An idea about Ambassador-class starships . . .

[Tsyroc]

Only tangentially related but does anyone else thing the Ambassador is a really pretty ship? It was a bit of a disappointment when I re-watched 'Yesterday's Enterprise' to realise the EC doesn't actually do anything in the episode apart from sitting there with the shit already kicked out of it.

Another reason to really want a Star Trek: New Frontier TV series would be to see the USS Excalibur strut its stuff a bit.

I really liked it as well. I also wouldn't be against some sort of New Frontier TV or video series. I'm assuming it would have to be animated to get even close to the crew in the book. Besides, Ashley Judd is a little old to still be playing Lefler at this point except as an inspiration.

[Uraniun235]

Source is aforementioned post on Drexler's blog.

Although the production sketches are nice, what would have been nicer is seeing quantum torpedoes shooting out of there during First Contact, since I only remember it shooting photorps.

Oh, definitely. I'm not invested in the thought of Akira having a buttload of torpedo tubes (I think it's a bit silly), I'm just trying to point out where they're allegedly supposed to be.

Also, check the left and right sides of the saucer in the pic you posted... see those indentations? I think those are supposed to be additional tubes, but I'm not sure.

[Stofsk]

Oh, definitely. I'm not invested in the thought of Akira having a buttload of torpedo tubes (I think it's a bit silly), I'm just trying to point out where they're allegedly supposed to be.

At first I thought it was fanon bullshit wank, but now that I see them and the production sketches I can kinda appreciate it more. It might have been better if instead of there being six aft tubes, just have two but have them able to swivel in order to better aim at adversaries. As it stands it looks like the aft tubes are only really useful from certain angles anyway. Anyway the huge number of tubes and comparatively small number of phaser strips makes the ship look like a missile cruiser.

Man the more I look at the Akira the more I love the design.

Also, check the left and right sides of the saucer in the pic you posted... see those indentations? I think those are supposed to be additional tubes, but I'm not sure.

In FC they look like they come out from just above where the navigational deflector is: