Federation Constellation class ship data cards for ACTA Star Fleet

Today's post is still on the same theme of my attempt to design ship data cards for ACTA Star Fleet for The Next Generation era (including The Motion Picture period onward). So, without further adieu. Behold! The Constellation class ship data cards.

The Constellation Class Light Cruiser

The Constellation Class Survey Cruiser variant

Federation Deneb and Akula class ship data cards for ACTA Star Fleet

Continuing on from my previous posts, below are the Deneb and Akula class vessels from Star Trek The Next Generation period. The Deneb class filled the role of a frigate, whilst the Akula was Star Fleet's destroyer.

Both models below are from Shapeways. The saucer sections on both are roughly the size of the Constitution CA (USS Enterprise) saucer on the MicroMachines miniature. That's about 4cm's across. The length of both miniatures is also the same at just over 7cm's. Unfortunately I can't find them on Shapeways any more, so I can't post the link to them.

The Deneb Class Frigate

The Akula Class Destroyer

Federation Oberth and Aerie ship data cards for ACTA Star Fleet

In keeping with my last post on the conversions I am doing for Star Trek - The Next Generation era ships for ACTA Star Fleet, here are the next two ships of the Federation.

The Oberth Class Scout

UPDATE: Unfortunately I originally uploaded an older version of the Oberth ACTA ship data card. The correct one is now below.

The Aerie Class Patrol Cutter

There are more ships to follow on this subject. So look out for more posts to come!

Federation Constitution Class ship data card for ACTA Star Fleet

Micro-Machines version of the USS Enterprise

I have slowly been working on ship data cards for A Call To Arms Star Fleet for The Next Generation era. I enjoy the versatility of ACTA but all the vessels available data back to the original series. So I have for some time been pondering updating the ships to cover The Motion Picture to the Dominion War period.

Repainted Micro-Machines USS Enterprise

One of the most iconic ships of that period is the Constitution Class (e.g. the original Enterprise). So below is my ACTA Star Fleet take on that ship and some musings on the conversion process.

Saucer Separation modification
First up though, I wanted to show a conversion of the Micro-Machines version of the Constitution class starship (i.e. Mico-Machines USS Enterprise). I painted the ship in a similar fashion to the Constellation class Mico-Machines USS Stargazer miniature.

I wanted to make a ship that can undergo saucer separation. The Micro-Machines model is a plastic miniature. As such, I was able to cut along the baseline where the sail joined the saucer section to the engineering section. I then super-glued rare earth magnets to both the upper and lower connection points. You need to be careful to ensure that the you don't place them in such a way as to have the same magnetic field facing each other. Otherwise the magnets won't join properly. Once this was done, I then painted the model. Below are more images of how this turned out. I also attached another magnet to a flying base for use when the saucer is finally separated.

The magnets are strong enough to keep the saucer in place.

ACTA Star Fleet Constitution Class Ship Data Cards
Next process was to develop the ACTA ship data cards for the Constitution class vessel. For guidance I used the book Star Trek Mr Scott's guide to the USS Enterprise by Shane Johnson. I used the book to determine the number of weapons systems present on the ship.

Standard Constitution

Newer version of the Constitution

Working out how many points a ship cost was a difficult trick. But I wanted to be able to compare ships fairly easily.

So firstly I worked out a point system for weapons. For example, a single Phaser 1 would end up being 14 points and a single Photon ended up being 6 points. Points were awarded for the range band of the weapon and also the weapons traits. Shorter ranged weapons received 1 point and the longest range weapons received more (I made a chart for this, definitely too much time on my hands with this project!). So the longer range the weapon can shoot and the more positive traits the weapon had, the more points it received. Negative traits, such as Reload, were also deducted from the weapon. That value would then be multiplied by the number of weapons present on the ship (i.e. the number of AD the weapon had in that firing arc).

I then added a point for each Shield and Damage the ship could take. I then added the number of Marines and Shuttles and gave a point for each of these. The ship then received a point for each positive trait it had, so Labs 8 would be 8 points. Traits such as Cloak and Scout gave 10 points each and negative traits such as Slow and Lumbering subtracted points.

Finally, I rounded the total score to the nearest 5 points. Surprisingly this process seemed to work fairly well (I even amazed myself!). Ships that were more powerful obviously got more points than less powerful ones and the Next Generation ships received in the end more points than the older Original Series ships. So the process seemed to work! Once I have refined it, I may even do a post on the process.

To Boldly Go...blah, blah, blah... Just FIRE will you!

More ships to follow, so stay tuned!

HAPPY EASTER

From The Passion of the Christ

Revelation 1:8, 17-18 New International Version (NIV)

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 New International Version (NIV)

The Resurrection of Christ

15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas [Peter], and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

Most historians of the Bible and theologians believe that the statements in verses 3 & 4 above are a very early Christian creed of the church that date to no more than 2 to 5 years after Jesus rose from the dead.

In a world of uncertainties as tumultuous as the seas, Easter reminds us that we have an anchor firmly cast in that sea. An anchor firmly set in truth and in history. God loves us and gave himself for us. May this Easter be a time of peace in that sea for you. A time of renewed hope, purpose and joy.

HAPPY EASTER ! 

Kings of War battle report... well sort of....

The good guy's

I have a stack of Lord of the Rings miniatures from various factions, namely Numenor, Elves of the Last Alliance, Dwarves, Goblins and Angmar / Mordor. I really love the models of the Last Alliance men and elves and also the Hobbit Dwarves. I also really like the Moria Goblins. And the LotR Trolls are fantastic as well. Mordor Orcs are pretty good also. These are really nice sets of miniatures.

The bad guy's

For some time now I have wanted to use them with the Kings of War rule set but I haven't wanted to rebase them. So how to solve my dilemma?

Trolling around on eBay I found some MDF movement trays that take 25mm round bases. These movement trays hold 10, 8 & 6 miniatures. Taking a punt, I bought a stack. I also have some War of the Ring cavalry movement trays for my Warg riders and cavalry. So far so good.

So how does this all translate to the table top using Kings of War (KoW)? Well, see for your self. The trays are bigger than the official bases for KoW, but given that both sides have the same movement tray base this isn't a problem.

A Cargul (Wraith) of Angmar leads the Angmarim

Casualties can be tracked too by simply removing miniatures off the tray, like in many other game systems, without compromising the unit's footprint due to its movement tray. So the only drawback is that the movement trays don't match the official base sizes. Anyway, below are a lot of images of the battle. Unfortunately time constraints didn't permit it to be fully played out. Still it looked impressive enough to warrant its own blog post.

So enjoy the battle...

Glorfindel leads the Alliance