posted
What do you think the role of the Freedom in the fleet would be? It's not a small ship (assuming that's a Galaxy nacelle there)so I guess it would be a cruiser or fiigate (whereas the Ambassador is refered to as a "Heavy Cruiser"). Do you think it would serve in a scout/explorer role or mabye as a patrol ship of some sort (remember that starfleet was a shiney, relatively happy peaceful place at the time of the Freedom class' inception). I built a model of a practical Freedom class ship (added a deflector where that silly giant torp launcher is and Impulse engines too!)and I think once it's updated like the models that I, and Soundeffect built it looks darn good and actually makes sense too. http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=1227830&uid=657989&members=1
Your thoughts?
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
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posted
Variety. So the dockworkers and admirals don't get bored staring at the same class of ship passing by their windows every few minuts. Not to mention, Starfleet needs "redshirt" classes to get killed offscreen in a variety of space anomalies, space plagues, and Borg invasions.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
I thought that was the Oberth and Miranda's role in the fleet....
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
They could be a monitor of sorts, meant just to stay within a few close solar systems for defense.
-------------------- "Lotta people go through life doing things badly. Racing's important to men who do it well. When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting."
-Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney, LeMans
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Has anyone ever considered that the Freedom's nacelle isn't the same size as the Galaxy's? It could be scaled more akin to the New Orleans nacelle, or perhaps the Proto-Nebula/Melborne mini nacelles? (although that would be pushing it)
Looking at the window patterens might further help in determining it's size. I forget exactly how big and how frequent the windows on the Freedom were, I think that there's at least one good photo of the top side.
In regards to it's function; My money would be on it being a light/medium transport, a short range scout (that one nacelle must have some disadvantage), it could even be a mere training vessel for cadets and new recruits.
posted
I read through all the online debates about the Freedom's size prior to building my model and even tried a test fit of the parts at a few differing sizes (the least likely was the size based on a Connie refit's neck being to scale). I just think the studio model was left without further detail for the same reason as the Niagra. It just was'nt ever meant for close scrutiny. That's why I added practical things to my model.
I kinda dig the trainer and Monitor ideas. The Firebrand could have been assigned to watch over the Wolf sector (as opposed to the tired "only ship in range" line).
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
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posted
I don't know why Starfleet would build a unique class of trainers. I think they'd just take some normal ships from various classes and use them for training duty, like the Republic or the Enterprise in ST2.
-------------------- "Lotta people go through life doing things badly. Racing's important to men who do it well. When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting."
-Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney, LeMans
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
That's a short range ship, with hella big windows on that C deck. It has a small crew adn isn't real combat worthy (no duration or energy for guns). I would like to offer another possibility, transport or small passanger liner.
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Registered: Nov 2002
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posted
THe C deck windows are off a Galaxy class ship: they just look larger when shown verical and not at a 30 degree slant. Panoramic baby! That would probably be their rec-deck (best view in the house and 2 decks high too!
I think the ship is still a multirole vessel(if not very powerfully armed)and could serve well for Stellar Cartography (The ship is the Hubble afer all!), diplomatic missions, planetary survey and re-supply of colony worlds that are off the more traveled shipping routes. And training of course: NO WAY the academy is still using outdated ships to give graduating cadets experience. Look at Dea...er...Red Squad. Using TOS and TMP era ships to train cadets in the TNG era would be like a F-16 fighter pilot training in a P-38. Both are planes, but flying one does'nt prepare you for the other.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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quote:Originally posted by The359: I don't know why Starfleet would build a unique class of trainers.
Unless they made them "Retard Proof" like the cash registers at Mac Donalds.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
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posted
I'm not saying they'd still be using those very same Constitutions in the 24th century, I'm just saying the Starfleet would merely use any available starship that has some time off for duty. For instance, I bet the Valiant wasn't just for training duty. She probably served normal duty before being assigned to Red Squadron temporarily.
-------------------- "Lotta people go through life doing things badly. Racing's important to men who do it well. When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting."
-Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney, LeMans
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
I thought Red Squad was there as mostly observers and that would explain why none of them died at their duty stations in the conflict that killed the Valiant's captain. I think that all starships assigned within a certain proximity of the academy are likely to hve at least some training going on (like new doctors doing an internship).
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
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Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
Freedom could be a scout or courier, yes. She could also be a low-end destroyer. There is, also the possibility that she's all three.
There's also the thought that Freedom could be the Starfleet equivalent of riverine craft: a small ship in "dirty" systems, ones with significant asteroidal or radiation hazards that's small enough to maneuver around these things. Freedom could also be what we've seen of the "Federation Coast Guard," a division that handles local matters in terms of customs, smugglers, & policing. A large nacelle is needed to overpower civilian vessels & the small saucer is only necessary because homeport is only a few light-minutes or hours away.
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted
The idea of her being a small area defence ship sounds pretty good. the design has a very small profile from the sides, front and back which would seem to fit in with this idea. If she's intended for use against either small ships that are relatively lightly armed or against ships that might have concealed weapons (smugglers etc.) then it would make sense to have a hard to hit ship. Again the arguements for it having a relatively low didplacement apply- close to base etc.
A courier for Admirals etc also makes a lot of sense; they can't just grab the nearest Excelsior every time they want to go anywhere after all .
-------------------- "I am an almost extinct breed, an old-fashioned gentleman, which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-bitch when it suits me." --Jubal Harshaw
Registered: Feb 2002
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