Wired Mag article: Star Trek: A Military Analysis

[Lt. Trull]

Star Trek: A Military Analysis

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/05/star-trek-a-military-analysis/


this is right on the money... one of my biggest problems is they dont have individual body armor suits that would protect them in event of a hull breach...

 

[God Magnus]

I agree with most of those points more or less (not the Phaser one though, Nero's crew opened up hostilities, it was not a time to hold back). The one that I found myself agreeing with most was regarding jamming missiles. I can't recall a time in Trek where that was done as a normal combat tactic, but it would be neat to see.

 

[captcalhoun]

what irked me, strategy wise, was when Ayel called the Kelvin and said they want Robau to go over and negotiate a cease-fire. Robau should've told them to get fucked, they started it, and blown them to gre'thor.

 

[urbandk]

As many of the posters there bring up, there was all kinds of anti-missle point defense going on.

 

[TrekLost]

he villainous Romulan ship pulverizes Federation vessels with volleys of torpedoes. Yet no Federation warship employs electronic jammers, decoys or point defense phasers. Very depressing. Two hundred years later, missile defense still doesn’t work.

Actually, I seem to recall them using point defense for a change, something never (that I know of) done with any regularity in any of the series's.

* But why does the Romulan ship need torpedoes? If its energy drill can bore holes through planets, then it can slice a starship like a phaser through butter. Future humans must still learn to master dual-use technology.

I think the thing here is aiming the thing and outright power usage. And remember, it might be Borgified (in Countdown), but it's still a mining vessel: you don't want to COMPLETELY destroy what you want to dig up.

* There is only one scene in the movie where phasers are ordered to be set on stun. Otherwise, everyone cheerfully uses lethal force. The classic Star Trek rules of engagement are out the window.

Actually, I think it was perfectly reasonable that the use of Lethal Force was being done, given the circumstances. It was basically a war, and not one where you'd take prisoners much. Although I DO think that the Romulan Spock mind-melded with on the Narada had been hit by stun.

 

[Brent]

One thing I've always wondered why they don't have is some sort of body armor suite. I mean, we are developing that kinda stuff right now here in the 21st century. Why don't Starfleet officers wear a belt and have a mini shield generator that can last for maybe a minute or something, for emergency protection (kinda like what Worf did with his communicator in "A Fistful of Datas") This always irked me, no body protection in the future.

 

[Lynn Minmay]

Interesting.

Whoa. Watch the Kelvin video in The LIght Works website.

 

[miraclefan]

Good article!

 

[Lt. Trull]

it takes what? 5 minutes, 10 minutes.... two hours to warp from Earth to Vulkan.
Plenty of time to get into a space worthy battle suit, (or power assisted battle suit in case ur a security guard) in case of a hull breach...
U'd lose less officers that way.

 

[M'Sharak]

Interesting.

Whoa. Watch the Kelvin video in The LIght Works website.

I'm glad you pointed that out. Nifty stuff!

 

[David cgc]

what irked me, strategy wise, was when Ayel called the Kelvin and said they want Robau to go over and negotiate a cease-fire. Robau should've told them to get fucked, they started it, and blown them to gre'thor.

Uh, the Kelvin wasn't scratching the Narada. They only asked Robau to come over because they had no idea what the hell was going on and wanted to interrogate someone, not because they were taking any damage. Robau was perfectly aware of this, and made it clear in his final orders to Kirk that all he was doing was buying time so the crew could escape.

 

[Peter the Younger]

it takes what? 5 minutes, 10 minutes.... two hours to warp from Earth to Vulkan.
Plenty of time to get into a space worthy battle suit, (or power assisted battle suit in case ur a security guard) in case of a hull breach...
U'd lose less officers that way.

No, it doesn't. Watched it again today, and Kirk wakes up three minutes before they get there. Note the amount of time it takes the Narada to go the other way.

As for the reivew, I appreciate their suggestions, but Star Trek weapons and tactics hav eever been particularly realistic, it's kind of like saying the Fellowship of the Ring should have been using bounding overland squad movement.