Star Trek: Starfleet Command Official Strategies & Secrets

Rating:
Summary: This hint book rocks!
Review: "Starfleet Command" is a great game and not easy to master, but this book makes the process much easier. Two of the contributors were on the development team that built the game, and they provide excellent insider advice. There's fine tactical training, and I liked the hints about how to deal with the space monsters who are scattered around the game. All in all, the book is well worth buying.

Rating:
Summary: helpful, yes; definitive, no
Review: Starfleet Command came with a better manual than many games, and this guide is a helpful add-on to it. The mission analyses are useful; there is good discussion on campaign play and play vs. humans; the tactics sections and tables are well done.

However, since the manual was published, Interplay got around to releasing the Hydran campaign special missions; those, obviously, aren't in the book. Not a knock, just something the buyer should know. Conspicuously absent is a section on how to fight against and with each nationality; such sections exist for the different weapons, but not for the entire nationality. (For example, a discussion of anti-expanding sphere tactics, or how best to avoid ever letting a Hydran get a close range shot at you.) While there's a listing of all the ships, nothing is said about their unique qualities (for example, the old Federation destroyer not having nearly enough power to charge its weapons and move).

Better than many of the 'strategy guides' being sold, but could have been better still. Recommended mainly if you're finding some of the missions frustrating.

Rating:
Summary: helpful, yes; definitive, no
Review: Starfleet Command came with a better manual than many games, and this guide is a helpful add-on to it. The mission analyses are useful; there is good discussion on campaign play and play vs. humans; the tactics sections and tables are well done.

However, since the manual was published, Interplay got around to releasing the Hydran campaign special missions; those, obviously, aren't in the book. Not a knock, just something the buyer should know. Conspicuously absent is a section on how to fight against and with each nationality; such sections exist for the different weapons, but not for the entire nationality. (For example, a discussion of anti-expanding sphere tactics, or how best to avoid ever letting a Hydran get a close range shot at you.) While there's a listing of all the ships, nothing is said about their unique qualities (for example, the old Federation destroyer not having nearly enough power to charge its weapons and move).

Better than many of the 'strategy guides' being sold, but could have been better still. Recommended mainly if you're finding some of the missions frustrating.

Rating:
Summary: Somewhat helpful, but not all-inclusive
Review: This book is a hit and miss. It's like a batter hitting a pitch straight back for a foul ball; it usually means he's right on the pitch and was expecting it, but he just missed it.

Some missions in the game are not even talked about in the book, and to my frustration, some of those not in the book were some of the hardest missions I played. Most, after time, you will be able to solve. However, you occasionally will need a little help. I was not happy to discover that this book left out a mission here and a mission there.

It does not talk about in-depth strategies to the game either. It is a surface-scratcher, and superficial at that. While it does have its redeeming qualities (it IS a strategy book, so it isn't all that useless), there are probably websites out there that would probably be a little more helpful than this book was.

Rating:
Summary: Great addition to a fantastic game!
Review: This strategy guide just about has it all.. great ship to ship battle tactics, thorough mission walkthroughs and lots of stats. If you are enjoying Starfleet Command, snag this book!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent mission overview, but lacking in details
Review: Very thorough coverage of the missions, and some tactical information. However I found that the strategy guide lacked the internal information that I expect to see in every guide of this type. Things like formulas, weapon specifics, explanation of some things not in the manual (game effects of a type B rack for example) and the most prominent missing item: full overviews of each race, their advantages and disadvantages, and possible strategies against enemies of other races. This overview, for those interested, can be found in SFB Module D2: Tournament Tactics. Although aimed towards the tournament ships, you will get a good idea of good playing techniques for each race.