Ship of the week: Nova

Post by **Captain Seafort** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:15 pm

ChakatBlackstar wrote:Already built Oberths may be harder to upgrade but building new ones to modern specs is fairly easy. At least easier then designing a whole new class that may not work out in the end. In a sense modern navys do the same. Here's an example: Although the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers may all look alike they all have slightly different specs due to new equipment.(plus the sub-classes much modified specs)

True up to a point, but you'll eventually reach a stage when the basic hull design simply can't be upgraded any further, as I believe has finally happened with the Nimitz's. Given that at some Oberths have triple-digit regestry numbers it's not unreasonable that the class is old enough to have reached that stage.

Post by **Mikey** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:17 pm

Here's an example: Although the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers may all look alike they all have slightly different specs due to new equipment.(plus the sub-classes much modified specs)

But if it were feasible to just keep building old designs to new specs, as you say, then the Nimitz-class would just be an Essex-class with a reactor... and that is obviously not the case.

Even if it were feasible to do that from an equipment point of view, how would a "modern" Oberth benefit from new advances in hull shape as it affects warp field efficiency; as the Nova design clearly does?

Post by **Teaos** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 1:14 am

They may also now know that the newer slim shape of starships gives a inherit bonus when traveling through Nebula like science ships would often do.

I doubt Nova was ever a priority but it would well be worth spending a bit more resourses on a new design.

Post by **Mikey** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 8:35 pm

Especially to replace a class like the OBerth, which is about a million years old.

Post by **Teaos** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:38 am

Thick of the Mirandas. Just because they were still in serves doesn't mean they stopped making newer designs of ships. To do so would have been stupid.

Sionnach Glic · Post by **Sionnach Glic** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:35 pm

Indeed, most fleets should contain a bunch of new ships, and a bunch of ugraded old ships. That's the best way to do it, cheaper than to stop building old ships every time you want to modify the design specs a bit.

Post by **Teaos** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:38 pm

If your just doing small stuff like putting better sensors in than it would be better to upgrade rather than build a new ship. But if you get to the point were you are adding new power supplies and more or less every main system it may infact work out cheaper to just build new ships while letting the old ones hang around and do what they can.

EDIT For anyone who cares this was the 7777 post on DITL's forum.

Bryan Moore · Post by **Bryan Moore** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:05 pm

I like the Nova; seems far more advanced as the Oberth and can take a better beating (not that it was meant to.) It's logically designed, fits in with the 24th century, and really we should see lots of smaller ships such as this. Escorts, gunships, corvettes, science cruisers, etc. Hell, take my idea of modified Oberth designs and make that standard Nova design available as a basic frame for all of these different platforms. Perhaps more expensive, but let the corvette versions of the Nova design stick to patrolling, border defense, outpost policing, etc. Smaller ships just make more sense on a lot of the interior worlds. Really, when do you have to drag the big boys out: Deep space missions, wartime, and when you wanna flex some muscle.

Post by **Teaos** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:08 pm

Thats what I've always thought. Keep big ships out on boarders and smaller ones inside to do all the house work.

Post by **Mikey** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:20 pm

That idea makes far too much sense to be a Starfleet policy.

As I had mentioned in a thread about a hundred years ago (we were talking about old designs, not smaller ones) it just makes sense to have some ships based in the interior of your territory. Granted, a bunch of Novas, or 85-year-old ships wouldn't do a lot to stop a dtermined invader, but they could at least help mire a direct march to Earth while you're still trying to recall your capital ships

Post by **Teaos** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:22 pm

There will always be some capital ships in the core. New ones still being sent to their location or ones on diplomatic or peace keeping missions.

Deepcrush · Post by **Deepcrush** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:24 pm

It is my thought that the main battle fleets should be kept in the core of the UFP while keeping small task forces out on patrol. Explorers should just go where ever they feel like as that is their job.

Post by **Teaos** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:26 pm

The best way to survive an attack is to stop it ever happening. You do that by placing your fleet on your boarder and in striking distance of the enemies territory.

Post by **Mikey** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:28 pm

I agree with that, but it still makes no sense to have a count of ZERO ships on the interior. That's where it would make sense to use those older ships - Mirandas, Excelsiors, etc., that aren't going to be part of your battle groups ( which you rightly said should be out beating the bounds,) but are still operational and useful.

Deepcrush · Post by **Deepcrush** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:35 pm

This is my thought.

Starfleet maintains its main battle fleets in and around the core worlds. From these battle groups, smaller task forces come and go on long range patrol and deterrence. There should be a force on the border but it should not be the bulk of our forces. Think of the damage that could be done if all someone had to do was get past the border and then be scott free to destroy what ever they want. If the main fleets stay at striking distance of both our own homeworlds and the border they can maintain maximium coverage.