Best ship for a DS9 era campaign?

[Lagomorph]

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.

[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!

[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?

[Calastir]

I'd go with the Defiant-Class, which is small but fast and tough and already has a great reputation in that sector.

[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.

[The Tatterdemalion King]

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.

[Cut]

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

[The Tatterdemalion King]

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.

[Cut]

FC Ships?

There are for sure more than 2 Federation ships in the CODA sourcebook 'Starships'.

[The Tatterdemalion King]

FC Ships?

The Eaves and Jaeger designs from First Contact.

[Lagomorph]

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?

[The Tatterdemalion King]

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.

[Tanty]

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

[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.

[Lagomorph]

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.