"Message in a Bottle"

[Bryan Moore]

I watched on Spike TV late night (Okay, realy early this morning). I forgot how wonderful of an episode this was. Easily on my top ten Voyager episodes. Andy Dick's performance is great and his interplay with Picardo was excellent. Great concept with Prometheus and it establishes our connection with the Alpha Quadrant. Thumbs up all the way!

Other opinions?

[Teaos]

I loved the EMH interaction in the episode, the Prommy was great as well, easy to see why its so many peoples favorite ship, and I for one think MVAM is a great idea. Always fun to see the Romulan intelligence agency aswel.

[mlsnoopy]

MVAM

Total ship power/3=each section can only allocate a third of the total ship power to individual systems. SO for instance the shield on a section is 3 times weaker than on a combined ship. Don't know how that could be a greate concept.

[Teaos]

It has three cores and multiple redundencies.

Not only that but when they are combined they are super fast and able to keep up and go faster than any other ship out there. Once they arrive and speed is no longer an issue they can split up each firing up their own warp cores providing good shield coverage since they are of a smaller size.

The MVAM also allows multiple points of attack with high powered weapons.

I suppose it also has a certain "suprise" effect to it but that will only last for the first few battles.

[Sionnach Glic]

Ah, yes. The MVAM. I think my thoughts on that system are known well enough here.

[mlsnoopy]

It has three cores and multiple redundencies.

If it has one or 100 WC. They still produce a set amount of power. So a solid ship has 3 times the power at its disposal as an individaula section.

Not only that but when they are combined they are super fast and able to keep up and go faster than any other ship out there

So a solid ship is the fastes thing out there. How is it with individual sections. And how does losing one efects the overal speed.

can split up each firing up their own warp cores providing good shield coverage since they are of a smaller size.

Well but the area that they have to cover is bigger than when the ship is solid.

The MVAM also allows multiple points of attack with high powered weapons.

The only advatage. You can atack from 3 diffrent directions. But you do so with ships wich weapons are 3 times weaker, and have shields that are 3 times weaker than on a solid ship.

Ah, yes. The MVAM. I think my thoughts on that system are known well enough here.

Its a stupid concept. Right.

[Teaos]

If it has one or 100 WC. They still produce a set amount of power. So a solid ship has 3 times the power at its disposal as an individaula section.

But considering most fighting is done dog fight style all that energy gets channeled to weapons and shields. You dont need you warp coils powered up then.

So a solid ship is the fastes thing out there. How is it with individual sections. And how does losing one efects the overal speed.

It doesnt matter if the individual sections are slow. They only seperate in combat which is out of warp.

Well but the area that they have to cover is bigger than when the ship is solid.

True but does that extra shielding out weight then benifits of attacking from three different positions with powerful weapons?

The only advatage. You can atack from 3 diffrent directions. But you do so with ships wich weapons are 3 times weaker, and have shields that are 3 times weaker than on a solid ship.

A thrid the size doew not mean a third the power. The torpedoe tubes are the same no matter what and since the 3 warp cores energy is being funneled into the weapons the beams are just as powerful.

And if you need proof how kick arse it is watch the episode. It smashed everything it came up against.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

Here comes the MVAM arguement again. It's been a while but at least I'm not going solo on this one since Teaos is on my side this time around

The only advatage. You can atack from 3 diffrent directions. But you do so with ships wich weapons are 3 times weaker, and have shields that are 3 times weaker than on a solid ship.

Each core would have to power 2/3 less systems. Each section is as powerful in seperation mode as in combined mode, but has the advantage of attacking from multiple vectors

[Granitehewer]

aha 'message in a bottle', another romulans get foiled episode!

[Mikey]

Oh, great, here we go again.

I'm not going to get balls-deep into this one AGAIN. But to snoopy's comment on shield strength - a given amount of shield power will engender a stronger shield when covering a smaller area than a larger one. So even IF the total available power was equal in combined and separated mode, the shield strength of each separated component will be much greater than 1/3 of the shield strength of the combined vessel.

Now, add the fact that the separated vectors would have a combined total ouput greater than the combined vessel.

Now - yes, Bryan, I liked it, and I thought Andy Dick was born to play the smarmy, smug, but somewhat shaky new EMH.

Nice to see you, Pete!

[mlsnoopy]

But considering most fighting is done dog fight style all that energy gets channeled to weapons and shields.

Exatcly.

It doesnt matter if the individual sections are slow. They only seperate in combat which is out of warp.

And how does losing one efects the overal speed.

What if you have to run.

True but does that extra shielding out weight then benifits of attacking from three different positions with powerful weapons?

No if the a section can be destroyed 3 times quicker. And that seriusly damages the capabilities of the ship.

A thrid the size doew not mean a third the power. The torpedoe tubes are the same no matter what and since the 3 warp cores energy is being funneled into the weapons the beams are just as powerful.

When all the section fire on the same spot yes. But an individual section only brings 1/3 of a solid ship firepower on one spot.

And if you need proof how kick arse it is watch the episode. It smashed everything it came up against.

The argument is that a solid Prommi would be able to kick as a seperated one.

[mlsnoopy]

Each core would have to power 2/3 less systems. Each section is as powerful in seperation mode as in combined mode

What?
A combined ship has 3 times as much power avalible to power a single system as a single section. So a solid ship has 3 times as powerful weapons and shields as an individual section.

[mlsnoopy]

the shield strength of each separated component will be much greater than 1/3 of the shield strength of the combined vessel.

How is that againe. You are using the same amount of power to cover a bigger area and the shield should be stronger. No.

[Mikey]

Each core would have to power 2/3 less systems. Each section is as powerful in seperation mode as in combined mode

What?
A combined ship has 3 times as much power avalible to power a single system as a single section. So a solid ship has 3 times as powerful weapons and shields as an individual section.

I've already mentioned how this is incorrect WRT shield strength. The rest WOULD be accurate if each section only had a simple third of the initial warp core, but we've seen an additional nacelle employed, which would seem to indicate some sort of enhanced power generation for each section when separated.

[Mikey]

the shield strength of each separated component will be much greater than 1/3 of the shield strength of the combined vessel.

How is that againe. You are using the same amount of power to cover a bigger area and the shield should be stronger. No.

That's the exact opposite of what I said. You are using a given power to cover a SMALLER area when the components are separated.