Your key to unlocking the Star Trek™ Continuum
Your first mission is quickly approaching.
But before we get there, you must ready your strategy. How will you build your crew? What skills will you develop? What Starships will help you get there? These are only a few of the questions you will have to answer as we embark through the Star Trek™ Continuum.
Your Starship is key to your journey. To prepare you for your first mission, Captains, let’s uncover what makes each Starship unique and how it might be best utilized.
CONSTITUTION
The Constitution-class Starships represented the vanguard of Starfleet’s armada in the mid-to-late 23rd-century. Designed for five-year missions of exploration, these Starships utilized the latest technological advancements, including warp engines allowing for speeds up to Warp 9.
These Starships were flying research facilities with multiple scientific labs dedicated to discovering and analyzing data from new worlds and new species encountered on their multi-year voyages. Crew complements varied from the low to mid-hundreds with experts from across the spectrum of scientific knowledge.
While primarily designed for exploration, Constitution-class Starships were also used for humanitarian and diplomatic missions. Deflector shields protected the Starship from environmental hazards and belligerent antagonists, while the Starships’ phaser arrays and photon torpedoes were used to put an end to hostilities quickly and efficiently.
Perhaps the most famous Constitution-class Starship was the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701) under the command of Captains Christopher Pike and James T. Kirk, in service from 2245–2285.
CONSTITUTION REFIT
The Constitution-class Starships underwent several refits beginning in the 2250’s. As warp engine design evolved, upgrades allowed the Starships to travel farther and faster than ever before.
Changes included external modifications, including re-alignment of the dual nacelles connected to the central hull and interior changes such as refinements to the Starships’ bridge.
Constitution Refits also saw improvements to their central computers allowing for greater communications, research, and defense capabilities.
A major refit to the Constitution-class began in 2269, when the U.S.S. Enterprise was upgraded under the command of Captain Willard Decker. The horizontal warp system from earlier models was replaced by a more efficient vertical warp core and phasers were routed through the warp system to improve their effectiveness. On the bridge, weapons systems were reassigned from the navigator’s control to a dedicated tactical station.
Constitution Refit vessels continued to be of service into the 2290s.
MIRANDA
The Miranda-class Starships were multi-purpose vessels utilized by Starfleet from the 2260s through the late 24th century.
Though it’s smaller than the Constitution-class, the Miranda-class was more than capable. It performed long-range missions of exploration and humanitarian assistance while also being deployed as patrol Starships along hostile borders.
Its signature visual difference was the aft ventral pylon connecting the two nacelles behind the central saucer section. This pylon contained dual phaser emitters, complementing the three phaser banks mounted on the top and bottom of the saucer section. Additionally, dual photon torpedo launchers were located forward and aft on the saucer.
Different Miranda-class Starships displayed various modifications to the exterior structure while the bridge retained its central location on Deck 1. The most celebrated Miranda-class vessel was the U.S.S. Reliant, hijacked by the Augment tyrant Khan Noonien Singh in 2285 and ultimately destroyed in the detonation of the Genesis Device.
OBERTH
The Oberth-class Starships were deployed by Starfleet as scientific and scout vessels, beginning in the 2280’s with the prototype U.S.S. Oberth (NCC-602).
With a crew composed of Starfleet and civilian scientists, Oberth-class Starships’ primary task was the investigation and research of astronomical phenomena. Starfleet’s foremost astrophysicists often requested postings to Oberth vessels. They were attracted to the Starships’ focus on scientific work as opposed to the broader purview of larger vessels like those of the Constitution-class.
The Oberth-class was visually distinctive with warp nacelles attached directly to the sides of the saucer section and a lower secondary hull attached by pylons to the nacelles. Although small in size, Oberth-class vessels were equipped with unique shields that allowed for travel into regions of intense radioactive and gravitational activity.
Phaser banks provided a modicum of defense capability, as these Starships were not expected to conduct combat operations. Oberth-class vessels remained in service in the Dominion War of the later 2300’s.
SOYUZ
The Soyuz-class Starships were multi-purpose vessels deployed by Starfleet in the 23rd century.
Similar to the Miranda-class, the Soyuz-class employed a single-hull design with port and starboard nacelles located close to the central hull. Modular components could be exchanged with those of similar Starship classes, allowing for more efficient repair and upgrade services across the fleet.
Equipped with two phaser arrays and a photon torpedo launcher, the Soyuz-class was an effective deterrent in combat situations, and its versatility allowed for missions including exploration, humanitarian assistance, diplomatic summits, and supply runs to outer colonies.
Under the command of Captain Morgan Bateson, the Soyuz-class Starship U.S.S. Bozeman (NCC-1941) encountered a temporal anomaly in 2278. That resulted in its arrival in the year 2368 where it encountered the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) commanded by Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
CLASS III CARRIER
Starships with a Class III Carrier designation played an important role in logistical operations for Starfleet in the 23rd and 24th centuries. Primarily used as fuel and supply carriers, these Starships formed the backbone of Starfleet operations throughout Federation space and beyond.
While designs varied according to the nature of the cargo, most vessels of this type were equipped with large holds able to accommodate several metric tons. Neutronic fuel carriers were vital for supporting operations of larger Starship classes, and regular trips between Starbases ensured an uninterrupted flow of resources to the fleet.
While not as celebrated as other Starship classes, every cadet is familiar with the Class III Carrier’s role in the iconic Kobayashi Maru simulation at Starfleet Academy, in which the Starship of the same name is beset by Klingon aggressors.
How will this affect your strategy through the Star Trek™ Continuum? Only you can answer that, Captains!
Learn more about your upcoming mission here.
