Voyager What if...?

[Mark]

Ok, I am now ready speculate. I agree with Katefan, in that the Maquis would never have been given the role that they got in Voyager, simply because you have a larger crew, and therefore a greater pool of personel to choose replacements from. The EMH would never have needed to come online, because a GCS has a significantly larger medical staff to include multiple doctors, and a nursing staff for each shift. But I do still think Chakotay would have ended up as first officer. Now, that being said, and that assuming that the GCS survived the trip over from the Caretaker, remember, there are still design flaws that make the ship blow up without notice, the Caretaker would have have a larger number of people (around a thousand) to find a compatable DNA match to procreate. Therefore, the chances are better that one would have sufficed to "breed" with and a little Caretaker wouldn't have nessessitated his actions, and the GCS could have been sent home. Let's assume that didn't happen, however. The greater firepower of the GCS would have intimidated the hell out of the Kazon, (after all, if Voyager made them keep their distance, a ship with three times the firepower would have likely made them think this prize not worth it). The GCS was designed for deep space exploration for longer periods than an Intrepid Class, so she woulnd't have needed to resupply as often, and I doubt that the would have needed to make a galley because the CGS has greater energy reserves.

Now, since we have families on-board, I think it ALOT more likely that some of the crew have setteled with their families say with Emila Earheart on that planet with the others (after all, most of the motivation for wanting to get home was to get back to their families anyway). I've heard it posed that maybe they would have seperated the saucer and left it on the planet to those staying behind would have a place to live. That makes NO sense at all. I figure that it would still be a minority, (say no more than 40% of the crew has any family on board anyway, so maybe half that would stay) so why would you leave half your ship with most of your critical systems on a planet? I can see helping the set up some living and defensive structures, but not half the ship.

Since Voyager DID get home, albiet unconventionally, I just can't see that still not being an option for a CGS. Anyway, that's what I feel about this. Hope more agree than disagree

[stitch626]

I think we all have similar thoughts on this...
So, how would a Defiant class do?

[kostmayer]

I'd be more inclined to stay onboard a Galaxy Class ship and settle in for the trip home, then I would on an Intrepid.

Though to be honest, I'd have probably joined Starfleet with the express purpose of leaving Earth and going off on a long term mission - most of my life would have been aboard ship anyways.

Not sure a Defiant Class would make it back. I doubt one could last long without a base (that said, how long did the Valiant last out on its own - granted it wasn't going anywhere fast). And one would have a pretty low crew compliment, so wouldn't be able to withstand the crew losses that a Galaxy Class could.

[Mark]

A Defiant class just couldn't get the job done. She's a tough little ship, but with a crew of 40 and no way to resupply, and no crew comforts at all (even the senior officers are in bunk beds), she just couldn't handle the trip. They would HAVE to settle somewhere, or be left with a ship without enough crewmen to run her eventually (basing this in the Voyager mortality rate). Plus, not to mention, where would they put the Maquis? The ship just doesn't have the rescources to support that many people.

[Mikey]

I think the Valiant was only out with its Little League crew for under a year. But in general, yes: Defiant + decades-long mission/ordeal = bad idea.

[Tsukiyumi]

I think the Valiant was only out with its Little League crew for under a year. But in general, yes: Defiant + decades-long mission/ordeal = bad idea.

To be fair, they seemed more like AA or AAA to me, Mikey. They did almost cripple a Battleship after all. They just weren't up to major-league standards in the end.

[Sionnach Glic]

A Defiant has no chance in hell of making it back. It's too small, can't take casualties as well and has to resupply more often.

[Teaos]

The Defiant would be good for the first few weeks in kicking Kazon arse but after that it would fall apart.

[Mikey]

I think the Valiant was only out with its Little League crew for under a year. But in general, yes: Defiant + decades-long mission/ordeal = bad idea.

To be fair, they seemed more like AA or AAA to me, Mikey. They did almost cripple a Battleship after all. They just weren't up to major-league standards in the end.

I was referring to their age. Perhaps a LL All-Star team?

[Captain Seafort]

A Defiant has no chance in hell of making it back. It's too small, can't take casualties as well and has to resupply more often.

Of those three I'd say that he first and third aren't really problems - the ship would certainly take longer to get back, since it would be slower and would require more frequent replenishment stops, but that wouldn't stop it getting home. Cabin fever would be something to watch out for, but that could be averted by making sure everyone got got some time on the surface while replenishing stocks at M-class planets.

The big problem would be casualties. They'd probably be lighter, given that the Defiant is a lot tougher than Voyager, but as you say the crew can't absorb casualties as well given that the crew is a third the size of Voyager's. There's also the fact that the Defiant is more maintaintance-intensive than Voyager, making each crew member even more important.

[SuperSaiyaMan12]

What if it was a Nebula-class, Constitution-class, Miranda-class, Akira-class, or Excelsior-class being stranded as USS Voyager instead of an Intrepid-class?

[Sionnach Glic]

Nebula-class

No idea.

Constitution-class, Miranda-class,Excelsior-class

Depends. Are these ships going back in the same year that Voyager did? If so, they're rather outdated and would probably take one hell of a beating. I doubt they could get back.
If it was in their original time period (during TOS, that is) they might even have a better time of it, combat wise, as most of the races there wouldn't be that well developed on the spacefaring front. Of course, the lack of replicators and the slow speed would be rather detrimental.

Akira-class,

Probably similar to how Voyager fared.

[SuperSaiyaMan12]

Wouldn't an Akira-class do better than a Intrepid? It does have higher firepower, more shuttles, and a larger crew.

[Mark]

Don't know. We don't really know enough about the capabilities of an Akira-class for me to make an informed descision. I would guess it would have done SLIGHTLY better than an Intrepid class, but again, I just don't know.

The Nebula class would have been a better choice, considering that these are also designed for long range exploration.

Excelsiors by this time just would have the hull life left for the trip, same for any Mirandas or Connies still floating around.

[Mikey]

I think we can safely assume that Akiras have significantly lower top speed than Intrepids. As far as the ability to defend itself... would this hypothetical Akira have the magically-replenishing torpedoes that Voyager had?