Cadet Training Handbook

This is a 64-page book intended to be a step-by-step introduction to Star Fleet Battles. As the name implies, it is intended more as an aid for teaching the game to a beginner than a book which a newbie will buy and become interested in. For beginner's learning on their own, it is cheaper and less daunting than the 288-page Basic Set, but also less functional as a playable game.

The "training" is divided into 12 scenarios, each of which adds on a new concept. Newbies begin with "Cadet Cruisers" -- small FF/PF-like ships with undifferentiated hull, no probes, move cost 1, and other simplifications. They also start with an 8 impulse turn (where at first everyone moves every impulse). The scenarios go as follows:

• Introduce turning and turn modes, firing arcs, and phasers.
• Scenario #1 "Battle Drill"
  A Federation cadet cruiser must shoot down 5 dummy drones moving in straight (all move 1 per impulse).
• Introduce shields, photon torpedoes, and seeking weapons.
• Scenario #2 "Under Attack"
  The Federation cadet cruiser must fend off 8 drones targetted on it without taking internals.
• Introduce impulse movement, disruptors, and drone launch.
• Scenario #3 "Convoy Raid"
  A Klingon cadet cruiser must destroy 4 freighters (run using "robot" rules).
• Introduce energy allocation.
• Scenario #4 "The Dakota Incident"
  Federation cadet cruiser tries to rescue crew of a freighter from 3 Klingon cadet cruisers (using "robot" rules) or 1 Klingon cadet cruiser played by another player.
• Introduce simplified damage allocation rolls.
• Scenario #5 "Encounter"
  A straight duel between a Federation cadet cruiser and Klingon cadet cruiser.
• Introduce plasma torpedoes and cloaking device.
• Scenario #6 "The Enemy Unseen"
  A straight duel between a Federation cadet cruiser and a Romulan cadet cruiser.
• Introduce the full DAC table and results.
• Scenario #7 "Single Combat"
  A straight duel between a full Federation CA and a full Federation D7.
• Introduce simplified tractors, transporters, and boarding party combat.
• Scenario #8 "Pirate Raid"
  Orion CR tries to capture freighters (by boarding or by tractor dragging them off the map) while a defending starship appears on turn 6.
• Introduce shuttlecraft.
• Scenario #9 "Rescue at Rigel"
  Federation CA tries to rescue crash survivors from a planet while under attack from a D7.
• Introduce sideslips, TACs, shield reinforcement/repair, mutiny, and reserve power.
• Scenario #10 "Direct Combat"
  A straight CA-D7 duel like #7 except with these new rules.
• Introduce labs (for information) and probes.
• Scenario #11 "The Planet Killer"
  The monster scenario from the Basic Set.
• Introduce Lyrans (ESGs), Hydrans (Fusions+fighters), and ISC (PPD)
• Scenario #12 "Force Dynamics"
  Duel between one CA and three cadet cruisers (choose any races).

Note that this edition adds 16 pages to the original 48-page volume entitled "Introduction to SFB". The newer CTH is 64 pages, including 10 full and 10 "cadet" SSDs, and an inset with a color mapboard, and 80 thin cardboard counters.

The stepwise organization makes the book somewhat difficult to use in a game. There is no table of contents or index, and the rules are scattered between different scenarios. This makes it hard to consult or reference rules. The SSD's and charts cannot be pulled out of the book (i.e. like 16-page insert in the center). Instead the charts and SSDs are on pages 23-33 and pages 55-62. The charts are arranged on pages as:

p29: Full EAF
p30: 8-impulse movement chart; Basic impulse procedure;
     Basic sequence of play; Advanced sequence of play
p31: Cadet EAF; Full DAC
p32: Advanced impulse procedure; 16-impulse movement chart
p33: 32-impulse movement chart

Note that the advanced sequence of play is on a different page than the advanced impulse procedure, and the cadet damage allocation chart (used in scenarios 5-6) is not included in the charts, while the cadet energy allocation is on the same page as the full DAC.

Conclusion

Overall, the Cadet Training Handbook is definitely helpful if you want to teach new players to play SFB. I would recommend photocopying the charts and re-organizing so that all the basic and advanced charts are together on different sheets.

For newbies learning on their own, it is a mixed bag. For those who are experienced with hex-based wargames and not daunted by mass of rules, it may make sense to start directly with the Basic Set. For others, the step-by-step approach of the CTH may be useful.

The Cadet Training Handbook is 64 pages, including 10 full ship SSDs and 10 cadet SSDs, and an inset with a color mapboard, and 80 thin cardboard counters.

($9.95)

---

Back to John's SFB Page

---

John H. Kim <jhkim@fnal.gov>

Last modified: Tue Aug 3 15:12:36 CDT 1999

Star Fleet Battles, SFB, Federation & Empire, Star Fleet Missions, Prime Directive, and all contents thereof are copyright (C) 1990 by Amarillo Design Bureau. Second Edition copyright (c) 1994 by Amarillo Design Bureau. These games were produced under license from Franz Joseph Designs, authors of the STAR FLEET TECHNICAL MANUAL. Elements of the Star Fleet Universe are the property of Paramount Pictures Corporation and are used with their permission.

Amarillo Design Bureau (ADB) and Task Force Games (TFG) are NOT related in anyway with these Web pages; it is an undertaking and opinions of a private citizen (hence unofficial), and is not construed to be an official position of either companies. Ideas and information from the games are presented without permission.