From: jeffsj@execpc.com (Jeffery S. Jones) Subject: Starfire FAQ Starfire FAQ Maintained by: Jeffery S. Jones (jeffsj@execpc.com) Member of Starfire Design Studio, Task Force Games ------------------------------- Contents: 1. Copyrights 2. Contributor List 3. Distribution 4. Who to ask for FAQs? Questions: 5. What is Starfire? 6. What previous editions exist, and can I get them? 7. What products are currently available? 8. Is there are source of answers to game questions (Errata, Gremlins, etc.)? 9. If one product contradicts another, which has precedence? 10. Can I get spare parts? 11. How do I get a campaign game started? 12. Who designed this game, and can I get in touch with them? 13. Is there a newsgroup or mailing list for this game? 14. I've heard about Starfire novels. Who wrote them, and how can I get them? 15. Can Starfire be played by email (PBeM)? 16. Are their any convention events or tournaments? 17. Is Starfire available for computer play? 18. Are there any computerized game aids available? 19. Are there any good house rules or variants available? 20. Is there a "science fiction" explanation for the technology used in the game? 21. Is it OK to make my own game variations? ------------------------------- 1. All trademarks and copyrights acknowledged property of Task Force Games Co. This article is copyright 1996 by Jeffery S. Jones, and may not be reproduced in any form without permission by the author, except for personal use or redistribution through normal Usenet channels and no fee is charged for such use. Please feel free to email suggestions for this FAQ! ------------------------------- Subject: *2. Contributor List The contributor list will now only list *new* contributors for this issue of the FAQ. If there is a section in the FAQ that you contributed to, and you want your name and email address to appear next to it, please drop me a note. Most contributions are legion. ------------------------------- 3. Distribution: This document answers some of the most Frequently Asked Questions regarding the game Starfire. It is available on the Task Force Games web page, and is posted on rec.games.board. {Other possible useful locations may be suggested and used}. TFG Web Page URL is: http://www.demon.co.uk/the-net-effect/tfg/ ------------------------------- 4. Who to ask for FAQs? Myself (Jeffery S. Jones, jeffsj@execpc.com), or the other members of the Starfire Design Studio. Current Studio Members: Jeffery S. Jones (jeffsj@execpc.com) Marvin Lamb (MarvinLamb@aol.com) Todd Dillen (TDillen@aol.com) Dave M. Everett (Vestrii@aol.com) Ken Burnside (yorik@inxpress.net) Drew South (ASOUTH@nsati2.ait.ac.nz) ------------------------------- 5. What is Starfire? Starfire is a game of space combat created originally by Steve Cole, of Star Fleet Battles fame, in 1976. It was published in a revised version by Task Force Games in 1979. It was designed to be a quick playing game of fleet combat in space, with a easy to use starship design system, and a progression of technological development. This edition was expanded with two supplements, the first adding fighters, while the second included a campaign system. Over the years, the game has been expanded, but remains essentially the same quick-playing space combat game that it began as. The edition released in 1992 as a boxed set is the most recent version of the system. Starfire began as a purely tactical game, but with a simple system for starship construction, it lent itself well to campaign play. The Imperial Starfire game is a supplement to Starfire which allows for campaign play, as well as new technologies. Starfire as a space combat game began with an interesting concept for interstellar travel called warp points. Rather than having some type of faster than light drive, natural "wormholes" in space exist which allow the slower than light ships to jump between star systems. Starships are strictly slower than light, and no FTL technologies exist at all. In part due to this, the game is able to present not just a tactical and strategic (empire management) scale of play, but also operational. While battles are always resolved on a tactical hex-grid map with counters representing the units, they move to these battles on a level of play called "system", which allows forces to be maneuvered within a single star system, or through several star systems, prior to making contact, and allowing for ambushes to be set, raids on supply units, etc. Starfire may be played as a purely tactical game, whether with units of the players design, or taken from the historical scenarios in several published products. But it also can be played at the operational level, in several types of minicampaigns, or as a grand campaign game of interstellar empire building, diplomacy, and war. All using the same simple combat system. ------------------------------- 6. What previous editions exist, and can I get them? The first edition was published as a pocket game by Task Force Games, (C) 1976, 1979. It was contained in a plastic bag, with a counter sheet, hexgrid map, and a small rulebook. This edition was a purely tactical combat game, but it did have the ship design rules, repair rules, and thus was usable for campaign play by players willing to set up rules for it. Three interstellar empires were introduced in this game: The Terran Federation -- a republic composed solely of humans, which had learned peace through a series of hard lessons; the Khanate of Orion -- a felinoid race ruled by an absolute aristocracy, headed by a single ruler called the Khan, which had endured a self-imposed peace to avoid civil war among their very warlike citizenry; and the Ophiuchi Association, a relatively peaceful coalition of several species, who happened to be present in a star system which fell on the border between the previous two empires at the time of their second war. Two supplements were published for this edition. Starfire II: Strikefighter came out in 1980, was designed by Barry Jacobs, adding a new tactical option with fast, powerful, tiny fighters which had to be carried aboard carriers to reach other star systems. A new enemy race was introduced, the Rigelians, who had perfected the fighter before anyone else, and had a racial religious imperative to exterminate all other sentient species. The Third Interstellar War (ISW3) appeared in the product, and was the first genocidal war presented in the game. Starfire III:Empires, introduced a simple campaign system of empire building and exploration, created by David Weber. While admittedly flawed (even by its designer), the system created an opportunity for players to build empires and fight battles whose resources weren't limited to that given in a scenario. Two additional supplements were announced: Groundfire, a game of ground combat based on the Starfire system, and Chameleons, a space combat expansion introducing a new race. Neither was ever published, but the ideas developed in them were carried over into the next edition. About 1984, Task Force Games decided to revive the Starfire series by republishing it in a boxed version, combining Starfire and Starfire II into a single product, and improving the rules. Dave Crump and David Weber collaborated on this revision, and also on its campaign supplement, New Empires. The new campaign rules were greatly improved over those in its predecessor, and included the concept of variable scale, which had been published in Nexus magazine, also published by Task Force Games. Variable scale allowed units to move on a "system" level which allowed a whole star system to be placed on a table, while units entering the same hex would switch scales, first to an "interception" scale on a smaller map, and finally to a "tactical" scale allowing battles using the tactical combat rules. In this way, star systems could be realistically presented, while allowing combat to remain at a believable scale. Among the other changes in this edition, the concept of half points of damage was dropped, hull types were made variable in size, and the capability of fighters was considerably reduced. One additional supplement to this edition of Starfire was published: The Gorm-Khanate War. It introduced a new race and empire, the Empire of Gormus, a relatively peaceful democratic state that determined after contacting the Khanate of Orion shortly after their demoralizing 2nd loss to the Terrans that the Khanate had to be attacked. By making a quick and effective attack on the Khanate, the Gorms would be able to make it too expensive for the Khanate to conquer them. In addition to this campaign, several new rules were introduced, including crew grade and the drive room rules. Nexus magazine, which was published until 1987 with a total of 18 issues, included many articles on the Starfire game system. After it was discontinued, no official Starfire material was released again until the publication of the current edition in 1992. At about the same time as the release of this version, a series of Starfire miniatures was produced by Task Force Games. They were of small size, intended for use on a regular hex-grid map, and were available for most of the ship types in the game. There were no empire-specific minitatures in this line, and painting was needed to distinguish between them. Availability of any of these older games is limited, but game conventions and private sales are possible. The 1992 edition made several major changes, including using a 1d10 dice roll system rather than 2d6. The rule system was redesigned to integrate the strategic rules directly into the tactical system. This edition was designed by David Weber, and is the current edition. ------------------------------ 7. What products are currently available? In order of release: 1) Starfire: (SF) Boxed set, contains the combat and unit design rules, 4 counter sheets and a map. This set is needed for any Starfire play, and includes technologies through HT9. Includes information on the Terran Federation, Khanate of Orion, Ophiuchi Association, Empire of Gormus, and the Rigelian Protectorate. 2) First contact: (FC) Introduces the Vestrii, a race from a distant region of the galaxy and forced to flee its home, and the Tangri, a raiding race which believes that no other species is truly sentient. 3) The Stars at War: (tSAW or SAW) A historical scenario book covering the first three Interstellar Wars, and the Gorm-Khanate War. Lots of ship designs and scenarios, and a good coverage of the future history behind the game. A good source of tactical insight, and ship designs. tSAW also contains an index of SF rules. The costs for the ships were presented in Sky Marshal #1, and are not included in this product. 4) Imperial Starfire: (ISF) This is the campaign game supplement, with rules for star system generation, alien races, economics and diplomacy. It also includes technologies of levels HT10 and HT11. Absolutely needed for campaign play. Also includes historical background material. 5) Starfire Map Set: This includes the maps used in Starfire and Imperial Starfire, including the large 4-part system/tactical level map, the interception map, and the 42x30 tactical map. 6) Crusade: After the end of the 3rd Interstellar War, the galaxy entered a period called "The Long Peace". However, a legacy of the first interstellar war came back to haunt the two combatants. A Terran colony fleet had entered a warp point believed to be a "black hole", certain death, rather than be captured by the Khanate's navy. However, they managed to survive transit, and discovered a civilized race, not yet capable of space travel. In violation of the Terran Federation's doctrine of non-interference, the colony leaders instructed the Thebans in the ways of modern technology, and warned them of the dangers of the Khanate. 70 years later, long after the Terran survivors succumbed to an unknown disease, the Thebans left their home to save Holy Mother Terra from the evil Satan-Khan. Yes, in the intervening years the Thebans established a powerful theocracy to ensure the massive effort needed to prepare their home system to fight a galactic empire. Imagine their surprise when they discovered that Terran officers were serving on Khanate ships stationed in the system of contact, and that the Terrans had _allied_ with their enemies. After destroying the Khanate's patrol squadron, the Synod of the Church of Holy Mother Terra decided to declare a Crusade: Free Holy Mother Terra! Includes the starship boarding technologies developed by the Thebans, new laser weapons, and other technology from HT8-HT11. 7) Alkelda Dawn: (AD) This product introduces the Kess and the J'Rill, two more races from the region of space called Alkelda from which the Vestrii originated, along with the unusual technologies they developed. Includes a two-player campaign covering the war between the Kess and Vestrii. The Vestrii and Kess use a new type of drive technology, including a jump carrier engine which can allow for arrival at a location away from the warp point, a series of kinetic gun weapons which act something like a cross between beams and projectiles, while the J'Rill are a cyborg race which don't use living crew members at all. AD includes all new technologies, presented within an AD-only campaign universe from IND2 (the level below HT1) to HT9. However, these levels are only valid within this campaign universe. Sky Marshal #2 (due out in 1996) will have the rules to use them with the rest of Starfire technologies, and some items get different tech levels, plus additional rules. 8) Sky Marshal #1: This is the first issue of the journal for Starfire series game players. It includes two fiction stories, the mini-campaign "The Drolian Conquest" which covers a war prior to the first interstellar war, many rules clarifications and corrections, and other articles. Coming soon: Sky Marshal #2: The rules for Alkelda Dawn in a regular Starfire game, additional Starfire rules, and new ISF campaign rules (streamlined play and new economics, new NPR (Non-Player Race) rules, etc.). ISW4: Some 60 years after the end of the Terran-Theban War covered in Crusade, a new and very alien enemy appears on the scene: The Arachnids. Unlike all previous wars, the Arachnids do not respond to communication, and attack without regard for the lives of their enemy civilians -- or their own lives. In a tremendous fight to the death, every known galactic power, plus a new race (the Star Union of Crucius) use radical new technologies to end forever the threat of extermination from a race which views all other sentient life as food. Due out in 1996. 8. Is there are source of answers to game questions (Errata, Gremlins, etc.)? Sky Marshal#1 contains a good set of game corrections. Communique, which has had 12 issues to date, also contained Q&A sections, but it is distributed only by subscription, and no issues after #12 (last subscription issue) are promised. Future Sky Marshals will contain more information on this subj4ect. The TFG web page includes the same material as Sky Marshal. TFG Web Page URL is: http://www.demon.co.uk/the-net-effect/tfg/ ------------------------------ 9. If one product contradicts another, which has precedence? The order of publication generally determines this. However, some products don't have rules, per se. Thus the order is: Starfire Imperial Starfire Crusade Alkelda Dawn (though its rules apply only to it) Sky Marshal #1 However, there are some exceptions: First Contact and the Stars at War contain few new rules, and do not supersede anything. First Contact contains tech rules which are also in Imperial Starfire, and are completely superseded by ISF. Communique #1-#10 are superseded by Sky Marshal #1, but #10-#12 include a few rulings which are newer and thus take precedence. Imperial Starfire 27.01 does not supersede that rule in Starfire with regard to the transport requirements for PCFs. The Starfire rule is correct (200 csp per PCF), Imperial is not ( 200 "H" per PCF is definitely too much). Sky Marshal #2, when it comes out, will contain new rules and changes which will take precedence over all earlier products. Also note: The set of scenarios provided in Starfire is superseded by the Stars at War, and no errata as such is provided for either the ships or scenarios in Starfire. Sky Marshal #1 does have some corrections, but SAW completely replaces these simpler scenarios. ------------------------------ 10. Can I get spare parts? Yes, you can order them directly from Task Force Games. TFG Web Page URL is: http://www.demon.co.uk/the-net-effect/tfg/ Email: TFG1@aol.com ------------------------------ 11. How do I get a campaign game started? Imperial Starfire presents rules for four types of campaign games. The most popular is the "New Empires" game, where each player controls a single race which has just discovered the secret of warp travel, and is ready to "seek out new life, explore new worlds, ...". However, no direct guidance is given for how to start up a game. Imperial Starfire provides a comprehensive system for simulating the management of an interstellar empire, but it can require a fair amount of paperwork. With an open-ended, very large universe, this can quickly get out of hand. For a beginning game, starting with a relatively small number of star systems per player in the game will help keep things simple. 50-100 systems per player is a good choice, as players will tend to make contact long before even half of them are explored. A smaller universe than this can work well for learning the game system. ------------------------------ 12. Who designed this game, and can I get in touch with them? Steve Cole designed the original system back in 1976, but hasn't been involved in recent developments. David Weber did much of the work on the latest edition, and has created most of the game's future history. However, contact with either of these gentlemen is neither needed nor efficient for getting answers to questions about the game. Steve Cole is famous for Star Fleet Battles and other games, but no longer does any work with Starfire. David Weber is a successful science fiction author (including two novels set in the Starfire universe), and isn't involved in current Starfire game development, despite his past efforts. Development of Starfire products at Task Force Games is conducted by a group called the Starfire Design Studio. Its members are both developers of new material and playtesters, and are available online to answer questions and accept proposals for the game system. ------------------------------ 13. Is there a newsgroup or mailing list for this game? There is not a specific newsgroup dedicated to the game, but rec.games.board does include some discussion. There is a mailing list, not moderated, and not run by TFG. To subscribe: Send an email to: starfire-request@CSUA.berkeley.edu With the word "subscribe" as the body of the message. Post messages to the list at: starfire@CSUA.berkeley.edu In addition to these resources, there is some discussion on GENie, AOL, and Compuserve. On GENie, go to the Games Roundtable (m805), area 4, topic 47. Topic 3 in this area, the Shipyard, also sees some Starfire discussion. On AOL, look for Task Force Games in the Gaming Support area (keyword: GCS) and Starfire in the Boardgames and Miniatures forum (keyword: strategy). ------------------------------ 14. I've heard about Starfire novels. Who wrote them, and how can I get them? There are two Starfire novels, both cowritten by David Weber and Steve White. Both are published by Baen Books, and should be available from most bookstores. "Crusade" tells the story of the holy war fought between the Thebans and the Terran Federation. It falls 70 years after ISW3 (as presented in Stars at War), and is a showcase for the technologies used in ISF as well as the new ones created here. The novel tells the story from the point of views of participants on both sides of the war. A game supplement is available on this subject. "Insurrection" covers the civil war in the Terran Federation that occured 70 years after the Fourth Interstellar War. The sparsely populated but numerous Fringe Worlds have always been exploited by the Corporate Worlds, who get rich off the resources of others. But the political tide is turning, as the Fringers gain more and more population (and thus votes). So the leaders of the Corporate Worlds choose to change the nature of the Federation, by inviting their old enemies, the Khanate of Orion, to join the Federation. This will add a whole new faction, just slightly less powerful than the Corporate Worlds, and will effectively deny the Fringers real political power for at least a century. It might have succeeded, but the rash and foolish actions of a few of the Corporate World leaders creates a backlash of opposition, spurring them to assassinate the Fringer's chief spokesperson. Though there is no solid evidence to prove the Corporate World ties to the assassination, the Fringers have no doubt as to its source, and hatred drives them to leave the Federation Assembly, resigning in droves in protest. When the Corporate Worlds order the forces of the Terran Federation Navy to key Fringer Worlds to suppress potential unrest, they ignore a most crucial fact: Though the Fringers are less than 40% of the total population of the Federation, they supply more than 60% of the naval personnel -- and more than 90% of its fighter pilots. When the navy is unable to peaceably suppress disent, the Fringer (and other) personnel balk at attacking civilians, and fighting breaks out in the fleet. And thus, the Federation Navy, the most powerful in the known galaxy, finally faces an enemy that is its equal. And, in a repeat of old Earth history, brother fights brother, and father kills son... No game supplement is yet out for this novel, but ISW4 must come out first, as it contains rules needed for the post-ISW4 era. ------------------------------ 15. Can Starfire be played by email (PBeM)? Yes. No official rules for managing this have been created, but to date, as Starfire is a tactical level game as well as strategic, it has required some players to be available face to face to conduct battles. These players will act as the "admirals" representing PBeM players, using the forces and orders given them by the players over the net. ------------------------------ 16. Are their any convention events or tournaments? Starfire tournaments are sponsored by Task Force Games at Origins and GENCON, as national (US) level tournaments. Two types of tournament scenarios have been created. The first type involves selecting a fleet from a set of choices, and fighting another fleet selected from the list. The second type is the "Build Your Own" fleet battle. Rather than use a preselected set of units, you get to design your own force within a set of parameters to fight a battle. Cost and hull spaces are the most common limitations, along with tech level and other armament limitations. At Origins and GENCON, the tournaments are fought on the large (4 part) tactical map included in Imperial Starfire, treated as a fixed map. By disallowing movement off the "edge", the use of short-ranged weapons becomes possible, allowing for a wider variety of choices. The scenarios in published products, such as Stars at War and Crusade, have been designed to fit into the game's future history. It is axiomatic that a good admiral will try to fight only battles where he has a significant advantage, and thus, very few of the historical scenarios are balanced for equal outcome without counting "victory points". Though these victory conditions are intended to be balanced, there is no way to be certain of this, and thus they make poor choices for tournaments. However, they can be fairly played by having two opponents fight the battle twice, switching sides, and taking the total score from both battles. ------------------------------ 17. Is Starfire available for computer play? Not at this time. While there have been some attempts to create Starfire computer games, none have been completed. ------------------------------ 18. Are there any computerized game aids available? There are several available, including star system generators and starship design programs. These can be found on GEnie, AOL, and possibly other sources. ------------------------------ 19. Are there any good house rules or variants available? Starfire, being a simple game, lends itself easily to variants. Among the most common for tactical rules: Plotted Movement: Starfire doesn't require recording movement orders in tactical games, but this variant does so. The rules include this as an option, but it has been expanded on to included plotted firing orders and other elements. Sectioned Ships: Starfire uses a very simple left to right sequential damage allocation system, which makes is very easy to design ships, and to score damage against them. However, the effects of damage are very predictable, and starships will be able to function unimpaired until all of the shields and armor have been penetrated. This variant treats a ship as a set of sections, each of which takes damage separately and has separate armor and shields. Newtonian Motion: Starfire uses a "reactionless" drive system, with no requirement for acceleration. Units can simply move at their designated speed. This variant changes this to a vector acceleration system, where units will retain a velocity. Rules variants have been discussed on the Starfire mailing list and rec.games.board. If an FTP site is set up, these should also become available there. ------------------------------ 20. Is there a "science fiction" explanation for the technology used in the game? Starfire postulates that in the near future, a solution to the problem of fusion power will be achieved by the discovery of a whole new type of energy, the "drive field", so named because it allows an object using it to move at a very high speed without the effects of acceleration. This discovery allows practical starships to be built, because the drive technology doesn't use reaction fuel to move. This same development also leads to weapons powerful enough to be readily used in space combat, and missiles able to hit targets moving at 10% of the speed of light. Note that all Starfire units and missiles move using drive fields, not reaction engines of any type. With ships cruising at 10% of lightspeed, and able to turn or stop almost at will, any reaction engine would be hopelessly outmaneuvered. This same improvement in physical theory allows for artificial gravity onboard spacecraft (a convenient necessity of SF physics), and a wide variety of new technologies. ------------------------------ 21. Is it OK to make my own game variations? While this seems like an obvious question, since no one will stop you from doing so except those you play with, in Starfire, and especially Imperial Starfire campaigns, it is very easy to modify the rules. These modifications fall into three areas: New technologies: Since Starfire is a technology-advancement based game, it isn't hard to come up with new devices to use in it. But because a campaign game can continue for a fair amount of time, introduction of new things into it should be done with care. A good way to find out if new technology ideas are good is playtesting. The only valid test is combat... Modified Campaign Rules: The Imperial Starfire rules include several optional rules in the published set, and include some sections which are either overly simple, overly complex, or just not to players' taste. Because of the modularity of the system (rules are in "chapters" which don't have to interact), this is a good area for customization. Variant Rules: The Starfire tactical combat rules have few options within them, and work as the heart of the larger strategic game system. Changing these rules involves more fundamental changes to the system than adding new technology or modifying the campaign system. While they can be fun to play with, they are hard to incorporate into regular play in campaigns, and may greatly change the outcome of "historical" scenarios. ------------------------------ (C) 1996 Jeffery S. Jones (jeffsj@execpc.com) Please feel free to email suggestions for this FAQ! | *Starfire* | *-___________________________________________________________________-* Jeff Jones email:jeffsj@execpc.com *//* Amiga Lives! *TFG*Starfire*Design*Studio* *\\//* 1985-1994, born again 1995!