Starship Smackdown!

[Niomo]

G
A
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A
X
Y

Shoot the fireworks boys (And ladies), it's my most favorite ship of all time. This thing could have gotten thrown into the Delta Quadrant and just through sheer awesomeness been instantly teleported back to the Alpha Quadrant with not only the cure for the Borg, but also cake and coffee. Because let's be honest, everything is better with cake and coffee.

[Evshell]

I'm calling mercy rule on this one (or any other one in the future that gets to 10-0 or even a difference of 10 points). The inevitable has come, and a congrats is due to the Galaxy. Next race pending...

[Evshell]

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Tholian Webships*

Specifications Unknown
This unique an interesting ship may seem unimposing in of itself, but in tandem with at least one other vessel it is able to erect an unbreakable force-field, colloquially named the "Tholian Web", that is able to trap a ship in a high power immobilization field / tractor beam and pull it back to Tholian territory. Beyond the Tholian Web, the ship has a rudimentary plasma-type torpedo launcher for self-defense.

*As the Tholian Web capability cannot even be deployed without at least 2 of these vessels, we have to assume that there are at least 2 if taking this as a pure combative comparison. Otherwise, the ship does not even fulfill its basic function.


Federation Excelsior

Specifications
The first ship of this class that bore its name was widely known for the failed "Great Experiment" to exceed the Warp speed limit. This new, new frontier, known as Transwarp, was successfully reached later with the help of Borg technology. Beyond this experiment, the class of ship itself was a very popular design during the 2nd half of the 23rd century and the first half of the 24th century, with at least 24 well-known ships in the line. It is slightly shorter from fore to aft than the Ambassador, but with a much skinnier saucer section. The 12 Type XIII phaser banks and 4 Type II torpedo tubes made it one of the most powerful ships at the time and served as a capital ship bearing the name "Enterprise" (1701-B), between the Constitution and Ambassador (1701-C).

[Kheren]

That is a though one as I like both but for different reasons. But in the end I will go for the Tholian ship.

I recall that I disliked the Excelsior when it firs appeared in Star trek III (my favorite trek film of all). I found it bulky, ugly and allegedly a failure... although what we see on screen is the result of sabotage, not the experimental failure it is supposed to be. It didn't grew much on me later with The Undiscovered Country where it just appeared like a fatter Enterprise, not even an improvement on the old Constitution.Not even in it's Lakota version seen in Generations... but it did after a while as I played with one on STO. Now I like it pretty much in this latest version.

The Tholian ship on the other hand wowed me from the first instant it appeared in The Tholian Web. The design, the technology, the Tholians themselves, everything was intriguing, fascinating, almost frightening, even beleivable (the concept of non-carbon based life form)... for the first time truly alien. We heard their name quite often afterwards (i.e. Nemesis) but only the series Enterprise (the excellent In A Mirror Darkly arc) showed them again, this time in a much more dangerous angle (ships faster, web much more effective and destructive and the Tholians themselves in much more detail). Even today after almost half a century, they remain the most alien and elusive characters in the Trek universe and all the more interesting. STO's flurry of details about them just added to their aura and appeal to me.

I know everyone else will go for the Excelsior, especially since it is an E ship... and most only go for the tactical comparison... I would almost do it myself... but I thought the best aliens in trek lore deserved at least a vote once.

[Jeff T]

Oh this is a no-brainer...

Although I agree with Kheren's comments about the pair of Tholian vessels (in one of my favorite episodes from the third season) being fascinating... especially seeing this as a kid back in the day.  That aspect definitely deserves kudos.

However, it is the Excelsior without question... especially since this was also the vessel type used by Captain Sterling.

[Athos]

No contest...Excelsior.

And I just don't have the energy to put into a long post like I normally do.  I'll save it for next round.

[InfernalPotato]

No need to explain, our STO Fearless Leader.

One of us. ONE OF US.

Excelsior Master Race™

[Niomo]

Excelsior. I just don't like the Tholians at all, and I find them to be a quick gimmick than anything else. So the Excel wins by default.

[Evshell]

In case anyone's wondering, I was the other weirdo who voted for the Tholian Webships with Kheren. Again, we are the odd men out as with the Undine ship!

Just as with that one, it was a unique race with a ship that had certain unique properties that I always found intriguing. The scavenging aspect of actually capturing the ship instead of simply destroying it is one that has not been redone since. Clearly the Tholians' driving motto is "Waste not, want not". There is also the mystery of what they do with the occupants of the ships they capture. Do they turn them into slaves or simply kill them? I'm thinking the latter since they wouldn't be able to live in the naturally harsh Tholian environment.

Either way, the Excelsior to me seemed like just another humdrum starship, an advance from the Consitution, yet not as stylish.

[Sorripto]

While the Tholian Webship is one of the better alien designs, the Excelsior was my favorite as a kid and has a special place in my heart.  Plus on Deep Space 9 we see that a retrofitted Excelsior went punch for punch with the Defiant, so there is that.