Hello and welcome to another episode of Truth OR Myth Beta Canon, a Star Trek web series that normally dives into the history of any given topic using Beta Canon sources and my own imagination to fill in the gaps.
Today’s episode is a very different one, as it’s my top 10 list of favourite starship designs from both Beta Canon and Fandom from the period of the 21st Century, through to the End of the 23rd Century, basically, Star Trek: Enterprise through to Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
This list is just my personal favourites and is in no way a definitive list or intended to be the only possible list of Starship Favorites. We’re all different and entitled to our own opinions, and although yours may differ, that doesn’t give anyone license to rant, rave or name call over these choices, so bear that in mind while watching this video.
Also, you might notice that some or even a lot of starships featured in this video don’t have Beta Canon episodes on them yet. Although I can’t give you solid dates surrounding them, you can rest assured that ALL the ships in the video will eventually have their own Truth OR Myth Beta Canon Episode.
Anyhow, with all that out of the way, let’s begin this little bit of Star Trek fun…
10 – The Detroyat Class
As most of you probably know I love the TOS Era of Starship designs. And coming in here at number 10 is the Detroyat Class.
Designed as a fighter carrier and heavily armed, later converted to a construction starship for building colonies and Starbase facilities, the Detroyat Class had a standard safe cruising speed of Warp Factor 6, and an emergency maximum speed of warp factor 7.
There’s something oddly charming about the mix of the soft saucer and stark boxy shapes in this design. It’s a fun design that certainly has earned its place on my list.
9 – The Baud Class
An unusual design, the Baud Class had a standard safe cruising speed of warp factor 5 and an emergency maximum speed of warp factor 6.
Designed with a 2-fold purpose, the first being to act as a mobile subspace relay and the second to be a constructing vessel for a permanent subspace relay, the Baud Class is just such an unusual design that I came to love it.
When you’re working on story after story for Star Trek starship, they all begin to blend together, looking alike, but not this design. Not only does it completely stand out from the rest, but it inspires me with wacky ideas as to its design history…
8 – The Erebus Class
A concept starship designed by the amazing John Eaves, the Erebus Class would inspire me to write a story about its Section 31 History.
With a standard safe cruising speed of Warp Factor 7 and an emergency speed of Warp Factor 9, the Erebus Class would include several amazing technologies such as Augmented Tzenkethi Shields, a cloaking device and specialized Holo-projectors, which could change the appearance of the starship at a moment’s notice.
The elegant and simple lines, echoing classes like the Constitution Class, earned this Erebus Class its sneaky place on my top 10 list…
7 – The Wasp Class
Between the time of Star Trek: Enterprise and Star Trek Discovery, there is a huge gap in Starfleet Starship Designs.
So, when I came across this Vessel Class, I immediately fell in love with it. The Wasp Class echoes the Daedalus Class Design but with a few twists.
First, its 3 Nacelle Design allowed this starship to travel with a safe cruising speed of warp factor 5 and an emergency maximum speed of Warp Factor 6.
Of course, the most interesting part of this design was its dual gravitational planes.
Those working in the Spherical Primary Hull were working perpendicular to those working in the Secondary Hull.
And with a crazy little detail like that, how could the Wasp Class not end up in my top 10 list?
6 – The Akyazi Class
There is no shortage of design ideas both from fandom and in Beta Canon for the TOS Movie Era of Star Trek. But the Akyazi Class holds a special place in my heart.
With a standard safe cruising speed of Warp Factor 8 and emergency maximum speed of warp factor 12, the Akyazi Class was designed with one thing in mind, protection of the Federation.
Armed to its teeth, the Akyazi Class would be one of Starfleet’s fastest starships for its time, and its elegant TMP style design just makes my heart sign, earning this class its place at number 6 on my list!
5 – The Starliner/ Declaration Class
Starting out as a blurry image on the Recreation room wall of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the Starliner/ Declaration class would instantly become an object of curiosity for fandom at large.
Designed and launched before Zephram Cochrane’s first warp flight, this design would reach warp 1 long before the phoenix.
But due to the humanities situation at the time, on the verge of World War 3, the entire class and its accomplishments would be classified and buried for over 2 centuries, until time-locked UESPA data files suddenly changed humanities perspective on its own warp flight accomplishments, the Starliner/ Declaration Class simply represents a road not taken in starship design.
A sort of, what could have been starship class, had humanity been more open and honest and not so paranoid about the stars.
Its unusual Vulcan-esque design earns its place at number 5.
4 – The Iowa Class
As I’ve said before, the period of Starship Design between Enterprise and Discovery is still unknown.
Thankfully Star Trek: Discovery has filled in a lot of the blanks for the early 23rd Century, but the Iowa Class takes it one step further.
The Missing link between Discovery and TOS designs, the Iowa Class would have a standard safe cruising speed of Warp Factor 5 and an emergency maximum speed of Warp Factor 6.
The Iowa Class would become the testbed for many new Duotronic technologies that would be included in the Constitution Class design.
Being not only the missing link but also a 1 nacelle design echoing the Einstein Class first seen in the Star Trek 2009 movie, it’s no wonder this class occupies the number 4 spot on my list.
3 – The NX Class Refit
Probably one of the most well-known starship designs in Beta Canon, the NX Class Refit was a proposed starship refit for the NX-01 had Star Trek: Enterprise continued in its run.
Taking us closer to the TOS Constitution Class Design, the NX Class Refit would have added a secondary Hull to NX Class and this starship design would have seen combat in the Earth/ Romulan War.
It’s truly unfortunate that Star Trek: Enterprise didn’t get its 5th Season as this starship design is simply beautiful to behold and even without the 5th Season, has become a fan favourite design of Star Trek: Enterprise, nevertheless.
2 – The Ptolemy Class
Franz Joseph was a genius of TOS Starship designs. Anyone that has watched my videos on the Joseph Designs will not be surprised to find the Ptolemy Class sitting here at number 2.
Fleshing out Starfleet with more than just fighter and cruiser classes, Joseph brought us a cargo vessel with detachable cargo pods in the Constitution Class style.
With a standard safe cruising speed of warp factor 6 and an emergency speed of warp factor 8, the cargo pods of this class came in various configurations for the transport of goods all throughout the federation.
There’s something to be said about the elegance of this design, but not only that, showing and creating a different side of the organization we’ve all come to know and love in Star Trek, that of its infrastructure designs.
So, I’m extremely happy to present the number 2 slot to Joseph’s Ptolemy Class Design.
Honourable Mentions- The Loknar Class, The Larson Class, The Mann Class
1 – The Federation Class Dreadnought
Yes, that’s right, another Franz Joseph design made my list and occupies the Number 1 spot, the Federation Class Dreadnought.
Usually referred to as simply the Dreadnought Class, this powerhouse design had 3 Warp Nacelles which allowed it to have a standard safe cruising speed of Warp factor 8 and a maximum emergency speed of warp factor 10.
As the name implies, the Federation Class Dreadnought was another design that was armed to its teeth, intended to protect the United Federation of Planets from both the Klingon and Romulan Empires as well as an enemy that would threaten the peace of Federation Space.
I think for me the reason I love this design so much is not only that it makes a lot of sense for the Federation and Starfleet to create classes such as this one, but also because the design is different, yet similar enough to the Constitution Class to show a certain starship lineage, and I love starship lineage.
So, the Federation Class dreadnought has rightfully earned its place in my number spot on this Top 10 list…
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Well, Thank you for watching today’s episode of Truth or Myth Beta Canon, but now it’s your turn. What’s your top 10 list of Beta Canon and Fan Starship designs from the 21st Century through to the end of the 23rd Century?
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Thanks again for watching, Live long and prosper…
