Starship Smackdown!

[Evshell]

(Scroll up or click here to get to poll)
Click Here to see the ongoing results...

Well, this is another blowout and there's only a day left, so I feel comfortable with posting the next one (based on past participation).

The Excelsior was true to its name and excelled in this race as it beat the Webships 9-2! The Tholians join the Hirogen and Undine in being bumped out completely as a race in the first round.

The next matchup brings in yet another new faction, one of the most dreaded factions of the Galaxy, as the Klingon Bird-of-Prey takes on the Borg Sphere!


Klingon Bird-of-Prey

Specifications
This classic Klingon vessel has continued in prominence and relevance for over 2 centuries! The Bird-of-Prey is like the Federation Miranda in that is the primary workhorse of the Klingon fleet. While it is one of the smallest ships at only 109 meters in length, in any battalion, you will see at least several Birds-of-Prey working together. Not much was known about the ship until one was captured by Captain Kirk in 2285. While the armament is not overly-impressive, with 2 Mark VI disruptor cannons and 1 Mark I photon torpedo tube, as stated earlier, it is almost never alone and will attack as a group. These weapons specs from 2285 would also be assumed to have been upgraded as the years went on, in order to equal or outmatch newer Federation and Romulan vessels. All in all, the Bird-of-Prey makes for a capable, deadly, and popular model.

Borg Sphere

Specifications
This smaller, but similarly geometric companion to the more powerful Borg Cube was first encountered in the Sol system by the USS Enterprise-E. Originally, it seemed to be more used for scouting missions or as a personal transport for the "Borg Queen". At the time it had one weapon: a basic plasma launcher, and its defensive capabilities were not near that of the Cube with its uber-redundant systems. However, since then, into the early 25th century, the Borg seemed to have adapted (naturally) to enhance the weaponry on the Sphere to the point where it actually seems to do more pinpoint damage than the Cube, albeit still can be taken out quicker and does not seem to contain the same amount of redundant systems as the Cube.

[Jureth]

resistance is futile..

[Jeff T]

resistance is futile..

Ha Ha Ha!!!

My thoughts exactly Jureth.

Although I really do like this Klingon Bird of Prey ship much more... it would not stand up to the enhanced Borg sphere IMHO.

[Redding]

Does anyone recall a time the Borg actually detected a cloaking device?
I know Janeway did something 'like' a cloak, but that wasn't the same thing.

[Niomo]

Does anyone recall a time the Borg actually detected a cloaking device?
I know Janeway did something 'like' a cloak, but that wasn't the same thing.

I don't recall them ever specifically stating that the borg scanned through a cloak. But let's be honest, you'd uncloak to fire, get tractor beamed and boarded and then assimiliated.

+1 Borg vote.

[BLZBUB]

"We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own."

[Athos]

Ohhhhh...it's on like Donkey Kong now!  We've got 10 votes (a good turn out) and it's tied!  Who is going to be the deciding vote?

Fun fact: Did you know that what we know as the Klingon Bird of Prey was originally designed to be a ROMULAN Bird of Prey?  Tis true!  The original story arch for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock was written as the Romulans being the antagonists and not the Klingons.  However, director Leonard Nimoy thought that since Klingons had played a much larger role in TOS, they would be a much better fit for the movie.  Though the Romulans had been dropped, both Nimoy and producer Harve Bennett wanted to keep the name "Bird of Prey" and hence was born the Klingon Bird of Prey.

My vote is for the Klingon Bird of Prey.

Klingon BoP: First seen in Star Trek III, this ship is an original design; nothing similar has been seen in the entirety of Star Trek.  The BoP, like the Miranda class, has managed to stay relevant into the late 24th century.  The BoP was quite prevalent throughout the Dominion War and even served as General Martok's flagship.  Note that there are different classes of BoPs; there are the smaller ones and larger, newer ones; all of them look the same.  This ship isn't a dreadnought; it's not overly powerful or overly fast (though it can reach warp 9).  But...it has a standard cloak and is quite maneuverable during battle.  When in formation, it's quite an effective raid weapon and fast attack/frigate. 

Borg Sphere: Okay...we get it.  The Borg like geometric shapes.  Cube, Sphere, Diamond...when will we see a pyramid?  Yes, it's the Borg; yes, it's a sphere.  Other than that, there is nothing new or original about this ship.  If you're going to vote for Borg, at least go for the original Cube and not a ship that took 2 seconds to think of and "design". 

[Sorripto]

The tie breaking vote has been cast... Klingon's now in the lead.  Why you ask?  Because the Borg Sphere was so easily destroyed by the Enterprise-E from a volley that the Klingon's would survive.  Not to mention Worf has shown that Klingons can win hand to hand against the borg, so assimilating the ship is not going to happen with the small amount of borg on a sphere.  Also last weekend I was a guest on a panel at Galacticon where the debate was Star Trek vs. Star Wars.  The two Star Trek members on the panel were dressed as Klingons, so I am biased today.

[Kheren]

More Fun facts: in Star Trek II, they had planned the Kobayashi Maru sequence to involve the Romulans... but having no budget or time to come up with brand new Romulan ships, they used stock shots from STTMP instead... then only changed the names Roms for Klingons in the script. Thus came about the famous mistakes about a "Klingon Neutral Zone" which "entering is a violation of treaty" (when it fact it's a Romulan Neutral Zone and it be the one which has this stipulation, ref Balance of Terror; the Klingon border was in fact the Organian Peace Treaty Zone which had no such stipulation, ref:TOS Errand of Mercy). And again the wrong statement by Kirk:"Klingons don't take prisoners" (Romulans don't, ref TOS The Deadly Years; in the series, many episodes showed Klingons taking prisoners and hostages as a routine protocol, using torture/interrogation devices even a Vulcan found hard to counter, ref TOS Errand of Mercy).

This paved the way for the "Bird of Prey" swap from one to the other.

And regarding Borg Pyramids; you got them in Starfleet Command III

[BLZBUB]

... Also last weekend I was a guest on a panel at Galacticon where the debate was Star Trek vs. Star Wars.

 Do we need to ask which side you were on?