Captain's Log #48

But nothing was like a verminball, a pestilence from the Federation that the Earthers called a “tribble.” Something about verminballs sent Klingon hormones and the Klingon nervous system into overdrive. Klingons who encountered verminballs reacted with barely controllable panic and fear.

Released in 2014, this Captain’s Log issue supports Star Fleet Battles, Federation Commander, A Call to Arms: Star Fleet, Starmada, Prime Directive, Star Fleet Battle Force, and Federation & Empire. “The Battle with Tribbles” by Stephen V. Cole focuses on the Klingon battlecruiser Crusher which is headed into battle, but two-thirds of the crew is down with flu and half of the systems don’t work because of tribbles!

The rest of the History section includes a humorous list of definitions one might find used in Star Fleet, a look at the hidden story behind the first day of the invasion of the Federation by the Klingons, the solution to the zombie situation introduced in Captain’s Log #44, a cooking show for Lyrans, and 10 things that Klingons and Romulans each won’t tell you. The shipyard report focuses on the Fralli ship, the Powerista. Then there are articles on the history of the Carnivons, languages in the Star Fleet Universe, and merchant operations in the Star Fleet Universe.

As is usual, Communications is designed to inform readers about the company’s activities. After Action reports are on Star Fleet Battles Module C6: Lost Empires and Captain’s Log #48. The Input Guide is designed to help writers and other people submitting material get their ideas into print. A request went out designed to help us tighten up Starlist. The company explains why it isn’t planning on attending Origins.  This section is rounded out with staff awards and other information about the company’s plans.

Federation Commander has information on plans for the future, rules for adding Carnivons and Paravians to the game, and information about playing online or by email. There are battlegroups with tactics for rescuing scientists from a planet in danger of breaking up. Finally, there are Command Notes and three new scenarios.

This issue includes six scenarios for Star Fleet Battles. SL327 Encounter at Taratok is the scenario for the opening story. SL328 Rescue at Farak III is a solo scenario to rescue scientists on a planet that is breaking up. SL329 Reversal of Fortune has Klingons facing an Orion pirate force. SL330 Molehole! Has Lyrans facing Kzintis in a situation engineered by the Masters. SL331 High Profile Convoy pairs off Klingons and the Federation. SL332 Asteroid Field of Death pits 2-18 players in an asteroid field against each other.

The Star Fleet Battles tactics group has 18 battle group with up to 550 points of ships rescuing scientists. The Magellanic primer focuses on the Eneen. There is a page of Term Papers.

Database articles include an article on the artifact entity. There are guidelines to convert Inter-Stellar Concordium ships to Klingon, Hydran, or Kzinti technology and vice versa. There are four pages of Ask Admiral Vanaxilth. The section is rounded out with proposals, campaign updates to include the lost empires, and answers to background questions.

The Venues include Star Fleet Warlord, SFB Online, Play by E-Mail, Star Fleet Battle Force, Prime Directive, Starmada, Star Fleet Marines, and Galactic Conquest.

A Call to Arms: Star Fleet has ship stats for the Planet Killer and a scenario featuring it. Then there is a page of Call-Out Notes.

Federation & Empire gets its own proposals, Q&A, and “Why” questions. There is a page of Tactical Notes. There are draft rules for including the Paravians in F&E along with a scenario featuring them.

New ships for Star Fleet Battles include Federation new survey carrier, escort battle frigate-R, limited aegis escort battle frigate-R, and Ranger-class battlecruiser; Romulan SeaHawk-F forward carrier; Tholian pocket battleship; Lyran Running Lion quick dreadnought; Paravian area control ship and war scout carrier; Carnivon area control ship and war scout carrier; and Jumokian Resistance Pirate new light cruiser and new frigate. New ships for Federation Commander include the Carnivon heavy cruiser and war destroyer and the Paravian heavy cruiser and war destroyer. Starmada gets the Federation Two-Moons-class DDF, Gorn Dragonscale-class CLE, Klingon E5D drone corvette, Romulan K7R-class BC, LDR JagdPanther-class CL, Lyran JagdPanther-class CL, and Kzinti Pegasus-class DD. These are for both the Admiralty and Nova editions of that game system.

Supports Federation Commander, Star Fleet Battles, Federation & Empire, Prime Directive, Star Fleet Battle Force, SFB Galactic Conquest, Starmada, A Call to Arms: Star Fleet, Star Fleet Marines, and Star Fleet Warlord.

The colorized SSDs from this issue are sold separately; the Supplemental File (which includes background information) is free.