(written from a Production point of view)
Sample ½" counters
Sample 1" (Megahex) counters
Image of the contents of the Federation Commander: Klingon Border box set
Image of the trial proof of the mounted maps for the game
Federation Commander is a tactical starship combat game system set in the alternate Star Fleet Universe, produced and developed by Amarillo Design Bureau (ADB). It is designed to represent combat between starships of various factions in the Star Fleet Universe, such as the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire. Unlike its sister publication, Star Fleet Battles, Federation Commander is not intended to be a very in-depth simulation of space combat in the 22nd-23rd centuries. Rather, it is aimed at providing a balance between tactical nuance and ease of playability, one which makes the game more accessible for newer gamers, or those with limited time constraints, than Star Fleet Battles.
More details about Federation Commander – and in particular, its differences from Star Fleet Battles – are available here.
The "Squadron scale" and "Fleet scale" combat modes represent the most significant distinction between its more intricate counterpart, Star Fleet Battles (SFB). Each starship or base – or even "space monster" – has two ship diagrams, representing its weapon options, shields, number of shuttlecraft, available warp drive and impulse power, etc. The same starship (such as a Federation battle cruiser) has one diagram in the more detailed Squadron scale – the kind of scale seen in SFB, and another, more simplified one in Fleet scale – a similar scale to the "Cadet scale" seen in SFB. 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. Examples of both scales of starships are available at ADB's Federation Commander site (in PDF format).
Initial and current releases[]
The initial releases for the Federation Commander game system were:
Federation Commander: Klingon Border[]
Cover art for Federation Commander: Klingon Border, featuring a Federation Kirov-class battle cruiser facing a Klingon C7 heavy battle cruiser
- Blurb
- The new fast-paced starship combat game for a new generation of gaming! Everything is designed for simplicity, lack of clutter, and fast play. One die roll resolves ten points of damage. Ship diagrams are color coded. Energy allocation is done on the fly. There are only eight fire-decision steps per turn. Boxed product, includes 40 full-color 1" playing pieces with full color CGI art, plus 280 full-color 1/2" ammunition and tracking markers. Also includes 16 full-color laminated ship diagrams (no photocopies needed). Each is printed on both sides, with the full-size squadron-scale ship on one side and the faster-playing fleet-scale ship on the other side. There are two laminated full-color player reference cards with the charts needed for play, dice, a wipe-off marker, and some paperclips. There is a 52-page illustrated rulebook in larger size type. Includes a six-panel full-color mounted map board with 1.25" hexes on one side and 0.625" hexes on the other side. (There are starship playing pieces of both scales.)
- Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.
This release contains a 48-page rulebook, reference play sheets, with color counters and corresponding ship diagrams for various ship classes in the Federation's United Star Fleet (including the fabled Constitution-class starship portrayed in Star Trek: The Original Series and the Federation-class Dreadnought seen in the Star Fleet Technical Manual) and the Klingon Empire's Deep Space Fleet (including the famed D7-class battle cruisers, seen serving the Klingon and Romulan Empires in the Original Series) Two ship classes from the Kzinti Hegemony, the Tholian Holdfast's famed Patrol Corvette – the vessel from "The Tholian Web", an Orion pirate raider vessel, as well as a number of freighter craft, base stations, starbases and a space monster – the feared Planet Killer – are also included.
Federation Commander: Klingon Attack[]
Cover art for Federation Commander: Klingon Attack, featuring a Federation New Jersey-class battle cruiser against a Klingon D5 war cruiser and D5W new heavy cruiser
- Blurb
- This expansion to the Federation Commander system adds 16 new ships to the game in full-color laminated glory! This adds:
- New ships: Fed BCJ, Police; Klingon D5, D5W, E4; Kzinti NCA, DN, BCH, CL, CM, DW; Tholian DD; Orion LR and Salvage Cruiser; Free Trader.
- New Monster: Juggernaut! An extra-galactic death machine!
- New Scenarios (Day One): The Mighty Hood Goes Down, the Alkairik Convoy; Delay in Sector; Target of Opportunity; Attack on Battle Station K3; Raid on Rukyverk; Refueling Roulette; The Old Shell Game.
- New Scenarios (other): Showdown at Grimrock; Juggernaut; Derelict; Repair Rendezvous.
- Two planetary map panels, giving more space to fight in and more planets to fight over!
- Components: 16 ship cards, 16-page ship/scenario book, two hard-mounted map panels (planets), 40 one-inch counters; over 100 half-inch markers.
- This is an expansion to the boxed game Federation Commander: Klingon Border. You must have that product to use Federation Commander: Klingon Attack.
- Boosters 4-5-6 provide extra copies of ships from Klingon Attack and some new ships. Squadron Boxes 4-5-6 provide one miniature for each ship type in Klingon Attack. Border Box 2 provides 24 miniatures which "fill out" the complete set of 40 ship cards that result from combining Klingon Attack with boosters 4-5-6.
- Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.
This release includes sixteen additional starships for the races from Klingon Border, as well as containing new game scenarios.
Federation Commander booster packs[]
This set of releases includes additional ship diagrams for the existing races, as well as new ship types for each race.
Booster Packs 1, 2, and 3 (from Klingon Border) and 4, 5 and 6 (from Klingon Attack) are currently available, as well as 7, 8, 9 (from Romulan Border), 10, 11, and 12 (from Romulan Attack), 13, 14, and 15 (from Tholian Attack), 16, 17, and 18 (from Battleships Attack) and 19 and 20 (from Distant Kingdoms).
Federation Commander First Missions Introductory Manual[]
This downloadable document includes introductory rules for Federation Commander: Klingon Border, as well as ship diagrams for a Federation CA and a Klingon D7. It is available at this link (in PDF format).
Federation Commander Booster Pack #0: Threat File and Intelligence Briefing[]
Of most note in the first batch of booster pack releases for those already acquainted with the Star Fleet Universe – as well as those interested in the other races on offer – is Booster Pack #0: Threat File and Intelligence Briefing. This pack includes trial rules for Romulan, Gorn, Hydran, Lyran, WYN and Interstellar Concordium starships, as well as for the unique weapon systems of each race.
This booster pack is currently available.
Federation Commander: Romulan Border[]
Cover art for Federation Commander: Romulan Border, featuring a Federation Bismarck-class battle cruiser facing a Romulan War Eagle
- Blurb
- The cloaked Romulans are raiding the Federation Border, while the Gorns remain an enigma. (Will the dinosauroids become friends, or enemies?) Includes six mounted map panels, 40 full-color one-inch playing pieces, 216 full-color half-inch game markers, 16 laminated full-color double-sided ship cards, plus rules, dice, marking pencil, and play aids. This product includes the complete (and updated) rules for the game system.
- Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.
This release substitutes the Romulans and the Gorn for the Klingons and the Kzinti.
Federation Commander: Romulan Attack[]
Cover art for Federation Commander: Romulan Attack, featuring a Federation Kearsarge-class new light cruiser engaged with a Romulan King Eagle cruiser and SparrowHawk light cruiser
This release includes sixteen extra starships for the races from Romulan Border, as well as containing additional game scenarios.
This module is currently available.
Cover art for Federation Commander: Tholian Attack, featuring a squadron of Tholian vessels engaging a force of Seltorian starships
Federation Commander: Tholian Attack[]
This release fleshes out the Tholian forces and rules - such as for the famed Tholian web. The Seltorians, an insectoid race once slaves to the Tholians in their home galaxy, are also included in this release.
This module is currently available.
Cover art for Federation Commander: Academy, featuring a Federation Constitution-class heavy cruiser and a Gorn battle cruiser against a Klingon D7 battle cruiser and a Romulan King Eagle
Federation Commander: Academy[]
This release is intended as an introductory product, placed as an intermediate product between the First Missions pdf and the two Border box sets. It includes a copy of the rulebook from Klingon Border, the ½-inch counters and ship cards for four starships (The Federation CA, Klingon D7, Gorn BC and Romulan KE), and an unmounted paper map.
This module is currently available.
Cover art for Federation Commander: Battleships Attack, featuring a Federation Ares-class battleship against a Klingon B10 battleship
Federation Commander: Battleships Attack[]
This release includes a number of battleships for the races included in the two Border boxes, as well as bases and other large craft.
This module is currently available.
Cover art for Federation Commander: Briefing #1, featuring a Kzinti battle cruiser against a Klingon D7 battle cruiser
Federation Commander: Briefing #1[]
This release includes various items such as a range of new scenarios, six new ships and a scenario designers' guide.
This module is currently available.
Cover art for Federation Commander: Distant Kingdoms, featuring Lyran, WYN and Hydran forces in combat
Federation Commander: Distant Kingdoms[]
This release includes vessels from the Lyran Star Empire and the Hydran Kingdom, and also includes ships from the Lyran Democratic Republic and WYN Star Cluster.
This module is currently available.
Federation Commander: Orion Attack[]
This release includes additional Orion Pirate vessels, as well as others.
This module is currently available.
Future releases[]
Future releases include:
Federation Commander: War and Peace[]
This release will include ships from the Interstellar Concordium, and may include a second race, such as the Andromedans. However, there is, as yet, no confirmation as to which, if any, second race is to be included.
This module's release date is unknown.
Federation Commander: Borders of Madness[]
This release will include several ships in Fleet scale from Star Fleet Battles which will not be included in the main Federation Commander releases, such as scout vessels, commando starships and space control ships (dreadnoughts serving as home vessels for fighter craft and fast patrol craft).
Also, many rules which have been excluded from the main Federation Commander modules will be included for those who wish to use them. In contrast to the step-by-step release schedule for various races in the main line Federation Commander sets, each race seen in SFB which will have a representation in Borders of Madness will be included in the first module.
As this game is intended for an audience already familiar with SFB, this release will be primarily available from ADB's mail order site.
This module's release date is unknown.
Awaiting development[]
Other reserved titles, such as:
Federation Commander: Deep Space[]
as well as
Federation Commander: Next Frontier[]
These have not as yet been assigned to cover specific races or scenarios.
Miniatures[]
Also, a series of related miniature box sets is scheduled for release alongside each title release. Due for release alongside Klingon Border were Federation and Klingon fleet sets, as well as sets containing the other warships, freighters and bases seen in Klingon Border. Since then, miniature boxes have been released matching each subsequent Federation Commander release.