Starfleet Design Bureau

[Sayle]

[X] Twin Engines (Industry 21 -> 25)


The twin engines will provide the NX-class a surprising manoeuvrability for such a large ship, the massive vessel nonetheless able to move with an agility beyond expected for her size. It will also provide a useful test of the technology with an eye to retrofitting smaller ships like the Stingray class that would benefit from the more compact and powerful thruster technology. The thruster manifolds are cut out from the aft of the main saucer either side of the main shuttlepod bay and EVA hatch, each just over a dozen meters wide. The dark grey cowling acts as protection for the primary accelerators that will deliver the enormous impulse power needed to move a starship that weighs over three hundred thousand tons.

With the ship now mobile, you need to turn to the defensive systems. Polarised hull plating is already installed across the entire ship, which will provide it with much needed resistance to energy weapons and increases the molecular cohesion of the tritanium plating. That leaves its offensive armament. Before you get to the phase cannons, which have a certain degree of freedom on their gimbals, you need to decide what to do about the more limited weapon systems. The new atomic torpedoes can only fire in a constrained alley from the facing of their launcher, after all.

It isn't being debated that the NX needed a torpedo armament, and two main launchers are set to be installed on the underside of the bow, but the main argument is whether the ship should have an aft launcher fitted as well. It would increase the defensive capabilities of the ship against anything chasing it, but can the budget afford it? Not to mention it would displace the planned secondary shuttlepod launch.

[ ] Dual Forward Launchers (Industry 25 -> 29)
[ ] Dual Forward Launchers, One Aft (Industry 25 -> 31)

 

[Sayle]

[X] Dual Forward Launchers (Industry 25 -> 29)

Given the scarcity of available space, it's understandable to prioritise utility over tactical considerations. The shuttlepods are likely to be an important part of the NX's survey and transport capabilities, and having another pair will drastically expand her capabilities. As a result of the decision the lower part of the secondary hull is converted to a shuttlebay and an embarkation hatch installed on the ventral surface.

That leaves the phase cannons, and this is where it gets heated. There can be no doubt that this decision will account for much of the NX's production cost and its tactical capabilities. The weapons of the ship essentially have to cover eight seperate firing arcs, and while the gimballed phase cannons can often engage two or more arcs the addition of more can substantially boost defensive firepower in certain sections. The first option is the bare minimum: two forward cannons and one aft. It covers the primary axis along the length of the ship in the same manner as the Stingray, with some offensive capabilities aft as well as the more heavily armed bow section.

The second option is to further expand on this, installing another trio of cannons on the dorsal surface. This would expand the forward and aft weaponry to cover both the ventral and dorsal firing arcs. More significantly the slope of the upper saucer and available space there means the cannons there will be able to cover aft as well for a firing line on three dorsal quadrants each - bow, side, and aft.

The third and final option is to finally shore up the aft defenses even further by doubling up on the existing cannons there. Notably the position of the ventral aft cannons at the bottom secondary hull means they can also shoot forward, though this advantage is not shared by the extra aft dorsal cannon which is constrained by the primary hull and nacelle struts.

[ ] Three Phase Cannons (Industry 29 -> 35) (Average Damage: 2)
[ ] Six Phase Cannons (Industry 29 -> 41) (Average Damage: 3.75)
[ ] Eight Phase Cannons (Industry 29 -> 45) (Average Damage: 5)

Free Industry: 17.2 (Next Year: 20)
NX-class Prototype: Subsidised
Stingray-class Production: 20 (Ends 2152)
Merchant-class Production: 24 (Ends 2152)



Two Hour Moratorium, Please.

 

[MysteryCPU]

Omake: Soval and the Stingray​

As the Ambassador to Humanity for over two decades, Soval was considered by his people to be an expert on humanity. On their motivations and what their governments were going to do. It was...trying at times. The Humans were a conundrum- the arrogance of the Andorians, the stubborn pride of the Tellarites. One moment as aggressive as the Klingons, but then moments later they embrace logic like a Vulcan. Honestly, they reminded him of his own people. Mostly. And then there were moments like this...

Moments when he stared at the plans for the human's first Warp 3 class vessel on his desk display. He looked at his adjunct, T'Pol, and raised an eyebrow.

"Is the information correct?"

"Yes, it appears so. We received these plans as a...courtesy from the United Earth government," she stated after a moment's pause," We confirmed the information through our own intelligence systems. They are correct."

"But...this isn't a cargo ship," Soval said as he tapped the display," This has three forward-mounted low-yield particle projectors, a plethora of torpedo tubes... and very little cargo space. Considering what the Humans are capable of, this is a military ship."

"Yes, I voiced my observation to the United Earth representative- a Captain Leonard. He shrugged his shoulders and stated that Starfleet had requested a cargo ship and that , I quote, "Those idjits decided that a patrol ship'd be cooler. Not that I can blame them.". I took the liberty of running what he said through the translation matrix, and I believe he is saying that the Starfleet ship designers went against their requested design."

"And were those designers replaced?"

"No. They were given a week of vacation and the naming rights to the classification of ship."

"Why? They disobeyed orders."

"I believe the human aphorism is: close enough. At least, that is what I was informed."

If he weren't a Vulcan, Soval would have pinched his brow and sighed. Instead, he merely tilted his head slightly. "Interesting. Why did they choose: Stingray for the classification name? And the second ship: the Steve Irwin? I have not heard that name before."

"The vessel apparently resembles an Earth aquatic fish."

"A dangerous fish, I assume."

"Not particularly."

"They named a warship after a not-particularly dangerous fish?"

"Yes."

"And Steve Irwin? A noted warrior?"

"A historic conservationist who died to an unexpected confluence of events that ended with a Stingray killing him."

"Is this some sort of mockery?"

"I have been assured by Captain Leonard that it is considered a sincere honor on their part."

"Am I to understand that the United Earth Government asked their Starfleet to build a cargo ship. And, instead, they built a military patrol ship that they named after a fairly non-dangerous aquatic animal? And, they named the second vessel after an individual who died of this non-dangerous aquatic animal?"

"It does appear so."

It was days like this that Soval was reminded that, whether they reminded him of Vulcans, the Humans were truly alien. Or insane.

Perhaps both.

 

[Sayle]

[X] Eight Phase Cannons (Industry 29 -> 45)

Eight phase cannons are a substantial armament, nearly triple those on the Stingray. But unlike the Stingray the NX will now have complete coverage over the battle space, allowing it to engage hostile vessels on any vector. The power routing for so many cannons proves a delicate task but the team is up to the challenge, ensuring a stable distribution of energy throughout the ship despite the major draw. Having the cannons in symmetrical locations certainly helps with that. Now confident that Enterprise and her successors will be able to defend herself or others, you move on to the last parts of the build.

The final questions are primarily a matter of internal systems. The addition of a secondary computer core would allow greater utilisation of ship systems, the majority of which rely on links to the main computer. While smaller than the primary a secondary core would nonetheless help lighten that load and accelerate any simulations of data analysis. The issue is that it would require more overhead, while leaving the space empty would allow for some miscellaneous storage. Either way the area would be used.

The second point of interest is a section in the primary saucer. While the NX already has a science lab fitted, doubling up would allow more experiments to be run in tandem - something especially helpful during surveys. On the other hand a workshop area would be more universally applicable to the day-to-day running of the starship. It would provide greater engineering resources for the ship to focus on construction or maintenance tasks. The question is really down to whether you want the NX to be a utility cruiser or more of a science ship.

[ ] 0: Do not install the secondary computer core.
[ ] 0: Install the secondary computer core. (Industry 45 -> 46)
[ ] 1: Install a small onboard workshop. (Engineering +2)
[ ] 1: Install a second set of science labs. (Science +2)



Two Hour Moratorium, Please

 

[Sayle]

[X] 0: Install the secondary computer core. (Industry 45 -> 46)
[X] 1: Install a small onboard workshop. (Engineering +2)

There are distinct advantages to the ship being able to support itself, and an extra computer core will no doubt ease the operation of the ship and local investigations with its additional capacity. The workshop is equipped with all the tools and workspaces one might expect in the cramped quarters of a starship, which will allow the engineers to have a workspace free of high-traffic areas like main engineering or potentially cramped cargo bays.

It's done. Enterprise is complete save for her final checks and shakedown, and a number of dignitaries arrive to watch the ship leave dock for its final tests - a preview of the pomp and circumstance that will come later during the official launch. After a short celebration with the yard staff that the ship is spaceworthy the new impulse thrusters are put through their paces. The new design uses reactant from the main deuterium tanks rather than needing a traditional fuel, which goes a long way towards saving on mass. The far higher thrust results also give cause for optimism that this represents a seismic shift in propulsion technology. So far those hopes have been validated.

The Type-1 Impulse Thrusters match specifications.

The new warp coils perform nominally compared to projections, allowing a larger assembly than was previously possible. Yoyodyne is to be congratulated for a successful first product.

The Type-1B warp coils encounter no issues.

Meanwhile, the supersized deflector likewise behaves itself. Despite some teething issues related to the deflector beam needing new targeting algorithms to adjust for a circular dish, you have no complaints.

The custom deflector performs as promised.

With all the checks complete, Enterprise peels away from Earth orbit for her warp tests. It quickly becomes apparent that the engine is underperforming compared to its Warp 5 label, and it validates gossip from the engineers who think that political considerations forced it to be fielded several years early. Nonetheless the Enterprise accelerates to a cruising speed of Warp 3.8, meaning it can cross a light year in just under a week and reach the Proxima Centauri colony in around a month. That's nine times faster than the best civilian cargo ship in service. In six months she could be exploring uncharted star systems with known alien presences.

But there's still one last milestone to hit. The engine pushes up to maximum and the entire ship rumbles from the feedback. Then, agonisingly, it tops out at Warp 4.9, a full tenth of a warp factor short of the target. As the ship slows from its highest possible speed, the engineers are already discussing the antimatter stream and other such shortcomings that were noticed in the test. It might take a couple years, but a few tweaks and additional pieces of equipment should be able to pull the engine forward to Warp 5. Still, it's disappointing and you wince at the headlines you're expecting tomorrow.

Still, with the final results in you are finally in a position to issue a recommendation to Starfleet Command. The NX-class is expensive, no doubting that - but it's also capable. The question is how much that capability is worth when it could lock down United Earth's shipbuilding industry for the next half-decade. You could focus on expanding your industry with a smaller order and more aggressively overhauling the Stingray-class, or go all in on the NX-class explorer.

[ ] Recommend a three-ship run over the next five years. (-27.6 Industry)
[ ] Recommend a five-ship run over the next five years. (-46 Industry)

Industry: 64

NX-class Explorer [2151]
Tactical Rating: 8
-Average Damage: 5.25
-Max Sustained Damage: 10
-Alpha Strike Damage: 16
-Coverage: 100%
-Maneuverability: Medium
Engineering: 7
Science: 4
Warp (Cruise): 3.8
Warp (Max): 4.9
Industrial Cost: 46



Two Hour Moratorium, Please.

 

[Sayle]

[X] Recommend a three-ship run over the next five years. (-27.6 Industry)

Before the Federation
The UES Enterprise

It is difficult to overstate the importance of the Enterprise's launch in 2151, the date at which United Earth began to engage with the rest of the quadrant. This was regarded with some concern by the Vulcan High Command as the launch occurred against its explicit recommendation, and not without cause. From a purely benevolent perspective the Enterprise demonstrated the best technology that Earth had at its disposal, practically all of which was less sophisticated than that available to the local species.

From a political perspective the exploration of the Enterprise would elevate Earth from an inconsequential world under Vulcan patronage to a starfaring power in its own right, with all the complications inherent with the new status. Given the tensions between the Andorian and Vulcan governments, which vacillated between uneasy truces and open border warfare, the High Command was justifiably concerned by another player involving themselves in the situation. Earth was, after all, closer in a straight line to Andoria than Vulcan.

Given the technological disparity, one could be forgiven for being confused by the outsized impact that Enterprise had in the local area. From a purely military perspective Enterprise had a substantial mass advantage over most vessels used by local powers, and spread over such a large surface area even her inferior polarised plating technology offered substantial defensive advantages. In this author's opinion far more important was the implications of Enterprise to the foreign governments it liaised with, and to explain requires a small digression into the nature of the United Earth government.

Most species were in some senses burdened by their long history, with interfactional conflict and simple obsolescence representing serious obstacles to their focus on common goals. By contrast, Earth had essentially undergone a hard reset in the nuclear exchanges of 2053. When the Vulcans made First Contact in 2062 they offered substantial relief and humanitarian aid, as well as a transformative revelation that deeply impacted the human psyche. In the next half-century humanity was able to rebuild and recover from most of the scars of the war, driven by the urge to reinvent themselves in what some historians call a generational effort to channel their trauma towards productive ends.

Simply put, United Earth built the society they aspired to be atop the rubble of the old and with little consideration for historical mores. The formal unification of the individual nation's authority over space affairs into the supranational body of United Earth in 2142 was essentially a confirmation of an already present reality. Unlike the majority of other planets, the people of Earth were capable of devoting their entire focus towards their goals with minimal internal friction. The number of planets in local space who could have launched a ship the size of Enterprise purely for the purpose of exploration could be listed on one hand - and the number that did one finger.

To the Vulcans, who politely viewed the human obsession with the cosmos as a natural result of the Vulcan intervention after First Contact, this was occasionally exasperating but something they understood on a logical level. To the Andorians, United Earth quickly became a useful tool against Vulcan hegemony. From their perspective humans could be trusted to be even-handed because of their universal perspective of morality and might even become a major component of local power politics in the next century.

To the Tellarites, first contacted in 2153 by Enterprise, the humans were refreshingly willing to insult them back and felt like more of an equal power than the domineering Vulcans and Andorians. To the less influential species, Enterprise generally qualified as a heavy cruiser in mass and capability, but was willing to engage with them as equals and without pretension. To everyone but the Vulcans, the ship presented one overwhelming message: humanity might be new, but they were going to be a force to be reckoned with once they caught up technologically.

The perverse reality was simply that United Earth was structured differently, and despite not being superior industrially or sometimes even being notably inferior, their unity around a common cause allowed them to accomplish what other species could not. This same philosophy was represented in microcosm on Enterprise, allowing them to make allies across traditional divides. This was followed by the launches of Columbia, Discovery, and Challenger. Embarking on similar missions, the presence of United Earth on the local stage was impossible to ignore. Their willingness to defuse the opening strikes of a Vulcan-Andorian War in 2155 and the resultant Vulcan Reformation permanently shifted the lines of power.

From the position of an outside observer who was profoundly reliant on the fractured state of politics, this must have been the frightening culmination of a hectic half-decade of interference by a minor species. The ouster of the Romulan-influenced V'Lass government on Vulcan was the final straw. It was no surprise that despite the unready status of the Imperial Fleet that Praetor Valdore had one message for the Romulan Senate. Earth had to go, before it was too late.

Of course, as history proves, it was already too late.

 

[Sayle]

With the NX class done and the Warp 5 engine available, attention turns back to some of your prior projects. First among these is the Stingray, which could be easily transitioned to a Warp 5 engine with minimal work save the initial manufacturing. Equally the spatial torpedoes could be upgraded to atomics and the phase cannons given greater coverage. The most significant increases in capability are likely from propulsion, as the warp engine will give it greater range and response times while the thrusters should allow it to keep weapons on target much more easily.

Industry: 36
Stingray-class Light Cruiser: 20 Industry

[ ] 0: Do not upgrade the Stingray-class engines.
[ ] 0: Upgrade the Stingray-class engines. (Warp 5 Engine, Impulse Thrusters) (30 Industry) (+3 Industry Cost)
[ ] 1: Do not upgrade the Stingray-class weapons.
[ ] 1: Upgrade the Stingray-class weapons. (Atomic Torpedoes) (2 Industry) (+2 Industry Cost)
[ ] 2: Do not upgun the Stingray-class.
[ ] 2: Upgun the Stingray-class. (+3 Phase Cannons) (30 Industry) (+6 Industry Cost)

 

[Sayle]

[X] 0: Upgrade the Stingray-class engines. (Warp 5 Engine, Impulse Thrusters) (30 Industry) (+3 Industry Cost)
[X] 1: Upgrade the Stingray-class weapons. (Atomic Torpedoes) (5 Industry) (+2 Industry Cost)
[X] 2: Do not upgun the Stingray-class.

The overhaul of the Stingray-class takes up most of your industrial capacity over the next year, with focus given to the production of Warp 5 engines and impulse assemblies. All told the increase in capability is most welcome - although you can't upgrade the nacelles themselves, the new warp engine produces significant increases nonetheless. Previously the Stingray was limited to Warp 3.4 at full sprint, but now she can comfortably cruise at the same speed. Serendipitously the racing configuration of her nacelles have allowed even that outdated design to eke out Warp 4.9, equalling the NX class in top speed.

In addition to the warp drive upgrade she has also been equipped with the new atomic torpedoes. But the most significant increase to her lethality has been the addition of the Type-1 impulse thrusters rather than her reactant nozzles, which has seen the Stingray demonstrate a massive leap in manoeuvrability. Her newfound agility means that she can keep hostiles in her forward weapons arc much more reliably, increasing time and damage on target. Combined with her newfound increases to operational range, which even with her lone antimatter pod can see her making the journey from Earth to the Proxima Centauri colony nine times over before a refuel is required, the Stingray represents a real possibility for an anti-piracy patrol cruiser.

This is precisely why Starfleet Command wants your feedback on the future of the class. It is open to commissioning another run of the Stingray, but is aware that there may be newer and better things coming down the pipeline which would make a purpose-built design more attractive. As it stands the NX-class production run is due to finish at the start of 2155 with the launch of Discovery, so you would need two yards working simultaneously for a larger order, which would in turn reduce spare capacity for expansion. But it might be worth it.

[ ] Recommend a six-ship run of the Stingray. (-30 Industry) (+1.3 Industry/Year) [Ends 2155]
[ ] Recommend a more conservative run of three ships. (-15 Industry) (+4.4 Industry/Year) [Ends 2155]

Industry: 36

Stingray-class Light Cruiser Refit [2152]
Tactical Rating: 5
-Average Damage: 2.25
-Max Sustained Damage: 6
-Alpha Strike Damage: 12
-Coverage: 50%
-Maneuverability: High
Engineering: N/A
Science: 1
Warp (Cruise): 3.4 (39c)
Warp (Max): 4.9 (117c)
Industrial Cost: 25

 

[Sayle]

[X] Recommend a six-ship run of the Stingray. (-50 Industry) (+0 Industry/Year) [Ends 2155]

The Leadup to War
United Earth Starfleet

The crash-order of more Stingrays with the newly developed Warp 5 engine signalled the intent of Starfleet to finally begin pushing out from the Sol System. Indeed the antipiracy campaign of 2154 saw the Stingray-class patrolling the routes between Earth and her colonies, using historical reports to track down three pirate bases and destroy them. This put an immediate pressure on local pirates to adapt, which they did so by unifying under the command of a small Orion Syndicate cabal previously associated with Nausicaan marauders.

This culminated in the ambush of the UES Bullray in June of 2155. Believing itself to be responding to a distress transponder, the ship was instead attacked by four Nausicaan raiders. The captain attempted to disengage but was unsuccessful, with the ship succumbing to multiple boarding parties. There was allegedly an effort to reach main engineering to overload the warp engine, but this was equally unsuccessful and prior to the advent of reliable self-destruct mechanisms. The resultant capture of the Bullray, albeit with heavy damage that rendered her a shadow of her former self, was presented to Starfleet Command the day after as an ultimatum to cease interfering with the marauder group's operations.

Faced with the option of paying a ransom for the return of the surviving crew and withdrawing from protecting their own merchant marine, United Earth found itself unwilling to comply. While outwardly cooperating to ensure the return of the crew and attempting to negotiate for the salvage of the Bullray, Starfleet instead launched the UES Challenger from the Warp 5 Complex two weeks ahead of schedule. Consenting to dispatch the UES Whiptail with the agreed upon ransom, the pirates were told to expect her in just over nine weeks. The Challenger, equipped with an improved injector assembly for her engine that allowed a cruise of Warp 4, made the journey in five and a half and took them by surprise by sprinting the last tenth of a light year at Warp 5.2.

Faced with over three hundred thousand tons of heavily armed cruiser, the pirates released their hostages on the condition they be permitted to leave peacefully. Having resolved the situation, the Challenger undertook a salvage operation of the asteroid base and the UES Bullray, eventually repairing the ship and sending it on a three-month limp back to Sol. The ultimate fate of the pirates is not clear, but it seems likely that they moved their operations out of the sphere of space dominated by the newly formed Coalition of Planets.

But while internal affairs were becoming more secure, the borders were less so. In late October of 2155, the UES Discovery came under a surprise attack from a flight of Romulan warbirds equipped with cloaking devices. Caught without its defenses by a barrage of atomic warheads, the NX-class ship was half-crippled in the opening salvo and unable to effectively respond or escape. The ship's fate was not confirmed until the wreckage was discovered by the VCS Selak in late December at its last known position. After salvaging the data recorder, Starfleet was made aware that the Romulans were now conducting armed incursions into the area.

While not yet willing to enter a state of war, Starfleet was put at a higher degree of readiness and the Enterprise and Columbia recalled to Earth. United Earth President Nathan Samuels made a personal enquiry to the Starship Design Bureau as to its recommendations for a starship able to contend with the standard Romulan warbirds.


[ ] Recommend the continued production of the Stingray as a mainline tactical vessel.
[ ] Advocate for the construction of a minimally expensive combat frigate capable of engaging the small Romulan ships one-on-one.
[ ] Support the construction of a heavily-armed battleship capable of enduring combat with multiple attackers.

Two Hour Moratorium, Please.

 

[Sayle]

[X] Recommend the continued production of the Stingray as a mainline tactical vessel.


With a potential outbreak of hostilities the lower training time and wealth of institutional knowledge regarding best practice with the Stingray are not advantages to be disdained. While it may be possible to build a superior vessel, there is no guarantee the effort would not be better spent elsewhere. Starfleet Command agrees, commissioning another two Stingrays to be built every year. For a time it appears that it may have been an incident of Romulan hostility, a landgrab rather than an opening to hostilities.

Then the Sol Defense Perimeter pings a large spatial distortion approaching at high warp. The Romulan attack fleet is a dozen ships strong, travelling at just under Warp 4 and have likely been in transit for over a year, a silent decapitation strike dispatched at the same time as the warbird flight that destroyed the Endeavour. Each of the warbirds are carbon copies of each other, equipped with a pair of atomic torpedo tubes and disruptor beams, although interestingly none of them seem to be using cloaking devices. Perhaps they are unstable at warp speeds?

In response the fleet is consolidated at Saturn orbit. Available are Enterprise and Columbia, along with eight Stingrays. Requests are made to a Vulcan ship in Earth orbit for assistance, which are forwarded to the High Command on Vulcan. Captain Hernandez takes command of the fleet from Columbia with the consent of Captain Archer and orders a merging intercept, taking advantage of the higher warp factor of the United Earth forces. The engagement begins just past Uranus, around four minutes from Earth. With minimal rear-facing armaments, the Romulans are only able to engage with aft disruptors, but their shields make up for the deficiency by keeping them in the fight longer than expect. Four of the Romulan ships are disabled before they reach orbit, but the other eight drop out in Earth's gravity well and launch an attack with a salvo of nuclear torpedoes at the surface.

Captain Hernandez tasks Enterprise and Columbia with point defense, using their greater phase cannon coverage to provide maximal utility in intercepting the warheads. This successfully destroys the first volley, but as the Romulan fleet breaks apart to engage the Stingrays this becomes more challenging. The greater spread of the enemy vessels means the torpedoes are harder to intercept, and the warbirds use hunting tactics that concentrate firepower on individual starships. One warbird is destroyed by a coordinated attack by Enterprise and Columbia, but a pair of Stingrays are torn apart by disruptor beams.

The Romulan fleet wheels around for a second volley launch at the planet, cobalt-jacketed warheads streaking out towards the surface. Enterprise and Columbia split up to take separate flanks, but while Enterprise destroys her targets Columbia is forced to take a thirty megaton impact on her port quarter before the weapon can accelerate out of range. This knocks out her energy weapons and Hernandez leaves the task of defending Earth to Enterprise while she engages the warbirds with her own atomics.

The Romulan fleet is reduced to five vessels in the ensuing melee, the Stingray, Whiptail, and Skate collaborating with a simultaneous nuclear launch that overwhelms a warbird's shields. But with Columbia largely out of the fight and Enterprise occupied, the loss of another Stingray leaves five ships against five with the attackers having a distinct technological advantage. This shifts when the VCS Sh'ran pulls out of Earth orbit without orders and engages the Romulan flotilla, its powerful beam weapons destroying another warbird in its first salvo.

Ceasing their attempts to fight back, the surviving four Romulan vessels group up and charge into the upper atmosphere. The next volley of atomics launch from a much closer range, and one slips past Enterprise to airburst over the New Brazilia megalopolis. The remaining warbirds attempt to stay on target, but the lack of evasive maneuvers allow the remaining fleet to concentrate their fire, eliminating two of the remaining four warbirds. In particular, Captain Archer makes the controversial decision to deploy Enterprise's high-yield atomics in-atmosphere, destroying a third warbird before the Sh'ran eliminates the last with its ventral disruptor.

The results of the battle are devastating. Three Stingrays have been outright destroyed, and the remaining five have all taken damage that will need yardwork. Columbia's plating is irradiated and will need a complete strip and replacement on its port quarter. Three million people are killed instantly in the nuclear attack on New Brazilia, with millions more expected to die from radiation sickness thanks to the cobalt gamma-ray burst that penetrated emergency shelters. The cobalt jacket of the Romulan warhead will also make the entire region uninhabitable for decades while a cleanup operation takes place. Had multiple such detonations been successful across the planet, containing the fallout would have been essentially impossible and may have caused an ecological disaster surpassing the Third World War.

United Earth declares war on the Romulan Star Empire two hours later. The Design Bureau is commissioned the next day with investigating the possibility of a purpose-built warship capable of engaging the shielded Romulan warbirds on equal or greater terms. There are a number of prototype technologies that may be useful, such as new deflector geometries inspired by the NX-class main dish, pulsed phase cannons, and experimental antimatter warheads.


[ ] Start work on a light cruiser in the one to two hundred thousand ton range. (2 Industry)
[ ] Start work on a medium to heavy cruiser in the two to three hundred thousand ton range. (4 Industry)
[ ] Start work on a dreadnought in the four to five hundred thousand ton range. (8 Industry)

Two Hour Moratorium, Please.