Most Powerful Military Powers in Star Trek

[Nightdiamond]

To me this suggests they had a huge stockpile of war ships going back centuries.

The problem with the Klingons is that they used all of their resources to bolster their military. Little effort was put into scientific research or engineering concepts: this probably explains why Klingon vessels always seemed to be out of date compared to Federation and Romulan vessels of the same era.

--Sran

That's definitely true, they destroyed their own moon doing it. It looks to me like they were more into upgrading old warships than designing more advanced ships.

But it seems like it works for them- in almost every continuity, they beat the Federation, Romulans and Cardassians.

With their war-like philosophy, they probably made 3 torpedoes for every one the Federation made.

Every now and then they come up with some game changing technology too, like the ship that could fire while cloaked, or that huge Klingon flagship.

My theory with the Cardassians is that they could have been an extremely militarily powerful if they hadn't been so resource deprived, and lagging behind the Federation.

They seem to have a strong sense of infrastructure and manufacturing, but they never had the technology and resources to feed it.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

With their war-like philosophy, they probably made 3 torpedoes for every one the Federation made.

No doubt. I just wonder how sustainable that is. As you said, they manage to defeat either the Federation or the Romulans in every timeline, but how long are they able to maintain their advantage? Praxis' destruction would have crippled the Empire beyond repair if Spock hadn't reached out to Gorkon. If the Klingon government was that tenuous that a single accident could send it into a tailspin, I don't think they'd be able to keep their rivals down for long.

--Sran

 

[JirinPanthosa]

There are totally Klingon engineers.

They have no honor.

But everybody wants to hire them.

Just like humans.

 

[M.A.C.O.]

There are totally Klingon engineers.

They have no honor.

But everybody wants to hire them.

Just like humans.

With the majority of Klingons acting like wild apemen. Finding an engineer would be remarkable. I wonder if they even have indoor plumbing. Apparently despite miraculously mastering interstellar space travel. The Klingons never seemed to master dentistry.

 

[Pavonis]

Klingons have some kind of dental industry. They have tooth sharpeners! Unless they import those from the Ferengi.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

There are totally Klingon engineers.

They have no honor.

But everybody wants to hire them.

Just like humans.

What?

--Sran

 

[M.A.C.O.]

The ENT episode Judgement season 2 episode 19 illuminates how Klingon culture considers other professions to be less honorable than being a warrior. J.G Hertzler aka General Martok from DS9 portrays another Klingon who befriends Archer.

 

[Crazyewok]

The ENT episode Judgement season 2 episode 19 illuminates how Klingon culture considers other professions to be less honorable than being a warrior. J.G Hertzler aka General Martok from DS9 portrays another Klingon who befriends Archer.

Goodness knows what they thought of the Klingon diplomat that adressed the council in StarTrek 4!

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Goodness knows what they thought of the Klingon diplomat that adressed the council in StarTrek 4!

Couldn't be much if they assigned him to the Federation.

--Sran

 

[Crazyewok]

Goodness knows what they thought of the Klingon diplomat that adressed the council in StarTrek 4!

Couldn't be much if they assigned him to the Federation.

--Sran

Must have been some sort of Klingon sex offender who commited such a horrendus crime they asigned him a fate worse than a agonising death...... Federation diplomat.....

I can only think or a worse fate......Romulan Diplomat.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

I can only think or a worse fate......Romulan Diplomat.

They were allies for part of the twenty third century, so it may not have been that bad.

--Sran

 

[Crazyewok]

I can only think or a worse fate......Romulan Diplomat.

They were allies for part of the twenty third century, so it may not have been that bad.

--Sran

Good point.

Still that diplomat must have done something terrible to get that posting!

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Still that diplomat must have done something terrible to get that posting!

Perhaps he was a pompous ass, as someone called him during Star Trek IV.

--Sran

 

[Crazyewok]

Perhaps he was a pompous ass, as someone called him during Star Trek IV.

--Sran

Shame he wasnt born in the 24th Century he could have found a nice place on the Enterprise D.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Shame he wasnt born in the 24th Century he could have found a nice place on the Enterprise D.

Indeed.

--Sran

 

[Cyke101]

...The Dominion War battles looked like uncoordinated melees based on "every ship for herself" to the outside. Is that a typical way for Starfleet to fight?

I blame Sacrifice of the Angels for that popular perception of DS9 battles. Early in the battle, the Dominion blocked Starfleet communications, meaning no fleet coordination and massive disorganization that made many Starfleet vessels easy targets. But it's also testament to the strength of those vessels, considering that O'Brien only managed to take down that jamming field after several hours of combat, and Starfleet still had ships that got through the blockade (with some last minute assistance by the Klingons, of course). So to answer your rhetorical question: No, i don't think that's a typical Starfleet fight!

In the subsequent big fleet battles, Starfleet seemed to have much better coordination, ie squadron formations at Chintoka and Cardassia (though I recognize that they're far from perfect -- dramatic licence being what it is). A couple of my favorite shots include the Defiant, the Hood, a Miranda and a BOP on an assault run in "Tears of the Prophets," and a Galaxy-class remaining stationary but providing fire support, complete with the Defiant and various Federation fighters zooming around, in "What You Leave Behind."

 

[swaaye]

It would be really neat if some of DS9's battles were reimagined with modern SFX if the series ever goes HD. They really struggled to make a reasonable TV space war with models and early CG. I'd like shields instead of the seemingly flammable kerosene filled hulls too.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

There are totally Klingon engineers.

They have no honor.

But everybody wants to hire them.

Just like humans.

What?

--Sran

Meaning the engineers do all the work but the financiers and the spokespeople take all the credit. So for Klingons, being an engineer is not considered 'honorable' but everybody needs them anyway.

 

[Saturn0660]

The Klingons never seemed to master dentistry.

Much like the British.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^Would it matter if they had? Look at what they eat.

--Sran