|
|
Post by cowboy40 on Mar 18, 2022 23:15:01 GMT -7
Like many players, I use to not think much about the less glamorous ships in any of the fleets. You know the ones we like to call ships we refer to as the "midget wars". Well one of those ships that I am learning to like is the Fenlon class of monitor in the UFP's fleet.  Why does the Federation need a monitor type ship? Well I am working on a play scenario for a campaign my RPG group is working on... Here a Federation survey group is checking out a group of asteroids;cataloging them for the materials that can be mined. The survey ship..is being protected by a division of cutters and a Fenlon class monitor... And this survey force catches the attention of the Orions... So we are setting up a battle between midgets.  UFP survey force...  Orion patrol group.. i have just started to fine tune the ideas for the campaign i am working on I use Jason's game to give me an idea or not if i am developing a balanced mission. Then once i have it balanced we transfer it to the table and play it out on the table top... Victory for the Orion force is to get in and destroy the science ship...The Feds are to keep that from happening. The Feds can't move more then three hexes away from the asteroid belt... The Fenlon class ships are proving to be a good base of fire... |
|
|
|
Post by trynda1701 on Mar 19, 2022 8:10:07 GMT -7
Looking forward to see how your game plays out on the tabletop. Please post an AAR if possible please.  A few quick questions. 1) Can you list the exact forces? I think the Orions have an Aral class and 2 Lightnings, but which exact models of Federation cutters are you using (I think you have one Epsilon class cutter (2 models) and one Solar class cutter (3 models))? 2) With the Fenlon being a sublight vessel, is it currently stationed in that system, and is helping protect the Gagarin survey ship, or was it towed here as part of the current survey? That's actually something not mentioned in the Federation SRM description, how do Fenlon class monitors get stationed in system? I can think of a couple of possible options. 1) Brads' online database has the Samson class Tug from the Regula 1 Deckplans book from FASA, which perhaps could be used? 2) Or perhaps a Pearl class Mobile Repair Facility? It's wide enough, long enough for three Fenlons but not high enough unless the framework is adaptable. 3) A large cruiser is used to tow the Fenlon on station. What are your thoughts on this, cowboy40 ? |
|
|
|
Post by cowboy40 on Mar 19, 2022 11:21:27 GMT -7
Looking forward to see how your game plays out on the tabletop. Please post an AAR if possible please. A few quick questions. 1) Can you list the exact forces? I think the Orions have an Aral class and 2 Lightnings, but which exact models of Federation cutters are you using (I think you have one Epsilon class cutter (2 models) and one Solar class cutter (3 models))? 2) With the Fenlon being a sublight vessel, is it currently stationed in that system, and is helping protect the Gagarin survey ship, or was it towed here as part of the current survey? That's actually something not mentioned in the Federation SRM description, how do Fenlon class monitors get stationed in system? I can think of a couple of possible options. 1) Brads' online database has the Samson class Tug from the Regula 1 Deckplans book from FASA, which perhaps could be used? 2) Or perhaps a Pearl class Mobile Repair Facility? It's wide enough, long enough for three Fenlons but not high enough unless the framework is adaptable. 3) A large cruiser is used to tow the Fenlon on station. What are your thoughts on this, cowboy40 ? Lets answer the second question first. I don't think Starfleet would use a Pearl class MRF to move a Fenlon. Those beasts are needed to fix the bigger ships in the area that the larger ships and fleets operate. It would be a waste of resources to deploy an MRF for the movement of a monitor. Also in the campaign, this is a asteroid field that is was just logged and so on. It is in undeveloped area of the UFP and Orion shared borders, but it is on the Federation side of the lines. So no it would not be an in system deployment for a Ball of Death. The most obvious means of getting a Fenlon in the area would be by a Samson warp tug.  The Samson is used to move R-1 type stations and even Alamo class Defense outposts around the UFP, so in most cases, I would expect this to be the best means of towing her to the operations area. A cruiser could be used as an expedient, but would mean pulling one off its assigned patrol area, or detaching one from a task group. In a pinch this could be done. But, the most likely expedient would be to take a cargo transport and modify it to act as a mover for the Fenlon. Say use something like the MoKal class transport ship.  Though, I believe this would only be done if there weren't any Samson tugs available for the operation. What ever ship that is used to move the Fenlon would most likely be part of the survey group, in this case. I should add the towing vessel with the resources available to the survey group. Thanks for reminding me to do that!!! Mow my thoughts for using the monitor, instead of an R-1 station, was that this is an initial survey to determine if the asteroids are worth mining... As I said earlier, this is a campaign in development and this is the opening mission of that campaign..so as it goes along it will get harder, and involve more...well lets just say if the RPG portion of the campaign goes a certain direction... Just remember this one saying "Amateurs think tactics, Professionals think logistics". |
|
|
|
Post by trynda1701 on Mar 19, 2022 11:48:17 GMT -7
Glad I could help you modify the scenario, re the tow vessel. Considering the weight of the R-1 style stations it was designed to move, the Fenlon is easily within the towing tonnage of the Samson tug. The Mokal is a good backup option. Good luck with your campaign. I remember how much work went into the two campaigns I took part in (Klingon vs Romulan, and Federation vs Gorn 'renegades'). I was a player in the first (taking over command for a time when our original Commander went on a three month holiday to New Zealand), and ran the Fed/Gorn campaign to allow our original two referees to play in a campaign. |
|
|
|
Post by rarcher on Mar 19, 2022 17:11:38 GMT -7
Honestly just my thoughts, but why even have to go to the resources of a tug or the Samson's? In theory any of the ships in this survey or a combination thereof could tractor the fenlon on site? That to me makes more sense I'd think
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2022 16:10:28 GMT -7
...I wish I could get that program to run... Oh... I had it working once, but then I had to get a new PC, and 'twas lost.
|
|
|
|
Post by cowboy40 on Mar 20, 2022 18:45:36 GMT -7
...I wish I could get that program to run... Oh... I had it working once, but then I had to get a new PC, and 'twas lost. I had to go into the Windows Power Shell as administrate and hand register some files to get it to owrk |
|
atolm
Commander
Posts: 857
|
Post by atolm on Mar 22, 2022 5:04:04 GMT -7
|
|
|
|
Post by trynda1701 on Mar 22, 2022 5:09:57 GMT -7
|
|
atolm
Commander
Posts: 857
|
Post by atolm on Mar 24, 2022 15:13:15 GMT -7
Hey thanks...  |
|
|
|
Post by drkanukie on Mar 28, 2022 5:16:18 GMT -7
...I wish I could get that program to run... Oh... I had it working once, but then I had to get a new PC, and 'twas lost.
:'(
What is your setup? I know Windows 10 is harder to get it running as is needs some legacy VB6 libraries. |
|
|
|
Post by steven on Mar 28, 2022 12:15:21 GMT -7
Instead of using the expense of tug to bring a monitor to a particular world, why not end it in pieces and assemble on site? Put it in a freighter or two, ship it out, build it someplace, and that's that.
As far as why a monitor? Expenses. Starships are expensive and somewhat rare, not to mention some are always off on missions, being refitted between deployments, in a spacedock getting new equipment, etc., and not immediately available . Monitors are there to provide defenses (or customs or policing or what have you) for worlds that need that kind of thing, but don't warrant having a starship on standby. I can see semi-important planets and colonies rating a monitor that don't rate some permanent facilities of some sort.
|
|
|
|
Post by JAFisher44 on Mar 28, 2022 15:37:38 GMT -7
The Fenlon doesn't really make sense at it's listed size. I was working on a smaller version of the ship that would make more sense given it's stats in game but I don't remember what diameter I gave it. Sadly I don't have Sketchup on my computer right now to check the model I was working on...
|
|
|
|
Post by steven on Mar 28, 2022 16:26:05 GMT -7
Truthfully, I don't give much credence to FASA's dimensions. They have the Wellington as 175m and the S-20 Administrative Shuttle at 30m in the Next Gen Officer's Manual. So yeah, either the shuttle is either almost 100ft long or is 1/6th the length of a warship. Take your pick.
|
|
|
|
Post by kaisernathan1701 on Mar 28, 2022 20:17:53 GMT -7
Hope they hire you or something even the Calendars someday |
|
|
|
Post by drkanukie on Apr 19, 2022 6:42:31 GMT -7
Are you going to post the STSTCS program scenario's and ship for the Fenlon (its a lot of typing)?
|
|
|
|
Post by cowboy40 on Apr 19, 2022 8:09:02 GMT -7
Are you going to post the STSTCS program scenario's and ship for the Fenlon (its a lot of typing)? I can put a small package together of the test scenario....the file itself, the ships used, and I would right up the house for the scenario. |
|
|
|
Post by drkanukie on Apr 19, 2022 15:03:45 GMT -7
That would be awesome
|
|
