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Federation Melee Weapons

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
The Klingons are carrying their bat'leth into battle. Lots of them. It's not isolated incidents; melee combat has become important in this war. Surely the Federation is aware of this.

What should they be giving their people as a counter? I'm no great military mind or anything, but my thinking would be we would be getting melee weapons and training. Even if that isn't sound military thinking, I will say this: Playing the game, standing there with my phaser firing at point-blank range while a Klingon twice my size cuts my face off makes me feel really bloody stupid.

Oh, and before anyone says anything: Yes, I tried fisticuffs. My results were not encouraging. The Klingons have it all over the Feds when it comes to close combat, and I think we need to cowboy up.

Thoughts? If Feds did get improved melee ability, what forms would you like to see it take? What types of weaponry?
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I thought Feds could buy the bat'leth from one of the vendors on DS9? I know I've seen some people running around using them.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Both of my Fed Captains carry Bat'leths....
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    But we need more than just Bat'leths. I could name a half dozen Star Trek weapons...

    We could have combat knives (Dk'tangs for the Klingons), Lirpa (That bladed staff thing Kirk and Spock fought with), folding katanas, the Andorian ushaan-tor (also known as a Chaka), batons (electro-plasma or something? I don't know)...

    Um... Okay, that's only five, but you get my point.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Actually, I want the Feds (and Klingons) to be able to carry more melee weapons. On ESD, if you go to where the Mark 1 and II vendors are with the tailor, you'll find a shelf full of Jem'hadar, Klingon, and I believe Nausician? melee weapons. They are on display ont he shelf to the right of the vendors. When I get home I'll post a screenie for viewing pleasure. I think it is wrong to tease us like that and not allow us to purchase such weapons! :eek:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I too would like to see a bit more focus on the melee combat in this game as it seems like an interesting system at it's foundation but is terribly under-developed.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    The MACOs had some kind of stun baton thing if I remember correctly. If you wanna get nuts, you could even consider whatever that staff thing was that Riker and his dad used in their little wacky martial arts spat. I can't remember what it was, just that it was ridiculous.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I'm on board with this. I personally tend to shy away from melee combat, but with martial arts and other melee tac officer abilities people that can go melee can really make the most of them by using lunge and staying close. Something like a stun baton or unfolding sword like in the new Trek movie would be awesome.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Even the klingons have more than one choice, some of the away teams use those dual short sword things (which i would prefer over bat'leth's).
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Check out Varrangian's wishlist.
    It contains a lot of Melee weapons for the Klingons.

    http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=181172

    I'm sure something similar could be drawn up for the Feds as well.
    It's a bit odd that only the NPCs currently have some kind of variety when it comes
    to close combat while both player factions only have the Bat'leth.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Thanks for the replies so far, guys. I appreciate it.

    As far as new stuff, I had a picture in my head of an extendable bo-staff with stun capability. Hmm...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Shatner Drop Kick.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    You mean overhead axe-hands.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    I dislike the idea of Feds going into melee with swords and rapiers and sabres and whatnot - it simply doesn't sound very "Starfleet-like" to me. The problem is that, in canon, a Klingon Bat'leth rush is easily stopped by a single phaser shot to the chest. This doesn't work in STO, so we have to be creative here.

    What I would propose are either improved martial arts (like some sort of kit you equip in a weapon slot), or a combat knife (with Bat'leth stats), as that's the closest thing to a melee weapon I could imagine a Starfleet officer to carry.

    Consequently, I'd also wish for Bat'leths to be removed from the UFP (or rather replaced by the knives) altogether in order to preserve faction uniqueness, but I can already see people going to the barricades for that because it's no fun. :p
    As an alternative to that, I would suggest some sort of minor "proficiency bonus" for each faction to encourage using the own people's weapons, so that you can still choose what to carry but you simply won't be as good. Freedom of choice + reward for staying true to the setting = win?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    In TOS we saw several occasions where the crew was engaged in melee combat with edged weapons. They showed a variety of different generic and specific swords. I think some of these would be a welcome addition to the game. Especially the Vulcan and Andorian weapons.

    Also, there is no canon basis for this, but I've sometimes thought it might be good to have an optional bayonett that could be fixed to a rifle. What do you think? (Cryptic? Anyone?)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited November 2010
    Since my character is vulcan, i could explain away that he should be able to carry say, a vulcan lirpa. But i can also see how even thats not very starfleet like.

    Alternatively, martial arts should be improved. Currently the reason why martial arts doesnt work too well is because its not supposed to do more damage, and instead debuff the opponent, like say with holds and roots. The problem is that its not consistent enough in disabling the opponent. Improving it somehow might make up for the lack of melee weapons.

    Still, I think there's room for melee weapons for feds. What about my klingon boffs? What about my vulcan, who has a melee buff racial trait? Despite that carrying melee weapons isnt very starfleet like, you could say that at least some officers are...qualified with them. And it makes little sense not to change tactics when fighting an enemy who loves his melee weapons.

    Not to mention, romulans, if they ever become a new faction, will have their honor blades...
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