www.ditl.org

Captain Seafort wrote:Even if a dedicated assault ship were deployed (or Intrepids were used in that role), there'd still be a need for troop transports, which the Excelsiors would fill nicely - they're fairly large, are approaching obsolecence as fleet units, and there are plenty of them.

True but what I am talking about is something on the size of the Galaxy Class at least. I mean to properly defend or attack a Planet you need massive amounts of troops, proper equipment such as Heavy Vehicles, Atmospheric Fighters & Attack Craft. There will of course always be a use for the basic Troop transport platform but I want to see something that can come in in numbers (one or two of these things likely wouldn't even cut it) and deploy a freakin army under fire at once. I mean hell if we are going to build an Army lets do it right lol.

Reliant121 wrote:Would it be possible to rip out the scientific and engine equipment of an Oberth and fit it with weapons, and use it as a cheap weapons platform?

Possibly. There was a discussion about a fanon design based on a similar idea back in the early days of the forum. (Link) The result would be nowhere near battle-worthy in a fleet action, but it might be of some use as a convoy escort, or a colony defence ship for chasing off pirates.

KuvahMagh wrote:True but what I am talking about is something on the size of the Galaxy Class at least. I mean to properly defend or attack a Planet you need massive amounts of troops, proper equipment such as Heavy Vehicles, Atmospheric Fighters & Attack Craft. There will of course always be a use for the basic Troop transport platform but I want to see something that can come in in numbers (one or two of these things likely wouldn't even cut it) and deploy a freakin army under fire at once. I mean hell if we are going to build an Army lets do it right lol.

That's my point - the Excelsiors' usefulness would be as transports, LSLs to use the official term. What you're talking about are full-blown assault ships - LPDs and LPHs.

Now that I think about it even more, strap a few dozen nacelles onto Spacedock and bring that sucker into orbit... now we are talking shock & awe... lmfao

Other than the slight problem that the thing dwarfs a Borg cube. The Feds don't have any starship bigger than a Galaxy. I know (or hope) you're taking the piss, but come on.

Captain Seafort wrote:Other than the slight problem that the thing dwarfs a Borg cube. The Feds don't have any starship bigger than a Galaxy. I know (or hope) you're taking the piss, but come on.

Yes it is sarcasm but some type of Station in orbit to support a major operation would be cool. On a side note what does "I know (or hope) you're taking the piss" mean?

KuvahMagh wrote:some type of Station in orbit to support a major operation would be cool.

The theory's certainly an interesting one, although the Spacedock design is too big to be used as a space-Mulberry. Starbase 375 would be a better bet.

On a side note what does "I know (or hope) you're taking the piss" mean?

As you said - sarcasm. You can never be too sure on the internet.

That's my point - the Excelsiors' usefulness would be as transports, LSLs to use the official term. What you're talking about are full-blown assault ships - LPDs and LPHs.

Pretty much, these things would have to be massive in order to carry everything. Something like the Excelsior wouldn't really be big enough. According to DITL the standard Excelsior (of which we see every time save 2 occasions) can evacuate 8,500 at its limit. That is just people, no equipment, weapons, supplies, vehicles etc. They would realistically be limited to 2-4,000 maximum if you are carrying Heavy Vehicles and equipment that they need to survive. With these numbers you would need 5-10 Excelsiors to mobilize what the US Military did during the Troop Surge (20,000), in order to transport their Invasion Force you would require 62-124 Excelsiors and that is just a single Country, for a Planet you need a significantly larger force. The Excelsiors might be useful for small scale actions but the Feds need something much larger or in extremely large numbers.

Captain Seafort wrote:

KuvahMagh wrote:some type of Station in orbit to support a major operation would be cool.

The theory's certainly an interesting one, although the Spacedock design is too big to be used as a space-Mulberry. Starbase 375 would be a better bet.

On a side note what does "I know (or hope) you're taking the piss" mean?

As you said - sarcasm. You can never be too sure on the internet.

Yeah, but I can dream. Obviously Spacedock is too large to cart around but when you think about the requirements for this thing your likely going to be getting pretty close. A 375 would provide a good command base, particularly so if you control the space around the Planet but I'm not sure that it can really support a major operation.

As a transport the Excelsior is fine - as you say, they should be able to carry a full armoured or mechanised brigade (if Starfleet ever creates such a thing ), with all its equipment. If they stick to their current light infantry forces, one ship should be able to carry a couple of brigades each. It's true that you'd need hundreds or thousands to supply a proper invasion force, but that should be well within the capabilities of an interstellar power.

I still don't think the Excelsior would work as a real solution, its more of a bandage, especially considering that they are likely coming to the end of their service lives based on their Hull's. It may be able to carry that Brigade of yours (Which I think is stretching it) but will they have the space for the armoured shuttles needed to deploy it, the supplies to keep it in the field for more than a few days, I don't think theyw ill. Of course they could bring along supply ships to help out but then you must also increase your escort detail to cover them. Basically in a pinch they will work well enough but if the Feds ever get into a situation against a proper Ground Army they will still be grasping with these. Starfleet needs a purpose designed vessel to carry out this mission, especially for the leading edge where securing your 'beachhead' is critical to the whole affair. I just don't see that the Excelsior would provide enough troops fast enough. If you just plan on landing a stream of Troops then the enemy could just kill them off as they land in relatively small numbers much like we concluded the Feds would had the Dominion tried to invade the Alpha Quadrant in that WotW.

KuvahMagh wrote:It may be able to carry that Brigade of yours (Which I think is stretching it) but will they have the space for the armoured shuttles needed to deploy it, the supplies to keep it in the field for more than a few days, I don't think theyw ill.

Of course not, and they don't need them. I don't think you've grasped the fact that I'm proposing the Excelsior as a troop transport, to move forces around, not as an assault ship.

Aye, it doesn't have the room on board to hold enough shuttles to disembark all the troops it can carry quickly enough, but it can still be pretty useful in simply moving those troops around. It's better than just scrapping them all, anyway.

Captain Seafort wrote:

KuvahMagh wrote:It may be able to carry that Brigade of yours (Which I think is stretching it) but will they have the space for the armoured shuttles needed to deploy it, the supplies to keep it in the field for more than a few days, I don't think theyw ill.

Of course not, and they don't need them. I don't think you've grasped the fact that I'm proposing the Excelsior as a troop transport, to move forces around, not as an assault ship.

I agree they would work as a Troop Transport but what I am saying is that at the same time the Feds need something that can support an invasion.

Rochey wrote:Aye, it doesn't have the room on board to hold enough shuttles to disembark all the troops it can carry quickly enough, but it can still be pretty useful in simply moving those troops around. It's better than just scrapping them all, anyway.

Providing the hull is good I agree with you though if that is the case I really don't see any reason for them to not continue in their original role as Explorers, they may not have top of the line equipment but I am sure that they are still useful in the role. The Mirandas on the other hand, Starfleet seems to have enough new ships of their capabilities to relegate them almost completely to the Fleet Auxiliary as it were. If it weren't for the Dominion War I expect that would be the case, either that or outright scrapping which by this point would make sense since I am sure their Hull's are reaching the end of their lives.

The problem with using them as explorer ships is simply that they're old, and thus filled with sub-standard science equipment and engines. They'd have to refit the entire thing to make it anyway useful in such a role. whereas they already have plenty of explorer ships lying around.