23rd Century Threat Vessels: The Gorn

Here are the last of the threat ships from the 23rd Century: The Gorn.

Even 16 years after First Contact with the species known as Gorn, very little is known about their culture or capabilities. Their government is a mystery, although the official name -- the "Gorn Alliance" -- seems to suggest a cooperative government of some form, although even its basic makeup is a mystery.

While the total military strength of the Alliance is unknown, Federation listening posts have been able to gain solid information on Gorn Navy border strengths. The existence of four primary classes of warships are known, while another three classes are being investigated. Still, most of the information on Gorn technology comes from USS Enterprise's first contact in 2267.

Four of the following five ship classes are the only vessels known to the Federation. Included will be what the Federation knows about these vessels, in case you want to use them in your 23rd Century campaign.

Gorn beam weapons use pulsed particles accelerated to nearly the speed of light, creating a powerful concussive plasma beam they call a "Blaster." Gorn Blasters grant the Piercing 1 Damage Effect. Their torpedo weapons are similar to Federation photon torpedoes.

Gorn ship manufacturing follows the "design bureau" concept, where specific bureaus are awarded construction contracts for entire classes of starships. Three bureaus are currently known, although Starfleet intelligence believes that as many as seven independent design bureaus exist. The three are: Ssenza, M'gara, and Bez-Garo. The first letter of the bureau name is used in Gorn ship classifications.

The second letter of ship classifications designates the vessel's function.

Examples:
A = "agessto" (cruiser) -- Light Cruiser
D = "dezer agessto" (combat cruiser) -- Battle Cruiser
H = "harza ss'go" (heavy capital ship) -- Battleship
S = "ssagarez" (destroyer) -- Destroyer

So, the MA-12 class is a light cruiser, developed by the M'gara Design Bureau.

The following classes are included in this thread:

SS-3 Destroyer
MD-8 Battlecruiser
BD-1 Battlecruiser (this design is only known to the Federation through transmissions of its decommissioning)
BH-2 Battleship
MA-12 Light Cruiser

SS-3 Destroyer
Entered Service: 2254

SYSTEMS
Communications 8
Computers 7
Engines 8
Sensors 7
Structure 8
Weapons 8

DEPARTMENTS
Command 1
Conn 3
Security 2
Engineering 2
Science 2
Medicine 2

SCALE 4
RESISTANCE 5
SHIELDS 10
POWER 13
CREW ASSIST 4

WEAPONRY
Blaster Cannons (removed during first refit after 2275) (Close Range, Damage 8^, Piercing 1)
Blaster Banks (installed during first refit after 2275) (Medium Range, Damage 7^, Piercing 1)
Photon Torpedoes (Long Range, Damage 5^, High Yield)

TALENTS
Improved Impulse Drive
Improved Hull Integrity
Secondary Reactors

NOTES
wf 6/7/8
Crew: Talented

The SS-3 destroyer was first detected by Starfleet listening posts in 2271. A large, heavily armed destroyer, the SS-3 appears to be the primary search-and-destroy ship in the Alliance Navy. Fairly detailed scans have been taken of SS-3s patrolling along the border, providing a good look at Gorn technology. The original launch wing for the vessel is speculative, based on intercepted subspace traffic.

The first refitted SS-3s were detected in 2279.

Gorn Knowledge
This vessel is the Alliance Navy's primary patrol vessel, hunting along the border in packs of three and four ships. In fleet actions, the SS-3 acts as the primary escort for the BH-2 battleships and MD-8 battlecruisers. Prior to the mid-2260s, the SS-3 escorted the antiquated BD-1 battle cruisers. The Alliance Navy scheduled a refit for all destroyers in anticipation of the arrival of the BH-2 to the fleet.

MD-8 Battlecruiser
Entered Service: 2266

SYSTEMS
Communications 7
Computers 7
Engines 8
Sensors 8
Structure 9
Weapons 8

DEPARTMENTS
Command 2
Conn 2
Security 3
Engineering 2
Science 1
Medicine 2

SCALE 5
RESISTANCE 5
SHIELDS 12
POWER 8
CREW ASSIST 5

WEAPONRY
Blaster Banks (Medium Range, Damage 8^, Piercing 1)
Photon Torpedoes (Long Range, Damage 6^, High Yield)
Tractor Beam (Strength 4)

TALENTS
Fast Targeting Systems
Rugged Design
Advanced Sick Bay

NOTES
wf 6/7/8 (after first engineering refit following 2290, wf 7/9/12)

The vessel designated MD-8 is only rarely seen on along the border, first detected in 2281. These battle cruisers seem to operate independently, but appear capable of leading fleet actions. Subspace traffic seems to indicate that the MD-8 was first launched in the mid 2260s.

Three MD-8s recently operating in extended actions along the border seem to indicate that the class underwent a refit within the last 3-4 years.

Gorn Knowledge
The M'gara Design Bureau MD-8 battle cruiser represents the Alliance's most powerful combat vessel in the 2260s and 70s. The MD-8 traditionally operates independently, acting as a rapid-response troubleshooter, but also operates as the command vessel in smaller fleet actions and as secondary command ships in larger fleets.

Refits after the early-2290s upgraded weapons and propulsion.

BD-1 Battlecruiser
Entered Service: 2239

SYSTEMS
Communications 7
Computers 7
Engines 8
Sensors 6
Structure 10
Weapons 8

DEPARTMENTS
Command 3
Conn 2
Security 2
Engineering 2
Science 1
Medicine 2

SCALE 6
RESISTANCE 6
SHIELDS 17
POWER 13
CREW ASSIST 6

WEAPONRY
Blaster Cannons (removed during first refit after 2262) (Close Range, Damage 10^, Piercing 1)
Blaster Banks (installed during first refit after 2262) (Medium Range, Damage 9^, Piercing 1)
Photon Torpedoes (Long Range, Damage 5^, High Yield)
Tractor Beam (Strength 4)

TALENTS
Advanced Shields
Command Ship
Redundant Systems
Rugged Design

NOTES
wf 6/7/8
Crew: Exceptional

The vessel designated BD-1 has never been detected by Federation listening posts, and almost nothing is known about the battlecruiser's capabilities. Analysts speculate, based on intercepted subspace traffic, that the BD-1 is the predecessor to the MD-8 battle cruiser, and that the class was phased out in the 2270s.

Gorn Knowledge
The BD-1 was the first achievement for the Bez-Garo Design Bureau, and represented leaps in starship technology in the 2230s. The first ship to mount the new GB-4 blasters, the BD-1 was the main combatant of the Alliance fleet for nearly 30 years.

BD-1s received a major upgrade to blasters and sensors, beginning in the early 2260s. Replaced by the MD-8 and relegated to reserve fleet status, the last BD-1 was retired in 2275.

BH-2 Battleship
Entered Service: 2281

SYSTEMS
Communications 8
Computers 8
Engines 9
Sensors 8
Structure 9
Weapons 9

DEPARTMENTS
Command 3
Conn 1
Security 3
Engineering 2
Science 1
Medicine 2

SCALE 6
RESISTANCE 6
SHIELDS 12
POWER 14
CREW ASSIST 6

WEAPONRY
Blaster Banks (Medium Range, Damage 9^, Piercing 1)
Photon Torpedoes (Long Range, Damage 6^, High Yield)
Tractor Beam (Strength 4)

TALENTS
Command Ship
Improved Shield Recharge
Improved Power Systems
Improved Warp Drive
Secondary Reactors

NOTES
wf 7/9/12
Crew: Exceptional

The BH-2 battleship is another mystery to the Federation. Subspace traffic seems to indicate that the class primarily operates within the core of the Alliance, protecting strategic systems and commanding the major fleets. Analysts suspect that there are no more than two dozen BH-2s operating in the fleet.

Subspace traffic analysis suggests that the battleship was first launched in the early-2280s.

Gorn Knowledge
The BH-2 is the Alliance Navy's primary capital ship, easily dwarfing just about every other ship in the known galaxy. Mounting massive GB-8 blaster cannons and thick duranium armor, the BH-2 is built for one purpose: war.

The battleship's primary mission is protection of the core systems in times of peace, showing the flag to member systems, and providing security for government events. In combat, the BH-2s lead the fleet into action, using their sheer mass and firepower to plow through enemy lines, allowing the smaller ships to pick apart the stragglers.

About three dozen BH-2s exist in the fleet, and the Alliance expects to keep these powerful vessels operational well into the next century.

MA-12 Light Cruiser
Entered Service: 2245

SYSTEMS
Communications 8
Computers 8
Engines 7
Sensors 6
Structure 8
Weapons 8

DEPARTMENTS
Command 2
Conn 3
Security 2
Engineering 2
Science 1
Medicine 2

SCALE 3
RESISTANCE 3
SHIELDS 10
POWER 7
CREW ASSIST 3

WEAPONRY
Blaster Cannons (Close Range, Damage 7^, Piercing 1)
Photon Torpedoes (Long Range, Damage 5^, High Yield)
Tractor Beam (Strength 2)

TALENTS
Redundant Systems
Improved Warp Drive (gained after first engine refit following 2267)

TRAIT
Inferior Sensors

NOTES
wf 4/6/8 (after first engine refit following 2267, wf 5/6.5/8)
Crew: Talented

USS Enterprise first encounted the MA-12 in 2267, and data gained from that single event provided the greatest detail of Gorn starship capabilities and technology. Of the 73 encounters since 2267, 62 of them involved MA-12s.

Encounter data and subspace traffic analysis indicates that the class originally launched in the 2240s and received a massive refit in the late 2260s. The MA-12 that the Enterprise destroyed was a refitted version, which Starfleet didn't realize until 2274.

Gorn Knowledge
The MA-12 is the primary light vessel of the fleet, operating independently throughout the Alliance. The MA-12 suffers from inadequate sensors, even by Gorn standards, but is extremely cheap to produce in large numbers.

Many MA-12s operate in what is loosely called the "infiltration" fleet. These light cruisers intentionally pick small fights here and there with the Federation, then send the data back to Strategic HQ for analysis. Infiltration fleet MA-12 captains enjoy "buzzing" Starfleet listening posts, just to see how the "Blue Flags" respond.