More MK IIs?

posted on September 2nd, 2010, 2:36 pm

Mk IIs are not a refit they are an entirely new chassis that looks like an older ship. They share no pieces with the similar looking forerunner. The Federation at this point only has one refit (Torpedo refit Nebula) and is scheduled to get one more (Venture refit Galaxy)

posted on September 2nd, 2010, 3:21 pm

As far as we know, they didn't see the same kind of extended service, nor did the Ambassador which was quickly replaced by the Galaxy.

Um actually there is considerable evidence that the ambassador was in service for over 20 years before the Galaxy was commissioned.

Ambassador's commissioned circa: 2340's

Galaxy's commissioned circa: 2360's

posted on September 2nd, 2010, 5:58 pm

20 years isn't very long, for such a huge expense in designing and developing a whole ship class.

I don't like the idea of "-II" designs anyway. They detract from a design's own individuality, and you end up thinking too much about the ship's antecedent, rather than the ship itself. So, on my install, I renamed the Miranda-II (to Cortez class) and Excelsior-II (to Magellan class).

posted on September 2nd, 2010, 6:35 pm

Um actually there is considerable evidence that the ambassador was in service for over 20 years before the Galaxy was commissioned.

Ambassador's commissioned circa: 2340's

Galaxy's commissioned circa: 2360's

Yeah, 20 years isn't all that long considering that the Excelsior class was the top line ship for 2 or 3 times that. But regardless, the Galaxy was obviously developed with the intention that it supercede the Amdassador.

[quaddmgtech]

posted on September 7th, 2010, 6:44 pm

Last edited by quaddmgtech on September 7th, 2010, 7:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I don't mind the MK-II designation. Especially for the Excelsior. It was at the backbone of the federation for many many years and that deserves a continuation of the name and lineage. Especially since the Excel-II is a complete technical re-design sharing nothing of the original space-frame save for some design elements from the original, clearly an homage.

posted on September 7th, 2010, 11:35 pm

After checking and double-checking, I can find no instance in naval history of the 'mk II' suffix (or any variant thereof) being used to distinguish a new class of ships.  It sounds pretty stupid anyway, so I can accept that.

I thought about inserting a rant here, but then I remembered that the Devs have a history of ignoring stupid ideas (including mine) anyway, so I'd just be wasting my sanity.

posted on September 8th, 2010, 6:03 am

The Galaxy, come to think of it, is a good example of what modern navies do for a '-II' design.  It looks very similar to an Ambassador, but is MUCH larger.  Does the same job, but does it better.  And does some other jobs too.

Take, for example, the change from Forrestal-class carrier to Kitty Hawk-class carrier to USS Enterprise to Nimitz-class carrier.

Bigger, bigger, bigger...

(Sidenote, the real USS Enterprise is scheduled for decommission in 2013.)

The Nimitz Class is actually  nearly 10 meters shorter than the Enterprise CVN-65  which was a 1 of design  so its not Always bigger bigger bigger..  and the Sovies well longer than the Galaxies are less volume and mass than the Galaxies....  listen to me talk... lol most of my Trek ships are huge My Galaxy successor the Gojira class is 800 meters long......


as for the topic at hand  I dont really mind the II bit for the Excelsior and Miranda even though my own Miranda homage ship is Reliant class. (my Avatar)  I dont think there should be any more.  Just give em a new class name.    Wasn't it said somewhere that The original Excelsiors were guna get E-B (Lakota) refit for Veteran rank?

posted on September 8th, 2010, 4:52 pm

Wasn't it said somewhere that The original Excelsiors were guna get E-B (Lakota) refit for Veteran rank?

I believe so.

posted on September 9th, 2010, 5:43 am

The Nimitz Class is actually  nearly 10 meters shorter than the Enterprise CVN-65  which was a 1 of design  so its not Always bigger bigger bigger.. 

The new Ford class will be longer yet again, though.