• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

New kitbash - USS Sultana

Brutal Strudel said:
Lovely work but when is that not the case? She's almost too sexy to be a tug--w/o the cargo containers, the wasp-like lines make her look like a mean attack ship. Maybe you could do a variant with cannons or even turrets mounted where the tug assemblies are.
Click to expand...
Well, isn't that the whole point of having a transport/tug instead of just a big honkin' freighter? If the bad guys show up, you dump the pods and the main ship becomes a guard dog, fast, maneuverable and able to kick the crap out of the average pirate!

Then, once the pirates are freeze-dried chunks floating through the void, you go back and pick up the pods again.

There's really no other argument for a big "transport/tug" like the FJ and later designs. Otherwise, why not just strap an engine set onto the pod... why provide a full Class-I starship?

Thoughts? Comments?
 
Hmmmm....

I wonder if a Sultana or Ptolemy could hold her own in battle? Not as well-armed as a Connie, but one can imagine...

I prefer to think that tugs like these aren't really meant to be direct-engagement combatants. They're meant to be escorted by smaller ships. That's probably why they called the Defiant an "escort" in DS9. What would really be neat is to conjure up a small- or medium-sized escort starship class for the Ptolemy or Sultana in the 23rd/early 24th centuries.

I keep thinking a reworking of Harry Doddema's De Ruyter-class might do the trick:

http://www.fleetyard.net/engineering/drawingboard/index.php

With one of these along, a squadron of Class I tugs could fly on and let the escort take care of business.
 
Those Miranda/Excelsior/Connie/Constellation era types look great.

Especially so when weathered and showing signs of wear and tear.
 
My only minor nitpick is that the secondary hull seems woefully thin compared to the rest of the components. Using the Excelsior nacelle that way was interesting, but the ship looks a little anorexic. Perhaps if you'd used two together?
 
Outstanding work, Forbin. But that's so typical with you. This is my favorite of your kitbashes so far ... she's very cinematic and looks good from every angle even with that pair of huge jugs.

Wait, I think that came out a little weird.
 
Great job. Tugs are rare and valuable ships. They're typically used in fronteer activities. They're not intended for direct conflict against 1st line warships (at least not with cargo pods) but too much firepower for a pirate or privateer to tangle with. They can be pressed into front line duty with various "battle pods", when needed. Typically these vessels are too valuable in their designed deep space cargo roles for this use though. (My little fantasy Trek world :))
 
Yeah.. I suppose this is not the kind of ship that tugs the daily mailbags from Earth to Vulcan, but rather the critical supplies to that new colony that opened up a year ago in the extreme reaches of Federation territory.

And "Dry Bulk" could perhaps be Starfleet hawk lingo for "Phaser rifles" ;)
 
Quite impressive.
Reminds me of ony of the few kitbash fan drawings which actually work:
 
Holy cow that's amazing!!!

You know looking at the older type ship, the new one could easily tow 4 pods instead of 2.
 
Wow. I wish I had the patience to put models together. I love it when I see models and kitbashes at the various conventions.

Thank you for sharing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top