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And only after all the money is spent, you get the single most advanced and deadliest machine to ever grace the battlefield. Was it worth the money? In retrospect yeah, in the moment absolutely not.
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Joyful_Overkill
satisfaction in knowing your enemy won't survive.
"Sic pacem Parabellum" may as well be Starfleet's unofficial motto.
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NexusEye
Aspiring God
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She's smaller than the Thunderchild but outmasses it by 28000 tons. I imagine the reason she's smaller than the NX-class boil down to more advanced technology allowing you to fit more capability into a smaller space, not to mention that she outmasses the NX by over a hundred thousand tons even if the NX has slightly larger dimensions.
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[X] UFS NotABattleship named to give plausible deniability that this really is a science ship and not a battleship.
[X] Other - UFS Darwin, named after explorers and taxonomists
[X] Other - UFS Darwin, named after explorers and taxonomists
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While also being made of a lighter material?
Either the NX has as many empty hallways as a Galaxy, or something's off.
Height may just be maximum highest point (bridge or nacelle) to lowest point (bottom of deflector), and not reflect that the saucer is chonkier.
Edit: Actually no, vs the Thunderchild that still doesn't work I think, the numbers would say that the Thunderchild saucer (because that's basically all it is) is taller than the Copernicus Saucer and Engineering section put together.
Edit: Actually no, vs the Thunderchild that still doesn't work I think, the numbers would say that the Thunderchild saucer (because that's basically all it is) is taller than the Copernicus Saucer and Engineering section put together.
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NexusEye
Aspiring God
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Star Trek ships are spindly with lots of empty space between the saucer, secondary hull, and nacelles. There's more empty space than there is filled space so just looking at the dimensions isn't a good way to gauge actual volume and mass, a ship with a bulkier saucer, secondary hull, and nacelles with a shorter neck and nacelle pylons could easily outmass a leaner ship with a long neck and longer pylons.
The NX has a much more tapering saucer, running down to one deck thin at the edge. The Copernicus is two decks thick at the edge and six decks for two thirds of the beam. Also has a substantially larger secondary hull and two more nacelles.
The NX is much less chunky.
Checking the actual diagram tells me the Thunderchild should be 33 meters high. Dunno why it's 72 written down. I'll fix it on the comparison chart.
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[X] UFS Beagle, named after ships of exploration
Ah, that makes sense.
KlavoHunter
THOU SHALT WORSHIP NO GODS ABOVE ENTERPRISE!
Also, the survey ship didn't get its length adjusted after its nacelles were added.
Rereading the update and this bit jumped out at me as something we may want to keep in mind for future designs.
While specialist labs providing capabilities we might not have had without a dedicated section are very nice, they aren't a silver bullet for our science score. The Copernicus had pretty much everything going for it with them: able to grab 3 different specialists labs for 3 very different disciplines to get the benefits of specialization without pigeonholing itself into only a single "-ology", and had the extra computer core to boost them or help cover anything else pulling it's score up to an A- regardless. But with only those on board it still got called out as having limited equipment for anything beyond what's covered by the labs.
Something to think about for future ships that might not have as much internal slots for science.
While specialist labs providing capabilities we might not have had without a dedicated section are very nice, they aren't a silver bullet for our science score. The Copernicus had pretty much everything going for it with them: able to grab 3 different specialists labs for 3 very different disciplines to get the benefits of specialization without pigeonholing itself into only a single "-ology", and had the extra computer core to boost them or help cover anything else pulling it's score up to an A- regardless. But with only those on board it still got called out as having limited equipment for anything beyond what's covered by the labs.
Something to think about for future ships that might not have as much internal slots for science.
If we do this, it should be the UFS Serial Peacemaker.
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It probably would have been better to lose an ology lab for a smaller cargo bay and more general science labs.
A hypothetical Copernicus which was designed with the large general labs and two small cargo bays would have the same science score, same engineering score, 2/3s of the cargo space, and 1/3 of the specialist capabilities, but IMO would have had a much more rounded profile of what types science it could preform on whatever it encountered. Higher lows and lower highs if that makes sense.
Would that have been a good trade-off? IDK, especially as the Copernicus was is a pretty good position to mitigate the flaws of specialized labs by just taking 3 of them and the computer core, and I don't particularly feel like spending the effort the to weigh the options when the votes already done and dusted.
I'm just thinking that in the future, if we get a ship that's only going to get a small number of labs due to space constraints, we probably shouldn't take all specialists on that kind of design.
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Well....
...yes, somewhat obviously, the generalist is going to outperform the single specialist the vast majority of the time. Generalist versus several specialists is a lot more intriguing of a question, as we saw here.Robert A. Heinlein said:
Omake: Approving Copernicus
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Admiral Jordan Macnair of the Star Fleet Command lounged untidly in his chair, a vaguely bemused grin on his face. His exact title beyond "Admiral" was still being worked out, what with Star Fleet finally getting around to coming up with permanent nomenclature and ranks to replace the confused medley that was the inevitable result of combining four different organizations into a unifying whole, but broadly speaking Macnair was responsible for the development and requisition of new ship designs and technologies.
"You are looking even more smug than you usually do," Admiral Naith remarked, settling into her chair with Vulcan precision. Her job title had been settled three months ago as the Chief of Requistions, tasked with unifying the logistical networks of the Federation. They had a genial working relationship, particularly with the deployment of the Cygnus class making her job that much easier.
"Smug? Me?" Macnair replied. "Why, I would never!"
"Just because I do not use sarcasm does not mean I do not understand it," was Naith's clipped answer.
"Fine, fine," he said, waving off her criticism. "The SDB just got their newest design to my desk two days ago. It's... certainly something."
"You intend to advance this design for the consideration of Star Fleet Command."
"They did their job, now it's my turn." He shrugged. "You'll see it in the meeting. I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise."
Naith's eyes narrowed. "You are a uniquely frustrating human at times."
------
"Next item on the agenda," Admiral Shress Ch'kalnes, the Andorian Chief of Staff of Star Fleet Command said, scrolling up on his dataslate. "A report on the conclusion of Project Copernicus. Admiral Macnair, you have the floor."
"Thank you," Macnair said. "Rather than tell you, I think it would be better if I showed you." A few quick taps and he took control of the holographic projector at the center of the table. "So, I think we can all agree that the NX class has served well, but technological changes mean it hasn't aged well. Three years ago, we approached the SDB to design her replacement. This was Project Copernicus."
He tapped his dataslate again, bringing up a hologram of the Enterprise NX-01. A mere twenty years old, and she was already obsolete. He tapped again, and another ship appeared next to the Enterprise. The two ships were broadly the same size, but where the Enterprise was thin and nearly skeletal in places, this new ship was far more solidly built.
"This is the product of Copernicus," Macnair said. "You will note the novel four nacelle arrangement, which is yielding significant increases in warp factor."
Naith's eyes narrowed in contemplation, but it was Admiral Glog Kheblaw, the Tellarite who currently held the title of Commander, Star Fleet, who spoke. "It looks like a modernized and heavier Enterprise," the most senior field commander of the organization noted.
"In a sense," Macnair agreed. "It saves on weight using a new electro-ceramic hull material, a very promising development. Despite the mass savings, it still outmasses the Thunderchild class."
There was a chorus of startled reactions from the assembled Star Fleet Command. Naith's clipped voice cut through the stunned babble. "And what does this ship use this mass for?"
"Glad you asked," Macnair said, tapping his dataslate again. "Here are the specifications for your consideration."
Admiral Ntoya Wallace, the Commander in Chief of Star Fleet and chairman of the meeting cleared her throat. "Perhaps a recess is in order, both to consider this information, and for refreshments. It is just about time for lunch, I should think."
"Agreed," Naith stated.
------
"So," Macnair said, sidling up to Naith during the recess. "What do you think?"
"It is a remarkable vessel," Naith said, paging through the documentation with one hand and consuming a pastry with a name Macnair couldn't pronounce with the other. It wasn't an alien pastry, Macnair just struggled with French. "And an expensive vessel."
"Can we build it?" he asked.
"Obviously," Naith replied. "You wouldn't be presenting this information if the prototype wasn't nearing completion."
Macnair rolled his eyes. "That's not what I meant. You know better than anyone else what the Federation's supply lines look like right now. Can we build this?"
Naith considered for nearly three minutes, the silence only broken by the occasional tap on her dataslate and the sound of her chewing at the pastry. "Yes."
Macnair blinked in surprise. "No qualifiers you'd like to attach to that? No demands for it to be stripped back?"
"No," she said. "Were this Vulcan, or Andoria, or Tellar Prime, I would say this ship is impractical and infeasible. But this is Earth. Were I consulted, I would have described the Enterprise as impractical and infeasible, considering Earth's capabilities at the time. I would have considered the Thunderchild equally impractical and infeasible. And for the other members of the Federation, they would have been. But the factors that prevail elsewhere clearly do not apply to Earth. You seem capable of, to borrow a phrase from your people, doing anything you choose to set your mind to. And you are quite capable of setting your collective mind to tasks."
"So you're saying we can afford it, but no one else could pull together the will to make it real?" Macnair said. "Good. Then she's following in the Enterprise's footsteps."
"Indeed." Admiral Naith finished off the last bite of her pastry. "Project Copernicus has my approval, pending final space trials. And I now understand your earlier smugness."
"What? Me? Smug?" Macnair said, putting a hand to his chest. "I would never."
"Your sarcasm is noted. I recommend refraining from using it when you argue Project Copernicus's case in front of the others."
"You are looking even more smug than you usually do," Admiral Naith remarked, settling into her chair with Vulcan precision. Her job title had been settled three months ago as the Chief of Requistions, tasked with unifying the logistical networks of the Federation. They had a genial working relationship, particularly with the deployment of the Cygnus class making her job that much easier.
"Smug? Me?" Macnair replied. "Why, I would never!"
"Just because I do not use sarcasm does not mean I do not understand it," was Naith's clipped answer.
"Fine, fine," he said, waving off her criticism. "The SDB just got their newest design to my desk two days ago. It's... certainly something."
"You intend to advance this design for the consideration of Star Fleet Command."
"They did their job, now it's my turn." He shrugged. "You'll see it in the meeting. I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise."
Naith's eyes narrowed. "You are a uniquely frustrating human at times."
------
"Next item on the agenda," Admiral Shress Ch'kalnes, the Andorian Chief of Staff of Star Fleet Command said, scrolling up on his dataslate. "A report on the conclusion of Project Copernicus. Admiral Macnair, you have the floor."
"Thank you," Macnair said. "Rather than tell you, I think it would be better if I showed you." A few quick taps and he took control of the holographic projector at the center of the table. "So, I think we can all agree that the NX class has served well, but technological changes mean it hasn't aged well. Three years ago, we approached the SDB to design her replacement. This was Project Copernicus."
He tapped his dataslate again, bringing up a hologram of the Enterprise NX-01. A mere twenty years old, and she was already obsolete. He tapped again, and another ship appeared next to the Enterprise. The two ships were broadly the same size, but where the Enterprise was thin and nearly skeletal in places, this new ship was far more solidly built.
"This is the product of Copernicus," Macnair said. "You will note the novel four nacelle arrangement, which is yielding significant increases in warp factor."
Naith's eyes narrowed in contemplation, but it was Admiral Glog Kheblaw, the Tellarite who currently held the title of Commander, Star Fleet, who spoke. "It looks like a modernized and heavier Enterprise," the most senior field commander of the organization noted.
"In a sense," Macnair agreed. "It saves on weight using a new electro-ceramic hull material, a very promising development. Despite the mass savings, it still outmasses the Thunderchild class."
There was a chorus of startled reactions from the assembled Star Fleet Command. Naith's clipped voice cut through the stunned babble. "And what does this ship use this mass for?"
"Glad you asked," Macnair said, tapping his dataslate again. "Here are the specifications for your consideration."
Admiral Ntoya Wallace, the Commander in Chief of Star Fleet and chairman of the meeting cleared her throat. "Perhaps a recess is in order, both to consider this information, and for refreshments. It is just about time for lunch, I should think."
"Agreed," Naith stated.
------
"So," Macnair said, sidling up to Naith during the recess. "What do you think?"
"It is a remarkable vessel," Naith said, paging through the documentation with one hand and consuming a pastry with a name Macnair couldn't pronounce with the other. It wasn't an alien pastry, Macnair just struggled with French. "And an expensive vessel."
"Can we build it?" he asked.
"Obviously," Naith replied. "You wouldn't be presenting this information if the prototype wasn't nearing completion."
Macnair rolled his eyes. "That's not what I meant. You know better than anyone else what the Federation's supply lines look like right now. Can we build this?"
Naith considered for nearly three minutes, the silence only broken by the occasional tap on her dataslate and the sound of her chewing at the pastry. "Yes."
Macnair blinked in surprise. "No qualifiers you'd like to attach to that? No demands for it to be stripped back?"
"No," she said. "Were this Vulcan, or Andoria, or Tellar Prime, I would say this ship is impractical and infeasible. But this is Earth. Were I consulted, I would have described the Enterprise as impractical and infeasible, considering Earth's capabilities at the time. I would have considered the Thunderchild equally impractical and infeasible. And for the other members of the Federation, they would have been. But the factors that prevail elsewhere clearly do not apply to Earth. You seem capable of, to borrow a phrase from your people, doing anything you choose to set your mind to. And you are quite capable of setting your collective mind to tasks."
"So you're saying we can afford it, but no one else could pull together the will to make it real?" Macnair said. "Good. Then she's following in the Enterprise's footsteps."
"Indeed." Admiral Naith finished off the last bite of her pastry. "Project Copernicus has my approval, pending final space trials. And I now understand your earlier smugness."
"What? Me? Smug?" Macnair said, putting a hand to his chest. "I would never."
"Your sarcasm is noted. I recommend refraining from using it when you argue Project Copernicus's case in front of the others."
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I know I wanted to try out (useful sounding) specialist labs we hadn't taken before. When paired with the extra computer it was a decent way to quickly look for synergies too. Still generalist science lab will have more weight in the future. Our biomed and Astrometrics labs also have to be getting more advanced (not mechanically) as our science ships have had more experience building and using them.
Edit: That was a fun set of scenes @Firehawk242, great work!
Edit: That was a fun set of scenes @Firehawk242, great work!
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NexusEye
Aspiring God
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Technically speaking there is no such thing as the Enterprise class, she was the lead ship of the NX-class but the name of that class is NX, not Enterprise.
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