Released in March 2017, Captain's Log #52 supports Star Fleet Battles, Federation Commander, A Call to Arms: Star Fleet, Starmada, Prime Directive, Star Fleet Battle Force, Star Fleet Marines, and Federation & Empire. "Escape from Xylad" by Michael Bennett is about an Orion snatch and grab of a major crook who failed to pay his franchise fees. However, the Federation Police and Star Fleet both respond to the kidnapping.
The rest of the History section includes the history of the Federation's heavy cruisers written by researcher John Sickels. Rounding out the section are two short stories told from the viewpoint of someone who mistakes the Amarillo Design Bureau's offices for a bed-and-breakfast makeover location and ADB's receptionist who thinks the designer is a new game blogger/playtester.
As is usual, Communications is designed to inform readers about the company's activities. After Action reports are on the Romulan Master Starship Book, various card packs for Federation Commander, Prime Directive PD20 Modern Supplement, the PDFs SFU Coloring Book #1 and Women of the Zombie Apocalypse short story, and the Starline 2400 release of the Klingon D7K. The company answers 10 questions about its operations. It also explains playtesting materials and how it defines materials that are playtested. The Input Guide is designed to help writers and other people submitting material get their ideas into print. There are questions on high energy turns and ship design. "Drones, Drones, Drones" is a filk song. There is information on the future of metal miniatures. The communications section is rounded out with staff awards.
Federation Commander has information on future plans and rules for ground combat. There's a page of Command Notes. There is a guide to close-range combat. There are battlegroups with opposing players trying to rescue a group while preventing the opposing side from doing the same. The Command Notes are about Andromedan power absorber panels and Tholian patrol corvettes supporting Tholian webs. Finally, there are four new scenarios. One of those is for the cover story. Another is for the battlegroup situation. The third uses the ground combat rules. The final one also uses the ground combat rules in conjunction with a Coalition fleet facing a Federation squadron.
This issue includes five scenarios for Star Fleet Battles. SL346 Escape from Xylad is the scenario for the cover story. SL347 Extraction Perilous is the battlegroup scenario. SL348 A Whale of a Problem focuses on a prospecting freighter driving off a herd of alunda. SL349 A Flame in the Deep pits Andromedans and a Juggernaut squadron. SL350 Monitor in the Attack has a Federation monitor discover an Orion base station and a small Orion pirate squadron.
The Star Fleet Battles tactics include a page of term papers. The battlegroup section has 12 confrontations between two empires, each assigned to docking to a commercial base for a rescue while preventing the other side from accomplishing the same mission. The Magellanic primer focuses on the Jumokians.
Database articles include an article on the alunda. There are guidelines to convert Gorn ships to various empires' technologies and vice versa. The rules for the Zosman Marauders are updated. There are eight pages of Ask Admiral Vanaxilth. The section is rounded out with proposals, a proposal for Klingons to have diplomatic gunboats, and answers to background questions.
The Venues include Star Fleet Warlord, SFB Online, Play by E-Mail, Star Fleet Battle Force, Starmada, Star Fleet Marines, and Galactic Conquest. Prime Directive explores the Yeney'vn system and the Rovillians of the ISC. Star Fleet Marines has a new scenario. Starmada Unity is introduced. Juggernauts are introduced to Star Fleet Battle Force, and there are some tactics notes for that game. A Call to Arms: Star Fleet has a preliminary look at WYN ships and some tactics notes.
Federation & Empire gets its own proposals, Q&A, and "Why" questions. There is a page and a half of Tactical Notes. Rules for playing scenarios during the Middle Years era are introduced. (6LH) Uneasy Lies the Head is a Lyran civil war situation.
New ships for Star Fleet Battles include some general ships: Jumbo Armed-Freighter, Heavy Armed-Freighter, and Smasher Large Security Skiff; Romulan FarHawk-E Division Control Ship, FarHawk-C Heavy Scout Cruiser, GryphonHawk-J Heavy Assault Cruiser, GryphonHawk-C Heavy War Scout Cruiser, Workboat, Survey Boat, and Recovery Boat; Orion GhostHawk, Lyran Local Defense Light Cruiser, Local Defense Destroyer, and Panther-T Light Transport Tug; Seltorian Advanced Technology Light Cruiser; and some Omega ships: Kholigahr Early Command Cruiser, Trobrin Early Command Cruiser, and Zosman Fence Cruiser and Syndicate Base. Federation Commander gets a Free tanker and commando cruisers for the Klingons (D6G), Romulans (Commando Eagle), and Federation. A Call to Arms: Star Fleet gets WYN 100-class Frigate (Kzinti-built) and Mako-class War Destroyer, Federation Mars-class Battleship, and Klingon SD7 Warhatchet-class Strike Cruiser. Starmada gets the Federation Eagle-class Fast Cruiser and Texas-class Light Cruiser and Klingon D5W Soulkiller-class Battlecruiser and F5 Fury-class Frigate.
Supports Federation Commander, Star Fleet Battles, Federation & Empire, Prime Directive, Star Fleet Battle Force, SFB Galactic Conquest, Starmada, A Call to Arms: Star Fleet, Star Fleet Marines, and Star Fleet Warlord.
The colorized SSDs from this issue are sold separately; the Supplemental File (which includes background information) is free as a PDF.
