Difference between pages "Akira Class" and "Saber Class"

From Bravo Fleet
(Difference between pages)
m (Forcing category updates. Removing unneeded categories. Adding in era specific category. Had to change role slightly to appease the autocategory god. Will fix shortly.)
 
m (Forcing category updates. Removing unneeded categories. Adding in era specific category. Had to change role slightly to appease the autocategory god. Will fix shortly.)
 
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{{Specification
{{Specification
| image = [[Image:Akiraclass.png]]
| image = [[Image:Saberclass.png]]
| displayName = '''''Akira'' Class'''
| displayName = '''''Saber'' Class'''
| name = Akira
| name = Saber
| affiliation = [[United Federation of Planets]]
| affiliation = [[United Federation of Planets]]
| operator = [[Starfleet]]
| operator = [[Starfleet]]
| status =  
| status =  
| role = Heavy Cruiser/Light Carrier
| role = Frigate/Scout
| type =  
| type =  
| precedingClass =  
| precedingClass =  
| succeedingClass =  
| succeedingClass =  
| dateEntered = 2363
| dateEntered = 2368
| productionEnd =  
| productionEnd =  
| retired =  
| retired =  
Line 17: Line 17:
| expectedRefit = 10 Years
| expectedRefit = 10 Years
| timeResupply = 1 Year
| timeResupply = 1 Year
| crewComplement = 550
| crewComplement = 95
| emergencyCap = 4,500
| emergencyCap = 250
| civilians =  
| civilians =  
| populationCap =  
| populationCap =  
| flightCrew =  
| flightCrew =  
| passengers =  
| passengers =  
| length = 464 meters
| length = 190.5 meters
| width = 317  meters
| width = 193.5 meters
| diameter =  
| diameter =  
| height = 87 meters
| height = 38.6 meters
| decks = 17
| decks = 11
| propulsionSystem = Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive
| propulsionSystem = Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 7
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 6
| maxSpeed = Warp 9
| maxSpeed = Warp 9.2
| emergencySpeed = Warp 9.8 (12 hours)
| emergencySpeed = Warp 9.7 (12 hours)
| energyWeapons = *3x Type-X Phaser Arrays
| energyWeapons = *3x Type-X Phaser Arrays
| torpLaunchers = *2 (primary hull), 4 forward (weapons pod)
*1x Type-X Phaser Bank
* 1 starboard (primary hull), 3 starbard aft (weapons pod)
| torpLaunchers = *1 forward
* 1 port (primary hull), 3 port aft (weapons pod)
*1 aft
| torpPayload = *225 Photon Torpedoes
| torpPayload = *40 Photon Torpedoes
*225 Quantum Torpedoes
*30 Quantum Torpedoes
| shields = Multi-Layered Shielding System  
| shields = Multi-Layered Shielding System
| dockingfacilities =  
| dockingfacilities =  
| shuttleBays = 2
| shuttleBays = 1
| shuttles = 12
| shuttles = 4
| runabouts = 2
| runabouts =  
| fighters =  
| fighters =  
| aux =  
| aux =  
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| playable = yes
| playable = yes
}}
}}
Designed originally immediately following the Wolf 359 attack by the Borg, the '''''Akira''-class''' has always been more aligned with Starfleet’s defensive aims than its exploratory ones. With extensive torpedo armament and dedicated facilities to hold combat-capable small craft, the ''Akira''-class heavy cruiser serves ably as both direct combatant and as a carrier. Units of this class served with distinction in the Dominion War and Battle of Sector 001.
Produced in large numbers, the ''Saber''-class is one of the simplest designs in current Starfleet service. It was designed to serve as both a scout and as a frigate, following the disastrous battle of Wolf 359, and served with distinction in the Dominion War as a modern, agile combatant that favors speed, maneuverability, and reliability over brute force. These ships have been in production since 2368 and remain a staple of the fleet going into the 25th Century.


=== Exploration and Science ===
=== Science and Exploration ===
During peacetime, the ''Akira''-class’s large hangar bays allow it to carry scouts and runabouts on long-range missions, which expand its exploratory capabilities significantly. Her extensive torpedo magazines can also be configured to store probes instead. This allows them to survey an entire star system quickly, even if they are not equipped to do so in as great depth as a ''Nova''-class surveyor might be. Science labs on this class are essentially equivalent to those aboard any light cruiser built in the 2370s, as her greater size has been used for hanger facilities. This makes them capable of independent exploratory missions, though they are more often assigned to patrol Federation space.
''Saber''-class ships are not designed for independent exploratory missions but are often used to run initial surveys of new star systems before the front-line explorers or science ships are sent in, as they are adept at threat recognition and their small size allows them to escape from potential dangers relatively easily. Unlike the smaller ''Defiant''-class, the Saber does have four standard science labs aboard, but unlike larger starships, her ability to conduct scientific research independent of her primary mission is very limited.


With her large cargo bays and hanger bays, the ''Akira''-class is well-suited to resupplying outlying scientific outposts or setting up field camps for research expeditions. Otherwise, these ships don’t often find themselves venturing too far beyond Federation space.
Because of her armored hull and compact shape, one area of scientific study that the ''Saber''-class does excel in is the charting of nebulae and stellar nurseries, as well as exploration within the dense atmospheres of gas giants, as the ship’s structure is very resilient due to its simple structure and integrated reinforcements.  


=== Diplomacy ===
=== Diplomacy ===
The Akira-class is not meant as a diplomatic platform, especially given that she was designed alongside the ''Norway'', which was specifically designed for this purpose. The class is equipped with adequate guest quarters, but its relatively modest top speed limits its utility as a courier. Its place in Federation diplomacy is in being extremely adept at taking down raiders and other threats to potential allies, and so its presence in a star system can be deeply reassuring during negotiations, or it can serve as a reminder of the Federation’s strength to hostile powers.
''Saber''-class starships’ diplomatic ability is extremely limited. At most, they serve as couriers transporting diplomats to their final destinations within Federation space, but they’re not particularly spacious or luxurious, so they are not preferred by the Federation Diplomatic Corps either for foreign dignitaries or for their own ambassadors.  


=== Engineering ===
=== Engineering ===
While the hull shape of this vessel is radically different from most other Federation ships of the time, its actual engines and other systems are fairly conventional. The primary and secondary hulls have been integrated into a monohull, with the nacelle pylons integrated into sweeping catamarans and connected by a small pod. Engine and computer systems are borrowed heavily from the ''Nebula''-class, though the class has simplified warp nacelles.  
The ''Saber''-class was a radical departure from Federation starship design trends of the previous hundred years. While monohull designs like the ''Miranda'' had been in service for a long time, the ''Saber'' was the first Starfleet design to completely integrate a primary and secondary hull as well as the nacelles into a single structure, unifying support members across the entire body of the vessel to both simplify construction and give added strength to the design. To have the nacelles so close to the rest of the ship, thick layers of reinforcement around the warp coils were necessary to prevent radiation levels from becoming an issue, but the design performed favorably in maneuverability trials.


There is a single forward shuttle bay which connects through the hull to two aft bays, allowing for small craft to fly straight through the ship, which aids in the launch and recovery of fighters in combat situations, as they can leave through the forward bay and return under the protection of the ship’s catamaran structures aft.
The ship’s designers were given a contradictory design brief: match the Galaxy-class in terms of speed so that this new frigate could keep up with the capital ship that she was meant to escort, while also minimizing maintenance needs and prioritizing survivability. The solution to this problem was to take the engine systems from the ''New Orleans''-class and retain their size and configuration, but to put them in a starship with a much smaller mass, thus avoiding having to design a completely new, experimental engine. Reliability was further increased by using power conduits and couplings taken from the ''Galaxy''-class design, which were so robust that the ''Saber'' would never even be theoretically capable of producing enough power to damage them.
 
Impulse power is provided by two over-sized engines on either side of the primary hull, giving the ship impressive speed and maneuverability it needs to perform as a picket in fleet engagements.
 
Other systems are comparatively simple; the deflector design was borrowed from the ''New Orleans'' and there is only a single computer core aboard. The ship does have a relatively large cargo hold in the aft section which increases its utility outside of combat situations, and there are two shuttle bays on the bow, though they are only capable of supporting smaller shuttles.  


=== Tactical ===
=== Tactical ===
The ''Akira''-class is heavily armed, with more torpedo launchers than any other Federation starship currently in service. The primary hull has two forward torpedo launchers, one dorsal and one ventral, as well as two pairs of launchers firing directly starboard and directly port, which is a unique feature for Starfleet vessels. In addition to these launchers, the tactical pod contains four forward torpedo launchers, a single aft torpedo launcher, and two pairs of launchers firing aft-starboard and aft-port. This all-around torpedo coverage allows the ''Akira'' to lay down continual barrages of torpedo fire even while maneuvering around an enemy vessel, or to lob torpedoes at multiple threats at the same time.  
The ''Saber''-class is an excellent tactical platform for supporting larger starships in fleet engagement and for handling smaller raiders on its own. These ships weren’t intended to be warships per se but defense is the area in which they shine. The compact hull shape makes it more difficult for enemy vessels to get a lock on her, and thanks to a layer of ablative armor, hits are distributed across the entire surface of the vessel to minimize damage. Unlike earlier ships, the ''Saber'' has a much smaller number of windows, which further allows for a reinforced space frame.  
 
Shield systems were borrowed from the ''New Orleans'' and are substantially more effective on this smaller vessel, providing shield power far beyond the ''Miranda''-class, which was evident by the ''Saber''’s improved survivability compared to the ''Miranda'' during the Dominion War and Battle of Sector 001.  


Phaser coverage is provided by three Type-X phaser arrays, all on the forward end of the ship. This gives the ship blind spots on the aft quarter that are unusual for a Starfleet ship, but she makes up for this by carrying enough small craft to provide cover. On a typical tactical deployment, the ''Akira'' two squadrons of twelve ''Valkyrie''-class fighters, or a mix of fighters and bombers. In her standard exploratory loadout, this is reduced to twelve fighters, with a half-dozen runabouts.
The ''Saber''-class has three Type-X arrays on the forward quarter of the ship, two on the dorsal side and one on the ventral side, along with a single Type-X bank that fires directly forward, which was developed for this class and for the ''Norway''-class. Fore and aft torpedo coverage is provided by one launcher between the two shuttle bays and another in the stern. The lack of aft phaser coverage was considered to be an acceptable trade-off for greater maneuverability, as this ship can easily bring its forward weapons to bear against most targets.


=== Shipboard Life ===
=== Shipboard Life ===
Akira-class ships are fairly standard Federation ships of the line, and so they employ diverse, well-balanced crews. These ships spend most of their time on the frontier and supporting frontline colonies, so deployment times tend to be longer than other ships of their size, with more time in between starbase stops.  
''Saber''-class starships are compact but still have a relatively high standard of living, with crew quarters comparable to other vessels of their age, unlike the spartan bunks found aboard the ''Defiant''-class. All crewmembers other than the senior staff can expect to share suites, though. The ''Saber''-class lacks full holodecks, but has two smaller holosuites. In addition, there is a relatively large recreation deck on deck eight, which is upside down relative to the rest of the ship–a unique design choice to allow for the room to take advantage of a flat portion of the ship’s underbelly with windows looking out into space. This room can only be accessed through a special turbolift junction which flips the cars over, and it has games, a lounge area, and impressive views of the stars.


Like other ships of her era, she has comparatively fewer windows than other ships of the same size, and her accommodations are much less luxurious than those found aboard the ''Nebula'' and ''Galaxy''-class starships. Four holodecks complement an assortment of lounges, gymnasiums, and other recreational facilities. By the 2390s, the ''Akira'' is considered a second-tier vessel, but the class has a number of unique features that keep her an important part of the Federation’s defensive arsenal, most notably her carrier abilities. Because of this, she is a favored assignment for flight control officers. Unlike the ''Argonaut''-class, the ''Akira''-class typically maintains a set small craft arrangement for extended periods of time, generally a mix of both runabouts and fighters, and so there is more cohesion between the flight crews and the ship’s main crew.
The ''Saber'' has a standard sickbay module, as well as a gym and counseling facility to provide for crew wellbeing, but these ships are more dependent than most on starbases for shore leave. It’s rare for these ships to spend more than a few months outside of their home base, due not only to the limited rank of the ship itself but also because of their limited crew support facilities.


== Class History ==
== Class History ==
The Battle of Wolf 359 in 2367 led to a radical redesign program for the fleet’s construction projects. Four starship projects, the ''Akira'', ''Norway'', ''Steamrunner'', and ''Saber-''class, which were slated to come into service later in the century were pushed up and their designs were made more suitable for combat, with an immediate halt to production of the ''Challenger'', ''Springfield'', and ''Cheyenne'' classes. While the ''New Orleans''-class was the most successful of all of these four classes, it was still decided to cancel its production run in favor of more heavy cruisers–and so the ''Akira''-class is not a direct replacement, but it did take the place of most of these smaller ships’ production orders.
The Battle of Wolf 359 in 2367 led to a radical redesign program for the fleet’s construction projects. Four starship projects, the ''Akira, Norway, Steamrunner, and Saber''-class, which were slated to come into service later in the century were pushed up and their designs were made more suitable for combat, with an immediate halt to production of the ''Challenger, Springfield,'' and ''Cheyenne'' classes. The ''Challenger'' did relatively well in its courier and scout roles, but its combat utility was severely limited, with few options available for a redesign that could remedy this. While construction of the ''Challenger''-class was expected to continue until at least 2375, the ''Saber'' replaced most of its orders as a new scout, while the diplomatic functions it performed were shifted to the new ''Norway''-class light cruiser.
 
Unlike the ''Saber'', the ''Akira'' had to be designed completely from scratch, as the ''Nebula''-class heavy cruiser had just entered service and there were no plans for its successor yet. In the end, even though both designs were designated as heavy cruisers, there was a substantial performance and size difference between the ''Akira'' and ''Nebula'', which led to them being produced in tandem. Indeed, both classes continue in production to the current day.


The ''Akira'' herself launched in 2371, thanks to extensive borrowing of technology from other starship classes–notably the engines and computer systems–even though the hull shape itself was radically different. While still rare at the beginning of the Dominion War, they were produced in large numbers to replace the ''Excelsior'' and ''Miranda''-class ships that were suffering high attrition rates in the first year of the war. By 2375, the ''Akira'' was a major part of the Federation’s combat fleet.
The Saber-class had been in development since the early 2360s as a conventional frigate design, but nearly the entirety of the work was scrapped to produce a smaller vessel with a hull profile that would make it difficult to hit in combat and resilient to attacks if it did get hit. The entire project was completed astonishingly quickly using off-the-shelf components and a radically simplified design profile, going from design study to prototype in only three years, with the USS ''Saber'' entering service in 2370.


Post-war, the class continued in production as it was a capable platform that required a smaller crew than the ''Nebula'' but which also offered extensive tactical options to Starfleet Command. Like the later ''Atlantia''-class, the ''Akira'' participated extensively in the Romulan evacuation in the middle of the 2380s because of her large hanger.  
While the design was not particularly capable, it met the design brief for a combat-capable starship that could be mass-produced (it took only three months to construct a Saber-class ship, with minimal shipyard berthing requirements) and which was capable of handling its own on border patrol missions, while also serving as a high-speed picket in fleet engagements.  


By 2399, production of this class continues in limited numbers, though it has largely been supplanted by the ''Inquiry''-class.
The ''Saber'' performed much better than old-style starships such as the ''Miranda'' in the Dominion and Borg conflicts, though they did suffer losses. Given their small crew sizes and short construction times, though, they became the largest single fleet in Starfleet by 2385 and remain in production.


== In Play ==
== In Play ==


* While combat-oriented, the ''Akira'' isn’t as hopeless when it comes to exploring as the ''Defiant'' or the ''Saber''. It can handle run-of-the-mill scientific and exploratory missions, and given its age, it’s more likely to be handed these minor tasks within Federation space. Still, it’s more likely to be on patrol somewhere than hunting down subspace anomalies.
* The Defiant-class is your high-powered attack submarine, while the Saber-class is your more average patrol boat. This is a combat-oriented design, but that does not mean that it’s armed to the teeth. Like a saber (i.e. the sword) it is agile and maneuverable, relying on precise hits and evasion to function well.
* Fighters aren’t that useful against major threat vessels, but they’re great against raiders and small attackers, which is why this ship excels at frontier defense duties.
* There are hundreds of these ships in service; they’re ubiquitous, useful, and easy to build. You can expect to see them on border patrol missions, in shipping lanes, and as part of defense screens for important bases and planets.
* By 2399, this is a relatively common ship, but it’s also potent as a ship of the line. Captains of these vessels would be more experienced than those of smaller ships, but this is no longer a particularly prestigious posting.
* Ship captains of Saber-class ships are likely to be very junior, few of them holding the rank of captain at all, except for units posted to very important areas or on assignments where they have more autonomy.
* Unlike the Defiant, the Saber has some exploratory utility, though this is mainly in being used an advanced scout to areas where sending a larger or more resource-intensive starship that might be damaged would be disadvantageous. The Saber looks for problems and reports back more than it scans every rock and tree in a star system.


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[[Category:Federation Starship Classes (2368-2375)]]
[[Category:Federation Starship Classes (2368-2375)]]

Revision as of 23:38, 22 April 2023

This article is official Bravo Fleet canon.









Saberclass.png
Saber Class
Information
Affiliation

United Federation of Planets

Role

Frigate/Scout

Service
Operator

Starfleet

Entered Service

2368

Endurance
Expected Design Life

80 Years

Expected Refit Cycle

10 Years

Expected Resupply Cycle

1 Year

Crew Capacity
Standard Complement

95

Emergency Capacity

250

Dimensions
Length

190.5 meters

Width

193.5 meters

Height

38.6 meters

Decks

11

Propulsion
Propulsion Systems

Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive

Cruise Speed

Warp 6

Maximum Speed

Warp 9.2

Emergency Speed

Warp 9.7 (12 hours)

Armaments
Energy Weapons
  • 3x Type-X Phaser Arrays
  • 1x Type-X Phaser Bank
Torpedo Launchers
  • 1 forward
  • 1 aft
Torpedo Payload
  • 40 Photon Torpedoes
  • 30 Quantum Torpedoes
Shields

Multi-Layered Shielding System

Small Craft
Shuttlebays

1

Shuttles

4

Template:Specification

Produced in large numbers, the Saber-class is one of the simplest designs in current Starfleet service. It was designed to serve as both a scout and as a frigate, following the disastrous battle of Wolf 359, and served with distinction in the Dominion War as a modern, agile combatant that favors speed, maneuverability, and reliability over brute force. These ships have been in production since 2368 and remain a staple of the fleet going into the 25th Century.

Science and Exploration

Saber-class ships are not designed for independent exploratory missions but are often used to run initial surveys of new star systems before the front-line explorers or science ships are sent in, as they are adept at threat recognition and their small size allows them to escape from potential dangers relatively easily. Unlike the smaller Defiant-class, the Saber does have four standard science labs aboard, but unlike larger starships, her ability to conduct scientific research independent of her primary mission is very limited.

Because of her armored hull and compact shape, one area of scientific study that the Saber-class does excel in is the charting of nebulae and stellar nurseries, as well as exploration within the dense atmospheres of gas giants, as the ship’s structure is very resilient due to its simple structure and integrated reinforcements.

Diplomacy

Saber-class starships’ diplomatic ability is extremely limited. At most, they serve as couriers transporting diplomats to their final destinations within Federation space, but they’re not particularly spacious or luxurious, so they are not preferred by the Federation Diplomatic Corps either for foreign dignitaries or for their own ambassadors.

Engineering

The Saber-class was a radical departure from Federation starship design trends of the previous hundred years. While monohull designs like the Miranda had been in service for a long time, the Saber was the first Starfleet design to completely integrate a primary and secondary hull as well as the nacelles into a single structure, unifying support members across the entire body of the vessel to both simplify construction and give added strength to the design. To have the nacelles so close to the rest of the ship, thick layers of reinforcement around the warp coils were necessary to prevent radiation levels from becoming an issue, but the design performed favorably in maneuverability trials.

The ship’s designers were given a contradictory design brief: match the Galaxy-class in terms of speed so that this new frigate could keep up with the capital ship that she was meant to escort, while also minimizing maintenance needs and prioritizing survivability. The solution to this problem was to take the engine systems from the New Orleans-class and retain their size and configuration, but to put them in a starship with a much smaller mass, thus avoiding having to design a completely new, experimental engine. Reliability was further increased by using power conduits and couplings taken from the Galaxy-class design, which were so robust that the Saber would never even be theoretically capable of producing enough power to damage them.

Impulse power is provided by two over-sized engines on either side of the primary hull, giving the ship impressive speed and maneuverability it needs to perform as a picket in fleet engagements.

Other systems are comparatively simple; the deflector design was borrowed from the New Orleans and there is only a single computer core aboard. The ship does have a relatively large cargo hold in the aft section which increases its utility outside of combat situations, and there are two shuttle bays on the bow, though they are only capable of supporting smaller shuttles.

Tactical

The Saber-class is an excellent tactical platform for supporting larger starships in fleet engagement and for handling smaller raiders on its own. These ships weren’t intended to be warships per se but defense is the area in which they shine. The compact hull shape makes it more difficult for enemy vessels to get a lock on her, and thanks to a layer of ablative armor, hits are distributed across the entire surface of the vessel to minimize damage. Unlike earlier ships, the Saber has a much smaller number of windows, which further allows for a reinforced space frame.

Shield systems were borrowed from the New Orleans and are substantially more effective on this smaller vessel, providing shield power far beyond the Miranda-class, which was evident by the Saber’s improved survivability compared to the Miranda during the Dominion War and Battle of Sector 001.

The Saber-class has three Type-X arrays on the forward quarter of the ship, two on the dorsal side and one on the ventral side, along with a single Type-X bank that fires directly forward, which was developed for this class and for the Norway-class. Fore and aft torpedo coverage is provided by one launcher between the two shuttle bays and another in the stern. The lack of aft phaser coverage was considered to be an acceptable trade-off for greater maneuverability, as this ship can easily bring its forward weapons to bear against most targets.

Shipboard Life

Saber-class starships are compact but still have a relatively high standard of living, with crew quarters comparable to other vessels of their age, unlike the spartan bunks found aboard the Defiant-class. All crewmembers other than the senior staff can expect to share suites, though. The Saber-class lacks full holodecks, but has two smaller holosuites. In addition, there is a relatively large recreation deck on deck eight, which is upside down relative to the rest of the ship–a unique design choice to allow for the room to take advantage of a flat portion of the ship’s underbelly with windows looking out into space. This room can only be accessed through a special turbolift junction which flips the cars over, and it has games, a lounge area, and impressive views of the stars.

The Saber has a standard sickbay module, as well as a gym and counseling facility to provide for crew wellbeing, but these ships are more dependent than most on starbases for shore leave. It’s rare for these ships to spend more than a few months outside of their home base, due not only to the limited rank of the ship itself but also because of their limited crew support facilities.

Class History

The Battle of Wolf 359 in 2367 led to a radical redesign program for the fleet’s construction projects. Four starship projects, the Akira, Norway, Steamrunner, and Saber-class, which were slated to come into service later in the century were pushed up and their designs were made more suitable for combat, with an immediate halt to production of the Challenger, Springfield, and Cheyenne classes. The Challenger did relatively well in its courier and scout roles, but its combat utility was severely limited, with few options available for a redesign that could remedy this. While construction of the Challenger-class was expected to continue until at least 2375, the Saber replaced most of its orders as a new scout, while the diplomatic functions it performed were shifted to the new Norway-class light cruiser.

The Saber-class had been in development since the early 2360s as a conventional frigate design, but nearly the entirety of the work was scrapped to produce a smaller vessel with a hull profile that would make it difficult to hit in combat and resilient to attacks if it did get hit. The entire project was completed astonishingly quickly using off-the-shelf components and a radically simplified design profile, going from design study to prototype in only three years, with the USS Saber entering service in 2370.

While the design was not particularly capable, it met the design brief for a combat-capable starship that could be mass-produced (it took only three months to construct a Saber-class ship, with minimal shipyard berthing requirements) and which was capable of handling its own on border patrol missions, while also serving as a high-speed picket in fleet engagements.

The Saber performed much better than old-style starships such as the Miranda in the Dominion and Borg conflicts, though they did suffer losses. Given their small crew sizes and short construction times, though, they became the largest single fleet in Starfleet by 2385 and remain in production.

In Play

  • The Defiant-class is your high-powered attack submarine, while the Saber-class is your more average patrol boat. This is a combat-oriented design, but that does not mean that it’s armed to the teeth. Like a saber (i.e. the sword) it is agile and maneuverable, relying on precise hits and evasion to function well.
  • There are hundreds of these ships in service; they’re ubiquitous, useful, and easy to build. You can expect to see them on border patrol missions, in shipping lanes, and as part of defense screens for important bases and planets.
  • Ship captains of Saber-class ships are likely to be very junior, few of them holding the rank of captain at all, except for units posted to very important areas or on assignments where they have more autonomy.
  • Unlike the Defiant, the Saber has some exploratory utility, though this is mainly in being used an advanced scout to areas where sending a larger or more resource-intensive starship that might be damaged would be disadvantageous. The Saber looks for problems and reports back more than it scans every rock and tree in a star system.