Explorer Classification

[redwood973]

Does anyone know if the Galaxy-class was the first class listed as an explorer; or was it the Ambassador-class?
Also, what is the official type classification of the Excelsior-class? I have seen it listed as a dreadnought, as an explorer, and as a cruiser. What is the official type class?

[Phantom]

If you want to get technical, I believe it was originally classified as a battleship.

[Cessna]

The original Constitution Class from TOS is listed as an "Explorer..."

[Capt. K. Vaughn]

The original Constitution-class was classified as an Explorer as was the Excelsior-class and Ambassador-class at one time. But with the advent of new technologies and improvements in starship designs, these ships eventually were reclassified to various cruiser types and replaced.

LUG's TOS Core Rules also classifies the Daedalus and Ranger classes as Explorers.

Regards,
CKV.

[Captain Preas]

As I recall, according to Rodenberry's novelization of ST:TMP, the Enterprise is classed as a Heavy Cruiser.

[qerlin]

Yep, the Connies were hvy. cruisers. The Mirandas were frigates. The Excelsior was a battleship. the explorer thing came around to change the feel of the TNG show. No war, here...just peaceful exploration...

[billy135]

The way we work it is: Ship classification is used to describe the ships mission profile or design purpose. Thats why on some of the ships you have a huge Frigate like the New Orleans class, and tiny ships like the Saber-class being Light Cruisers. Size doesn't matter, only the mission profile the vessel was designed around. That way you can have Galaxy class explorers and Nova class ships share the same classification. If a ship is designed for combat it might get heavy cruiser status, built for escort duty maybe frigate status, ect...
My crews ship is a fast frigate, designed for escort, interdiction, and border patrol duties, and has 16 decks and 420 crew. alot bigger than the light cruiser Saber.

[qerlin]

For us, the explorer classification exists pretty much only for the Galaxy and Nebula classes. Everything else has a more traditional nomenclature: scouts, light cruisers, frigates, heavy cruisers, battleship (Sovereigns).

[Captain Blake]

I've always figured that "Explorer" was Federation standard for "Battleship" or "Dreadnaught". The more militaristic word isn't used in the current Lexicon, especially since StarFleet's primary mission is exploration. Kira's line upon seeing the Defiant for the first time, "I thought Star Fleet didn't make military ships?"

Sure they do, they just name them Escorts instead of Destroyers, and Frigates instead of Battle Cruisers, and Explorers instead of Battleships.

Just my 2 creds.

Alex

[REG]

<font color="orange">Kira's line upon seeing the Defiant for the first time, "I thought Star Fleet didn't make military ships?"</font>

Sounds to me like she's questioning the Starfleet's standing public policy, stating the obvious with sarcasm. After all, the official line is that Starfleet makes ships primarily for exploration and scientific research but even we know that almost every ships are capable of fulfilling military role.

Of course, the Defiant is probably the first ship of its kind not designed to include a science lab.

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Anyhoo, just some random thoughts...

[billy135]

The Difiant is also the only Federation ship that could be classified as a minelayer

[Re'k]

My understanding was that in ships used to be given military style classifications. Connie was a Heavy Explorer, Excelsior and Ambassador were Battleships. Come the modern age, things got shuffled; ships were bigger, and it was a kinder, gentler universe. Galaxy was classed an Explorer, Ambassador became either an Explorer or a Heavy Cruiser, Excelsior became a Medium Cruiser, and by this time Connie had long since been retired.

Could be wrong...

--Nelson

[Modem]

Reg, are you sure it was sarcasm not true surprise? I mean Kira gave up sarcasm by the middle-to-end of the second season , so it might well have been shock (beside, if you didn’t know the Defiant was a Federation vessel, wouldn’t you be stunned [face it people, it looks more like a “space-tank”, then a Fed-ship]).

I definitely agree; any Federation ship has military potential. But some will be better then others.

A Defiant is believed to be the best combat vessel, but it has flaws that: a) an experienced commanding officer and b) a vessel with ‘columnar’ phasers (of say Galaxy-class and up) could take advantage of. The ship must use a straight ‘line of sight’ to use it’s phasers, unlike columnar phasers (where a Capt. could do a “safe” [several hundred meters from the enemy] ‘fly-by’, strafe the enemy, then 180 and tail-pipe ‘em with the ships torp’s…mean ain’t it ).

As for classification, hey if comfortable with par (the way things are/were) go for it. Personally, I don't mind 'swapping' terms here and there; a ship's classifiction in my campaign is usually a 'dual' one ('Heavy Exporer/Battlecrusier','Fast Scout/Cutter', and so on)

Keeps things interesting, everybody happy (some player like the 'military' aspects the the fleet, others the 'scientific'. This way everybody get what they want ).


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...and that's about the time it hit the fan...

[REG]

It could be a little bit of both, depends on your interpretation of her statement. The dark side of me find it amusing that there could exist a ship whose primary role is exploration and scientific research ... is also armed to the teeth, let alone a whole "star" fleet (from the Constitution-class to the Sovereign-class). Kinda like Jacque Cousteau's ship Calypso ... armed with 16-inch guns from the USS Missouri. Hehehe.

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Anyhoo, just some random thoughts...

[redwood973]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by REG:
It could be a little bit of both, depends on your interpretation of her statement. The dark side of me find it amusing that there could exist a ship whose primary role is exploration and scientific research ... is also armed to the teeth, let alone a whole "star" fleet (from the Constitution-class to the Sovereign-class). Kinda like Jacque Cousteau's ship Calypso ... armed with 16-inch guns from the USS Missouri. Hehehe.

</font>

In the early days of earth exploration every ship was armed. The ships that some guy got on loan from the King/Queen of Spain (he was on his way to the orient when the new world got in his way) were the frigates of his day; and departed fully armed. The H.M.S Begel that Darwin used carried four 10-lbs canon. Not a line-of-battle ship, but enought to defend a quick escape (or get the attention of the natives ).



[This message has been edited by redwood973 (edited 05-21-2001).]