Shuttlecrafts

posted on January 2nd, 2012, 2:11 pm

I could imagine a Runabout being used to raid, though not as good as a starship. They'd probably end up being used like a fighter would in battle; supporting the bigger ships that actually do the work.

If Starfleet decieded to mass-produce the Flyer (unlikely, I think Voyager is still lost here, isn't it?), the new ones would be weaker than the original. Budget restrictions, the bane of the production line...

posted on January 2nd, 2012, 2:44 pm

Intelligence Report: United Federation of Planets - The Hitchhiker's Guide to Fleet Operations

Here it is stated that the Avalon is fielded at about the time Voyager returned through a Borg Transwarp hub so the Delta Flyer design specs are available for mass production.

The delta flyer had a lot of plots behind it so to compare the actual specs to a Danube is difficult.
What is known is that both had more cargo space than regular shuttles.

Put either one up against a cruiser or above and it'll die, but like a scout it won't be a 1 shot 1 kill either. The strength of a Danube and/or Delta Flyer should be in its strength and avoidance.

Put them to work as a little more durable scout or light raider against mining and they could fill a nice niche in the FO gameplay. Give them an ability to increase avoidance against all types and they can be very useful.

posted on January 2nd, 2012, 8:25 pm

The Delta Flyer would be a Borg mixed tech ship - albeit a bad one that no one would ever build.

As for shuttlecraft defending the starbase, that sounds awfully similar to the proposed fighter upgrade... only worse.

This isn't Star Wars, folks. Small combat ships exist only in a very limited role for a reason: beam weaponry doesn't miss. They're all damn near useless, and piloting one is tantamount to suicide.

posted on January 2nd, 2012, 10:10 pm

And what's that tell you about all those attack fighter pilots?
Though, they do make a lovely screen against stray shots. If only they weren't so few.

posted on January 2nd, 2012, 10:38 pm

I like to imagine that the pilots are all photonic projections played by Robert Picardo.

posted on January 2nd, 2012, 10:40 pm

I could only think of more shuttlecrafts for eye candy in FO. The strongest scout(NoQ'Duj) does ridiculous damage to everything - shuttles would have to be even worse. However, I think it would be interesting to see some shuttles that transport personnel from a starbase to a yard right before a ship is finished, or escape pods after a battle, or work bees that actually do repair a base after a battle(again, only eye candy) or even some shuttles that move out for defense - but do only small damage/ keep away some fire from the station. It would be interesting if they could evade beams.

posted on January 2nd, 2012, 10:44 pm

I think a shuttle could, if properly outfitted, get a miss rate on beams. They are tiny. Add stealth tech, and it would be like hitting a fly with a laser pointer.

I imagine the fighters are drones. Computer controlled, and managed from the mothership's bridge.

posted on January 2nd, 2012, 10:57 pm

That is the only reasonable assumption if you don't want to reduce the ship's crew by one or two every time you've got a launch.
And I seriously don't want to point out the issues with that.

...Add stealth tech, and it would be like hitting a fly with a computer guided laser pointer mounted on some serious mechanisation.

I hope you can see why that suggestions shoots itself down before it even leaves the deck.

posted on January 2nd, 2012, 11:01 pm

Federation ones are probably drones, Dominion wouldn't care enough to bother with that high-tech idea.

Just give a Fighter/Shuttle the Sabre's Tiny ECM, slightly good against Pulse and Torp without affecting beam.

posted on January 2nd, 2012, 11:27 pm

Just give a Fighter/Shuttle the Sabre's Tiny ECM, slightly good against Pulse and Torp without affecting beam.

I'd say shuttles/fighters get an enhanced tiny ECM, with a higher percentage of dodging pulse-weaponry than with the tiny ECM. A hit would deal 75% increased damage though.^^

posted on January 3rd, 2012, 12:33 am

I think a shuttle could, if properly outfitted, get a miss rate on beams. They are tiny. Add stealth tech, and it would be like hitting a fly with a laser pointer.

I imagine the fighters are drones. Computer controlled, and managed from the mothership's bridge.

We never see beams miss small ships; not even the Cardies, who use slightly lower-tech weapons than the Feds. If Starfleet had ECM suites 'tiny' enough to fit on small craft, they would already have done so.

posted on January 3rd, 2012, 1:18 am

In DS9 beams missed the Defiant on a regular basis - in any case Star Trek shows extremely few incidences of Fighter combat (those Peregrines were supposedly manned by 2+ people), and even fewer instances of use of shuttles for combat purposes. Some sort of scouting special would appear to be the best use of such vessels

posted on January 3rd, 2012, 1:22 am

Plot armor, Dom. We saw what happens when the Defiant gets upstaged in First Contact.

(Ironically, this was the only time the Defiant was used for its intended purpose)

posted on January 3rd, 2012, 1:33 am

Nutter, I suppose you don't understand STEALTH TECH? Serious mech and computers do nothing if your shuttle is practically cloaked. I still take the stand that shuttles as fighters are silly, I just pointed out one way it is kinda viable.

Stealth tech :

shapes, materials and coatings that make it hard to "see"
CM Computers that cause confusion in targeting scanners.
Object and devices used to distract (flares, chaff)
High speed maneuvers that make targeting difficult.

It can be hard for a fast moving object to be tracked by a larger, more cumbersome object. Take the fly example. I want to see YOU ( big brain, complex eyes, and fine motor control on your hand ) to track a FLY with a laser pointer. If it is moving, you will be able to acquire and hold it less than 5% of the time.


Next time you quote me, do not add words. Make your response clear and separate. Internet or no, I support MANNERS. Thank you! 

Beams do miss on the show, It is just rare. Most ships are not dedicated low sensor profile ships, unless they go all the way and add a cloak.

posted on January 3rd, 2012, 1:42 am

Actually in FC the Defiant avoided beams as well

In FO however, beam weapons are intended to miss very rarely.