Uniform colours- is there a system?
- Thread starter LilyB
- Start date
Basically:
Red is the command track. That is what you wear if you are in command or you don't hold a position with any of the science or engineering teams, or you aren't on security.
Blue is medical and sciences. The doctors and other scientists wear blue.
Gold is security and engineering. All the engineers and everyone assigned to security wear gold.
Red is the command track. That is what you wear if you are in command or you don't hold a position with any of the science or engineering teams, or you aren't on security.
Blue is medical and sciences. The doctors and other scientists wear blue.
Gold is security and engineering. All the engineers and everyone assigned to security wear gold.
^ What he said.
It sounds like you're fairly new to Star Trek; if you watch the original series at some point as well as TNG, you'll note the command and engineering colours are swapped round between the two series. Rumour has it that the reason is that Data's makeup tested better with yellow than red, so they switched the colours around. Not sure if that's true or just something I heard once.
It sounds like you're fairly new to Star Trek; if you watch the original series at some point as well as TNG, you'll note the command and engineering colours are swapped round between the two series. Rumour has it that the reason is that Data's makeup tested better with yellow than red, so they switched the colours around. Not sure if that's true or just something I heard once.
Lazarus
Fleet Captain
Security and engineering are generally grouped together as 'operations', presumably ship-related duties like engineering and security (as you've mentioned).
Medical and science are also usually grouped together as simply 'sciences', medicine, astronomy, geology, all that stuff under the one umbrella.
RED
Command
GOLD
Operations
BLUE
Sciences
Command colors (gold for Classic, red from TNG onward) include also Helm and Navigation, Strategic Operation (Worf on DS9).
(just because I'm compulsive enought to point out)
(just because I'm compulsive enought to point out)
Oh thanku, that makes perfect sense now!! Yes, I am fairly new to star trek! I watched it a bit as a kid, but i was really more into girly stuff, so it didn't grab me at all. I have tried to watch dvd of Deep space 9, the series, but after a few episodes, i couldn't stand it!! Personally speaking, it seemed that the characters were nowhere near as moral/ ethical/deep rooted in integrity etc as TNG. It seemed more like a soap opera set in space, where as I feel like i have actually grown as a person with TNG, have laughed out loud & cried also!
I felt like that on first viewings of DS9, but it really does get better by its third season. I'm glad I stuck with it. It is now difficult for me to decide which series is my favourite - DS9 or TNG.
To be fair, the red division could also encompass some form of OPS, at least in a maybe administrative capacity, because we have on a few instances, seen a red uniform at the OPS station, as a temp officer, and we also have seen many a redshirted Ensign in the background, carrying PADDs to and from various places, so maybe they're like the "interns" of the Command division, carrying out the less-glamorous administrative duties?
They could have had additional colours to be more specific, like a different colour for Medical and Operations and Security.
Not seen on-screen are additional colours like green for Starfleet Marines, and white for Starfleet Intelligence.
Not seen on-screen are additional colours like green for Starfleet Marines, and white for Starfleet Intelligence.
Also keep in mind that the absolutes regarding uniform colors are not really absolutes but "most of the times." If they were on a tight deadline or budget, they may have thrown an actor into whatever they had available, but normally they were consistent.
Also, sometimes in the context of the story a character will change position without necessarily changing uniforms, but sometimes they do. For example, when Data was moved to first officer under Captain Jellico in "Chain of Command," he switched to the red/maroon uniform. But when he was placed in command of the Excalibur in "Redemption," he stays in gold.
Also, sometimes in the context of the story a character will change position without necessarily changing uniforms, but sometimes they do. For example, when Data was moved to first officer under Captain Jellico in "Chain of Command," he switched to the red/maroon uniform. But when he was placed in command of the Excalibur in "Redemption," he stays in gold.
Well you should be able to enjoy at least the 1st 2 seasons of DS9, they are more similar in tone to TNG than the rest of the series. But I would give the entire series a chance someday. Once I felt similar to you and I converted to the way of the Sisko!
LilyB: Welcome to our weird corner of the 'Net. If you have time, in each forum, there's a sticky for each series with commonly asked questions and their answers. Check that out, and enjoy! -- RR
If that is true, I have disagree with the producers. I always thought Data looked better in the red uniform. Maybe it's just that I'm so used to seeing him in the gold that the change is nice.
Jellico is on record in the episode as "liking a certain formality on the bridge." Therefore, I always thought that Data should have switched to the red uniform in "Redemption." It seems to be the "formal," or correct, thing to do.
They did something similar during the TOS movies era. Section colours were less visible than in other time periods (just the turtleneck undershirts and epaulets instead of the various parts of the outer tunic), but they abandoned it later.
Although I like the idea, these are mere supposition. Where they suggested from some non-canonical source? (books, comics...)
There were special colors for such things in the TOS movies, which used a more extensive color palette overall.
But in the TV shows, we could argue that Starfleet marines wear the same colors as Starfleet sailors do - all three of them. After all, we already saw marines (whatever their name in the ST universe) in episodes like "The Siege of AR-558", and while their uniforms were distinct, their colors were the usual red and yellow (and perhaps blue as well, although that was not actually seen in any episode). Marines would have their own fighters, engineers, medics and surveyors, just like the sailor branch of the organization does, and would need all three colors.
We could also argue that Intelligence wears the same yellow as Security does. Most admirals wear red, as is fitting of people whose main job is to command. But we have also seen an admiral in yellow, Admiral Toddman in "The Die is Cast". He obviously wasn't of Engineering persuasion, and he was handling a delicate Intelligence matter (the OO/Tal'Shiar strike against the Founder hideout world) that shouldn't be related to Security much.
No doubt there are also blueshirt admirals, but there are precious few plotlines where the Chief of Starfleet Medical, Admiral (Rear, Lower Half) Probe, Ann L. (MD/Proct.) would be calling our heroes.
Timo Saloniemi
But in the TV shows, we could argue that Starfleet marines wear the same colors as Starfleet sailors do - all three of them. After all, we already saw marines (whatever their name in the ST universe) in episodes like "The Siege of AR-558", and while their uniforms were distinct, their colors were the usual red and yellow (and perhaps blue as well, although that was not actually seen in any episode). Marines would have their own fighters, engineers, medics and surveyors, just like the sailor branch of the organization does, and would need all three colors.
We could also argue that Intelligence wears the same yellow as Security does. Most admirals wear red, as is fitting of people whose main job is to command. But we have also seen an admiral in yellow, Admiral Toddman in "The Die is Cast". He obviously wasn't of Engineering persuasion, and he was handling a delicate Intelligence matter (the OO/Tal'Shiar strike against the Founder hideout world) that shouldn't be related to Security much.
No doubt there are also blueshirt admirals, but there are precious few plotlines where the Chief of Starfleet Medical, Admiral (Rear, Lower Half) Probe, Ann L. (MD/Proct.) would be calling our heroes.
Timo Saloniemi
I agree. While I like the idea of Starfleet Marines (or whatever they are called), I don't think there is enough support in canon for such a thing. Doesn't mean I didn't used them heavily in my own role playing games or fan fictions, for example.
Very good point.
Bloody brilliant.Some clarification on Data's uniform colors:
The switching of red and yellow from their TOS roles was already planned from the beginning.
The problem was that Data tested bad in blue. He was originally supposed to be called the science officer, just like Spock. However, when they put him in the blue medical/sciences uniform, they didn't think it worked well with his android makeup and contact lenses. So they created a new position, operations officer, that allowed him to wear the yellow ship operations uniforms. Red was never really a consideration for him.
It's too bad, though. Personally, I think his makeup and contacts look horrible with the yellow and would have looked ten times better in either red or blue. As I recall, there were even some Photoshopped images posted around here a while back showing him in the different colors.
The switching of red and yellow from their TOS roles was already planned from the beginning.
The problem was that Data tested bad in blue. He was originally supposed to be called the science officer, just like Spock. However, when they put him in the blue medical/sciences uniform, they didn't think it worked well with his android makeup and contact lenses. So they created a new position, operations officer, that allowed him to wear the yellow ship operations uniforms. Red was never really a consideration for him.
It's too bad, though. Personally, I think his makeup and contacts look horrible with the yellow and would have looked ten times better in either red or blue. As I recall, there were even some Photoshopped images posted around here a while back showing him in the different colors.
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