We've got this grand alliance of the Federation, the Klingon Empire and the Romulan Republic, but up against them you have the likes of the Borg, the Voth, and the Undine. What I'd like to see are some missions, maybe a season, where you move to rally the minor powers of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants to join the grand alliance since, face it, their butts are on the line too.
I'd like to see you rally the likes of the
First Federation, who have those huge
Fesarius class ships and haven't been heard from since TOS except for the fact that they obviously trade their tranya abroad since it was widely ordered at Quark's on DS9. My view is that the First Federation is likely the equivalent of a landlocked power now surrounded by Federation space, kind of like Switzerland surrounded by the European Union - they'll trade with others easily enough but still hang on to their sovereignty. Getting them on your side could be tricky, and I could see other powers trying to foil you at every step.
Then there are the more xenophobic races like the
Sheliak Corporate, the
Zalkonians, and the
Talarian Republic. Rallying them would be even harder and would be a real challenge, but Sheliak
ships are at least on par with the Galaxy class, and they forced the Federation to cede them several worlds in the mid 23rd Century. Zalkonian
ships are on par with the Galaxy class as well, but they also have a weapon that exclusively targets a ship's crew with asphyxiation that shields are ineffective against. Plus the Zalkonians have members of their race that are undergoing evolution into non-corporeal lifeforms, who at the time of their first meeting with the Federation they were exterminating as they showed symptoms. They were on the edges of explored space in the late 2360s and would probably have a common frontier in 2409. Talarian
ships were primitive compared to the Federation, but they could still provide support, just as the Deferi have been courted for the alliance against the Borg, and their ground troops are probably no slouches either.
Then there are other governments such as the
Tzenkethi, the
Jarada, the
Holy Order of the Kinsyaha, the
Regnancy of the Carnelian Throne, and the
Ubarrak Primacy. I don't see all of them joining the alliance, but it would be interesting to see the STO galaxy become even more varied, and it might be interesting to see the attempts anyhow.
Might be interesting to see the Cardassian Detapa Council and the Ferengi Alliance take a more proactive role as well, see some actual Ferengi warships besides the marauders and maybe some other Cardassian vessels. After all, the Ferengi Alliance has to have some sort of fleet, or with their shady business practices they would have been easy meat for one enraged customer or other.
EDIT: A list of the various governments and/or species that could become part of the Alliance.
Government - Species - Assets - Source(s)
Daa'Vit Confederacy -
Daa'Vit - Starships -
TNG NovelFirst Federation - N/A -
Dreadnoughts - TOS
Grigari - N/A - Mercenaries - ST Novels,
DS9: The FallenHoly Order of the Kinshaya -
Kinshaya -
Starships (Third Paragraph) - ST Novels
Jarada - N/A -
Warships - TNG,
DS9 NovelKessok - N/A -
Heavy Cruisers &
Light Cruisers /
Heavy Cruiser Image &
Light Cruiser Image -
ST: Bridge CommanderMelkotians - N/A - Telepaths - TOS
Miradorn - N/A -
Raiders - DS9
Nyberrite Alliance - Unknown -
Cruisers - DS9
Regnancy of the Carnelian Throne - Multispecies - Starships -
TLE NovelSheliak Corporate -
Sheliak -
Starships - TNG
Son'a Command -
Son'a -
Battle Cruisers - ST: Insurrection
Talarian Republic -
Talarian -
Warships, Soldiers - TNG
Talosians - N/A - Telepaths - TOS
Tzenkethi Coalition -
Tzenkethi -
Raiders - DS9, ST Novels
Ubarrak Primacy -
Ubarrak - Starships -
STA NovelYridians - N/A -
Starships - TNG, DS9
Zalkonians - N/A -
Warships - TNG
Comments
Not everybody would enjoy playing through a diplomatic mission to the First Federation.
I'd suggest this would be a perfect idea for Foundry missions... except that I doubt the Foundry has the necessary assets to pull it off.
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OP You have my vote for sure, it sounds like everything I"ve been dreaming of for a while now.
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Confirm that. Closest thing we have to a Fesarius-class is a Borg sphere.
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A question of finding the right narrative perspective.
Nowadays we have the likes of michael Bay blowing up everything on screen.........but Shakespeare had virtually no battles on actual stage, he could write around it.
One of my favourite Babylon 5 episodes was told from the perspective of a couple of cleaners.
Where's the fun in that?
Though, point taken. Can't do the First Federation ship, but nothing stopping someone from putting a bunch of ugly little bald men wearing robes on a planet.
Still... if I can't do it right, I hate to settle for 'as close as I can get'.
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"If this will be our end, then I will have them make SUCH an end as to be worthy of rememberance! Out of torpedos you say?! Find me the ferengi!".
Supported. All the way.
Some of those powers I wouldn't even call "minor".
The First Federation may still be well ahead of the United Federation in regards of technology. The Sheliak could very well be a major power rarely dealt with by others (like the Tholians).
I would also want to see the Melkot again.
Plus you'll have the likes of the Tal Shiar trying to keep the alliance from expanding, as well as the Iconians and their agents like the Elachi. Plus just plain old mishaps that seem to happen in the Star Trek universe whenever a diplomatic mission comes up, like a Jarada probe trapping Picard and others on a holodeck. Then there are others that will have negative reactions to any attempt at contact, like the Melkot did with Kirk.
Hmmm, I'm wondering (as a reallllly off-shot thought) if the new "find Undine Infiltrators at Bajor" would possibly pave the way for a 'Diplomacy-oriented' FE series? The trick would be to find a non-combat play design that would be just as involved as a normal combat oriented one bu still have the same entertainment for all.
Anyways, back to the OP's original post, it would be neat to see those powers become involved. Not militarily but say in the economic sense. Or even have some of them declare neutrality or be willing to take over escort convoy duties so that the larger powers can focus on the big fight? I am drawing on some WWII comparisons here but it is what immediately jumps to mind.
(UFP) Ragnar
But I ask you, what about the other MAJOR factions? With 8472 and the annoying Borg now going for an all out annihilation of the Alpha and Beta quadrants, what about the Breen? They were at war with the Deferi and thus fought the Federation and the Empire as well, but the story arc ends when they discover that the artifacts they sought are of no value to them. We have lots of Breen defectors and fly their ships - wouldn't it be time to get the Breen into a support role?
Same goes for the Tholians. They are highly xenophobic but they are actually not all that bad. They are willing to negotiate, after all, and they face 8472 like all the others do. Plus we don't know wether the Tholians we fight are prime or MU ones anyway. Plus DOFFs and ships are already there.
What about the Deferi? I figured by now they would be ready to take action and the major powers would have helped them develop some capable starships to help out.
What about the Ferengi? Cardassians? I figure that all those small conflicts that locked them in place might be resolved or at least in a state of relative ease by the time our toons are doing the STF missions. What about the Voth, would their remaining poeple prefer to be grinded between joint ops and 8472?
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(UFP) Ragnar
One of my federation Vice Admirals is a Deferi captain who disagreed with his government and chose that balance would only be preserved by joining starfleet. He captains the U.S.S. Paladin against the Borg, Undine, Voth, and any other threat to the "free" peoples of the Galaxy.
I'm not gonna lie though, if they hadn't released the Romulan Republic the way it is, and they had instead done the Deferi where you choose allegiance, I'd reroll him right now!
*Edit* P.S. The Cardassian government(not true way) is not allowed to have a Military, and the Ferengi, while threatened just as much as the other powers would mostly try to play the conflict, and sides into profit.
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Since they were the primary antagonist in Enterprise, and Archer did say to Degra at one point that Xindi and Humans will one day serve aboard Federation ships, it makes sense that the Xindi have survived and are still around in the Federation. They probably still have their vessels.
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I like that character background. I'm all for a Dferi subfaction as I personally don't think the people's design is bad at all, plus I would like more original creations be used in STO instead of just throwing in so many token canon appearances that go completely against what we see in canon Romulans, Voth, 8472 and so many others). It's not bad to create new stuff that goes along with canon.
A Deferi subfaction would make more sense than the Romulan desaster and I figure the major powers would help them to construct Starships that are of some value (I even have a concept of a Deferi flagship in my head that fuses both factions specialities, including separation and disruptor hybrid weaponry) and the Klingons would help them to train reliable ground troops, dubbed Guardians in my head concept, utilizing hybrid weaponry like a halberd like melee weapon with build in disrupting tetryon beam or something like that.
Anywho, I get your point with the Cardassians. It's true that their defense force wouldn't exactly be able to field a large fleet, but maybe at least a couple of ships and some personnel to partake in some efforts. Same with the Ferengi, I get that their racial stereotype would hunt for profit but I think it would be a viable opportunity to break those stereotypes - and survival opens up more business opportunities than annihilation :P I always disliked the idea that all races except humans (and Klingons on rare occasions (Worf)) are fixed in their views to a point that they rather face doom.
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I've looked into how many governments/species there are across the Alpha and Beta Quadrants throughout the various Star Trek sources, and I thought I'd compile a list and what they would bring to the grand alliance:
Name - Assets - Source(s)
Daa'Vit Confederacy - Starships - TNG Novel
First Federation - Dreadnoughts - TOS
Grigari - Mercenaries - ST Novels, DS9 Video Game
Holy Order of the Kinshaya - Starships - ST Novels
Jarada - Warships - TNG, DS9 Novel
Melkotians - Telepaths - TOS
Miradorn - Raiders - DS9
Regnancy of the Carnelian Throne - Starships - TLE Novel
Sheliak Corporate - Starships - TNG
Talarian Republic - Warships, Soldiers - TNG
Tzenkethi Coalition - Raiders - DS9
Ubarrak Primacy - Starships - STA Novel
Zalkonians - Warships - TNG
Any that I'm missing?
They could get another lock box out of this too - the Alliance Lock Box, where the new ships are those of the other governments you manage to get into the alliance. The First Federation's Fesarius-class would undoubtedly be the most rare. It could also be a reputation system where you pick up Alliance marks and do other missions to assist the various Alliance governments settle their problems or help fend off retaliatory strikes by the Undine and Elachi, etc.
There was a Voyager short story in which David Bailey, the officer Kirk left on the original Fesarius with Balok in TOS, stayed with the First Federation ship and was still alive in the late 24th Century. It's possible he could still be alive and part of the diplomatic mission to the First Federation.
Then the Melkot might try to pull something similar on your character and away team that they pulled on Kirk and company in TOS, telepathically sending you back to some famous historical event as the losing side in the expectation that you'll lose and be killed, perhaps even a different one for each faction. If it's the same for each one, I could see them putting you up against the Narada under the command of Nero before he and Spock got sucked into that black hole. He apparently destroyed a lot of Federation, Klingon and Cardassian ships before he was finally stopped, and the event is one of the pivotal ones for STO.
Militarily, I don't see how the Cardassians will have much to bring to the table. Their fleet is limited ever since the end of the Dominion War and redeploying them would leave Cardassia vulnerable to other non-aligned factions.
The Ferengi are another story. I believe that the Ferengi would be inclined to join a grand alliance, especially with Rom as Nagus. I'm sure their role would primarily be logistical support, however, it is entirely possible that they could field a small fleet to support the war effort. Would go great with my own personal creation of a "Ferengi Coast Guard" for my Ferengi Captain.
The First Federation, much the same. They are technically advanced and tactically capable enough to field at least a small expeditionary force to join a grand alliance.
Even given the rocky history between the Talarians, Sheliak, Tzenkethi, they may be amiable to joining forces with the major powers, those would truly be more difficult and complex diplomatic situations.
Miradorn could be hired much like the Orions. They are primarily mercenaries after all.
Jarada, I'm not sure. Yes, first contact with Capt. Picard went as well as it could and relations are friendly at last report. Still, there's not even a record of face-to-face contact between them and the Federation.
Melkotians are so Xenophobic they may not even agree to talks in the first place. Could be an interesting pretense for a diplomatic mission.
Zalkonians never wanted relations in the first place and were hostile on first contact. I believe it would take an clear and immediate threat to them to get them talking.
There are several other minor powers that I haven't seen listed yet.
Eminian Union
Nyberrite Alliance
Elasian Council of Nobles
Troyius Tribunal
Lysian Alliance
Coalition of Madena
Kzinti
Ventaxians
Yridians
Son'a
Kriosians and Valtese
Ktarians
Angosians
Most of these can be found here: http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Government
I'll stop there, but I know there are more.
I don't get the care bear arguent. Once the thread from 8472 is neutralized, all those powers will get on each other's throat again and you would have your precious grimdark total war scenario back. But it would be a nice sight for at least a small episode to see a very large alliance fleet of canon races go agaionst 8472 (not Borg really, since those poor mock up Borg gone through so much, if VOY didn't kill them off for good it was the lame overuse almost every TNG ST game did in the past )
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And now my thoughts on your list:
The Eminian Union never ventured off their planet, but I suppose things could have changed since Kirk forced them to end their war. I can't see them with an especially big fleet or military able to join in an expeditionary force to assist the Alliance. Perhaps support vessels and convoys.
The Nyberrite Alliance, definitely. They apparently had good relations with both the Federation and the Empire, looking to hire experienced officers from both. Might not take much diplomacy to get them to join at that, and they have Cruisers at the very least.
The Elasians and Troyius live in the same system, so I'm not sure how good their force projection abilities are either. Still, they'll have good relations with the Federation since they assisted them in bringing peace to the Tellun system by helping with the arranged marriage. Assistance might be along the same lines as the Eminian Union.
The Coalition of Madena, again with the force projection abilities since they're also confined to one system. But again, they may have good relations with the Federation due to Picard's efforts.
The Kzinti I don't see happening at all since they'd have to get permission from Larry Niven to use them and he never has for anything Star Trek since he wrote that episode of TAS.
The Ventaxians seem content to maintain their own homeworld as a utopia and seem to maintain more of a local police force than any military.
The Yridians might be hired as mercenaries themselves, and they can bring their own starships to the table.
The Son'a are a bit complicated. Apparently only some of them rejoined the Ba'ku, while the rest of them at least worked with the Dominion for the rest of the Dominion War. I suppose there could still be some nomadic bands of Son'a out there to contribute battle cruisers, but I don't see the Federation, the Empire or the Republic being willing to see them use their subspace weapons.
I don't see the Kriosians being happy about working with the Klingons, as they were under their rule for a while and eventually threw them off their world in a rebellion. On the other hand, Archer's Enterprise assisted one of their future First Monarchs, and Picard later assisted with the Ceremony of Reconciliation with the Valtese. Their union with the Valtese might lend them both some further strength, and I can see the Kriosians maintaining a defense force to make sure the Klingons don't reconquer them. Not sure if they would be willing to send forces abroad and leave themselves open to a Klingon invasion. I see them as similar to post-Occupation, pre-Federation Bajor.
The Ktarians are already members of the Federation. The Ktarians that tried to gain control of Starfleet via the Enterprise-D with those mind controlling games were apparently a rogue faction, though they also sympathized with the Maquis while they were around.
The Angosians are mainly peaceful, and I don't think the Federation would want them to revive their super soldier program, and I think Roga Danar and those of his generation would be too old to go to the front lines.
look at it from a practical point of view and how each race reacts then get an honest point of view if it would work in the sto galaxy map, for example the son'a would work as they have colonies running from the cardassian sectors to the briar patch and since the son'a are a dying race due to genetic sterility they be more nasty then ever to survive and you already got the yridians in a few romulan and klingon missions. sheliak would not because they see humonoids as something to be avoided at all costs and i doubt they would have the capabilities to attack all the main powers in the quadrant and survive for long because they would sooner attack then be allied to any humanoid.
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I quite like this idea. Would be an interesting direction to go in.
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