Possible New Campaign

[JALU3]

Well the group which I am currently playing two white wolf campaigns have staid, relatively, intact for 6 months now. Although not a record by any means, that means that we are getting a steady amount of game time in, and getting to know each other better (over prime rib somtimes, yum!). Due to this, our two GMs, who rotate, and each run a specific campaign, are beginning to tire out.
One of them wants to play a character, and not GM the game, in a campaign that is more violent and more combat oriented. I stated that I could run a Star Trek campaign with that criteria in mind.
So I was thinking of a campaign setting, and of course the Dominion War was the first thing to come up in my mind. I understand that there are other, lesser known campaign settings in the Star Trek Universe were combat is almost a requirement . . . however, I don't think those have been as well documented as the DW has been.
One wants a space based campaign, where she's a Betazed. However, I was wondering whether that would be as gorry as a forced "grounded" campaign?
The area which I was thinking about was a sector or two away from the Cardassian/Federation DMZ, Rimward, to the "SouthSouthEast". Is there anything in that area which would preclude me from using it as a non-claimed region . . . with a mixed set of Federation and Non-Federation colonies in that sector? Is that area outside of that area's belt of stars? Would it lean towards older stars populating that sector? Spacial Anamolies, say like a black hole?
I was thinking of starting them on an Excelsior which gets destroyed or badly damaged.

More to come, but I could use our collective brain storming for ideas.

[Tricky]

Well, a space-based campaign could be pretty grim: from one perspective, you could have fierce hand to hand combat by boarding parties from DOM forces and/or the occasional space-pirate/scavanger/privateer; or you could go the BSG route with fighter wings taking on the best the DOM can throw at them, lives snuffed out in the blink of a photon torpedo.

I'm not up on ships and their commission/service dates, but I think the Excelsiors were pretty old by then, with most of them being mothballed. Of course, that could be the hook of the Campaign: "We're stuck on this tub while our Defiant-class was given to some Admiral's son!"

[The Tatterdemalion King]

If you want something more combat-oriented, why not play one of the other sides? A Klingon series would let you yell and stab people a lot. The Romulans or Cardassians would be sneakier and probably more attractive to players who like playing smart; the Romulans are your high-tech, sleek, uber-competent dominators, while the Cardassian's reptilian calculations combined with industrial needs make them more vicious, even when they're acting as precision instruments. Any of them could give you more satisfying opportunities for inter-group ego-pumping...

[JALU3]

LOL . . . I never thought of that . . . and would need to brush up on my Klingon.

I was thinking Excelsior because they were coming on the end of their service life, but at the same time still pretty capable Size 7 vessels. Or maybe a "Curry Class" Excelsior modification. If I were to go Klingon . . . I would have them picked up as survivors . . . with forced integration with a K'Vort Crew . . . say they don't have time to drop them off due to some secret mission.
You know start them off with something familiar . . . something that people have seen onscreen. If I go that route . . .
Or . . . I can go with a forced Ground Forces campaign . . . fleeters who have been shot down and have to join a GF unit, which may have been left behind after the Dominion has won space-superiority.

Going off the map found in the newest Star Charts . . . I was thinking of the Beloti Sector or the Sector to the "Northwest" of the Talarian Republic, and southwest of the Cardassian Union, which contains the star Mu Andromedae. Both are next door to the CU, and both have reasonable space for which new colonies could be started . . . plus known enemy species. They aren't within Federation Controlled space, so they'd be on their own . . . but they are within several weeks travel if they have to high tail it.

Do we know if the Talarians were active during the DW? And if so, what side?

[The Tatterdemalion King]

The Talarians weren't mentioned; I'm pretty sure of it.Are they close to the Klingons? If so, they probably didn't choose the Dominion side, 'cause the Empire might just take the opportunity to swat them like bugs.

As for the Star Charts, remember that it's pretty speculative. If you want to just plunk some extra stuff in there, or shove bits and pieces around there's nothing stopping you.

You could make them Starfleet liasons with a newly allied planet's defense forces. They get other ships to work with, but they're on their own enough to justify rash captainy decisions.

[toadmage]

Here is a random thought , A Klingon Campaign set in Next Gen but before DS 9 . This is not a major war from the Klingon point of view (POV) . I would pick the Talarians because I like the way they look and their ships . The one thing i would change is their weapon tech level to match the Klingons .

The Talarians appear to be very war like culture and have even attack the Klingons first . The klingon / Talarians bonder is not set in treaty but by who has settle them . IF there are no settlement there then your side can claim the world . If you destroy the colony is one way to get a world.

This is rough idea and I hope it helps you . Now I am off to do some reading and outline details like Klingon house and Honor point system and the Talarian empire .

[JALU3]

What was the last battle of the Klingon-Federation-Cardassian War? And what was the time span between that last battle and the first battle of the DW?
Furthermore, what were the battles of that War . . . maybe it could make a good prelude to the bigger war ahead, and give the PCs more experience prior to that.

[The Tatterdemalion King]

What was the last battle of the Klingon-Federation-Cardassian War? And what was the time span between that last battle and the first battle of the DW?

The exact last one? I don't think it's mentioned. IIRC the battle at Ajilon Prime was the last open strike by the Klingons, before and after which a cease-fire was esetablished. That's the middle of the 5th season, 2373. The Dominion War starts at the end of the year.

[JALU3]

Well it mentions the Archanis Sector being a major froNT IN the war, but it also stretching all the way to the Bajor Sector . . . which creates a rather long "front". However, Season 4 to Season 5 appears to be the length of the event.

[LUGTrekGM]

good luck with it, in any case.