Contest: VOTE Which Federation Starship Class is your favourite and why?

[USS Artorius]

This might have been done a hundred times before but I would just like to know in detail why you think a particular ship or incarnation of one is your personal favourite and why. Strengths/weaknesses, context within a series or relevance to a character, capabilities, aesthetics... the list goes on. I want to know your thoughts!

 

[Dukhat]

It was a choice between the Connie refit and the Galaxy class. But you made me choose only one, so the Galaxy won.

(Both ships were designed by the same guy, Andrew Probert. It’s a testament to his artistic and production skills that he developed two of the most iconic spacecraft in Sci-if history.)

 

[USS Artorius]

For me its a tough call between the Excelsior and the Galaxy. Both ships bore the name enterprise and both were ahead of their time in terms of design and engineering. While the Galaxy Class in-universe must have a fantastic reputation after the adventures of Picard and Co, the legacy of the Excelsior Class is a little more mysterious or at least under-represented in modern Star Trek. They were kept in service for at least ninety years by the end of the dominion war but not much is known about the exploits of the Enterprise B or the Excelsior post St VI: TUC. Speaking purely from a design perspective, I lean towards the Excelsior Class as the Galaxy seems ungainly and looks a little cumbersome IMO, despite its cutting edge technology. The Exc is large, streamlined and unmistakably federation. Its well-balanced, its proportions are great even if the entire ship looks a little stretched out length-wise. Now I have no idea how the impulse drives move the ships in zero gravity/vacuum but the Exc Refit was obviously capable of maneuvering itself with ease with the extra engines at the rear of the saucer. If it wasn't then this change seems entirely redundant! The new nacelle caps are a welcome addition to the plain black strip of the original, although I wish they made the bussards red instead of blue! Regardless of those couple of nit-picks, the Excelsior just about takes the top spot over the Galaxy as in my opinion its performance and reliability are the natural reason for it to have stuck around for so long. Now with the advent of ST PIC, there are many more designs to choose from, many of them based on the venerable Galaxy Class. So after these two, my third place would have to go to the Ross Class. It reminds me of the fan Charlestown Class and I love the Sovereign style hull triangle on the saucer!

 

[Takeru]

Intrepid class for me. It hall the amenities of the galaxy class but it's much smaller and easier to navigate internally.

 

[kirk55555]

Nebula Class for me. I really like its look, somehow a squished Galaxy Class just looks really nice to me. I'd give Honorable mentions to the Constitution Class Refit and the regular Galaxy Class.

 

[USS Artorius]

Oh damn the Nebula Class was supposed to be on the list! I tried to include all the mainline ships and those often seen in each series. I actually really like the Apollo class too, the FASA "Miranda" version of the Ambassador. But as they are never seen onscreen I have concluded in my head Canon that there were only several made or it was a prototype that never got off the drawing board.

 

[Tim Walker]

Centaur class. Beautiful ship!

 

[NCC-73515]

Sovereign and Nova just look great

 

[Nightfall to-Ennien]

I love many starships, but for me I could only answer the Galaxy class, because for me, the Enterprise-D is home.

 

[Shik]

New Orleans or GTFO

 

[137th Gebirg]

Connie Refit as #1, with the Akira (under ST FC ships) in close second.

 

[Airmandan]

Why is the Akira not on there? That is a sexy ship

 

[137th Gebirg]

It would technically be a part of the "ST FC ships" selection, as it first appeared in First Contact. But yes, I agree that she stands out from all the rest of her classmates, even the Sovereign.

 

[USS Artorius]

Original Connie seems to be leading followed closely by the Galaxy class. Can't say I'm surprised but I guess you can't beat the original Sci-fi icon that is the USS Enterprise NCC-1701! The D was the first ship seen of its era and such a radical departure from the balanced and comparatively slim frame of the Connie. 1 vote for the Nebula, another for the Akira both I did not expect. The Akira is a ship I haven't given enough attention personally, however the double "neck" is definitely a creative and welcoming feature to set it apart from the rest. And angled nacelle for extra cool factor! We have yet to see a Canon dreadnought type ship aside from the D in AGT. I would love to see a new ship design post PIC that matches the size of the galaxy but takes all design cues from the post TNG (sovvy, akira) era. One last thing I have a strange love for the Steamrunner Class, I just think it's neat!

 

[137th Gebirg]

Actually, we have seen several, albeit distantly - the Niagara (TNG - "Best of Both Worlds") and the Hutzel (DS9 - "A Time To Stand").

In NuTrek, we also have the Armstrong, albeit sometimes referred to in the fandom as a "Fast Frigate".

Additionally, while not an official designation, STO calls the DSC ("People of Earth") 32nd century Merian class a "Command Science Dreadnought" as well. In the absence of any other contravening source, I'm inclined to stick with that classification for now.

The B.S. Roddenberrian "nacelles must be in pairs" nonsensical "rule" is long dead, and good riddance to it. The Freedom class also thumbs its nose at it, although it's long been said (apocryphally) that Galaxy-style nacelles contain 2 warp coils, so that and the Niagara may be a moot point.

 

[Dukhat]

I’m pretty sure the Hutzel wasn’t seen on screen.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Hmm… well that’s a pickle. Ex Astris agrees with that.

 

[Dukhat]

The only confirmed DS9 kitbashes seen on screen were the Curry, Centaur/Buckner, Yeager, the ‘Ertl’ tug, and (possibly) the Raging Queen. I say ‘possibly’ because the opening scene of ‘A Time to Stand’ had two unknown Starfleet ships in the far background whose identities are a mystery. One looks similar to the profile of the Raging Queen, and the other is simply too small to make it out. But it doesn’t look like the Hutzel.

 

[Lakenheath 72]

I picked the Defiant-class. It's a tough little ship.

 

[137th Gebirg]

“Little?”