New Races for SFB

This is an overview of ``new'' races for SFB -- that is, one's you may not have heard about or seen. There are several new races designed by players and available free over the web.

Pseudo-Historical Races

 These are races with background that is designed to fit with other historical races -- official or unofficial. In general, these designs simply have a lot more material than most other races. They also tend to use fewer new rules, making them easier to mesh with the standard races.

The Orion Enclave by Mark MacDonald
This is the legitimate government of Orion, not lawless pirates. They use photon torpedoes, but they are more heavily drone-using and have unique Anti-Ship Missles (ASM's). Check out over 50 ships and complete new rules.

The Lost Hydrans by PHD Shipyards
These are refugees of the War of Infamy in the Early Years, cut off from the rest of the Hydran Empire. They developed a separate advancement of the Nova Cannon, called the Hellfire Cannon. Their ships largely refits and modifications of the Early Years Hydran ships and freighters.

The Western Quadrant by Isaac Kuo
This is a project for eight new races, 'west' of the other SFB races (i.e. beyond the Hydrans and Lyrans). They are designed to use standard SFB technology and rules for simplicity, but in uniquely different configurations. There are currently three SSD's plus various background here. Races include:
  • Ellanahr: pairs of PPD-armed frigates in place of cruisers
  • FRX: the Frax minus the weird cloaking subs
  • Nanyef: cloaked carriers with drone-armed fighters and PFs
  • Shimmering: maneuverable PC armed ships with LS/RS arcs
  • Zvidt: direct fire ships armed with either Disr, Phot, or PC. A variety of power curves and extra weapons are possible with modular pack units.
  • Degazort: heavy ships armed with two Plasma-R and fusion beams
  • Rixian: Twin FP arc Plasma-S with FA Hellbore and all Ph-1. These guys are the quadrant's Mizia bait.
  • Vovasasi: LP/RP arc plasma ships with FP F-torp and RH Pl-D

The Commonwealth of Independent Stars (link dead) by John J. Gale
This is not really a new `race' per se. It began as designing parallels to various Russian/ex-Soviet ships in SFB format. Later a background was developed where the CIS is an independent nation of humans within the Federation.

The Cardassians by Les LeBlanc
An adaptation of the TNG race for standard (i.e. non-x-tech) SFB ships, including over 50 ships. The Cardassians use a mix of photon torpedoes and disruptors while bristling with phaser-1s.

Core Worlds by Sean Young
A series of 8 (!) new races for SFB. Some use only "standard" galactic technology, while others have various new rules and systems. The new races include:
The Daetharian Outworlders
A liquid-metallic race who use a mauler-like weapon (with real arcs): the EnMass Driver. Thay also have an ECM-generating defense, the Image/Tracking Destabilizer, which limits their own offense (like erratic maneuvers or cloak).
The Za'Cahri Stronghold
An insectoid race who use a disruptor-like Ionic Cannon, and have multi-function "pods" which are in between seeking weapons and fighters.
The Pax Cooperative
A coreward collection of races, allied for mutual defense, who use a mix of disruptors and hellbores.
The Psylonian Defectors
An earlier version of one of the Core Worlds race -- use with caution. The Psylonian race was nearly destroyed by war between the Klingons and Kzinti. Psylonians refugees survived and eventually settled near the Tholians. They use the web fist (but not true web) and C-rack drones on well-armored hulls.

The Scon Manifestation by Glenn Hoepfner
including the FF, DD, CL, CA, and BC.
This is a new race being developed for the Omega sector: refugees from subspace who are trying to make a new homeland for themselves in normal space. They use plasma-like subspace waves and energy dispersion cells -- which can redistribute hits to different shield facings.

Minor Races

 These are more like simulator races -- each tends to have only one or two ship designs, along with several new rules. They present some unique tactical challenges, but are more difficult to balance. More importantly, these tend to be ``just-for-fun'' ideas suitable for less serious games.

Palorian Trading Network by Mark MacDonald
including CA and FF SSD's
The Palor are a race with a trade network that streaches across the galaxy, with combat freighters in every port. They will happily trade with both sides of any war, holding only individual ships responsible for any offense.
Physically, they are race of herbivorous reptiles with centauroid bodies, such that their most powerful attack is only available when they are running away. This philosophy has been incorperated into their ship design. The most powerful shields and weapons are in the rear of the ship. Their tactics center aroung trying to get an opponent to chase them.

The Leopan by Eric Johnson
including CA SSD
This is the original submitted version of a new races submitted to an unauthorized company. It includes the Heavy Cruiser SSD plus rules for the new armor system and the plasma degenerator weapons.

The Kraylor by Guillaume
including TCC SSD
This is a unique new tournament cruiser, with new rules to present a races with a lot of staying power.

The Borg by Gavin Joth
including Cube-ship SSD
From the Next Generation, this is the giant cube-ship. It adapts to damage, fires enveloping shots, and possesses a shield-dropping tractor beam. It takes quite a fleet to assault.
The Shadows by Gavin Joth
including Shadow Cruiser SSD
This is more of a unique monster than a traditional ship. The ship is a single living entity without most of the usual features.

Necroids by Mick McPherson
Skaven by Gideon Marcus
Inspired by the Warhammer skaven, and including new rules.
Serpent Riders by Ethan Marcus
Ayn' Eicheby Gideon Marcus
Nissby Gideon Marcus

Imperial Star Destroyer by Geoff Gard and Robert Hubby
including Standard SSD (by Geoff) and Alternate SSD (by Robert)
This is the giant carrier from Star Wars, with massive numbers of phasers and over 30 TIE fighters. The alternate version uses new technology.

Published Races

 In addition, here is an overview of some of the ``new'' races (i.e. one's you may not have heard of) published by various companies.

Pinwheel Galaxy Races by R. A. Mulder and Timothy E. Janota
These are five new unofficial races which had been available for mail order, but have now been pulled as they are in negotiation with ADB.

The Omega Sector by Agents of Gaming
This is a new module of races in the ``Omega'' quadrant of the galaxy, released in Spring 2000. They are generally smaller and simpler to play than the standard General War.

Simulator Races by Task Force Games
These are ``official'' races, but ones which intentionally do not fit with the technology or background of the rest of the game. Instead, they are more like ``just-for-fun'' oddities, with radically different tactics than the normal ships in the game.

Jindarians by Task Force Games
Published in Module F1, these are wandering tribes who wander between asteroid belts, living their lives out in space. Their large ships are hollowed out asteroids which rely on kilometers of rock for their main protection rather than shields (directional armor), while their smaller ships are more conventional.

Seltorians by Task Force Games
Published in Module C3, these are the race which the Tholians were running from: an insect-like race that travelled to our galaxy in a giant hive ship. They have shield and web-breaking devices, and lots of boarding parties to exploit downed shields.

Vudar by Task Force Games (Upcoming)
This is a new race previewed in Module P6 and Star Fleet Times. The Vudar are a Klingon subject race who successfully rebelled in Y178, specializing in ion storms and ion technology. They are armed with Ion Cannons (heavy weapons like photons, except they use 2d6 and are thus less effected by EW); and they defend themselves with Ion Pulse Generators, which can either aid EW or damage all seeking weapons within 2 hexes.

Back to John's SFB Page
John H. Kim <jhkim@fnal.gov>
 Last modified: Fri Jul 12 16:17:42 2002

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