Because the steps are simple enough, I'll create a ship for the TOS, movie, and TNG eras. For TOS, the ship will be in service during the same time as Kirk commands the Enterprise. The movie era is set around The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, and The Voyage Home. The TNG ship will serve after the return of Voyager. Years will become important, so I'll select 2268, during the run of TOS, 2284 for the movie era, and 2379 for TNG.
First thing, the ships' classes. The core game only has the Constitution-class from TOS, so that's the choice. There's more choice for the movie era, including the Excelsior and the Constellation, like Picard's Stargazer. However, I have another idea in mind, so I will use the Miranda-class, like the Reliant. Finally, the class I want to use for TNG is the /Nova/-class. Since it will become easier to use ship names to refer to them, the TOS era ship is now the Hood, the movie era is the Alouette, and the TNG is the Zodiac. Note that the Hood appeared in the episode, "The Ultimate Computer", so some decisions will be based on what happened.
Next, I'll grab the base stats for the ships. Each class has its own starting values for the systems, plus bonuses for each department. The main thing that stands out for me is that as the eras progress, the base capability improves. The Alouette is more advanced than the Hood and the Zodiac eclipses both despite being a smaller ship.
Now, the mission profile, or what the ship's primary mission will be. I want the Hood to be similar to the Enterprise, the Alouette to be more of a patrol ship along Klingon and Romulan borders, and the /Zodiac/ to be a long-range explorer. After looking over the available profiles, I make the decisions. The Hood will be a Multirole Explorer. This gives an even spread among the different departments, able to handle anything that crops up. I can also choose a talent, taking Redundant Systems. The Alouette gets Tactical Operations, providing a boost to Security at the expense of Science. Given the border, the talent taken is Fast Targeting Systems; the ship will need to target cloaking vessels quickly before they're lost to sensors. Finally, the Zodiac takes Scientific and Survey Operations, granting a bump to Science at a cost to Security. The talent taken here is Avanced Research Facilities.
The ships may be due for refits. In general, ships get a refit every ten years in service, allowing for improvement in systems. The /Constitution/-class was first commissioned in 2245, the Miranda-class in 2274, and the Nova-class in 2368. This means the Hood gets two refits, the Alouette has just received her first, and the Zodiac has had one refit. For the Hood, I will choose Sensors, allowing her to explore more efficiently, and Structure, to better withstand the dangers of space. The Alouette is fresh out of Spacedock with improved Weapons, all the better to stop marauding ships. The Zodiac, being a long-range scout, will get a Sensors refit.
Ships should have a number of traits equal to their scale. The Hood and Alouette should have four, the Zodiac three. All three need to add traits. For the Hood, I'll add Improved Power Systems, giving her the ability to gain more power. The Alouette needs two talents; the first will be Improved Damage Control, since it's expected to get into a battle. The second is Improved Impulse Drive, making the ship more maneuverable when evading fire. The Zodiac just needs one more; I'll take High Resolution Sensors.
A few final touches are needed. The main one is determine shield power, which is Structure plus Security. The Hood, despite being older, still has the best shields with a power of 12. The Zodiac has the lowest despite being the most advanced of the three, with a power of 9. Available power starts at the Engines rating. The three ships have similar weapons, though the Zodiac has an array much like the phasers on the Galaxy-class.
USS Hood
Mission Profile: Multirole Explorer
Refit: Sensors, Structure
Scale: 4
Systems
Comms: 7
Computers: 7
Engines: 8
Structure: 9
Sensors: 9
Weapons: 8
Departments
Command: 3
Conn: 2
Security: 3
Engineering: 2
Science: 3
Medicine: 2
Shields: 12
Talents
Rugged Design
Modular Laboratories
Redundant Systems
Improved Power Systems
Weapons
Phaser Banks
Photon Torpedoes
Tractor Beam (Strength 3)
The Hood is state of the art for her era. Her mission, to explore strange new worlds, is one she can do with a good crew.
USS Alouette
Mission Profile: Tactical Operations
Refit: Weapons
Scale: 4
Systems
Comms: 8
Computers: 8
Engines: 8
Structure: 8
Sensors: 9
Weapons: 10
Departments
Command: 3
Conn: 3
Security: 3
Engineering: 2
Science: 2
Medicine: 2
Shields: 11
Talents
Extensive Shuttlebays
Fast Targeting Systems
Improved Damage Control
Improved Impulse Drive
Weapons
Phaser Banks
Photon Torpedoes
Tractor Beam (Strength 3)
The Alouette is more of a scrapper. She'll surprise a Klingon or Romulan captain with her capabilities.
USS Zodiac
Mission Profile: Scientific and Survey Operations
Refit: Sensors
Scale: 3
Systems
Comms: 10
Computers: 10
Engines: 9
Structure: 8
Sensors: 11
Weapons: 8
Departments
Command: 2
Conn: 2
Security: 1
Engineering: 3
Science: 4
Medicine: 2
Shields: 9
Talents
Advanced Sensors
Avanced Research Facilities
High Resolution Sensors
Weapons
Phaser Arrays
Photon Torpedoes
Tractor Beam (Strength 2)
The Zodiac is a science vessel. She's out of her league if she has to get into a fight, but her sensors should give her warning of any potential danger.
The ships are viable for their missions. The Zodiac shouldn't be on patrol anywhere, but that's not what she was designed for. Likewise, the Alouette isn't ready to be an explorer, but can do so in a pinch. Each vessel has a different feel, thanks to the customizations available. Another Miranda-class with a different mission profile will be different, thanks to the talents and refits.
Today, over at Psycho Drive-In, a hiatus week
Saturday, over at The Seventh Sanctum, Wonder Woman (2017).
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