Ferengi Marauders

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

How come we never saw Ferengi Marauders and Ferengi military like we did on TNG? I'd have loved it if the Defiant had been aided by a giant Ferengi Marauder commanded by a somewhat confused Grand Nagus Zek. The pilot and tactical officers just winging it. lol

 

[Oddish]

The Ferengi probably didn't want to take sides. They preferred to let the two sides fight it out, then do business with the winners.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

That didn't stop them from going at it with the Enterprise-D on several occasions.

 

[Dukhat]

My opinion? By the time of DS9, the Ferengi were no longer believable as any kind of real adversary like the Romulans and the Cardassians. Therefore, showing a Ferengi vessel that was absolutely meant to be a warship wouldn't have fit the new comedy relief aesthetic for them.

On a related subject, I always felt that a better ship design for the Ferengi (back during early TNG when they were supposed to be traders) would be a ship that resembled the World Trade Center towers, like the Tohoku class from Firefly:

https://firefly.fandom.com/wiki/Tohoku_Class

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

What about the Ferengi Marauder from VOY "Inside Man?"

 

[Dukhat]

What about the Ferengi Marauder from VOY "Inside Man?"

What about it?

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Therefore, showing a Ferengi vessel that was absolutely meant to be a warship wouldn't have fit the new comedy relief aesthetic for them.

It worked on VOY.

 

[Dukhat]

It worked on VOY.

But this is the DS9 forum.

 

[Tosk]

The Ferengi probably didn't want to take sides. They preferred to let the two sides fight it out, then do business with the winners.

Rule of Acquisition #34.

 

[Oddish]

Precisely.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

The Ferengi were created to be the next "big bad" on TNG, so they needed warships that could go toe-to-toe with the Enterprise, but when that plan failed miserably DS9 was given more freedom with the species, so they went with turning them into more cunning and devious businessmen which made them a far more interesting species than just a moustache-twirling villain. As for why we didn't see the Marauders outside of TNG, there was really no need for them, the Ferengi wouldn't pick sides in any conflict so their warships would likely be used to safeguard their borders and shipping lanes from those that wanted a cut of their profits.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I think it gets to a few lines from the show. In The Nagus when he goes off about how the Ferengi need to be able to approach the GQ with a fresh reputation. And then Quark's line about how no Ferengi ships have ever been stopped in the GQ.

The Ferengi smartened up and stopped crapping where they eat. They learned that attacking the Federation is short sighted when they need to be ignored by the Federation to access all that gamma profit.

 

[Oddish]

Rule of Acquisition #177: Know your enemies ... but do business with them always.

 

[Timo]

It would have been fun for DS9 to take the opportunity and introduce some sort of a midsize Ferengi vessel, for the less militant breed of 'em merchants. I'm fine with Quark's Treasure and with the Nagus opting for a personal limousine rather than a giant yacht, but giving a bigger ship to Brunt or, say, Gaila would have enriched the scenery. And with the model, perhaps the Ferengi would have more often appeared as visiting bit players or other supporting cast, instead of Bolians or the like getting name-dropped without even having a distinctive ship design of their own.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Kraig]

You sell to one side, let the other side know their enemies have new weapons and now need to buy defenses for those weapons... that you just happen to have available, if you have the right amount of gold pressed latinum.
Repeat the cycle enough times and you can buy your own moon.

 

[Oddish]

Assuming your customers don't blow it up when they find out what you were doing.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Assuming your customers don't blow it up when they find out what you were doing.

Then they'd need to find another weapons supplier in the middle of a war.

Much easier to bribe the Ferengi to only supply them.

 

[Oddish]

Then they'd need to find another weapons supplier in the middle of a war.

Much easier to bribe the Ferengi to only supply them.

But if they don't find out until after the war is over (and don't need your weapons anymore) then they can turn your moon to gravel with impunity.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

But if they don't find out until after the war is over (and don't need your weapons anymore) then they can turn your moon to gravel with impunity.

If a Ferengi is selling those weapons, it'd be a smart choice to save some to defend their base of operation (not to mention what they've spent all that latinum on), possibly with a heavily augmented and refitted Marauder or two.

 

[kkt]

If a Ferengi is selling those weapons, it'd be a smart choice to save some to defend their base of operation (not to mention what they've spent all that latinum on), possibly with a heavily augmented and refitted Marauder or two.

Isn't there a rule of acquisition about "There is a lot of latinum to be made selling weapons, but keep your best weapons for yourself"?