Klingon-Federation War

[Nick086]

The Klingons conquered the Cardassian Union. Could the Klingons defeat the Federation? Would the Romulans stand by and watch as two great powers duke it out? Would the Romulans invade Federation or Klingon territory claiming it as their own? Do you think the Romulans would side with the Federation?

 

[Jono]

I doubt the Klingons could defeat the Federation. The Cardassian Union seemed almost a second rate power compared to the Klingons, Romulans and Federation. If the Klingons did conquer the Cardassian Union it would have cost them a lot of ships and troops to do so and then they have to hold and secure their new holdings. That would tie up a lot of their forces.

I do think the Romulans would be more likely to side with the Federation. They don't like the Federation but they hate the Klingons more. Letting the Klingons take Cardassia and the Federation would make the Klingon Empire massive and the Romulans would know they would be next to fall.

 

[Nick086]

I doubt the Klingons could defeat the Federation. The Cardassian Union seemed almost a second rate power compared to the Klingons, Romulans and Federation. If the Klingons did conquer the Cardassian Union it would have cost them a lot of ships and troops to do so and then they have to hold and secure their new holdings. That would tie up a lot of their forces.

I do think the Romulans would be more likely to side with the Federation. They don't like the Federation but they hate the Klingons more. Letting the Klingons take Cardassia and the Federation would make the Klingon Empire massive and the Romulans would know they would be next to fall.

The Klingons would have to demothball the TOS era D-7 battlecuisers.

 

[Nightdiamond]

Here's something that's interesting;

In a number of alternate realities, the Klingons either almost conquer or do conquer the major powers.

In Yesterday's Enterprise, the Klingons were close to winning a 20 year war with the Federation.

In "All good things", in a alternate future timeline, Picard said the Klingon conquered the Romulan Empire.

And in the current reality, the Klingons came close to conquering the Cardassians, had they not called it off.

They were alternate realities or timelines, but in each of them, somehow, the Klingons were able to get the upperhand in a war or conflict.

 

[Admiral Shran]

The Klingons conquered the Cardassian Union. Could the Klingons defeat the Federation? Would the Romulans stand by and watch as two great powers duke it out? Would the Romulans invade Federation or Klingon territory claiming it as their own? Do you think the Romulans would side with the Federation?

I think the only reason the Klingons were able to conquer as much of the Cardassian Union as they did was because the Union was, by that time, no longer the first rate superpower it had once been. The Obsidian Order was gone and the Central Command had been overthrown by the civilian population. Add to that the fact that the Founders were pushing the Klingons to be more aggressive, and it spells doom for the Cardassians.

I don't think the Klingons could defeat the Federation, especially after being weakened by a war with Cardassia. It would have been a long, bloodly war, no doubt. But in the end, I think the Federation would have prevailed.

The Romulans would most likely love to see the Klingons and Federation duke it out. They had always been shown as wanting to break up the Federation-Klingon Alliance. Add to that, they would then have the benefit of watching their two largest rivals kill each other off. They could sit and watch the carnage, waiting for their time to swoop in and claim what they could from both sides after they were no longer in a position to stop them.

If push came to shove, however, I think the Romulans would ally with the Federation against the Klingons. Romulans and Klingons are blood enemies. Even when the Federation-Klingon-Romulan Alliance was founded on DS9, the Klingons and Romulans were still distrustful and suspicious of each other, even though they were allys.

 

[Anwar]

And also, even with the sneak attack the Cardassians managed to stall the invasion and fight back. They weren't at the same level as the Feds, Klingons and Romulans, but they were still a power to be feared in the Alpha Quadrant.

 

[Timo]

I'd say it wouldn't really be a matter of defending strength - but of Klingon state of readiness. If they were at their best, and didn't infight and backstab and suffer from poor leadership or the recent memory thereof, they could steamroller major opponents like Romulans or Feds. But they virtually never are.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Photon]

The Klingons conquered the Cardassian Union. Could the Klingons defeat the Federation? Would the Romulans stand by and watch as two great powers duke it out? Would the Romulans invade Federation or Klingon territory claiming it as their own? Do you think the Romulans would side with the Federation?

If the Feds fought the Klingons like the US fought for Vietnam, yes. If the Feds used all their resources (cloaking, etc) boom goes the Empire

 

[Nick086]

I think the Federation would win anyway. The Klingons weren't producing new ships like Federation was. I

 

[USS KG5]

The Klingons conquered the Cardassian Union. Could the Klingons defeat the Federation?

On paper you would guess not, the combined forces of 150 worlds against an empire that is always portrayed as smaller and where only the master race seems to fight.

But of course real wars are a bit different. On paper there is no way Germany should have beaten France in 1940. In the alternate universe of Yesterday's Enterprise the Klingons are winning. This could be because of an alliance with the Romulans, it could be because worlds started leaving the Federation in droves, it could be superior Klingon tactics...

Would the Romulans stand by and watch as two great powers duke it out?

I would if I were them. Two of my enemies would be weakening each other, I'd just wait until one side was worn out and the other wiped out and then attack the victor.

 

[indolover]

It seems the short war at the start of DS9 turned out to be a stalemate, and neither party made any major breakthroughs or had any major victories.

If the war had been prolonged, I think the Klingons may have had an advantage, and largely due to the cloaking device. A Federation starship would have to be on continuous battle alert, in the case of a Klingon vessel de-cloaking at will. I think this is why, in an albeit alternate reality, the Federation was on the brink of defeat in Yesterday's Enterprise. The cloaking device is a major tactical advantage to the Klingons and Romulans.

As for the Romulans, I doubt they'd give a damn. The Federation is their greatest enemy, so why shed a tear if it is losing a major war. In the Dominion War, the Romulans only did join since Sisko and Garak tricked them into joining. At the beginning of the war, the Federation was losing, it turned the tide slightly when it re-took DS9, but together with the Klingons was in a stalemate until Betazed was conquered by the Dominion.

 

[Nick086]

It seems the short war at the start of DS9 turned out to be a stalemate, and neither party made any major breakthroughs or had any major victories.

If the war had been prolonged, I think the Klingons may have had an advantage, and largely due to the cloaking device. A Federation starship would have to be on continuous battle alert, in the case of a Klingon vessel de-cloaking at will. I think this is why, in an albeit alternate reality, the Federation was on the brink of defeat in Yesterday's Enterprise. The cloaking device is a major tactical advantage to the Klingons and Romulans.

As for the Romulans, I doubt they'd give a damn. The Federation is their greatest enemy, so why shed a tear if it is losing a major war. In the Dominion War, the Romulans only did join since Sisko and Garak tricked them into joining. At the beginning of the war, the Federation was losing, it turned the tide slightly when it re-took DS9, but together with the Klingons was in a stalemate until Betazed was conquered by the Dominion.

The only way the Klingons and Romulans would have the upper hand would be a cloaking device that would allow a ship to fire when cloaked. The Klingons later scrapped it when Kirk found a way to destroy the bird of prey. When the gasses made by the klingon bird of prey was giving it away when it was cloaked. lol a fart joke for the invisable man. If I'm not mistaken i think the Dominion did have a way where they could trace a cloaked ship. The Borg and Dominion could have cloaked cubes and Jem'Hadar ships, but they don't.

 

[Photon]

It seems the short war at the start of DS9 turned out to be a stalemate, and neither party made any major breakthroughs or had any major victories.

If the war had been prolonged, I think the Klingons may have had an advantage, and largely due to the cloaking device. A Federation starship would have to be on continuous battle alert, in the case of a Klingon vessel de-cloaking at will. I think this is why, in an albeit alternate reality, the Federation was on the brink of defeat in Yesterday's Enterprise. The cloaking device is a major tactical advantage to the Klingons and Romulans.

As for the Romulans, I doubt they'd give a damn. The Federation is their greatest enemy, so why shed a tear if it is losing a major war. In the Dominion War, the Romulans only did join since Sisko and Garak tricked them into joining. At the beginning of the war, the Federation was losing, it turned the tide slightly when it re-took DS9, but together with the Klingons was in a stalemate until Betazed was conquered by the Dominion.

Believe me, the Feds could easily make a cloak as good as or superior to anything the Remans, Romulans, or Klingons could do. The Dominion, even more so.

The Feds have one advantage over all others (and confirmed, seemingly by a Vorta) that they had the best and most resourceful engineers in the quadrant.

Starfleet engineers quickly adapted SF shielding against the phased polaron beams and phasers that could better penetrate Dominion shielding.

Can you imagine, what type of firepower SF could wield if there was a battle group of Sovs, Defiants, Akiras, and Prommies? Especially, if each ship were more fine tuned.

Klingons w/their rust-bucket BoP's would be cannon fodder

 

[PorthosShadow]

It
The Feds have one advantage over all others (and confirmed, seemingly by a Vorta) that they had the best and most resourceful engineers in the quadrant.

I think thats it exactly because in the end The Federation / Starfleet would win through adapation and ingenuity rather than superior firepower. In addition to that quote by the Vorta there is this interesting exchange in the season five finale "Call To Arms"

"Sir, the stations shields are holding" - Damar

"Impossible, Federation shields have have always proven useless against our weapons" - Weyoun

"I've found it wise never to underestimate the Federations technical skill or Captain Sisko's resourcefulness" - Dukat

Finally, The Federation is a lot larger than the Klingon, Romulan or Cardassian empires which means Starfleet has far more resources to call upon weather its raw material or brain power. Basically, the Federations diversity will always trump sheer firepower.

 

[Nightdiamond]

Here's another funny thing- it seems that the Klingons had an easier time destroying Jem Hadar ships than than Starfleet, at least at one point.

Call to Arms, Favor the Bold, Sons and Daughters"


The Klingons also had an easier time breaking through DS9's shields and boarding the station. The Jem Hadar never did get to beam onto the station , although they ended up boarding the station after they left.

And in Once more unto the Breach, Kor in one ship, was able to slow down group of 10 jem hadar ships whiule the others escaped.



And when all the other Alliance ships were disabled by the Breen's new weapon, the Klingon ships were unaffected (although because of one ship's adjustment) and were actually somehow, holding the entire line against the Dominion.

It makes the Klingons look pretty tough.


Now, on the other hand, the Federation had in its hands at one point, a cloak that could pass through solid matter, and the only reason it gave it up was because of a treaty and its morals.

And the Defiant had to be one of the toughest, scariest ships at the time, yet Starfleet never really mass produced them..

I think the Federation has a slight edge, simply because they don't frequently get themselves into dangerous conflicts like the Dominion, Romulans and Klingons might.