Q: If I convert a FF to a DW does that count against a the SC4 or the DW conversion capacity?
A: Its a SC4, not a DW conversion. The limit is based upon what you started with.
Q: In building ships of a class are we limited to what is in SFU history or are we able to build according to the number of named ships in a class, as GC is somewhat different in gameplay?
For example I believe the Federation Strike Cruiser had only one ship built but there are 3 ship names in the Master Ship List. Same for the Federation DDF.
A: The RPW/LPW/RP1/etc. notes in G3 should be taken as guidance (impossible/conjectural are a different beast) as to if one can build it. They are not hard-fast rules on if one should/will build it (ex: various Romulan Old Series variants and speed upgrades).
As long as the ship was built, you may build it at the applicable time. There may be other restrictions in play (X, X2, BB, conversions, etc.) that limit your build rate or modify production costs. Things like the Fed CS or Romulan FHP/ROC while rare or unique in SFB/F&E, are not limited in that manner in GC unless your empire specific rules say so.
BBs (including their BBV and SDS versions but not others) are often (by GM fiat) allowed.
X2 hull YIS dates are the first year one can get the hull- no prototypes.
Do note that I have not covered:
UNV (unbuilt variant; presumably in the same state- when the YIS allows it, you could opt to build it))
CNJ (conjectural; R&D required at a minimum)
CAM (campaign conjectural R&D required at a minimum)
etc.
Some units may be considered "obsolete designs" either at the start of the game or at some point during the game (Federation CL hulls and Romulan sublight ships are prime examples). The GM generally lists these for each empire if they exist. Building such hulls from scratch typically has a 30% or 50% surcharge. Converting them to something else (Romulan WB to a SE, for example) is typically not affected this way, but the GM is free to do so.
Q: When building carrier escorts are they able to be done in one turn or would it take two? The rules state that a CV is expected to have its assigned escorts (subject to YIS dates and such, so some substitutions may be made with GM approval)
A1: In the field, a CV group is expected to have its assigned escorts. A squadron that loses escorts would be impacted by C20.70.
A2: When being built at a shipyard, the previous answer still generally applies, but it is understood that combat losses for other CVs which pilfer the newly build escorts, conversion slots, and production constrains may mean a CV is waiting for its assigned escorts. The SFU history has many notes to the effect of there being times when CV groups operated with fewer escorts than intended or when a ship had additional escorts while their CV was in drydock.
The addition of SABOTs is not covered in the rules. They should be treated like drone speed upgrades.
B11.85) When a drone or plasma armed ship is built (for multiple turn builds, the "build" turn in question here is the turn that the unit is finished, not started) as new construction, if the current drone speed (or SABOT plasma) is higher due to upgrades, then the ship's EPV must include the price of the speed upgrade. Assume all drone racks have type-I drones for EPV purposes. Existing ships will automatically, and instantly, have any speed upgrades for no cost. Note that fighters and gunboats do not get drone speed upgrades (C20.400). R1 units, unless specifically noted do not pay for nor get the advantage of these upgrades. Bases that are size class 4 or larger, including ground and space based models, are treated like warships- they get the BPV bump at the applicable time(s) and must pay for it if built after that time.
Short form of the above for SABOTs:
size class 5 or smaller- never
size class 4 or larger- R2-Rxxx ships and R1 bases- yes
size class 5 bases, R1 units not specifically included- never
Carriers/PFTs pay for their upgrades, but the drones/plasma torpedoes carried
by their FTR/bombers/INT/PF are free (this includes PL-D ready rack upgrade
costs).
SABOT and drone speed upgrades are "free" for existing things when the clock says the upgrades happened, and must be paid for things completed on or after that time.
I think I got all the corner cases (thanks are due to Lucky Coleman for coming up with many of them). Rationale for why things are the way they are- R1 units (other than bases) have minimal combat use and are typically not provided the "best" stuff. Making the GM recalculate MM income for the upgrades (and few points it would change things) seemed excessive. Monitors one could argue either way, I went with "no". Bases clearly come into play more often, are typically military grade, and have more moderate numbers (I hope there are not any civilian bases that this artificially bumps up). SC5 bases I lumped in with the already excluded SC5/6 units.
If your forces are in two (or more) friendly empires in a turn (perhaps due to the use of DTM or TWM), you would have to pay/compute expeditionary fees for EACH empire the squadron is in. The partial exception is that if the 1st movement point used takes you into a different empire, you would not have to compute/pay fees for the empire that the squadron departed from.
In a similar vein, if the expeditionary force is in hostile space but expects to return to supply in friendly space, you have to pay expeditionary fees even though you are getting no actual supply for the squadron on the turns in question.
Add cross reference in C22.40 to A10.60 for inactive status.
Q: Been trying to find a rule concerning the building of hangar bay modules. Is it one per? Size class is 5, so I have been trying to find a build limit for shipyards and starbases.
A: There is no build limit. If they are attached to BS/BATS/SB/SF/SP then you just pay for them and they show up...just like bases. If a SB can hold 6 HBMs, you would just indicate in your turn that your are building 6 HBMs at that base...and spend the EPS (and account for the crew units).
The units that one must scrap when on a restoration economy must be scrapped or mothballed on the same turn that the economy is reduced to that level.
The rules are clear that when a ship needs more crew units due to a conversion, you have to provide them (you may substitute better crew if needed, but can not add poor/green/normal crew to an outstanding crew, etc.).
There are rare corner cases where a conversion reduces the crew count (the K5R to K5S is the one I have seen in the wild, although I could also have done a BH to PEL if I thought a speed 2 MS was a good use of conversions).
If the ship was mothballed or scrapped, the rules cover what happens- 100% of p/g and 50% of normal/o crew go to stock.
Since this is a pretty rare event (the Klingon D5M, F5S, D6E, D6I, D7M, D7P, and some oddball C6/C8/C9/C10 cases; the Fed SC, NMS, CLS, MS) and only involves a few CU per event it isn't a big deal, but should we note this specifically?
C9.65 is silent on the matter.
Ruling pending on this, but assume that the couple of crew units are added to stock.
Once a system has a TCB it is considered a major system (so an empire with only 7 majors capturing a system with one immediately is considered as having 8 majors for rules counting major systems (trade pacts for example), even though the system isn't producing.
A similar corner case exists when an empire gets its 10th (or 20th or 30th...) system. In this case the bonuses kick in only when the HEX in which the system resides is owned by the empire that owns the system. This only crops up when a system is captured.
A system is considered to be a major system when the TCB is completed, not when it is started. The lack of other requirements for a major system (BS, other defenses) have other consequences as shown in the rules.
You can set up a trade route (that is pay for, pull freighters from SR, and specify intent) that will cover hexes that you do not own at the beginning of the turn. The hexes must be yours by the end of the turn for the trade route to in fact be established.
If a trade route hex can not be established (annexing fails, hex annexed by enemy, etc.), then the funds are still spent but the freighters are returned to SR.
The example listed in B12.50 should say that an empire with the listed systems can safely stay on Full War for 15 turns, not 16. Note that their limit is 16, but the turn you match the limit, Bad Things Happen(tm).
More precisely- you can get 15 turns and then reduce your economic output level and things are OK. If you perform a 16th turn of war output, you get the 16th turn OK, but are now in EE. The following turn you'd get 50% if you stayed at war, 25% (half of 50%) if you were at peace, 12.5% (half of 25%) on restoration, etc.
Put another way- change B12.40 wording so that when you hit
0 (overshooting due to a system loss is included) you get the full
cash for the turn that got you there but income on subsequent turns is
reduced to exhaustion levels.
To give specific examples:
EEP=1, spend turn at war, EEP=0, full income this turn but EE in
effect following turn.
EEP=1, spend turn at war, lose 1 minor system, EEP= -0.5, full income
this turn, EE in effect following turn
EEP=0, spend turn at peace, lose 1 major system, EEP=0, reduced income
this turn, EE in effect following turn
EEP=0, spend turn at restoration, lose 1 major system, EEP=1, reduced
income this turn, EE not in effect following turn
EEP=2, spend turn at war, lose two major systems, EEP=-1, full income
this turn, EE in effect following turn
(B9.20)'s use of "facilities" should be be understood as "SC5 or smaller units not otherwise covered".
(B11.100) should cross reference to (B10.55) as the transfer of generic
hulls count against the aid limit.
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