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Starfleet

Posted: 28 Jan 2012, 09:53
by nemarsde
Although Memory Alpha and Memory Beta are excellent Star Trek encyclopaedias, Crisis Point isn't strictly speaking, a Star Trek game. It's based on the 2009 film, Star Trek, which is already separate to the main continuity.

This topic will be your Crisis Point reference document.

Races

Posted: 28 Jan 2012, 10:00
by nemarsde
Most 23rd Century scientists believe that the galaxy was seeded by one Progenitor race, and that it was humanoid. There are many human, Klingon and Vulcan-like races in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, some are able to cross-breed.

The United Federation of Planets represents at least 120 independent states and 700 colonies. Of the multitudinous sentient races found on these worlds, only a handful serve in Starfleet.

The founding members of the Federation are Earth, Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar.

To serve on a Federation starship, potential crew members must meet certain criteria.
  • They must be humanoid and within a certain height/weight range (122 cm to 213 cm). The upper limit is a bulkhead restriction.
  • They must be able to survive, unprotected in an Earth atmosphere at room temperature.
  • They must be able to speak English within the human hearing range and read English within the human visible light range.
These restrictions are necessary for a multi-racial starship to be designed and crew to work together. The restrictions are human-centric because Starfleet was formed out of the United Earth Space Probe Agency.

Of the founding members of the Federation, only Earth was willing to volunteer its fleet as the basis of Starfleet. Regarded as neutral and political simpletons, humans were ultimately the only option acceptable to the other signatories. This is how Starfleet and the Federation Government came to be based on United Earth.

The races of all founding planets meet the above criteria anyway, but are mostly found serving elsewhere in the Federation apparatus rather than Starfleet.

Ships

Posted: 28 Jan 2012, 10:00
by nemarsde
All Starfleet ship classes have a type that summarises their combat capability. However, individual ships are typified by their mission, science or survey vessels, more often than warships.

When ships are commissioned, they will have unique configurations suited to their planned mission role. Within the Bastion-class, for instance, the USS Heisenberg might have been commissioned because Starfleet needed a new science vessel, whereas the USS Hood was probably intended as a battle cruiser.

Hermes-class scout
Single nacelle, integrated hull. Examples: USS Hermes
There are few places the Hermes-class can't go. Small, fast and agile, and fitted with a mast-mounted deflector dish, the Hermes-class has the uncanny ability to pop up where least expected. Reliant on phaser banks and R-Type torpedoes for defence, its still capable of taking on most common threats.

Church-class cruiser
Single nacelle, primary and secondary hull. Examples: USS Kelvin
For the Federation to exercise control all along its borders required a ship with unprecedented range and carrying capacity. The Church-class was this ship; featuring a single, stretch warp nacelle designed for super high efficiency, a separate secondary hull housing a fleet of 40 shuttlecraft and a navigational deflector. The Church was a massive ship for its time, and is still as large as the latest heavy cruisers. It does not have the same firepower, however. Its arsenal of phaser banks and R-Type photon torpedoes are formidable against the smaller, agile ships expected to be the predominant threat in the 2230s, but lack the dragon-slaying power of the modern Mark V photon torp.

Burke-class cruiser
Double nacelle, integrated hull, and optional boom. Examples: USS Defiant, USS Mayflower, USS Antares, USS Centaurus
The workhorse of Starfleet, the Burke-class has never been superseded. It has a small crew and tidy design that crams almost everything into the saucer section, including a 4-berth shuttlebay and an armament of phaser banks. With limited space aboard and lack of deflector dish, the Burke was intended for routine patrol, a role it still excels at. Later ships were fitted with a Mark V photon torpedo boom.
Image
USS Mayflower (NCC-1621) at The Jeffries Tube


Ranger-class heavy cruiser
Triple nacelle, integrated hull, and optional boom. Examples: USS Armstrong, USS Achilles
The Ranger-class was designed for rapid response, employing a third warp nacelle that increases acceleration and manoeuvrability at warp speed. The instability caused by the third warp nacelle makes the Ranger unsuitable for long range missions, as the demanding drift error correction is exacerbated at high warp speeds. The Ranger has no shuttlebay, with moorings provided in the aft dock of the saucer section. Shields are used for navigational deflection and there is no "snow plough", aka deflector dish. Most ships of the class are fitted with a Mark V photon torpedo boom. With its excellent short range performance and carrying twice the phaser banks of the Burke-class, the Ranger is ideally suited to star system defence.
Image
USS Armstrong (NCC-1769) at The Jeffries Tube


Bastion-class heavy cruiser
Double nacelle, primary and twin secondary hull, optional boom. Examples: USS Newton, USS Wolcott, USS Farragut, USS Hood, USS Truman
The distinct design of the Bastion-class stemmed from the need for a long range heavy cruiser, able to perform in any deep space environment without fleet support. The Bastion notably has two secondary hulls, with a fully-functioning redundant powerplant and shuttlebay, and paired navigational deflectors. Although the primary hull/saucer section is cut down to reduce the impact on speed, the Bastion is still slower at impulse and warp speeds than other Starfleet ships and presents a large target overall. Because of its extra power and carrying capacity, and its ability to plough through gas clouds and debris fields unscathed, many Bastions were fitted out as science vessels and they became best known for that role.
Image
USS Newton (NCC-1727) at The Jeffries Tube


Constitution-class heavy cruiser
Double nacelle, primary and secondary hull. Examples: USS Enterprise, USS Kongo
A culmination of the technologies developed by the D-A-C programme, the Constitution-class is a juggernaut. It has ultra high tech twin-coil warp nacelles, each with a "collider-scoop" for greater yield than older Bussard collector designs. The powerplant is monstrous, with multiple redundancy built in, and physically wouldn't fit in most other ships. This boosts the performance of the warp drive, the phaser banks and shields. The Constitution-class is also protected by an integral, all-point Mark V photon torpedo system, wide angle navigational deflector and enhanced sensor suite. It has incredible transporting ability, even under load, yet the Constitution still boasts a 32-berth shuttlebay. The Constitution-class rightly lays claim to Starfleet's flagship.
Image
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) at Modelers Miniatures and Magic

Hostiles

Posted: 03 Mar 2012, 09:14
by nemarsde
Any individual or faction can be hostile, but it's rare for the Federation to list a race as "hostile". According to the Federation Diplomatic Corps, any encounter with a member of a hostile race will likely end in violence.

The Hazard Team has access to the very latest Starfleet intelligence, and some of the information below would not even be common knowledge to starship captains, let alone the public.
  • Romulans
  • Klingons
  • Gorn
  • Tholians
  • Nausicaans
  • Kalar
  • Capellans
  • Kzinti
  • Orions*
*Not officially hostile.

Romulans

Even though United Earth fought a war against the Romulan Star Empire in the 22nd Century (Earth-Romulan War, 2155-2160), was another century before the Federation openly admitted that the Romulans were a race of Vulcanoids.

Since the planet Vulcan was destroyed by the hateful Romulan, Nero, relations between the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire have thawed, with channels of communication opening with the Vulcan High Command.

The Empire has a "green water navy", a fleet of small ships, commonly known as Birds-of-Prey because of the winged motifs painted on them. Designed for raiding, scouting and short-range patrol, Romulan Birds-of-Prey rely on power-hungry cloaking devices for defence. While cloaked a Bird-of-Prey can't power warp drive or weapon systems. For offence, these ships mount a high yield plasma torpedo that has a corrosive effect on shields. This effect can be "shaken off" by accelerating to warp speed.

It's ironic that for thirty years the Federation suspected the Empire of developing a superweapon, because of the 24th Century Romulan-Borg Narada, when in truth, the paranoid, isolationist Romulans were falling well behind in the arms race.

Their arms deal with the Klingon Empire, exchanging cloaking device technology for battle cruisers, collapsed after the Klingon fleet was annihilated in battle with Nero. The Klingons have no ships or ship-building capacity to spare.

However, as yet there has been no official end to the cold war between the Federation and Romulan Star Empire. They are still considered a threat.



The Vulcan homeworld is high gravity, with an extremely hot, dry climate and rugged, mountainous terrain. Vulcans evolved to thrive at cooler, higher altitudes, and in shaded ravines.

Compared to humans, Vulcans have immense strength granted by a type of chemical muscle that supplements the major, proximodistal muscle groups. Likewise, muscular endurance far exceeds that humans. A Vulcan or Romulan weight-lifter could lift 90 kilos on an outstretched arm, or a grown man, by the neck, off the floor.

Because of this, Vulcan fighting styles tend to utilise a rigid body with powerful but inherently slow chops and sweeping kicks to legs and midriff. Grappling techniques involve very basic compression locks, since the Vulcan grip is strong enough to ease apart joints. Vulcans are unrivalled rock climbers and jumpers, and can appear as flexible as humans. However, human flexibility is potentially far greater than Vulcan. It would take intense training and a genetic predisposition for a Vulcan to do the splits, let alone an oversplit, whereas a human would only require regular stretching.

Attacking Vulcans and Vulcanoids in hand to hand combat, a human must make their speed and flexibility an advantage. Grappling is unwise, so focus on dodging, weaving and strikes to the face and abdomen. Do not try to tire a Vulcan.

Vulcans are as susceptible to blunt, bladed and piercing weapons as a human.

Although Vulcans are notoriously resilient to radiation and poisons, there's little biodiversity on their homeworld. Vulcans and subraces are naturally more prone to diseases and infections than humans. In Vulcans themselves and Romulans, this is offset by advanced medical research.

Romulan soldiers are equipped with disruptors and elaborately embroidered uniforms, lined with ballistic mesh armour, similar to that used in the Starfleet field jacket.

Klingons

Whilst the Romulan Star Empire hides behind a veil of secrecy, but the Klingon Empire is unabashedly belligerent and imperialistic. The Empire's aggressive expansion through Beta Quadrant only stalled in the face of the Federation, and ironically fuelled a boom in Federation membership.

In the aftermath of the battle with Nero, the Klingon Empire was left with a bare-bones fleet and has been trying to rapidly rebuild. The Klingon High Council know that they're vulnerable, and have sought to improve relations with their galactic neighbours. The Federation would not have to risk open war to collapse the Empire. Without the ability to enforce its imperial will, the Empire can barely retain control of its colonies.

Fortunately, a flicker of hope was kindled when the Federation came to the Empire's aid in 2258. The Klingon code of honour dictates that the Empire cannot now strike the Federation unless they strike first, because the truce called by the Chancellor of the Klingon High Council was open-ended and hasn't been called off.

Although the Federation are now attempting to formalise the truce in an official non-aggression pact, until that time the truce largely depends on the standing of the Chancellor. For this reason, the Federation Diplomatic Corps still lists Klingons as hostile.

Heavily-armed battle cruisers form the backbone of the Klingon Empire's fleet. These are comparable to all but the latest Federation ships, using disruptors rather than "extravagant" phasers. They're also known to have been developing their own Bird-of-Prey, as a platform for the Romulan cloaking device. The Battle of Axanar (2251) proved that Starfleet and Klingon ships were evenly matched and perhaps discouraged the outbreak of war.



Klingons are built for fighting, amongst themselves and against the menagerie of savage beasts that once dominated their homeworld. It would be very much like humans evolving during the Age of the Dinosaurs. Survival unlikely.

But the Klingon race did survive, developing a thriving militaristic culture, unified by constant war.

Klingons are no stronger than humans, though they are heavier. This and their cultural emphasis on martial prowess means the average Klingon warrior is built like a gridiron football player.

Klingons are tough. They have many redundant vital organs, exoskeletal cranial protection, and a potent cardiovascular system comprising of an eight chambered heart and three lungs. Their stamina far exceeds that of humans.

Attacking Klingons and Klingonoids in hand to hand combat, a human has limited options. Gouging the eyes, chokeholds and joint-locks are most effective whilst punches and kicks are largely ineffective. It can take twice as long to choke a Klingon, so the human combatant must have excellent technique.

Klingons are notoriously resilient to blunt, bladed and piercing weapons. Decapitating and eviscerating attacks with a sharp, heavy bladed weapon are predominant in Klingon vs Klingon fighting styles, and Klingons tend to favour these attacks against humans too (when fast, stabbing attacks would be far more effective).

Klingons are just as susceptible to radiation and poison, disease and infection as humans, they just suffer for longer.

Klingon warriors are equipped with disruptors, chainmail vests and the famous d'k tahg fighting knife.

Gorn

Far to the galactic south lies the Gorn Hegemony, bordering the Mutara Nebula and lying along the corridor to Pacifica. Little is known about the Hegemony or the reptilian species that govern it. Like most races in Alpha and Beta Quadrant, the Gorn trade with Rigel and most common knowledge is based on tall-tales from Rigellian traders. An information exchange with the Klingon Empire has revealed more about the Gorn and postponed Federation colonisation in that sector.

It is known that Gorn battle cruisers are superior to most Federation and Klingon ships. Their battle cruisers have four warp nacelles (two a side) and a heavily armoured, barrel-like hull. The powerplant is likewise enlarged. Gorn battle cruisers are equipped with disruptors, staged shields and transporters. Fortunately, they're reclusive and passage through Gorn space is usually uneventful. But the Hegemony doesn't tolerate trespassing on its planets.

They are reptilian bipeds, roughly human size and shape, with prominent muzzles and gaping jaws lined with sharp, lizard-like teeth. They're almost impervious to disease and infection. You can lop a Gorn's arm off, throw the creature in a sewer, and a few weeks later it will emerge with a badly scarred but healed stump. This has led to widespread bionic modification and enhancement amongst the Gorn. A Gorn with a linear frame on hyper-boost would make even an Augment look like a weakling, being able to toss around 2 metric tons like a medicine ball, whilst sacrificing speed and mobility. Or digigrade legs with fighting spurs, for a 60 kph sprint and lethal, eviscerating kicks. Perhaps subdermal packaging, porous shock absorbency for the internal organs. Bionic compound eyes can provide anti-glare and dust protection, wider field of view and heightened motion sensing.

With their naturally tough, leathery hide and varied bionics, attacking a Gorn in hand to hand combat is to be avoided. A human combatant might decapitate one Gorn with an axe, only to find the other has a neck brace implant preventing it. Gorn fighting styles likely also vary according to their bionics.

Gorn warriors are armed with disruptors.

Tholians

The Tholian Assembly is also located in the galactic south, on the opposite side of the Pacifica corridor to the Gorn Hegemony. Whereas the Gorn only appear mindful of their planets, the Tholians are extremely protective of all of their space and have demonstrated considerable malice and cunning in expanding these borders.

The Battle of Theta Kalyb (2254) marked the official severing of all ties with the Tholian Assembly. The assault force that descended on the peaceful Federation colony was comprised of privateers in the employ of the Tholians. Theta Kalyb was one of the most brutal battles in Federation history, involving enemy air and orbital strikes against civilian settlements.

Afterwards the Tholian Assembly were warned in no uncertain terms, that any Tholian ship found in Federation space would consent to being escorted back to Tholian space or be destroyed, and any suspected Tholian privateer would be treated as a pirate.

Tholian ships have a unique design, with warp nacelles integrated into the lightweight delta-shaped hull. These small, fast ships are designed to operate in pairs or larger formation, relying on precise co-ordination to out-fight the enemy. Their hyper-efficient powerplants utilise a very streamlined buffer, and this appears to limit their ship's sustained firepower, as energy must be generated exclusively for each shot. The Tholians do have a weapon system for use against starbases, suspected to be a radion beam web, that can penetrate the shields of any slow moving target.

Hand to hand combat against a Tholian is unlikely, as they cannot survive at temperatures below 170°C. With six legs, two arms, and a crystal carapace containing fluid organs, a human attacker would be best advised to strike a Tholian from behind, straddling the posterior, allowing the human to easily avoid the Tholian's arms and apply their full weight to a piercing weapon aimed at the joint between thorax and abdomen. Bear in mind that the Tholian body temperature is roughly 260°C, it will burn any exposed human skin on contact and may ignite combustible materials. Compared to humans, Tholians are physically weak, slow and cumbersome, although they display remarkable agility in zero gravity.

Tholians are silicon-based, and breathe anaerobically. They don't eat or drink, receiving nourishment from chemical reactions in their methane-chlorine atmosphere. What humans would consider harmful radiation, poisons, diseases and infections are not applicable to Tholians.

Tholians do not use personal weapons and armour. Tholians have a natural weapon against other Tholians, the ability to emit low energy radiation at finely-tuned frequencies that can kill instantly. These form of attacks are not an immediate danger to humans. How the Tholians have thrived and not destroyed themselves with this ability can only be guessed at. They do say an armed society is a polite society.

Nausicaans

It was the Orion that made first contact with the Nausicaans, centuries ago, selling them warp technology, and the Nausicaans promptly became the bane of the Borderland star region.

The Nausicaan homeworld has no unified planetary government, and after centuries of exploitation it has become a galactic backwater, unloved by its natives, who want merely to escape.

Some Nausicaan nation states have built starships, though they tend to operate as pirates. They target commerce, be it in space or on the planet surface, and never loiter long enough for Starfleet patrols to catch them. When accused, the nation states deny all knowledge and accuse their rivals, whilst the pirates retreat to their asteroid bases. Trying to find someone on Nausicaa to take responsibility for the pirate attacks is impossible.

Nausicaans are also commonly found employed as gang enforcers, minders and bouncers. Klingons loath Nausicaans, and it's not unheard of for a Klingon battle cruiser to obliterate a Nausicaan ship crossing its path, out of sheer disgust.

Nausicaans do have a few neurological crossed wires. Nausicaans don't differentiate between pleasure and pain, it's the same sensation but with subtle, complex tastes. Naturally, Nausicaans have no compunctions about inflicting pain on others and usually enjoy it. Most races struggle not to regard Nausicaans as monsters.

The Nausicaan homeworld is slightly lower gravity than Earth; constantly swept by hurricane force winds, rains and lightning, leaving a bleak landscape of bare rock, sturdy grass and lichens and forests of a giant, thorny evergreen shrub. And that's the inhabitable zones.

Standing around 2 metres tall on average, and weighing 160 kilos, protected by a knobbly, crab-like exoskeleton, Nausicaan males are formidable combatants. Carrying a third of their weight in hard shell makes them very strong. However, a human weight-lifter could potentially attain greater strength as their muscle growth wouldn't be restricted by an exoskeleton.

Female Nausicaans are actually quite petite, around 1.5 metres tall on average.

Nausicaan shells are shock absorbent, making them almost immune to punches and kicks. Slashing at the shell, clawing it, and even battering it with a rock will only give the Nausicaan a thrill. However, the shell offers very little protection against the point of a knife, and it's customary for Nausicaan males to carry a fighting knife at all times. (The Nausicaan fighting knife has a stiletto point and saw-toothed back.) Nausicaan vs Nausicaan fighting styles usually involve ramming into each other, grappling with one hand and the mouth, and stabbing with the knife. Much like sumo wrestling with knives.

Attacking Nausicaans in hand to hand combat, a human should try to obtain a reach advantage by using a sword, axe or polearm. Failing that, exploit the Nausicaan's longer reach; get inside with a knife and stab the neck or groin, where the shell is thin and soft, and there are major arteries to be severed.

Nausicaans can stomach even the most disgusting, rotten food, and their own cuisine often reflects this. As expected, they're resilient to many poisons, diseases and infections, though not to radiation and are actually susceptible to sun burn.

Nausicaan males are always armed with a fighting knife. They avoid armour, but tend to adorn themselves in the latest fashion wear.

Kalar

The Kalar of Rigel VII have a fearsome reputation and for decades discouraged Federation involvement in the system.

Kalar are the result of an ongoing breeding programme, and genetic engineering by the long dead Masters of Orion. They do not have rights, they do not have a government or fleet of starships, they're a warrior caste, slaves owned by Rigellian nobles.

In recent times, Rigellians have been selling off their stocks to Orion traders and offworld gangsters, since the upkeep of a Kalar retinue is very expensive. Some Kalar have been used as miners and stevedores.

Kalar are giant humanoids, with prominent brows, chins and canine teeth, standing between 2.5 and 3 metres tall and weighing over 300 kilos. Trained from childhood in Rigellian martial arts, they specialise in dual-wielding sword, axe and mace techniques, attacking in what is often described as a "berserker frenzy".

The Kalar have been bred for aggression, not intelligence, but unless incited by an overseer they tend to be relaxed and even docile. They can grasp basic farming techniques and are best suited to a nomadic lifestyle.

Attacking a Kalar in hand to hand combat, a human is likely to have a severe reach disadvantage. The focus should be on disarming the Kalar, if necessary, and then attacking the lower body. A Kalar may dwarf a human, but internally they're much the same; a Kalar's knee joint is just as susceptible to attack as a human's.

A human should be mindful not to panic in the face of a berserk Kalar. A berserk Kalar is sacrificing defence and stamina, to inflict as many casualties as possible in as short a time as possible. Focus on defence and countering. Taunt, dodge, slash. Get the berserk Kalar heaving and bleeding, and they will soon tire.

Regarding poisons, diseases, and so on, Kalar are comparable in their resilience to a healthy human. However, their heritage makes them a prime target for genetically-engineered bioweapons.

As the saying goes, "Kalar aren't hard to kill, but they are hard to not get killed by."

Kalar warriors will be equipped with a variety of mêlée weapons, bearskin helmets and lamellar armour.

Capellans

One of the lost colonies of Earth, Capella IV was settled in the 21st Century by a private consortium of rich, business magnates and their entourages.

They landed on a warm, dry world with abundant plant and animal life, and would probably have thrived if they had made contact with Earth. No-one knows why they didn't, though Capellan tradition maintains they were forsaken by their homeworld.

Centuries later, the Federation found the colony. The colonists hadn't thrived. Unfortunately Capella IV is also home to many predators, particularly the infamous Capellan power-cat, a therapsid with striped fur and spines growing from its back. Weighing over 150 kilos, they can generate an electric shock of 2000 volts, conducted through their claws or spines.

The colonists had been hunted to the brink of extinction and forced to retreat to an escarpment, where they could defend their settlement. Survival brought out the worst in the colonists and they reverted to a barbaric state.

By the 2250s, the Capellans had a primitive culture, clannish and insular, constantly feuding over the meagre resources of the escarpment, but bound by a strict and surprisingly complex code of honour. Federation scientists believe the rudiments of the code were handed down by the last of the original colonists and have been built upon since. There's something almost childish about them.

The Federation has tried to help the Capellans, but so far haven't earned the trust of the clans, largely because offworlders refuse to adhere to the code. Regardless, because the Capella IV is a colony of humans close to the Borderland star region, the Federation are committed to protecting the Capellans and their culture.

The entourages of the original colonists underwent rigorous physical selection on Earth. This heritage is evident in the Capellans. Their warriors are tall, with champions often topping 2 metres. A daily regime of calisthenics and sparring, combined with a strict diet and the Capellans zealous belief in "only the strong survive", produces skilled warriors and athletes.

But these are not Spartans. The Capellans have no understanding of mass battle, and their code strongly encourages clan feuds to be resolved by duelling. Capellan duels are interesting in that throwing weapons are often used, together with large, cleaver-like knives. The latter are probably derived from machetes brought by the original colonists. In this fighting style, the thrown weapon is swiftly followed by lunging cut and thrust attacks, while the opponent is still off-guard. The aim is to kill quickly, and Capellans will usually target the chest/heart.

A human attacking a Capellan in hand to hand combat should have no specific disadvantages, but Capellan warriors are likely to be vastly more experienced than most humans. However, dirty tricks are deemed shameful by their code of honour and this is a huge advantage. A fistful of sand in the face may catch a Capellan warrior unawares, simultaneously blinding and enraging them.

Capellan warriors are armed with machetes, spears, and a chakram-like throwing weapon, the kligat. Having an abundance of plant dyes on the escarpment, they wear brightly coloured robes that denote clan affiliation. They do not wear armour and would be suspicious of the idea.

Kzinti

The Earth-Kzin Wars of 2066-2070 were United Earth's first conflict with an alien race. With covert assistance from Vulcan, Earth won the war and the Kzinti were bound by the strict Treaty of Sirius that essentially doomed them to extinction.

That neither Vulcan, Andoria or Tellar objected to the treaty is a testament to how much they cared for the Kzinti.

The Kzinti were restricted to their home world in 61 Ursae Majoris and banned from rebuilding their fleet. Internecine war followed the crippling defeat and the Kzinti were allowed to perish. There was just no place in the galaxy for them, and no-one shed a tear for the Kzinti.

Kzin were tall (over 2 metres), felinoid/ursinoid bipeds, with bat-like ears and digigrade legs, related to the smaller Caitians. Kzinti regarded all non-Kzin races as meat and females as dumb animals, which their own females were. It was really the Kzinti raiding Earth colonies, killing the men and eating the women that sparked the war.

Kzin had enlarged torsos, containing parallel cardiovascular systems, one for each side of the body, with a latticed rib cage. They also had a high incidence of telepaths. 400 kilos of Kzin, charging at 60 kph, armed with serrated war-claws and able to read its opponent's mind— To this day there is probably no more lethal hand to hand combatant in the Known Galaxy than a Kzin.

Of course, humans beat them by not getting into hand to hand combat.

Kzinti warriors were usually encountered wearing armoured space suits, armed with gyrojet weapons and war-claws.

Orions

Although any encounter with Orions will likely end in trouble, this has rarely been in the form of violence, and they are not considered a hostile race by the Federation Diplomatic Corps.

The Orion Syndicate certainly own many ships. It's doubtful that these represent a cohesive fleet.

The green-skinned Orions are a fascinating race. Although physically similar to humans, they tend to be more athletic on average due to dance being intrinsic to their social life and culture. Orions aren't fussy about music, just give them a beat they can dance to and they're happy. Orion males and females court through dance and the release of pheromones it stimulates. The female pheromone is famously so potent, even males of alien races can be affected by it. It's perhaps for this reason that Orion laws stipulate that the only females allowed offworld are slaves, so-called Orion slave girls.

Their overwhelming masculinity/femininity can give Orions an irresistible force of personality, suiting them for leadership; though being a strong leader has little bearing on whether one's a good or bad leader.

As might be expected, Orion culture is flourishing with martial arts, most of which are more akin to dance.

Orions are resilient to radiation and poisons, as their homeworld is actually quite deadly to humans, the blue-white sun will burn exposed skin, causing cancers, and most of the plant-life contains harmful alkaloids.

Ranks

Posted: 22 May 2012, 19:53
by nemarsde
There's nothing unusual about Starfleet ranks, however, aboard ship an individual's role is a greater indication of their authority and remit. For example, the Transporter Chief might be a CPO, whilst the Third Assistant Engineer is an Ens. However, transporter chief is a far more senior and vital role on the ship.

Flag officers aren't listed. Commodore is the highest ranking officer likely to be in command of a ship, and will usually have a group of ships under their command. Federation officials may have an equivalent rank based on their pay grade, though what authority they have is guided by situational expertise. The Chief Medical Officer might be a civilian, holding rank equivalent to a Lt Cdr, but outside of medical duties they'd have very little authority at all.

Typical army ranks and their responsibilty are given by way of comparison.
Starfleet Officer Ranks
Starfleet RankArmy RankResponsibility
Commodore (Cdre)BrigadierBrigade, 3 battalions, 3600 men
Captain (Cpt)ColonelRegiment, 2 battalions, 1200 men
Commander (Cdr)Lieutenant ColonelBattalion, 4 companies, 600 men
Lieutenant Commander (Lt Cdr)Major2 Companies, 300 men, Battalion XO
Lieutenant (Lt)CaptainCompany, 5 platoons, 150 men
Lieutenant Junior Grade (Lt JG)LieutenantPlatoon, 3 squads, 30 men
Ensign (Ens)Second LieutenantSupport platoon, 30 men
Starfleet Enlisted Ranks
Starfleet RankArmy RankResponsibility
Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO)Sergeant MajorSenior Regimental or Company NCO
Chief Petty Officer (CPO)Staff SergeantSenior Specialist Platoon NCO
Petty Officer First Class (PO1)SergeantSenior Platoon NCO
Petty Officer Second Class (PO2)CorporalSquad, 2 teams, 10 men
Petty Officer Third Class (PO3)Lance CorporalTeam, 5 men
Crewman (CM)PrivateGrunt

Awards and Decorations

Posted: 22 May 2012, 20:31
by nemarsde
The criteria for awards are notoriously vague. Usually along the lines of; actions/service that merit the X medal must be of such a degree to be above those required for lower medals but not meeting the criteria for higher medals. Recommending someone for an award is a bit like throwing a dart at a dartboard. Very few Starfleet and Federation awards are exclusively for combat, certainly none of the higher awards. Most can be awarded for actions undertaken in combat, but it isn't a requirement.

Individual actions

Regarding awards for individual actions, criteria flows backwards from the Medal of Honour, Starfleet's highest award. The Medal of Honour is awarded for actions "above and beyond the call of duty". Lower awards don't require this.
  • Medal of Honour
    Conspicuous bravery and resolute courage at the risk of his/her life above and beyond the call of duty. Usually awarded posthumously.
  • Star Cross
    Extreme bravery and risk of life. Often awarded posthumously.
  • Medal of Valour
    Bravery and extraordinary heroism.
Combat

These are rare indeed. Awarded only for combat.
  • Grankite Order of Tactics
    Extraordinary achievement whilst participating in space battle against an enemy of the Federation. Usually awarded with a "class of excellence", formally acknowledging the creation of a new battle tactic.
  • Citation for Conspicuous Gallantry
    Gallantry in action against an enemy of the Federation.
Distinguished service

Distinguished service awards have more specific criteria but are still extremely vague. What exactly is "exceptionally meritorious"? Surely not everyone who does a good job deserves a medal. There's no doubt that distinguished service awards are as much about who you know, as they're about what you do.
  • Karagite Order of Heroism
    Sustained acts of extraordinary heroism. Never awarded posthumously, this is colloquially known as the Survivor's Award. It is the third highest award in order of precedence, after the Medal of Honour and Star Cross.
  • Silver Palm
    Exceptionally meritorious service while in duty of great responsibility. Often awarded for successful first contacts. Multiple awards are made "with clusters".
  • Legion of Honour
    Exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding service or achievements. Usually awarded for diplomatic missions or technological innovation.
  • Surgeons Decoration
    Outstanding medical service or achievements.
  • Vulcan Scientific Legion of Honour
    Outstanding scientific achievements.
  • Prentares Ribbon of Commendation
    Bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service.