SFB Tournament Advice Page

     This is intended as a tactical and practical guide to SFB tournament play. The top SFB tournament is held at Origins Gaming Convention, but there both official and unofficial tournaments held across the U.S. and England. There are even official tournaments played by email and online. The tournament game is played using special tournament cruiser designs and a fixed map with literal walls around the edges.

Official Tournament Rules

• Summary of Rules in Module T
• Tournament Rules Supplement
       (summarizing tournament rules not found in the Basic Set)
• The Playtest Jindarian TCL

Tournament Ships

• Chart of TC Stats (updated with new Andromedan change - see below)
• History of TC Changes since 1988 (updated with Andromedan change)

Play Aids for Tournaments

• TC First Strikes Table (average damage versus range)
• Weapon Damage Averages (damage vs. range per weapon)
• Tournament Sequence of Play
• Impulse Chart
• DAC Chart

Tournament Tactics

• The Andromedan Krait by James Bradley
• The Federation TCC by John Kim
• The Gorn TCC by Jim Hart
• The Hydran TLM by Sandy Hemenway
• The ISC Tourney Command Cruiser by Largo Andante
• The WYN Shark TCA by John Kim

Ongoing PBEM Tournaments

• HR3 (started June '97, finished July '99)
• HR4 (started February '98, finished December '99)
• HR5 (started March '99, currently in round 4)
• HR6 (started August '99, currently in round 3)
• HR7 (signing up now -- December '00)

• Star Fleet Arena (signing up now)

The tournament cruisers themselves are highly standardized, as can be seen from the chart provided. Current popular choices include the WYN Black Shark, the Kzinti, the Andromedan Krait, and the Orion. Others popular contenders are the Federation, the Archeo-Tholian, and ISC. Certain features are standard for everyone (except the Andromedan, the oddball on most counts):

NOTE: The Romulan TKR and TKE were upgraded after the '97 Origins tournament. The Andromedan was downgraded and the Seltorian was upgraded in April of '99. See my TC History page for details.

Standard TCC Features (Exceptions apply)

• Shields: 30-30-24-24 (Exceptions: Andro, A-Thol, TKE)
• 5 Battery (Exception: Andro, LDR)
• Move Cost 1 or 2/3
• Breakdown 5-6 (Exceptions: Orion, WYN AxBC)
• 4 Shuttles
• 2 Tractors
• 12 BP's
• 2-7 Transporters

In terms of tactics, these ships are typically divided up into several categories. In certain tournaments, these are officially used as ``food groups'' -- matchups between different food groups are preferred.

• Direct Fire Ships (Federation, Hydran, and Tholians)
  These ships tend to rely on a heavy punch and then running away to reload. The Federation and Hydran have two-turn load weapons. The Tholians have one-turn load weapons, but are more direct-fire oriented than other disruptor-armed ships.
  Note the Hydran TC has a PH-I-360 and 1 APR added to the Module T design. The Archeo-Tholian, introduced in CL#15, has its breakdown rating changed to 5-6 from the CL#15 version.

• Disruptor Ships (Klingon, Kzinti, WYN Shark, Lyran, Seltorian)
  These ships have less one-turn punch and rely on staying on their opponent over several turns, since all their weapons can fire every turn (ESG's every other turn, but the Lyran tends to cycle them).
  Revisions since CL#15, added 2 warp to the Seltorian and 2 drone points to the WYN Shark. August '97 the Seltorian gained two Ph-1's (FA+L and FA+R), but these were revoked in November. April '99 the Seltorian gained a third WB/SC.

• Plasma Ships (Rom TKE/TKR/TFH, Gorn, ISC)
  These ships all require getting a hit with plasma torpedoes, which in itself is an endless source of tactics. The ISC is unique in that it also has good long-range firepower, but still needs its plasmas to win.
  Revisions since Module T added 5 armor and 2xPh-3(RS/LS) to the TKE. The TKR added two APR and two `wing' Ph-3. Also, 2xPH-III (RS/LS) have been added to the ISC.

• Wild Things (Orion, WYN Aux, LDR)
  These are heavy-hitting ships with few internals (technically the Andro is in this ``food group''). They are all Move Cost 2/3 and fairly power-heavy (i.e. fast). The Orion and the WYN Auxiliary can vary wildly depending on what is placed in their option mounts. (However, note that the WYN is required to have two 'local' weapons.) Both ships have gobs of power, making them quite fast -- but the Orion is nimble and thin to damage, while the WYN is clunky and comparatively tough.
  The LDR Red Jaguar is tricky to fly, in that it is devastating at close range but is sensitive to damage coming in. The design is from CL#15 (superceding an earlier design), and has 2 APR added to boot.

• Playtest (Jindarian)
  The Jindarian is the only new TC design which is currently in playtest. It is NOT sanctioned for use in rated-ace tournaments, but can and (arguably) should be played in just-for-fun tournament games.
• Andromedans really deserve their own category for the special rules and tactics they require. This is especially needed given their popularity in recent times. The Krait can be flown to win using very textbook tactics: fire at range 3 then displace and run for the other side of the board fast as you can to dump panels and reload. It will outrun or displacer-dodge plasmas and drones, outlasting its opponent. Common failures are that it can be cracked at the range-3 exchange by an Orion or a lucky Fed, or it can get unlucky with displacement rolls.

  The Andromedan was downgraded in a revision in April '99, removing 2 cargo, 2 AWR, and the PA mine option - and also converting the remaining 2 AWR to APR. This will be required for all tournaments as of June '99.

  See James Bradley's Andromedan Tactics Manual for more info.

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.

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