Fleet Book:Volume 1

What does the Fleet Book Volume 1 contain?

Full Thrust Fleet Book : Volume 1 Warships of the Major Powers : 2183

• • Introduction and Designers Notes

  • Vector Movement System

  • New Fire Arc Rules

  • Rolling Ships

  • Reroll and Damage Rules

  • Core System Rules

  • Expanded Fighter Rules

  • Modified Weapon Systems

  • Defensive and Other Systems

  • Turn Sequence Summary

  • Salvo Missile System

  • Mass and Points Cost Table

  • Summary of Weapon Systems

  • NAC Ship Designs

  • NSL Ship Designs

  • FSE Ship Designs

  • ESU Ship Designs

  • Merchant and Support Vessels

  • Background Information

  • Final Comments and Counters

  • New Ship Record Sheet

  • Full Thrust Starship Miniatures List

Is there a list of errata for the Fleet Book Volume 1?

Errata for the Fleet Book : Volume 1, as of October 1998:

With any book, you start to notice the typos as soon as it comes back from the printers.... there are several in the Fleet Book Vol.1, most of them in the boxes of text for each ship's specifications. The ones listed here are those that have been spotted so far, and there may be a few more lurking in obscure places. The most important thing is that of the ones we've found or had pointed out to us, in all cases the SYSTEMS STATUS DISPLAY panels (the bits that you actually use to play the game) are CORRECT. The majority of the typos are in the text boxes where the ship specs are written out, which is annoying but not a serious problem, but we have listed them all here for players' convenience.

Page 3: Under "Thruster Pushes", 2nd paragraph: the text reads "6 manoeuvre points" whereas it should read 3.

Page 11: We managed to leave the Points Cost for HULL ARMOUR out of the Mass and Cost table; Armour boxes should be costed at 2 x MASS used (ie: 2 points per Armour box), exactly as for Hull Integrity and Drive Systems costs.

The sample design is wrong. A level one screen for a Mass 85 ship is 4.25 (round down to 4) mass but the design lists it as 5 mass. The point cost is 3 X MASS or 12 not, but the listing shows 15. The cost for the SM magazine is also incorrect, 3 standard load, 2 MASS each, 6 total MASS, point cost is 3 X MASS or 18, but listing shows 12.

Page 12: In the "Ship classifications and Mass ratings" table, the entry for "Patrol or Escort Cruiser" should have the abbreviation "CE", not "E" as printed.

Page 15: TICONDEROGA CLASS DESTROYER: The Points Value (NPV) of this ship should read 100, not 41. The Procurement Cost should read 1000 MUcr, not 410.

Page 16: FURIOUS CLASS ESCORT CRUISER: Thrust Rating for this ship is 4, as shown on the Systems Display; the Technical Specifications box lists it as 6, which is incorrect.

Page 16: VANDENBURG CLASS HEAVY CRUISER: There is a Pulse Torpedo system listed in the Tech Specs which should not be there; the Systems Display panel is correct.

Page 17: MAJESTIC CLASS BATTLECRUISER: There is an ADFC system listed in the Tech Specs which should not be there; the Systems Display panel is correct.

Page 19: ARK ROYAL CLASS FLEET SUPERCARRIER: There is a superfluous "crew factor" star next to one of the PDS Systems on the Systems Display, which should be ignored. (We believe this is actually Able Spacehand Eugene P. Funk, who is in hiding to avoid being put on Damage Control detail again...)

Page 25: SZENT ISTVAN CLASS BATTLEDREADNOUGHT: There are only 3 PDS systems listed in the Tech Specs; there should be 4. The Systems Display panel is correct.

Page 26: DER THEUERDANK CLASS FIGHTER CARRIER: The SSD is incorrect and should show only 14 armour boxes not 15. The technical specification is correct. The crew factor should be 11 not 10 as stated in the technical specification and SSD.

Page 33: JEANNE D'ARC CLASS FLEET CARRIER: There are only 3 Fighter Bays listed in the Tech Specs; there should be 7. The Systems Display panel is correct.

Page 36: VOLGA CLASS SUPER DESTROYER: There is only 1 PDS System listed in the Tech Specs; there should be 2. The Systems Display panel is correct.

Page 36: TIBET CLASS LIGHT CRUISER: There is only 1 Fire Control System listed in the Tech Specs; there should be 2. The Systems Display panel is correct.

Page 39: ROSTOV CLASS BATTLEDREADNOUGHT: The descriptive text box for this ship is incorrect; it is a copy of the text for the Manchuria Class. The text box for the Rostov should read:

The Rostov is the BDN class of the "family" of ship designs from the Tsien-Valkov design bureau, which began with the Manchuria BCs at the start of the 2170s. All of the designs are well armed and protected, with good drive power, and are giving the ESU Navy a much-needed boost in its strike capabilities. As with most BDNs, the Rostov carries a single embarked fighter group for both anti-shipping and ground support operations. Five built-to-order Rostovs were exported to the Pan African Union between 2178 and 79, to form the major battleline strength of the PAU's rapidly-expanding and modernising navy; this sale was purely a political move, which somewhat upset the ESU Admiralty who (understandably) felt that their own requirements for replacement fleet units should have taken priority.

Page 42: ASSAULT TRANSPORT: Includes the costs of the landers, this should have been noted in the design box. It has a NPV of 359 as shown. Adding a Level-1 screen will bring it to NPV 377.

Note

Several false errata have been reported due to the fact that the designs in the Fleet Book that have hangar bays do not usually have the cost of the craft in those bays included (except the ASSAULT TRANSPORT on Page 42)

On the subject of errata, we've done a reprint run of FB1 at the same time as FB2, and we've taken the opportunity to fix all the errors in the first printing. Nothing else has changed (except our new logo is now on the cover in place of the old version), so you don't need to rush out and get another copy (unless you REALLY want to of course, in which case we won't turn your money away....) but all the mistakes that we'd spotted or had pointed out to us should now be fixed in all the copies we are selling from now on. -Ground Zero Games

Can you roll ships in cinematic movement?

Yes.

Do the reroll on sixes for penetrationg damage, continue on until you stop rolling sixes? 

Yes. This is explicitly stated on page 5, Rerolls (penetrating damage), second paragraph.

Enhanced Pulse Torpedo damage is split between armor and hull. Is the split per die or total damage when multiple PTs hit? 

Per die.

Does the Enhanced Pulse Torpedo require a Firecon? 

Yes, the Firecon ruling for FT2 still applies, though Jon Tuffley states: 

I think for the FB2 rules we should drop the firecon limitation for PTs and treat them just as any other weapon system

The summary sheet mentions limited anti-ship capability for Point Defence Systems, but no mention is made in the text?

The rules in the summary chart - page 12 - are valid as written.

What is the behavior of class 1 beams used as PDS firing at heavy fighters?

Heavy fighters take damage from class 1 beams just as normal fighters, and gain no extra benefit. 

What is the range of Enhanced Range Salvo Missile Launcher?

ER SML range is 36 MU, see page 12.

When a SML is bought it is bought empty?

Yes you only buy the launch tube you have to have a magazine to supply it.

Can more than one SM magazine serve an SML?

No, it is prohibited see page 9

any one Launcher system may only be fed by ONE magazine, though a single magazine may feed more than one launcher.

If the SML gets hit do you loose the missile in it?

The Salvo Missiles are always held in the magazine, they are never in the SML long enough to be able to be damaged there. Hits to the SML only damage the SML and do not effect any unlaunced missiles in the magazine. Hits to an SMR damage the rack and the missiles it contains.

If a magazine for a salvo missile launcher is lost to a threshold test and then subsequently repaired do you get the remaining missiles back?

Use the house rule that either all the missiles are lost or roll for each salvo individually as a repair roll.

Can a SML target a fighter group?

No.

Do SML's require a Firecon?

The official ruling is that the ship needs to have an operating firecon available during the SML launch phase of the turn (just one irrespective of how many salvoes are fired), but that firecon can then also be used during the main fire phase of the same turn to fire other weapons. This is simply a rule mechanism to avoid having to remember or record which firecons have been used up from phase to phase. A ship that has lost all Firecon capability cannot fire SLMs (or any other weapons).

What are the possible firing arcs for a SML?

Three adjacent arcs as indicated by the symbol, it is not possible to buy extra arcs for a single launcher. 

Where in the turn sequence do the MT missiles launch and move in?

The Fleet Book doesn't really cover MT weapon system use in any detail. It is suggested that they are activated during the salvo missile phase.

Can a fighter screen intercept a More Thrust missile?

Yes, the rules state missile salvo and these include MT missile salvoes.

Can a fighter screen intercept a salvo missile?

Yes, this is explicitly stated on page 9.

Can a non screening fighter group intercept a salvo missile?

This is not explicitly stated as being possible, only screening fighters can intercept missiles. If you allow it then it is suggested the fighters intercept against the total number of missiles in the salvo (i.e. six) rather than those that are on target.

Can a fighter screen, screen a fighter group?

No, only ships can be screened. However, in reality this is such a common occurrence, that it is an acceptable house rule to allow it.

I'd probably rule that the two (or more) groups have to be in base-to-base contact (models permitting) and get moved together.

Can Area Defence Fire Controls target all fighters/missiles within 6MU of the ship, just as the original ADAFs could?

No, only those attacking friendly ships or the ship itself. The ability to allow it to attack all fighters/missiles should be considered a common house rule.

How many fighters can be launched/recovered in a turn?

At present, same as FT2, a Carrier can launch 2 groups per turn while other fighter carrying ships can launch one group per turn. All fighter carrying ships can recover one group per turn.

What is a Carrier now that all ships can carry fighters?

Determining what constitutes a carrier is flexible. A suggested determination is based on the Carrier designs in FT2 and in FB1.

Do fighters have an attack arc?

No, fighters no longer have an attack arc. Like missile salvoes, they may now attack anything within 6MU reach irrespective of direction.

Do torpedo fighters apply half damage to armor as per pulse torps?

Yes.

Do interceptors add their +1 dogfighting bonus against missiles?

Yes.

Do fighters reroll sixes?

Yes. Fighters are assumed to be armed with beams.

Does the +1 attack bonus of attack fighters give rerolls on a five or six or only when the dice actually reads six?

Rolls of six only.

How does the +1 attack bonus of attack fighters work with level 2 screens?

1 point on 4, 5 or 6.

Do fighters use vector movement?

No, fighters use abstract non-vector movement to simplify play. If you prefer to use vector movement for them, then feel free to do so as a house rule.

Are sensors still in use? 

You can still use the MT sensor rules if you wish; we will be revising them for FT3, which is why we've just kept to the basic FT2 sensors in FB1.

If I have an odd thrust ship how much thrust can I use for course changes?

Half the thrust rounded down, from page 5:

to determine the thrust available for course changes the thrust rating is halved (as normal) but is rounded DOWN

Can thrust one ships still turn?

Yes this is an excpetion to the rule that course change thrust is rounded DOWN. The thrust one ship could be by design or a damaged thrust 2 ship.

Can damaged thrust one ships still turn?

No, a thrust one drive is considered destroyed after one threshold hit, you cannot have a thrust of 0.5.

In vector movement does the restriction on ROTATIONS or PUSHES to one each only apply if you combine them. Would it be OK to have two rotations or two pushes in one turn so long as there is no combination of the two?

Original intent was for only ONE of each manoeuvre per turn, so I suppose this should be considered the [OFFICIAL] ruling; however, there is no reason why you shouldn't allow multiple rotations IF that suits the style of game you want, and all your playing group agree. 

Can you have more than 1 attempt at repairing a damaged system each turn. If you use different DCP's?

According to the Fleet Book page 8:

For ships with multiple DCPs, more than one may be allocated to a single repair job at one time; one DCP on its own will manage to bring a system back on-line on a roll of 6, and each additional DCP on the same job reduces this needed number by 1. The maximum limit of DCPs on a single job is THREE, so that the highest chance of repairing a system is 50% (4+ on a D6) if three teams are allocated to do it. Note that ALL teams put on one systems in a single turn make just the ONE roll.

Thus, only one DC repair roll may be made for a given system during a single turn, but up to 3 DC parties may work together to improve the chance of repair.

Is the damage from needle beams still regarded as unable to be repaired by DCP's?

Yes. Loss of a system at a threshold check can be considered as potentially-repairable damage to control runs, power feeds, targetting arrays or whatever, whereas damage by needle beams is specifically physical damage to the actual system (eg: blowing the weapon mount to bits).