Game Rules and Dynamics
Combat takes place as two or more players each control one or more starships represented by counters that move across a hexagonally gridded map that may include astronomical features such as stars, planets and asteroids. Players captain their ships by allocating energy to movement and a few specialised systems at the start of each turn. The turn is divided into eight sub-steps called impulses in which movement takes place and additional energy is used to activate weapons, reinforce shields and use other shipboard systems such as transporters. Depending on the capabilities of a ship it is given a particular points value. This value is used to balance game play ensuring that one side does not have an overwhelming advantage over another and can be used to calculate victory points to determine a winner by totalling the value of destroyed or disabled vessels. Scenarios exist that allow variation in the specific winning condition, such as rescuing crew from a crippled ship, gaining sensor information from a planet, escorting a freighter or surviving for a specified number of turns in the face of unbeatable odds.
Information about each starship (or base or space monster) is fully contained on ship diagrams (one on each side of a single ship card). Colour coded boxes over the ships silhouette represent its weapons, shields, number of shuttlecraft, available warp and impulse power etc. Each starship has one diagram in a more detailed Squadron scale - the kind of scale seen in Star Fleet Battles - and another, more simplified one in Fleet scale - a similar scale to the Cadet scale seen in SFB. (Examples of ship cards in PDF format may be found here.) Ship cards are laminated with plastic so that they may be written upon with erasable markers and reused, obviating the need to photocopy multiple copies of ship information.
Both scales use the same rule system, allowing gamers to play a fast-paced duel or starbase assault in Fleet scale, or a more detailed cruiser clash or squadron battle in the aptly titled Squadron scale.
A list of questions and answers concerning Federation Commander - and its differences from Star Fleet Battles - is available here.
The game uses much of the same mechanisms as Star Fleet Battles, such as power allocation, multiple systems, and ship maneuvering. However, it gets rid of some processes which some found burdensome, such as atmospheric maneuvering, and Marine guards defending aboard ships.
Power allocation is handled differently, in that power does not have to be fully allocated at the start of each turn. Players can make new decisions during a turn by using a "pay-as-you-go" power allocation system, which creates a more realistic feeling of actually commanding a ship.
Read more about this topic: Federation Commander
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