Is there going to be a discount/bonus Zen going along with the release of these ships like there was with the Pathfinder and Command Ship bundles?
Edit: For clarity, I don't mean the 20% off ships other than Pilot ships. I mean like they get a discount as both the previous items did.
Looks like a "Nope". C-Store shows full price (12K Zen), which is really too bad. I'd set aside 10K Zen for these, anticipating something comparable to the Command Ship introduction since they did the same "3 packs of faction 3-packs" thing. That looks like a no-go, so I guess I'll just sell my Zen back at a profit to those trying to catch the other ships or some Fleet Ship Modules on sale. :P
I'll probably pick up the Mat'Ha, since it gives me some way to make use of Science on a KDF character, but ahem... 10000 Zen>2400 Zen.
With each passing day I wonder if I stepped into an alternate reality. The Cubs win the world series. Donald Trump is President. Britain leaves the EU. STO gets a dedicated PvP season. Engineers are "out of control" in STO.
Guys if you make up a Starfleet ship from Scratch, at least try to keep it looking like one. Those things can be Breen or Klingon or whatever. But Wings on a ship?
If you're talking "Pilot Ship" so that it can be multi-environment capable (atmosphere, space, fluidic space), one of the Klingon ships nails it. The others... there is so much wrong w/ the flight dynamics that a first year aerospace engineering student will rip it apart.
With that said, it's a huge improvement over previous projects, and I'd say, "good job".
Looks like a "Nope". C-Store shows full price (12K Zen), which is really too bad. I'd set aside 10K Zen for these, anticipating something comparable to the Command Ship introduction since they did the same "3 packs of faction 3-packs" thing. That looks like a no-go, so I guess I'll just sell my Zen back at a profit to those trying to catch the other ships or some Fleet Ship Modules on sale. :P
I'll probably pick up the Mat'Ha, since it gives me some way to make use of Science on a KDF character, but ahem... 10000 Zen>2400 Zen.
Yeah, that sucks. After seeing the Gifs, I was tempted to splurge. But since there's no discount, thus no incentive to buy now, I'll wait until there's a Zen sale or the ships themselves go in a future ship sale.
Join date is wrong, I've actually been around since STO Beta.
True alters don't have a "main". Account wide unlocks for all unique event rewards!!
(Now I'm imagining Trendy yelling this every time she uses the console power. Almost like a certain Kongou-class Battleship musume...)
Oh well done with the Aobs reference! Will my new Uber pilot escort be names the Iona or Takao to go along with my Voth Bulwark named the Haruna? Uh, yes.
I would rationalize the wings enable the ships to use their pilot abilities in areas with atmospheric resistance like inside the dyson spheres and a nebula. Perhaps they are capable of planetary flight.
At least with the Fed and KDF ones the body is essentially all engines with the wings serving as weapon hard points. In this regard, no idea what to make of the Romulan ones.
Thanks for the Advanced Light Cruiser, Allied Escort Bundles, Jem-Hadar Light Battlecruiser, and Mek'leth
New Content Wishlist
T6 updates for the Kamarag & Vor'Cha
Heavy Cruiser & a Movie Era Style AoY Utility Cruiser
"Our history, our past, our present and our future is now forever changed. All we can do is preserve what is left and continue onwards. This is not a surrender nor defeat, we will continue the fight. This is our last hope, our last chance... for victory."
Vlasek D. Lasor - 4.19.3580 Star Trek Online: Foundry Storyline Series
I do really hope they do a second wave of pilot ships that utilize traditional ships.
I do really love the Icarus & Ajax. This will have me playing Fed a bit more.
But for my 7 KDF, 2 Remans, and Romulan I will wait what other ships are in the pipeline.
With that turn rate the Icarus will make a great upgrade from my MVAE, without needing to separate into 3 parts.
But yeah, MVAE, where each part has a different specialization, that would be like awesome sauce with more awesome on top, and a side of even more awesome.
Thanks for the Advanced Light Cruiser, Allied Escort Bundles, Jem-Hadar Light Battlecruiser, and Mek'leth
New Content Wishlist
T6 updates for the Kamarag & Vor'Cha
Heavy Cruiser & a Movie Era Style AoY Utility Cruiser
We're excited to show off the full capabilities of our Pilot Ships in our latest blog. The Corps of Engineering have given out their full schematics on these new beauties!
I want to compliment - you really outdid yourself here...for whomever knows about the Battlezone game from the 1990s...the Mercury Class looks like the Bobcat Light Tank.
Such nostalgia...
Look at the ship's design profile...it may be coincidental, but I can see a clear similarity. c: No worries, no copyright infringement has been detected...I just find this extremely coincidental with the design profile. I think I'll be going for the Mercury. The Icarus, that would be my second choice for that it looks like an atmospheric aircraft. On the note of the Ajax, it looks like the head of a beast. =o It has some remote similarity to the profile of an animal head.
Oh well done with the Aobs reference! Will my new Uber pilot escort be names the Iona or Takao to go along with my Voth Bulwark named the Haruna? Uh, yes.
It's a more direct reference to kancolle than arpgeggio of blue steel.
Oh well done with the Aobs reference! Will my new Uber pilot escort be names the Iona or Takao to go along with my Voth Bulwark named the Haruna? Uh, yes.
I named my Sheshar Yamato (more FOG Yamato than KanColle Yamato), and my Manasa Shimakaze; but I think I'm going to have to hand the name over to the Pilot ships. Tac Pilot will be Shimakaze and the Sci Pilot Amatsukaze. I'll nickname the Eng Pilot Le Terrible (due to its base design before customization, as well as a play on the French Destroyer of the same name).
It's a more direct reference to kancolle than arpgeggio of blue steel.
It was a KanColle reference, but I do use both KanColle and Arpeggio naming (I am a fan of the actual ships themselves as well).
I think I'll use FOG Maya, Takao, or Atago for Manasa. Maybe Takao. While not a heavy cruiser, she is still pretty tsundere (not to mention, there is no cruisers or other heavy escorts that Takao seems to fit on). Or maybe Maya; since Manasa allows for plenty of "CARNIVAL DAYO~!", just in Vaadwaur Polaron format (yes, I know it would be better suited for a Pilot ship, but I can't spam Kinetic Missiles and a TS3 Ferengi Missile Launcher and get as good a result; esp. since the Ferengi Missile Launcher has TRIBBLE mods for a Lobi item. Should have had Knockback, or ShPen, or Pen instead).
On the Fed ships why does science (Icarus), tactics (Mercury) get sleek smooth lines? Seems out of character.
Engineers and mechanics are who designed Mustangs and Corvettes, and Jaguars. Hot rods with flare and style.
Science brought us the Rover, and Hubble... not exactly technical objects noted for looks, but lots of utility. Where are the sensors, probes, and antenna? :P
Tactics would seem more utilitarian and blunt.
Paris was a "grease monkey" with more in common with engineering... hence the stylish Delta Flyer.
On the Fed ships why does science (Icarus), tactics (Mercury) get sleek smooth lines? Seems out of character.
Engineers and mechanics are who designed Mustangs and Corvettes, and Jaguars. Hot rods with flare and style.
Science brought us the Rover, and Hubble... not exactly technical objects noted for looks, but lots of utility. Where are the sensors, probes, and antenna? :P
Tactics would seem more utilitarian and blunt.
Paris was a "grease monkey" with more in common with engineering... hence the stylish Delta Flyer.
Dude, what kind of engineers are you smokin'? I work with engineers every day. They are lots of things, but 'flare' and 'style' are generally not in their vocabulary.
Engineers do things utilitarian - they get the job done. They do not care about aesthetics. Good thing, because as an architect, that's *my* job.
For cars, the shape of the car isn't designed by an engineer. Oh sure, these days the engineers are on board early to get the last bit of cD slipperiness, but they don't design the skin. They just fit in all the spaghetti that goes inside it.
"You Iconians just hung a vacancy sign on your asses and my foot's looking for a room!"
--Red Annorax
In Star Trek logic every vessel can fligh atmospheric unless its not bigger than freaking Galaxy Class. Oh wait... She did fly atmospheric once! Ok just the saucer, but even that thing is humongous.
Yeah IMO they did a good job with that scene giving a more in depth look on how big the ship really was/is. I can see the next mini game out there being a minigame to try to not die while doing something the same or similar.
On another note of pilot ships I still strongly believe they should have had a pilot ship/bird of prey in this release though. Is one reason I didn't really opt to get any of these because ever since the grindfest tax has been added to the game I pretty much cut off all developement to feds, romulan/remans, and any other kdf alt. so got around 20 characters i pretty much have retired So where as I used to get almost everything that ever came out I really can't do that any more because of some imo not so good decisions on cryptic's part. Although I have never really understood the business model of asking someone what they like and then removing said thing involved and then punishing them for not liking what they did rofl. Although I think it had the opposite affect of what they were looking for into drawing ppl into playing more it just makes people like myself want to play even less.
Dude, what kind of engineers are you smokin'? I work with engineers every day. They are lots of things, but 'flare' and 'style' are generally not in their vocabulary.
Engineers do things utilitarian - they get the job done. They do not care about aesthetics. Good thing, because as an architect, that's *my* job.
For cars, the shape of the car isn't designed by an engineer. Oh sure, these days the engineers are on board early to get the last bit of cD slipperiness, but they don't design the skin. They just fit in all the spaghetti that goes inside it.
You really haven't worked with automotive engineers and mechanics much have you?
And the people who work in Automotive Design (the field for it specifically) or Industrial Design (general field) have to know quite a bit about the mechanics of the field they are working in.
You really haven't worked with automotive engineers and mechanics much have you?
And the people who work in Automotive Design (the field for it specifically) or Industrial Design (general field) have to know quite a bit about the mechanics of the field they are working in.
Actually, I have. And I work on and modify my own vehicles. I know quite a bit about the automotive industry. I studied engineering in college (aerospace, to be exact), before I finally saw that there was very little design aesthetic involved.
My original comment was flippant and overly dramatic to make a point. Yours was as well, in the opposite direction.
The basic idea is, designers create the concept. The engineers get so be the ones to figure out how to make it work in the real world. The best designers, in the automotive world or in architecture, are the ones who know how to design aesthetically, and still know enough about the engineering aspect to create designs that can actually be built in the real world.
And to be fair, some of the best designs come from companies that 'blur the lines'. Ferdinand Porsche was a talented engineer, and while that companies finest work was usually penned by company 'designers' like Butzi Porsche, they always put a great deal of stock in the integration of design and engineering, and it shows in their product.
My original statement was just a reaction to your assertion that engineers design with flair and style, while 'science' ships should be festooned with bulky antenna. In my experience, you are 180 degrees wrong. Why does a NASA satellite have all that TRIBBLE sticking out? They are designed by engineers. NASA ain't paying them to be 'stylish'. It needs to do its job, as efficiently as possible, on-time and under budget. *That* is what engineers do well.
Have you ever seen a building designed by an engineer? You get a metal box. With one door and a couple of windows. Sometimes, that's all the Owner needs, and that's OK.
"You Iconians just hung a vacancy sign on your asses and my foot's looking for a room!"
--Red Annorax
I have one good question im sure everyone has thought of this but doesn't my and any ship have to have a pilot to fly? Why build new ships claim that they have special structural integrity (BS i will explain later). i might have been interested in the Pilot ships if you buy one and get all three skins for 3000 zen. ALL yes ALL ship have maneuvering thrusters to dock, land and travel in space. It is space the laws of gravity and atmosphere are not present. The Borg use LARGE FLIPPEN CUBES. Cryptic could and should have put out these ships given them special maneuvers with pilot bridge officers, but opened up rolls, strafing for ppl to unlock in the specializations. I WILL NEVER BUY ONE OF THESE SHIPS NO MATER HOW COOL THEY MAKE THEM. CAUSE THEY ARE LIEING ABOUT SPACE FLIGHT TO GET PPL TO BUY A SHIP. A ship that if u want to customize you have to buy all 3 versions. FN BS
I have one good question im sure everyone has thought of this but doesn't my and any ship have to have a pilot to fly? Why build new ships claim that they have special structural integrity (BS i will explain later). i might have been interested in the Pilot ships if you buy one and get all three skins for 3000 zen. ALL yes ALL ship have maneuvering thrusters to dock, land and travel in space. It is space the laws of gravity and atmosphere are not present. The Borg use LARGE FLIPPEN CUBES. Cryptic could and should have put out these ships given them special maneuvers with pilot bridge officers, but opened up rolls, strafing for ppl to unlock in the specializations. I WILL NEVER BUY ONE OF THESE SHIPS NO MATER HOW COOL THEY MAKE THEM. CAUSE THEY ARE LIEING ABOUT SPACE FLIGHT TO GET PPL TO BUY A SHIP. A ship that if u want to customize you have to buy all 3 versions. FN BS
Just because your ship has pilots doesn't mean the ship is capable of performing the same.
Real life has plenty of examples. A Boeing 707 and a F-22 both have pilots; but one is not designed to perform high-G maneuvers. Sure, both can do a barrel roll or loop-de-loop, but one takes awhile to perform and is impractical (moreso in a combat zone) whereas the other can do so on the fly (and in a combat zone to dodge a missile if necessary).
As to whether or not a Specialized ship is impractical, the Blue Ridge Command ship of the USN would like a word with you. Designed exclusively to be a command, control, and communications ship.
To a much smaller extent, the F-117, B-2, U2, and SR-71 also would like a word with you. All designed for a very specific mission profile, and excelling at it compared to more flexible but general alternatives (although satellites retired the SR-71, and the F-117 was replaced by B-2s and to an extent, F-22s).
It's not that all ships don't have a helmsman or some command capabilities; it's just that there are ships designed specifically for that role, and excel in it. In the case of the game, Intel ships are designed to gather data and exploit weakness. Most of their hull is probably data-gathering devices; and I wouldn't be surprised if the Eclipse's hull is mostly a giant sensor panel (explaining it's tiny crew in comparison).
Command ships are like the Blue Ridge, dedicated to Command operations. Difference here is that the Command ships do have a small defensive wing.
And now we have Pilot ships. Sure the naming is kind of misleading, but more or less we have ships designed to withstand excessively high hull stress from pulling stunts that normally only small craft can do.
Sure they all exist to sell a new line of ships and make money for the company, but they too also have a valid reason for their existence in-game, for the same reasons specialized vehicles exist in real life. To fulfill a niche role.
I remember when Tom Paris was designing the Delta Flyer, he wanted to have larger wings on it, but was overruled.
When I saw the Mercury class in action, my first thought was "Paris finally got his wings!"
I can just imagine that he had a hand in designing the ships for his specialized strike force, and since he's a captain now instead of a lieutenant, he did the overruling this time!
Just because your ship has pilots doesn't mean the ship is capable of performing the same.
Real life has plenty of examples. A Boeing 707 and a F-22 both have pilots; but one is not designed to perform high-G maneuvers. Sure, both can do a barrel roll or loop-de-loop, but one takes awhile to perform and is impractical (moreso in a combat zone) whereas the other can do so on the fly (and in a combat zone to dodge a missile if necessary).
As to whether or not a Specialized ship is impractical, the Blue Ridge Command ship of the USN would like a word with you. Designed exclusively to be a command, control, and communications ship.
To a much smaller extent, the F-117, B-2, U2, and SR-71 also would like a word with you. All designed for a very specific mission profile, and excelling at it compared to more flexible but general alternatives (although satellites retired the SR-71, and the F-117 was replaced by B-2s and to an extent, F-22s).
It's not that all ships don't have a helmsman or some command capabilities; it's just that there are ships designed specifically for that role, and excel in it. In the case of the game, Intel ships are designed to gather data and exploit weakness. Most of their hull is probably data-gathering devices; and I wouldn't be surprised if the Eclipse's hull is mostly a giant sensor panel (explaining it's tiny crew in comparison).
Command ships are like the Blue Ridge, dedicated to Command operations. Difference here is that the Command ships do have a small defensive wing.
And now we have Pilot ships. Sure the naming is kind of misleading, but more or less we have ships designed to withstand excessively high hull stress from pulling stunts that normally only small craft can do.
Sure they all exist to sell a new line of ships and make money for the company, but they too also have a valid reason for their existence in-game, for the same reasons specialized vehicles exist in real life. To fulfill a niche role.
Tha is space we are talking about right? No need for wings or special structural designs. Yes a big ship should be able to do the same as the smaller escort. Maybe a little slower but the phisics are the same in space no resistance from atmosphere or gravity. It is TRIBBLE that they keep shoving down our throats saying this is the only way. I have waited for 5 years for them to open up truer flight capabilities and they TRIBBLE it up in the name of money. I don't think that the Risians wouldn't design thrusters and better maneuverability in the Corvette. STOP THE LIES give us true flight for all ships. Turn it down for the bigger ships that is the phisics, not that they can't do it. Turn it off for atmosphere flight if need be. Give it to all fighters. What are they not designed to be nimble. Let's get real ppl stop being blinded by cool designs and demand better.
Comments
Darn. I will have to leave work early to get my hands on the KDF package:)
Great news! 5 hours before I can get home and get my hands on them...
Looks like a "Nope". C-Store shows full price (12K Zen), which is really too bad. I'd set aside 10K Zen for these, anticipating something comparable to the Command Ship introduction since they did the same "3 packs of faction 3-packs" thing. That looks like a no-go, so I guess I'll just sell my Zen back at a profit to those trying to catch the other ships or some Fleet Ship Modules on sale. :P
I'll probably pick up the Mat'Ha, since it gives me some way to make use of Science on a KDF character, but ahem... 10000 Zen>2400 Zen.
If you're talking "Pilot Ship" so that it can be multi-environment capable (atmosphere, space, fluidic space), one of the Klingon ships nails it. The others... there is so much wrong w/ the flight dynamics that a first year aerospace engineering student will rip it apart.
With that said, it's a huge improvement over previous projects, and I'd say, "good job".
Fleet Defiant Kinetic Heavy Fire Support | Fleet Manticore Kinetic Strike Ship | Tactical Command Kinetic Siege Refit | Fleet Defiant Quantum Phase Escort | Fleet Valiant Kinetic Heavy Fire Support
Turning the Galaxy-X into a Torpedo Dreadnought & torpedo tutorial, with written torpedo guide.
"A good weapon and a great strategy will win you many battles." - Marshall
I knew using Kinetics would be playing the game on hard mode, but what I didn't realize was how bad the deck is stacked against Kinetics.
Numbers... it all comes down to numbers.... either ridiculously large numbers, or a major change to mechanics for cannons & torpedoes.
Fleet Defiant Kinetic Heavy Fire Support | Fleet Manticore Kinetic Strike Ship | Tactical Command Kinetic Siege Refit | Fleet Defiant Quantum Phase Escort | Fleet Valiant Kinetic Heavy Fire Support
Turning the Galaxy-X into a Torpedo Dreadnought & torpedo tutorial, with written torpedo guide.
"A good weapon and a great strategy will win you many battles." - Marshall
I knew using Kinetics would be playing the game on hard mode, but what I didn't realize was how bad the deck is stacked against Kinetics.
Yeah, that sucks. After seeing the Gifs, I was tempted to splurge. But since there's no discount, thus no incentive to buy now, I'll wait until there's a Zen sale or the ships themselves go in a future ship sale.
They wouldn't be designed for aerodynamics. They're building space ships, not atmospheric craft.
There's plenty of things you could include on wings...like, you know...weapon hardpoints, heat sinks, auxiliary systems...
Oh well done with the Aobs reference! Will my new Uber pilot escort be names the Iona or Takao to go along with my Voth Bulwark named the Haruna? Uh, yes.
Eclipse Class Intel Cruiser U.S.S. Dioscuria NX-91121-A - Interactive Crew Roster
At least with the Fed and KDF ones the body is essentially all engines with the wings serving as weapon hard points. In this regard, no idea what to make of the Romulan ones.
"Our history, our past, our present and our future is now forever changed. All we can do is preserve what is left and continue onwards. This is not a surrender nor defeat, we will continue the fight. This is our last hope, our last chance... for victory."
Vlasek D. Lasor - 4.19.3580
Star Trek Online: Foundry Storyline Series
My wallet is still in stasis until a discount on the bundle comes around... Woo Hoo...
I do really love the Icarus & Ajax. This will have me playing Fed a bit more.
But for my 7 KDF, 2 Remans, and Romulan I will wait what other ships are in the pipeline.
With that turn rate the Icarus will make a great upgrade from my MVAE, without needing to separate into 3 parts.
But yeah, MVAE, where each part has a different specialization, that would be like awesome sauce with more awesome on top, and a side of even more awesome.
I want to compliment - you really outdid yourself here...for whomever knows about the Battlezone game from the 1990s...the Mercury Class looks like the Bobcat Light Tank.
Such nostalgia...
Look at the ship's design profile...it may be coincidental, but I can see a clear similarity. c: No worries, no copyright infringement has been detected...I just find this extremely coincidental with the design profile. I think I'll be going for the Mercury. The Icarus, that would be my second choice for that it looks like an atmospheric aircraft. On the note of the Ajax, it looks like the head of a beast. =o It has some remote similarity to the profile of an animal head.
http://images-cdn.perfectworld.com/arc/f7/04/f70499cf5f275691622baa84a42a44b01430933408.png
http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/battlezone/images/f/fd/NSDF_Bobcat.png/revision/latest?cb=20150317211937
It's a more direct reference to kancolle than arpgeggio of blue steel.
It was a KanColle reference, but I do use both KanColle and Arpeggio naming (I am a fan of the actual ships themselves as well).
I think I'll use FOG Maya, Takao, or Atago for Manasa. Maybe Takao. While not a heavy cruiser, she is still pretty tsundere (not to mention, there is no cruisers or other heavy escorts that Takao seems to fit on). Or maybe Maya; since Manasa allows for plenty of "CARNIVAL DAYO~!", just in Vaadwaur Polaron format (yes, I know it would be better suited for a Pilot ship, but I can't spam Kinetic Missiles and a TS3 Ferengi Missile Launcher and get as good a result; esp. since the Ferengi Missile Launcher has TRIBBLE mods for a Lobi item. Should have had Knockback, or ShPen, or Pen instead).
Engineers and mechanics are who designed Mustangs and Corvettes, and Jaguars. Hot rods with flare and style.
Science brought us the Rover, and Hubble... not exactly technical objects noted for looks, but lots of utility. Where are the sensors, probes, and antenna? :P
Tactics would seem more utilitarian and blunt.
Paris was a "grease monkey" with more in common with engineering... hence the stylish Delta Flyer.
Engineers do things utilitarian - they get the job done. They do not care about aesthetics. Good thing, because as an architect, that's *my* job.
For cars, the shape of the car isn't designed by an engineer. Oh sure, these days the engineers are on board early to get the last bit of cD slipperiness, but they don't design the skin. They just fit in all the spaghetti that goes inside it.
--Red Annorax
Yeah IMO they did a good job with that scene giving a more in depth look on how big the ship really was/is. I can see the next mini game out there being a minigame to try to not die while doing something the same or similar.
On another note of pilot ships I still strongly believe they should have had a pilot ship/bird of prey in this release though. Is one reason I didn't really opt to get any of these because ever since the grindfest tax has been added to the game I pretty much cut off all developement to feds, romulan/remans, and any other kdf alt. so got around 20 characters i pretty much have retired
You really haven't worked with automotive engineers and mechanics much have you?
And the people who work in Automotive Design (the field for it specifically) or Industrial Design (general field) have to know quite a bit about the mechanics of the field they are working in.
My original comment was flippant and overly dramatic to make a point. Yours was as well, in the opposite direction.
The basic idea is, designers create the concept. The engineers get so be the ones to figure out how to make it work in the real world. The best designers, in the automotive world or in architecture, are the ones who know how to design aesthetically, and still know enough about the engineering aspect to create designs that can actually be built in the real world.
And to be fair, some of the best designs come from companies that 'blur the lines'. Ferdinand Porsche was a talented engineer, and while that companies finest work was usually penned by company 'designers' like Butzi Porsche, they always put a great deal of stock in the integration of design and engineering, and it shows in their product.
My original statement was just a reaction to your assertion that engineers design with flair and style, while 'science' ships should be festooned with bulky antenna. In my experience, you are 180 degrees wrong. Why does a NASA satellite have all that TRIBBLE sticking out? They are designed by engineers. NASA ain't paying them to be 'stylish'. It needs to do its job, as efficiently as possible, on-time and under budget. *That* is what engineers do well.
Have you ever seen a building designed by an engineer? You get a metal box. With one door and a couple of windows. Sometimes, that's all the Owner needs, and that's OK.
--Red Annorax
Real life has plenty of examples. A Boeing 707 and a F-22 both have pilots; but one is not designed to perform high-G maneuvers. Sure, both can do a barrel roll or loop-de-loop, but one takes awhile to perform and is impractical (moreso in a combat zone) whereas the other can do so on the fly (and in a combat zone to dodge a missile if necessary).
As to whether or not a Specialized ship is impractical, the Blue Ridge Command ship of the USN would like a word with you. Designed exclusively to be a command, control, and communications ship.
To a much smaller extent, the F-117, B-2, U2, and SR-71 also would like a word with you. All designed for a very specific mission profile, and excelling at it compared to more flexible but general alternatives (although satellites retired the SR-71, and the F-117 was replaced by B-2s and to an extent, F-22s).
It's not that all ships don't have a helmsman or some command capabilities; it's just that there are ships designed specifically for that role, and excel in it. In the case of the game, Intel ships are designed to gather data and exploit weakness. Most of their hull is probably data-gathering devices; and I wouldn't be surprised if the Eclipse's hull is mostly a giant sensor panel (explaining it's tiny crew in comparison).
Command ships are like the Blue Ridge, dedicated to Command operations. Difference here is that the Command ships do have a small defensive wing.
And now we have Pilot ships. Sure the naming is kind of misleading, but more or less we have ships designed to withstand excessively high hull stress from pulling stunts that normally only small craft can do.
Sure they all exist to sell a new line of ships and make money for the company, but they too also have a valid reason for their existence in-game, for the same reasons specialized vehicles exist in real life. To fulfill a niche role.
When I saw the Mercury class in action, my first thought was "Paris finally got his wings!"
I can just imagine that he had a hand in designing the ships for his specialized strike force, and since he's a captain now instead of a lieutenant, he did the overruling this time!
Tha is space we are talking about right? No need for wings or special structural designs. Yes a big ship should be able to do the same as the smaller escort. Maybe a little slower but the phisics are the same in space no resistance from atmosphere or gravity. It is TRIBBLE that they keep shoving down our throats saying this is the only way. I have waited for 5 years for them to open up truer flight capabilities and they TRIBBLE it up in the name of money. I don't think that the Risians wouldn't design thrusters and better maneuverability in the Corvette. STOP THE LIES give us true flight for all ships. Turn it down for the bigger ships that is the phisics, not that they can't do it. Turn it off for atmosphere flight if need be. Give it to all fighters. What are they not designed to be nimble. Let's get real ppl stop being blinded by cool designs and demand better.