Runabouts

posted on September 9th, 2009, 5:56 pm

Here is another crazy idea from me.  What if…

All races (except borg)  had a runabout type ship.

It could be dispatched from a shipyard or better yet, a starbase. It could WARP to a disabled vessel, attach a tractor beam, and at normal to slow speed, tow it to the nearest friendly shipyard.  After with it would return to the starbase and disappear.

It could only be sent to get ships with no engines / derilects.  It would have little to no weapons (kinda like a klingon constructor)

posted on September 9th, 2009, 5:59 pm

Federation Runabouts are already planned, Danube Class specificaly. No other race has ever shown interest in that type of ship, the Cardassians are the closest with their Hideki Class.

posted on September 9th, 2009, 6:43 pm

would those Runabouts have Tractor beams?

i dont know the Great plan for the runabouts scheduled,  i thought it would be cool to have a tow-truck type starship.  and i couldn't help but think of the pilot of DS9 Part II when sisko is towing Gul Dukats Galor through the wormhole with a runabout.

i heard people talk favorabley of the runabout, i wanted a tow-truck ship, so i paired them up.

i'm sure whatever the developers come up with will be fine.  and on the off chance it isn't, we can always complain about it later 

posted on September 9th, 2009, 7:03 pm

I don't know what the full plans are for them, but a Tractor beam is likely to be playable at some point. Maybe it is the Runabout, I mean, what other use could they have during wartime?

posted on September 9th, 2009, 7:24 pm

Hmmm...

Yes, runabouts or tug boats, depending on race, should be among the support units. Still, the thought of a Klingon tug boat strikes me as... contradictory. No Klingon would want to serve in one of... those.

"I've been asigned to WHAT?!?!?!?"

May be as a punishment?

Anyways, it's like the thought of a Borg repair ship. It simply doesn't fit. In their case, it may be better to put the tractor beam in the builder ship.

posted on September 9th, 2009, 7:30 pm

but it does fit very well for the feds and romulans.

posted on September 9th, 2009, 7:32 pm

A tow capable ship with tons of armor but maybe no guns would be a favorable alternative for me to the Newton class in certain more combat heavy situations when I just want to get a ship the hell out of there... Also it would help when you capture an enemy vessel, many times alot of systems maybe disabled including engines. And this usually takes place right along the front lines, where are more armored tug ship would work well.

posted on September 9th, 2009, 7:38 pm

Yes, runabouts or tug boats, depending on race, should be among the support units. Still, the thought of a Klingon tug boat strikes me as... contradictory. No Klingon would want to serve in one of... those.

"I've been asigned to WHAT?!?!?!?"

May be as a punishment?

That's the whole point of Klingon Freighters, Scouts too. At least scoutships die so fast a death in battle is certain...

posted on September 9th, 2009, 8:47 pm

A runabout should never be able to tug a battleship or even a cruiser... it's engines simply can't generate enough forward momentum I would think. I guess this is why the construction ships will be regaining tractor beams

posted on September 9th, 2009, 8:50 pm

Construction tugs aren't a good idea, with the risk of enemies being around and all. Besides, a Danube Class can easily tow a ship at least as big as a Galor Class alone and without effort. Galor's aren't exactly small.

posted on September 9th, 2009, 9:02 pm

Danube Class can easily tow a ship at least as big as a Galor Class alone and without effort. Galor's aren't exactly small.

Realistically, how?

[Baleful]

posted on September 9th, 2009, 9:05 pm

Last edited by Baleful on September 9th, 2009, 9:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

A runabout should never be able to tug a battleship or even a cruiser... it's engines simply can't generate enough forward momentum I would think. I guess this is why the construction ships will be regaining tractor beams

Did you NOT see the Deep Space Nine Episode, Emissary Part II?  it doesnt get much more cannon than that.


on a side note,  I dont fully understand how the impulse engines allegdelly work, but, i DO KNOW, that in the depths of space, mass and towing weight should be irrevelent.  it might take a while to "get up to speed"  and turning could be difficult if not pre-planned. 

but that brings up another topic i started a while ago, about perhapse combining tow ships,  i.e.  1 could tow at a speed of 2,  but 2 could tow at a speed of 4.  etc.  max speed of 6.  or some ships simply take 2 ships to move. (technically, 2 ships to handle, i.e. turning and stopping)

posted on September 9th, 2009, 9:09 pm

and also dont forget the scene in( i forget what seeson) where U see a pergrine towing an excellsior....after they had lost DS9 to the dominion...maybe the season 6 opening scene? Where obrien is complaining about running from the dominion.

posted on September 9th, 2009, 9:13 pm

I don't think that was ever called a Peregrine, just a Tug. The Peregrine name was never connected to any specific design.

posted on September 9th, 2009, 9:14 pm

that was not a peregrine, look again closer, it's some kind of special tow ship