A Romulan Freighter

[Dan Gurden]

I have discovered a need for a Civilian Romulan Vessel. An aging freighter. This will be for a future plot for the Venture game...

The game is set Post Dominion War, however I envision a far older vessel, possibly dating back to the Movie era, but difinatly no later than the 2330's...

before I work out the stats and post them here, I want to gauge the full group for ideas for the design considerations, class and individual ship name concepts... And even working out a history for the vessel...

And then maybe transferring the whole deal over to Spacedock stats after.

So. Who wants to go first...

[Dan Gurden]

If it helps. Here is the mental description that I am using at the moment.

The Frieghter

The ship is an older Romulan vessel, from around the turn of the century. Still spaceworthy it is cheap to run and operate… Having been upgraded and modified over the years. It is far from the ‘state of the art’, but it has a few surprises for a bulk carrier.

The large containers are universal designs, accessable from the main ‘core’ vessel.


I will see about sketching something out and posting that later...

[SIR SIG]

Hmm for a design image, how about crossing a Dy-100 with a Klingon Cruiser.

ie: a definate bird head with a long neck that cargo pods wrap around and a aft wing like structure that houses warp engines etc.


Here's a very rough mouse drawn pic done in a couple of minutes. so don't laugh I don't have a scanner to hand to put a decent sketch up with.

Its a basic premise anyhow. And quite modular.

Impulse is directly aft with 2 warp nacelles P/SB.
Maybe do warp 6 on a good day and possible some light disruptors.

[Dan Gurden]

Originally posted by SIR SIG
Hmm for a design image, how about crossing a Dy-100 with a Klingon Cruiser.

Must be a 'great minds' day... My rough pencil sketches were coming out the same...

A small engineering section, with imulse, mounting stubby wings and necelles that were just big enough for a bubble.

Then a REALLY long neck connecting the main hull. I definatly saw this neck as the mounting point for cargo containers... And probably with crew quarters in the neck too...

Finally a larger module, for the comand deck, shuttle bay and smaller cargo suplemental area. This area had come out quite bulbous, and should the vessel be created in the 2300-2330's its slightly 'bird-like' for the future of Romulan ship design...

And so far I have 3 weapons points for disruptors located... But only a side-view at the moment... I'll scan and post later.

[SIR SIG]

Glad we're on the same wavelength Dan

I personally wouldn't put a shuttle bay in the head unless it was particularly large.

Maybe the dorsal aft section where talons would be perhaps.

Of course there has to be a disruptor cannon for a beak

[Dan Gurden]

Update for them that care.

The class has recieved a name.

Its the D'vore class freighter... And I have updated the Sketch I did earlier... Its a lot rough, but anyone with any talent or ability is welcome to help me out here??? Owen or anyone else???



I figure that the long neck mounts some kind of container system. Initial sketches started to get the containers from the DY-100... But that looks to 'human'... Any ideas???

[SIR SIG]

The neck looks a bit to small

Perhaps just a different geometric shape for carg pods?

[Dan Gurden]

Well. It wouldn't surprise me if the neck was too small... Seeing as that design element seemed to spring straight from 2001. I can accept a thicker neck with cargo mounting...

Any suggestions for what shapes Romulan Cargo pods should be??? I am also considering that there might be a military variant that can carry either cargo pods or troop deployment drop pods...

[SIR SIG]

Originally posted by Dan Gurden
Any suggestions for what shapes Romulan Cargo pods should be???

egg shape

Seriously though perhaps like dropship mountings on jumpships from Battletech.

ie just mounts/dock hatches where a cylindrical pod would attach.

Then when the ship is fully laden, the derogatory nick 'Frilly Lizard' could be applied. (Aussy Frilled Neck Lizard)

[Dan Gurden]

I like... and as you say... The Egg shape makes for a strong container, suitable for planetary re-entry. With some of the interior taken up by dampening systems.

The 'Frilly Lizard' sounds like a great starfleet designation for it.

OK... its about time to work up the basic stats. But I would like to reknew the call for one of the artisticly inclined members to help me out with a far superior render than the one listed above, specially with the oddly shaped wings.

[Dan Gurden]

OK. Done the Fleet Data, after all background I can do without the rules;

Description and Notes
The D’Vore has been a stable workhorse of the Romulan Imperial Star Navy since the turn of the century. Originally designed as a Bulk Cargo vessel, with the capabilities to commit troops drop ships to a campaign, the vessel saw limited frontline service but was deemed to lightly armed for front line duties.

Relegated to support duties, the D’vore found its niche as a transport vessel, hauling cargo around the empire. Over time, advancements in ship design have overshadowed the D’vore class leaving the ship behind as a faithful workhorse. Many have since found themselves in Civilian service, where their low crew requirements and sturdy construction make them reliable vessels for long-haul cargo runs.

The vessel is quite long, approximately 200m, with a command Hull at the front, Attached via a long neck to the engineering hull, and nacelles at the rear. The origins in the old D7 cruisers traded with the Klingon Empire during the 2260’s is clear, with this vessel displaying a clear lineage, and offering a glimpse as to the reason behind its long-lived sturdiness. The command Hull displays a prominent ‘beak’, commonly associated with Romulan vessels. And within the ships computer, transporters, bridge, medical and senior officers and VIP quarters share space with a small shuttlebay suitable for only a couple of small shuttlepods.
The Long neck, houses docking ports for the containers, making the vessel highly modular, and able to pick up and drop cargo as required. The cargo pods are egg shaped, a strong design consideration, taking planetary re-entry into account, and these cargo pods can range between Bulk Cargo, Troop Dropships and even Colony Support, enabling entire colonial buildings to be dropped from orbit to form a core. This long neck also houses the troop bunk-rooms, often converted into secondary cargo holds.
At the rear of the vessel, an engineering hull mounting the older M/AM core and impulse systems, along with stubby wings for the nacelles.

The Starfleet Designation for the vessel is the ‘Frilly Lizard’, named after a striking similarity to the Australian Frilled Neck Lizard when the vessel is fully laden.



Oh and out of interest The Real Frilly Lizard is here...

Any other input guys???

[StyroFoam Man]

This message has been removed on request by the
poster

[SIR SIG]

Glad you like Dan, I'll see what stats I can come up with.

[Owen E Oulton]

"I like... and as you say... The Egg shape makes for a strong container, suitable for planetary re-entry. With some of the interior taken up by dampening systems."

While ovoids, elliptoids, spheres and cylinders make great pressure chambers, they're somewhat less than optimum for actually putting non-granular solids in. They're also rather inefficient for hanging off a spine - they don't "stack" well. I'd go for a shape much like most other races in Trek use, a variation on a block shape.

Streamlining for atmospheric reentry doesn't really seem to be much of a consideration in the Trek universe with shields and SIFs.

[Dan Gurden]

After my initial doodles added the DY-100 crate system I had wanted to try for something that looks different, although I am open to concept sketches should you be willing to take a crack at them... <G>

Shamless plug for a far superior render of the intial vessel due to my unpleasant lack of drawing talent.

Of course the Eggs could still work, theres no reason that they need to be 'egg-shaped' inside, only on the outside... SIR SIGS initial concept was the Battletech Dropship which if I remember correctly has a motor pool/cargo area at the wide base. And Barracks/Command centre at the top...