theSwede's Book of Oddities

[thescreamingswede]

ODDITIES CATALOGUE
STRANGE ENCOUNTERS AND UNIQUE VESSELS

INTRODUCTION

There have been many encounters over the decades that could only fall into a category as wide and as broad as this. Sometimes a ship shows up once and is never seen again. Others have become so repetitious that they warrant being part of a living, breathing society. Still, there are those who appear from time to time and thus have become a beloved, or feared, reoccurring character in our universe. This evolving list of designs is a culmination of those one off encounters and reoccurring characters that have been enjoyed or loathed by my group for all that time. Some were terrifying, some were humorous, and some were downright corny, but all were points of interest at some time during our games.

As I have stated before, I have way more miniatures that stretch beyond the grasp of FASA’s Star Trek than can possibly be conceived. While I consider Star Fleet Battles miniatures of the main races to be somewhat interchangeable with the FASA universe (Federation, Romulan, Klingon, Tholian, and Orion inclusive. I had actually used the one Gorn ship I got as parts for something else because I feel it is so out of touch with the FASA Gorn design aesthetic, which I think is way more in line with what the Gorn ships should be. Sorry boys.) the other races of SFB were subject to my whims. Many will be featured here and most will be instantly recognized, but generally are not representative of what they stood for in SFB.

As for other ships, they should be recognizable as well considering I was using miniatures for other games as far back as the early 80s. Again, some are close to what they were in those games, others are again subject what I needed at the time.

theSwede

[thescreamingswede]

THE CRYSTAL SHIP



First spotted at a point near the Galactic Barrier, this enigma of a vessel would become the first physical proof of a vessel traversing the void and surviving intact (the Kelvins encountered by Captain James Kirk of the U.S.S. Enterprise required the Enterprise because their ship didn’t survive coming through the barrier). It was motionless when picked up by a Federation vessel doing scientific research on the Galactic Barrier. Sensors never picked up the vessel, even though it was visually confirmed. When communication with the strange vessel could not be made, the science team attempted to scan the ship, however very little of the in depth scan registered anything at all.
The science team made most of their initial study by visual assessment. If the lack of data was confusing, the team were even more puzzled by the ships total lack of acknowledgement of their presence. Even when the small Federation science vessel closed to within a few kilometers for a more detailed, close up visual and sensor scan the alien vessel never reacted.

Being so close though did help a little in establishing some data on the ship. The sensors could not read the vessel per se; however they could establish that the space the ship occupied was reflecting a negative signal, with positive energy surrounding the vessel like an accretion disc around a black hole. This allowed the science team to establish a size and rough volume of the ship by the space it was occupying. Further analysis confirmed that the hull was comprised of an intricate lattice of crystalline material totally foreign to any science known. When viewed directly, the hull almost seemed to shimmer, emitting an almost luminescent glow.

The large sail like appendages on the upper hull seemed to be a source of power collector connected to what was thought to be a warp nacelle on the back of the ship, however the ships orientation to the barrier seemed to indicate that the ship’s bow was facing the barrier and somehow the vessel came through backwards. This assumption was eventually proven wrong when the ship suddenly started moving away from the barrier with the sails at the rear. It vacated the area at tremendous speed, going to warp instantaneously, without any significant power up sequence and was clear of the science vessels ability to track it in mere seconds.
The vessel has been spotted occasionally after that encounter in all sections of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. For a while it was randomly visiting solar systems, usually uninhabited ones. From time to time it would be encountered in orbit over a planet, where it appeared to be doing scientific research, much like we do.

Very recently though it was found that this ship has encountered both Klingon and Romulan forces, who attempted to subdue the vessel through force. It was during these encounters where the purpose of the large nacelle on the dorsal part of the ship was made apparent. It appears that it is a very powerful beam weapon of a limited arc. Reports indicate that the weapon, which fires a highly cohesive beam of pure anti-proton, vaporized several vessels caught directly in front of the ship. From the description, this beam seems almost identical to the one fired by the Planet Killer encountered by Captain Kirk.

The Federation has made several attempts to contact the ship, but so far have been ignored. They continue to track the vessel the best they can. From what can be ascertained, this ship is either on an extended exploration mission or is loitering here in the Milky Way Galaxy, waiting for something as yet to be determined.

CONSTRUCTION DATA
Model Number: Unknown
Date Entering Service: Unknown
Number Constructed: Unknown
HULL DATA
Superstructure: 104*
Damage Chart: C
SIZE: Length: 280m
Width: 120m
Height: 200m
Mass: est. 210,000mt
CARGO: Cargo Units: Unknown
Cargo Capacity: Unknown
Landing Capability: Unknown
EQUIPMENT DATA
Control Computer Type: Unknown
Transporters Unknown
OTHER DATA
Crew: Unknown
Passengers: Unknown
Shuttlecraft: Unknown
ENGINES AND POWER DATA
Total Power Units Available: 200
Movement Point Ratio: 1 to 1
Warp Engine Type: Unknown
Number: Unknown
Power Units Available: 150est.
Stress Charts: A/A
Maximum Safe Cruising Speed: Unknown
Emergency Speed: Unknown
Impulse Engine Type: Unknown
Power Units Available: 50est.
WEAPONS AND FIRING DATA
Beam Weapon Type: Phased Energy
Number: 8
Firing Arcs: 4fpa-4fsa
Firing Chart: Y
Maximum Power: 15
Damage Modifiers: 3 1 to 10
2 11 to 17
1 18 to 20
Beam Weapon Type: Anti-proton
Number: 1
Firing Arcs: Fwd
Firing Chart: Bore (See Rules)
Maximum Range: 20 Hexes
Power to Arm: Up to 200
Damage: Up to 200
Missile Weapon Type: Quantum Torpedo
Number: 1
Firing Arcs: 1fp-1fs
Firing Chart: X
Power to Arm: 1
Damage: 40
SHIELDS DATA
Deflector Shield Type: Unknown
Shield Point Ratio: None
Maximum Shield Power: N/A** (no perceived limit)
COMBAT EFFICIENCY
D: 434.7
WDF: 404 (est.)




The Mini

Ths mini is from Battlefeild Gothic, specifically an Eldar ship. At the time, I didn't know what it was but really liked the way it looked, especially because I was looking at it backwards. After a shimmering silver paint scheme with metallic blue for the sails, I flew it in backwards in the scenario I wrote about it, which pretty much is the way this introduction started. It became one of those oddities that started re-occuring the longer my group lasted. Eventually it became an ally of the player group, thus completing a decade long story arc before it moved along to its next adventure. The race that built it, the true nature of its mission, and its purpose remains a mystery to my players to this day.

[trynda1701]

Swede

Never seen that Battlefield Gothic ship before, I thought they were all similar to B5 Minbari ships with vertical rear sails, either one up and down, or one up and two down and out. I've got a few of the smaller two sail variations because I liked their design, but never played the game! Never used them in STSTCS games either!

Your model is apparently a Eldar Wraithship according to a Google search, seemingly without sails! So you've sort of made it look more Eldar with the sails, even if you're flying it backwards. But I fly Aerotech minis upside down as they look more Romulan that way!

Cool unique ship you've created here, looking forward to more of your designs here.

[thescreamingswede]

THE CONFEDERATION SHIP



This hulk of a ship instilled fear every time it appeared. As one of the last remnants of a long sundered empire, this ship’s only real purpose was to seek out and destroy anything of the race that destroyed their home and society and thus left them orphans among the stars.

Appearing during the Xytoxian Stronghold’s Attrition, this ship started systematically obliterating Xytoxian outposts the moment it arrived in the Alpha Quadrant. It showed no interest in contact with the other races and generally ignored any attempts of contact by any of the Alpha and Beta Quadrant powers, however when confronted with hostile intent it made no attempt to avoid conflict. Indeed, the Romulans and the Gorn lost several vessels to it during the Xytoxian Attrition by attacking the vessel. It was decided that all Federation personnel were to avoid hostile contact with this vessel until a proper diplomatic relationship had been established.

Heavily armed and well protected. Very little was known of the vessel, except that it carried a frightening array of weaponry technologically on par with the best the Federation had at this time. The primary armament of the ship is a massive array of photon torpedoes roughly equivalent to the Federation FP-6. The vessel also carried three massive plasma cannons, which did hideous amounts of damage similar to the Romulan version. Eight long range beam weapons rounded out the tremendous arsenal of this ship.

One of the first vessels encountered by the Federation with a warp drive on par with the Excelsior class, this highly advanced vessel was spotted regularly until the Xytoxian Stronghold was pushed out of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. The Xytoxians and this ship disappeared and were never seen again.


CONSTRUCTION DATA
Model Number: Prime
Date Entering Service: Unknown
Number Constructed: Unknown
HULL DATA
Superstructure: 73
Damage Chart: C
SIZE: Length: 282m
Width: 202m
Height: 61m
Mass: 254,800mt
CARGO: Cargo Units: 340SCU
Cargo Capacity: 17,000mt
Landing Capability: None
EQUIPMENT DATA
Control Computer Type: CC1
Transporters 5 Person: 4
15 Person Emergency: 4
20 Person Troop: 4
Cargo: 2
Cloaking Device Type: None
Power to Arm: N/A
OTHER DATA
Crew: 400
Passengers: 20
Troops: 160
Shuttlecraft: 8
ENGINES AND POWER DATA
Total Power Units Available: 102
Movement Point Ratio: 6 to 1
Warp Engine Type: CTWA
Number: 1
Power Units Available: 38
Stress Charts: D/E
Maximum Safe Cruising Speed: Warp 12
Emergency Speed: Warp 14
Impulse Engine Type: CIG-2
Number: 2
Power Units Available: 32ea.
WEAPONS AND FIRING DATA
Beam Weapon Type: CH-11
Number: 8
Firing Arcs: 1fp-6f-1fs
Firing Chart: Y
Maximum Power: 10
Modifiers 3 1 to 10
2 11 to 17
1 18 to 24
Missile Weapon Type: CP-6
Number: 18
Firing Arcs: 10f-4p-4s
Firing Chart: O
Power to Arm: 1
Damage: 12
Missile Weapon Type: CPL-2
Number: 3
Firing Arcs: Fwd
Firing Chart: M
Power to Arm: 15
Damage: See RPL-2
SHIELDS DATA
Deflector Shield Type: CSS
Shield Point Ratio: 1 to 4
Maximum Shield Power: 20
COMBAT EFFICIENCY
D: 230.4
WDF: 239.5
C.E.: 551.8




The Mini

Instantly recognizable as an Inter Stellar Concordat (I.S.C.) dreadnought, I acquired this ship from a freind in the 80s who was trying to convert me to play Star Fleet Battles (he failed). Being the only one of its kind in my collection (at the time), I wanted to make it another one of those re-occuring character ships. Since I already had a space faring race using the "concordat" name and not really up on the SFB Universe, it became simply known as "The Confederation Ship", coined by one of my players the first time they met it (I think he miss-spoke, or was trying to flex his limited knowledge of the SFB universe and got it wrong).

Nevertheless, this ship became a set piece at a time I was running an extended campaign where another fleet of ships from the SFB Universe was standing in for another race rampaging across my FASA Star Trek stage. This war, known as the Xytoxian Attrition, will be another "SETTINGS" thread I will hopefully get put up here soon, which will make this ship and its story come much more into focus.

theSwede

[Meteo Ascension]

I did MASSIVE amounts of ISC Ships, and some of the ISC Language (mainly Veltressai), starting in 2010...