Best ship for a DS9 era campaign?

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10-05-2008, 11:32 PM
Lagomorph

Best ship for a DS9 era campaign?

Hello. This is my first post around here. I'm going to start running a DS9 era campaign in the next few months, and need to pick out a ship for my players. I want them in a ship that is versatile, new (the game begins with the ship's shakedown cruise) and ale to hold its own. However, I don't want to give them a Galaxy, Sovereign or any thing so big it's over powered, conspicuous and unlikely to feature relatively young officers in department head positions. I'm adapting the FASA adventure Decision at Midnight for my campaign starter which features just such a scenario, and if you know the adventure, you know exactly what I'm looking for: i.e. a good replacement for the Loknar class.

So I guess what I'm getting at is this: What ship should I give them? I'm leaning towards the Intrepid class, but would like to hear other possibilities. Can the intrepid hold its own against, say, a single Galor class using the Coda system rules? I know the Akira class (a class which I really like) would certainly do well, but I'm leaning against it for fluff reasons, namely, that Akiras seem to be elite postings with large crews and are there for unlikely to have several lieutenants as command officers.

Any thoughts welcome. This goes double for folks familiar with Decision at Midnight.
10-06-2008, 01:21 AM
Cut

Welcome to our little community :)

Let me ask you, when do you want to play: before, during or after the Dominion War?

Anyway: I don't know the old FASA adventure, but you might consider a Saber-class vessel. Reasonably new, small enough for low ranking crew members to hold high positions and it has a bite.

If you play before the Dominion War:
The move to go for the Intrepid class would make storytelling maybe a bit easier, as the pictures of all the main locations are already in your player's heads I presume. If you want to do your own thing, go for the Saber class.

If you play during or after the war, consider this:
or maybe even a newly overhauled Ambassador class ship, that is being restored into active service, due to the severe ship losses that the fleet suffered during the Dominion War. That is an older ship, bigger even, but due to the lack of experienced officers, nevertheless your PCs could hold high positions in the command crew. The ship would be tough enough to stand it's ground against Galor class ships, but old enough that no technical superiority would ruin the game!

Hope I could be of help :) Have a good start and then a long running great campaign!
10-06-2008, 01:54 AM
The Tatterdemalion King

Do you think the players would appreciate a familiar ship that they've seen a lot of, or a ship that hasn't been seen in as much detail?
10-06-2008, 04:24 AM
Calastir

I'd go with the Defiant-Class, which is small but fast and tough and already has a great reputation in that sector.
10-06-2008, 12:27 PM
Lagomorph

Thanks for the suggestions!

Timeline wise, the game will begin before the Dominion War, but will climax with the crew's involvement in the war itself.

Also: Are there coda system stats available for the Saber class? I can't find them in any of the books.
10-06-2008, 02:17 PM
The Tatterdemalion King

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lagomorph

Also: Are there coda system stats available for the Saber class? I can't find them in any of the books.

They're in the Starfleet Operations Manual, but all the stats in that book seem a bit... daft.

You'd be better off making them yourself. What details there are here are here and here.
10-06-2008, 02:30 PM
Cut

I don't have my book handy, but aren't the Saber stats in the Starships sourcebook as well?
10-06-2008, 02:39 PM
The Tatterdemalion King

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cut

I don't have my book handy, but aren't the Saber stats in the Starships sourcebook as well?

No, the only FC ships in that book are the Akira and the Sovereign.
10-06-2008, 03:04 PM
Cut

FC Ships?

There are for sure more than 2 Federation ships in the CODA sourcebook 'Starships'.
10-06-2008, 03:21 PM
The Tatterdemalion King

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cut

FC Ships?

The Eaves and Jaeger designs from First Contact.
10-06-2008, 04:31 PM
Lagomorph

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Tatterdemalion King

They're in the Starfleet Operations Manual, but all the stats in that book seem a bit... daft.

You'd be better off making them yourself. What details there are here are here and here.

Just curious: Daft how? What shuld I be fixing if I draw up a Saber?
10-06-2008, 05:12 PM
The Tatterdemalion King

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lagomorph

Just curious: Daft how? What shuld I be fixing if I draw up a Saber?

Well, okay, maybe just a bit daft. The Daedalus, Ranger, Miranda and Excelsior seem a little overpowered compared to ships from Starships (and the layout for the Ranger has a little editing problem). The Saber stats looks okay (if a little underpowered), but if you're going to be using it as the hero ship in your series you want to look under the hood just to be sure.
10-07-2008, 03:04 AM
Tanty

But there is the Nova and Intrepid, class starships too. Of the two I think the Nova would be better.
10-07-2008, 12:54 PM
Jem'hadar

I'm partial to the Intrepid class & I think it fits your criteria. It's not too big (crew of about 150), it's certainly versatile, it's fast, it's state-of-the-art for the DS9 era, and it's powerful enough to hold its own against Cardassian & Jem'hadar ships (although probably not a Jem'hadar battleship). Plus, it has the added bonus that there are images of its interiors from the Voyager series. I also think you may be able to find deckplans for it out there on the web.
10-08-2008, 02:44 AM
Lagomorph

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tanty

But there is the Nova and Intrepid, class starships too. Of the two I think the Nova would be better.

I thought about the Nova, but I think it might be a little light weight for my purposes.
10-08-2008, 01:17 PM
The Tatterdemalion King

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lagomorph

I thought about the Nova, but I think it might be a little light weight for my purposes.

I'm pretty sure the Nova in Starships is tougher than the Saber from SOM. It has a higher phaser penetration value, at least.
10-09-2008, 12:29 AM
Solstice

I chose the Nova class for my campaign. I liked the look, the size and the ability to enter atmosphere for planetary survey. I liked the fact that it was primarily a science vessel, and that the crew would have to be able to size up any opponents and resort to diplomacy/imaginitive solutions, as it is definitely not the best ship out there. It makes for better drama.

Also, I wanted a small crew to have to develop, and being so small, it gave me a realistic reason for my new academy grads to be included in senior staff meetings, etc. A smaller pond, so to speak to grow in.

Impressive despite its size. I am playing a post-dominion war era campaign with the exploration and contact of new alien worlds for evaluation for federation acceptance as a mission. Besides, there are real threats out there and I do not have to worry about canon vs. non-canon issues, and the players can make a huge impact without it influencing what has transpired already in DS9 or other shows.

I am having a blast with it and even if you don't feel the same about the Nova, maybe seeing my reasons for choosing it may help you in choosing a ship for you...

Best of luck to you! Take care.