Excelsior class

Excelsior-class

Excelsior-class
Type:	Battleship, Explorer
Career
Yard:	San Francisco Fleet Yards
Launched:	2280s
Dimensions
Length:	511.25m
Beam:	195.64m
Draft:	86.64m
Specifications
Decks:	34
Complement:	700 (150 Officers -300 Enlisted Crew - Troops 250 Marines)
Speed:	Warp 9.6
Armament:	Two forward/aft torpedoes Siege Phaser Cannons (12 banks of 2 each)
Defenses:	Deflector Shield
Shuttlecraft:	Shuttles

The Excelsior-class starship was designed to replace the aging Constitution-class in during the late 23rd century. The design proved surprisingly durable and was in continuous service at least as late as 2409.

Design

The basic Excelsior-class design includes a circular primary hull with a bridge at the center of the dorsal side, a sensor dome at the bottom of the ventral, and impulse engines at the aft end. The saucer is attached to a backward-angled neck extending downward from the aft of the ventral side to the secondary hull, which is roughly tubular with a flat platform on the dorsal side; the hull has a navigational deflector at the bow and a shuttlebay aft. Two warp nacelles are above the secondary hull, slightly above the primary hull, supported by pylons that attach to a bulge on the top of the secondary hull, run to the sides, and go upward from an angle (slightly more than 90°) to the nacelles. A semi-circular cargo bay lies at the bottom of the secondary hull.

Command Cruiser

USS Enterprise-B

Shortly after its introduction into the fleet, a variant of the Excelsior was introduced that featured enhanced command and control abilities and a heavier arsenal.

These "command cruisers" were not very common, but those produced usually served in strategic sectors leading other Starfleet vessels in defense of the Federation.

The USS Enterprise-B was one of these vessels.

Following the introduction of the Ambassador Heavy Cruiser, the Excelsior Command Cruiser fell out of favor with the admiralty and was eventually relegated to the same position as other Excelsior Cruisers.

Weapon Systems

Siege Phaser Cannons

• Twelve (12) banks of 2 Siege Phaser Cannons: Primary energy weapon system with five banks on the top and five banks on the bottom of the primary hull. The ship also has two banks on the top of the secondary hull. While this ship does not have mega-phasers, the large number of siege phasers is still very effective. The weapons damage is about equal to laser cannons used by the CAF but the Phasers have a greater rate of fire. The phasers are also slightly shorter ranged but only slightly. Both Phaser Cannons in each bank can be linked or can be fired separately. They cannot be used faster than the speed of light. Weapons system has half the normal penalties to hit fighters and small targets. Several ships of the Excelsior-class have had their phasers rebuilt to increase their firepower and range.
• Range: 12,437 miles (20,000 km) in space and 12.4 miles (20 km) in an atmosphere. Rebuilt phasers have a range of 15,550 miles (25,000 km) in space and 15.6 miles (25 km) in an atmosphere.
• Mega Damage: 2D4x100 each or 4D4x100 for both cannons in a bank. Rebuilt phasers do 2D6x100 each or 4D6x100 for both cannons in a bank.
• Rate of fire: Maximum of Three (3) times per melee each cannon.
• Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

Photon Torpedo Launchers

• Four (4) Photon Torpedo Launching Systems: All launchers are mounted in the secondary hull. Two launchers fire forward and are mounted above the main deflector array. Two launchers fire aft and are on the rear of the secondary hull. While the launchers are older than those used on the USS Defiant and other next generation ships, they can use new torpedoes and quantum torpedoes if used in later Next Generation times. Newer photon torpedo warheads carry more anti-matter.

Effectively very similar to Phase World cruise missile launchers but instead of having groups of multiple launchers, Starfleet has concentrated on launchers that can launch more than one torpedo at the same time. There are two launchers that fire forward and two launchers that fire aft. Once spread of torpedoes has been launched, the launchers must reload and rearm before launching another spread of torpedoes. In the early service of this ship, it carried photon torpedoes which are anti-matter/matter warheads but they can carry quantum torpedoes when they are available.

Torpedoes has a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship). When drive goes dead, the torpedo will still cruise unless preset to self destruct or receives a destruct code but has very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and torpedoes when dead at -25% to detect.) See Modified starship rules for more details, Sublight torpedoes have minuses to hit small targets but are all considered smart missiles. Launchers can launch on multiple targets each.

• Range: Powered torpedo range is 8000 miles (12,875 km) in an atmosphere and 4,000,000 miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds) in space.
• Mega-Damage & Properties: Photon Torpedoes (Matter/Anti-Matter Warheads): Old Series inflict 2D6x100 each, Star Trek Movies One through Six inflict 3D6x100, and Next Generation inflicts 4D6x100 each. Quantum Torpedoes: 8D6x100 each.
• Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2 per launcher, per melee round, for a maximum of 8 torpedoes per melee. Launchers are reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.
• Payload: 200 torpedoes (50 per launcher, launchers are mounted in pairs and can use the other launchers magazine if launcher is damaged).]

External links

• Excelsior class article at Memory Alpha, the canon Star Trek wiki.
• Excelsior class article at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek wiki.
• Excelsior class article at Star Trek Expanded Universe.