"Federation Dreadnought competition from Studio Bergstrom!" Topic

Greetings All!

Here, once again, are some renders of another 'Trek-inspired miniature-to-be from Studio Bergstrom; a new Federation Dreadnought!

As you can see, this big bad boy is also an attempt to resolve the three nacelle issues that exist with the original Federation class Dread'. The centreline nacelle carries two sets of warp coils, each set interacting with an outboard partner. In essence, this is a four engined design.

Four torp tubes up front, two behind, and phasers all over the place! I also kept the aft-facing deflector dish from the original Federation class, working to the idea that it is not a navigational deflector, but a combat deflector generator. Possibly one that can project a shield around a trailing vessel to add to its protection.

You can see the shuttlebay has been moved to the underside of the secondary hull.

I've tried to give this ship a somewhat armoured appearance, without going 'lumpy'. Armour works best when it is smooth, not bumpy! It weighs less, too…

NAME THAT DREADNOUGHT COMPETITION

BUT — ! There is something missing from this new design… a name!

Yep, try as I might, I cannot think of a class name for this new Dreadnought.

Soooo… here's the plan: Head over to the Studio Bergstrom Facebook Page (link below), join us there (if you haven't already) and submit your idea for a name as a comment in my post announcing this new miniature.

link

Whoever comes up with the winning name will win one of the first castings of this new miniature! Huzzah!

(If more than one person submits the winning name, a winner will be chosen from amongst them by phaser duel, or, by picking a winner at random.)

Competition will end in one week. Winner will be notified via Facebook, although I will also post the winning name here.

Please note that "Dreaddy McDreadface" will not be accepted as an entry. :)

- Martin

So I guess the Naughty McNaughtface is right out as well?

USS Avenger

The center warp nacelle is built into the rear hull? My preference is all of the warp engines attached to the secondary hull. You no most of my reasons.

I can't decide if I love this design or hate it. The "four coils, three nacelles" idea is brilliant, but overall, it looks lumpy and ungainly. They say there's a fine line between genius and stupidity.

I'm with emckinney on this, I can't help thinking it would be truer to the original and the spirit of the TOS ship design principles if the double nacelle was pylon mounted from the engineering hull (and the various interior shots of the Enterprise engineering areas in TMP and TWK indicate a power conduit leading up the pylons from the warp core, which you couldn't do with this arrangement). Yes, I know its all make-believe but… :)

I should have clarified that I envisioned this arrangement as one of the first 'up the neck' warp core designs. This of course means she must need TWO Dilithium Chambers feeding plasma back to the nacelles, (one above and one below) and therefore, twice the amount of Aspirin on board for the Chief Engineer…

I did consider a simple four-nacelle design, but it was just another saucer – nacelles – secondary hull 'scratchbuild'. So I must confess to a certain amount of egotism in endeavouring to create something new, rather than play that old tune.

I was trying to avoid 'lumpyness', (sorry to hear some think I failed there,) but also trying to suggest forms that convey strength and 'muscle'. She's never going to be as elegant as a Connie, but she's not supposed to. One could argue that Starfleet doesn't do pretty warships!

I hope you'll change your minds when you see the finished miniature. But thanks for the comments, all! :)

USS Inanna

Yes, I have my reasons, namely Inanna was the Sumerian goddess of love and war… this opens the door for sister ships named USS Athena, USS Hachiman, USS Huitzilopochtli, etc…

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
silent-death.mx

That's interesting, Leland… most interesting…

* Goes off thinking deeply, walks into open Jeffries Tube, falls down three decks*

How about something from Horatio Hornblower

USS Indefatigable

How about something from Horatio Hornblower

USS Indefatigable

Not just HH, Indefatibable was one of the ships of which Beatty was speaking 'something is wrong with our bloody ships…' as one of three battlecruisers that blew up at Jutland.

Hmmm… may have to rethink that name.

Also, Martin wants entries on Drew's Facebook page, so I won't be entering.

Doug

This isn't the only place to enter your names for this new class of ship Doug, there are several other websites that he posted this, and all of them will be considered.

Do you have a problem with Facebook or me, Doug..?

Drew, you are a scholar and a gentleman; we've done business several times, and always, it's been a pleasure.

I just don't have, nor desire, an FB account.

I'll be cogitating an entry or two. Do relish the idea of a phaser duel!

Doug

USS Andromeda, first of the Galaxy class dreadnoughts.

I like Andromeda!

I was trying to think of a 'real life' version of BWP. Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher, Boudicca, QE I, etc.

Doug

Has anybody ever actually used the name Dreadnaught for a Star Trek universe ship class, so `USS Dreadnaught`?
I know `Avenger` was supposed to be a Miranda class variant in some sources so that rules out one name.
`Galaxy` class would conflict with TNG`s `Enterprise-D` though `USS Andromeda` isn`t bad.

I seem to recall a 'Galaxy class' fanship from the TOS / TMP era, made before TNG hit the screens. There's always the possibility of a class name being repeated a century or so later. Such a thing certainly happened in the RN more than once.

Like the idea of a class named after historically significant women, Doug.

Keep 'em coming, people!

USS Guardian

Hey how about Yamato that was a Galaxy class ship?

Might have known you'd suggest the Big Y, Captain! :D I couldn't mount a wave motion gun on my design though… ;)

MacrossMartin I think I had to and the Yamato is almost as iconic as the Enterprise IMHO:).

Definitely "Dreadnought."

I would love to go Protector as a goof on the ship from Galaxy Quest and because it is a strong name for a strong ship for a navy that still holds to its "not a military" angle.

This allows other vessels to be named "Defender" "Guardian" or after famous defenders of history "Jim Buoy", "Leonidas" etc.

-Eli

Well thought-out, Eli. Certainly fits with my thoughts about Starfleet in the context of the Federation's philosophy and attitudes.

I 'served' on USS Protector (A Chapter of the Starfleet International fanclub) in my misspent youth, but I wonder if the Galaxy Quest connection might be too strong…

for a navy that still holds to its "not a military" angle.

Whereas I would say something not 'protector'. There was a Horizon; something suggesting 'far horizons' as exploration is supposed to be key.

Still, 'exploration, spoken softly, with a big stick', would be good, but a bit long. ;->=

Dreadnought, or Dreadnaught, or Fearless suggests the same. Dread nothing has the religious context, which is for or against depending on the individual.

Doug

MacrossMartin,

I leave the decision to you. Lobbying seems outside the spirit of this "competition"

-Eli

If you saw my comment as lobbying instead appropriate discussion, my apologies.

I shall hold further comments until after the announcement, then discuss.

Doug

I don't think that Doug was lobbying, his suggestions were fine by me. However, I think that in TOS they went for historical warship names, while ST:NG had a bit more outside that norm. Not that there is anything for or against either naming convention, and I'll leave the final decision to Martin on the name finally chosen.

Nothing of the sort. I was referring to my own post and Martin's response to it. No judgement on anyone else

-Eli

Three nacelles? USS Eccentrica, after a well-known Douglas Adams character.

The only sister ship that immediately comes to mind is USS Phryne, but I'm sure others could be found.

If you still have not submitted your idea for a name, please be aware that the competition ends in about 14 hours.

I'll say now, however, that I'm very grateful for everyone's submissions, and your thoughts on this and the other designs. Still a few to go, so keep watching!

- Martin

We have a winner!

Congratulations to Ken Wang from the Studio Bergstrom Facebook group for naming the new Federation Dreadnaught class – Taurus!

I liked Ken's observation that the Bussard collectors atop the primary hull looked like horns. And of course, the signs of the zodiac are also stellar constellations, so they fit nicely into a 'feel' of a Federation that does not wish to appear warlike. (Even if they do build ships with six torp tubes and so many phaser turrets they look like a bad case of Andorian Measles…)

Ken will receive one of the first castings of the Taurus class, but I will leave it to 'Drew to inform us when the miniatures will be available.

Honourable mentions for TMP'ers: Leland for USS Inanna, and Eli for the very appropriate Protector. I have more ships planned for this range, so don't be surprised if those names appear sometime soon!

Thank you all for participating in the competition. I think we might have to do this again!

Stay tuned this weekend for another Federation ship – the Arrow class – before we return to Klingon space to see what their shipyards have been up to…

- Martin

Pass my congratulations on, as well!

Doug

Welcome Taurus-class Dreadnought

-Eli