Ship of the week: Dominion Bug Fighter

[Teaos]

3 of the took on and destroyed a galaxy granted not really a hard thing to do at the time.

At first they seemed rather powerful but once the allies countered there technology lead they had several flaws.

There mass produce-ability seems to leave them rather weaker than a craft of similar size but it seems to more than make up for that with insane numbers.

The phased polaron beam was never really explained well so we don't know if it is better or just different like the disruptors.

Thoughts?

PS Sorry this is late kind of forgot about it since the Galor was still going strong.

[Captain Seafort]

Like the Jem'Hadar themselves, the fighters are designed around being the best that can be produced without compromising mass-production. In many ways they're similar to the T-34 - initally having a major technological edge over their opponents, later technologically inferior but numerically superior.

They're very tough - the one in "The Ship" survived an uncontrolled atmospheric reentry and crash landing that not only killed the entire crew, but fatally injured a Founder (a tough species themselves). It later withstood a major explosion, combat with two other fighters, and another crash, while protecting the crew from serious injury.

As for the polaron beams, they don't seem to be much more powerful than typical phasers/disruptors, but they no have a technobabble effect that allowed them to ignore Starfleet shields, untill the craft in "The Ship" could be analysed and a countermeasure developed.

[Teaos]

Yeah the example in the ship just seemed to keep on ticking. I doubt any alliance ship could with stand that.

But in battles they are then shown to go up in just a few shots. A strange ship.

[Sionnach Glic]

I agree with Seafort's analysis.
They're good ships. Not great, but good.

[Atlantians]

Yeah the example in the ship just seemed to keep on ticking. I doubt any alliance ship could with stand that.

But in battles they are then shown to go up in just a few shots. A strange ship.

Yeah. I would assert that they have little ressistence against weapons fire, but have strong inertial dampeners and are resilient against physical impacts.

[Sionnach Glic]

They probably have a shield weakness, but well buuilt hulls.
That would explain their aparent resilience, while still explaining how they get shot down so easily.

By the way; welcome to the site.

[Teaos]

But the strange thing is you'd think it would be the other way around, strong against weapons due to good metals but weak design due to being modular.

[Azrael]

The polaron beam i've always thought stronger then phasers or disrupters.

[Sionnach Glic]

But the strange thing is you'd think it would be the other way around, strong against weapons due to good metals but weak design due to being modular.

Yeah, you're right in that that's how it probably should be. But what we see on screen says otherwise.

[Teaos]

Yeah, you're right

I may just make that my new sig to replace the defeat one

[Sionnach Glic]

Hey, it's not like its something you hear everyday.

[Mikey]

If I had to guess at a reasonable explanation as to why the Dominion fighter is so tough yet so vulnerable to weaposn fire, I would say that very strong hulls, SIF's, etc., are an integral element of Dominion design, but the fighter type itself is a little too small a/o underpowered to have true starship-quality shielding.

And I agree twith Seafort that the only real advantage that the phased polaron beam had pver phasers was its initial ability to cut through shielding. I don't believe that the beam itself was inherently stronger than disrupters or pahsers.

[Weyoun the Dancing Borg]

If I had to guess at a reasonable explanation as to why the Dominion fighter is so tough yet so vulnerable to weaposn fire, I would say that very strong hulls, SIF's, etc., are an integral element of Dominion design, but the fighter type itself is a little too small a/o underpowered to have true starship-quality shielding.

And I agree twith Seafort that the only real advantage that the phased polaron beam had pver phasers was its initial ability to cut through shielding. I don't believe that the beam itself was inherently stronger than disrupters or pahsers.

I'd say it's because over time, they've become the dominant power in their quadrant - what need is there for defence, when no one would even dare try it? At their point, they've either enslaved or destroyed anyone who could pose a credible threat.

Arrogant, yes. Practically (as far as they're concerned), what's the point in having super duper energy shields when the most the enemy can come up with is rocks and spears? (Rhetorical). Arrogance.

Arrogance was the Dominion's greatest downfall in the Alpah Quadrant.

[Teaos]

Good point. They also seem to have little regard for life and loses. If a threat does come they can soak up the damage easy.

[Mikey]

Very true, Teaos - you don't need great shields if you don't care about your crews, and if you can replace them almost instantly.