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Thinking about the start of the movies for this weeks poll got me thinking about the Kobayashi Maru test. Canonically we only see what Saavik does, though I know many books have explained what other characters did in the test, usually trying to have their Captain do something novel and unexpected. I'm curious about what YOU would do faced with this test? Can you think of a reasonable way to beat it, given that it's designed to be unbeatable?

For me, my first thought is that I'd simply never respond to the distress signal. I'd note receiving it in the log, send a dispatch to Starfleet, and continue on my planned course. Whilst I haven't "won" in terms of saving the Maru, I have preserved my own ship and crew and I've done so by actually obeying the neutral zone treaty rather than breaking it as Saavik does. I'd call that a victory, of sorts, and at the very least it's not a lose. I don't really see how the simulation could turn this into a failure, short of the Klingon fleet just arbitrarily crossing the NZ and attacking me for no reason.

So what would you do?

GrahamKennedy wrote:For me, my first thought is that I'd simply never respond to the distress signal. I'd note receiving it in the log, send a dispatch to Starfleet, and continue on my planned course. Whilst I haven't "won" in terms of saving the Maru, I have preserved my own ship and crew and I've done so by actually obeying the neutral zone treaty rather than breaking it as Saavik does. I'd call that a victory, of sorts, and at the very least it's not a lose. I don't really see how the simulation could turn this into a failure, short of the Klingon fleet just arbitrarily crossing the NZ and attacking me for no reason.

So what would you do?

I'm sure there are some who do just this. What I'm wondering is what Starfleet thinks of this result. This isn't the sort of "no-win situation" Kirk talks about, but he also describes it as a test of character.

I wonder what would happen if the "captain" radios Starfleet (or the nearest authority, at least), come to think of it.

I wouldnt pass into the neutral zone, I'd just sit my ship on the edge and send out a message to the Romulans until they responded with the ok to go in and help or something.

Teaos wrote:I wouldnt pass into the neutral zone, I'd just sit my ship on the edge and send out a message to the Romulans until they responded with the ok to go in and help or something.

Ahem... it's the Klingon neutral zone It still existed in STII

Of course, that's another question: what happened to this part of the test once the Klingons became (admittedly grudging) allies?

Not entering the Neutral Zone to save the ship might not constitute losing, but it's not really a victory either, just one possible course of action - none of which seem to be better then the others.

If you enter the zone and no Klingons turn up, you will most likely probably be hailed a hero. If the Klingons do turn up and destroy you, you'd probably be blamed for the loss of your ship and risking a war with the Klingons for entering the zone.

Judging by Spocks reaction (assuming he wasn't acting), he wasn't expecting Saavik to go into the zone after the ship. Aside from entering the Neutral Zone or not entering it, I'm not sure what other choices are there. Running at first sight of the Klingons maybe (not sure why the Enterprise failed to escape - that first hit from the Klingons seem to do a hell of a lot of damage). Maybe some refused to leave the ship behind and stayed to fight.

I've often wondered what Kirk did the first couple of times. And why did he take the test 3 times anyways, did he retake it twice by choice because he refuse to accept defeat?

Captain Picard's Hair wrote:Of course, that's another question: what happened to this part of the test once the Klingons became (admittedly grudging) allies?

They probably just changed it to the Romulan neutral zone - maybe someone did a Picard and took a couple of cloaked Klingon ships as backup.

Not entering the zone = leaving UFP citizens to die. I'd call that a loss. I think I'd attempt to help, once assistance or advice wasn't forthcoming, & go down fighting to save my ship & the freighter. After all, it's not a test of whether you can beat an unbeatable situation; it's a test of how you stand up to such a situation.

I'd do some reprogramming (I am not above cheating, esp if it is "unwinnable").

Aside from that... probly same as Mikey.
Though I did try something similar in Bridge Commander. In that I used my tractor beam to push one ship into another.
At one point, I also ejected my core and rammed it into an enemy ship.
Both of these tactics could show up if I really did do the KM scenario.

For those who have read the New Frontier books (specifically "Stone and Anvil") the Mackenzie Calhoun solution seems pretty effective.

He entered the NZ, and when Romulans decloaked either side of the Maru, he targeted the Maru itself - specifically the engines and fuel supply. The resulting explosion took out two warbirds. His rationale was that since it would have taken hours from the KM to reach that point from where it struck the mine, it was a Romulan trap, and the crew were already dead or prisoners.

Captain Seafort wrote:For those who have read the New Frontier books (specifically "Stone and Anvil") the Mackenzie Calhoun solution seems pretty effective.

He entered the NZ, and when Romulans decloaked either side of the Maru, he targeted the Maru itself - specifically the engines and fuel supply. The resulting explosion took out two warbirds. His rationale was that since it would have taken hours from the KM to reach that point from where it struck the mine, it was a Romulan trap, and the crew were already dead or prisoners.

Sounds resonable if not 100% safe.

Captain Seafort wrote:For those who have read the New Frontier books (specifically "Stone and Anvil") the Mackenzie Calhoun solution seems pretty effective.

He entered the NZ, and when Romulans decloaked either side of the Maru, he targeted the Maru itself - specifically the engines and fuel supply. The resulting explosion took out two warbirds. His rationale was that since it would have taken hours from the KM to reach that point from where it struck the mine, it was a Romulan trap, and the crew were already dead or prisoners.

Clever... although something doesn't quite sit well with me having a novel character beating the test...

Not knowing what it was, I'd probably rush in and get blown to hell.

Sounds very risky. It depends on both warbirds being in close proximity to the KM.

I'd probably just hang back on the edge of the NZ, radio Starfleet with a report on what's happening and wait for either permission/orders to move in and investigate or continue with my previous assignment and leave the ship for dead. I'd not risk my crew senselessly without explicit orders to do so.

I like the way In Peter Kirk dealt with it in the novel "Sarek". At that time it was Romulans in the test. Before they fire he challenges the Romulan commander to a ritual duel using an obscure Romulan law. Battle between the two sides is prohibited until the duel is over, so Peter goes and beams aboard the Romulan flagship, instructing his crew to beam the survivors off while he delays the Romulans. His ship escapes, with Peter basically sacrificing himself to save both ship and all the civilians.

As clever as these sneaky tactics maybe, dont they kind of go against the purpose of the test? As I understand it, it isn't supposed to test if you can win, but to test how you deal with losing.

The novel "Kobayashi Maru" (The 1980's one, not the newest Enterprise novel) had a great solution from Scotty... I won't give it away, but check for it online of you're curious.

I'd send a report to starfleet about the situation, send in a small probe with just enough range to reach the Maru(so it doesn't look a spy attempt by opposing forces) and hold at the border for orders or unless the data from the probe suggests that the Maru is in immediate danger like radiation leaks or something. If it was in immediate danger, I'd send a report to Starfleet that after an assessment of the situation I can't wait for their orders and am going in on my orders alone. I'd have the comm broadcasting a constant signal indicating our mission and purpose in the zone, and ask the deities to protect me as I go in and hope for the best.