One of the elements that has been quietly added back to Obsidian Fleet as a part of the Wiki rework has been the addition of classifications to the Obsidian Fleet ship specifications. This allows us to better highlight ships and how they’ll best work together when it comes to writing roleplaying events. This also lets people who are coming into the position of a Commanding Officer, and those who choose to write on these ships how their characters will interact with their ships and the missions they’ll likely partake in.
I want to take some time and highlight the new classifications and how they affect you, plus take some time to highlight the ships within them.
Corvettes
Typically in the context of a modern navy, a corvette is a small warship, typically smaller than a frigate and larger than a patrol boat. Corvettes are versatile vessels designed for a variety of roles, often focusing on:
- Coastal defense and patrol: Protecting territorial waters, enforcing maritime laws, and combating piracy.
- Anti-submarine warfare (ASW): Detecting and engaging enemy submarines.
- Anti-surface warfare (ASuW): Engaging enemy surface ships with missiles or guns.
- Escort duties: Protecting larger vessels, such as transports or supply ships.
In Star Trek (and sci-fi in general) it’s a little harder to pin down the differences between a Corvette, a Frigate, and a Destroyer, as in our real world they have blended together. So when it came to deciding how we defined corvettes for us, we wanted to really boil down what made them stand out, and what they really aimed to achieve.
First, a corvette had to be small. We are all familiar with just how small the Defiant really is compared to other ships in the fleet. We wanted to have that same feel with all of our corvettes, while still having enough space to explore. These would be ships rife with hot bunking, cramped quarters, and making due with limited supplies.
Next, a corvette had to lean into its tactical side. These are not warships in the way we think of them compared to ships like the Prometheus or Akira, but they were still going to punch above their weight. Most of these ships will be able to hold their own on in a limited fight, and in numbers should be a threat to anyone they’re up against. When used in conjunction with the rest of a fleet, they’re going to be a powerful force multiplier.
Lastly, they’re going to fill a specific role, something that make them stand out and a reason to choose one over another. This means that no matter the need you have, there is a corvette that fit your specific needs.
The Corvettes of Obsidian Fleet
This leads us to where the three ships we have in the line, the Defiant, the Echelon, and the Merian all come in. Each fills a specific niche role, while being able to balance out the other roles of a corvette as they go.
Defiant-Class Escort Corvette
We’ve made very little change to the Defiant, aside from changing where it stacks up in the pecking order. It is still the little ship that punches well above its weight class. In the overall fleet composition of Obsidian Fleet, you more than likely see Defiants playing escort duty to flag officers and their flagships. Expect to see them moving in conjunction of other fleets to act as a threat to anyone that gets too close.
That doesn’t mean that you won’t see them operating alone. There is still going to be a selection of Defiants used in basic patrol actions, though probably sticking closer to starbases than other corvettes. An aging design by modern standard, though with refits and retrofits one could expect to see them in operation for a long time to come.
Those looking to run the Defiant should expect more of a submarine vibe than one expects from the typical starship feel that most of the ships in the games to date have had. You’re going to focus on that more compact mission profiles. Typically you’ll be operating out of a starbase, circling back for supplies and rest and relaxation.
Echelon-Class Patrol Corvette
If you are looking to live out your NCIS or The Rookie vibes as a police officer, the Echelon might be the ideal ship for you. This specialized ship is meant for patrolling and anti-piracy, and in this role it excels. Where the Defiant is a beefy ship meant to slug it out to make sure you stay where you are, the Echelon is more than willing to let you slip away – after it’s hit you a few times with it’s special Type-T phase array. They leave a sort of unique ionic decay that allows a ship to be tracked at range, and even if you are able to cloak the cloak will not be able to hide you from the tracing.
These ships are a lot more focused than we have seen in the past, and while they can be added to fleet actions their strength really is in their capacity to mark vessels for later inspection. Anti-piracy fleets, or even intelligence gathering objectives. Expect to see these operating in packs, working together to corner and track smuggling vessels and leave them trackable for future ships to hunt them down with a lot more bite.
If you’re going to play one, consider looking at more of a focus on the policing action of Starfleet. Maybe even work with your Game Director (72 and 13 that’s me, for 21 and 47 ready out to Jill) to see about setting up a pirate or smuggling faction. Or, if you want to run on the more special operations side, consider using your ship with a contingent of Marines, using them for boarding actions. Either way, this ship offers a perfect skillset for those who dream of bringing a little order to the edge of Federation space.
Merian-Class Fast Escort – Fast Response
We have the patrol ships and the gunboat. But what if you need to get somewhere in a hurry? That’s where the Merian comes in. This fast attack ship is focused on being a quick response to arising issues. If you want to be the first one on the scene, this is the ship for you. Focusing on a modular role, similar to the Reliant-class or California-class, the Merian is meant to use it’s powerful Quantum Slipstream Drive to get to the action first and provide additional support.
While it offers a combat and even a Marine focused outfit, the Merian also offers options for Search and Rescue, and even immediate quick response to a natural disaster. If you want the Corvette of starships (I won’t apologize for that joke) then you are going to want to run a Merian. And as one of the limited starships equipped with a QSD, it offers a different playstyle to most ships available currently for people to choose from.
On top of their speed, expect to see them operating alongside relief fleets as part of SAR operations, or if you need a ship that is going to beat you to a location for you to fall in and support, the Merian offers a lot of options to choose from to make plenty of use.
Choosing a Corvette
While there is a ton of flash, pomp and circumstance around the bigger ships, the smaller ships are the workhorse that often goes under appreciated. These corvettes are a great way to add flavour to your game. If you plan to run one of them, think of the specialty that yours is going to run that will set it apart from the rest. And if you are looking to jump into a specialty type game instead of running your own, look to see what games are available that might fill your special writing desires.