In Defense of the Federation

Striderteen · Post by **Striderteen** » 2003-05-18 01:37pm

The infinitely annoying superbeing Q has just informed Starfleet Command that an invasion force from a galaxy far, far away is headed for the Alpha Quadrant and will arrive in five years. Realizing that drastic changes are needed if the Federation is to have any chance at all of surviving the coming war, the Federation Council has sacked Starfleet Command and appointed you as Supreme High Admiral over the entire fleet. For the duration of this crisis, your word is law throughout the Federation; you have complete, absolute control.

Your mission: transform the Federation into a lean, mean fighting machine that can give the Empire enough of a bloody nose that it won't come back. According to Q, the portal technology being used by the Empire is a one-shot deal; if you can stop the initial invasion, it'll be the end of the affair. If you fail, they'll construct a return gate and it'll be curtains for the entire Star Trek galaxy.

Resource-wise, you're more or less stuck with what Starfleet already has -- you can retrofit to your heart's content, but there simply isn't enough time to develop and build new ship classes. Current fleet size is 200 front-line starships, including nine Galaxy-class ships (the three surviving members of the original production run of six ships, plus six reserve spaceframes which have already been brought to operational status), twelve Nebula-class ships, six Defiant-class ships, and two dozen Intrepid-class ships; the remainder consists of older Ambassador and Akira class ships. An additional three Sovereign-class ships are currently under construction and should be operational within the next six months.

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2003-05-18 01:59pm

It's so much fun watching people who don't have a sense of scale here learn of the size of the difference we are talking about.

*sits back and watches*

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2003-05-18 02:02pm

I'm presuming Q hasn't told me the difference in power of what's coming at me...or even numbers.

Even still, upping production(to Dominion war levels at the very least if not try to push for further) would be the first thing, cutting out pointless space in the ships...and creating a ground force semi-capable would be first on the agenda.

Only 200 ships at first...I mean am I expecting a garbage scow and a Corellian Corvette to attack from the Empire?

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-05-18 02:08pm

Develop a crash program to develop as much of the special lost tech that I think would be applicable, and present it to the Empire as part of a deal to make me Imperial Viceroy. If they refuse, then use whatever phase cloak technology I can get to outfit as many ships as possible, to accompany the Empire's return trip and destroy as many inhabited star systems with ye old supernova torpedos as possible, just to spite them.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2003-05-18 02:09pm

I would try to find the largest amount of white cloth I can find. And then make a flag.

El Moose Monstero · Post by **El Moose Monstero** » 2003-05-18 02:10pm

Hmm, I dont know, I don't think that there is any reasonable way to defeat them in open combat, the only possibility I can think of (although I cant remember if it will work or not, so don't kill me if its been done and wont work), is seeing if you can't redevelop the trilithium sun killer technology, then put one in every federation system where the Empire is likely to emerge from the portal, and hopefully, you should be able to blat the star as soon as the portal begins to form. With luck, the imperial fleet wont have time to jump to hyperspace.

Failing that, a mass evacuation plan and a hell of a lot of negotiation with the other powers in the alpha quadrant, as with only a few hundred ships, the Federation is in no condition to repel an invasion force, which I imagine would contain a lot of Star Destroyers and a hell of a lot of starfighters and troops.

Anarchist Bunny · Post by **Anarchist Bunny** » 2003-05-18 02:10pm

Develop new, effective, painless, and quicker forms of suicide and then spend the rest of the time distributing it to ever person in starfleet.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2003-05-18 02:13pm

To be reseaonable...if the Empire sends anything they consider war vesel I'm screwed.

I mean a pirate gang would give the Federation a run for their money(and not on the scale of Black Sun or the Hutts.)

If the Empire is coming in with said garbage scow and Corvette...maybe.

If they decide a single ISD and some support craft my fleet is dust particles.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-05-18 02:14pm

To give you an idea, my fanfic starts with the premise of 6 times the lead time you provided, and a much larger starting force to build off of, and it still is almost certain to end in Imperial victory. the combined force you presented would probably be unable to bring down one ISDs shields, with all available onboard firepower, even presuming the Star Destroyer just sat there and took it. its been calculated that something like a thousand or more tons of antimatter combining with matter is required to bring said shields down.

paladin · Post by **paladin** » 2003-05-18 02:19pm

Starting with only 200 ships means the Federation loses.

Official numbers puts Starfleet's strength at 8,000 to 12,000. Using high end numbers, the Feds have a tough time with Imperial force. If the Imperials are limited until they have a permanent gate is established, the force they send would probably be close to the strength of a Sector Group with a Sector Army for ground operations. As stated earlier, Feds lose big.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-05-18 02:26pm

Tough time? In the same sense as the Alamo or Masada could have been considered a tough time I guess.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2003-05-18 02:28pm

consequences wrote:Tough time? In the same sense as the Alamo or Masada could have been considered a tough time I guess.

Those were remembered...this won't even be a foot note if the Empire even think this rates threat.

Striderteen · Post by **Striderteen** » 2003-05-18 02:31pm

Q hasn't told the Federation how powerful the Empire is, so you as Supreme High Admiral don't know it's hopeless. The point is, what would you do to prepare the Federation against

Starfleet has about 200 capital-class starships; the rest of that 8,000 to 12,000 figure is including things like Peregrine-class fighters and Danube-class runabouts.

Striderteen · Post by **Striderteen** » 2003-05-18 02:34pm

Oops. Moderator, please delete my previous post.

Q hasn't told the Federation how powerful the Empire is, so you as Supreme High Admiral don't know it's hopeless. The point is, what would you do to prepare the Federation against an expected invasion by a force that outguns Starfleet by an unknown but large margin.

It is my understanding that Starfleet has about 200 capital-class starships; the rest of that 8,000 to 12,000 figure is including things like Peregrine-class fighters and Danube-class runabouts.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2003-05-18 02:37pm

Then I would have to prepare them like the Borg...it's the closest analogy that I would have without further intel.

And then kiss my ass goodbye when I see the aftermath of a single battle, where I spend say 10-15 ships get blown to atoms...by a single one of their wedge shaped vessels.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-05-18 02:55pm

I'd still work on lostech, phase cloak, supernova torps, and an accelerated Genesis effect that causes the planet to explode in the Empires face are all good things to have. I'd have to presume that any entity cotemplating extra-galactic conquest will be even more capable than the Borg, and scale my efforts accordingly.

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2003-05-18 03:38pm

If I knew how powerful SW tech is, and had about 20-30 years to prepare, then there might be hope.
Maybe.
Or quite possibly not.

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2003-05-18 03:43pm

I'd gather all the riches of the universe and melt it all down into the symbol of the Galactic Empire, presenting it to them so they don't utterly obliterate my civilization when they appear.

Seriously, this sort of thing is a lost cause.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2003-05-18 03:49pm

If surrender isn't an option.

If I don't know the enemy: I turn the federation into a massive war machine.

I would also initiate a hunt for another operational Iconian Portal, and simply pop Torpedoes into/next to the reactor cores of the invasion fleet. Or use it to escape to somewhere well away from the federation. Say another galactic cluster...

And develop a version of the genesis device that turns everything to a homogenous mushy paste, mass produce it and use it in a scorched earth policy to deny them any planet of worth.

Or even better, evacuate most of the earth, then once the empire comes for it, use a genesis device that turns it into weapons grade plutonium (If that's not a critical mass) once they enter orbit.

Striderteen · Post by **Striderteen** » 2003-05-18 05:14pm

Uhm, *reactor-grade* plutonium has a critical mass of about 35 kilos.

Rye · Post by **Rye** » 2003-05-18 05:16pm

Personally i'd just say "Q, will you make us something decent to fight with?"

then use the q-made fleet to defend my galaxy. Wipe out all the annoying races while im at it too.

paladin · Post by **paladin** » 2003-05-18 05:24pm

Striderteen wrote: It is my understanding that Starfleet has about 200 capital-class starships; the rest of that 8,000 to 12,000 figure is including things like Peregrine-class fighters and Danube-class runabouts.

What do you mean by "capital class" starships? If you mean only Starfleet's heaviest units(only battleships), then I would agree with that number. If you mean all of Starfleet's combat starships(battleships, cruisers, frigates, and destroyers), that number would be too low.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-05-18 06:14pm

If capital class is by true SW standards, then the feds have 0.

FettKyle · Post by **FettKyle** » 2003-05-18 06:27pm

Have the Borg assimulate the Federation and hope the borg can make stuff rather then Assimulate things in order to advance. Being assmiulated and having a chance is better then completely annilated.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-05-18 06:39pm

With luck the upgraded Federation force will last a full ten minutes against a Corellian corvette.