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Deep, engrossing combat sim

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 37 / 39
Date: May 28, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Based on the pencil and paper Star Fleet Battles game, this game puts you in the role of a captain in the classic Star Trek universe. Several ways to play the game are offered, from simple one-battle skirmishes to full blown campaigns serving one of the 6 races (Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Lyran, Hydrax, and Gorn). The depth and complexity of the tactical combat may turn off the less-than-hardcore sim gamers, though.

The good parts: The graphics are impressive, with terrific lighting effects. The combat is deep and the range of tactical options available are staggering (cloaking, ECM, EECM, evasive maneuvers, several variants of each ship class). A nicely done tutorial to take newbies through the controls and interface. Rock-solid stability.

The bad parts: Steep learning curve and the options can be overwhelming for the novice player. The micro-management required (no AI to help you here) makes multi-ship combat a tedious affair (spent 2 hours fighting one battle once). The interface is a little clunky, requiring multiple clicks to check ship status.

Complex, but overall a good simulation

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 10
Date: December 31, 2000
Author: Amazon User

While I have not actually played Star Fleet Battles, I'm now interested in getting a look at the board game. I received this software as a gift and have been pleasantly surprised. The graphics are detailed and amazing. Gameplay, while it does take some time to master, is actually quite easy once you get the hang of it.

Just as you would imagine on a starship, there are many different things to do - and yes, it does take time for weapons to recharge in battle! However, the game does offer a series of tutorials at the Academy that walk you through everything you need. If you head straight for your opponent head-on and try to overpower them, you will get hurt. You need to know your opponent and their weaknesses.

Best part: the sense that these (or real naval battles) don't happen in lightning fast time. You don't need fast fingers to run this simulation; it helps to be able to think strategically about ship positions, which shields should be facing your opponent, which weapons will be ready to fire next, etc. This is an elegant waltz, not a blitzkrieg.

Worst part: the battlefield is 2-D. I assume this is due to the basis in the Star Fleet Battle board game, but it is frustrating to be limited to two dimensions in space.

Bottom line: if you approach this as a fast-fingered shoot-em-up, you will likely be frustrated. If you take the time to learn the game, you will likely enjoy the experience.

Now you don't need an opponent

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: August 29, 2000
Author: Amazon User

One of the hardest things about Starfleet Battles (The game this video game is based on) was finding opponents and remembering all of the rules. Now the computer does it for you. As the former commander of the Federation Klingon Border Fleet I applaud this game. My only problem is the fact that it stutters while accessing on my system once in a while and the interface is a little difficult in the heat of battle. Otherwise the graphics are great and game play is fast. The special effects are very good too. As the Starfleet battles game is out of print this is a very good substitute for those who wish to command a "Real Starship" into battle.

Awesome, but lacking

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: March 23, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I have played Starfleet Battles, D&D, and many other of these types of RPG games, and this is an execellent adaptation of the genre. I must say however, I do not understand why it's limited to two dimensions.

There is a bit more to playing the game than just point and shoot. You will have to learn to operate your ship in the Academy missions. It requires more than your average player is willing to invest.

All-in-all, an execellent game and worth the money.

Pleased so far....

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 9 / 10
Date: March 20, 2001
Author: Amazon User

As a Starfleet Battles player 12-15 years ago, this game was not hard to master. I do feel sorry for people who never played the original game because they get all the complexity at once (even the original game started out simple and grew). Here are some simple tactical tips that still seem to work - 1) Don't be in a hurry to close with other ships until your weapons are fully charged and overloaded, if applicable. This is esp true for Romulans, Gorns, and Feds. 2) If you don't have any charged weapons, keep away from the enemy ships until you do (this was easier in the board game). Use mines to discourage following. 3) Try to deliver as much fire power at once as you can so that you have a chance to knock down a shield. There are lots of tricks like following missiles/drones into the target to add more, etc. 4) Don't forget the extra things like the suicide shuttles, admin shuttles, scatter pack shuttles, mines, etc.

Based on Star fleet Battles

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: August 10, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Star Fleet Command is an excellent rendition of the Star Fleet Battles board game, and to respond to the person who wrote saying who has heard of this borad game, well, I have, and as a matter of fact I own a copy of Star Fleet Battles, and it is one of the most comprehensive games I possess. It's as thick as a phone book, and that is no exaggeration. It's complicated, but after years of palying this game you get used to it. It's not a super huge gaming company, so that's why you never here about it, but it's an awesome game requiring alot of thought. AS a matter of fact, the US navy is the largest buyer of starfleet battles, and many ships on the high seas play this game as a way to pass time. They hold tournaments aboard these ships year round. Interplay has done an incredible job of converting the board game into a PC game, and I persoanlly can't wait for the Star Fleet Command 2.

Not too bad

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 8
Date: July 06, 2000
Author: Amazon User

If you love star trek...you'll love any game related to star trek. However...anyone ever heard of this so-called board game this is supposed to be based upon? Me either. Anyway...the combat is one of the best out there for this type of game. Alot of different weapons, but I'm sorry to say the missiles (of all weapons) happen to throw the balance off in this game. The federation and the klingons have missiles....others have such things as plasma cannons and fusion cannons...etc, but the missiles will never let you down...at least, not while playing against the computer anyway. Oh...one other thing...no matter how well you're doing nor how poorly you're doing....the campaigns end at the same time. The fact that there is no true ending to this game kept this from being a five star game...it's combat is the only reason to buy it.

Very Dissapointing

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 17
Date: December 22, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I have been a fan of Star Trek since the beginning of it all, and bought this game after reading the stellar write ups and reviews. Had extremely high hopes for it, especially since it takes place in the "classic" universe. Upon playing it I found that the interface is so complex that to do anything requires clicking at least three different things. Each mission boiled down to this, aliens pounding me while I fire off one shot and stay still waiting for my energy to recharge. 5 minutes later if I'm still alive I might be able to fire again after my engines have been destroyed. And the navigation, how could they have a space combat sim with only two dimensions? Overall a big waste of time and money. Play Elite Force instead.

Computer version of the STAR FLEET BATTLES boardgame

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: July 10, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Excellent Star Trek tactical level wargame which tests your ability to think, not the speed with which you can click the mouse or hit buttons on the keyboard.

Star Fleet Command, and its sequel games, are a brilliantly executed computer version of the Task Force Games & Amarillo Design Bureau Star Trek boardgame, Star Fleet Battles.

If you have ever played the boardgame, and enjoyed it, this has almost identical ships, races, and rules, but with the computer dealing with all the tedious Energy allocation, combat results, etc. So instead of filling in forms, rolling dice, looking up tables and trying to remember which phasers you've fired you can concentrate on how your starship can defeat the enemy.

This game does not require any ability to hit the right part of the screen with mouse or joystick, nor lightning-fast reactions, nor the ability to repeatedly press any computer control with RSI-inducing speed. It is a test of tactical ability and particularly of using your intelligence to set up situation where your ship's weapons will be more effective than those of your opponent. (There are also a few scenarios which can be solved by using diplomacy or by appropriate use of ship systems other than weapons.)

You can opt to fight single-ship battles, command a squadron of up to three ships, or fight a campaign game set at the time of the "General War." In the "Star Fleet Battles" history the Organians mysteriously disappeared in the 2260's, between the original "Star Trek" TV series and the first "Star Trek" film, and the Klingons took advantage of their absence to launch a major war which rapidly spread to engulf most of the races in the galaxy. That war provides the backdrop and context for the campaign game.

Six star nations from Star Trek the original series or the Star Fleet battles universe make it into the game: you can play as the Federation, Klingons, Romulans or Gorns, or as the Lyrans or Hydrans from the TV series. The Orion Pirates appear as a non-player race in this first game (there is a later expansion in which you can play them.)

I personally love the campaign game, which incorporates almost all the scenarios in the boardgame, from patrol and convoy actions to base attack/defence, and "the surprise reversed." There are also a range of battles in the campaign game which feature various races, events, and situations from the original series, which apart from the Organians include the Mirror Universe and "The Doomsday Machine." The campaign game knits together in the most entertaining storyline I've seen in a space wargame outside the Wing Commander serise.

The funniest scenario in the game comes if you play the campaign game as the Klingons: it is called "The great tribble hunt" and you get a chance to pay back the little furry creatures for humiliating the Klingon Empire in the "Trouble with Tribbles" TV episode.

CAMPAIGN GAME TIPS

Since your selection of ships can turn certain scenarios from difficult to impossible, I will add that

1) When you meet planet-killer robots like "The Doomsday Machine" from the original series episode by that name, there are only two ways to kill them. If you have a nova bomb handy in your transporter bay you can beam it into the throat of the doomsday machine from close range. If you don't have such a bomb to hand, the only way to stop the machine is to use the method Kirk and Decker employed in the original Star Trek episode - or to force someone else to.

2) If you're playing as the Federation, you will be forced about half way through the game to try to capture and hand over to the Klingons, Romulans or Gorns your counterpart from the "Mirror Universe" who will be flying an identical ship to yours with a full load of marine boarding parties.

This is much easier to do if by this stage your force consists of two or more roughly equal sized ships than if you have concentrated all your available points into one big ship, because your counterpart only gets your flagship. To win you must either capture his/her ship with boarding parties, or cripple it and catch it in a tractor beam, and then hail the Kilngons/Romulans/Gorns.

3) In the very last battle, you need plenty of nova bombs to defend your homeworld, and you get three bombs for each of your ships. It is mathematically impossible to win this battle if you only have one ship and three bombs, and extremely difficult to win it with two ships and six bombs, even if the ships are dreadnaughts. You really need to go into the last battle with your full complement of three ships. If you don't have enough points for three major warships, get a couple of small ships: the last battle can be won with a dreadnaught and two frigates, and on one occasion I've won it with a dreadnaught, a light cruiser, and an almost unarmed troop transport, which still came with transporters and three nova bombs.

It is with some trepidation that I mention one thing missing from the game, because a letter I wrote making a joke on this subject to a games magazine generated an avalanche of hate mail from Star Trek fans.

Larry Niven's Kzinti from his "Known Space" series also appear in the "Star Fleet Battles" universe: when Niven wrote some of the episodes of the animated Star Trek series many years ago, he adapted his own short story "The Soft Weapon" as a Star Trek tale, complete with Kzinti. So Task Force games allocated them a place in the Star Trek galaxy complete with a unique set of ship types and tactics. Larry doesn't seem to have been at all bothered by this, he certainly never sued TFG or the Amarillo Design Bureau, but for legal or contract reasons the people who put out this first version of the computer game decided that having the Kzinti in it was asking for trouble.

However in the second version of the computer game, they put a new race in the same part of the galaxy which the Kzinti occupied in the boardgame, flying exactly the same ship designs which the Kzinti used in the boardgame, so the wargamers who loved having those ships in their games were happy, but they called the replacement race the Mirak, and the graphic of a Mirak captain doesn't look like the Kzin in Larry Niven's books, so the lawyers were happy.

But because Paramount was one of the sponsors of this game, the creators did NOT have legal problems referring to Star Trek characters, so Jim Kirk is one of a number of figures from the TV series who are referred to by name if you read the messages and briefings carefully.

For reference, there are currently four "Star Fleet Command" computer games

1) This game, "Star Fleet Command" set in the general war

2) Star Fleet Command II, Empires at war" set about a decade later during the attempt by the Interstellar Concordium (ISC) to impose peace on the galaxy. Adds the ISC and the Kzinti (oops, sorry, Mirak!)

3) Star Fleet Command "Orion Pirates" which is a free-standing expansion for the second game, and you can play as any of the eight empires from that game or as one of eight clans of Orion pirates.

4) Star Fleet Command III, set a century later in Picard's time, and you can play as the Federation, Klingons (now allied to the Federation), Romulans (still enemy) or Borg.

So if like one of the previous reviewers you want to play a version of this game which includes the Borg, get Star Fleet Command III.

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