StarQuest Online: Ticonderoga Class Heavy Cruiser
MMORPG.com StarQuest Online expert Allen Richardson writes this look at the Ticonderoga Class Heavy Cruiser in the space-based MMO.
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Following the victory of the United Systems Alliance in the war against the Klinshaya Empire in 2184 S.T.Y. , the newly formed Alliance Starfleet felt the need to both modernize and enlarge the fleet. Learning numerous lessons from Terra's aging Icarus class battlecruisers before, during and after the war, a new starship design was envisioned incorporating the newest technologies of the Alliance worlds, a design as powerful as any in known space. The keel of the first of this class of starship was laid down in Mars Orbit in June of 2187, and would be christened U.A.S. Ticonderoga in honor of the starship that turned the tide of battle during the Klinshaya attack on Terra in 2180. Currently U.A.S. Ticonderoga serves a dual role as a fleet training vessel and is attached to the Sol System defense fleet.
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Specifications:
Dimensions: 205m length, 60m height Decks: 16 Crew: 23 officers, 220 enlisted Computer type: K series Sensor System: ASP-5 Total power output: 11800 ((after aux and engine power is figured in)) Engines: AFE-E(2) Shields: ASG-I(6) Weapons: Lasers(MK-3)(4), Plasers(MK-4)(2), M/AM Missles(AAMT-3)(3) Sublight speed: Standard(.67c), Flank(.89c) Hyperdrive speed: Standard(50,000c), Flank(80525c) Full Spec chart found here: http://www.castlethornsoftware.com/wiki/index.php/Ticonderoga#Specifications
Deck layout: (This is only highlighting the important areas of the ship)
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Players’ Opinions:
The design is simple and elegant. While the texture of the skin may not be the best, you could see how this would be a efficient design of a real starship. It has everything needed to be self-sustaining, all laid out in neat and military precise rows. I’ts hard at first to find your way around, but with a few days you will get the general idea of it. This is the worst ship to work on as a engineer. Its massive size translates in a lengthy walk to get to some of the more remote systems of the ship. There is no way a small engineering crew can keep up during a battle, the Ticonderoga requires at least 3 more player crew than any other ship to be operating at maximum capacity.
Its horrific amounts of firepower will destroy anything that stays in front of it for to long. It can totally destoy a cruiser within 4 minutes of point blank firing. Its size does give it much lower acceleration and turning capabilities, allowing the smaller cruisers to outmanuever it. If you can stay on its AFT, Dorsal, or Ventral arc, it is possible for a small cruiser to defeat it. While most consider it to be invincible, using tactics will render the ship easy prey if its crew is not competent.
For the Ticonderoga crew, you have to either quickly overpower your smaller opponent, or keep it in front of you. If it gets above or behind and manages to break down your shields you will be in trouble. On the other hand, if the opponent decides to board you, you will be at a great advantage. You know where everything is, they don't. The Ticonderoga has 16 decks, some of them are as big as a small continent map on some planets. There are plenty of places where a Ticonderoga crew can make a stand against a much bigger attacking force.
If your planning on funding a Ticonderoga or two, your going to hate the costs involved. The Ticonderoga uses large amounts of anti-trituim to get anywhere. Upgrade it with AFE-G engines and you will be refueling every 150-200ly, which in the SQO universe isn't far. Your going to be paying millions per month just keeping this thing operational. The initial cost to build one is about 3 billion credits worth of resources.
The Ticonderoga is currently only legal for USA Starfleet, any civilian caught with one will be destroyed on site.
The Ticonderoga class is able to beat anything but a XON Overmind in a one on one battle, the only bad side is that the bridge can be hit from almost any angle. If the opposing players are good enough, they can break through the dorsal shield and hit the bridge with a load of antimatter torpedoes effectively killing most of the bridge crew. As long as you keep a personal shield activated while on the bridge, you should be fine.
