Tholian Holdfast Navy

[BouncyCaitian]

This will be a thread dedicated to ships of the Tholian Holdfast

Tholian ‘Needle’ Class Interceptor
Commisioned: ?

HULL DATA
Structure: 15/2
Size/Decks:3/3
Length:/Height/Beam:55/20/20
Compliment:10

TACTICAL DATA
‘Phaser’ Cannon: Type III (X4/A)
Penetration: 4/4/4/0/0
Web Generator: (X2/A)
Deflector Shields: PFF 2(A)
Protection/Threshold: 13/2

PROPULSION DATA:
Impulse System: SBD (.6/B)
Warp System: WE-5 (3/4/5) (B)

OPERATIONAL DATA
Atmosphere Capable: Yes
Cargo Units: 30
Life Support: Class 3
Operations Systems: Class 3
Sensor Systems: Class 2 (+2/B)
Separation Systems: None
Shuttlebay: None
Shuttlecraft: None
Tractorbeam: 1 ad
Transporters: 1 Standard, 1 Emergency

MISCELLANEOUS DATA
Maneuver Modifiers: +0C, +1H, +1T
Traits: Web Generator (Web Generation & Web Snare capable)

[Tobian]

Isn't it the Tholian Assembly?

Well other than you should include the web generation abilities in the notes, it's a good little vessel. On it's own it would be hard pressed to win a fight against a larger vessel, but the fun starts when there's 2 or more of them

[BouncyCaitian]

Tholian ‘Needle’ Class Interceptor
Commisioned: ?

HULL DATA
Structure: 15/2
Size/Decks:3/3
Length:/Height/Beam:55/20/20
Compliment:10

TACTICAL DATA
‘Phaser’ Cannon: Type III (X4/A)
Penetration: 4/4/4/0/0
Web Generator: (X2/A)
Deflector Shields: PFF 2(A)
Protection/Threshold: 13/2

PROPULSION DATA:
Impulse System: SBD (.6/B)
Warp System: WE-5 (3/4/5) (B)

OPERATIONAL DATA
Atmosphere Capable: Yes
Cargo Units: 30
Life Support: Class 3
Operations Systems: Class 3
Sensor Systems: Class 2 (+2/B)
Separation Systems: None
Shuttlebay: None
Shuttlecraft: None
Tractorbeam: 1 ad
Transporters: 1 Standard, 1 Emergency

MISCELLANEOUS DATA
Maneuver Modifiers: +0C, +1H, +1T
Traits: Web Generator (Web Generation & Web Snare capable)

WEB GENERATORS:
The most common version of the Tholian Web Device, use of the device requires at least two Tholian vessels momentarily docking and forming an anchorpoint for the web to begin generation. This typically will be done when building a ‘web base’ (a starbase surrounded by cast web), border defenses, or capturing a disabled vessel.

Game Mechanics: Tholian Web is treated much like a starship in regards to resistance and the ability to take damage. Casting Tholian Web requires at least two Tholian scout vessels to begin lay web, each ship generating/recharging about (Size x Generators) points per turn to be added to the shields structure.
Typical ‘small’ web spheres generated by scout vessels have a Protection/Threshold of 14/3 and a Structure of 100 as do web wall ‘sections’. Larger versions may have Protection/Threshold of 15/4 (possibly higher) with 200-500 points of Structure (As noted, these are typically used for base defense and attacking with anything less than a full fleet is pure suicide). Size and composition are left to the GM’s imagination.

WEB SNARE: From accounts of various ship commanders, this appears to a modification made to Web Generators aboard the Tholian fleet, but not particularly widespread as of this time. Appearing to be a modification to somewhat mimic the effects of the Web Caster, this variation generates a small area of cast web around the Tholian vessel that acts as a second layer of shields for the vessel.

Game Mechanics: Web Snare shields on older vessels tend to be somewhat on the weak side with a Protection/Threshold of 13/2 and a Structure of Size x Generators. Once the shield drops from overload (structure gone due to damage), it takes two turns to redirect power to reactivate the Web Generator.


As Tobain has pointed out, singularly, these ships will have problems. But then Tholians, tend to travel in wolf packs of 5 or more....

[Space_Cadet]

Phaser Cannons?? How do you know if they weren't plasma based weapons or distruptors?

[Tobian]

Hence you'll notice 'phaser' canons - basically it's an equivalency: Something he noted in a previous explanation.. somewhere

[BouncyCaitian]

Tholian ‘Needle’ Class Interceptor
Commisioned: ?

HULL DATA
Structure: 15/2
Size/Decks:3/3
Length:/Height/Beam:55/20/20
Compliment:10

TACTICAL DATA
‘Phaser’ Cannon: Type III (X4/A)
Penetration: 4/4/4/0/0
Web Generator: (X2/A)
Deflector Shields: PFF 2(A)
Protection/Threshold: 13/2

PROPULSION DATA:
Impulse System: SBD (.6/B)
Warp System: WE-5 (3/4/5) (B)

OPERATIONAL DATA
Atmosphere Capable: Yes
Cargo Units: 30
Life Support: Class 3
Operations Systems: Class 3
Sensor Systems: Class 2 (+2/B)
Separation Systems: None
Shuttlebay: None
Shuttlecraft: None
Tractorbeam: 1 ad
Transporters: 1 Standard, 1 Emergency

MISCELLANEOUS DATA
Maneuver Modifiers: +0C, +1H, +1T
Traits: Web Generator (Web Generation & Web Snare capable)

‘PHASERS’: Given the as yet to be determined nature of the Tholians and the area of space they inhabit, there has been some speculation as to why they would develop a phaser device for their ships. After analysis of the wreckage of a Tholian scout by Starfleet RD&E, it has been determined that the designation phaser for the Tholians primary energy weapon is something of a misnomer, but the appellation has stuck. As to how the ‘phaser’ device works is still something of a mystery, as the device was of such an alien nature, and had anti-tamper devices built in to destroy the technology. What has been observed is that the weapon functions in a similar fashion to a phaser, but also seems to have the ability to fire through lain Tholian ‘Web’ energy shields. Attempts to replicate this effect have consistently failed across the Alpha Quadrant and most Admiralties have looked to other avenues to defeat Tholian defenses.

Game Mechanics: Treat Tholian ‘phaser’ devices the same as Phasers for purposes of construction, damage calculation, and space. Also, they can fire through laid Tholian Web.

WEB GENERATORS:
The most common version of the Tholian Web Device, use of the device requires at least two Tholian vessels momentarily docking and forming an anchorpoint for the web to begin generation. This typically will be done when building a ‘web base’ (a starbase surrounded by cast web), border defenses, or capturing a disabled vessel.

Game Mechanics: Tholian Web is treated much like a starship in regards to resistance and the ability to take damage. Casting Tholian Web requires at least two Tholian scout vessels to begin lay web, each ship generating/recharging about (Size x Generators) points per turn to be added to the shields structure.
Typical ‘small’ web spheres generated by scout vessels have a Protection/Threshold of 14/3 and a Structure of 100 as do web wall ‘sections’. Larger versions may have Protection/Threshold of 15/4 (possibly higher) with 200-500 points of Structure (As noted, these are typically used for base defense and attacking with anything less than a full fleet is pure suicide). Size and composition are left to the GM’s imagination.

WEB SNARE: From accounts of various ship commanders, this appears to a modification made to Web Generators aboard the Tholian fleet, but not particularly widespread as of this time. Appearing to be a modification to somewhat mimic the effects of the Web Caster, this variation generates a small area of cast web around the Tholian vessel that acts as a second layer of shields for the vessel.

Game Mechanics: Web Snare shields on older vessels tend to be somewhat on the weak side with a Protection/Threshold of 13/2 and a Structure of Size x Generators. Once the shield drops from overload (structure gone due to damage), it takes two turns to redirect power to reactivate the Web Generator.

[Space_Cadet]

Hence you'll notice 'phaser' canons - basically it's an equivalency: Something he noted in a previous explanation.. somewhere

Based on the visual evidence from the Mirror episodes. It looked more like plasma bursts than phaser beams. Just my opinion.

Plus, the ship has a complement of 1.

[BouncyCaitian]

SC,


Agreed, but I also seem to recall the Tholians having Beam Weapons from the ENT episode "Future Tense", tho I may be wrong.

On the Crew of 10: D'oh! I meant a 1, mea culpa.

Can anyone confirm the beam emitters in "Future tense"?

[Space_Cadet]

I have the episode of "Future Tense". But I've seen Nausicaan ships which were featured in a first season episode with "plasma weapons" that emit a stream similar to the Tholians. But one can't rely on visual evidence to depict weapons since FX crews are not "in sync" with the writers. Also, the Tholian ships have an energy drain weapon that diabled Enterprise's system. But no mention, verbally, of the type of weapon used.

I have done my interpretaion if you want to compare and contrast.
http://forums.fanhq.com/viewtopic.ph...691&highlight=

Tholian Fast Attack ship

PRODUCTION DATA

Origin: Tholian Assembly
Class and type: Tholian Fast Attack Ship
Year launched: 2144

HULL DATA

Structure: 10
Size/decks: 2/2
Length/Height/Beam: 30/12/12
Complement: 5

OPERATION DATA

Atmoshphere capable: Yes
Transporters: 1 Personal
Cargo units: 2
Shuttlebay: None
Shuttlecraft: NA
Tractor beams: 1 FV, 1 AV
Separation system: None
Cloaking system: None
Sensor system: Class 1 (+1/B)
Operations system: Class 1 (B)
Life support: Class 1 (B)

PRODUCTION DATA

Impulse system: SBB (0.5c/A)
Warp system: TIPU-2 (5/7/9) (c)

TACTICAL DATA

Plasma Cannons: TD-36.2 (x1/A)
Penetration: 2/2/0/0/0
Energy Drain: Type I (x1/A)
Penetration: Special
Polarized Hull Plating: HPG Mk2 (B)
Protection/treshold: 10/1

MISCELLANEOUS DATA

Maneuver modifiers: C +2 H +0 T +2
Traits: Enhanced System (Beam)

I plan on changing it to a fighter, and web creator (i have a theory that a special ship is required to start up-i have visual evidence to prove) and updating the crew complement. Also i need to add a blurb that the Energy Drain weapon can only deactivate one system instead of all of the systems, the way the Borg or Breen does. It took three Tholian ships to deactivate three systems on Enterprise according to the visual evidence on "Future Tense".

[Phoenix]

While I appreciate all the work you've done here BC...does any one know of an accurate conversion for Icon...or at least what all the little numbers represent with out buying the new books.

I've been wanting to use the Tholians in a story arc for a while now, there's just not that much info on them from an Icon source (not to mention all the new data).

[BouncyCaitian]

Tholian ‘Spire’ Class Cruiser
Commisioned: ?

HULL DATA
Structure: 20/3
Size/Decks:4/4
Length:/Height/Beam:110/30/30
Compliment:2

TACTICAL DATA
‘Phaser’ Cannon: Type IV (X7/A)
Penetration: 5/5/5/0/0
Web Generator/Caster: (X2/A)
Deflector Shields: PFF 2(A)
Protection/Threshold: 14/3

PROPULSION DATA:
Impulse System: SBD (.6/B)
Warp System: WE-5 (3/4/5) (B)

OPERATIONAL DATA
Atmosphere Capable: Yes
Cargo Units: 40
Life Support: Class 3
Operations Systems: Class 3
Sensor Systems: Class 3 (+3/B)
Separation Systems: None
Shuttlebay: None
Shuttlecraft: None
Tractorbeam: 1 ad
Transporters: 1 Standard, 1 Emergency

MISCELLANEOUS DATA
Maneuver Modifiers: +0C, +1H, +1T
Traits: Web Generator (Web Generation, Cast Web & Web Snare capable)

MISSION:
Meant to act as group leader for a the typical Tholian wolf pack of vessels, the Spire-class cruiser is a somewhat more durable version of the ‘Needle’ class interceptor in may respects. However with it’s superior firepower and additional ability to launch Cast Web, the Spire tends to act as unpleasant surprise for enemy vessels that happen to encounter it.

THOLIAN SYSTEMS:
‘PHASERS’: Given the as yet to be determined nature of the Tholians and the area of space they inhabit, there has been some speculation as to why they would develop a phaser device for their ships. After analysis of the wreckage of a Tholian scout by Starfleet RD&E, it has been determined that the designation phaser for the Tholians primary energy weapon is something of a misnomer, but the appellation has stuck. As to how the ‘phaser’ device works is still something of a mystery, as the device was of such an alien nature, and had anti-tamper devices built in to destroy the technology. What has been observed is that the weapon functions in a similar fashion to a phaser, but also seems to have the ability to fire through lain Tholian ‘Web’ energy shields. Attempts to replicate this effect have consistently failed across the Alpha Quadrant and most Admiralties have looked to other avenues to defeat Tholian defenses.

Game Mechanics: Treat Tholian ‘phaser’ devices the same as Phasers for purposes of construction, damage calculation, and space. Also, they can fire through laid Tholian Web.


THE THOLIAN WEB DEVICE

First encountered the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701) in 2268 during a rescue mission of it’s sister vessel, the U.S.S. Defiant (NCC-1704), The Tholian Web Device is one of the most unusual and problematic weapon systems ever encountered. The Web, in essence, is a form of projected, self-sustaining energy field (to a limited extent) that can be cast into space independent of any form of shield projection grid. Depending on how the shield is configured, it can be used as a form of tractor beam and defensive grid. Having the appearance of a geometric sphere composed of triangular sections of golden energy, the sphere is actually quite resilient to damage, and when a full sphere is completed, little less than a full attack fleet has any hope of actually penetrating the Web.

To make matters worse, the Tholian War of 2353-2360 introduced new permutations of the Web Device that proved to be an utter nightmare to the Federation and Klingon Admiralties . While web generation could previously have been accomplished via attaching two or more Tholian vessels together then beginning web generation, the newer versions required no form of anchor point to cast a web grid into space, the end result being that a web sphere or web wall could be constructed in relatively short order, trapping enemy units, or dividing fleets.

WEB GENERATORS:
The most common version of the Tholian Web Device, use of the device requires at least two Tholian vessels momentarily docking and forming an anchorpoint for the web to begin generation. This typically will be done when building a ‘web base’ (a starbase surrounded by cast web), border defenses, or capturing a disabled vessel.

Game Mechanics: Tholian Web is treated much like a starship in regards to resistance and the ability to take damage. Casting Tholian Web requires at least two Tholian scout vessels to begin lay web, each ship generating/recharging about (Size x Generators) points per turn to be added to the shields structure.
Typical ‘small’ web spheres generated by scout vessels have a Protection/Threshold of 14/3 and a Structure of 100 as do web wall ‘sections’. Larger versions may have Protection/Threshold of 15/4 (possibly higher) with 200-500 points of Structure (As noted, these are typically used for base defense and attacking with anything less than a full fleet is pure suicide). Size and composition are left to the GM’s imagination.


WEB CASTERS:
A rarer, more recent, and much nastier version of the Web Device is the Web Caster. Introduced during the Tholian War, the Caster, instead of firing out a single strand of web, fires a self-sustaining area of web covering a considerable area out from it’s target point (some 3,000 km to a side at maximum power). Often used by Tholian commanders to erect defensive web quickly, the offensive capacity of using web cannot be over looked for breaking up fleet formations and crippling enemy vessels as they plow into the cast web (treat as ramming an enemy vessel with Size = Tholian Ships Size x Generators).

Game Mechanics: Cast Web segments at initial casting have a Protection/Threshold of 15/4, Structure 50 at point blank range; Protection/Threshold 14/3, Structure 50 at Close Range; and Protection/Threshold 13/3, Structure 40 at medium range. They can be recharged by Tholian vessels as normal.

Entertaining uses of Cast Web: Stopping drones and plasma torpedoes, stopping direct-fire weapons, locating cloaked ships, isolating vessels for later capture/disposal, cutting off tractor beams, stopping crippled vessels from escaping, blocking effects of natural phenomena.


WEB SNARE: From accounts of various ship commanders, this appears to a modification made to Web Generators aboard the Tholian fleet, but not particularly widespread as of this time. Appearing to be a modification to somewhat mimic the effects of the Web Caster, this variation generates a small area of cast web around the Tholian vessel that acts as a second layer of shields for the vessel.

Game Mechanics: Web Snare shields on older vessels tend to be somewhat on the weak side with a Protection/Threshold of 13/2 and a Structure of Size x Generators. Once the shield drops from overload (structure gone due to damage), it takes two turns to redirect power to reactivate the Web Generator.

[Tobian]

Looking good BC, with a couple of comments..

1) you should probably list the *special* weapons at the end, if it's not included in Starships / NG as people will have to go looking elsewhere on the forum for it! If you want to print it out it's not complete. Yep it is on the one above but I got confused

2) I got a little confused that you listed your hull as 20/3 - and it took me a while to figure out why you did that, but basically you are adding the shield threshold to the hull.. If the shields go down, there is no threshold, unless you put armoured hulls on (as in Space Cadets version, up the page)

3) looking through the web description, I am not sure it's structure needs to be so high.. Yes it should be a hard thing to break, but it has 3 threshold.. which means if they are operating in a small fleet the tholians will be blowing chunks out of your ship, sitting in a cage, long before they get a few points of structure damage off the thing!! They are a sitting target, that's the point!

Perhaps as an alternative you simply treat it as if it was a 'second' shield.. buy it like a shield system + arbitrary cost (thus alowing it to take TNG style shield regeneration etc) and use the shield damage track on it. Since it's stationary, give it the station damage track of 15 hits. This gives you a 7th system damage track, allowing you allot of leway on alocating power etc. You could also, then, use them for stations, as an actual shield (or unmoving ships) meaning anyone has to get through 2 TN's and 2 thresholds to get to the station - making them a hard thing to damage!! You can also then add, in larger ships, backup bateries (as in ESO) to allow you to top up your 'shield' damage track. To make it arbitrarilly harder to get through.. raise the protection..I.e.

Cost = Shield system (appropriate for era) + 5 + any bonus threshold as normal
benefit.. creates a seconday 'shield' bubble around the enemies ship. because it inhibits their movement and sensors, the TN = protection +5 and your damage track is 15

So in your example.. a PFF 2(a) would have a protection 19, threshold 3, and 'strength' of 15, but a reliability of (a) - but it is a seventh damage track so power can be transfered..

What do you think?

[Tobian]

Hmm as an adenum to that:

If you have 2 ships making the web - you add their shield tracks together..

So 2 ships make - protection TN: <shield>, threshold TN: <lowest shield> strenght = 30!

You would just take points of damage off each shield round robin, one ship then the other, till you did enough damage to collapse it, or damage the reliability.. If one ship's emitter dies, you still have the other half left, just with less strength left.

you then also have the flexibility of prototypes edges etc. Increasing threshold, protection or reliability etc, making them a tougher nut to crack!

[BouncyCaitian]

Updated with the Tholian rules I came up with earlier. I set up the web construction for the Tholian ships as a deliberate nod to the show where it took FOREVER for the Tholians to construct a web sphere. I also created the Web casters as a concession to the SFU Tholians and as a way to give the Tholians a bit more teeth.

As a happy coincidence, 'Through a Mirror Darkly pt I' from Enterprise Season 4 is an excellent example of Webcasters in action. With a floatilla that big the Tholians could easily create a Cast web of respectable stength realatively quickly.

Trying to take the Tholians on a base seige is a thing which no Alpha Quadrant commander wants to even attempt. The Andromedans, on the other hand, would see Tholian web as a quick way to power up a fleet (much to the Tholians misery)