Bravo Fleet
Difference between pages "B'rel class" and "Melkot"

Difference between pages "B'rel class" and "Melkot"

From Bravo Fleet
(Difference between pages)
 
 
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{{Specification
{{icons|bfc}}{{Government
| image = [[Image:Brelclass.png]]
| name = Melkot
| displayName = '''''B'rel'' Class'''
| image =  
| name = B'rel
| species = Melkot
| affiliation = [[Klingon Empire]]
| homeworld = Unknown
| operator = [[Klingon Defense Force]]
| founded = Unknown
| status = Active
| warp = Unknown
| role = *Warship
| language =  
*Scout
| currency =  
| type = Bird of Prey
| government = Unknown
| precedingClass = M'Chla
| leader =  
| succeedingClass =
| advancement =  
| dateEntered = 2275
| military = Unknown
| productionEnd =  
}}
| retired =  
The '''Melkot''' are a xenophobic species and minor power with territory in the [[Alpha Quadrant]]. Historically xenophobic and deeply territorial, they have long jealously guarded their borders and resisted encroachment or even peaceful visitation by any outsiders. The [[Federation]] made a [[ma:Spectre of the Gun (episode)|fraught first contact in 2268]], with the USS ''Enterprise'' earning permission to enter Melkot space. Since then, relations between the Federation have been cordial at best, non-existent at worst. There are rarely interactions between the two powers; [[Starfleet]] ships may not approach or enter Melkot space without permission, and the Melkot have only communicated with the Federation in times of dire need for either side. In those times of necessity, however, contact has been possible, and the Melkot wary of engagement but open to discussion.
| expectedDuration = 80 Years
| expectedRefit = 10 Years
| timeResupply = 6 Months
| crewComplement = 12
| emergencyCap = 50
| civilians =
| populationCap =
| flightCrew =
| passengers =
| length = 110 meters
| width = 165 meters
| diameter =
| height = 33 meters
| decks = 6
| propulsionSystem = Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 6.5
| maxSpeed = Warp 8.5
| emergencySpeed = Warp 9.8 (3 hours)
| energyWeapons = 2x wing-mounted disruptor cannons
| torpLaunchers = *1x forward
*1x aft
| torpPayload = 50 photon torpedoes
| shields = *Klingon deflector shields
*Klingon cloaking device
| dockingfacilities =
| shuttleBays =
| shuttles =
| runabouts =
| fighters =
| aux =
| msd =  
}}The '''''B'rel''-class bird of prey''' has been the premier versatile multi-purpose warship of the [[Klingon Empire]] since its inception in the late 23rd century. Although the overall original design is over a century old, several rounds of system refits and upgrades over the decades and its ease of production have kept this design at the forefront of Klingon military technology. Because of these ongoing upgrades, the ''B'rel'' is one of the most ubiquitous starships in the Klingon Empire.
===Exploration and Science===
The ''B'rel'' class is not, by any means, a ship of exploration or science. The primary use of its sensor array is to track down and hunt targets. The ''B'rel'' has limited capabilities to survey astronomic phenomena and would be far more likely to deploy a probe and signal for a more capable vessel to return to the area for a more extensive survey.  


===Diplomacy===
== Melkot Species and Culture ==
Much like exploration, the ''B'rel'' has extremely limited diplomatic facilities or functionality. The ship is, at best, an escort for a larger vessel of diplomacy. Should the need for diplomacy arise, short of having a Klingon general on board, a ''B'rel'' would be most likely to report back to the nearest starbase so that a true diplomatic attachment could be sent in its stead.
The Melkot themselves are non-humanoid and powerful telepaths. They have bulbous bodies without limbs, which appear to float through unknown means, and have bright, round eyes. They are capable of projecting telepathic illusions that are indistinguishable from reality to the recipients, especially in non-telepaths. These illusions are so potent that experiencing injury and death can cause sufficient psychic trauma to hurt or even kill. Other telepathic species, such as Vulcans, have proven capable of resisting the illusions with varying degrees of success.


===Engineering===
The only confirmed survivors of a telepathic illusion intended to be lethal for the victim was the crew of the ''Enterprise'' in 2268. They were immersed in an illusion of the Old West and were expected to be killed in a gunfight. It is believed that the Melkot identified an experience, setting, or period that the crew associated with violence, where death would be an inevitable outcome. It was through resisting this expectation of violence, when Captain Kirk refused to kill an illusory opponent, that the Melkot became curious enough about humanity to make contact.
The ''B'rel'' is a simple design that follows the lineage of the Klingon-designed birds-of-prey dating back to the earliest years of Klingon interstellar travel. The design consists of a central "body", a "neck" with a "head" at the fore, and two "wings" flanking the body. The ship is capable of three configurations, signaled by the positioning of the wings on the ''B'rel'': cruise (wings out), attack (wings down), and landing (wings up). Over the years the design has stayed the same while systems including the warp drive, impulse drive, disruptor cannons, and torpedo launchers have been refitted, upgraded, and even completely replaced throughout the design's history.


Like all previous bird-of-prey designs, the ''B'rel'' is capable of atmospheric flight and planet landing. This can increase its ability to stay away from a home port by making planetfall to enact critical repairs. Additionally, the ''B'rel'' can use planets to restock supplies such as foodstuffs or raw materials used to make new spare parts or even additional photon torpedoes.
Little else is known about the Melkot people. The Federation highlight their xenophobia and territorialism, but also point to the fact that they were stirred by unexpected mercy from those they viewed as invaders. Starfleet presumes the Melkot border policies to be dictated by fear, and thus strives very hard to follow the example of mercy and compassion set by Kirk in all their dealings with them.


Throughout the hundred-plus years of its service, the ''B'rel'' has largely been one of the most well-engineered vessels in the Klingon Defense Force arsenal. While visually identical throughout the years, several subclasses of the ''B'rel'' have sprung up as technological advances are made. As these advances come, the ''B'rel'' continues to get engineering refits class-wide.
== Border Defences ==
The Melkot leave warning buoys at the edge of their territory, which all communicate a message directing anyone approaching to leave. Those ignoring such warnings are treated harshly, with the Melkot demonstrating their xenophobic tendency to view such outsiders as 'aliens' or even 'disease'. Most ships which ignore the warnings meet a grim fate, the Melkot sentencing them to death. Either technological defences repel encroaching ships or, if possible, the Melkot kill the crews through their telepathic illusions.


===Tactical===
Ships which need to approach Melkot space are advised to establish a communication link with a warning buoy, state their business and identify themselves as part of Starfleet, and await further contact. If no response is heard, no ship has permission to violate Melkot territory.
While typically used as a scout, the ''B'rel'' class is a ship that is still quite dangerous by itself, utilizing its cloaking device to make surprise attack runs on targets. The ''B'rel'' has also proven itself by being used during times of war in packs, or wings, for concentrated attacks against larger, sometimes stationary, targets like capital ships and space stations. Although typically outgunned by cruiser-type vessels, the ''B'rel'' is small, agile, and highly maneuverable while still being able to inflict high amounts of damage. This gives them the ability to hold their own against many other ships that 'outclass' them and also makes them the perfect warship for Klingon attacks on enemy starbases and planetary outposts.


Armaments employed aboard ''B'rel''-class vessels have varied widely over their long service life, but the most common set of armaments is two forward-firing medium disruptor cannons located on the wingtips, a medium torpedo launcher located forward just beneath the bridge, and a light aft-firing torpedo launcher located just above the impulse engine. These ships are geared towards frontal assaults, followed by repositioning under cloak, and struggle when swarmed or otherwise boxed in by threat vessels. Some vessels of this class have been equipped with disrupter beam emitters on the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the ship to address this deficit, but the majority of Klingon houses have not bothered with doing so, preferring instead to let ''B'rel'' captains prove their worth through guile, instinct, and tactics rather than technology.
== In Play ==


===Shipboard Life===
* The Melkot are a deeply inhuman and unknowable species encountered in one episode of TOS, who are also deeply isolationist. This combination gives writers only limited storytelling opportunities with them, as it is inconceivable Starfleet would not leave them alone unless they had no other choice.
The ''B'rel''-class is a ship that is quintessentially Klingon to its core. With very few amenities, life on a ''B'rel'' is a cramped one of committing to the duty of the ship. The ship is efficiently built with little to no room to spare. Crew quarters are largely barrack style with some double bunks. Very few single cabins exist on the ship and are solely reserved for the captain and select officers. A mess hall exists that can accommodate the entire crew at once and is largely the extent of "recreation" on a ''B'rel''.  
* With the right level of emergency or accident, Starfleet ships may still have encounters in or near Melkot space. It is up to the writer if the Melkot would accept any request for access, or how indulgent they would be of transgression, especially intentional. This might be an opportunity for intense and difficult diplomacy, or a story of a crew trying to survive an encounter with Melkot telepathic illusions such as those seen in TOS: Spectre of the Gun.
* Melkot telepathic illusions feel real to all but the most disciplined of minds or powerful of telepaths. If your crew is hit by one, it's entirely up to you how much Vulcans, Betazoid, or others are affected, or how much they can affect the illusion in turn. The Melkot are clearly very powerful, but it's up to you decide what's best for your story.


The standard complement for a ''B'rel'' is 12 crew, but certain mission profiles may call for more. The ''B'rel'', even for a ship its size, can still comfortably (by Klingon standards) crew up to 36 crew members.
== External Information ==


==Class History==
* [[ma:Melkot|Melkot]] at Memory Alpha
The ''B'rel'' first began development in the late 2260s as the first Klingon design to natively include the new and enhanced Klingon cloaking device derived from the technological exchange between the Klingon Empire and Romulan Star Empire in the mid-2260s. The ''B'rel'' was the first new bird of prey design in a generation and had a direct lineage from its immediate predecessor, the [[M'Chla class|''M'Chla''-class]] bird of prey, and its predecessor before that the [[ma:Klingon_Bird-of-Prey_(22nd_century)|''Vo'n'talk''-class]] bird of prey. By the 2290s, the ''B'rel'' could be found wide and far throughout Klingon territory used in several different roles. The native inclusion of the new cloaking device allowed the ship to become a dangerous predator in the depths of space. In fact, the first ''B'rel'' encountered by the [[United Federation of Planets]] was during the [[ma:Genesis_(planet)|Genesis Incident]] which indirectly caused the destruction of the [[ma:USS_Enterprise_(NCC-1701)|USS Enterprise]], also resulting in the capture of the ''B'rel'' by Rear Admiral [[ma:James_T._Kirk|James T. Kirk]]. This vessel remains in Starfleet hands at the Fleet Museum over Athan Prime.
 
After that incident, the run-ins with the ''B'rel'' on the frontier against both the Federation and Romulan Star Empire increased exponentially. The ease of construction, adaptability, and versatility of the design allowed the Klingon Empire to mass-produce these vessels at staggering rates. Additionally, many upgrades and customizations to the ''B'rel'' systems allowed for the [[Great Houses]] to customize their own with slight modifications over the coming decades.
 
By the 2370s, the ''B'rel'' had been in service to the Empire for a hundred years. There were thousands of these vessels in service, and likely just as many lost over the years in glorious battles. However, the class received its largest litmus test during the [[ma:Dominion_War|Dominion War]] in the 2370s. As the Klingons entered the war against the [[Dominion]], they largely found themselves responsible for counteracting the Dominion's most pervasive warship: the [[Category:Dominion_Starship_Classes#Jem.27Hadar_Fighter|Dominion attack ship]]. Originally the Dominion attack ships quickly overwhelmed the Klingon ''B'rel''s showing superior weaponry and tactics. However, within only a few weeks of the war, the Klingons were able to develop new techniques for fighting enemies that were so unlike anything they had encountered before. Using Federation shield upgrades on their ships, and a few modifications to their weapons systems, the ''B'rel'' proved to be a match for the Dominion attack ship. Nearly neck-and-neck in every way, the remainder of the encounters during the Dominion War were decided by pure tactics and ship commander experience when the two ships ever came head to head. The ''B'rel'' proved to be very successful against the Dominion attack ships; so much so that the Klingon flagship, the [[ma:IKS_Rotarran|IKS ''Rotarran'']], was a ''B'rel''-class bird-of-prey.
 
During the Dominion War, the [[Klingon Defense Force]] was hit the hardest of the Alliance in terms of ships lost. Many of these ships for the Klingon Empire were of the ''B'rel'' class. However, because of the ease of construction of the ''B'rel'', hundreds more of these ships have been constructed to recoup the losses of the war and continue production into the 25th century. Additionally, the Klingon Empire has continued to enact persistent overhauls to the internal systems of the ''B'rel'' to keep it on par with the latest technical advances. The ''B'rel'' continues to be in widespread use across the Klingon Empire by all houses, both major and minor, with no end in sight on its production.
 
===''K'vort''-class===
The ''K'vort''-class bird of prey is a wholly different class from the ''B'rel'', but is distinct only in size. Everything about the ''K'vort'' is just a scaled-up ''B'rel''. Originally built in the 2340s as a response to Romulan aggression, the ''K'vort'' serves as a troop transport being able to hold upwards of 400 troops with an additional 150 crew. The sole premise of the vessel is that it uses the original ''B'rel'' design to pack as many troops as possible onto the vessel that can then successfully and safely make planetfall to rapidly deploy troops. Due to its very niche design, the ''K'vort'' is not a common sight in the Empire and is primarily purpose-built with very few exceptions.
 
==In Play==
*The ''B'rel'' is still one of the most common designs in use by the Klingon Empire, even in the 25th century. This is due to the fact that they had to be mass-produced following the Dominion War for the Empire to regain its military capacity after such immense losses.
*Make no mistake - just because the ''B'rel'' is an "old" design doesn't mean it can't still hold its own. The ship has been getting regular refits over the years to keep it in line with other ships in surrounding empires as well as between Great Houses.
*The ''B'rel'' is one of the best examples of the Klingons finding a design that works and, true to their militaristic nature, using it until the wheels fall off. The ''B'rel'' won't be fully replaced until a new bird-of-prey design comes out that completely overshadows the ''B'rel''. It's also favored by too many captains who know and trust the design.
 
{{clear}}

Revision as of 14:08, 21 March 2024

This article is official Bravo Fleet canon.








Melkot
Basic Information
Major Species

Melkot

Homeworld(s)

Unknown

Founded

Unknown

Warp Capable

Unknown

Political Information
Governance Type

Unknown

Military Branches

Unknown

Template:Government

The Melkot are a xenophobic species and minor power with territory in the Alpha Quadrant. Historically xenophobic and deeply territorial, they have long jealously guarded their borders and resisted encroachment or even peaceful visitation by any outsiders. The Federation made a fraught first contact in 2268, with the USS Enterprise earning permission to enter Melkot space. Since then, relations between the Federation have been cordial at best, non-existent at worst. There are rarely interactions between the two powers; Starfleet ships may not approach or enter Melkot space without permission, and the Melkot have only communicated with the Federation in times of dire need for either side. In those times of necessity, however, contact has been possible, and the Melkot wary of engagement but open to discussion.

Melkot Species and Culture

The Melkot themselves are non-humanoid and powerful telepaths. They have bulbous bodies without limbs, which appear to float through unknown means, and have bright, round eyes. They are capable of projecting telepathic illusions that are indistinguishable from reality to the recipients, especially in non-telepaths. These illusions are so potent that experiencing injury and death can cause sufficient psychic trauma to hurt or even kill. Other telepathic species, such as Vulcans, have proven capable of resisting the illusions with varying degrees of success.

The only confirmed survivors of a telepathic illusion intended to be lethal for the victim was the crew of the Enterprise in 2268. They were immersed in an illusion of the Old West and were expected to be killed in a gunfight. It is believed that the Melkot identified an experience, setting, or period that the crew associated with violence, where death would be an inevitable outcome. It was through resisting this expectation of violence, when Captain Kirk refused to kill an illusory opponent, that the Melkot became curious enough about humanity to make contact.

Little else is known about the Melkot people. The Federation highlight their xenophobia and territorialism, but also point to the fact that they were stirred by unexpected mercy from those they viewed as invaders. Starfleet presumes the Melkot border policies to be dictated by fear, and thus strives very hard to follow the example of mercy and compassion set by Kirk in all their dealings with them.

Border Defences

The Melkot leave warning buoys at the edge of their territory, which all communicate a message directing anyone approaching to leave. Those ignoring such warnings are treated harshly, with the Melkot demonstrating their xenophobic tendency to view such outsiders as 'aliens' or even 'disease'. Most ships which ignore the warnings meet a grim fate, the Melkot sentencing them to death. Either technological defences repel encroaching ships or, if possible, the Melkot kill the crews through their telepathic illusions.

Ships which need to approach Melkot space are advised to establish a communication link with a warning buoy, state their business and identify themselves as part of Starfleet, and await further contact. If no response is heard, no ship has permission to violate Melkot territory.

In Play

  • The Melkot are a deeply inhuman and unknowable species encountered in one episode of TOS, who are also deeply isolationist. This combination gives writers only limited storytelling opportunities with them, as it is inconceivable Starfleet would not leave them alone unless they had no other choice.
  • With the right level of emergency or accident, Starfleet ships may still have encounters in or near Melkot space. It is up to the writer if the Melkot would accept any request for access, or how indulgent they would be of transgression, especially intentional. This might be an opportunity for intense and difficult diplomacy, or a story of a crew trying to survive an encounter with Melkot telepathic illusions such as those seen in TOS: Spectre of the Gun.
  • Melkot telepathic illusions feel real to all but the most disciplined of minds or powerful of telepaths. If your crew is hit by one, it's entirely up to you how much Vulcans, Betazoid, or others are affected, or how much they can affect the illusion in turn. The Melkot are clearly very powerful, but it's up to you decide what's best for your story.

External Information

Retrieved from "https://wiki.bravofleet.com/index.php?title=B%27rel_class&oldid=13189"