This is my first post here in awhile. Anyway, the other night I got bored, and drew up some Star Trek looking ground assault vehicles. I had started reading Larry Bond's Red Phoenix (a modern day war novel) last night, and, laying in bed trying to fall asleep, I day dreamed (I guess it was more of a night dream...) about a coupe on a Federation held world, where anti-Federation militia-fanatics were sniping Starfleet personnel and such. I thought up a Starfleet APC, and, first thing in the morning, I drew a rough sketch out on paper. Then, I drove to the mall to do some shopping, and on the way home I dreamt up a Starfleet-version of today's tanks.
I have always liked Last Unicorn Games' version of the Starfleet Marine Corp. Rather than "Marines", LUG calles them Starfleet Rapid Response Teams. This sounds like a nice policitally correct, and therefore Starfleetish, way to say "Marine". Just as Starfleet calls it's destroyers "escorts", they call their Marines "RRT Units"...it just sounds neat and friendly.
We know infantry exists on some scale in the world of Star Trek. I don't think, however, there are large scale standing armies and devisions of tanks moving about the battlefield. Rather, battles are fought by moving Starships into orbit, targeting planetary shields, knocking them down, then landing occupational forces to key areas. Landing these forces can be done by either transporting RRT Troops via transporter, or, if that device is interdicted, by landing Runabouts and Shuttles.
So, once on the ground, troops would move under a projected shield umbrella, projected by mobile field generators mounted on vehicles, such as the APC I designed. Naturally, enemy troops will target these valuable units, so they need to be escorted by more heavily armed speciality units, or, weapons delivery platforms, ie, tanks. (The word "Tank" comes from WWI, where the first tracted vehicle was literally a water tank mounted on a tractor chasis...the term stuck). These units run interference and actively interdict enemy units, allowing the troops, whether on foot as in "Favor the Bold", or in powered armor suits (yeah baby), to take the enemy shield generators, planetary defences, and other military targets.
I designed my APC based on the Shuttle Pods and my Subaru Outback. It holds around 10 men, roughly a squad, I should guess, and has four Type IV phaser emitters, one on each side. Propulsion is supplied by vectored exhaust thrusters placed around the vehicle base, and by an anti-grav repulsor field. Power is provided by Sarium-krellide power cells. Two crewmen sit in the front, and look out a computer-generated viewscreen rather than a window.
I designed my AWV (Armored Weapons Vehicle) based on a Starship and a catamaran fishing boat turned upside down. It has one, maybe two men inside, if any (could be run by a hologram!). The weapon turren can carry one large weapon, or a combination of small arms or specialty equipment. I illustrated it with a Type V pulse phaser canon. I drew some squares around the upper deck, these could either be formation lights, sensors, or additional phaser emitters, possibly Type III devices for anti-infantry engagement. Propulsion is supplied by vectored exhaust thrusters placed around the vehicle base, and by dual anti-grav sleds. Power is provided by a micro-fusion reactor (?) and Sarium-krellide power cells.
Also shown is a Heavy Orbital/Planetary Penetration and Evacuation Runabout, or HOPPER! This is the proto-Defiant from the Magazine. I loved this ship so much, I thought it would be the perfect "Aliens"-like assualt craft! I mentally edit out the nacelles under the forward hull...they look silly there. However, it seats two crewmen in the cockpit, and can lift two APCs side by side under the rear deck or a single AWV. It has dual Type V pulse phaser canons, dual micro-torpedo launchers, and probably several Type IV phaser emitters under the hull for landing engagements. Propulsion is supplied by dual impulse engines and standard shuttle thrusters. Power is provided by a standard Runabout M/AR assembly. This craft kicks ass...
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Lance, man, you didn't have to go register a new account. There is a password retrieval system here, you know. Anyhoo, I already saw this and commented, but seeing as where I'm the moderator, I figured I'd better post. Maybe if I post in other peoples threads someone will post in my threads... ^_^
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Nice drawings, except that last one from Star Trek: The Magazine. Early Defiant design ::shudders:: Could you imagine that as the Defiant.
How is that hopper suppose to land, it looks like it'd crush that nacelle.
Sorry, don't mean to critize (sp?) you too much, like I said, the stuff you drew yourself looks good.
------------------ Sisko: "We run alright, run right at them." Smiley: "Ah, Pattern Suicide." Federation Starship Datalink - New and improved Starship Database!
Yes, I know it is from the magazine, I scanned it myself.
I know it isn't a "real" hopper, I tossed it in my little presentation for fun.
I really like that "jet fighter", though, and, if you take the nacelle away...its looks odd there anyway...you would have a pretty cool assault craft, whether a "hopper" or not.
I agree, it would be a silly Defiant! The final Defiant is by far my favorite in the Defiant-run of development.
Thanks for the compliments, pals.
Peace, Lance
------------------ TheTrekker's Officer's Bible: A Concise Review of the Starfleet http://thetrekker.homestead.com
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The basic design of the early Defiant sketch might be modified to look more Starfleetish. First of all, the cockpit (looks like a Y-Wing fighter) should be modified to a more shuttle-like compartment. The warp nacelles should be moved to the wing ends. The overall design should look less "industrial".
------------------ "Species 5618, human. Warp-capable, origin grid 325, physiology inefficient, below average cranium capacity, minimum redundant systems, limited regenerative abilities." Ex Astris Scientia
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There was very little description given to them in "Nor The Battle To The Strong", but somehow I got the impression that they were just orbit to surface vehicles, and not warp capable.
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