still exists within the Empire, theEmperor and Empress are merely figureheads whohave no political power.

The Romulan people have not been terriblyfortunate throughout their history, howeverthat is beginning to change. Their slow

A Romulan contemplateshis next move.

itself has never started one.The Federation has negotiatedboundaries with all of itsneighbors and has neversought to expand themmilitarily.Economically, however, theFederation is the mostaggressive race in knownspace. Federation merchantships are found almosteverywhere during peacetime,and the “Neutral Zones”between the Federation and itsneighbors abound withFederation colonies, set up within the strict letter ofthe relevant treaties. The Federation considers“peace” to include free access to the markets andports of all other races. Since the Federation has thestrongest economy, it has the most productioncapacity to build things with, and tends to dominatethe galactic economy.

Federation Starship descriptionsFederation starships are generally well-rounded anddesigned for more than just war. They have excellentoverall shielding and better science systems thanmost ships. However, the power of the photontorpedo means that even the smallest Federation shipis a dangerous opponent.

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the Romulans converted them to use Romulan plasmaand cloaking technology. These ships formed thebasis of the Romulan deep space navy. Newer Klingonconstruction was eventually sold to the Romulans, atvery steep prices.

Eventually, the Romulans were able to build anew generation of starships — the New Series.These excellent designs formed the basis of a majormilitary power and a significant threat to peace.

The United Federation of PlanetsThe United Federation of Planets is comprised ofhundreds of regional governments controllingthousands of planets across a large spectrum ofspace. The Federation is one of only a few majorpolitical units not controlled by a single race of beings.Several races (Human, Vulcan, Orion, Andorian,Rigelian, Alpha-Centaurian, Cygnan, etc.) hold seatson the ruling council. Two-dozen other races havebeen established as affiliate members. Colonies andbases have been established on a thousand otherplanets. Most Federation ships are manned 90% byone race, with the other 10% being a mixture of allothers.

The Federation’s population, however, is dominated bythe Humans, including those of Earth parentage whowere born on other planets. Humans provide morethan 70% of Star Fleet personnel and dominate everyphase of its operations. The Federation is probably the most idealistic of allthe empires. Federation ships never attack without

warning, and while the Federation has foughtwars with all of its neighbors, the Federation

A member of theidealistic Federation.

the officers and crew to pursue personal intereststhroughout the Galaxy.

Some vestige of organization remains, for the piratesare divided into well-defined “operating zones”controlled by cartels which have exclusive right to“harvest resources” within their own area. Zones areguarded by enforcer ships, and several ships aremaintained within the territory for smuggling. Theolder, stronger cartels can support their own cadre ofships. However, it is estimated that almost 2/3 ofOrion ships function as independents, which mustlease ships, and sometimes territory, from a cartellord. These independent ships must also rely on thelesser cartel’s facilities for supplies, ship maintenance,and weapons.

Orions designate ship types with names indicative oftheir particular brand of commerce, like “Marauder,”“Privateer,” and “Raider.”

Orion Pirate Starship BriefNot much is known about Orion starships. They tendto self-destruct instead of letting themselves becaptured. One fact is always true: No two Orion shipsare the same. All of their ships are customized tosome degree. There are many different types ofweapons that Orions may mount on their ships,depending on how successful their cartel is, andwhere they are located.

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The Orion Pirate CartelsThe Orion Pirates are difficult to describe as a politicalentity. Orion is a member of the Federation and isone of the most economically aggressive races, bothwithin and outside Federation territory. Officially(according to the Orion Government, anyway), thepirates are simply individual privateers and criminals,many of whom are not even Orions, with no formalorganization.

When the Federation was formed, a large number ofthe pre-Federation Orion Navy “disappeared” andformed the core nucleus of the Orion Pirate cartels.Note: The Orion Pirates are not a playable empirein Starfleet Command Volume II Empires at War.They can, however, be encountered almostanywhere in the galaxy.

Although the Orion Colonies are officially neutraltowards the pirates, there is definitelyencouragement, however informal and unofficial,behind the scenes for privateer actions. Thegovernment employs a variety of covert branchesincluding intelligence and undercover ops.

Official Orion policy does not permit governmentinterference with the normal business of loyalprivateers. As for the criminal element, thegovernment has stated repeatedly that it has noknowledge of true Orions conducting illegal business,so it must be the work of outside races masqueradingas Orions. At one time in the very distant past, Orion

apparently supported a normally-structuredmilitary, but due to the demands of galacticeconomics, it seemed to be more profitable for

CreditsThis will allow you to see who developed StarfleetCommand Volume II Empires At War.

Vessel LibraryThe Vessel library will allow you to view informationabout known empires vessels.

ExitThis option returns you to your operating system. Youwill be asked to confirm that you wish to exit SFC.Left-click on the check mark to exit the game, or theNO symbol to continue your session.

Single-player GamesThere are there different types of single player gamesavailable: Tutorials, Skirmishes, and Campaigns. Toaccess any of these types of games, Left-click on theSINGLE PLAYER button at the Select Game menu.

You will then be taken to the Single Player Menuwhere you may pick the type of single player game youwish to play by Left-clicking on the TUTORIALS,SKIRMISH, or CAMPAIGN button.

TutorialsThe Tutorials are small games that will help you learnto play SFC if you are not already familiar with thegame. An instructor will walk you through thedifferent topics and help you learn the mechanics ofSFC. The tutorials are a “safe” place to play and learnthe game, as anything that happens in a tutorial willhave no affect on your campaign or multiplayerstatus. For those are already familiar with thegame, new features, such as the Fleet ControlPanel, are introduced in the tutorials. 7574

NAVIGATING THROUGH THETREACHEROUS MENUS

SELECT YOUR GAME

Single PlayerSelect this option to play a single-player campaign, atutorial, or an historical skirmish.

MultiplayerSelect this option to playmultiplayer games overthe Internet, LANs, or viamodem or serial cable.

Film RoomIn the Film Room, youcan view previously savedgameplay films. As youplay the game, StarfleetCommand will save film

footage of your tactical combats. Going to the FilmRoom will allow you to replay these films at a laterdate. To view a film, you must first at least start agame of SFC so that the models will be loaded andvisible.

Hot KeysIn this screen you can customize the “Hot Keys,” asyou see fit, to allow you one button access to themost important features of the game.

You against the computer, oragainst humans, you decide.

played for practice or when you need a quick fix ofSFC. Skirmishes take many forms, from simplehostile ship encounters all the way to complex self-contained story missions. They are played as asingle-player mission, just you against the computer.

To go to the Select Skirmish screen, Left-click on theSKIRMISH button. From here you can choose askirmish to play, and customize it, if applicable, to suityour needs.

Select Skirmish Screen InformationFrom the Select Skirmish screen, you can choose theskirmish mission you wish to play. You can alsocustomize it to fit the particular combat session youwish to recreate. The list of available missionsappears in the lower left hand corner.

Skirmish MapIn the upper left hand corner there is a map showingsignificant objects in the currently selected mission.

Mission ListIn the lower left hand corner, all available skirmishmissions are displayed. If you have more skirmishmission installed than will fit on your screen, a scrollbar is on the right hand side of the list to scrollthrough them all.

Mission DescriptionIn the upper right hand section of the screen is themission description, or briefing. This briefing willdescribe the mission and tell you what yourobjectives during the mission are. 7776

To play a tutorial, Left-click on the TUTORIALS button.This will take you to the Tutorials screen. From here,you can choose and start a specific tutorial mission.

Tutorial ScreenInformationAt the top of the screenis a list of all availabletutorials. Some basicinformation is shownabout each of them.Left-click on a game toselect it and view thetopics that will becovered.

Tutorial NameThis is the name of the tutorial course.

Star EmpireThis is the player Empire that will be used to play thistutorial.

ScoreThe score, if applicable, that was received whenpreviously playing the tutorial.

Start ButtonLeft-click on this button to start the chosen tutorial.

Briefing ScreenThe topics to be covered will be displayed here.

SkirmishA skirmish is a stand-alone mission that can be

Choose your course and learnthe game

AI TeamsOne at a time you can customize the AI teams. Inorder to make a team active, you must change theStar Empire from None to one of the games races;teams cannot be skipped and must be added in order.

You can choose what “side” each AI team will play onvia the team toggle.

You can determine the minimum and maximum hulltypes that the team may choose from. You may alsodetermine the quality of the ships; set the BPV toLow, Medium, High, or Max. The Number of Shipswill determine how many AI ships will be on that team.

Start PositionThe starting position can be set to either default orrandom map points.

Skill LevelThe skill level set will determine the difficulty of thatparticular scenario. The most important variable thatskill level will affect is the capability of the AI. As youmove up from Captain, Commodore, and Admiral theabilities of the AI controlled ships will be greatlyincreased.

Technology EraSet the Era that the mission will take place in. TheEra, Early, Middle, or Late, will determine what shipswill be available for the chosen skirmish.

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Technology EraBelow the Mission Description section on the left side,is a toggle that allows you to set the Era that themission will take place in. The Era, Early, Middle, orLate, will determine what ships will be available for thechosen skirmish.

CustomizeLeft-Click on CUSTOMIZE to be taken to one of twoscreens which will allow you to choose your ship(s)and the type of opponents you will face.

Play GameLeft-click on this button when you have chosen andcustomized the mission to your satisfaction.

Advanced CustomizeSkirmish There are several areaswhere you may customizeyour skirmish experience.The amount ofcustomization you canorder will depend on themission selected. Youcan change your fleet,the AI teams, startposition, skill level, andthe Technology Era.

Your FleetYou can pick the particular ship(s) that you want inyour fleet. When a ship is selected using the

“ACTIVE” RADIO button, you can use the SpaceDock to outfit your ship with different shuttles,mines, marines, and missiles.

In the Advanced Customizescreen, you can pick the typesof ships and teams available inthe skirmish.

Start PositionThe starting position can be set to either default orrandom map points.

Skill LevelThe skill level set will determine the difficulty of thatparticular scenario. The most important variable thatskill level will affect is the capability of the AI. As youmove up from Captain, Commodore, and Admiral, theabilities of the AI controlled ships will be greatlyincreased.

Technology EraSet the Era that the mission will take place in. TheEra, Early, Middle, or Late, will determine what shipswill be available for the chosen skirmish.

CampaignDuring a campaign, you will enlist in one of theEmpires’ Navies and participate in missions that willhelp ensure the future prosperity of your chosenpeople.As you success grows so shall your career.Eventually, your achievements will lead to promotionsand the ability to “purchase” larger ships, and evencommand of up to three ships at a time.

Note: The online Metaverse is played in very muchthe same way as a Campaign. Differences will behighlighted in a note.

When you Left-click on the Campaign button you willbe transported to the Campaign Selector screen.From here, you will be able to either load andcontinue a saved Campaign game, or begin anew Campaign.

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Basic CustomizeSkirmish You can also change theships in your skirmish viathe Basic menu. It isvery similar to theadvanced menu with themain exception being thatyou will pick the exactships that all teams willfly during the mission.

Your FleetYou can pick the particular ship(s) that you want inyour fleet. When a ship is selected using the“ACTIVE” RADIO button, you can use the Space Dockto outfit your ship with different shuttles, mines,marines, and missiles.

AI TeamsWhen a team is selected, you can pick specific shipsfrom the chosen Empire’s inventory.

You can choose what “side” each AI team will be playon via the team toggle.

One at a time you can customize the AI teams. Tomake a team active, Left-click on the team number;teams cannot be skipped and must be added in order.

When an AI ship is selected using the “ACTIVE” RADIObutton, it may be customized in the Space Dock.

The Basic Customize screen willallow you to pick the specificships available in a mission.

LOAD GAMEWhen you have selected the game you wish to play,you can start it by Left-clicking on the Load Gamebutton.

NEW GAMELeft-click on this button to begin a new campaign andcareer.

Note: When you LOG IN to the Metaverse via theinternet, you will receive a list of active Metaversegames. Select the one you wish to play in, andLeft-click on it to join.

You will then be required to logon to flipside.com viathe Metaverse. If you do not have a flipside.comaccount, you must set one up at this time.

New CampaignWhen you start a newcampaign you will bepresented with severalchoices. The selectionsyou make here willdetermine the basicstarting points of yourcampaign.

CAMPAIGN TYPEThere are many types of campaigns in SFC Vol. II.There is at least one campaign for each race, andsome races will have two. In addition, there is ageneric campaign that can be played by anyrace that does not include historical eventmissions. 8382

Campaign SelectorIn the large top portion ofthe Campaign Selectorscreen will appear all ofyour saved games.There is a fair amount ofinformation available toyou.

SAVED GAMEThe name given to thecampaign when you savedit will appear in thiscolumn.

RACESThis will show the race you are playing in this campaign.

ERAThis is the technology era that the game is currently in.

YEARThis is the year the campaign takes place in.

Note: Both the technology era and the year willaffect the types of starships and equipment, likemissiles, available in the game.

SAVED DATEThis will indicate when you lasted saved under thisparticular game name.

Continue an old campaign orstart anew.

Your new career starts here.

MAPThe campaign map allows you to control your ship’smovement throughout the galaxy. You will begin yourcareer near your Empire’s homeworld. From here,you can move out into the galaxy to help your peopleachieve their rightful place amongst the stars.

There are several levels of detail available on the map,Left-click on the on screen controls to zoom in andout of the map; you can also pan around the mapusing these controls. At the highest levels of zoom,you will be able to see friendly and enemy units thatsurround you.

Your FleetOn the top left corner of the map is your name and alist of the ships in your fleet. Also listed here is yourcurrent prestige level.

Save/Load GameIn the upper right hand corner of the screen is thesave game button. To save your current progress,Left-click on the SAVE GAME button. To start yourgame from a previous save, Left-click on LOAD GAME.

ViewThe view drop down will allow you to choose howmuch data is presented on the Meta Map at anygiven time. There are different items that can beviewed, such as the movement cost (impedance) ofthe hex and its economic value to the empire.You may Right-click on any hex to view the data forthat hex.

Campaign (Meta) MenuThe Main Meta will be available on the lefthand side of the screen to allow you to

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Left-click on the name of the CAMPAIGN TYPE youwish to play. Additional information will be provided toyou in the description box.

DESCRIPTIONA more detailed description of the currently selectedcampaign will appear here.

RACEAs you choose different Campaigns, the race portraitwill change to indicate the player race that will playthat particular campaign.

CHARACTER NAMEEnter the name of your alter ego here.

SKILL LEVELThe skill level will determine the level of difficultyduring your campaign. The most significant change isseen in the level of play of the AI. Other changes thatcan occur is that at the higher levels of difficulty(Commodore and Admiral), the ships you face incombat may be larger and stronger than at a lowerlevel.

ERASet the Era that the mission will take place in. TheEra, Early, Middle, or Late, will determine what shipsand technology will be available for the chosenskirmish.

BEGIN NEW CAMPAIGNLeft-click on this button when you are setupand are ready to start your new campaign.

MISSION SELECTORAs you move around the map you will encounterenemies in space, and also be called upon by yourempire to perform special missions.

If you are offered a mission, you can choose to acceptit by Left-clicking on the PLAY button.

When you are required to play a mission, there willalso be a forfeit button. Forfeiting missions is nothealthy for your career and can lead to negativerepercussions from your empire, eventuallyculminating in a premature end of your career.

When you accept amission by clicking onPLAY, you will transportedto the conn of your shipto execute the mission.

Depending on yoursuccess in the mission,you will be awardedprestige points. Thesepoints can be used to buysupplies, repair your ship,and even buy anothership, when you haveaccumulated enoughpoints.

NEWSIn the news section you can read about recent eventsthat have taken place in your metaversecampaign. The news section will tell you aboutthe transfer of control of space due to battles, 8786

navigate through the various campaign screens. Left-click on any of the choices to jump to that screen.

MovementLeft-click on one of theadjacent hexes in orderto move your ship. Themovement cursor willappear, showing thedirection that you aremoving and the progressof that move.

List/HelpThe List/Help screen allows you access to data ofinterest and will be available to you on all of thecampaign screens. Left-click on the button for themode you wish to use.

List Mode allows you to list all of the players that arein nearby hexes. It will tell you their race, abbreviatedto the first letter, and the player name.

Help Mode will give you a list of topics that you maylearn more about. Choose a topic to read about byLeft-clicking on it.

ChatThe chat window is available on all campaign screens.In the online Metaverse, this will allow you to chatwith players that are around you in the Metaverse.

Simply type in your message and press ENTERto send your message.

Your ship moving to the “South East”

You may choose from any of theavailable missions.

Trade InWhen you have purchased another ship you maytrade-in your older ship. While it is selected, Left-clickon the TRADE-IN button to “sell” it back to yourempire. The amount of prestige you will receive forthis transaction is displayed to the right of the button.

Shuttles/Missiles/Fighters and Misc.You may purchase shuttles, missiles, fighters, andmiscellaneous items (Marine, Mines, and SpareParts). Click on the item you wish to buy or sell. Theitem’s name will appear; to the right of it is your baseamount, the current amount you have, the maximumyou are allowed, the cost per unit, and the total cost.

Note: You may only buy items that your ship wouldnormally carry.

Click on the plus or minus sign to adjust the amountof the selected item on your ship. When you arefinished selecting all the items for that ship, clickDONE to complete the transaction. If at anytimebefore the transaction is complete you wish to cancelthe deal or restore the counts to their current values,click RESET. To purchase items for multiple ships, repeat thisprocedure.

SHIPYARDThe Shipyard will allow you to use your valuableprestige points to bid on and purchase new starshipsas they become available in your Empire. As shipsbecome available, they will appear here and willremain “up for bid” until the closing time of theauction.

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recent promotions, andmilestones in players’careers.

The drop down filters maybe used to decide whatkind of data will bedisplayed.

SUPPLYIn Supply dock, you can repair your damaged ship,trade it in, and buy supplies for use on board yourships. It is also possible to sell unused supplies forextra prestige points.

To select a ship, if youhave more than one, Left-click in its block. Theselected ship will becomegold in color. You maythen buy or sell suppliesfor that ship, or you cantrade the ship in.

RepairWhen your ship becomes damaged in battle, you canLeft-click on this button to repair the damage. The

cost of those repairs, in prestige points, isshown to the right of the button.

Read All About It!

You need missiles? We gotwhat you need.

MULTIPLAYER GAMESTo start a Multiplayergame of StarfleetCommand, Left-click onthe MULTIPLAYER buttonfrom the main menu.

The Game Connectionsscreen will then bedisplayed.

Game ConnectionsThere are as many asseven different types of multiplayer connectionsavailable to you depending on your computer setup.Buttons that are blacked out are not available on yoursystem.

METAVERSELogon to the Metaverse experience provided free viaflipside.com using your pre-established Internetconnection. The Metaverse is an online matchingservice where you may join an Empire and participatein the active defense of it. It includes special missionsthat can be either a multiplayer or single playerexperience. The Metaverse is an immersiveexperience provided free 24/7 to purchasers of SFCVol. II.

For further information on the Metaverse see theCampaign section on page 81.

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To bid on a ship, Left-clickto select it, then placeyour bid by selecting oneof the four percentageratings above the currentbid. These are located atthe bottom of the screen,right above the chat box.This will be yourmaximum bid. If youexceed the current

bidders maximum bid, if any, yours will become thecurrent bid. Your current maximum bid (Your Bid) willbe hidden from other players, as theirs are hiddenfrom you. You may not place a bid higher than yourcurrent prestige point total.

The minimum bid on a ship with no current bid will bethe actual BPV with Your high Bid being equal to thevalue you choose from the bottom of the screen.

When the auction ends, if you are the highest bidder,you will receive custody of your ship.

MEDALSThe Medals screen willallow you to view anymedals or special awardsyou have received duringyour career.

It’s a seller’s market here in theMetaverse!

This one is from the time I tookon 3 B11s with a single FF

This screen allows you to select the typeof multiplayer connection you will beusing, or allows you to logon to theMetaverse via flipside.com or regularMultiplayer via MPlayer using theInternet.

All Starfleet Command players should have thisidentical setting.

IPX games can support up to six players.

OTHER CONNECTIONSThere are three other ways to connect to otherplayers for multiplayer games supported by SFC.These are TCP/IP, by the SERIAL PORT and by aMODEM to MODEM connection. Detailed descriptionsfollow.

TCP/IPThis requires an installed TCP/IP protocol. If you areusing a modem to connect to an Internet ServiceProvider that supports TCP/IP connections, you needto run Dial-Up Networking before you start StarfleetCommand.

You will be required to enter the IP address of thehost machine; you can use CTRL-V to paste a copiedIP address into the address box.

Note: You can run WINIPCFG from a DOS box orfrom the Start/Run menu to find your IP address.Starfleet Command uses DirectPlay 7.0 and UDP.TCP/IP ports used are 47624 for enumerationsand port range 2300-2400 for inbound andoutbound traffic.

Direct TCP/IP games can support up to six players.

SERIAL PORTYou need two computers with a serial cablehooked up to both machines. StarfleetCommand will show you the available COM 9392

STANDARD MULTIPLAYERLogon to MPlayer.com for standard multiplayergames. MPlayer is a free matching service, available24/7, which allows you to find an opponent from theInternet Community.

LAN TCP/IPThis multiplayer option requires an installed TCP/IPprotocol, and is for use over an available Local AreaNetwork (LAN). If TCP/IP is not installed, this buttonwill be blacked out.

SFC will search a LAN for all valid IP addresses. Ifyou have both LAN and ISP connections, it issuggested that you disable your ISP account whileplaying over the LAN.

LAN TCP/IP games can support up to six players.

LAN IPXIf you are running on an IPX-based local area network(LAN), you can choose this type of multiplayer setup.The IPX protocol must be installed, otherwise thisbutton will be blacked out.

If you select this type of network setup, StarfleetCommand will search the LAN for hosted games.

Note: If you are having trouble seeing other IPXgames, you should check your IPX Frame Typeproperty. Open the NETWORK control panel.Select the IPX protocol under the Configuration

menu and click the Properties button.Select the Advanced tab, then click on FrameType. Set the value to: ETHERNET 802.3.

If you are disconnected from a modem game, you willappear back at the Network Setup screen.

Modem games support two players only.

Select GameIf you are playing aTCP/IP or IPX multiplayergame, the next screenyou will see is the SelectGame screen. Sincemultiple games may berunning on the samenetwork, you will have tochoose which gamesession to join.

If you want to host a newsession, click on theCREATE button.

Available Games InformationAt the top of the screen is a list of the currentlyavailable games. Some basic information is shownabout each game; Left-click on a game to select itand view more game information.

Game NameThis is the name of the game session. The host willset this.

ScenarioThe scenario describes the multiplayer mission beingplayed. It determines the game rules andvictory conditions. 9594

ports. Select the valid COM port for your connection.Both machines must select the same speed setting(baud rate).

One player will be the host and the other player is theguest. The host is in charge of selecting thescenario. The guest joins the host once the scenariois selected.

A maximum of two players may play using a serialport connection.

MODEMIn order to play multiplayer over a modem, you need amodem and a working phone line. 28.8k isconsidered the minimum modem speed, butdepending on your line conditions, you may need afaster connection.

One player will be the host, and the other player is theguest. The host is in charge of selecting thescenario. The guest joins the host once the scenariois selected.The host clicks on the CREATE button to prepare thegame. Once the game is prepared and the hostclicks on the ANNOUNCE GAME button, his modemwill be ready to answer the guest.

Once the game is prepared and the host is ready, theguest selects MODEM. He then selects the hostfrom the phone book and clicks on JOIN. Once youclick on the JOIN button, the CANCEL button will

appear. If you wish to stop the dialing, clickCANCEL.

This screen allows you to viewand select from the differentmultiplayer games that areavailable.

to force an update. This should be unnecessary asthe list is updated periodically.

JoinOnce you have selected the game session that youwish to play, click on the JOIN button.

CreateThe host will want to click the CREATE button in orderto go to the Create Multiplayer Game screen.

BackClick the back arrow at the top of the screen toreturn to the Network Setup screen.

Create MultiplayerGameThe host will see thisscreen after clicking onthe CREATE button. Thisscreen allows the host tochoose the game to beplayed and setup theinitial parameters of amultiplayer game.

Game NameType the name you wishto use to identify your game in this box. Somethingcreative and unique is called for. Good exampleswould be “Bob’s Game” or “Gorns Must Die.”

The name of your multiplayer game sessionmust be unique. If you pick the same name asan already announced session, you will see an

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Max PlayersThe maximum number of players allowed in the game.This is shown as two numbers separated by a slash.Example: 2/6. The first number is the currentnumber of players in the game and the secondnumber is the maximum number of players. Youcannot join a game that is full.

SpeedThe host will determine the game speed slider setting.In multiplayer games, once the game starts, thegame speed slider cannot be adjusted. The lower thespeed setting, the slower the game will play. Thehigher the setting, the faster the game will play.Game speeds default to 7.

PasswordIf the game is password protected, you will beprompted to enter the password after you attempt tojoin. Enter the correct password, then press joinagain to enter.Game InfoWhen you select a game session, more detailedgame information will be shown in the lower left handcorner of the screen.

Tactical MapThe map that will be used by the current session isshown in this box. This will give you an idea of theterrain. Keep this in mind when you are choosingyour ships.

UpdateIf you believe a game exists that you are notseeing on your list, press the UPDATE button

This screen allows the host tocustomize the game session.

Maximum PlayersYou can set the maximum number of players that canplay in your session. The host counts as one player.Some scenarios can only support a certain number ofplayers.

Modem and Serial games only support a maximum oftwo players: the host and the guest.

BPV LimitThis sets the default number of points for all players.You will have a chance to override the individual valuesonce you announce the game.

Note: BPVBPV stands for Basic Point Value, a method fordetermining the relative combat value between twoor more ships. In general, the higher the BPV of aship, the more powerful it is. Setting a BPV limitallows the host to set a maximum number of pointsthat a player can use to purchase his ships.

Frigates cost around 50-60 points. Heavy Cruiserscost around 120-130 points. Dreadnoughts costaround 225-250 points.

Game Speed SliderThis sets the default game speed for your session.This value cannot be adjusted once you announce thegame. The higher the number, the faster the game,therefore, each turn will last a shorter period of time.

Technology/Game EraThis sets the game era, which will determinewhat ships and technologies are available.

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error message. You must select a different namebefore you can announce your game.

PasswordYou may set a password if you want to restrictplayers from entering your game. A player that wantsto join must type the password on the Select Sessionscreen. If the player does not type in the properpassword, they cannot join your session.

Note: You can use programs such as ICQ™ to sendpasswords to players you wish to invite.

ScenarioThis lists the available multiplayer scenarios that youcan choose from. Click on a scenario name to selectit. A description of the scenario and the rules willappear in the lower right hand corner of your screen.

Select the desired scenario before choosing thefollowing settings:

Map TypeOnce you select a scenario, you can select the mapthat the scenario will be played on. As you click onthe map names, the tactical maps will show the maplayout below.

OptionsYou can further customize your game session byselecting from the following options:

Session InformationOn the top line of thedisplay is the sessioninformation. It shows youthe name of the sessionyou are currently in, thename of the game to beplayed, and the gamespeed that were chosenby the host.

Player InformationThis section of the screenshows information that is available to all players.Each line represents one player, and provides currentinformation about them.

PingThis value shows the amount of time it takes networkmessages to reach this player from your machine.The lower the ping, the better your gaming experiencewill be.

Note: Ping TimesThe ping times are reported in milliseconds. Thehigher the number, the worse the connection is,which increases the possibility of erratic game-play.In general, you should try and play with otherplayers whose ping times are good. Good pingtimes for LANs are around 50 or less. Good pingtimes for Internet games are around 200-250.Starfleet Command still plays well with pingsapproaching 1000 (one second), but forbest play with the greatest number ofplayers, look for players with low ping times.

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EarlyIf you want a smaller selection of ships, select thisera. Ships from this era are generally underpowered,with fewer weapons. This can make for an interestinggame.

MiddleThis is the default era. A wide variety of ships areavailable.

LateThis is the era of the most advanced ships andtechnologies. The widest variety of ships is available.

Announce GameOnce you have customized the game to your desire,click on the ANNOUNCE GAME button to display thegame session to the other players. This will take youto the Multiplayer Startup screen.

Click on the back arrow at the top of the screen toreturn to the Select Game menu.

Mission BriefingA short description of the scenario to be played willbe displayed in the box in the lower left hand cornerof the screen.

Multiplayer StartupOnce you have announced a game (host) or joined anannounced session (clients), you will see this screen.

The top line shows the game session synopsis fromthe Select Session menu.

You can choose your ships fromthis screen, if applicable, andchat with your fellow playersbefore the game begins.

special instructions are given about teammembership, they must be implemented here.

Members of the same team share victory conditions.Team members cannot fire at each other.

BPVThis shows the current BPV of that player’s fleet.This is the relative “cost” of the ships and suppliespurchased by the player.

MAXThis is the maximum amount of BPV that the playerhas to “spend”. The host set this value when thegame was created. The host can edit the maximumBPV for each player individually.

Special Host CommandsThere are also a few special commands available justto the host player: FLEET, BOOT, and CONFIRM.

FLEETThis button toggles the “Your Fleet” panel to theselected AI players “AI Fleet”. This allows the hostplayer to set up the ships for the AI player. If thehost wants to see his ships again, or select a newfleet, he must click on the FLEET button next to hisname.

BOOTThis allows the host to kick a human player out of thecurrent game. Once a player has been booted, hecannot see this game session and will be unable torejoin this session. Clicking the BOOT buttonwill not automatically kick the player out, theorder must first be confirmed.

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ReadyIf the ready box is checked, that player is ready toplay. You can click on your own ready box to togglethe checkmark.The host will have to click the ready box for any AIplayers.

TypeThis shows if the player is Human, AI, or if there willbe no player. Human players are obviously otherhuman players. The computer controls the AIplayers. No One means there is no player for thatteam.

In some scenarios, you can have multiple AI players.The host can use the Team setting to place AI playerson the appropriate teams.

The host can click on the type button to togglebetween No One and AI.

Player NameThis shows the name of the player.

Star EmpireThis shows the currently selected Empire of theplayer. Players may change their allegiance by clickingon the arrow to the right of the Empire’s name.

TeamThere are up to six teams in a multiplayer game.Teams are lettered A, B, C, D, E, and F. Each human

player can click their own button to cyclethrough the available teams. The host canalso click on the team buttons of AI players. If

three smaller ones.

There is one line for each ship. Each line shows thesame amount of data.

CheckboxThis checkbox toggles the use of this ship. If you hadchosen multiple ships, but decide not to use them all,you can use the checkbox to remove the extra shipsfrom your fleet (and BPV point total). If you laterdecide that you do want to use them, simply click thecheckbox again to toggle them back into your fleet.

Ship TypeThis box displays the type of ship you have selected.This is an acronym of the full ship class type.Example: A Federation Heavy Cruiser with no refits, isdesignated F-CA. A Klingon D7 Command Cruiser isdesignated K-D7C.

Ship NameThis is the name of the individual ship. Ship namesare pulled from the registry for that ship type. Youcan edit the ship name by clicking on the edit box andtyping the new name.

SELECT buttonClick this button to enter the "Choose Hull" screen toselect the hull variant that you want to use. Thisbutton will allow you to change the type of ship aswell. If the top (number 1) button is not visible, youmay not choose what ship you will be using in thisparticular scenario.

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CONFIRMWhen a BOOT button has been clicked, it will changecolor. Click it again to actually remove the player fromthe current session.

Chat ModesThere are two chat modes: ALL and TEAM. Click theMODE button to toggle between them.

AllThis sends your chat messages to all players in thesession.

TeamThis sends your chat messages to only the otherplayers on your team.

You type your outgoing messages in the chat edit box,and all messages sent to you will appear in the chatarea.

Chat ColorYou can select a distinctive color for your text byclicking on this button.

Your FleetThis box is used to select the ships in your fleet. Thenumber of select buttons that are visible indicates themaximum number of ships that you may purchase. Ifno boxes are visible, the game has selected a ship foryou. If the maximum number of ships is more thanone, the actual number of ships you end up with will

depend upon how you spend the BPV given toyou. You could spend a large amount of BPVon a single large ship or decide to get two or

Press Enter, then type ‘/#’ where the # is the teamyou wish to receive the message. Press ENTER tosend the message to the designated team.

Before a message is sent, you can press ESC tocancel the current message.

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In the Choose Hull screen you can choose the shipyou wish to use. Use the small arrows to choosefrom one of the four basic hull types: Frigate, LightCruiser, Heavy Cruiser and Dreadnought. Use theLarger arrows to pick the exact variant you wish topurchase.

Host START MULTIPLAYER GAME ButtonOnce the host clicks his ready button, the STARTMULTIPLAYER GAME button will appear. The hostmay click this button to start the game.

If the host clicks the START button, any player thathas not clicked the READY button will get a warningmessage. The START button will change to aCONFIRM button for the host. If the host clicks theCONFIRM button, all non-ready players are booted outof the game. After ten seconds, or when all playersare ready, the CONFIRM button will change back tothe START button.

If the START button is pressed and all players areready, the game will begin.

Click on the back arrow to return to the previousscreen. You will have to click on the confirm buttonto verify that you wish to exit the game.

Chat Messages in Multiplayer GamesDuring a multiplayer game, you can send chatmessages to the other players. Press ENTER todisplay the chat box. Type your message and press

ENTER again to send the message.

The interface bar is also dividedinto four sections: officer multi-functions display (MFD), shipschematic display, system MFD,and target schematic display.

Quitting A MissionYou can exit a mission at anytime by pressing the ESC keyon the keyboard. The EndMission menu will then be displayed, then Left-click onyour choice. If you decide to stay in the game, pressthe ESC key again or Left-click on cancel.

Tactical 3D spaceThis is an external view of your ship and all otherobjects in space. You can adjust the camera viewusing the Preferences panel. You may also changeviews by using the F1 through F5 keys.

The primary use of this view is to give your ship a newheading (to turn it), to target enemy ships and to seethe movement and actions of units in the game.

Left-click in the display to set a new course heading.See page 16 for information on movement.

Right-click on a unit in order to target it. See page16 for targeting information.

Camera ViewsThere are multiple camera views that can be used tochange the view of the tactical 3D space. All viewsmay be accessed through the preference panelor by pressing the Function keys listed below.

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TAKE THE CONN MISTER

Tactical Screen OverviewThe tactical screen is where all the action takesplace. No matter what kind of game is played,whether it is mission, campaign, skirmish, ormultiplayer, you will eventually end up here.Understanding the tactical screen will be one of yourkeys to victory.

The tactical screen isdivided into three maincomponents: the 3Dspace view, the upperand lower data displays,and the interface bar.

The 3D space view isyour view into the spacearound your starship.

This is initially a 3rd person point of view; an externalview of your starship will be visible on the screen. Asyou near other starships, they will appear on this partof the screen, as long as the screen view is pointingtowards them.

The upper and lower data displays contain vitalinformation that is always visible.

The interface bar gives you in-depth control of yourstarship, and provides the most amount ofinformation. It is very information and control

intensive. It is not necessary for play at alltimes, so it is capable of being slid off thescreen until you need it.

A typical tactical view.

This button, or the “D”key, will slide theinterface bar on and offthe screen.

ship. As you begin a turn, you will notice an arc thathas appeared between your current heading and yourdesired heading. There is a color code to let youknow the approximate time to complete this turn.

Green: Fast – for small course adjustments.

Yellow: Moderate – for turns of 45 degrees or less.

Orange: Slow – for turns of 45 to 90 degrees.

Red: Yeoman get me a cup of coffee, this could takeawhile - for turns between 90 and 180 degrees.

As your ship completes its turn the indicator willchange color to show you how much further it has togo.

Tactical InformationTo target a unit, Right-click on a unit or the unit tag.Depending on your HUD information level, a targetreticle will appear on the target and the targetschematic will update.

Note: The amount of tactical information displayedon the screen is dependent upon how high of adetail level you have set. These are set by the F9(lowest detail) to F11 keys (highest detail).

Depending on the level of tactical intelligence acquired(which is determined by your range to theunit), you can see some of the followinginformation: 111110

Chase (Default)This places the camera directly behind your ship. Itwill give you a good idea of the area of space in frontof your ship. You cannot rotate the camera view, butyou can zoom in and out and adjust the cameraangle. To access this view, press F3.

OverheadThe camera is placed above the horizontal plane. Youcannot adjust the camera angle, but you can zoom inand out. To access this view, press F1.

TacticalThe camera is placed on a 3/4 perspective. You canrotate, zoom and adjust the angle of the camera inthis view. To access this view, press F2.

Target ViewThis will place the focus of the camera on your target,if the target is close enough to your ship. This isotherwise identical to the Tactical view. To accessthis view, press F4.

Padlock ToggleYou can also toggle between padlock on and off. Ifthe padlock is on, the tactical display will attempt tokeep you and your target on screen at all times –rotating the camera as necessary to do so. To togglethe padlock view, press the F5 key.

MOVEMENTTurning your ship to a new heading is easilyaccomplished by Left-clicking in the 3-D tactical display

where you want your new heading to be. If youLeft-click on an enemy ship, your heading willchange to put you on a course directly for that

Data DisplaysThere are two data displays on the tactical screenthat are always shown.

The top of the tactical interface shows the followinginformation:

Your Hull IntegrityThe hull integrity of the starship you are currentlycontrolling is represented by a bar. As this barrecedes, your ship is in greater danger of beingdestroyed. Your ship can explode before the bardisappears entirely.

Phaser CapacitorThe phaser capacitor stores enough energy for all ofthe phasers on your ship to fire once per turn. Youcan click on the phaser capacitor to set therecharge rate of the capacitor bar. If themarker is moved to the center of the capacitor 113112

Class or Name of unitUntil you get closeenough to identify thespecific ship, only theclass of the unit isdisplayed.

Range to unitThe range to the unit isdisplayed in units of10,000km.

Speed of unitThe speed of the unit is given in a multiple of10,000km/turn. This is the distance traveled duringthe amount of time equal to the game speed slidersetting.

Unit damage reportsWhen you fire at a nearby unit, you can see anumeric count of the damage. This number is thenumber of damage points per volley.

All of this information is only displayed if you havenormal or maximum HUD information displayed.Normal HUD info shows targeting information for justyour target. Maximum HUD info shows targetinginformation for all ships.

The maximum detail level for atargeted vessel.

The top data display.

The Hull Integrity meter does not truly measure the‘life’ remaining in your ship, rather it measures the BPVremaining in your ship. The BPV of a ship is a calculationof the ship’s value in a battle; so there is a heavy weightplaced on weapons, and to a lesser extent, energyproducing systems.

Keep in mind that a ship can become unstable and explodewith systems still left in tact. Therefore, the meter maynot be at zero when a ship explodes. In addition, a largescale ‘Alpha Strike’ type attack is more likely to destroy a

weakened ship than a Mizia attack.

The bottom of the tactical interface shows thefollowing information:

SpeedYour speed is shown both numerically and in a barformat. The numeric value is your specific currentspeed. The speed bar shows your current speed andyour desired speed. The desired speed is shown witha marker. You can adjust the marker by clicking onthe speed bar or using the “S” key to accelerate andthe “A” key to decelerate.

EnergyYour current energy output and total energy use isshown in both numeric and bar format as well. ThePower bar shows your current energy output bothnumerically and graphically. This bar shows the totalamount of energy your starship is producing fromwarp engines, impulse engines, and auxiliary reactors.Below it is the Systems bar that shows the totalamount of energy your starship is currently using.The System bar also shows the requested amount ofenergy you wish to use, which may be different thanthe current amount being used, as systems takesome time to reach full power. Both the Power andSystems bars are on the same scale. If the Systemsbar is longer than the Power bar, you are attemptingto use more energy than your ship is producing, andsomething is suffering for it.

See page 144 for more information on energyallocation. 115114

bar, the phaser capacitor will recharge at half thenormal speed. At normal speed, when all phasershave been fired, it will take one turn to recharge thecapacitor. If not all the phasers were fired, it will takeless time for the capacitor to charge. You may wantto reduce the amount of energy the capacitor willdraw if you are not planning on using all of yourphasers within a short period of time, and wouldrather use the energy elsewhere.

Target Hull IntegrityThis bar displays the hull integrity of your currenttarget. Like the bar for your ship, it is a rough gaugeof how much damage the target can take beforebeing destroyed.

Mission TimersThere are two mission timers. The first timer is howlong it has been since the start of the mission. Thesecond timer is used as a countdown timer when

there is a critical event taking place during themission.

The phaser capacitor control is often misunderstood.If the marker is set to the midway point of the capacitor, itwill still charge to full power. However instead of takingone turn to completely charge, it would take two turns(assuming no phasers are fired) to reach full capacity. Ifthe marker were set to 1/4 of the total, it would take fourturns to fully charge the capacitor (again assuming nophasers are fired).

This is a handy tool that can be used to free up energy fromthe power hungry phasers when not needed, for other uses

such as ECM.

This information is available on the bottom of the screen.

MFD. From top to bottom, these are the variousofficers and displays available:

1. Helm 7. Defense2. Repair 8. Tactical Map 3. Science 9. Fleet Orders4. Security/Marines 10. Energy Management5. Weapons 11. Preferences6. Communication

Left-click on the officer/display you wish to use. Thecurrently selected officer/display will have its iconhighlighted. Only one screen can be displayed at atime.

Tactical Officer MFD - HelmThis panel controls specialmovement commands. Fornormal movement commands,use the 3D tactical display (fornormal turns) and the speedbar at the bottom of thescreen (to set the speed).

Emergency DecelerationEmergency Deceleration usesthe warp engines to stop asquickly as possible. This canbe a little stressful on the ship, but sometimescertainly less stressful than ramming into an asteroid.You will stop as quickly as possible, but there will be adelay before you can begin moving again.

Erratic ManeuversBy making small, swift course changes, calleda jink, you make yourself harder to hit. This

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Alert IndicatorsThe alert indicator shows your current alert status.The GREEN ALERT, YELLOW ALERT, and RED ALERTbuttons can be used to set your alert level. It ishighly suggested that you go to yellow alert inunknown dangerous situations, and red alert beforeentering combat.

Note:

RED ALERT will charge all weapons and raise shields.

YELLOW ALERT will raise the shields and activate fire control.

Fire Selected Weapons ButtonFinally, there is a FIRE SELECTED WEAPONSbutton that will fire all the selected weaponswithin the arc and range to your currenttarget. This will only fire one weapon off ofeach hardpoint. You will need to click thisbutton up to four times to fire all weapons.

Tactical Officer MFDThe Tactical Officer Multi-Functions Display(MFD) allows you to give orders to variousofficers on your ship, to other ships in yourfleet, and to change the display in order to

monitor the results of those orders.

Since this is an MFD, you can modify thedisplay to meet your current

requirements. This is done through the use ofthe officer icon strip on the right side of the

The variousOfficer MFD button icons.

The Helm Officer MFDdisplay.

There are six types of HET buttons: five preset HETsand one HET that allows you to set the exact angle.

HET LeftYour ship will make a HET 90º to the left of itscurrent course.

HET Free AngleYou can set the exact HET angle. When you left-clickon this button, the cursor will change to the Set HETAngle mode. Left-click again in the 3D space, as ifyou were making a normal turn, to set the HET angle.A left-click on another HET button before the turn hasbegun will cancel this action.

HET RightYour ship will make a HET 90º to the right of itscurrent course.

HET Hard LeftYour ship will make a 135º HET to the left.

HET 180ºYour ship will make a HET of 180º. This is anincredibly sharp turn.

HET Hard RightYour ship will make a 135º HET to the right.

Note: The angle of any HET may be adjusted at anytime before or during the turn. Your ship may runout of HET power before completing the turn, but itwill complete as much of it as possiblebefore resuming normal maneuvering. 119118

generates four points of natural ECM (see page 155)to protect your ship. These ECM points also apply toany direct-fire from your ship (in other words, yourown weapons are harder to use).

Using erratic maneuvers also causes the followingrestrictions to be placed on your ship:

*No shuttles, fighters, missiles, or plasma torpedoescan be launched.

*Mines cannot be laid, nor can tractor beams beused.

* It is more difficult to turn. The turn rate of yourship is increased by one.

* It is more difficult to make High Energy Turns. Thechance of failure is slightly increased (by about 17%).

The cost to use erratic maneuvering is six points ofmovement energy.

High Energy Turns (HETs)By using additional energy, the ship can be made toturn at a much higher rate than usual. This is knownas a High Energy Turn, or HET. This allows a ship toturn up to 180º almost instantaneously. As youmight expect, this is not good for the ship. The hull,systems, and crew are tremendously strained.Eventually this strain will result in a breakdown. Someships are better at making HETs without suffering abreakdown. Smaller ships, ships with a better turnrate (see page 18), and ships with superior helm

officers can execute more HETs withoutsuffering a breakdown.

being completely fixed.Additional items in the repairqueue are shown above theactive repair item. Left-clickon an item in the queue toremove it from the queue.Engines may be repaired byLeft-clicking on the REPAIRENGINES button, regardless ofwhat is happening in the repairqueue. These types of repairstake one Spare Part (seebelow).

Continual Engine and Shieldrepair are the exception to the rules above. YourEngineering team will continually work on repairing theship’s shields (which can be repaired no other way),and slowly tweak the ship’s engines; they areengineers after all. This continual repair of shieldsand engines requires no spare parts.

Note: Engineers being single minded folks, generallyspeaking, will work on only one queue item at atime. In addition to this, they can work on EngineRepair and will work on continual Engine and Shieldrepair.

Spare PartsEach ship has a limited number of spare parts thatcan be used to repair most major systems. Largerships tend to have more spare parts. The number ofspare parts remaining is shown to the right ofyour ship. 121120

HET Chance of SuccessShips have different chances of succeeding at thisdifficult maneuver. Your ship’s current chance tosuccessfully perform a HET is displayed in the HELMOFFICER MFD. After performing a HET, the chancefor success will increase slowly until it reaches theship’s maximum.

Orbit TargetThe helm officer will attempt to place the ship in orbitaround the current target.

Intercept TargetThis puts the helm officer in control of your ship’scourse. He will attempt to intercept the currenttarget, though you will still be in charge of the ship’sspeed. You can also use this order to attempt to ‘tail’the target.

Normal ManeuveringThis cancels all previous helm orders and returns theship to its normal maneuvering mode.

Tactical Officer MFD - RepairThe Repair display shows all systems that arecurrently damaged. The Engineering officer is incharge of all repairs.

Repairing Damaged SystemsIn the center of the MFD is a schematic of your ship.Only systems that are damaged are shown in thisarea. Left-click on a damaged system to add it to the

repair queue. The first item in the queue isthe active repair item. A progress bar next tothe active repair item shows how close it is to

This an example of therepair officer MFD. Onlydamaged and destroyeditems are visible on thisscreen.

current target. You will then get more detailedinformation, if available, about the target – almost asif your ship were next to the target.

If you are not targeting, or you stop targeting bypressing the End Targeting hotkey (the default is “\”),then the probe will fire in the direction the ship ispointing.

Standard probes have a range of around 100 andtake no energy to prepare, only time. They have a360º degree arc of fire.

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One unit of spare parts is used every time you orderyour damage control team to repair a damagedsystem. It is important to note that the spare part isused as soon as the repair starts on the system.Until the system reaches the front of the queue, youcan cancel the repair command without losing spareparts. The moment the repair starts, the spareparts are used up, even if you decide later to cancelthe operation.

Tactical Officer MFD - ScienceThe Science officer is in charge of probes, deepscanning, and self-destruction.

Probes can be used in one oftwo modes: standard andweapon. Left-click the probemode button to toggle betweenthe two modes. Each use of aprobe will reduce the numberof probes on a ship by one,regardless of mode used. Onthis screen, you will see thenumber of probes remainingon board your ship, as well asa progress bar showing youwhen the current probe isready for launch. Probes can

be launched by Left-clicking on the LAUNCH button orby pressing the “P” key.

Standard ProbesProbes used in their normal mode will increasethe sensor ability of a ship. When you fire astandard probe, it will be launched towards the

The science officer panelgives you access toinformation gatheringtools.

Tactical Tip: Probing for PlasmaWhen you’re fairly close to the target ship, your ship’ssensors will tell you whether your opponent’s weaponsare charged or not. But when engaging a plasma-armedship, you generally don’t want to stay that close to thetarget. Plasma torpedoes are the most powerful of theheavy weapons in the game in terms of raw damagepotential. Nine times out of ten, you’ll want to evadethat power rather than risk having it impact your ship.On the other hand, a plasma ship is vulnerable when itstubes are recharging, and you don’t want to be too faraway to make an effective attack when that window ofopportunity opens.

This is why the captain of the plasma ship will sometimesfire pseudo torpedoes. These are essentially “blanks”which will either drive you away from the target while itrecharges its real guns, or lure you into thinking thatthe target is now vulnerable while it’s actually justwaiting for you to get close.

Deep ScanYour Science officer can put more energy into thesensors to increase their range. For 3 points ofpower, your tactical intelligence range is increased by33%. This will let you locate ships before they seeyou and it will give you more information about themat farther distances.

Self DestructLeft-clicking on the SELF DESTRUCT button will activitythe self-destruct sequence. After 5 standard units oftime, the ship will explode causing damage to nearbyvessels. If you decide during the countdown that youwould rather not blow yourself up, you may Left-clickon the button again to stop the sequence.

Tactical Officer MFD -Security/MarinesThe Security officer controlsyour attempts to board andcapture enemy ships, and alsocontrols the use of marines forhit and run raids.

There are two subpanels in theSecurity display. One forcapturing and one for hit andrun raids. Use the buttons totoggle between the twosubpanels.

On both panels, the number of available transportersis shown. As transporters cycle and preparefor the next transporter action, they will fill inwith progress bars. Each transporter requires

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Weapon ProbesProbes can also be used as makeshift weapons, butwith some severe limitations.

While arming, they draw two points of energy. Theyhave a poor chance of actually hitting their target.Their chance to hit is based on the range to thetarget. Only at extremely close range do they hitconsistently. They have a maximum range of six.

To fire the probe as a weapon, you must have atarget.

Special ProbesIn specific missions, special probes may becomeavailable to you. When they do, your Science Officerwill make you aware of this fact. Their preparationwill either be handled automatically or via theCommunications Officer panel. They will be fired inthe normal way.

Since you can’t afford to guess whether anincoming torpedo is real or not, you can use a probe tocheck the status of the weapons. Just as the probereaches the ship, and only for a second, your sensordisplay will show you the status of the target’s weaponsystems just as if you were close enough for youronboard sensors to show you that information. Usewhat you see there to determine whether you shouldattack or evade.

The Capture panels ofthe Security officer MFD.

As your boarding parties and the enemy marines fightfor control of the target ship, a progress bar willupdate you on their progress. When you have takencontrol of more than 50% of the ship, you willeventually win control of the entire ship, under mostcircumstances.

The empire icon shows the owner of the target ship.When you capture the ship, the emblem will changeto your icon.

Hit and Run RaidsYou can also send marinesover to destroy specificsystems on the target ship.This is known as a hit and runraid (H&R).

Click on the HIT AND RUNbutton to toggle to thissubpanel.

To add known systems to theH&R order queue, you musttarget them by Left-clicking onthem. As long as you arewithin transporter range, haveenough power to activate your transporters, and haveenough marines to send, your security officer willbeam armed boarding parties to the target ship, inorder to destroy that system. In order for this actionto be carried out, the enemy must have a downedshield facing your ship.

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.2 units of power per marine action. Each boardingparty/marine unit consists of about 5 beings.

Boarding parties and marines are synonymous terms.

CapturingYou can send boarding parties over to the targetedenemy ship in an attempt to capture it. They willstorm the ship, searching for pockets of resistance,as well as attempting to take over the bridge andother vital systems. The marines on the target shipwill resist them, and the defender always has anadvantage. You must overwhelm the defender withboarding parties in order to be successful.

Click on the CAPTURE button to toggle to this panel.

Your boarding parties are sent by transporter. Thetarget ship must have a downed facing shield. Theuse of your transporters in this manner will also dropyour facing shield.

Click on the ALL MARINES button to send as manymarines as possible to the target. You can also clickon a single marine icon to transport just that marineunit.

The number of marine units that can be sent isdependant on the number of active and availabletransporters your ship has, as well as how manymarines are currently aboard your ship. The numberof marine units remaining on your ship is also shown

on this screen.

Hit and Run raids can beused to destroy vitalenemy systems by placing your Marines inharms way.

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If the enemy is guarding that system, chances arethat your boarding party will fail to destroy thesystem, fail to return, or both. Hit and Run raids area dangerous business.

If the enemy is not actively guarding that system,chances of a successful H&R raid increase.

In either case, your security officer will continue tosend marines until the desired systems in the orderqueue are destroyed.

Left-click on a system in the order queue in order toremove it from the queue.

Marines that are not occupied in active capture or hitand run operations will automatically be assigned toguard key ships systems.

Hit and Run raids may be paused so that they will notoccur at inopportune times. Left-click on the “!” or Gobutton. This will change it to show that the H&Rraids are now paused. Select the systems you wishto raid as normal, then when you are ready to initiatethe raid, Left-click on the Pause button to set yourMarines to Go status. When the next availableopportunity arises, they will beam aboard and attack.

Tactical Tip: Effective Hit & Run StrategyThe most important thing to keep in mind about conductingHit & Run raids is that it’s necessary to lower a shield inorder to do so. This is not always desirable, as the enemywill have a chance to cause internal damage while yourshield is down. There are two ways to minimize your riskof taking damage:

Remember to use the tactical MFD, which shows aschematic of the target ship and the status of itsweapons. If you’re within transporter range of the target,then you’re close enough to see if it has weapons chargedthat will be in arc of your downed shield.If possible, try toexecute the raid during a turn. If you time it just right,the shield that is lowered to transport the marines willnot be the one facing the enemy when transport iscomplete.

Another thing to consider is that when you lower yourshield to beam marines out, the enemy may well beam hisown marines onto your ship. You could be at adisadvantage in this situation if the enemy ship has moretransporters than you do. If you have three transportersand the enemy has six or seven, then it’s probably notworth risking the exchange. Instead, hold off on yourraids until after the enemy has taken some internaldamage and has lost some marines because of it.

Finally, maximizing the damage done by your raids doesn’talways equate to hitting one system at a time with allavailable transporters. Rather than focus all yourmarines on one system, it’s better in many situations todistribute each wave of raids over many different systems.Although you are less likely to completely destroy a givenweapon or system in this way, you will usually succeed inpartially damaging some of them. This presents theenemy with a hard choice: spend precious repair parts onpartially damaged weapons all over the ship, or save thespare parts and live with a lower overall combateffectiveness. Either way, it’s an advantage for you.

A few Romulan ships also have a Nuclear Space Mine(NSM). They do 35 points of damage but can only bedropped out of the back hatch.

Destroy/Disable TargetYou have two options when firing your weapons. Youcan fire them in destroy mode, when you are justtrying to do as much damage as possible, and indisable mode, which specifically targets weapon andpower systems. Disable mode is a form of non-violentcombat. Targeting to disable is more difficult, but isless likely overall to do damage. You can switchbetween the two modes at anytime by clicking on thetoggle button.

Cloaking DeviceIf your ship is equipped with aCloaking Device, this button willbe available. It is a toggle thatwill turn the Cloaking Device onand off. Cloaking Devices areexplained on page 202.

Tactical Officer MFD -CommunicationThe Communication panelallows you to talk to otherships and keep a record ofimportant messages.

Message Filter ButtonsAt the top of the panel are fourbuttons. These buttons aremessage filters that can be toggled off and on.Engineering Reports

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Tactical Officer MFD -WeaponsUse your weapons officer tokeep track of your ships entireweapons layout. The weaponspanel can also be used to dropmines, track the remainingmine inventory, and setweapons to destroy or disable.

The weapons panel detailsyour ship’s weapons layout.You can see your weapons bycategory: phaser or heavyweapon. You can also see alist of all weapons using theDISPLAY ALL WEAPONSbutton.

The information available to you about each weaponis: it’s firing arc, whether or not it is part of your pointdefense, the weapon type icon including the numberof weapons on that hardpoint, and the weaponsgroups that is a member of.

The small “D” toggle button determines if a phaser willfire as a member of the point defense. For anexplanation of point defense, see the Tactical OfficerMFD –Defense on page 133.

MinesYou can drop a mine from a hatch by clicking theDEPLOY button. The mine must have been readied

previously. Mines dropped in this way do notlower your shields, and are armed when youmove 20,000km away from them.

This is the WeaponsOfficer panel. Monitoryour “Photon Torpedoload status” here byclicking on heavyweapons.

The Communicationpanel. You maycommunicate with othervessels, and even yourown crew from here.

and then you clicking on a new button to answer theirresponse.

The Communications Panel will also allow you to givenon-standard orders to your crew, under specialcircumstances. Whether between ships or yourcrew, the exact message available will depend on themission, the target, and the situation.

Tactical Officer MFD -DefenseThe Defense panel controls theuse of your defensive systems.From here, you can set tractorbeams to defensive mode,launch Wild Weasel sensordecoy shuttles, use EmergencyDecelerate, or set phasers toactive point defense.

Emergency DecelerationThe Emergency Deceleration(ED) button does the samething as the ED button on theHelm panel. It’s duplicated here since it is very usefulto use ED in conjunction with a Wild Weasel.

Toggle Active Point DefenseThis button defaults to on. Toggle it off with a Left-click. While on, all the phasers on your ship will beset to point defense mode. Toggle it off to restoredirect control over their targeting and firing. Thisbutton overrides the Weapons panel settings.Point defense mode sets all phasers to fire atincoming seeking weapons in order to try and

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Toggles messages from your Engineering officer.

Mission MessagesToggles general messages relating to the mission.Science ReportsToggles messages from your Science officer.

Fleet MessagesToggles messages from other ships in your fleet.

If a message filter is toggled off, messages of thattype will not be displayed.

The display area shows the desired text. The mostrecent messages are at the bottom. You can use thescrollbars to scroll through the message text.

Communication ButtonsThe Communication Panel also serves to sendmessages to other ships. Target the ship you wish tocommunicate with. At the bottom of the screen, youwill see between zero and two buttons.

Note: This type of communication is used when youare communicating with computer controlled shipsand your own crew. When communicating withother humans in multiplayer games, use themultiplayer comm system (chat). See page 106.

Each button will have a brief description of the type ofmessage you can send. Sending some messages willcause the other button to no longer apply, and the

button for those messages will be removed.An entire conversation can happen by clickingon a message to send, the target responding,

The Defense Officerpanel will help keep yourship in good shape.

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destroy, or at least diminish the seeking weapon’seffectiveness. Note: Although not controlled through this panel,ESGs can be used to destroy incoming seekingweapons. Their protective sphere will producedamage to incoming seeking weapons until theyare destroyed, or the ESG is depleted.

Defensive TractorsYou can toggle the use of tractors as defensivebeams with these buttons. When in defensive mode,tractor beams can “grab” a single missile for eachactive defensive tractor. Missiles grabbed this waywill be held at a distance from the ship until they runout of fuel and deactivate, until they are destroyed byweapons fire, or until the tractor is turned off ordestroyed. Each tractor beam set to defensive modewill drain one point of energy.

Set the total number of tractors to be useddefensively by clicking on the desired number button.If the button is dark, the tractor either does not existon your ship or it has been destroyed. Each tractorpre-allocated in this manner will stop one missile.

Tactical Tip: Additional Anti-Missile DefenseIt’s entirely possible for your defensive systems to becomeoverwhelmed by the sheer number of missiles inbound foryour ship. This is especially true of smaller vessels that havefewer defensive tractors, AMDs, and phasers, but it canhappen to any ship. There may be times when your defensivesystems could handle the incoming weapons, but you wouldrather retain the power for an attack than spend it ondefense. In both situations, there are some things you cantry.

Remember that missiles will always seek you out, adjustingtheir flight path so that they will impact your ship. If you canplace a mine between your ship and the path of the incomingmissiles, the missiles will trigger the mine’s proximity fuse asthey pass through its detection area. The resultingdetonation will destroy all missiles in the blast radius. Howyou deploy the mine is up to you: if you have time to maneuver,it’s safer to drop the mine from the shuttle bay (using the “M”key) because this delivery method does not cause a shield todrop. But in a pinch, use the “T” key to deploy a transporterbomb in the path of the missiles. Remember that there isalways a slight delay before a deployed mine is armed, sotiming is important.

An alternate—and much more difficult—way to deal withincoming missiles is to use the terrain around you. Missilesare smart enough to change their course and chase you, butthey can be fooled into hitting asteroids, planets, or evenflying into black holes. Using the terrain in this way is verydangerous and requires that you have enough time anddistance to plan and execute the maneuver(s) without hittingthe terrain yourself, and should therefore be considered alast resort. However, it’s very satisfying when executed justright; even your enemy will respect your bold move. Notethat plasma torpedoes can be made to hit terrain just as wellas missiles.

Any use of weapons will immediately cause the WWto be voided. A voided weasel offers no protection.All seeking weapons targeted on the WW willreacquire the ship.

Since the WW is a simple shuttle, it can easily bedestroyed. When it is destroyed via incoming seekingweapons or by enemy direct fire, it will continue toprovide protection for a brief period of time. If theship that launched the WW is too close to theexploding shuttle, it will take damage.

Note: A Wild Weasel will be voided if any of thefollowing occur on the launching ship:

1. Exceeding a speed of 4.2. Activating fire control (firing weapons).3. Operating Transporters.4. Launching a probe.5. The launching ship exceeding a range of

35 from the WW.

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Wild WeaselsA starship is a big hunk of metal, but space is evenbigger. All starships must use sophisticated sensorsto track enemy starships. The use of a Wild Weaselshuttle can confuse those tracking sensors andprotect your ship from harm.

Note: Wild Weasels (WW) are special shuttles thatare outfitted with special Electronic Warfare (EW),designed to simulate the sensor returns of yourship. WW must be converted ahead of time fromadministrative shuttles. You may purchaseadditional administrative shuttles at the Starbase’sspacedock before the beginning of a mission.

Wild Weasels only operate for their launching ship.They are too specialized to protect any generic shipwithout an inordinate amount of preparation andeffort.

Wild Weasels offer two benefits: ECM and SeekingWeapon protection. A Wild Weasel will provideadditional ECM that will help against enemy direct fireweapons. Seeking weapons targeted on the launchingship will change targets and head for the WW. Anyadditional seeking weapons launched during this timewill also target the WW instead of the ship that theyare protecting.

To be successfully used, the Wild Weasel’s ownermust disable all active fire-control emissions. Thismeans that the starship wishing to use a WW cannot

fire weapons during this time.

Tactical Tip: Defeating the WeaselNothing ruins a plasma captain’s day like a wild weasel.Launching those deadly plasma torpedoes only to seethem trail off and impact harmlessly into a shuttle canbe a frustrating experience. Fortunately, there aresome tactics you can employ to defeat the weasel.torpedoes.

Objects that are displayed in the map:All allied shipsAll known enemy shipsPlanets, Asteroids, and other terrainMap Boarders

Tactical Officer MFD – Fleet ControlWhen there is more than one ship under your directcontrol, you are in control of your own private fleet.The most common way to have a fleet is to purchaseadditional ships. Also, for special missions yourEmpire may assign you temporary control of additionalships.

Fleet Control MFDTo control your additionalships, the Fleet Control paneloffers you a wide array ofcommands that can beassigned to each individualship. When you go to theFleet Control panel, newinformation will fill the screen.

Taking ControlOne of the most importantthings the fleet control panelwill allow you to do is to takedirect command of anothership of your fleet at any time you choose. If you needto jump to another ship in your fleet, simply Left-clickon the box to the left of the ship’s name, and you willautomatically assume direct control of thatship. As your mouse moves over each ofthese boxes, an icon representing a Captain

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Tactical Officer MFD – Mini MapThe Mini Map allows you to keep track of objects at agreat distance and geographical features at a glance.

The map has easy to usecontrols. You may Zoom Outby Left-clicking on the “-“button. Left-click on the “+” toZoom In again. As you zoomout, the map becomes lessaccurate but allows you to seefarther.Your ship appears as the dotin the middle of the map; its

heading is shown by asmall line pointing outfrom the dot.

1. A ship cannot deploy shuttles while it is beingtractored. You can use this to your advantage by closingto tractor range and “anchoring” the target ship beforefiring your torps. This has the additional benefit ofkeeping the target from outrunning the plasma anddiffusing it, and is doubly effective if you turn your ownship so as to pull the target into the torpedoes.

2. A ship can have only so many shuttles, so it’s to youradvantage to try to make the target waste the weaselsas often as possible. One way you can do this is bymaking use of pseudo torpedoes. The target can’t reallyafford to guess whether a torpedo is real or not, soincoming pseudos may trick the enemy into launching aweasel. Another technique is to avoid launching all yourtorpedoes at once. If you alternate, firing one or two ata time, then you will still have the rest ready to go oncethe weasel is used up.

Back by popular demand!

The Fleet Control MFD givesyou access to the FleetControl Panel and the abilityto change your command toa different ship.

Once placed in formation, your fleet will attempt tostay in the selected formation. Some things that willaffect their ability to stay in formation are obstacles,and reduced available power due to damage.Discipline (see below) will not affect formationadherence.

Formation Detail ControlThe Formation Detail Control is broken-up into fourdifferent areas. These areas allow you to controlvarious aspects of your formation. These areas arefrom left to right: the Offensive Options, Ships StatePanel, Formation Discipline control, and the WeaponsState Control.

Offensive OptionsYou may assign differenttasks to each member ofyour fleet through theOffensive Options controls.This control starts byshowing you the name of theship it controls, its hull integrity, and the optionscontrols. The different options or assignments are:destroy, capture, or defend target. Each ship mayhave a different assignment and may perform onlyone of the three tasks at one time. The final option isto tractor the target. Tractoring may beperformed in conjunction with any of the threemain assignments. The Offensive Options 141140

will appear in the box, indicating the ability to takecommand of that ship.

Fleet ParticipationYou can also release the ship from your commandsvia the Fleet Control panel. If you Left-click on thefleet participation toggle to the right of the ship’sname in the MFD, the ship will leave formation. It willbecome a free agent, plotting courses, pickingtargets, and firing as it sees fit. To have it rejoin theformation, simply Left-click on the participation toggleagain.

Fleet Control PanelThe Fleet Control Panel appears in the main tactical3d view, and is broken up into two logical parts. The

first part appears on the right of the screen andis the Formation Selection Control. The secondpart is the Formation Detail Control, and there isa Detail Control for each ship in your fleet.

Formation Selection ControlThe Formation Selection Control lets you choosewhich formation the ships in your fleet willadhere to. There are six different formations tochoose from, with as many variations as thereare ships in your fleet. The different formationsfrom top to bottom are: Line Abreast, LineAstern, Chevron, Inverted Chevron, Diagonal Leftand Diagonal Right. Once in a formation you

may Left-click on the chosenformation again to change theplacement of your ships within theformation.

Atten-Hut! Get information you no-good slime devils.

Destroy the enemy or bring‘em back alive. The choiceis yours.

The formation Detail Control will allow you to issue orders toships in your fleet

Formation Discipline ControlThe Formation Disciplinecontrol allows you todetermine how rigidly themembers of your fleet willfollow your orders. There arethree levels of disciplineavailable: Loose, Medium, and Tight. The forth buttonon this panel is the “Fire Now” button which will orderthe selected ship to fire all weapons available at itscurrent target.

In a Loose formation, target selection, and choosingwhen to fire is left up to the Captain directly in chargeof that ship.

In a Medium formation, the ship will target yourcurrent target but will fire at the time when the shipsCaptain believes it is in an optimal position.

In a Tight formation, the ship will target your currenttarget and will only fire its weapons when ordered byyou via the “Fire Now” button.

“Fire Now” orders that ship to fire all weapons thatare currently charged and are facing the target (inarc) to fire.

Weapons State ControlThe Weapons State controlallows you to have controlover the weapons settings ofthe individual ships in yourfleet. You may order thattheir weapons be set to offline, normal,overload, or even a special mode if one is

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control includes the hull integrity meter for that ship,so you can know the approximate health of each shipin your fleet at a glance.

Destroy tells the ships Captain to attack the currenttarget with the intention of destroying it.

Capture tells the ship’s Captain to use his weaponssystems to disable the current target so that it maybe captured. Once a ship is captured’ it will eitherjoin your fleet or try and disengage.

Defend Target will tell the Captain to try and defendthe chosen target from enemy attack.

Tractor target will order thatship’s Captain to try tograpple the current ship in atractor beam. Oncetractored, depending onwhether the target is friendor foe, you may either

attempt to drag it to safety, or pummel it with yourphasers.

The ship’s current target information will contain thename or class of the ship being targeted.

The hull integrity of its target is displayed to provideinstant access to its approximate condition.

The ship’s task is shown to tell you whether the shipis attempting to: destroy, capture or defendthe current target.

Monitor your fleet’sperformance from theState Panel.

When I say jump, you sayhow high! Now that’sdiscipline!

Control your fleet’sweapons here

POWERThis shows the total amount ofenergy being produced by yourship. Energy is produced bywarp engines, impulse engines,auxiliary power reactors (APR),and auxiliary warp reactors(AWR).

SYSTEMSThis is the total amount ofenergy your ship is currentlyusing. Primary uses of energyinclude maintaining speed of theship, and charging weapons.Other systems can also use energy.

MovementTo move requires energy. As your ship gets larger,more energy will be required to move it. Themovement bar shows the total amount of energybeing used just for movement.

WeaponsThis shows how much energy is being used toprepare and hold heavy weapons and phasers.

ShieldsThe amount of energy being used to raise andreinforce shields is shown here.

TractorsThe total amount of energy being allocated tothe tractor beam system is shown on this bar. 145144

available. The final button on the panel will attempt toput the ships in your fleet into ‘stealth’ mode.Offline orders that ship to set its heavy weaponsoffline.

Normal (default) sets heavy weapons to the normalmode for that particular weapon.

Overload sets all weapons to overload mode if thatmode is available.

In the special mode, the heavy weapons will be set totheir special modes. If no special mode exists for aparticular weapon, it will be set to overload if possible.The following list shows the special settings for allweapons:

Fusion Beams – Suicide OverloadPhoton Torpedoes – ProximityPlasma Torpedoes – EnvelopingPPD’s – Underload

The Final control will set the ship to ‘stealth’ mode.The ship will use maximum ECM, and if capable,engage their cloaking device.

Tactical Officer MFD - Energy ManagementThe Energy Management display shows the currentoutput of energy and which systems are drawing onthat energy.

Note: Energy in Starfleet Command can be producein one of three locations: warp engines,impulse engines, and auxiliary powerreactors.

The Energy Managementdisplay allows you todetermine how yourenergy is being ‘spent’ onships systems.

your Engineering officer will have to shut down somesystems, or reduce the amount of power going tothose systems. Once your ship produces moreenergy than it is using, the batteries will berecharged.

The battery toggle allows you to determine when todischarge your batteries. If the toggle is on, thenenergy will be released whenever the total output ofyour engines and APR are exceeded. When thebatteries are toggled off, they will recharge as energybecomes available, but will not discharge until toggledback on.

Running out of PowerIf you start to run out of power, and have exhaustedyour batteries, your Engineering officer will have nochoice but to start allocating the available power tothe most critical systems and starving others in orderto compensate.

Note: The fastest way to adjust power is to adjustthe speed of your ship. Slow down and morepower becomes available. Speed up and you usemore power.

You may reorder the priority of your ship’s systems.Simply click on the number toggle to the left of thesystem, until the priority you desire is set; the lowerthe number, the higher the priority. The defaultpriorities are:

1. Life Support 7. Heavy Weapons2. Fire Support 8. Sensors3. Cloaking Device 9. Transporters4. Shields 10. Tractor Beams5. Speed 11. Shield Reinforcement6. Phasers 12. Battery Recharging.

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SensorsThis bar displays the total energy being used forElectronic Warfare (ECM + ECCM).

Other SystemsThis shows how much energy is being used by allother systems on your starship. This includes lifesupport, fire control, deep scanning, andtransporters.

Excess EnergyIf you are not currently using more energy then youare producing, the left over energy is called ExcessEnergy. This display bar shows the total amount ofexcess energy being produced.

Note: A wise captain would say that having toomuch excess energy is just as dangerous in combatas not having enough.

Cloaking DeviceIf your ship has a Cloaking Device installed, this displaybar will show how much energy is being used to cloakthe ship. The cloaking icon is also a button that canbe used to toggle the Cloaking Device on and off.Cloaking Devices are explained on page 202.

BatteriesBatteries hold a small amount of energy and provide ashort period of time where you can use more powerthan you are actually producing. This bar shows thetotal amount of energy in your battery system. If you

use more energy than what is being produced,your ship will start drawing energy from thebatteries. When the batteries are drained,

Game Speed SliderUse the game speed slider to adjust the speed of thegame. Moving the slider to the right will increase thespeed at which the game plays. Moving the slider tothe left will slow down gameplay. The numeric valueshows the game speed. The higher the number, thefaster the game will play. The default speed is 7.

Note: Starfleet Command is based on Star FleetBattles (SFB), a turn-based board game. Thegame speed slider adjusts the length of the“turns” in SFB. The game speed can be set from1 (very slow) to 11 (too fast for combat).

If you are just starting out, try moving the gamespeed slider to 3. Adjust it up or down based onyour experience.

Overall Volume SliderIf you want to adjust the volume of the overall gamesounds, use this slider. All the way to the left is off,while to the right is full volume.

Music Volume SliderThis slider controls the sound volume of the music. Ifyou slide it all the way to the left, the music will beturned off.

Voice Volume SliderIf you find the in-game voices to be too loud or tooquiet, you can use this slider to adjust the volume.

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Tactical Officer MFD -PreferencesThere is no officer associatedwith the Preferences panel.Instead, the Preferences panelis the place to set gamesettings to your personal taste.

Grid ToggleThis button toggles the griddisplay on and off.

Quicktips ToggleClick this button to togglethe Quicktips help on andoff. If on, Quicktips willappear if you hold thecursor over a button fora short period of time.

Exit MissionIf you click on this button, the End Mission menu willbe displayed, then Left-click on your choice. If youdecide to stay in the game, press the ESC key again,or Left-click on cancel.

Camera ViewsYou can use this to toggle between the differentcamera views available in the 3D tactical view.

Text Speed SliderThis slider adjusts how fast the text is scrolledoff the screen. Adjust it to better match yourreading speed.

Personalize your gamingexperience here. AKA:You want onions withthat?

This is a sample Quicktip.

Shield IndicatorsAround your schematic, you will see six shieldindicators, one for each shield arc. These icons willshow if a shield is currently up, damaged, reinforced,or down.

There is a highlight that runs around the shieldindicator for your ship. This highlight shows thecurrent shield arc that is facing your target.

Weapon IconsDisplayed on top of the ship schematic are your ship’sweapon hardpoint icons. These icons show thecurrent status of the weapon hardpoints and are alsoused to select weapons.

The weapon icon is broken down into three parts:weapon type, weapon sub-type, and number ofweapons. Each icon represents a hardpoint. Eachhardpoint can contain up to four identical weaponswith the same firing arc.

The weapon type tells you if the weapon is a phaseror heavy weapon. If it’s a heavy weapon, the icon willalso tell you what type of heavy weapon it is.

The number of dots on the right of the iconrepresents the number of actual weapons at thathardpoint.

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Tactical Ship Schematic & System MFDThe status of your ship is displayed in this section ofthe interface bar. On the left of the display are thecontrol buttons to access the subsystems for Shields,Electronic Warfare (Sensors), Transporters, TractorBeams, and Shuttles.

The exact schematic displayed will depend on yourship and its current status.

System ButtonsOn the side of the schematic, you will see six buttons.These buttons allow you to control additional systemson your ship.

ShieldsElectronic Warfare (Sensors)TransportersTractorsShuttlesShuttle Conversion

Left-clicking one of these buttons will change theTactical System MFD to display that control panel.

From that control panel you can control thatsystem.

This is your ship. This is your ship after aplasma torpedo hit. Any questions?

From L-R: 4 phasers, 1 Disruptor, 1 Fusion Beam, 1 Hellbore Cannon,2 Missiles, 2 Photons, 1 Plasma Torpedo type R and 1 PPD

Selecting a weapon will also change the TacticalSystem MFD to the control panel for that weapontype.

Select All WeaponsThis button is used to select all weaponssimultaneously.

Disabled SystemsIf your ship takes damage, there is a chance thatsome systems will be temporarily disabled. If thishappens, a flashing yellow will appear on the affectedsystem’s icon. When the icon stops flashing, unless ithas turned black, it is restored to use. Disabledsystems will automatically repair themselves ifpossible. If not possible, then the system isdestroyed.

Destroyed SystemsIf a system’s icon turns black, it has been destroyed.You can repair some systems using the Repair OfficerMFD (see page 120). Destroyed systems cannot beused until repaired.

Tactical System MFD -ShieldsThis panel controls whichshields are raised, whichshields are reinforced,and how much energy isgoing into your shields forreinforcement.

Going to red or yellow alert will raise shields.Going to green alert will lower them.

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The weapon sub-type is used to specify the types ofphasers and plasma torpedoes. See those weaponsfor specific descriptions.

Firing ArcWeapons that can fire on the target ship are markedwith a highlight box around the weapon icon. If youwant to see the firing arcs for all weapons at thesame time, you can use the Firing Arc Toggle button.

Weapon Firing StatusIf at least one weapon atthat hardpoint is ready tofire, the icon will be adark color. If all weaponsare discharged, the colorwill be light. As theweapon is charging, youwill see the progression,from left to right, of thelight color changing tothe dark color.

Selecting WeaponsLeft-click on a weapon to select it. Shift + Left-click toadd or delete the weapon from the currently selectedgroup of weapons.

To make a group of weapons, select the grouping youwish by Shift + Left-clicking all the weapons you wishto include for that group. When you are done,release the shift key, then hold down the Ctrl key andpress 1, 2, 3, or 4 on the main part of the keyboard(not the ten keypad). Release the Ctrl key when

finished. Now if you wish to use your grouping,press the key (1-4) that you selected.

The highlighted button togglesthe firing arc display on theweapon icons.

The shield control panel on theTactical System MFD.

Reinforcement SliderThis adjusts the amount of reinforcement energydesired. After setting this level, you should use theREINFORCE button.

ReinforceThis reinforces the currently selected shield arcs withthe desired amount of reinforcement energy.

Reinforce AllThis reinforces all shield arcs with the desired amountof reinforcement energy.

Reinforcing More Than One ShieldYou may reinforce as many shields as you desire.However as you do, the reinforcement energybecomes diluted. When all shields are reinforced, foreach shield you get half the added protection youwould receive when reinforcing a single shield, but theprotection is provided in all directions.

Tactical System MFD -EW (Sensors)Your sensors can be usedto broadcast ElectronicCountermeasure (ECM)signals in an attempt todiminish the enemies’ability to fire accurately atyour ship, and you canuse the sensors to tryand break through enemyECM. This technique of trying to breakthrough the enemies ‘jamming’ is calledElectronic Counter-Countermeasures (ECCM).

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Note: Unless otherwise directed, it is a good ideato go to red alert when encountering hostile units.When encountering units of an unknown nature,yellow alert is the preferred mode.

The large display shows the six shield arcs. Left-clickon an individual shield arc to toggle selection. Left-click in the center area to select all shield arcs orconversely to un-select all of the shield arcs.

RaiseThis button raises the selected shield arcs. Shieldstake time to fully rise. If a shield arc is dropped andyou immediately try to raise it again, it will still taketime. Take this into account when you plan yourshield activities.

LowerThis button lowers the selected shield arcs. Youprobably won’t be using this button too often. Actionsthat require shields to be lowered (hit and run raids,transporter bombs, etc.) will do so automatically whenyou order that action, and they will be raised as soonas possible when the action is completed. If you areworking in a team, you may wish to lower a shield toallow an ally to beam over spare parts or any otherimportant item.

NormalThis disables all current shield reinforcements, andreturns the amount of energy used for the shields toits normal amount.

Not keeping an eye on thispanel can cause your PhotonTorpedoes to hit about as oftenas an American League pitcher.

Maximum Electronic WarfareYour sensors can only generate a total number ofECM and ECCM points equal to your ship’s currentsensor rating. This is usually six. If you attempt toset one form of EW above the maximum, yourScience officer will automatically adjust the other typeto counterbalance. To recap, generated ECM plusECCM from sensors cannot exceed your ship’s sensorrating (usually six or less).

Some terrain can add to your ECM. This terrainmodifier can be in addition to any generated EW.

Plasma Torpedoes have three points of ECCMautomatically.

ECM vs. ECCMEach point of ECCM reduces the target’s ECM by one.If ECM is reduced to zero, there is no effect ofElectronic Warfare.

However, if a positive ECM still exists, it will modify thedamage from all weapons. This is known as the NetECM Shift. The larger the Net ECM Shift, the betterprotected you are if you are being shot at.

Note: Exactly how is the Net ECM Shift calculated and how does it work?ECM - ECCM Net ECM Shift 1-3 1 4-6 2 9-15 3

To continue past 15, take the square root and drop all fractions.

The Net ECM Shift is a modifier that reduces both the To-Hit chance of aweapon and the amount of damage a weapon causes.

The Net shift for your ship to hit it’s current target is shown in the3-D display as the Attack Shift.

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This is collectively known as Electronic Warfare (EW),since the use of ECM and ECCM often determine theoutcome of the larger battle.

ECMThese signals attempt to jam the enemy’s targetingcomputers. If successful, your ship will gain a smallamount of protection from direct-fire and seekingweapons. You can set the desired ECM from 0 (noECM) to 6 (maximum ECM). The maximum ECM maybe reduced by damage to your sensors.

Target ECCMThis display shows how much energy the currenttarget is using on ECCM.

ECCMThis attempts to either overpower enemy ECMsignals, or spend more processing time decoding andfiltering the jamming information. In any case, ECCMreduces the effectiveness of the target’s ECM. Youcan set the desired ECCM from 0 (no ECCM) to 6(maximum ECCM). The maximum ECCM may bereduced by damage to your sensors.

Target ECMThis display shows how much energy the currenttarget is putting into their ECM.

Energy CostEach point of ECM or ECCM costs one point of energyto create. Your total electronic warfare energy cost

is equal to the total number of ECM and ECCMpoints you are generating.

its final destination.Transporters have threemajor functions inStarfleet Command: theycan transport marines,items, or transporterbombs. Transportershave a maximum range of5, or 50,000km.

MarinesTransporters can move marines/boarding partiesaround for hit & run raids and capturing enemy ships.See the Security Officer MFD on page 125 for moreinformation.

ItemsYou can move items around with a transporter. Thiscan range from a case of Romulan Ale or spare partsfor the damage control teams, to a vital diplomat orspy.There are two sections on the transporter panel foritems: Beam Out and Beam In. Beam Out is aninventory of what you are currently carrying thatwould be of any interest to transport off your ship.Beam In is what is available and of interest on thetarget unit, ready to transport to your ship.

To transport an item, click on the icon to highlight it.You can use Quicktips (see page 148) to get thename of the item in question. Click the ENGAGEbutton when your item is ready for transport. Eachtransporter action will send one unit of theitem and use one transporter.

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Cloaking DeviceIf your ship is equipped with a Cloaking Device, thisbutton will be available. It is a toggle that will turn theCloaking Device on and off. The button itself togglesbetween CLOAKED and DECLOAKED. CloakingDevices are explained on page 202.

Tactical System MFD - TransportersTransporters are devices that can move objects fromone point to another almost instantaneously, by

disassembling the object and converting it toenergy. This energy is transmitted on acarrier wave and the object is reassembled at

Tactical Tip: Electronic WarfareI cannot stress enough the importance of electronicwarfare in combat. EW can mean the differencebetween doing full and partial damage, and even betweenhitting and missing completely. Photon torpedoes anddisruptors, for example, are highly susceptible to ECM.If you are firing through even a 1-shift, you are far lesslikely to hit your target. Learning to control the EWsituation can therefore mean the difference betweenwinning and losing.

Sometimes you don’t have enough power to fullycounter an ECM or ECCM shift. In fact, it’s not alwaysdesirable to counter the enemy’s EW levels point-for-point. Take for example this situation: you’re facing anenemy ship which has four points of ECM, meaningthat four points of energy are being expended toproduce a 2-shift for you to fire through; bad odds foryour weapons. By spending only one point of energy onECCM you can drop that to a 1-shift. And by expendingone more point on ECM, you present the enemy withthe same 1-shift. The bottom line is that for 50% lesspower you have made the odds even.

A spare part is standing by tobe transported to placesunknown.

If you are transporting items or marines, the shieldson your target must be down. Bombs are nevertransported onto an enemy ship – just into space, andtherefore do not need a downed enemy shield.

Energy CostIt costs .2 points of energy to use each transporterfor any action. Remember that in marine activity,multiple transporters may be used at the same time.When using five transporters, it will cost you 1 pointof energy.

It also takes time to recharge the transporter coilsand grid. There is a one-turn delay betweentransporter actions. The only exception to this is theHit & Run teams – they may transport across andreturn immediately, since the transporter has acontinuous lock on the away team.

Tactical System MFD - TractorsTractor beams are useful pieces of equipment. Theycan be used to tractor other units, like enemystarships, incoming missiles, or shuttles.

Tractors use directed force beams to “grab” an objectand manipulate its movement.

Defensive TractorsThe primary purpose of defensive tractors is to stopincoming missiles and keep them from impacting onyour shields or hull. The tractors must be pre-allocated before they can to be used.

Defensive tractors are controlled on theDefensive Officer MFD panel, see page 133.

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Transporter Bombs (Mines)These are the same mines that can be dropped outthe back of your ship. Since they are small mines,they can be rigged for transportation. You may beamthem out into space, up to range 5.

Mines transported in this fashion are known astransporter bombs or t-bombs. They will explode,after a short delay, as soon as any unit enters theirdetection range. They will even explode for you.Ships moving very slowly may fail to be detected.

T-bombs do 10 points of damage to all units within arange of 2.

The only other difference between t-bombs andregular mines is that t-bombs require a shield to drop(due to the use of the transporter).

See page 130 for mine laying.

Note: When using the B hotkey to lay t-bombs,you can hold down SHIFT and lay multiple t-bombs. Each click of the mouse will transportone t-bomb as long as you hold down SHIFT, andhave available mines and transporters.

Shields and TransportersTransporters cannot transport through shields. Touse a transporter, one of the shield arcs must bedropped. This will happen automatically when youorder a transporter to perform an action. After the

transport is complete, the shield is brought upagain as soon as possible.

Power Level 1 2 3 4 5 Beam Strength 1 2 4 8 16

Once the beam strength is set, you need to determinehow to use it: HOLD or REPEL. You can only use onemode at a time.

HoldIf you want to grab another ship, use this mode. Itwill hold the target as soon as the beam strength baris filled and the target is within range.

RepelIf you want to protect yourself from being held by atractor beam, or break free of a tractor, use thismode. Repelling a tractor beam is easier thantractoring a unit. As long as your repel energymatches or exceeds the amount of hold energy, youcannot be held in a tractor beam.

EngageOnce you click this button, the main tractor beam willdraw energy equal to the desired beam strength, andthe beam strength bar will start to fill. Once thebeam strength bar has completely filled, a holdtractor will engage as soon as the targets range isless than 2.5.

You must have the sensors locked-on to a unit inorder to lock a tractor beam on to that unit. Click theENGAGE button again to disengage the tractor beamand release the target.

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General TractorsYou can also direct theuse of your main tractorsystem against ships andother units. This is mostoften used to “anchor” anopponent, to make surethat he cannot flee fromyou. It can also be usedto drag a wounded allyout of harm’s way.

TargetingThe tractor will target the unit that is the currenttarget when the ENGAGE button is pressed. The maintractor system can only target one unit at a time. Ifyou target a second unit, the first unit will no longerbe a valid target.

Beam StrengthThe beam strength is determined by how muchenergy is being diverted to the tractor system. Themore powerful the beam strength, the easier it is tograb a unit with the tractor or defend yourself frombeing tractored.

To determine the strength of the tractor beam, clickon the button that corresponds to the desiredstrength. The tractor beam system takes time tocharge and build the beam strength, and beamstrength must be determined before engaging thetarget. The tractor beam will not start to build

strength or draw energy until you click theENGAGE button.

You can use your tractorsystem to hold enemy orfriendly ships..

Tactical System MFD - ShuttlesThe shuttlecraft control panel is used to issue ordersto shuttles, pseudo-fighters and fighters. From here,you can set your orders and launch individual shuttlesor fighter groups.

Note: Fighters are specialized shuttlecraft outfitted withhigher performance impulse engines, improved fire-control, and targeting computers, not to mention theimproved weapon load-outs. Fighters are also designedfor higher stress tolerances.

It’s important to note that fighters operate in groups.The size of the group depends on the size of the carrier.Larger carriers can operate larger groups of fighters.You are limited to maximum of four fighter groups.Only one set of orders can be issued to a fighter groupat a time, and all fighters will follow the same orders.

Pseudo Fighters (PFs) are larger than fighters but aresmaller than frigates. PFs, unlike fighters, have shieldsand are able to arm their own heavy weapons, but theyare incapable of traveling at interstellar speeds and arecarried into the field of battle by Tenders.

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RotationOnce a target has been grabbed,you may revolve the target aroundyour ship. To begin rotation, Left-click on either the clockwise orcounterclockwise rotation button,this will begin to rotate thetractored ship around yours. Therate of rotation is 60 degrees per‘turn’. When the target is in thedesired position, Left-click on thestop button, which is located

between the two rotational direction buttons. Thiscan come in handy when wanting to smash youropponent into a convenient asteroid.

Effects of a TractorUntil the tractoring ship disengages the tractor beam,or the tractored unit can build enough repel beamstrength, the two units are linked. The movementvector (direction and speed) of each ship will affectthe other. The range between the two ships willremain constant.Ships can continue to turn on their own, bringing adifferent shield or weapon hardpoint to bear. Shipscan also adjust their speed up or down (within thelimits of their energy and available warp/impulsedrives).

If either ship is destroyed, or if the tractor beamsystem itself is destroyed, the tractor is released.

Tractor rotation canbe used to put yourenemy between arock and a hardplace.

Tactical Tip: Tractor TalkUsing a Repel beam isn’t the only way to defeat atractor beam. Conducting a successful Hit & Runraid focused on the enemy’s tractor will also dothe job. Similarly, if you are the one doing thetractoring, taking out the enemy’s tractorsystem will prevent him from breaking your Holdbeam with a Repel beam.

SuicideSuicide shuttles cannot be given orders. They willautomatically attack the current target.

Suicide shuttles are armed with powerful anti-matterbombs. They will explode on contact with the targetship. They do 25 points of damage.

ScatterpackScatterpack shuttles, or simply Scatterpacks, cannotbe given orders. They will automatically attack thecurrent target.

Scatterpacks are armed with six missiles. They areset to launch all missiles after a short period of time(as they calibrate their arming sensors and fire-control). This is one of the fastest ways of getting alarge number of missiles in the “air”.

The Shuttle PanelThere are four parts tothe shuttlecraft panel.

DockedThese are the individualshuttles or fighter groupsthat are still on board thecarrier. Left-click on ashuttle or group to highlight and select it. All futureorders are carried out by the selected unit(s).

ActiveThese are admin shuttles (shuttles underhuman control) or fighter groups that arecurrently in space. If you want to change the

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Types of shuttlesThere are five types of shuttlecraft: Administrative(Admin), Wild Weasel, Ground Assault, Suicide andScatterpack. All the different types of shuttles,except Admin, need to be made by converting themfrom Admin shuttles in the Shuttle Officer MFD, seepage 169.

Admin ShuttleThis is a manned shuttle. An admin shuttle is armedwith a single 360° arc ph-3. It can accept all targetoptions. They are primarily used for additional missiledefense or to distract your foe.

Wild WeaselWild Weasels cannot be given orders. They willautomatically start generating the powerful sensordecoy signals necessary to fool enemy targetingsystems.

Once launched, Wild Weasels will protect your shipfrom seeking weapons until the WW is destroyed, oruntil the protection is voided, by either moving theship too fast, or firing your weapons. Wild Weaselsalso provide protection against direct fire weapons,like phasers and disruptors.

Ground AssaultThese are shuttles filled with Marines. They will travelto the current target and then attach itself to thattarget. Once attached to the target, the Marines willbreak into the target ship and begin a capturing

action.

The Shuttlecraft Control panel.

ReturnTells the active shuttle or fighter group to return tothe carrier and dock as soon as possible. Forexample, you can use this to rearm assault fighters.It will be necessary to have your shuttles return totheir carrier after they have exhausted their weaponsto reload so they can attack again.

LaunchOnce the shuttle has been selected, and an ordergiven if necessary, click the LAUNCH button to launchthe selected shuttle or fighter group into the vacuumof space.

Tactical System MFD –Shuttles ConversionThe Shuttle Conversion displaywill allow you to convert yourship’s administrative shuttlesinto one of four types ofshuttles: Suicide, Wild Weasel,Scatterpack, and GroundAttack. When conversionbegins, the shuttle will movefrom the docked portion of theshuttle panel to the conversionpanel where you can watch itsconversion progress.

Note: The shuttle conversion panel appears in theupper portion of the screen along with the officerpanels.

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current orders of an active unit, Left-click on it toselect and highlight the unit(s).

Target OptionsLeft-click on one of these options to set the orders forthe selected units:

AttackThis orders the shuttle or the fighter group to attackthe target. They will close and attempt to domaximum damage to the enemy.

HarassThis tells the shuttle or fighter group to stand off andfire weapons from a distance. This improvesprotection for the fighter group but decreases theamount of damage dealt to the enemy ship.

DefendThe shuttle or fighter group will fly to the currenttarget and defend it. If enemy units approach tooclosely, the defending unit(s) will break off and attack.If the enemy units flee, the defenders will follow forjust a short period of time and then return to theircharge.

Defend MeIf you want your shuttlecraft or fighters to defendtheir carrier, select this option. It is the same asDefend, but with the defended target being thecarrier.

Get more bang for yourbuck by converting yourshuttles here.

there are multiple weapons of that type at thathardpoint, there will be multiple charging status bars.All weapons at that hardpoint share the same firingarc, which is pointing in the direction shown by yourship’s schematic. The right side of the firing arccircle is the front (or bow) of your ship. The lightcolor of the icon shows the valid firing arc for theweapon. The darker color means that weapon cannotfire in that arc.

You can use this panel to change the settings for theselected hardpoint. Only that hardpoint will beaffected. All other weapons of that type will keeptheir current settings.

See the individual weapon’s section for details on eachof the weapon types.

If you select multipleweapons, you will see thispanel.

This panel shows thecommon firing arc for allweapon hardpoints thatare selected. It has threebuttons: OFFLINE,NORMAL and OVERLOADED. Clicking one of thesebuttons will change all selected weapon hardpoints tothat setting. Weapons that do not have anoverloaded setting (phasers) will be set to normal ifyou click on the OVERLOADED button.

The charging bar for a group of weaponsshows the charging status of the weapon that

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To convert a shuttle, you must have an availableadministrative shuttle and the necessary parts toconvert to the particular type of shuttle you want.Left-click on the icon of the shuttle you wish to make.If you have an available administrative shuttle and therequired parts to make the desired shuttle type,conversion will begin.

1. Suicide shuttles require one mine and two turns toconvert.2. Wild Weasels require one point of energy for twoturns to convert.3. Scatter Packs require the ship to be equipped withspare missiles to be used in the scatter pack, andtwo turns to convert.4. Ground Assault Shuttles (GAS) require two marineunits and two turns to convert.

Once converted, the shuttle will move back to theshuttle panel’s docked section. Once there, it canthen be launched at your discretion.

Tactical System MFD -WeaponsIf you select one weapon,the tactical system MFDpanel will switch to thecontrol panel for thatweapon.

Shown is a typical weaponpanel. They have buttons

for controlling theweapon’s settings, and they show the weapon’sname, charging status, and firing arcs. If

weapons their ships have, and how they are bestutilized.

Weapons have different modes that they can beplaced in. All weapons have an offline and a normalmode. Some weapons have additional modes (likeoverload). Modes are set on the system MFD whenyou select a weapon.

Offline ModeThis turns the weapon hardpoint off, and energy willno longer be supplied to this weapon. All energycurrently in the weapon is lost and the weapon cannotfire. It can still be damaged or destroyed by enemyfire.

Normal ModeThis is the standard firing mode of a weapon. It usesthe normal amount of energy to arm, and does thenormal amount of damage. As long as the weapon isin this mode, it will begin charging as soon as it isfired. See the specific weapon notes for moredetailed information.

PhasersPhasers are probably themost useful of theweapon systems, and arealso the most applicablefor defensive purposes.There are multiple typesof phasers, ranging from offensive, to defensive, tolarge starbase sized phasers.

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will be available in the shortest amount of time. Inother words, if even only one weapon is charged andready to fire, the charging bar will show full.

Weapon SystemsStarships are equipped with a variety of weaponsystems for both offensive and defensive purposes.Most of these weapons fall into one of two types:direct-fire weapons and seeking weapons.

Direct-Fire WeaponsWeapons of this type either hit or miss their targetsinstantaneously when fired. Direct Fire Weapons inSFC are Disruptors, Fusion Beams, Hellbore Cannons,Photon Torpedoes, and the Plasmatic Pulsar Device.

Seeking-WeaponsSeeking weapons travel at speeds close to, andsometimes less than, the Starships in the game.Seeking weapons must seek or travel to the targetbefore detonating. Seeking Weapons may bedegraded or even destroyed before they reach theirtarget. Examples of Seeking Weapons are Missilesand Plasma Torpedoes.

Most weapons take time and energy to prepare foruse. When a time to arm a weapon is specified, thisis the minimum time. This assumes that enoughenergy is available to charge the weapon at itsmaximum rate. If less energy is available, thecharging time will be longer.

Each of the races specializes in their weaponsystems. Their tactics are defined by what

Phaser, Type-3 (ph-3)This is a smaller defensive phaser. It is primarily usedfor missile defense or against smaller targets, likeshuttles and fighters. It only takes 1/2 a point ofenergy to fire a ph-3.

Phaser, Type-4 (ph-4)This is a large phaser that can only be mounted onlarger units, such as bases or planets. The requireduse of positional stabilizers for fire control means thisphaser can never be used on a starship. Ittakes 2 points of energy to fire a ph-4.

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Each phaser must wait one turn to cool down afterfiring before it can fire again, with the notableexception of the ph-G. In order to fire a phaser afterit has cooled, there must be enough energy in thecapacitor to fire it.Phaser, Type-1 (ph-1)This is a high-quality offensive phaser. Of all the ship-based phasers, it is capable of doing the mostdamage. It takes one point of energy to fire a ph-1.

Phaser, Type-2 (ph-2)This is the same basic phaser as a ph-1, but it lacksthe sophisticated targeting systems required for themost efficient use. It also takes a single point ofenergy to fire a ph-2.

113. Phasers cannot be overloaded.

Anti Missile Defense(AMD)Anti Missile Defense(AMD) is a defensiveweapons system carriedprimarily by the Klingonsand Mirak. It iscomposed of short-rangehyper-velocity kineticenergy weapons thatshred their target whenthey hit. AMD can only be used against unshieldedtargets, namely Missiles, Shuttles and Fighters.

AMD comes in special racks that can hold either sixor twelve weapons each. Each rack has twocomplete sets of reloads. AMD racks are specializedand cannot be used to hold or fire other missiles.

AMD fires automatically at incoming hostile. Eachrack can fire 32 times per turn until exhausted.When the AMD hits a missile, the missile isdestroyed. If used against a fighter, the AMD will do1-6 points of damage to the fighter. When not in usethe rack will reload. To reload one weapon or theentire rack takes one complete turn.

Damage to scanners will reduce the chance of theAMD hitting its target. If the firing ship is performingErratic Maneuvers the chance of the AMD hitting isalso reduced.

Type G Missile Racks carried primarily by the 177176

Phaser, Type-G (ph-G)The Hydrans were the first to develop the dreadedGatling phaser. It is functionally equivalent to fourtype-3 defensive phasers; It can fire up to four timesduring the same time period as a single ph-3, withindividual shots calculating damage and range as if itwere a ph-3. It takes 1 point of energy to fire a ph-Gfour times.

Most ships and units are equipped with some sort ofphaser. The phaser’s ability to target missiles,plasma torpedoes, ships, and shuttles, along withtheir high energy to damage ratio, makes them one ofthe best and most versatile weapons available.

Unlike other weapons, phasers can only be damagedon your ship if the attack comes from the direction ofthe arc in which the phaser can fire.

Phaser CapacitorAll phasers on a ship draw their energy from acommon phaser capacitor. The amount of energy thephaser capacitor can hold is equal to the cost of firingall phasers on your ship once. When a phaser is

fired, the energy to fire it will come from thecapacitor at the moment of firing. You can setthe recharge rate of the capacitor, see page

The AMD can help save yourskin when fighting the Mirak

NormalEach Disruptor costs 2 points of energy and one turnto arm. It costs 2 points of energy per turn to hold anormal Disruptor until it is fired. A Disruptor has atleast a 50% chance to hit all the way out to range30.

OverloadedBy increasing the amount of energy used to arm theDisruptor, it is possible to increase the damagepotential. An Overloaded Disruptor costs 4 points ofenergy for one turn to arm, and 4 points of energy tohold. Overloading doubles the amount of damage, butthey can only be fired at range 8 or less.

Warning: Overloaded Disruptors cause feedback damage if fired

at range 0 179178

Federation come equipped with supplemental AMDracks to provide protection against incoming missiles.

Disruptor BeamsDisruptors are theprimary heavy weapons ofthe Klingon and Lyranempires. Disruptorsinflict damage bycompressing andcontracting the targetsatoms approximately 100times a second. In general, they do half as muchdamage as a Photon, but they can be fired twice asoften.

Since a large part of the Disruptor effect requires astable firing platform, smaller ships have Disruptorswith a shorter range than the Disrupters on largerships.

Disruptors have two firing modes: normal andoverloaded.

The chance to hit, and the amount of damagedone by a disruptor, is based on the range tothe target.

CoolingAfter the fusion beam is fired, it requires one turn tocool before it can be charged to fire again.

Firing ModesFusion Beams can be fired in any one of threedifferent modes: normal, overload, and suicideoverload.

NormalFusion beams fired in this mode have a maximum rangeof 24. It costs 2 points of energy for one turn to armeach fusion cannon.

OverloadThis increases the amount of energy used to create thefusion beam. This increases the damage potential, butreduces the range to 8. It costs 4 points of energy tocreate. Damage is increased 50% over the normalfiring mode.

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Switching ModesIt is possible to switch Disruptor modes betweennormal and overloaded. Switching from normal tooverloaded will cause all energy in the disruptor to beapplied towards the overload energy requirement, andthe extra energy in the overloaded Disruptor will belost when switching to a normal Disruptor.

Note: The Disruptor is so successful in partbecause of two Klingon technologies: UIM andDERFACS. The Ubitron Interface Modules improveDisruptor fire at medium range and when firingoverloads. The Disruptor Extended-Range FireAttenuation Control System improves medium tolong range fire. Both of these systems werecreated by the Klingons, and quickly copied by theLyrans, Mirak and the Orion Pirates.

It was once thought that UIM modules could burnout with use, but it was later discovered that thiswas either a Federation misunderstanding or justpropaganda.

Fusion BeamsOne of the two heavyweapons used by theHydran navy, fusionbeams are short-rangeweapons capable of avery powerful burst ofenergy. Its power is derived from a stream of excitedtritium and deuterium nuclei that are projected to thetarget. The nuclei fuse and become helium nuclei,

releasing tremendous energy at the moment ofcontact.

Hellbore CannonsThis is the other heavyweapon that is commonlyused on Hydran warships.A Hellbore cannon fires ahigh-velocity fusion bombthat utilizes a specialmagnetic field. Thismagnetic field causes the fusion explosion to wraparound the entire ship and implode. Due to thenature of shields, most of the damage done byHellbores will be incurred by the weakest shield.

Firing ModesHellbores can be fired in one of two modes: normaland overload.

NormalNormal Hellbores cost 3 points of energy for 2 turnsto arm, and cost 3 points of energy to hold until fired.The maximum range of a Hellbore is 40, but thechance to hit is no greater than 50% past range 15.The maximum amount of damage done by Hellbores is20, divided across six shields, but this is also reducedby range. The greatest percentage of damage will bedone to the weakest shield[s] on the target. Theremainder of the damage is spread across the othershields.

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Suicide OverloadThis costs 7 points of energy to charge and, like theoverload, only has a range of 8. It will substantiallyincrease the amount of damage done to the target,but the fusion beam is destroyed in the process offiring. A small amount of additional damage is alsodone to the firing vessel. Damage inflicted by asuicide overload far more than doubles the damagecapacity of a normal fusion beam.

Reduced Effects of ECMHellbore cannons are not as susceptible to the effectsof ECM as compared to other direct fire weapons.

Photon TorpedoesPhoton Torpedoes are themain heavy weapons ofthe Federation.

Photon Torpedoes do afixed amount of damage,but have a chance to hit or miss that is based onrange. The closer your ship is to the target, thecloser your photon torpedo launch tubes are. This isa good thing; a very good thing for your photonsability to hit their target, and a bad thing for anyonethat lets you get that close.Photons can be used in three different modes:normal, overload, and proximity.-*

NormalThis is the standard photon. It has a max range of30, but the chances of it actually hitting drop off quitedramatically after range 8. It takes 2 points ofenergy for two turns to charge, and 1 point of energyto hold. This cost is per tube. A photon hardpointwith two weapons, and a game speed slider of 30seconds per turn, would require 4 points of energyfor one whole minute to charge. After that, theywould be held at a cost of 2 points of energy per turnuntil fired. These photons do 8 points of damagewhen they hit.

Warning: Normal photons fired at a range of less than 2 willcause minor feedback damage. Feedback damage strikes the

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OverloadOverloading a Hellbore increases damage dealt, butreduces its effective range. It also increases theenergy cost to 6. Overloaded Hellbores can be firedat a range of less than 1, but this will cause someminor feedback damage to the firing ship.

ESG InteractionHellbores and ESG interact in a bizarre manner. AnyHellbore that crosses the path of an ESG, even iftargeting another ship, will immediately damage theESG field. Excess damage will strike the shipgenerating the ESG.

at a range of 8 or closer. Proximity photons have thesame time and energy requirements to arm as anormal photon.

Switching ModesYou can switch the mode of a photon until it is fired.You can switch between normal and proximity withouta problem.

Switching between overload and the others is handleda little differently. If you are switching to overload, itwill take what energy is available in the photon andapply it to the overload. You lose excess energy whenswitching from overloaded to normal.

ECMPhoton torpedoes are extremely vulnerable toElectronic Counter Measures. If you want to increaseyour photon’s chance to hit, use ECCM to ensure youhave an attack shift of 0.

Plasmatic Pulsar Devices (PPDs)The Plasmatic Pulsar Device (PPD) is the primaryheavy weapon used on large ISC ships. The PPD firesa series of intensely focused plasma energy pulsesthat travel to the intended target via a carrier wave.These pulses arrive over the course of severalseconds, effectively hitting the target up tofour times with one blast.

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OverloadBy stuffing additional energy into the photon, it ispossible to overload it. This will make the photonunstable, which dramatically lowers its maximumrange to 8. It takes 4 points of energy for two turnsto charge an overloaded photon. Overloaded photonscan be held at a cost of 2 points of energy per turnper tube. Each overloaded photon does 16 points ofdamage.

Warning: Overloaded photons cause feedback damage if fired at range 0

or 1. This feedback damage will damage the shield facing your target.

ProximityBy setting the photon to explode by proximitywarhead, the chance of doing damage at longerranges can be increased. Instead of striking thetarget and exploding, the proximity-fused photons willexplode a short distance from its target. Damage is

reduced to 4 points per torpedo. Since thefuse doesn’t arm until the torpedo has traveledsome distance, these weapons cannot be used

ECM shift over the firing ship, the lock is lost and thefiring ship must attempt to regain lock.

NormalA PPD fired in normal mode has a maximum range of40 and minimum range of 4. It takes 4 points ofenergy for two turns to charge, and 2 points ofenergy to hold per PPD. A normal PPD pulses fourtimes and is most effective out to range 20. Thedamage shown in the combat chart is per pulse thathits.

PPD Combat Chart (damage is per pulse)

OverloadedAn overloaded PPD has a maximum range of 8 andretains the minimum range of 4. It takes four pointsof energy on one turn and 8 points on the second tocharge an Overloaded PPD. The damage done by anOverloaded PPD is no different per pulse than anormal PPD. However, the Overloaded PPD fires twoadditional pulses, for a total of six pulses.

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The PPD is a long-rangedweapon that cannot befired at a range of lessthan 4. It fires a series ofpulses one after another.Once one of the pulses hit,the carrier beam is lockedon and under normal

conditions, the rest of the pulses for that firing will hitas well.

When a PPD hits a ship, its damage splashes overseveral shields. When looking at the PPD combatchart, the damage done to the facing shield is thecenter of the three numbers in the splash row. Theshields to the left and right take the damage asindicated to the left and right of center on the splashrow. If the PPD hits on the corner between the twoshields, the damage is distributed to each asindicated on the Alt row.

Once a PPD hits, it will become locked on the targetand will continue to hit until all the pulses aredischarged. If the range to the target decreases toless than 4.0 the weapon will maintain a lock, but allsubsequent pulses will be lost unless the range to thetarget increases to 4.0 or greater again.

The exceptions to the maintaining of lock are if thetarget completely cloaks, gains an ECM shift, orpasses behind a planet or other large celestial object.If the target is completely cloaked, the lock on it is

lost, and each of the remaining pulses mustattempt to hit individually; the hit is no longerautomatic. If the target achieves a positive

Missile SpeedsMissiles were originally developed with small warpengines. As time progressed, these engines weremade more and more powerful, and missiles becamefaster. Faster missiles are more expensive, but morelikely to catch their target.

Slow: Speed 12.Medium: Speed 22.Fast: Speed 34.

In all games, the game era will determine what speedmissiles are available.

Energy Cost & ReloadingMissiles require no energy to fire or reload. It takes1/2 to 2 turns to cycle the reloading mechanism andprepare a rack to fire again.

Missile RacksMissiles are carried in racks. Each of these rackshas different characteristics pertaining to the basenumber of missiles that can be carried and the rateat which missiles can be fired.

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UnderloadedAn underloaded PPD has the same range limitationsas a Normal PPD. The underloaded PPD take 2points of energy for two turns, and requires 2 pointsof energy to hold. The underloaded PPD will onlypulse two times.

MissilesMissiles are used asprimary weapons by theMirak and as secondaryweapons on Klingon andFederation ships.Missiles, unless used inlarge numbers that canoverwhelm defenses, are primarily used to drawphasers to itself that would otherwise be aiming foryour ship.

Missile TypesThere are two basic types of missiles used by thegalactic powers: the Type-I and the Type-IV warhead.Both types of missiles carry enough fuel for a flighttime of three turns.

Type-IThis is the smallest offensive missile. It takes 4points of damage to destroy a Type-I missile. If it hits,it will cause 12 points of damage.

Type-IVThis is a larger missile. It takes 6 points of damage

to destroy and does 24 points of damage onimpact.

Most ships can only control a number of missilesequal to their missile control rating. For most shipsthis value is equal to their sensor rating, usually six.If six missiles are in flight and a seventh missile islaunched, then one of the first six missiles will self-destruct.

Some ships have the ability to control more missilesand some control fewer. The missile control rating isavailable to you when you ‘purchase’ a ship in the shipvariant screen.

Missiles launched from a scatterpack shuttle (seepage 167) count against the total number of missilescontrollable at any one time.

Plasma TorpedoesPlasma Torpedoes areballs of plasma (matter onthe verge of becomingenergy). They are theheaviest of the heavyweapons in the game.They are the primaryweapons of the Romulans and the Gorns.

The damage of a plasma torpedo is based on the sizeof the torpedo and the distance traveled after launch.Plasma torpedoes do a large amount of damage overshort distances. The farther they travel, the lessdamage they do.

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Fire One/Fire AllMissiles can be set to fire one at a time with eachclick of the FIRE button. To fire all readied missiles,click the FIRE ONE button and it will toggle to the FIREALL button. In this mode, all missiles will be firedwith a click of the FIRE button.

Guidance & ControlMissiles are guided to their target by launching ships;computers onboard the missiles are too small toavoid being “spoofed” by enemy counter-electronics.The high-speed warp engines used by missiles also

interfere with their ability to track their owntargets.

Tactical Tip: Missile SpreadsIt’s easier for a single mine or transporter bomb todestroy missiles if they are grouped closely together.Setting your missile racks to “FIRE ONE” whilespreading out the pattern a bit can help prevent thisfrom happening.

attacking smaller units. For example, a single plasmatorpedo is usually overkill for a shuttle. Fortunately(well, not for the shuttle), a single large plasmatorpedo can be divided into several smaller Type-Ftorpedoes. Each Type-F torpedo must have a differentvalid target. At least one torpedo will be fired at yourcurrent target. The remaining torpedoes will picklegal targets within the firing arc of the launcher, oneshotgun torpedo per target. Excess torpedoes arelost.

Torpedo TypesThere are four types of plasma torpedoes: Type-R,Type-S, Type-G, and Type-F. A launcher can onlycreate certain size torpedoes. The maximum size ofthe launcher is shown in the ship schematic. Alauncher can create torpedoes of the size displayed,or smaller. Click on the TORPEDO TYPE button on theplasma torpedo panel to set the size.

Type-RThe largest plasma torpedo known, the Type-R wasdeveloped by Romulans and is more common in theRomulan navy than the Gorn navy. It can inflict up to50 points of damage within a range of 10, and has amaximum range of 30. The torpedo preparationchamber and launching mechanism are so large thatit can only be mounted on a handful of hulls. Anysmall hull ship that has a Type-R, is literally builtaround this massive weapon.

A Type-R torpedo costs 9 energy points over threeturns for a normal charge, and costs 5 to holduntil fired. An EPT or shotgun can be chargedfor a total of 14, and costs 4 to hold. It can

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ChargingAll plasma torpedoes require a substantial amount oftime and energy to charge. The larger the torpedo,the more energy it requires. Torpedoes take threeturns to fully charge. The only exception is if youcharge a Type-F torpedo in a Type-R, S or G launcher,which takes only two turns.

Torpedoes cannot be overloaded, but they are capableof using some special firing modes.

Feedback DamageWhen a plasma torpedo is fired at a range of zero itwill do damage to the firing ship. This damage isequal to 1/4 of the torpedoes warhead strength.

Firing ModesPlasma can be fired in three different modes: normal,enveloping, and shotgun. The Type-F torpedo can onlybe fired in normal mode.

NormalThis is the standard plasma torpedo.

EnvelopingAdditional energy is applied to the torpedo in order toincrease the size of the torpedo, and to the changethe field that holds the torpedo together. Themagnetic field is modified to envelop the target onimpact and cause damage to all shield arcs. Theamount of damage caused is twice the normaldamage, but it is spread across all six shields.

ShotgunThe plasma torpedo has a problem when

A Type-S torpedo costs 7 energy points over threeturns to arm, and 1 point of energy to hold. A Type-SEPT/Shotgun costs 10 to arm and 3 to hold. InShotgun mode, a single Type-S creates two Type-Ftorpedoes.

Type-FThis is the smallest of the plasma torpedoes available.It is carried by the smallest ships, or as additionalheavy weapons on larger ships to back up a largertube.

The Type-F torpedo costs 5 point of energy to arm. Ifcharged in a true Type-F launcher, plasma torpedoescost no energy to hold. If charged in Type-R, S, or Glaunchers, they only take two turns to charge andcost 1 point of energy to hold. Type-F torpedoescannot be fired in either enveloping or shotgunmodes.

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create five Type-F torpedoes when fired in Shotgunmode.

Type-SAn improved version of the Type-G torpedo, the Type-Sis the standard medium plasma torpedo for mostships in the middle and late eras.

A Type-S torpedo costs 8 energy points over threeturns to arm, and 2 points if energy to hold. A Type-SEPT/Shotgun costs 12 to arm and 4 to hold. InShotgun mode, a single Type-S creates three Type-Ftorpedoes.

Type-GThis is the original Gorn plasma torpedo. Due to theadvent of the Type-S torpedo, few ships will carry theType-G. During the early era, it is commonly found on

Gorn ships.

Type I torpedoes can only be used against fightersand pseudo-fighters with one exception; once a turn asingle type I per hardpoint may be fired at a starshiptarget.

Pseudo Plasma Torpedoes (PPTs)The long delay between the firing times of PlasmaTorpedoes means that they are difficult weapons touse effectively in combat. The Pseudo PlasmaTorpedo (PPT) is designed to help alleviate oneproblem: your opponents ability to determine whenyou are recharging your plasmas and vulnerable toattack.

In each plasma torpedo control panel there is abutton marked PSEUDO. Clicking this button willlaunch one PPT at your current target. The chargingbar next to the Pseudo button shows when the nextpseudo torpedo will be ready. PPTs take no energy toprepare but there is a long period of time before theycan be used again.

A PPT is merely a shell of a plasma torpedo designedto look like a real torpedo when scanned, but do nodamage on impact.

Plasma DefensesPlasma Torpedoes can be weakened, and evendestroyed by phaser fire. Every 2 points of phaserdamage done to a plasma torpedo reduces theplasma damage by 1. Certain types of terrain canalso weaken plasma Torpedoes. See page 205.

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Type-IType-I torpedoes are rearmounted defensive Type-Ftorpedoes used by the ISC.Designed as an anti fighterweapon, they were used inlimited numbers in themiddle area. With thedevelopment of Pseudo-Fighters by the Romulans

and the Gorn in the late era, the ISC equipped moreof their ships with these torpedoes to help control thePF menace.

In Defensive mode, Type I torpedoes will automaticallyfire at fighters and pseudo-fighters with one exception;once a turn, a single type I per hardpoint may be firedat a starship target. In this mode, one torpedo willnot be fired against fighters/pseudo-fighters, but willbe kept in reserve to fire against large ships.

Type I torpedoes come up in Defensive mode whenyou go to red alert, but have several additional modesavailable.

Offline takes the weapon out of service; it draws nopower and cannot fire.

Main acts as if the weapon is a single plasma Type-F.

Full Defense uses all torpedoes for fire againstfighters/pseudo-fighters and will not fire on largeships.

You have some limitedcontrol over the defensiveplasma I torpedo.

the field, and cannot be changed once activation hasoccurred. Prior to activation, only the player wieldingthe ESG will know the eventual size of the sphere.

ActivationClick the FIRE button to activate the ESG. The fieldtakes a small amount of time to completely activate.The field is visible as it takes shape. Once the field iscomplete, it will damage any unit that contacts thesphere. The amount of damage the sphere iscapable of causing is based on the radius of thesphere, and the amount of energy in the capacitor. 5units of energy is the maximum amount used by theESG. This energy comes from the ESG capacitor.

DamageThe total amount of damage the ESG field can projectis based on the amount of energy used and the radiusof the field. Cross-reference the radius of the fieldwith the amount of energy used (usually 5 points) onthe following table to determine the damage done:

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Destroyed Plasma LaunchersIf a plasma launcher with a completed plasma torpedoinside is destroyed, the torpedo will remain stable fora brief period of time, during which, it can be fired.After this short delay if the torpedo is not launched, itdegenerates and is lost.

Expanding Sphere GeneratorThe Expanding Sphere Generator (ESG) is used by theLyran Star Empire as an offensive as well as adefensive weapon. It creates a field of energy aroundthe generating ship. This field can be used to protectagainst missiles, destroy smaller units like shuttlesand fighters, and it can even be used to “ram” anenemy ship. It is not considered either a direct-fire ora seeking weapon.

ESG CapacitorAll ships equipped withESGs are also equippedwith an ESG capacitor.This capacitor, verysimilar to the phasercapacitor, is used to holdenergy for all the ESGs onthe ship. The maximum sized capacitors can hold 7points of energy for each ESG on the ship. You canset the maximum amount of energy you want thecapacitor to hold by moving the slider.

RadiusThe radius of the ESG can be set on the ESG panel.

This determines the size of the sphere. Thelarger the sphere, the less powerful the fieldis. The radius must be set prior to activating

CloakedThe ship is nearly invisible, making it very difficult tosee. All weapon’s fire at the cloaked ship suffers apenalty in terms of both to-hit chance and damage.The closer the firing ship, the more likely damage willoccur.

When a ship is properly cloaked, and the cloakingdevice fully engaged, weapon systems will be unableto lock-on to it. This will prevent the firing of missilesor plasma torpedoes at the cloaked vessel.

The cloaked ship cannot use fire control and cannotfire any weapons. It also cannot use transporters ortractor beams. It can, however, drop mines out ofthe shuttle bay hatches (very useful). The cloakedship can launch Wild Weasel shuttles, but not othertypes of shuttlecraft. A ship cannot use ErraticManeuvering and a Cloaking Device at the same time.

Cloaking works against both direct-fire and seekingweapons.

UncloakingThis is a dangerous time for the cloaking ship. Itcannot use its weapons and slowly loses the benefitsof the Cloaking Device. When completely uncloaked,the fire control will automatically come back up andthe ship may once again fire weapons and use all ofits systems.

CloakingAs soon as the Cloaking Device is activated,the ship loses fire control and cannot fireweapons. The tractor and transporter

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Hellbore InteractionESG fields and Hellbores interact in peculiar manner.Any Hellbore that crosses the path of an ESG, even ifit is targeted at another ship, will strike the ESG fieldand damage it. If the ESG is completely drained, anyexcess damage will strike the ship generating theESG.

Cloaking DeviceMost Romulan ships (and some Orion and Klingonships) are equipped with a Cloaking Device, whichmakes the ship practically invisible. However, whilethe ship itself cannot be seen, the effect of itscloaking field can be seen by the distortion of lightfrom the background of stars, and will give at least ageneral idea of where the ship is. This invisibilitycomes at a price: the ship cannot fire weapons whilecloaked, or while in the process of cloaking oruncloaking. While uncloaking, the ship is extremelyvulnerable.

OperationIf a ship is equipped with a Cloaking Device, it can beactivated in one of three places on the interface:Weapons Officer MFD, Energy Management OfficerMFD, or the Sensors System MFD.

The ship can either be uncloaked (not using theCloaking Device), cloaked (invisible) or in the processof cloaking or uncloaking.

TerrainSpace is vast. The majority of space is just that –open space. However, combat in Starfleet Commandusually revolves around something of importance.This is usually in an area of space that is notcompletely void of matter. This matter is referred toas terrain.

AsteroidsProbably the most common of all space terrain,asteroids have three simple rules:1. If you run into them you will die.2. They are often surrounded by smaller particles,these are known as Dust Clouds. See below.3. They block line of sight. If a ship moves behind anasteroid, you will lose tracking and will not be able tofire at it. Asteroids block weapons fire. It isimpossible to destroy an asteroid.

PlanetsPlanets are large. Like asteroids, they also have fairlysimple rules:1. If you run into them you will die. 2. Planets also block line of sight, just like asteroids,except planets are bigger and they have more lines toblock. Planets also block weapons fire. You maytarget and fire on planets, though this is consideredto be ‘bad form’ if it is a friendly planet, but forenemies, war is war.3. Inhabited planets may have defenses. It is notuncommon to see defensive weapon batteries on theplanetary surface and/or defensive satellites in orbit.Some planets are even orbited by bases.

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systems cannot be used. The cloaking ship does notimmediately get the full effect of the cloak until a fewmoments have passed.

Energy CostThe energy cost to maintain a cloaking field issubstantial. The exact amount of energy depends onthe type of ship. Some ships are easier to cloak thanothers, and will use less energy to cloak. The amountof energy required to cloak is displayed on theSPECIFICATIONS screen in the Vessel Library.

Cloaking WeaknessesCloaked ships are vulnerable to explosions (t-bombs,mines, and other exploding ships). These explosionscan “flash” the cloaked ship and make it temporarilyvisible on enemy scanners.

The Lyran ESG is very effective against the CloakingDevice. Since the ESG applies damage to an area ofspace, it doesn’t matter if a ship is cloaked or not.The cloaked ship will take damage from the ESG fieldand will become temporarily exposed to enemy firecontrol lock-ons.

Normally, ships cannot tractor a cloaked ship, sincethat requires very sensitive control. If a cloaked shipis exposed by an explosion, an ESG, or by moving tooquickly, it may be tractored.

7. These systems are disabled:a. Tractor Beamsb. Transportersc. Cloaking Devicesd. ESGse. Minesf. Probes

8. Normal tactical intelligence range is reducedto 50% of normal.

9. The effect of Deep Scan is halved.

Dust CloudsEven if space is open, it is not truly empty; there mayonly be one particle of matter for every cubic meter ofspace. A dust cloud region has many hundreds ofthousands of times that amount of material. There isenough dust and debris that even mighty starships,with their deflection screens, can be damaged.

The faster a ship is going when it enters a dust cloud,the more likely it is to take damage, and as long asthe ship maintains high speeds, it is vulnerable todamage. A ‘safe’ speed would be on the order of sixor less.

Dust clouds also exist around asteroids making thealready hazardous large rocks extremely dangerous.

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SunsA sun is a gaseous body. Immense amounts of heatand radiation are generated by the fusion reactionsthat take place inside of suns. Do not approach asun too closely, or your ship will take heat andradiation damage.

Suns start to damage ships and units at range 60.They do moderate damage at range 30. If you getwithin range 20, it will most likely be fatal.

NebulasA Nebula is a large gas cloud, so large that stars canbe borne within them. These areas are highlycharged with electrical power that interferes with aship’s sensors.

Within a nebula:1. All units have 9 points of natural ECM, in addition to any other source of ECM.

2. Shields operate at minimal levels only.

3. Fighters and shuttles are destroyed if launched.

4. Wild Weasels are destroyed before they begin to function.

5. Missiles take damage as they fly towards their target.

6. Plasma Torpedoes also take damage andlose some of their effectiveness.

Credits

TALDREN

Lead DesignerErik Bethke

Lead ProgrammerMarc Hertogh

Art DirectorDavid T. Potter

Game Systems ArchitectZachary Drummond

Graphics Programming:Sean Dumas

Senior DesignerJoshua Morris

AI ProgrammingMichael Todorovic

Zachary Drummond

Audio ProgrammingMichael Todorovic

Sean Dumas

Lead Mission ProgrammerDaniel Suleski

ProgrammersPaul Schreiber

Erik BethkeAlex Sherman

Ken Yeast

Scripting EngineZachary Drummond

Daniel Suleski

ArtistsBradley W. Schenck

Ed LacabanneNate SimpsonJaime DiSalvio

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Black HolesBlack holes are the most unusual of the spaceterrain. A Black Hole, also known as a singularity isan incredibly dense body. It is so dense, that evenlight cannot escape its gravitational pull, thus theterm Black Hole. Black Holes do one thing, but theydo it very well: they attract objects. Anything thatgets close to a Black Hole is attracted to thesingularity; the closer you get to the Black Hole, themore powerful the attraction.

If a ship gets too close to a Black Hole, it will bedestroyed.

Black Holes affect seeking weapons as well. The areaof space around a Black Hole is stressed and canhave a negative effect on other systems.

INTERPLAY

Division Director, 14 Degrees East:Brian Christian

Executive Producer:Rob Nesler

Senior Producer:Steve Baldoni

Associate Producer, UK:Scott Burfitt

Senior Designer:Chris Taylor

Marketing Manager:Kevin Johnston

PR Manager:Heather McLaughlin

Creative Services Manager:Kathy Helgason

Traffic Manager:Brian Harkins

Manual Design & Layout:Schlieker Design

Box and Ad Design & Layout:Charles Gregory, Visionati

Special Thanks:Brian Fargo, Ron Austin, Eric Whelpley,

Gina Cabrera and Tina Aughinbaugh.

INTERPLAY AUDIO

SFX and Music SupervisionAdam Levenson

Mastering and Scripting SupervisorCraig Duman

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Mission ProgrammersDavid FerrellScott Bruno

Additional Mission ProgrammersDutch BlomenkampJohn B. WillistonRichard K. Glover

Quality AssuranceMark Pfeiffer

Warren Schultz

DesignDavid Ferrell

Additional DesignMarc HertoghScott Bruno

Warren Schultz

Campaign Mission DesignScott Bennie

Manual AuthorDavid Ferrell

Editor Game & ManualBeth Drummond

WWWBradley W. Schenck

Audio ProductionSean Dumas

Warren Schultz

Voiceover SupervisorJoshua Morris

Line ProducerMark Pfeiffer

Warren SchultzAssociate Producer

Joshua Morris

ProducerErik Bethke

Voice Over EditingThe Post Shop

Audio Operations ManagerGloria Soto

OPENING MOVIE

Script and StoryboardsDavid T. Potter

Art DirectorTodd Camasta

Lead ArtistLarry Bowman

ArtistsStephen BeamMark BergoScott Bieser

Jaime DiSalvoGlenn Price

Manuel SalazarPerry Scalf

SFX DesignPaul Menichini

Re-recording MixerCharles Deenen

Mixed in Dolby Surround Sound at Interplay

INTERPLAY VIDEO

Video ServicesDan WilliamsDave Cravens

Bill StoudtChris Folino

INTERPLAY QUALITY ASSURANCE

DirectorMike Motoda

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SFX DesignAdam LevensonCharles Deenen

Tim Walston (Soundstorm)

Music Composer and Conductor Inon Zur

Additional MusicDavid Leon

Music PreparationPaul Taylor

Music EditingHoward Drossin (Yo Eleven Productions)

Ron Valdez

Music Performed bySeattle Symphony Orchestra

Recorded at Studio X

Music Mixed byDori Amarilio

MasteringFrank Szick

Sound Effects AssistantJP Walton

Voice Over Casting and DirectionChris Borders

Voice Over TalentGeorge Takei

Alan OppenheimerMichael BellGrey DelisleCam Clarke

Michael GoughNick JamisonDian Michelle

Kevin Michael RicherdsonB.J. Ward

Frank Welker

Production CoordinatorsDana Belben

Matt Pomeroy

Technical Director/ArtistEric Chadwick

ArtistsCody ChancellorJohnny Harrup

Johannes HuberKelly Kleider

Kelley LamsensJeanne LitooyMat Smiley

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

Director, Product Development – Interactive & TechnologyHarry Lang

Supervisor, Product Development – Interactive & TechnologyDaniel Felts

ADB, INC.

Star Fleet Battles Game DesignStephen V. Cole, PE

Star Fleet Battles Executive DeveloperSteven P. Petrick

Lyran CreatorJim Curtis

Hydran CreatorAndrew Robinson

ISC CreatorJosh Spencer

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

SFC 1 ArtistsScott BieserAdam Rote

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ManagerGreg Baumeister

Operation ManagerMonica Vallejo

IS TechniciansBill Delk

Tom Quast

Compatibility SupervisorDerek Gibbs

CompatibilityJosh WaltersDave ParkynJack ParkerTony Piccoli

Project SupervisorsJohn Kirkland

Ed Hyland

Senior TestersHenry C. Lee

Daniel Martinez

TestersJohn Boomershine

Ismael QuijanoGreg Didieu

Mark HoltzclawScott Taylor

Matt GolembiewskiDamien FolettoAlbert Perez

David VodhanelAlendor “Zack” Vulaj

Matt Monaco

MONDO MEDIA

DirectorMark Giambruno

ProducerNancy Fitzgerald

TECHNICAL SUPPORTNORTH AMERICAN CUSTOMER SERVICE INFORMATION

This information is only valid in North America.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT TROUBLESHOOTING DOCUMENTS ONLINE!

Interplay Productions Technical Support now offers troubleshooting guides with complete installationand setup instructions as well as information that will help you overcome the most commondifficulties. If you have access to the World Wide Web, you can find these at:

www.interplay.com/support/

Here you will find troubleshooting information on as well as information on regular systemmaintenance and performance.

DirectXwww.interplay.com/support/directx/

Joystickswww.interplay.com/support/joystick/

Modems and Networkswww.interplay.com/support/modem/

(For game-specific information and additional troubleshooting, visit our main page atwww.interplay.com)

If you have questions about the program, our Technical Support Department can help. Our web sitecontains up-to-date information on the most common difficulties with our products, and thisinformation is the same as that used by our product support technicians. We keep the productsupport pages updated on a regular basis, so please check here first for no-wait solutions:

www.interplay.com/support/

If you are unable to find the information you need on our web site, please feel free to contactTechnical Support via e-mail, phone, fax, or letter. Please be sure to include the following informationin your e-mail message, fax, or letter:

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A description of the problem you're having

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Survival Guide AuthorDennis “SFCShadow” Greene

The Inner CircleDennis “SFCShadow” Greene (Liaison)

Brad “bbarr97” BarrDutch “Khoros” Blomenkamp

James “Remus” CarterJames “TalonClaw” CarterNicholas “Korvus” Cioran

E.L. “S’faret” CrislerAnthony “BK” Daly

Dave “SFCSpoonman” FeikerRichard K. Glover

Salvatore “0Scotty0” GrassoShaun R. Hendricks

Karl “Dark Elf” HiestermanJeremy(Jay) “NTDN” Jeffery

Ian “Modavian” JonesRuss “Tumulorum Fossor” Khater

Rich “YnrohKeeg” MathesonJames D. Pierce

Paul SchaeferMatt “Catnip Inc” Smyth

Bradley B. Upson II

Paramount Pictures:Rick BermanDave RossiAndrea HeinTerri HeltonPam Newton

Sylvia Cascallar

UK & remaining European countriesVirgin InteractiveCustomer Support74a Charlotte StreetLondon W1P 1LRTel: 0171 551 4266Fax: 0171 551 4267Web: www.vie.co.ukEmail: customer_support@vie.co.uk

All Other Territories outside Europe & N. AmericaContact your local distributor for support as listed in your game manual. In the unlikely event of a software fault please return the complete package, with your receipt, tothe original place of purchase.

Interplay disclaims all responsibility for incidental or consequential damages. These statements donot affect your statutory rights.

If you do telephone, please be sitting in front of your computer (if possible) and be sure to provideus with as much information as possible. Make sure to note the exact type of hardware that youare using in your system, including:

* Speed and Manufacturer of your Processor.

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Note: If you have any problems in obtaining any System Information please consult your System supplier. It isextremely important that you have the information above at hand when you call. When contacting us bypost, ensure you include the Title & Version of the game, a detailed description of the problem you areexperiencing and the exact type of hardware that you are using.

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If you need to talk to someone immediately, call us at (949) 553-6678 Monday through Thursdaybetween 8:00AM-5:45PM and Friday 9:00AM-4:45PM, Pacific Standard Time with 24 hours, 7days a week support available through the use of our automated wizard. Please have the aboveinformation ready when you call. This will help us answer your question in the shortest possibletime. When you call you will initially be connected with our automated wizard. For informationpertaining to your specific title, press "1" on the main menu and listen carefully to all prompts.After you have selected your title, the most common difficulties will be listed. If the difficulty you arehaving is not listed or you need additional assistance, you may press "0" on your games main menu,and you will be transferred to a Technical Support Representative. No hints or codes are availablefrom this line.

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CUSTOMER SERVICE INFORMATION FOR ALL OTHER COUNTRIESThis information is not valid in North America.

Technical SupportFrance

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disassemble, or otherwise reverse engineer or derive source code fromall or any portion of the software or anything incorporated therein orpermit or encourage any third party to do so.

Notice: Interplay reserves the right to make modifications orimprovements to the product described in the manual at any time andwithout notice.

SOFTWARE USE LIMITATIONS AND LIMITED LICENSE This copy of STARFLEET COMMAND (the Software) is intended solely foryour personal noncommercial home entertainment use. You may notdecompile, reverse engineer, or disassemble the Software, except aspermitted by law. Interplay Productions retains all right, title and interestin the Software including all intellectual property rights embodied thereinand derivatives thereof. The Software, including, without limitation, allcode, data structures, characters, images, sounds, text, screens, gameplay, derivative works and all other elements of the Software may not becopied, resold, rented, leased, distributed (electronically or otherwise),used on pay–per–play, coin–op or other for–charge basis, or for anycommercial purpose. Any permissions granted herein are provided on atemporary basis and can be withdrawn by Interplay Productions at anytime. All rights not expressly granted are reserved.

Modem and Network Play: If the Software contains modem or networkplay, you may play the Software via modem transmission with anotherperson or persons directly without transmission through a third partyservice or indirectly through a third party service only if such service isan authorized licensee of Interplay. For the purposes of this license, athird party service refers to any third party service which provides aconnection between two or more users of the Software, manages,organizes, or facilitates game play, translates protocols, or otherwiseprovides a service which commercially exploits the Software, but does notinclude a third party service which merely provides a telephonicconnection (and nothing more) for modem or network play. Authorizedlicensee services are listed on the Interplay Productions World Wide WebSite located at http://www.interplay.com. This limited right to transmitthe Software expressly excludes any transmission of the Software or anydata streams thereof on a commercial basis, including, without limitation,transmitting the Software by way of a commercial service (exceptingthose specific commercial services licensed by Interplay) which translatesthe protocols or manages or organizes game play sessions. If you wouldlike information about obtaining a pay–for–play or commercial license tothe Software, please call Interplay Productions in the US at (949)553–6655.

Acceptance of License Terms: By acquiring and retaining this Software,you assent to the terms and restrictions of this limited license. If you donot accept the terms of this limited license, you must return theSoftware together with all packaging, manuals and other materialcontained therein to the store where you acquired the Softwarefor a full refund.

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LIMITED WARRANTYINTERPLAY LIMITED 90–DAY WARRANTYInterplay warrants to the original purchaser of this InterplayProductions™ product that the compact disc or floppy disk(s) on whichthe software programs are recorded will be free from defects in materialand workmanship for 90 days from the date of purchase. If the compactdisc or floppy disk(s) is found defective within 90 days of originalpurchase, Interplay agrees to replace, free of charge, any productdiscovered to be defective within such period upon receipt at its factoryservice center of the product, postage paid, with proof of the date ofpurchase. This warranty is limited to the compact disc or floppy disk(s)containing the software program originally provided by Interplay and is notapplicable to normal wear and tear. This shall be void if the defect hasarisen through abuse, mistreatment, or neglect. Any implied warrantiesapplicable to this product, including warranties of merchantability andfitness for a particular purpose are disclaimed. Interplay disclaims allresponsibility for incidental or consequential damages.

Some states do not allow limitations as to how long an implied warrantylasts and/or exclusions or limitations of incidental or consequentialdamages so the above limitations and/or exclusions or liability may notapply to you. This warranty gives you specific rights, and you may alsohave other rights which vary from state to state.

LIMITED WARRANTYIf the compact disc or floppy disk(s) should fail after the original 90–daywarranty period has expired, you may return the software program toInterplay at the address noted below with a check or money order for$ 5.00 (U.S. currency), which includes postage and handling, andInterplay will mail a replacement to you. To receive a replacement, youneed to enclose the original defective compact disc or floppy disk(s) inprotective packaging accompanied by: (1) a $ 5.00 check or moneyorder, (2) a brief statement describing the defect, and (3) your returnaddress. If you have a problem with your software, you may wish to callus first at (949) 553–6678. If your compact disc is defective and areplacement is necessary, U.P.S. or registered mail is recommended forreturns. Please send the defective disc(s) only (not the box) with adescription of the problem and $ 5.00 to:

Warranty ReplacementsInterplay Productions • 16815 Von Karman Avenue • Irvine, CA 92606

COPYING PROHIBITEDThis software product and the manual are copyrighted and all rights arereserved by Interplay Productions and are protected by the copyright laws

that pertain to computer software. You may not copy thesoftware. You may not loan, sell, rent, lease, give, sub license,or otherwise transfer the software (or any copy). You may notmodify, adapt, translate, create derivative works, decompile,

Glossary of Terms and AcronymsThe following is a list of common terms and acronyms found inStarfleet Command.

ADBAmarillo Design Bureau: The company that designs and produces SFB.

AftThe Rear part of a ship

Alpha StrikeFiring all weapons in one big burst. The most likely attack to break a shield andcause internal damage.

AMDAnti-Missile Defense. A kinetic energy weapon system capable of damaging ordestroying missiles and fighters at short range.

AnchorUsing tractor beams to hold a target. Usually combined with "crunch" weapons,like Plasma, Missiles, or Photons.

APRAuxiliary Power Reactor: A nuclear reactor that provides power to the ship'ssystems. After warp and impulse engines, APR provide most of the ship’s power.

AWRAuxiliary Warp Reactor: An improved nuclear reactor that provides warp energy.

BBBattleship: The largest warships ever built. They are extremely rare.

BCBattlecruisers: Ships between heavy cruisers and dreadnoughts. Cheaper tobuild than a dreadnought and nearly as powerful.

BCHHeavy Battlecruiser: An improved and more powerful version of the battlecruiser.

BPVBasic Point Value: a number that is used to numerically compare the worth ofvarious objects against each other. Starships have a BPV that helps youdetermine how powerful they are.

BreakdownA sudden crash or other calamitous event that temporarily disables the ship.

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INTERPLAYWEBSITE

Welcome to the Interplay Web! Asa company dedicated to providinginnovative, high–quality interactiveentertainment software, we arealways striving to stay as close aspossible to the leading edge oftechnology. This Web site is thelatest example of our ongoingeffort to provide a wealth ofinformation and opportunities toyou. As a company of fanatic gamers,we love the idea of gamers all over

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Interplay’s World Wide Web site is an Internet service designed to give you the latestinformation about Interplay and our products. This site features our demos, upgrades,product information and ordering information.

This website is not intended for technical support, but to offer new machines and the latestproduct information. For technical support, please contact Interplay as described in theCustomer Support section.

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EmpireOne of the six playable empires in the game: United Federation of Planets, TheKlingon Empire, The Romulan Star Empire, The Gorn Confederation, the LyranStar Empire and the Hydran Kingdoms.

ESGExpanding Sphere Generator: A Lyran heavy weapon.

EWElectronic Warfare: The use of ECM and ECCM.

FFFrigate: One of the smallest warships commonly available.

ForeThe Forward or front part of a ship.

FusFusion Beam: A Hydran heavy weapon. The fusion beam is short-ranged, verypowerful but very, very short-ranged.

H&RHit and Run Raid: Marine parties that quickly beam over to an enemy ship todestroy a targeted system and then return just as quickly.

HBHellbore: A Hydran heavy weapon. The Hellbore causes damage to all shieldsbut concentrates damage on the weakest shield.

HETHigh Energy Turn: A type of turn that uses extra energy to turn the ship muchfaster than it normally could. This is very stressful and multiple HETs increasethe chance of a breakdown.

HUDHeads Up Display: Information displayed where you can easily see it - in themiddle of the tactical screen.

ISCThe Interstellar Concordium. A galactic empire that believes it can 'enforce'peace on the rest of the galaxy.

MFDMulti-Function Display: An area of the screen that can be changed to showdifferent information or controls. In Starfleet Command, there are two MFDs ofnote: the Officer MFD and the System MFD.

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CAHeavy Cruiser: The mainstay of the naval forces. The heavy cruiser can performany of the tasks assigned, but is usually a serious commitment in time andmoney to build.

CLLight Cruiser: A less powerful cruiser, they are often found in fleet situations.They take nearly as long to build as a heavy cruiser.

CVCarrier: A ship with the primary purpose of delivering fighter shuttles to thetheatre of battle. They take a long time to build and are a huge drain on theeconomies of the Empires that build them.

DDDestroyer: A ship with abilities between that of frigates and light cruisers. Theyare often elements of fleets. They are not enough power to defend themselvesagainst the most common solitary warships, but too expensive to be used in therole of a frigate.

DisDisruptor: A heavy weapon used by Klingons and Lyrans.

DNDreadnought: The most common of the very large ships. These are notdesigned for anything except fleet combat, and are usually mothballed duringtimes of peace.

DWWar Destroyer: Destroyers built with improved weapons and defenses. They arenot available in early campaigns.

ECCMElectronic Counter-countermeasures: Software and more powerful targetingsignals to reduce the effect of ECM.

ECMElectronic Countermeasures: The use of jamming signals and computer noise tofool enemy targeting computers.

EDEmergency Deceleration: Using the ships warp engines to come quickly to a stop.

EMErratic Maneuvers: Small, high-speed course changes designed to throw offenemy fire at the cost of weapon accuracy and movement energy.

Pl-GPlasma, Type-G: An early medium plasma torpedo.

Pl-IPlasma, A specialized Type F, used by the ISC

Pl-RPlasma, Type-R: The largest plasma torpedo.

Pl-SPlasma, Type-S: An improved version of the Type-G plasma torpedoes. Not aslarge as the Type-R.

PortWhen facing the forward end of a ship, the port side is on your left.

PPDPlasmatic Pulsar Device. A Heavy weapon on large ships used by the ISC.

PPTPseudo Plasma Torpedo: A decoy plasma torpedo that can be used to fool theenemy into thinking that you are recharging your plasmas.

PrestigeA representation of how well the player's character is doing. Prestige can bereputation, honor, or any number of different characteristics. The higher theprestige, the more the player's character can do. Prestige can be spent torequisition ships, repairs, refits, and more. The lifetime prestige, the totalamount of prestige earned is used to determine your captain's rank.

RaceIn this game (and in this manual), it is sometimes used as another word forempire.

RangeThe distance from one unit to another, in 10,000km increments. This matchesthe range in hexes in SFB.

RankRank is the officer level. Higher ranked officers command more and largerships, but have more responsibility. In SFC, higher ranks allow the player moreships as well as larger ships to control.

RSERomulan Star Empire

SFBStar Fleet Battles: A boardgame of starship combat set in the Star Trekuniverse.

SFCStarfleet Command: A computer game of tactical starship combat setin the Star Trek universe.

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MiziaUsing short bursts of weapon fire over a longer period of time; the opposite ofan Alpha Strike. Mizia attacks cause more damage to weapons and criticalsystems, but take longer to achieve. To Mizia, you fire one weapon, wait 1/20of a turn, fire another weapon, and repeat.

Move CostHow much energy it takes to move a starship 10,000km per turn. Small shipshave move costs from .25 and up. Heavy Cruisers usually have a move cost of1 energy point per 10,000km per turn. Dreadnoughts usually have a move costof 1.5.

NCANew Heavy Cruiser: A ship nearly as capable as a heavy cruiser, but with a costand build time similar to a light cruiser.

NCLNew Light Cruiser: The next generation of light cruisers. The Federation NCLmatches the firepower of the heavy cruiser and is, in many ways, a superiorship.

OrionsOrion Pirates: A loose collection of pirate cartels that plague each of the empiresin the game.

Ph-1Phaser, Type-1: An offensive phaser.

Ph-2Phaser, Type-2: An offensive/defensive phaser.

Ph-3Phaser, Type-3: A defensive phaser.

Ph-4Phaser, Type-4: A large phaser found only on bases. The most powerful phaserin the game.

Ph-GPhaser, Gatling: A Hydran weapon that can fire four ph-3 shots.

Pl-DPlasma, Type-D: The smallest plasma torpedo.

Pl-FPlasma, Type-F: A small low cost plasma torpedo.

Comprehensive Hotkey ListThis is a list of the default game key bindings. You can adjustthese hotkeys by using the Option screen.

ESC Exit from the F1 Overhead CameraF2 Chase CameraF3 Follow Camera (Default)F4 Target CameraF5 Toggle Camera Target lockF6 Jump to ship #1F7 Jump to ship #2F8 Jump to ship #3F9 HUD Minimal InformationF10 HUD Normal InformationF11 HUD Maximum Information` Target Nearest EnemyF12 Take Screen Shot

1-4 Select Weapon Group #CTRL+ 1-4 Set Weapon Group #5-8 Select Target From MemoryCTRL+ 5-8 Set Target to Memory

0 Communications Panel- Zoom In+ Zoom OutBACKSPACE Quickjump to Target Player ShipTAB Tactical Map PanelQ Launch Suicide ShuttleW Launch Wild WeaselE Launch Scatterpack

ENTER Multiplayer Chat CTRL+ ENTER Multiplayer Chat (Team Message)Y Yellow Alert = YR Red Alert = RA Decelerate S Accelerate Z Fire All Selected WeaponsSHIFT+ Z Alpha Strike (Fire All)T Cycle through targetsSHIFT+ T Cycle through target (reverse order)Y Cycle through enemy targetsSHIFT+Y Cycle through enemy targets (reverse order)I Toggle Deep Scan

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ShipStarship: A type of unit in the game Starfleet Command; They are usuallyoutfitted with weapons, shields, systems, and engines. They cannot maneuverlike fighters.

SpeedThe distance a starship travels in one turn, in 10,000km increments. Allcombat in SFC takes place at sub-light speeds.

SSSuicide Shuttle: A shuttlecraft loaded with anti-matter and they target enemieslike a seeking weapon.

ST-1Stinger-1 Fighter: The basic Hydran fighter.

ST-2Stinger-2 Fighter: The Hydran space superiority fighter.

ST-HStinger-H Fighter: The Hellbore-armed variant of the Stinger fighter.

StarboardWhen facing the forward end of a ship, the starboard side is on your right.

TurnA period of time equal to the setting of the game speed slider in the preferencespanel. One turn is the standard amount of time between actions (firing a phaser,use of a transporter). Some actions can take more time (charging a plasmatorpedo…) or less time (the delay before you can move again after an emergencydeceleration…).

Turn ClassA statistic that describes how good a starship is at making turns. AA is the best(fastest turns); F is the worst (the slowest turns). The faster a ship is going, themore turn class will affect the turn rate of that ship.

UFPUnited Federation of Planets

UnitA ship, shuttle, fighter, or base.

WWWild Weasel: A shuttlecraft modified to emit the same sensor return as the shipthat launches it. It is a defensive item that will attract seeking weapons launchedat the ship that the WW is pretending to be.

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D Slide the interface bar on and off the screenM Drop a mine out the shuttle baySHIFT+M Drop a nuclear mine out of the shuttle bayB Place a Transporter BombO Switch Schematic DisplaysP Fire Probe[ Game Speed Slider Slower] Game Speed Slider Faster\ Deselect TargetA Slow DownS Speed UpD Hide/Show Interface BarF Maximum ECMG Maximum ECCMH Electronic Warfare Panel (ECM and ECCM)J Tractor PanelK Shield PanelL Defensive Panel; Repair Panel‘ Helm PanelN Transporter Panel, Shuttle Panel. Energy Panel/ Preferences PanelSPACE Target Nearest Hostile Seeking WeaponX Toggle CloakC Max Defensive TractorV Max Point Defense

PAUSE Pause & Issue Orders (single-player only)HOME Move Camera Counter-ClockwiseEND Move Camera ClockwisePAGE UP Tilt Camera UpPAGE DOWN Tilt Camera Down

Number Pad1 Reinforce Aft Port Shield2 Reinforce Aft Shield3 Reinforce Aft Starboard Shield4567 Reinforce Forward Port Shield8 Reinforce Forward Shield9 Reinforce Forward Starboard Shield0 Emergency Deceleration. Orbit Target/ Erratic Maneuvers* Follow TargetYou may use the Hot Keys screen off of the main menu to change thehotkey bindings.

STARFLEET COMMANDCADET ACADEMY TRAINING

Author: Dennis J. Greene

A-1232

Vs HydranVs MirakVs ISC

201-05 The Hydran KingdomsVs Federation Vs KlingonVs Gorn or RomulanVs LyranVs HydranVs MirakVs ISC

201-06 The Gorn ConfederationVs Federation Vs KlingonVs Gorn or RomulanVs LyranVs HydranVs Mirak

Vs ISC

201-07 The Mirak Star LeagueVs Federation Vs KlingonVs Gorn or RomulanVs LyranVs HydranVs Mirak

Vs ISC

201-08 The Interstellar ConcordiumVs Federation Vs KlingonVs Gorn or RomulanVs LyranVs HydranVs MirakVs ISC

About the Author

A-3A-2

01 STARFLEET COMMAND ACADEMY TRAINING COURSE

100 INTRODUCTION BRIEFING TO STARFLEET COMMAND TRAINING

101 Basic TrainingTop 25 things to rememberFour ways to improve your performance

201 STARFLEET TACTICAL INTELLIGENCE STARSHIP BRIEFING

201-01 The United Federation of PlanetsVs Federation Vs KlingonVs Gorn or RomulanVs LyranVs HydranVs MirakVs ISC

201-02 The Klingon EmpireVs Federation Vs KlingonVs Gorn or RomulanVs LyranVs HydranVs MirakVs ISC

201-03 The Romulan Star EmpireVs Federation Vs KlingonVs Gorn or RomulanVs LyranVs HydranVs MirakVs ISC

201-04 The Lyran Star EmpireVs Federation Vs KlingonVs Gorn or RomulanVs Lyran

Combat has several distinct phases. These phases do notnecessarily occur linearly. In fact, combat is most often an ever-changing mix of the five:

• Detecting the Enemy• Positioning for an Attack • Maneuvering during combat • Firing weapons • Defending during an attack

There was a famous WWI fighter pilot in old earth history,Oswald Boelcke, whose commandments are followed by warriorsof ‘maneuver’ even today. Rephrased, Boelcke's Dicta state:

• Take any advantage you can before you start an attack.• After you commit to starting an attack, make sure you

finish it. • Stick to shots that are sure to cause damage to your

opponent, and don't fire until you’re able to get the most out of the shot.

• Constantly know where your opponent is. Don't glance away and let him fool you with his maneuvers.

• Make your attack from behind if you can. • If an enemy is making a straight in attack on you, don't

evade it. Instead, try using his attack as an advantage,by leading him into a mine, an asteroid, or into the waiting guns of your allies.

• When operating in enemy territory, remain aware of your escape route toward friendly lines.

• Attack in Numbers.

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01 STARFLEET COMMAND CADETACADEMY TRAINING COURSE

Combat can be offensive or defensive in nature, thoroughlyplanned or spontaneous, victorious or unsuccessful. Much ofwhat occurs in combat has to do with training and practice, butjust as often, depends upon a Captain’s instinct. To be anoutstanding starship Captain, you must have a goodunderstanding of the basics and possess inherent talent. Knowevery trick in the book, and then keep a few extra ones up yoursleeve for moments when unconventional tactics could very wellsave you and your crew.

Basically this Academy Course is to give you, the StarshipCaptain, some insight into what it takes to not only be victorious,but also what it takes to be a truly great Starship Captain. We’lllook briefly into the strengths and weaknesses of each race andthen some very basic tips on how to play each race against theother races.

100 INTRUCTION TO STARFLEETCOMMAND CADET TRAINING

What is Starship Combat?

Most people think of combat as simply trading shots with anenemy, but the actual process involves much more then that.First, you must travel safely to the sphere of action. Then, youmust detect the enemy and assess the situation. What kind ofstarship is he captaining? What are his weapon’s capabilities?Performance characteristics? Will this be a speed fight, aturning fight, or should you save combat for another day andreturn to base? All things considered, you must then generallymaneuver into the most advantageous position possible beforeactually firing your weapons.

A-7A-6

101 BASIC TRAINING

General Tips

Top 25 things to remember: 1. ECM, don't forget to use it!2. Hit and Run opponent’s tractor beams,

especially if you are a missile-using race.3. Never fire a plasma at a fleeing opponent, unless

the intent is to keep them running.4. Missile Tactic: Go slow, launch SP and Racks, and

follow them in; tractor SP for later use, plenty ofreinforcement on the number 1 shield.Follow at four km.

5. Take advantage of turn modes; consider launchingmissiles when your opponent turns, knowing wherehe will be throughout the turn.

6. Launch everything on an overrun - EVERYTHING!!!7. Watch opponents EW for clues as to what he is

going to do8. Nothing good ever came out of an

enemy shuttlecraft9. Less than speed 24 gives your opponent

the advantage10. End a slow turn at speed 16 minimum, enabling

fast acceleration if necessary11. Pseudo Scatterpack; launch a standard admin

shuttle first, but make sure to launch the real oneoutside effective phaser range

12. Pseudo plasma; lead regular plasma with a pseudoto soak up phaser fire and keep them guessing ifyou fired real ones or fake ones.

13. Try firing missiles every two seconds instead ofevery second or firing them all at once. Spreadthem out to avoid t-bombs

14. Use probes; use everything

15 Use the turn corners to take advantage of bestspeed/turn mode plots (This is typically speed 13)

16 Reinforce your 2 and 6 shields.17 When in doubt, shoot.18 It is better to have lost a battle and learned from it,

then to have won a battle and learned nothing.19 It’s better to fire through a down shield then at a fully

armed shield.20 Mines are great for stopping missiles from hitting, so

use them between yourself and the incoming missile.21 If someone is following you and you can’t shake them,

drop a mine. Turn opposite of where they turn to allowyou to extend or come about.

22 Sometimes it’s better to run away and give yourselftime to repair then to push a bad situation.

23 Fight and lose (retreat from) a battle today, so you canlearn and win a battle another day.

24 Phasers are the MOST important weapon in the game,use them!

25 Power management is everything; manage your powerpoorly and you will lose, manage it well and you canwin.

201 STARFLEET TACTICALINTELLIGENCE STARSHIP BRIEFING

201-01 Empire: The United Federation of PlanetsRace: VariedReferred to as: Federation

FRIGATE CLASSManeuverability: Very GoodFirepower: AverageWeapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: AverageShielding: Below Average

DESTROYER CLASSManeuverability: AverageFirepower: Above AverageWeapon Arcs: GoodDurability: Above AverageShielding: Average

LIGHT CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: AverageFirepower: Above Average to GoodWeapon Arcs: GoodDurability: Above AverageShielding: Average

HEAVY CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: Below AverageFirepower: GoodWeapon Arcs: GoodDurability: GoodShielding: Good

DREADNOUGHT CLASSManeuverability: PoorFirepower: Good to ExcellentWeapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: Very GoodShielding: Very Good

BATTLESHIP CLASSManeuverability: Very PoorFirepower: ExcellentWeapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: Very GoodShielding: Excellent A-9A-8

Four ways to improve your combat performance,requires four basic skills:

Analysis Keep records of tactics, and build a dossier of successful, as well as unsuccessful, tactics. Pay special attention to speed and energy management, maneuvering errors, and shield levels at game end. Analyze your ship and your opponentsfor damage potential, combat power curves, andgeneral design strengths and weaknesses. Theability to review battles with the 'movie' feature ofsimulation makes Analysis easier.

Preparation Try to take care of the details before the engagement begins. Include average damage charts (beaware of what your weapon damage is at any given distance, as well as your opponents), opponent specific start and early strategies, energy management controls, and contingency plans based on enemy speed and movement.

Surprise A highly underemployed area. Look to deceive your opponent with deceptive power practices, deceptive movement practices, and going against 'the book.' Surprise can be achieved not only from the typical "ambush" method, but also by being unpredictable. At the same time, estimate your opponent's power and energy management; Be aware of min-max speed change options, while not dismissing unique strategies on your opponent's part.

Execution The only time you know exactly what the situationis like is before the simulation begins; this is whystarting strategy is so important. At the same time, executing your strategy is a fluid, demanding science, and you have to pay attention to thedynamic aspects of the situation as they change.Remember to be flexible and do not lock yourselfinto only one plan of attack or defense, no plan survives intact when contact is made withthe enemy.

into a better position for your second shot since you will be ableto fire before your opponent. If you have a sensor decoy availableyou can use its 6 ECM to help you out. If you fire first, launchthe sensor decoy; this will give you some protection against hisweapons, but be sure to keep your speed at or below 3 so asnot to invoke an Emergency Deceleration. This will keep youmobile while giving you protection. You could also launch thesensor decoy first and wait for your opponent to attack but thisis a bit more risky. However you will be able to use your hit andrun without worrying about getting hit through an open shield.Remember the weakest points on a Federation ships are therear sides, it has the fewest number of weapons that can bearto those positions, so learn to protect them and exploit them.

Vs Klingon Try keeping your speed around 10-14 with overloaded photons,ECM, and reinforcement of the front shield. This forces theKlingon player to get in close where your photons can do theirdamage. Use your tractors to catch the incoming missiles sothat your phasers can be used on your opponent. Be awarehowever that it will be one turn before you can fire your phasersto destroy the missiles. One method to remove slower missilesafter tractoring them is to turn away from the missiles, thenincrease your speed such that it is greater than the tractoredmissiles. Then turn off the tractors, get some distance anddrop a mine, or simply out run the missiles until they run out offuel. Once the missiles are dealt with and the phasers arecharged you could use the stored power to overload thephotons, or increase ECM/ECCM.

If the Klingon attacks from medium range and does not close,use proximity photons to damage his shields. Keep the phasershandy for when he gets into close range.

Vs Gorn or Romulan You must keep your speed up! You can only create a limitednumber of sensor decoys, so you must pick your moments touse them, and not waste them indiscriminately. Do not let youropponent get into tractor range loaded with plasma, orelse your opponent will tractor you then fire theirplasma, and you will not be able to launch your sensordecoys. Firing your overloaded photons at range 4 will

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The Federation starship is perhaps the least distinctive when itcomes to the characteristics of the ships of the other races inthe known Galaxy. Our ships lack the unique devices of otherempires, like the cloak for the Romulans or the Plasmatic PulsarDevice of the Interstellar Concordium. While the Federation isbetter balanced in regards to any race for maneuverability andweaponry of their starships, some empires can best theFederation in either category (most notably the ISC and Gorn forweaponry, or the Klingon and some of the Romulan designs formaneuverability). This is due to the broad range of missions thatFederation starships must fulfill. With duties ranging fromdiplomatic to exploration to interior patrol and anti-piracy, as wellas being the military arm during times of war, the Federationstarships enjoy a greater durability and capabilities than many ofthe other empires.Due to Starfleet maintaining strong crews on their Starships andinternal onboard systems, our ships have the edge in enduranceover our opponents. Our laboratories and extra non-combatsystems with redundancies make our ships better then averagefor absorbing damage and our ships regenerate shields fasterthen those of our counterparts. Federation starships also havean advantage in sensor and scanner abilities over most races’ships, enabling them to see and gather information better thenthe other empires. With the addition of the fighter in Starfleet,Federation carriers are some of the best available, and have themost variation for choice of fighter types with armamentsranging from missiles to photons and phasers.

The majority of the weaponry on our Federation Starships isenergy based in some form; the firepower of our starshipsremains very consistent when compared to such races like theMirak, who rely heavily on their disposable weapons, the missile.Due to two neighboring Empires penchant for Missiles, theFederation has duplicated their Anti-Missile Defense system andmade it our own as well. Our primary weapons are the phaser1 and the photon torpedo, though we also utilize the missile, theplasma F, and the phaser G, 2, and 3 as secondary weapons.

Vs FederationFire at range 4 instead of trying to close in to pointblank range. This will give you a good chance to hit, andfiring first lets you recharge first. This will let you get

ships. If you have fighters available to you, then these are yourweapon of choice. Most ISC ships are VERY vulnerable tofighters and are poorly equipped to deal with them. If you canget behind an ISC ship, you have an edge despite their rear firinglight plasmas. Use plenty of ECM and shield reinforcement tohelp limit the damage it can do, and use overloaded photonswhen and where possible. Fighting the ISC armed with both PPDand plasma is tricky because if you fight too far away, the PPDwill get you (if they are so armed), and if you fight too close, youdeal with plasma. If they don’t have PPD, treat like a Gorn withmediocre firing arcs. If they don’t have plasma, treat like aKlingon only they do not have missiles to distract your phasers.

General TacticsOne interesting tactic is to arm the probe as a weapon at thebeginning of the game and use it to destroy enemy sensordecoys, scatterpacks, or suicide shuttles. You have to be quickwith the targeting key and remember that your hit and runselections will be erased when switching targets. Another useyou can get from a sensor decoy is after laying a mine or two onyour opponent, you can launch your sensor decoys at the minesto set them off if your opponent’s speed precludes setting themines off. You can also use a suicide shuttle for this, but it’s notworth it unless the mine happens to be a NSM.

201-02 EMPIRE: The Klingon EmpireRace: KlingonReferred as: Klingon

FRIGATE CLASSManeuverability: OutstandingFirepower: Below AverageWeapon Arcs: GoodDurability: PoorShielding: Below Average

DESTROYER CLASSManeuverability: OutstandingFirepower: AverageWeapon Arcs: GoodDurability: Below AverageShielding: Average A-13A-12

give you a good chance to hit and still give you time to react toreturn plasma fire. One tactic sometimes used is to move yourship at speed 3 and launch the sensor decoy early on. Youropponent will not see it (due to being launched around range 12or so) and will be in shock when their plasma goes sailing offafter the decoy.

Vs Hydran Keep a tractor beam ready to keep him out of point blank range,save your phasers for the fighters and keep your ECM up. If youbreak off from the mothership but are chasing or being chasedby fighters, tractor a fighter group and use a mine to destroythe fighters by forcing them into the mine. The most importantthing is to keep out of range 1 or range 0, this reduces thedamage taken from fusion considerably. Try to maintain a rangeof 4 or 5 to keep the damage you do to a maximum whilekeeping the damage done by your opponent to a minimum. If youhave the opportunity to fire at the fighters from long range, usethe photons on proximity; this may take out 1 or 2 fighters.Once the fighters are gone, their launching ship should be easierto dispatch.

Vs Lyran Try to stay at range 5 or 6, staying out of the maximum rangeof the ESGs of 3.99. If you manage to stun his ESGs, use yourhit and runs to take them out. Otherwise, do not attempt it orelse you may get caught with your shield down when youropponent fires his ESG. Once you get his ESG it will be easier todestroy the ship. Your weapon of choice will be your overloadedphotons.

Vs MirakVery similar to the Klingons, though missiles become a largerthreat. The sensor decoy may be as necessary as it is with theGorn, Romulan, and ISC, so use it wisely. Unlike the Klingon,though, it may be better to keep your speed up as if you werefacing a plasma-armed race. The strength of your missiledefense will determine how easy a time you will have.

Vs ISCFollow the advice given for the Gorn and Romulan whenyou close (if you close) within plasma range of their

Despite their starships being geared for warfare, the majority ofthe Klingon starships are not as robust as some of ours orthose of our allies. They don’t enjoy as powerful a shielding orinternal system as we do. Klingon ships were meant for warand carry powerful weaponry in both quantity and, in laterdevelopments, quality. Klingons take advantage of theirmaneuverability and firepower, relying on the ability to dance inand destroy the enemy before that enemy gets a chance toscore heavily against them. The Klingon carrier is a fightingcarrier, meant to follow its complement of fighters into combatand provide supporting fire. Their fighters are almost as deadlywith missiles as the Mirak fighters, while carrying disruptors andphasers as well.

Like the Federation, the Klingon’s main weaponry is energybased, but they do rely on missiles to a greater degree then theFederation does. These missiles, unlike those of the MirakEmpire, are mainly used to tie up an opponent’s weaponry orlimit the opponent’s ability to maneuver. Of course, there aresome exceptions like the specialized missile bombardment shipsand missile-heavy carrier groups. In addition to missiles, theKlingons developed the Anti-Missile Defense system to helpreduce the threat of Mirak missiles against Klingon Warships inbattle; both the Mirak and the Federation quickly duplicated thissystem. The primary weapons of the Klingons are the phaser 1and 2, as well as the disruptor. Although many of their shipsalso carry missiles, their launchers are typically in small numbersand are considered secondary. Other secondary weapons arethe phaser 3 and the photon.

Vs FederationFire at range 9-12 instead of trying to close in to point blankrange, make sure you have a speed advantage. This will give youa good chance to hit, and firing at this range lets you do damagetypically without return fire. Even if he fires proximity photons atyou, you fire twice as fast. Try and take any incoming firespread over your front three shields. Once you have damaged ordestroyed a shield or two, then close the range and startfighting in earnest. Once you get close however you willbe able to use your hit and run without worrying sinceyour ships are better equipped with transporters thenhis ships. Remember, the weakest points on a

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LIGHT CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: ExcellentFirepower: Average to Above AverageWeapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: AverageShielding: Average

HEAVY CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: ExcellentFirepower: Above Average to GoodWeapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: Above AverageShielding: Above Average to Good

DREADNOUGHT CLASSManeuverability: Below AverageFirepower: Very GoodWeapon Arcs: ExcellentDurability: GoodShielding: Very Good

BATTLESHIP CLASSManeuverability: PoorFirepower: ExcellentWeapon Arcs: ExcellentDurability: Very GoodShielding: Excellent

When one thinks about the Klingons, they think ofmaneuverability. The Klingons are the sharks of the Galaxy; theirstarships class for class are the most maneuverable of any racewith few exceptions. A few ships, like some of the Romulanstarships, can match them, but none can beat them. Thereason for this is that Klingons ONLY build warships. Starships,exploration vessels, and personnel transports are extremely raredesigns and many analysts feel that "personnel transports" areonly what their warships are called during peacetime.

A unique system on a few of their ships is the cloaking device,gained from a technology trade with the Romulans. To theGalaxy's dismay, the Klingons traded some of their hull designsfor the cloaking technology. The Klingons now have greatersuccesses in raiding our border worlds while making the

Romulans more of a threat. This is of great concern toStarfleet and will require greater diligence of ourCaptains and crews when facing these opponents.

range 1 or range 0 this reduces the damage taken from fusionconsiderably. Try to maintain a range of 4 or 5 to keep thedamage you do to a maximum while keeping the damage done byyour opponent to a minimum. If you have the opportunity to fireat the fighters from long range, use the disruptors; this maytake out 1 or 2 fighters. Once the fighters are gone, theirlaunching ship should be easier to dispatch.

If the Hydran is hellbore armed, the best strategy is to close thedistance to breach a shield quickly and then use your Hit andRun parties to destroy the Hellbore. Then dance back out torange and pick him apart, once he has bled enough and is weak,move in for the kill.

Vs Lyran Try to stay at range 5 or 6, staying out of the maximum rangeof the ESGs of 3.99. If you manage to stun his ESGs, use yourhit and runs to take them out. Otherwise, do not attempt it orelse you may get caught with your shield down when youropponent fires his ESG. Once you get his ESG it will be easier todestroy the ship. Your weapon of choice will be your overloadeddisruptor.

Vs MirakVery similar to the Klingons, though missiles become a largerthreat. The sensor decoy may be as necessary as it is with theGorn, Romulan. and ISC, so use it wisely. Like fighting theKlingon, it is important to keep your speed up as if you werefacing a plasma-armed race. The strength of your missiledefense will determine how easy a time you will have.

Vs ISCFollow the advice given for the Gorn and Romulan when youclose (if you close) within plasma range of their ships. If youhave fighters available to you, then these are your weapon ofchoice. Most ISC ships are VERY vulnerable to fighters andmissiles, since your fighters can also fire missiles; you use theirweakness against them as they are poorly equipped to deal withthem. If you can get behind an ISC ship, you have anedge, despite their rear firing light plasma’s. Use plentyof ECM and shield reinforcement to help limit thedamage it can do, use overloaded disruptors when and

A-17A-16

Federation ships are the rear sides, it has the fewest number ofweapons that can bear to those positions so learn to exploitthem once in close proximity.

Vs Klingon Try keeping your speed around 20-22, your ECM levels high, andreinforce the facing shield. This forces the opposing Klingonplayer to use more power to close against you. Use yourtractors to catch the incoming missiles so that your phasers canbe used on your opponent whenever possible. Be awarehowever that it will be one turn before you can fire your phasersto destroy the missiles. One method to remove slower missilesafter tractoring them is to turn away from the missiles andincrease your speed such that it is greater than that of thetractored missiles. Then turn off the tractors, get somedistance between yourself and the missiles and drop a mine, orsimply out run the missiles until they run out of fuel.

If the Klingon attacks from medium range and does not close,then it’s more a battle of wits, whoever blinks first loses. Keepthe phasers handy for when he gets into close range.

Vs Gorn or Romulan You must keep your speed up! You can create a limited numberof sensor decoys, so you must pick your moments to use them;do not waste them indiscriminately. Do not let your opponent getinto tractor range loaded with plasma or else your opponent willtractor you then fire their plasma and you will be unable tolaunch your sensor decoys. Firing your overloaded disruptors atrange 8 will give you a good chance to hit and still give you timeto react to return plasma fire. The trick here is to NOT get hitwith their plasma, keeping your distance until you wear theirshields down and begin causing internal damage. This is a fightof patience; learn to be patient.

Vs Hydran Keep a tractor beam ready to keep him out of point blank range,save your phasers for the fighters, and keep your ECM up. If

you break off from the mothership but are chasing orbeing chased by fighters, tractor a fighter group anduse a mine to destroy the fighters by forcing them intothe mine. The most important thing is to keep out of

LIGHT CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: Average to ExcellentFirepower: Above AverageWeapon Arcs: AverageDurability: AverageShielding: Above Average

HEAVY CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: Below Average to ExcellentFirepower: GoodWeapon Arcs: GoodDurability: Above AverageShielding: Very Good

DREADNOUGHT CLASSManeuverability: Poor to Below AverageFirepower: Good to ExcellentWeapon Arcs: GoodDurability: GoodShielding: Very Good

BATTLESHIP CLASSManeuverability: Very Poor to PoorFirepower: ExcellentWeapon Arcs: GoodDurability: Very GoodShielding: Excellent

Many initially discount the Romulan starship, and this is oftentheir last mistake. The Romulans are expert at the art ofelusion, compounded by the use of their cloaking technology.Although their starships are typically more fragile then ours, theymake up for it with the ability to cloak and use their massivelypowerful plasma torpedoes.

With few exceptions, their ships can cloak and almost all of themcarry a plasma torpedo of some type. The Romulan Starfleet isalso unique in its development of starships. There are basicallythree generations in regards to their starship design; the oldstyle ships, which tended to be conversions of pre-warp ships,and therefore slower then most races, with heavy plasma;Klingon conversions, which were more nimble but not as plasmaheavy as their other designs; and their 3rd Generation starship,which were more balanced between maneuverability andfirepower. Regardless of which generation, in an effortto make up for their rather fragile internal onboardsystems and the period of vulnerability before and after

A-19A-18

where possible. Fighting the ISC armed with both PPD andplasma is tricky, because if you fight too far away, the PPD willget you (if they are so armed), and if you fight too close, you dealwith plasma. If they don’t have PPD, treat like Gorn withmediocre firing arcs. If they don’t have plasma, treat them likeKlingons, only the ISC does not have missiles to distract yourphasers.

General TacticsOne interesting tactic is to arm the probe as a weapon at thebeginning of the game and use it to destroy enemy sensordecoys, scatterpacks, or suicide shuttles. You have to be quickwith the targeting key and remember that your hit and runselections will be erased when switching targets.

Your ships are typically better equipped then any other racewhen it comes transporters; consider this when you want tosurgically remove a specific weapon or system from youropponents. Be aware that the more marines you use in thismanner, the more vulnerable you are to their return marines, butjust the same, yours are superior.

201-03Empire: The Romulan Star EmpireRace: RomulanReferred to as: Romulan

FRIGATE CLASSManeuverability: Below Average to OutstandingFirepower: AverageWeapon Arcs: AverageDurability: Below AverageShielding: Average

DESTROYER CLASSManeuverability: Below Average to OutstandingFirepower: AverageWeapon Arcs: AverageDurability: AverageShielding: Above Average

Vs RomulansFights with other Romulans tend to be long and drawn outaffairs. Use T-Bombs to utilize the flashcube effect to get someplasma shots in. Try to keep at least range 5 or better at alltimes and keep your speed near 20. This way if he uncloaks youcan scoot out to a distance that neutralizes the plasma hepossesses. Once he is damaged and you are sure he has noplasma, go for the anchor to keep him from cloaking and fleeing.

Vs GornSimilar to fighting the Romulan, neither side can close due to thepower of the other side’s plasma. These fights typically are abloodbath in the end, but this is the kind of fight the bettercaptain can win. Try to keep your speed near 20. Try to use thefire from your side arcs and mix it with the shuttles. Once he isdamaged and you are sure he has no plasma, go for the anchorto keep him from fleeing.

Vs LyransAgainst the typical Lyran player, this is an easy fight. They willseek to close to use the ESG as a ram plate. Just go to thebroadside tactic and nail them as they come. Against theadvanced players, the Phaser will be the only weapon for a while,and it will take a while since they have better shields than theirKlingon allies. If they do keep closing, fire plasma so it hitsBEFORE the ESG gets to you. When you have a downed shieldfire all Phasers. You are hoping to disrupt their weapons on theirpass.

Vs HydransThe first things you will have to deal with are their fighters. Beginby loading your plasma as shotgun. This will knock the fightersout early. Without the fighters in a BPV match, the Hydran shipis much weaker than yours. Against the Ranger, just move to theBroadside and keep him at range.

Vs MirakThe tactics used against the Klingon will typically work againstthe Mirak as well. If the Mirak becomes too prolific withhis missile use, cloak and watch them all disappear,once the Mirak is out of missiles, he’s easy pray for yourplasma.

A-21A-20

cloaking, their vessels, class for class, typically have superiorshielding to other starships.

The Romulan relies on his ability to get close to his opponentusing a combination of his cloaking device and stealth, and thenoverwhelm him with plasmas. The Romulans, due to their lackof resources as compared to the Federation, are a very efficientrace economically, and opted not to build resource-expensivecarriers with their attending expensive fighters and used adesign borrowed from the Lyrans. They utilized a special carriertype called the Pseudo Fighter Tender, also copied from theLyrans. These Tenders were capable of carrying small andpowerful gunboats called pseudo fighters (PFs). Their PFs aretypically armed with smaller plasma torpedoes as well asphasers; unlike fighters they also carried shields. The primaryweapons on Romulan ships are the plasma R, S, and G, as wellas the phaser 1. Secondary weapons are the phaser 3 andplasma F and D.

Vs FederationUse your ECM advantage to provide as much defense againstphotons as possible. Try to keep the range at about 15. Employthe attacks from the side and try to get to his rear arc. Oncethere, stick to him like glue in this position. The Federation shipis very weak in the rear as far as weapons. You are just asmaneuverable and can easily stay on his tail. Use the plasma insingle shot volleys and knock down a shield or two. If two shieldsare down and at least two more are damaged, shift toenveloping torpedoes. Otherwise use opportunity fire with thePhasers on a downed shield.

Vs KlingonsThis is probably one of your toughest foes. Use an ECM shift inyour favor to neutralize his disruptors. He will typically fly fast andaway from you so use the Phasers to effect. Hold back theplasma for sure shots. To counter missiles, use your shuttlesand maintain a speed near 20. The Klingon ships are tough, butthat glass rear shield is their weakness. The Phaser is most

effective on Klingons. Cloak is very effective against hismissiles, so get used to fading in and out; if you’re luckyyou’ll draw him to you as you cloak and can show himthe terror of the plasma up close.

LIGHT CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: Above AverageFirepower: Average to Above AverageWeapon Arcs: GoodDurability: AverageShielding: Average

HEAVY CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: AverageFirepower: Above AverageWeapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: Above AverageShielding: Above Average to Good

DREADNOUGHT CLASSManeuverability: Below AverageFirepower: GoodWeapon Arcs: ExcellentDurability: GoodShielding: Very Good

BATTLESHIP CLASSManeuverability: PoorFirepower: Very GoodWeapon Arcs: ExcellentDurability: GoodShielding: Excellent

The Lyrans are a technologically advanced race, equal to theFederation in technology. They are unique in that they utilize asystem called the Expanding Sphere Generator field (ESG), whichis an offensive and defensive tool. The ESG works extremelywell vs. races that like to use close-ranged attacks, like theHydran, Klingon, Gorn or Romulan, as well as giving them anexcellent tool vs. the missiles utilized by the Mirak, Klingons, andour own Federation vessels or the fighters of the other races,most notably the Hydrans and the Federation.

Their ships are typically average where maneuverability isconcerned, and rely heavily on phasers and disruptors for theiroffensive power. The Lyrans are also the inventors of the firstPseudo Fighters (PFs) and use these instead of the fighterspreferred by many of the other races. Pseudo Fighters (PFs)are basically small gunboats with excellent regenerative firepowersimilar to starships, but much cheaper to build. PFscarry minimal shielding along with disruptors andphasers and are larger then the fighters used by thoseother races.

A-23A-22

Vs ISCFighting the ISC is much like fighting either a Gorn or a Romulanif they are plasma armed, and much like a Klingon if they arePPD armed. Don’t be afraid to close the distance with an ISCstarship as plasma exchanges are in your favor. Use your cloakto make the PPD useless if they have it and once in closeproximity, show them how plasma really works.

General TacticThe Romulan posses a fair number of transporters and boardingparties, especially on the Klingon conversion ships. Set your hitand run raids to hit the enemy transporters first. This willneutralize their ability to use H&R on you to take out yourplasma.

Use the cloaking device while closing on your opponent; try totime your emergence from the cloak right when you’re about tooverrun them if you can. The Cloaking device, if used correctly,can bait your opponent to get in close where you are strong, andif not, it will help protect your ship from getting destroyed if theyinsist on staying at range.

201-04 EMPIRE: The Lyran Star EmpireRace: LyranReferred as: Lyran

FRIGATE CLASSManeuverability: Very GoodFirepower: Below AverageWeapon Arcs: AverageDurability: PoorShielding: Below Average

DESTROYER CLASSManeuverability: GoodFirepower: AverageWeapon Arcs: AverageDurability: Below AverageShielding: Average

DESTROYER CLASSManeuverability: GoodFirepower: Average*Weapon Arcs: GoodDurability: Above AverageShielding: Average

LIGHT CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: AverageFirepower: Above Average*Weapon Arcs: GoodDurability: Above AverageShielding: Average

HEAVY CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: AverageFirepower: Good*Weapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: Very GoodShielding: Good

DREADNOUGHT CLASSManeuverability: Below AverageFirepower: Good*Weapon Arcs: ExcellentDurability: ExcellentShielding: Very Good

BATTLESHIP CLASSManeuverability: PoorFirepower: Very Good*Weapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: OutstandingShielding: Excellent

The Hydran starship is the master of the knife fight, specializingin fighting an opponent at close range. Their starships are builtextremely well and are capable of taking substantial internaldamage before they lose critical systems. Although other racescarry fighters, the Hydrans are unique in that MOST of theirstarships carry fighters to some degree, making themdangerous opponents while their fighter compliments are stillavailable in combat.

Without their fighters though, their ships are slightly outclassedby their typical opposite number, class for class. TheHydrans have two unique weapons available to themcalled the Fusion Beam and Hellbore Cannon. The A-25A-24

A flotilla of six of PFs easily equals the firepower of aDreadnought at closer ranges, but costs a fraction of theresources to build. To get these gunboats into combat, theLyrans developed the Pseudo Fighter Tender as well as a specialsystem called the Mech Link. The Mech Link is a based on thetractor beam and enables some of their regular starships to alsocarry a few PFs into combat. The primary weapons of the Lyranstarship are the disruptor and phaser 1, in Addition to theseweapons; they use the ESG, phaser 2, and phaser 3.

GeneralRead the Klingon tips for engagement of the enemy when itcomes to the use of your disruptors and phasers. Ignore anyreference regarding missiles. You have an excellent defensivesystem, when fighting other races that have fighters and ormissiles, in your ESG. Many players like to use the ESG as aspace born battering ram, but this isn’t always its primarypurpose. When faced with Plasma armed races, such as theHydrans or the Federation, use of the ESG in an offensivecapacity is a good idea, but for most other races it’s best tokeep it for defense .

If you have access to pseudo fighters, use them to harass youropponent while your warship destroys the opponent. Whenfaced with fighters, use those pseudo fighters to engage theirfighters and deal with the enemy warship yourself, which willtypically be inferior to your own.

201-05Empire: The Hydran KingdomsRace: HydranReferred to as: Hydran

FRIGATE CLASSManeuverability: Very GoodFirepower: Below AverageWeapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: Average

Shielding: Below Average

keep your fighters close to you, possibly even tractoring them foradded point defense as you engage the Klingon. Except for theirlate era ships, the Klingon is vulnerable to the Hellbore due to itsweak rear shields, use that to your advantage.

Vs Gorn or RomulanThese two races are probably the hardest empires to face, withthe possible exception of the ISC. That is because their plasmasand even shielding combined with their typically superior phaser1s can be a very tough combination to overcome. Use massedfighter attacks combined with scoring against a specific shield toallow fighter born hellbores or ship born hellbores to do theirwork.

Vs LyranThe Lyran is nearly the equal to the Hydran when it comes tofighting in close. Use your fighters to overcome their strongshields and keep them on harassment mode to keep themoutside of the ESG radius. Once a shield is breached, close anduse hit and run teams to destroy their ESG capability, once thatis done, they are no match for you.

Vs HydranThe key to winning here is to destroy his fighters before hedestroyers your fighters. Either send your fighters to engage hisfighters or destroy them yourself if he launches too early.Hellbores are a VERY efficient weapon for destroying fighters, souse them.

Vs MirakThe Mirak are much like the Klingons, missile defense is yourprimary concern. In your fighters you have an excellent pointdefense force, allowing you to use most if not all your weaponryagainst the Mirak, where you usually have the edge in weaponry.Once the Mirak runs out of missiles, your efforts will be mucheasier.

Vs ISCThe fighter is the ISC’s biggest weakness. Exploit it,overwhelm the ISC opponent with fighters and victory isyours. Concentrate on using your fighters to engageand tie up the ISC’s weaponry, and pound him as quickly

A-27A-26

Fusion beam is meant to be used at very close ranges and is theprimary heavy weapons used by their fighters. To compliment theirFusions, the Hellbore Cannon a long ranged heavy support weaponthey developed and is carried on their heavier fighters. Alsoinvented by the Hydrans is the Gatling phaser (Phaser G), a rapid-fire phaser 3, which is an excellent defensive phaser vs missilesand other fighters. This weapon is also utilized on their fighters.

Fighters are meant to harass and break up an enemy’s fleetformation and allow their supporting ships to destroy thempiecemeal. Hydrans basically come in three varieties: Fusionand fighter armed starships for close combat; Hellbore armedstarships (with few fighters) for long-distance support, and shipsarmed with both types of weaponry for a more balancedapproach also carrying fighters. Despite 80% of their shipsbeing capable of carrying fighters, the Hydrans also developedpure fighter carriers. Where their Hybrid carriers weredesigned to go into combat along with their fighter complimentlending support, the Hydran carrier isn't as capable in combat astheir standard ships. The primary weapons of the Hydranstarship are the fusion beam, hellbore cannon, phaser 2, andphaser G. Secondary weapons are the phaser 1 and 3.

* Firepower is for starship only. If there are fighters present,this can be a one or even two-step increase in score.

Vs FederationThe primary tactic to use against the Federation is the overrun.Although your fighters can and will be effective, it’s best tolaunch your fighters as a secondary attack. Close rapidly towardthe Federation starship, at 10k launch your fighters; by the timeyou have finished you should be able to run over the Federationwith overloaded weapons opening up at least one shield. Thefighters will keep the Federation busy as you extend and rearm,repeat as needed. If you have hellbores, you can move away anduse the Hellbore to pick the Federation apart as it deals with thefighter.

Vs KlingonThis is similar to the tactic used against the Federationif the Klingon has only a small number of missilelaunchers available to him. If not then you may want to

BATTLESHIP CLASSManeuverability: Very PoorFirepower: ExcellentWeapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: ExcellentShielding: Excellent

Of all the races, the Gorn are probably the least maneuverable.They don’t rely on fancy systems or fancy tactics to survive whilethey obliterate their enemy; they just build tough, straightforwardwarships. They compensate for their rather direct approach tocombat by utilizing strong plasmas combined with phaser 1s withextremely good weapon arcs. Sneaking up on a Gorn from aparticular direction in the hopes of not facing his weapons,despite its lack of nimbleness is impossible. Also to offset theirplodding maneuverability, Gorn ships use reinforced hull platingand superstructure to give their starships a toughness rarelyseen in other starships. In addition to this famed ability forabsorbing damage, their shielding is also some of the best seenon any starships.

Initially the Gorns didn't carry very heavy plasma torpedoes,relying primarily on phasers to engage their typical antagoniststhe Romulans. But once the Romulans began receiving theKlingon hull classes and developing better starships of their own,the Gorns were forced to refit their ships with heavier plasmatorpedoes and even better weapon arcs, significantly increasingtheir firepower. The Gorn plasma torpedo used in later erastarships, is mounted on a special device they developed calledthe swivel mount, this enables them to fire their plasma within avery wide arc.

Like the Romulans and Lyrans, the Gorns also developed PseudoFighters (PFs) to counter the Romulan’s powerful gunships. TheGorn also employ the use of the Pseudo Fighter tender; to gettheir plasma armed gunships into combat. The primaryweapons of the Gorn are the Plasma S, G, and F, as well as thephaser 1. Their secondary weapons are the plasma R, plasmaD and phaser 3.

Vs FederationWhile technically an ally, some border skirmishes stilloccur. Use your ECM advantage to provide as much

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and as powerfully as you can. Be careful though, because onceyour fighters are gone, the ISC, like the other stronger plasmaraces, has the advantage.

201-06 EMPIRE: The Gorn ConfederationRace: GornReferred as: Gorn

FRIGATE CLASSManeuverability: GoodFirepower: Below AverageWeapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: AverageShielding: Below Average

DESTROYER CLASSManeuverability: AverageFirepower: AverageWeapon Arcs: GoodDurability: AverageShielding: Average

LIGHT CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: AverageFirepower: Average to Above AverageWeapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: Above AverageShielding: Average

HEAVY CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: Below AverageFirepower: Above Average to GoodWeapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: Very GoodShielding: Good

DREADNOUGHT CLASSManeuverability: PoorFirepower: Very GoodWeapon Arcs: ExcellentDurability: ExcellentShielding: Very Good

only weapon for a while, and it will take a while since they havebetter shields than their Klingon allies. If they do keep closing,fire plasma so it hits BEFORE the ESG gets to you. When youhave a downed shield, fire all Phasers. You are hoping to disrupttheir weapons on their pass.

Vs HydransThe first things you will have to deal with are their fighters. Beginby loading your plasma as shotgun. This will knock the fightersout early. Without the fighters in a BPV match, the Hydran shipis much weaker than yours. Against the Ranger, just move to theBroadside and keep him at range.

Vs MirakThe tactics used against the Klingon will typically work againstthe Mirak as well. If the Mirak becomes too prolific with hismissile use, use your tractor beams and your superior numberof phasers to take care of them, once the Mirak is out ofmissiles, he’s easy pray for your plasma.

Vs ISCFighting the ISC is much like fighting either a Gorn or a Romulanif they are plasma armed, and much like a Klingon if they arePPD armed. Don’t be afraid to close the distance with an ISCstarship as plasma exchanges are typically in your favor. PPDcan be very dangerous to you, so you must close as quickly aspossible, once within range 4, PPD is useless. You can nowshow them how plasma really works.

General TacticThe Gorn posses a fair number of transporters and boardingparties, with the Gorn CA, for example, having threetransporters. Set your hit and run raids to hit the enemytransporters first. This will neutralize their ability to use H&R onyou to take out your plasma.

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defense against photons as possible. Try to keep the range atabout 15. Employ the broadside tactic and try to get to his reararc. Once there, stick to him like glue in this position. TheFederation ship is very weak in the rear as far as weapons areconcerned. You are just as maneuverable and can easily stay onhis tail. Use the plasma in single shot volleys and knock down ashield or two. If two shields are down and at least two more aredamaged, shift to the shredder tactic. Otherwise, useopportunity fire with the Phasers on a down shield.

Vs KlingonsThis is not an historical enemy but is probably one of yourtoughest foes. Use an ECM shift in your favor to neutralize hisdisruptors. He will typically fly fast and away from you so use thePhaser Enema to effect. Hold back the plasma for sure shots.Keep near speed 20 and use the Shuttle Swarm to countermissiles. The Klingon ships are tough, but that glass rear shieldis their weakness. The Phaser is most effective on Klingons.

Vs RomulansThe traditional enemy of the Gorn, fights with Romulans tend tobe long and drawn out affairs. Use T-Bombs to utilize theflashcube effect to get some plasma shots in. Try to keep atleast range 5 or better at all times and keep your speed near20. This way if he uncloaks you can scoot out to a distance thatneutralizes the heavier plasma he possesses. Once he isdamaged and you are sure he has no plasma, go for the anchorto keep him from cloaking and fleeing. Vs GornSimilar to fighting the Romulan, neither side can get to close dueto the power of the other side’s plasma. These fights typically area bloodbath in the end, but this is the kind of fight the bettercaptain can win. Try to keep your speed near 20. Use theBroadside tactic and mix it with the shuttle swarm. Once he isdamaged and you are sure he has no plasma, go for the anchorto keep him from fleeing.

Vs LyransAgainst the typical Lyran player, this is an easy fight. They will

seek to close to use the ESG as a ram plate. Just go tothe broadside tactic and nail them as they come.Against the advanced players, the Phaser will be the

The Mirak starship is a master of the expendable throw awayweaponry. They favor the use of missiles, a lot of missiles!Their ships are of average maneuverability when compared totheir opponents however. Typically their frigates carry moremissiles then the Federation or Klingon Heavy Cruisers or evenBattlecruisers. This only gets more troublesome the larger theMirak ships get, with their Dreadnoughts and Battleshipscarrying more missiles then the Starbases of the Klingons.

The Mirak were also the first of the races to incorporate purecarriers, primarily so they could get even more missiles intospace to overwhelm and destroy their opponents. However, witha few exceptions, once their missile armament is expended, theirstarships are weaker offensively than their counterparts.Defensively, they too developed the Anti-Missile Defensive system,rending themselves practically invulnerable to missile attacks. Inaddition, their respectable, well-balanced shielding can absorbdamage to protect their internal structure.

Their fighters, while carrying missiles, can also be disruptor andphaser armed. The primary weapons of the Mirak starship arethe missile, disruptor, and phaser 3. For secondary weapons,they carry phaser 1s and 2s.

* Firepower include missiles in their rating, once missiles areexhausted, this rating can be one or even two-steps reduced inscore.

GeneralEverything about how the Mirak fight is about getting as manymissiles active at one time as possible. The idea is tooverwhelm your opponent so he cannot use his weapons againstyou. At the very least, this lets you use what few energyweapons you have without danger of them using their weaponsagainst you; at the best, you use your missiles along with yourother weapons to destroy your opponents.

Everything about your ships is geared for getting missiles out tothe enemy; if you exhaust your missiles then you are in alot of trouble because all races, with the possibleexception of the Hydrans will out-gun and out-power you.So learn to use missiles effectively. If you need to use

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201-07Empire: The Mirak Star LeagueRace: MirakReferred to as: Mirak

FRIGATE CLASSManeuverability: ExcellentFirepower: Average*Weapon Arcs: AverageDurability: Below AverageShielding: Below Average to Average

DESTROYER CLASSManeuverability: Very GoodFirepower: Above Average*Weapon Arcs: AverageDurability: Below AverageShielding: Average

LIGHT CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: GoodFirepower: Above Average*Weapon Arcs: AverageDurability: AverageShielding: Average

HEAVY CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: AverageFirepower: Good*Weapon Arcs: Above AverageDurability: Above AverageShielding: Good

DREADNOUGHT CLASSManeuverability: Below AverageFirepower: Very Good*Weapon Arcs: GoodDurability: GoodShielding: Very Good

BATTLESHIP CLASSManeuverability: PoorFirepower: Excellent*Weapon Arcs: GoodDurability: Very Good

Shielding: Excellent

BATTLESHIP CLASSManeuverability: Very PoorFirepower: OutstandingWeapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: ExcellentShielding: Excellent

The ISC, like the Lyrans and the Federation, is a technologicallysuperior race. Because of this, and due to their nature, theystudied in detail the ships utilized by the known races anddesigned their ships to be superior to them in many ways.

Although ISC ships are average to below average wheremaneuverability is concerned, they are typically better shieldedand armed than their opposite number. They are also unique inthat they are the only race to employ the Plasmatic PulsarDevice in addition to using their phasers and plasma torpedoes.

Like the Federation, the ISC is rich in resources and developedtheir own version of the carrier as well as their own fighters.Their carrier groups when combined with their regular warshipsare a very frightening sight, and cause their opponents greattrepidation.

Their ships come equipped with superior weapon arcs to thefront and side, but are very vulnerable to the rear, so theydeveloped special tactics and defensive systems utilizing thePlasma F torpedo, called the Plasma I, which enables them tofire specially controlled plasma Fs to their rear and rear quarterarea of their ships. When utilized in fleet formations, this makesthem extremely difficult to engage.

The ISC feel it is their duty to save the galaxy from the insanity ofwar, and their warships are designed to enable them to achievethis task. The primary weapons of the ISC are the Plasma S, G,and F, as well as the phaser 1. Secondary weapons include thePPD, Plasma R, I, and D along with the phaser 3.

Vs Federation Only difficult to deal with when they field carriers withlarge number of fighters. Concentrate on the carriers.

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your missiles to keep opponents away, then do so. If you needto use your missiles to tie up weapons, then use them as such.If you need to use your missiles to destroy your opponent, thengear your tactics that way too.

201-08EMPIRE: The Interstellar ConcordiumRace: VariedReferred as: ISC

FRIGATE CLASSManeuverability: Above AverageFirepower: AverageWeapon Arcs: AverageDurability: Below AverageShielding: Average

DESTROYER CLASSManeuverability: Above AverageFirepower: AverageWeapon Arcs: AverageDurability: AverageShielding: Average

LIGHT CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: AverageFirepower: GoodWeapon Arcs: GoodDurability: GoodShielding: Good

HEAVY CRUISER CLASSManeuverability: Below AverageFirepower: Very GoodWeapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: GoodShielding: Very Good

DREADNOUGHT CLASSManeuverability: PoorFirepower: ExcellentWeapon Arcs: Very GoodDurability: Very GoodShielding: Excellent

Dennis’s love of writing and sharing lead to the start of thepopular online fanzine Hailing Frequencies(http://hailingfrequencies.tripod.com). Teaming up with EdCrisler, they developed a way to inform players in the communityhow to play and play well, as well as great information about notonly Starfleet Command, but also Starfleet Command II.

Dennis has also written the complete Strategy Guide for BradyGames, which should be an excellent addition and reference forany player of Starfleet Command II. If you want a greaterunderstanding of this game beyond this simple "New playerssurvival guide," look for it on store shelves where you purchasedthis great game!

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Vs Klingons or MirakThis is why the engineering department provided the "D" refit.Target the ships with long-range disrupters. The only realistictime to use a PPD against shuttles is against a Klingon fleet with37 scatter-packs. Wild weasels should ALWAYS be kept ready.

Vs LyransClosing can be painful due to the ESG. Otherwise similar toKlingons, target ships with long-ranged disruptors.

Vs HydransHydrans are a real pain. There will be lots of HBs present andlots of fighters. Do not close with them. Hydran fighters canoverwhelm you, and the fusions will make you miserable.Distance must be kept beyond range 3. Key targets are the HBships for their long distance weaponry. Since ships are carriers,there is no single carrier to target as the solution to the fighterproblem. Therefore, kill the fighters, quickly.

Vs RomulanSimilar to Gorn, fly at speed 20+. The direct fire capabilities ofthe PDD work to your advantage. Pick on ships with the largesttorpedoes. Watch for cloaked ships trying to get behind theechelon. Look for R-torpedoes and concentrate on them.

Vs GornsSpeed is critical; fly at speed 20+. The direct fire capabilities ofthe PDD work to our advantage. Pick on ships with the largesttorpedoes.

Note: The scores given for the starship types are based onusing the Federation Heavy Cruiser as the median.

About the AuthorFor the last year, Dennis J. Greene aka SFCShadow, has beeninvolved pretty deeply within the Starfleet Command community.He has spent much time and energy in trying to provide players

who enjoy this game the ability to enjoy it to itsmaximum potential.

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NOTES NOTES

NOTES

STAR TREK: Starfleet Command® Volume II: Empires at War™ Software © 2000 Interplay Entertainment Corp. All Rights reserved.™, ® & © 2000Paramount Pictures. STAR TREK® and related elements are trademarks of Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved. Some elements based uponthe board games created by Armadillo Design Bureau © 1977-2000. Interplay, the Interplay logo, "By Gamers. For Gamers.", 14° East and the14° East logo are trademarks of Interplay Entertainment Corp. Taldren and the Taldren logo are trademarks of Taldren, Inc. Exclusively licensed anddistributed by Interplay Entertainment Corp. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners

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