Systems

The TOS / TMP Game

Lets discuss the system we need for a Star Trek flavoured game. The following are decided to be inclusive based on their prevalence in the TV shows, films and other materials. We also need to define a narrow scope which we can later expand if needed.

The period we are looking at initially is the sweet spot or late TOS and early TWOK or Undiscovered Country. For now we are not looking at TNG or DS9 systems or the early Axanar or Enterprise. This period covers the FASA ships and the Technical Manual era as well. These are the systems to cover initially with links to a more in depth page for each.

Systems

• Shields / Deflector Screens, a key system of the genre, can deflect space debris at FTL or protect the ship from projectile and beam attacks and other forms of radiation

• Impulse, tactical manoeuvres at sub-light

• Warp, long distance FTL travel some battles are at warp, Journey to Babel

• Sensors, used all the time to locate ships and see their status. Sensor locks are used for weapon targeting as in TWOK. The range in Star Trek for these is very inconsistent, detecting ships hours away in some plots

• Probes, used for more detailed sensor information, longer range than sensors, warp capable

• Tractor Beams, not used as a weapon but useful for scenarios to tow ships.

• Transporters, not used as a weapon but there are boarding actions as in The Search For Spock, this becomes more common in DS9. Basic constraint you can't beam through shields.

• Nuclear Mine / Self Destruct Charge, rare used by Romulans in Balance of Terror

• Plasma Torpedo, rare used by Romulans in Balance of Terror, sub-light only, limited range, very destructive at close range

• Cloaking Device, commonly used by Romulans and Klingons, you can't fire when cloaked or raise shields, BOP in Undiscovered Country isn't mainstream.

• Photon Torpedoes, only warp capable weapon, used by Federation and Klingons in TMP

• Phasers, common Federation beam/pulse weapon, sub-light only

• Disruptors, common Klingon/Romulan  beam/pulse weapon, sub-light only

• Web Casters, specialist Tholian weapon, mobile forcefield, sub-light only

• Computers, no high level of automation like the M1 strangely

• Fire control, locking on target happens a lot

Races

• Federation, seen in multiple episodes and films

• Klingons, seen in multiple episodes and films

• Gorn, only seen in Arena, little known

• Romulans, seen In Balance of Terror and the Enterprise Incident using Klingon ships. The BOP is meant to be a Romulan design.

• Tholians, seen once in The Tholian Web