Far Reaches Campaign

OK, the following aren't really "frequently" asked questions ... but they are questions which were asked at least once. These sort of things are always called "FAQs", so that's what this is called. This page will contain campaign rules and rulings which are not quite significant enough to include in the Modifications, Clarifications, And Additions, but which need to be recorded for everyone to see. Players with questions which they think should be included on this list are requested to contact the Campaign Master.

Questions with "official" answers from Starfire Design Studio (SDS) are noted with an asterisk (*).

Table Of Contents (TOC)

#1  Warp Point Transit Time #2  AF In Starless Nexus #3  Player Surrender Roll #4  Astrogation Data From Destroyed Ships #5  Sources Of These Questions #6  PTU Emplacement On Extreme Worlds * #7  Spaceports In PDCs #8  NPR Fleet Size Verses Maintenance Cost * #9  Genocide By Allied Races #10  Engaging DSBs * #11  EDM On XO Racks * #12  Controlling DSBs * #13  Rescue Operations * #14  Simultaneous Demothballing And Refitting * #15  Using Captured Crews * #16  Armor On PDCs #17  Survivors From Destroyed Units * #18  Pre-Building Systems #19  Scanning Systems & Warp Points #20  Downloading To CDs #21  X To Get Warp Point Gravity Surge Data

#22  X, CDs, Etc., In Warp Point Assaults #23  Developing New Hull Sizes * #24  Transporting Security Units * #25  Multiple World Research #26  Sensing Engine #s and Type * #27  Movement Before A Warp Point Assault * #28  Moving First In A Warp Point Assault * #29  Refitting Armor On Space Stations * #30  RCP / MCP On Design Sheet Of The Log File #31  Astrogation Data On Mothballed Ships #32  Communications Required To Get Data #33  New Class Cost For CFN Designs #34  Seeing Ships Perform Warp Point Surveys * #35  Shipyards To Build Their Own Stations #36  Where Is The CFN In A System? #37  Some Of My Planets Aren't Growing According To The SM#2 Rules #38  Observing Systems On Ships Under Construction #39  SS Without Boat Bays #40  Not Developing Boat Bays Or Small Craft #41  Identifying Races On Planets #42

Question #1: Warp Point Transit Time
Since warp point transits take almost no time, if a ship starts next to a warp point, can it just pop through, take a look around, and pop back without expending a Strategic Movement Point?

Answer #1:
No. All movement between star systems will involve the expenditure of Strategic Movement Points (StMP) in one way or another. The movement described in the question is "Probing", and is discussed in Sky Marshal #2 (18.00b, Strategic Movement Rate Change, "Probing" movements, page 41). The movement into the new system takes no time, but the "pop" back takes one StMP. To help eliminate any other questions in this regard, we will treat the original movement into the new system as sufficient to require the expenditure of a StMP (i.e., going into a new system uses the movement point, any Probing or Deep Probe done is a bonus).

Question #2: AF In Starless Nexus
I want to put an Asteroid Fortress in a starless nexus. Can I do this?

Answer #2:
No. Starfire (3rd Edition, Revised) rule 04.09.08 (page 29) states that there must be an asteroid belt in a star system for a player to be able to find an asteroid to use as the basis for the fortress.

Question #3: Player Surrender Roll
"Even a player's ships have to make a surrender roll."
[OK ... technically this isn't a question; but it is a statement made by one of the players, and it needs to be addressed.]

Answer #3:
The Modifications, Clarifications, and Additions for the Far Reaches Campaign clearly state that players are not subject to Starfire (3rd Edition, Revised) rule 04.13, Break-Off and Surrender (page 32).

Question #4: Astrogation Data From Destroyed Ships
"That NPR gets to roll to see if it learns about the warp point from the destroyed ships."

Answer #4:
No. Imperial Starfire rule 22.01.02 (page 61) clearly states that astrogation data may only be obtained from intact captured spacecraft, never from ships which were destroyed.

Question #5: Sources Of These Questions
Hey, not all of these questions were asked as part of this campaign! Where did they come from?

Answer #5:
Actually, some of the questions included here came out of the MMoidverse Campaign (also known locally, and inaccurately, as the "Test Campaign"). The questions brought up in that campaign are answered here so all players will benefit from the test experience.

Question #6: PTU Emplacement On Extreme Worlds *
Sky Marshal 2, 24.05b New Empires Campaign -- Balanced Starting Forces, 1st paragraph (page 57), indicates that "... it takes 2 PTU to equal one emplaced PTU on an Extreme body ...".
Is this 2 for 1 on Extreme bodies a general requirement, or does it just apply at startup under this one rule?

Answer #6:
Just at start up.

[Answer provided by Marvin Lamb of Starfire Design Studio.]

Question #7: Spaceports In PDCs
This question was written to Ken Buchs for forwarding to Steve Walmsley (creator of the Starfire Assistant program) after we received a response to a simple question of whether or not Spaceports had to be built as part of PDCs or could be built separately. Walmsley's response indicated that SPs had to be part of PDCs (i.e., could not be built as stand alone units).

Answer #7:
I [Walmsley speaking here] had a similar question on the subject. Here is the reply to one of my emails from Jeff Jones of the SDS. I hope this clarifies the situation. (and yes, the rules aren't very well written which is why I asked Jeff).

Well, as you probably can see, this not only didn't answer the question, but it raised new questions.

For the Far Reaches Campaign, SPs can only be built within PDCs, not as stand alone units. The only reason for this interpretation is that the Starfire Assistant program supports this way of handling SPs. Although neither the rules as written nor the above answer support this ruling, it seems clear that the intent of the SDS is that SPs be within PDCs.

Players should ignore the part above about needing extra SPs to do refits and repairs. Under Starfire (3rd Edition, Revised), there are only two requirements for Spaceports. First, a minimum of one SP is required on a planet for it to build anything in space. Second, if ships are to be parked or mothballed on a planet, there must be sufficient SPs to support the number of hull spaces in the ships.

Question #8: NPR Fleet Size Verses Maintenance Cost *
A question has come up in our campaign regarding how to handle the economics of fleet maintenance for NPRs.

The situation:

An HT3 Benevolent Dictatorship was created under the Sky Marshal #2 rules. The NPR had about 40,000 Mc to spend on warships, and created a group of ships evenly distributed in size from ES through CA, inclusive. This issue arose when it was time to handle the NPR's post contact economics.

In discussions over how to handle an NPR, two lines of thought were proposed. One group held that the NPR should be played as created. This would mean that the maintenance for the fleet would take most of the NPR's funds, preventing any research or other meaningful expansion. The second group felt the NPR should be allowed to mothball a major portion of the fleet to allow it to do research and expand.

There are plenty of rules on how to spend that part of an NPR's money left after maintenance. However, there doesn't seem to be any guidance on the relationship between the size of an NPR's fleet, its monthly maintenance spending, and its government type. It would seem that there should be some relationship, but the only reference would appear to be the last two sentences in Sky Marshal #2, 16.01.03b, Military (page 59), which are not really helpful.

This guidance was seen as important because without some direction, it would seem that an obviously militaristic government such as an Insane Dictatorship could end up being run in a manner similar to, for example, a Peaceful Theocracy or a Peaceful Anarchy government type, when it comes to the handling of its fleet size. I argued that there should be a significant difference between the government types. A highly militaristic race would keep a notable portion of its fleet active, even if this did harm its economy, while a less militaristic race would keep a much smaller proportion of its fleet active (possibly basing the amount on the RM of the race).

So, the question is:

Has any guidance been created on how to run an NPR based on its type of government, or is this left completely up to the person controlling the NPR?

Answer #8:
No guidance; however, in general, maintenance percentage of income should not exceed/be under the warship fund starting percentage by more than 10% or less than 10%.

[Answer provided by Marvin Lamb of Starfire Design Studio.]

This "in general" response has been implemented as a rule for the Far Reaches Campaign.

Question #9: Genocide By Allied Races
Imperial Starfire (21.06, page 60) has The Consequences Of Genocide rule. In 21.06.01 through 21.06.03 there are negative effects if a race wipes out the population of a planet. Now, if two races work together to destroy the populations of a race, do the effects of genocide apply to relations between those two races?

Answer #9:
No, the effects will not apply between the races. They obviously understand each other and agree on the outcome.

Question #10: Engaging DSBs *
How do ships engage DSBs? Are they attacked as if they were mines, small craft, or something else? Is there a rule for this somewhere?

Answer #10:
As if they are small craft.

[Answer provided by Marvin Lamb of Starfire Design Studio.]

Question #11: EDM On XO Racks *
Under Enhanced Drive Field Missile (Starfire, 3rd Edition Revised, 27.10.04, page 71), it states in the 3rd paragraph; "The EDM is very large and can be launched only from an XO rack." This seems to indicate it takes one XO rack to hold an EDM. In the Ordnance Types and Magazine/Cargo Points table (28.06b, page 60), the "Ship XO Req." column says it takes 3 XO to hold an EDM. We assume the table is correct, but that makes the wording of the basic rule somewhat confusing.

Answer #11:
Yep, but it is 3 XO racks.

[Answer provided by Marvin Lamb of Starfire Design Studio.]

Question #12: Controlling DSBs *

Question #12 Part a)
In Starfire, 3rd Edition, Revised, 04.18.02.1, Target selection, IDEW (page 35), it indicates that a "group" of IDEW all fire simultaneously. There does not appear to be any conditions placed on what may or may not constitute a "group". The example immediately following the rule suggests that a group includes all IDEW programmed to fire in the same turn and with the same targeting conditions. Is this correct? Could there be multiple groups of IDEW within a hex, with each group given the exact same targeting orders? If so, does this not allow someone to treat each IDEW as a separate group (with implications in [part c] below)?

Answer #12 a):
Yes, that is possible.

Question #12 Part b)
With regard to the previously referenced rule; since IDEW can be programmed to fire in separate turns, can IDEW be programming to fire in a specific order by group within a turn (ex. the group in hex 1 fires, then the group in hex 2, then in hex 3, etc.)? If no firing order is specified, what would determine the order in which groups of IDEW fire? I assume it is the controlling player, however it could be random, by distance, or something else?

Answer #12 b):
Controlling player always decides the order to fire his units unless otherwise noted.

Question #12 Part c)
At the end of the example referenced above, it states that IDEW will not fire in a turn when no targets fit their programmed targeting criteria. Is this only true at the start of their firing sequence, or does it apply at any point in the firing sequence when targets are no longer present? For example, a ship is located so that it is the only target of two groups of IDEW in two separate hexes. One group fires. When the damage from this group has been applied, the ship is destroyed. Does the second group fire or wait?

Answer #12 c):
The 2nd group has no targets. It waits.

[All answers provided by Marvin Lamb of Starfire Design Studio.]

Question #13: Rescue Operations *

Question #13 Part a)
The rescue rules in Starfire 3rd Edition Revised (07.03, page 44) discuss the number of personnel to be rescued and their temporary housing in Quarters. What isn't so clear, is exactly how rescue operations are conducted (3rd paragraph of 07.03).

The paragraph seems to indicate that all that must be done to rescue personnel is to have ships and/or small craft in the battle area any time within 3 system turns. How long ships spend in the area doesn't matter. For example, an FT with 5 spare Q could pick up 5 Q worth of survivors in the first system turn the ship is in the area, or the same ship could arrive on the third system turn and also pick up 5 Q worth of survivors.

Answer #13 a):
True, ships are VERY fast on the system scale. One system turn is sufficient to fill all Q.

Question #13 Part b)
Also, one of our "experienced" players has stated that small craft on ships speed up the rescue process. While I can see where they provide extra places to house survivors, I don't see any change in the rate of rescue.

Answer #13 b):
Well, yes and no. We typically require 1 system turn and assume that small craft are helping to make it easier.

Question #13 Part c)
But the presence of small craft do not change the rate of rescue?

Answer #13 c):
Nope.

Question #13 Part d)
Assume the following two ships;
HQsLhQQ(Ic) and HQsH(BbS)(BbS)(Ic)
one with 2 Q, the other with two boat bays each with 1 shuttle. These would rescue the same number of survivors in the same amount of time?

Answer #13 d):
Yep. The point is simplicity.

[All answers provided by Marvin Lamb of Starfire Design Studio.]

Question #14: Simultaneous Demothballing And Refitting *
Is it possible to demothball and refit a ship at the same time, providing that the costs for both operations are paid; or must these two operations be performed separately? Our "experienced" player says "yes, it's a loophole", logic seems to say "no".

Answer #14:
No.

[Answer provided by Marvin Lamb of Starfire Design Studio.]

Question #15: Using Captured Crews *
Captured populations can be used to learn to communicate with races which refuse to communicate (that is from the Mailing List some time back). Can captured personnel from a defeated fleet be used to learn to communicate with a race which refuses to communicate?

Answer #15:
No, only populations are big enough.

[Answer provided by Marvin Lamb of Starfire Design Studio.]

Question #16: Armor On PDCs
I get free armor on PDCs, so I can have as much as I want!

Answer #16:
Well, not exactly. You do get the Armor free, but you still have to pay for the hull spaces on which the armor is mounted. On a PDC in a Benign or Harsh environment this will cost 2.0 Mc per hull space. On other PDCs this will cost 3.5 Mc per hull space. Also note that only standard Armor (A) is free, improved types of armor are not free.

Question #17: Survivors From Destroyed Units *
In Search And Rescue Operations (Starfire, 3rd Edition Revised, 07.03, page 44, para. 2), the formula for the number of survivors is given as; "1d100/2+25 * the total hull spaces of warships lost in the engagement." How is this formula supposed to be interpreted?

Answer #17:
The first part of the formula should have parentheses around it, and it should be treated as a percentage.
   ((1d100/2)+25)% * the total hull spaces of warships lost in the engagement
For example, if 442 hull spaces worth of ships are lost, and a 40 is rolled for the 1d100, then the equation is:
   ((40/2)+25)% * 442 = 45% * 442 = 198.9 hull spaces worth of survivors.

[Answer provided by Marvin Lamb of Starfire Design Studio.]

Question #18: Pre-Building Systems
Can I pre-build systems and put them in storage so I will have them ready to install in new construction?

Answer #18:
No.
First, there is no provision in the Starfire Assistant program to do this. That alone would prohibit the practice.
Second, there is no logical reason to do this. It saves neither time nor money when buildings or refitting something. You must still build the hull space(s) for the "pre-built" system, so all you have done is spent your money ahead of time unnecessarily.

Question #19: Scanning Systems & Warp Points
The Mailing List has been full of discussions on gathering data and sending it back. Was there a final decision and how does it apply to the campaign?

Answer #19:
First, the Mailing List never reaches a final decision, the topics just die of old age and abuse.
Second, there are at least three issues here; 1) the equipment required to gather data, 2) the time to determine the gravity surge of a warp point , and 3) the time to scan a system to gather the basic data.

1)	To gather any information about a system or a warp point, the vessel gathering the information must be equipped with Science Instruments (X). While this isn't a problem for normal survey ships, it does mean that for a warp point assault ship to send back meaningful data about the gravity surge at the warp point (and so to allow later ships to orient themselves after the transit), the assault ship must be equipped with Science Instruments.
2)	To gather information about the gravity surge at a warp point and download a CD with this data requires one tactical turn. In a warp point assault situation, this means a CD with the required information may be launched in the turn after a ship transits the warp point.
3)	To gather basic information about a system (star type, planets, etc., as described in Imperial Starfire, 19.00.03, page 48), requires ten tactical turns (five minutes) after the equipment stabilizes. The first turn (i.e., the one in which transit occurs), is required for the equipment to stabilize. Thus eleven turns are required to gather the information and send it back.    Statement "3)" requires a bit of explanation. According to the SDS ("Jeffery S. Jones" e-mail of Wed, 26 Apr 2000 10:18:51 -0600 on the Starfire Mailing List, Subj: Re: [SF]: Dc and MS Mode), the download of survey data to a CD takes ten turns. This follows a discussion in which it was determined that, according to the rules, the information gathering took no meaningful time, but the download of the information required five minutes. Without trying to be insulting, this is just downright silly. There is no way that the amount of data which would require five minutes of download to a CD could be gathered in seconds. Therefore, for the Far Reaches Campaign, the total time will remain the same, but how the time is used will be explained differently. All of the time will be required to gather the data. While the data is being gathered, it is assumed that it is simultaneously being downloaded into a CD. At the end of the data gathering (the tenth turn), the CD may be launched with all the data onboard.

Question #20: Downloading To CDs
How long does it take to download information to a CD?

Answer #20:
That depends. According to the SDS via the Starfire Mailing List (see previous Answer), it takes ten tactical turns to download general system survey data, and one tactical turn to download other types of data.

To simplify the situation for the Far Reaches Campaign, all CDs require one turn to load. All information known to a vessel at any point in the previous tactical turn or earlier is in a CD when it is launched. This assumes the CD is constantly being updated, so no special "download information" order is required before launching a CD. Data which requires multiple turns to collect, and whose collection is not complete at the time of launch, is not usable.

Question #21: X To Get Warp Point Gravity Surge Data
I need X to get warp point gravity surge information?

Answer #21:
Well, it seems that way. My reading of Imperial Starfire (19.00, Survey Rules, page 48) and Starfire, 3rd Edition Revised (03.06.01, page 14) does not show a need for Science Instruments (X) to determine the gravity surge at a warp point, and it is clear from the various battle reports and fiction articles on the Mailing List that many others have not made this interpretation. However, the SDS (Jeffery S. Jones) via the Starfire Mailing List says they are required. This may be in Sky Marshal #2, although I have never seen it there.

For those as amazed as myself regarding this rule, it should be noted that a strict interpretation of rule 03.06.01 (Starfire, 3rd Edition Revised, page 14) would say that the gravity surge information of a warp point can only be determined when there has been a complete Detailed Survey of the entire system. So just having to mount Science Instruments may not be so bad.

Question #22: X, CDs, Etc., In Warp Point Assaults
So what is the sequence for getting and sending data during a warp point assault?

Answer #22:
The following assumes the assaulting ship or ships have Long Range Sensors (Xr) and Science Instruments (X) onboard, and that no equipment is destroyed due to battle damage.

Turn 1	•	Ship transits the warp point. Without knowing the gravity surge, it enters facing in a random direction.
	•	Using its standard sensors, it determines the number, engines, type, size, and class of all vessels within thirty tactical hexes.
	•	Using its Science Instruments, it determines the gravity surge of the warp point.
Turn 2	•	Ships transiting this turn arrive facing random directions.
	•	The original ship's Long Range Sensors, come on-line.
	•	Using its Long Range Sensors, it determines the number, engines, type, size, and class of all vessels within forty tactical hexes.
	•	Using its Long Range Sensors, it determines the number, engines, and type of all vessels within sixty tactical hexes.
	•	Using its Long Range Sensors, it determines the number of all vessels within one system hex.
	•	Using its Long Range Sensors, it determines the presence of all groups of vessels within six system hexes.
	•	During the "Launch CDs" step, the ship may launch a CD with the information gained in Turn 1.
Turn 3	•	Ships transiting this turn arrive facing random directions.
	•	During the Movement Phase, the CD launched in Turn 2 transits the warp point and is received by the command ship on the other side of the warp point.
	•	During the "Launch CDs" step, the ship launches a CD with the information gained in Turn 2.
	•	Command unit on the other side of the warp point receives and evaluates the information from the first CD.
Turn 4	•	The commander may now act on information gained in Turn 1.
	•	Transiting ships are now aware of the gravity surge and are able to compensate as they pass through the warp point.
	•	During the Movement Phase, the CD launched in Turn 3 transits the warp point and is received by the command ship on the other side of the warp point.
Turn 5	•	Command unit on the other side of the warp point receives and evaluates the information from the second CD.
	•	The commander may now act on information gained in Turn 2.

Question #23: Developing New Hull Sizes *
SM#2, 15.08B, Developing Hull Sizes requires that you "design a full ship" which is not "an empty hull" and which is "the maximum size hull possible". How many, and of what type of systems must be included in a ship to be a "full ship"? We have come up with three possible examples for a minimum prototype BC.

Answer #23:
a) [4] Hx80 [0/0] - It is the full hull size, but is it a ship?
Nope.

b) [4] Hx75LhQQ(BbS)(I) [0/0] - It has got at least one of all the required systems, although it can't move.
This is legal.

c) [4] Hx73LhQQ(BbS)(III) [1/0] - It really has all the minimum systems, and could move.
Legal.

[Answer provided by Marvin Lamb of Starfire Design Studio.]

Question #24: Transporting Security Units *
There are no rules provided for transporting SECs (Sky Marshal #2, page 43). Do they have to be converted to PCFs for movement, or is this an oversight?

Answer #24:
Counts as two PCF for life support requirements. So transports as a double size PCF.

[Answer provided by Marvin Lamb of Starfire Design Studio.]

Question #25: Multiple World Research
Are there any benefits to using Starfire 3rd Edition Revised rule 15.07.01 whereby I have another planet in another system begin tech research for an Economic Level? Do I get an additional die roll or half die roll or anything at all?

Answer #25:
No.
Some house rules allow bonuses for multiple planets performing research. Some allow multiple planets to perform concurrent research. None of these options are implemented by Starfire Assistant, so none are used in the Far Reaches Campaign.

Question #26: Sensing Engine #s and Type *
The Long Range Sensor Capabilities Table (04.05.01.3, Starfire 3rd Edition Revised, page 25) shows the range at which "Engine #s and Type" may be detected. When this detection is made, exactly what information is gained? More specifically, does the detecting unit get;
a) The total number and type of engines in the detected force?
  ex. "You detect twenty military engines and eight commercial engines."
b) The number and type of engines on ships?
  ex. "You detect five ships with four military engines each and two ships with four commercial engines each."

Answer #26:
b) You already have a count of the units. This gives you more information about those units. Engine counts give you a way to estimate sizes.

[Answer provided by Jeffery S. Jones of Starfire Design Studio.]

Question #27: Movement Before A Warp Point Assault *
Starfire 3rd Edition Revised, 06.01 Definition of Readiness States (page 39) says defenders at a warp point will move at a maximum speed equal to their strategic speed until they activate. It also gives rules for acceleration up to full tactical speed.Is there any assumption made about the speed of the defending ships at the start of a warp point assault?

Answer #27:
Ships may move at speeds up to safe cruising speed, but cannot accelerate faster except as the rules already cover. The logic is that the engines are configured for sustained flight without burnout risk, and it takes some time to bring them up to the higher, riskier military speeds.

[Answer provided by Jeffery S. Jones of Starfire Design Studio.]

Question #28: Moving First In A Warp Point Assault *
When using impulse movement (Starfire 3rd Edition Revised, page 12) for tactical combat, do the defenders move at all in the impulse or impulses prior to the arrival of the enemy forces? Since the attacker has the initiative, the defender must move first. But this means the defender is moving before any attacking ships have come through the warp point.

Answer #28:
Pulsed movement does make some things different, but the rules are written based on the regular rule, and there isn't an exception for pulsed movement. For speed 4 units and faster in the attacking side, I don't see any problem, since the attacker still wins iniative. If the attacker only has slower ships, you could get a case where the defender maneuvers before the attacker. The defenders, even though losing the initiative and thus being required to move first, do not get to move until an attacking unit enters the system.

[Answer provided by Jeffery S. Jones of Starfire Design Studio.]

Further note for the Far Reaches Campaign:
The attacking player will inform the SM of the impulse in which the first attacking ship will transit the warp point. The tactical fight will begin at that point. The defending ships may not move until after the first attacking ship enters the system.

Question #29: Refitting Armor On Space Stations *
Imperial Starfire (15.09.06.1, page 30) is clear that to add armor to the left of a space station, the entire station must be shut down. But what about refitting some of a station from non armor to armor?
For example:
Given a station, SAHHHH(BbS)Qs, is it legal to refit it to SAAAAH(BbS)Qs by only shutting down the first three Holds and replacing them with armor? Or does the whole station have to be shut down for this?

Answer #29:
Strictly by the rules, you can refit it without shutting down.
[There was more to the answer, but this is what will be used in the Far Reaches Campaign.]

[Answer provided by Jeffery S. Jones of Starfire Design Studio.]

Further note for the Far Reaches Campaign:
If a datalink is present, it must be included in the refit, and the cost of moving the datalink must be included in the refit cost.

Question #30: RCP / MCP On Design Sheet Of The Log File
Regarding the design page - exactly how does the RCP / MCP thing work?

Answer #30:
This all seemed rather obvious when I first read the question. I knew the answer, but then I looked closely at the Starfire 3rd Edition Revised rule book. The whole crew, marine, etc. issue isn't very well covered, and is not at all obvious. While RCP is indirectly explained in 09.03 (page 52), and 09.06.02 (page 53), the process for determining MCP is never stated. The following is from observing the relations between RCP and MCP in ship layouts published in the ISW-4 and Insurrection supplements.

But first, it should be noted that the RCP and MCP are simply bits of data for the ship design layouts. Neither is needed for campaign play. They are included on the Design sheet of the Log file for completeness and because they are shown in Starfire 3rd Edition Revised section 09.03 (page 52). There should be no problem if a player wants to ignore them.

RCP / Regular Crew Points. This is the standard crew size of the unit. It is determined by the number of hull spaces on the unit (i.e., RCP = Hull Spaces). [Aside: It appears to be generally accepted that each crew point is equal to 8 to 10 crew members.]

MCP / Marine Crew Points. This is the number of marines, or other personnel, which the unit may carry. It is the difference between the total personnel capacity of the unit (Q and Qs) and the RCP.

For example: A BC with 80 hull spaces has 80 RCP. Assuming it has Qx2, then it has 100 (Qx2) - 80 (RCP) = 20 MCP. A BB with 100 hull spaces and Qx2 would have 100 RCP, and 0 MCP.

There is a contradiction in the handling of freighters with regard to RCP and MCP. Starfire 3rd Edition Revised clearly, and twice (09.06.02.1, page 53, and Hull Table Notes (1), 1st paragraph, page 57), states that "Commercial freighters ... use smaller crews than warships". However, checking Insurrection and ISW-4 ship layouts, we see that freighters are shown as having crew sizes equal to their hull spaces. This doesn't agree with the rules.

Additional confusion is brought into this situation by the Shipyard program. Shipyard appears to follow the intent of the rules, not the examples in ISW-4 and Insurrection. Crew sizes (RCP) for freighters are listed by Shipyard as one-third (FRD) of the hull spaces of the unit.

Therefore, because of this simple little question, the MCA will be modified to clarify the situation. The modification will specify that the size of freighter crews will be one-third of the hull space of the unit (FRU). This results in the same requirement for Q and Qs, but allocates the RCP and MCP somewhat differently.

Question #31: Astrogation Data On Mothballed Ships
Does a ship in mothballs have any astrogation data in its computers (i.e., if captured, can it be used to get astrogation data)?

Answer #31:
No, that gets added at the end of the demothballing process.

Question #32: Communications Required To Get Data
Do you have to have communications with another race to get astrogation data from their equipment?

Answer #32:
Yes. You must have at least Initial Communications to be able to get any data from any source.

Question #33: New Class Cost For CFN Designs
When a race goes up in tech level, is there a New Class cost to build ships for the CFN?

Answer #33:
No. The race may design two ships, one freighter (all H) and one liner (all Q) at the maximum size for the new tech level. After a warship or freighter has been built at the new tech level, the CFN will be assumed to have the new size of ships.

Question #34: Seeing Ships Perform Warp Point Surveys *
Based on the descriptions of what is actually being done in a planetary or asteroid belt survey, it seems clear that another ship or planet observing this activity would be able to say that the observed vessel was performing the indicated type of survey. However, this is not so clear when a ship is performing a warp point survey. More specifically, is an observer able to tell the difference between a ship sailing through space, and a ship sailing through space performing a warp point survey, just through the use of sensors?

Answer #34:
No, you have to follow the ship and note the pattern of flight. After a few days, you would likely conclude that.

[Answer provided by Marvin Lamb of Starfire Design Studio.]

For the Far Reaches Campaign this is restated as:
Yes, if you watch the ship for a few days you will be able to tell it is surveying instead of just on a passage from one point to another. You cannot, however, make this determination by a short observation (2 days or less).

Question #35: Shipyards To Build Their Own Stations
Can I build a shipyard (SYx or SYMx) and then use it to build the rest of its space station?

Answer #35:
No. A space station is not operational until all of its original design is legal and complete. This means, for example, that if a 1,000 hull space space station contains one shipyard, that shipyard cannot be used until all 1,000 hull spaces and their associated systems are completely built and at least one small craft assigned to the station. It is allowable to build a smaller station, and then, once operational, use its shipyard(s) to expand the station. The absolutely smallest space stations with shipyards are:
   [0] H(BbS)Qs(SYMx) [0/0] or [0] H(BbS)Qs(SYx) [0/0]

Once operational, the shipyard or shipyards on a space station may be used to refit other parts of the station, provided that the sections of the station not shut down constitute a legal space station (ex, you cannot shut down all of a station's quarters to move them as part of a refit, and still have the station or shipyards be operational).

Question #36: Where Is The CFN In A System?
Obviously ships of the CFN are not running around everywhere within a system. So, where are they?

Answer #36:
The CFN does not just run around a system in a random manner. These ships are normally found only in three areas within a system.

1. Between inhabited worlds.
2. Between inhabited worlds and the warp points which lead to other parts of their empire.
3. Between the warp points in transit through the system.

Question #37: Some Of My Planets Aren't Growing According To The SM#2 Rules
I calculated the growth expected for one of my medium sized populations, but now I notice that it grew more than Sky Marshal #2 says it should. What's going on?

Answer #37:
The Space Master decided that he wanted populations to grow a little quicker than normal. Some growth values have been increased somewhat. The following table lists the standard (SM#2) and Far Reaches growth rates.

Environment	Population	Economic Level	Standard Value	Campaign Value
Benign, Harsh, Hostile	Small or less	HT1+	4.20%	4.20%
Benign, Harsh, Hostile	Medium or above	HT1+	2.10%	2.30%
Benign, Harsh, Hostile	Small or less	Ind-1 or Ind-2	2.10%	2.30%
Benign, Harsh, Hostile	Medium or above	Ind-1 or Ind-2	1.05%	1.20%
Desolate or Extreme	Any	Any	2.30%	2.30%

Question #38: Observing Systems On Ships Under Construction
Can you scan a ship which is still under construction?

Answer #38:
Detailed information may only be obtained in the last turn (month) in which a ship, base station, space station, asteroid fort, or PDC is being built. In the case of a unit which requires only one turn to complete, it must be scanned in the last half of the turn. Prior to this, the unit is not sufficiently complete. If the facility building the unit is a shipyard or machine shop (for assembly) which is equipped with a shield, then scanning is not possible.

At any time during construction, the number and size of units under construction may be determined.

[Answer based on suggestions by Paul McNeely on the Starfire Mailing List.]

Question #39: SS Without Boat Bays
When an IND-2 NPR builds its space station(s), it cannot mount a boat bay. Although a boat bay is technically required by the rules, an IND-2 race does not know how to build boat bays. What happens when the race makes EL1 with regard to boat bays on its space stations?

Answer #39:
An IND-2 race may build an otherwise legal space station without a boat bay. An acceptable IND-2 space station remains legal for an EL1 race until the first refit is performed on the space station or the race achieves EL2. When any refit is performed on a space station which lacks a boat bay and the race knows how to build boat bays, then a boat bay must be added to the station. A race must add a boat bay to a space station prior to achieving EL2. Space stations which do not have a boat bay will be considered non operational at EL2.

Exception: A race which never develops Boat Bays and any type of Small Craft (other than Gunboats (GB)) is not required to mount a Boat Bay on a space station regardless of the Economic Level of the race. If at any future time a race develops either Boat Bays or any form of Small Craft (other than GB), then the above penalties will immediately apply.

Question #40: Not Developing Boat Bays Or Small Craft
What happens if a race never develops Boat Bays or Small Craft?

Answer #40:
If a race does not research Boat Bays or any Small Craft other then Gunboats (GB), then the following will apply;

• The race will never be considered to have any in-system CFN transport capability. This specifically means that in-system colonization must use and pay for the services of the regular CFN.
• All ship designs must be Atmospheric Capable, and no ships may be built until research on Atmospheric Capability is complete.
• The race may never build any spaceship larger in size than 30 Hull Spaces (DD and FT4). This also includes BS2 of 30 Hull Spaces or larger. This does not include space stations.
• The race may not develop any form of Fighter.

Question #41: Identifying Races On Planets
I contacted the ships of a race. How do I tell if a planet I contact is controlled by the same race?

Answer #41:
Once you have been close enough to detect the engines (I or Ic, including CFN ships) for a race, and/or any population of the race, you can thereafter determine if a ship or population is from that race. Coming within 60 Tactical Hexes of a base station or space station will also count for identification purposes.

Detection distance for determining the race of a population shall be based on the Planet Scanning Table (04.05.04, Starfire, 3rd Edition Revised, page 26). This means that if you can detect a population, you can determine its race, if that race is already known to you.

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To Far Reaches

Updated 2 March 2001.