Empok Nor

[Panzer]

Maybe they just wanted to replace damaged components with UFP tech instead?

Empok would only give you limited amounts of spare parts, then you'd have to ask the Cardies for them or build up infrastructure build new ones. Much better to replace with UFP tech so you have better supplies and better knowledge of if it breaks later.

Plus if the Cardassian/Fed parts are already sync'd to work together, you wont have to do it later when you don't have time, like during a war...

[Coalition]

I am curious why the Cardassians would leave the station so undergunned for its size. I understand its just ore processing mostly, but you'd think they'd want to defend something with that much resources put into it with more teeth. This goes for DS9 too.

I wonder if most of the weapons, additional shield generators, ammo, power connections, etc were intalled into the places where the ore processing sections were located. Basically the Federation pulled out those components, gave them to the Bajorans, then said, "Hmm, lots of space, and we need to beef up the station," and proceeded to ship in weapons supplies. They beam them directly from the freighter to the location, and O'Brian's crews hide the transporter activity as much as possible. By also beaming back and forth the engineers to install the weapons, nobody notices a surge of personnel who all happen to be weapon specialists.

Figure the Command staff and senior engineers are working their butts off to hide the actions from everyone there, shutting down life support in areas near the weapons so nobody wants to go exploring, and hiding the new power cables where possible so as few people as possible notice the changes.

[Mark]

In Emissary, they DID say the Cardies stripped DS9. Most likely it DID have superior abilites, but those systems were removed as well.

[Mikey]

To a degree, I'm sure, but I can't see it ever having been an uber-gunned station like O'Brien turned it into. It was used to overwatch a subdued and conquered people, who had a small guerilla movement without orbital capacity or much offensive capability larger than a sidearm. The wormhole hadn't yet been discovered, so there wasn't much strategic value either.

[Sonic Glitch]

To a degree, I'm sure, but I can't see it ever having been an uber-gunned station like O'Brien turned it into. It was used to overwatch a subdued and conquered people, who had a small guerilla movement without orbital capacity or much offensive capability larger than a sidearm. The wormhole hadn't yet been discovered, so there wasn't much strategic value either.

Add to that it was an ore-processing station. How many defensive cannon and missiles do we put on our oil rigs these days?

[Captain Seafort]

In the North Sea or the Gulf of Mexico, not much - in Iraq they're pretty heavily guarded, because they need to be. Terok Nor was in the middle of what was effectively a war zone.

[Mikey]

In the North Sea or the Gulf of Mexico, not much - in Iraq they're pretty heavily guarded, because they need to be. Terok Nor was in the middle of what was effectively a war zone.

While the Cardassians held it? I'd call that more like having said rig off the coast of Guam, if there was a small insurrection there.

[Captain Seafort]

While the Cardassians held it? I'd call that more like having said rig off the coast of Guam, if there was a small insurrection there.

If by "small insurrection" you're talking about patrols being regularly ambushed, senior commanders' houses being blown up, bombs being planted on the oil rig (which also happens to be the local military HQ), the surrounding ocean being infested with insurgent ridged raiders, and being right on the border of a major power you'd just had a decade-long war with, then I'd agree with you. Given that, wouldn't you give you oil refineries some teeth?

[Mikey]

patrols being regularly ambushed

Planetside, with small arms.

senior commanders' houses being blown up, bombs being planted on the oil rig (which also happens to be the local military HQ)

Both of which occurrences were conducted as terrorist-style, inside jobs - against which loading up your rig with PT's and phasers would be about as useful as tits on a bull.

the surrounding ocean being infested with insurgent ridged raiders

False analogy. The Bajoran guerillas had no real orbital power.

being right on the border of a major power you'd just had a decade-long war with

Which power was incredibly hidebound into honoring treaties to the point of painfulness.

Given that, wouldn't you give you oil refineries some teeth?

Absolutely. I never said I wouldn't. I said there is no plausible reason to expect it to have been gunned-up to O'Brien-refit standards.

[Mark]

I can accept that. At that point it wasn't expected to be the first line of defense against an invasion from a hostile power. However, with the Cardie mindset I find it completely reasonable that they would have more guns on the thing that if it were a similar Federation station.

[Mikey]

I can accept that. At that point it wasn't expected to be the first line of defense against an invasion from a hostile power. However, with the Cardie mindset I find it completely reasonable that they would have more guns on the thing that if it were a similar Federation station.

Fair enough - the UFP equivalents (Regula I, etc.) seemed to be pretty helpless.

[Mark]

I never understood why Starfleet would leave an unarmed or poorly armed Station alone. Does the term "Sitting Duck" hold no meaning for them at all.

[Captain Seafort]

In the case of Regula 1, why would it need to be heavily armed? It's well inside Fed space and there's bugger-all worth having in the system. The same goes for most of their stations - they're predominantly research outposts and transport hubs, not military facilities.

[Lighthawk]

In the case of Regula 1, why would it need to be heavily armed? It's well inside Fed space and there's bugger-all worth having in the system. The same goes for most of their stations - they're predominantly research outposts and transport hubs, not military facilities.

And yet they seem to get blown up or holes blasted in them a lot regardless. The galaxy is a dangerous place enough for most humanoids without them fighting amongst themselves.

[Mark]

Well, let's examine the potiential dangers of a small base or an outpost.

Pirates/Slavers/or assorted criminals

Asteroids

Random "things" that seem to pop up out of no where (such as whale probes, doomsday machines, and such)

Valuble research could be coveted by hostile powers

See the point?