Strider class Scout ST-7141. The use of Oberth class nacelles and parts makes this a contemporary of Oberth and Okinawa class. The more pointed hull form makes her look a little like a Perimeter Action Ship. Looks to be about 5 or 6 decks, with hangers(?) down the sides of the primary hull.

What we have here is the modern version of the Sagittarius. ST-7141 class is the scout vessel that the Oberth keeps being portrayed as. Oberth is more Mr Science ship, whereas this is the scout. The final novel of the Vanguard series talks a lot about the Archer class and I can easily see the Strider being in the same vein.

Advantages of the Strider: small vessel, so faster in speed and agile. Also has a small crew so easier to man and send out. Small means quick to build and roll out in numbers – good should they get written off. These are rather like the Hydrographical ships HMS Roebuck, Echo and Enterprise.

Disadvantages: Not a warship in any way shape or form so will NEVER be seen in combat. Would be outclassed even by a Klingon patrol vessel. Small size means a limit on cargo and trophies, and no internal shuttle space (this is not that much bigger than a runabout) – although having said that you have the lower hull cargo port that MAY be big enough for a SMALL shuttle pod or two. Maybe.

Ordered as NXP-2275-ST, this class of scout was designed to succeed the successful Archer class. The design foresaw a crew complement of around a dozen or so, similar to her predecessor, and had a maximum speed of around warp 9.4. As with the Archer class, only the Captain and First Officer have their own quarters and the rest ‘hot bunk’. Designed for minimal sensor visibility so to scout without alarming the natives – or threat nations.

Defensively the ship has deflectors, shields and phasers and there are four photon torpedoes. This ship was designed to tip-toe in and look, not to fight. For personnel pursuing a career in science, this may be either a first assignment and can often end up a first command posting. Many of the pioneers of Starfleet have started their careers on an Archer or Strider class scout.

As with the Archer class, this ship has three main decks with the inter-deck space used for cargo and fuel. There is a SMALL shuttlecraft and two rovers for planetary exploration. The forward mountings are for scientific probe launching and the four torpedoes. Prototype NX-7141 was launched in 2280 and entered service in 2283, with orders placed for 20 immediately. Subsequent extra orders of the design have raised the fleet to over 100 with replacements ordered for lost ships.

2286 – Strider Incident (by Blaine Pardoe): First of the class U.S.S. Strider involved in a clash with Klingon D-7M warships in Neutral Zone. Under command of the headstrong Captain Kristine Dorothy Reardon, the Strider, Clark and Vidal – all part of Task Force 13 from Defence Outpost 1121 - entered the Neutral Zone at the Stogar system, where they encountered five D-7M warships. The Clark and Vidal were destroyed and the Strider managed to escape with damage to the warp drive.

After a piracy incident damaged the warp drive, the Lexington NCC-1709 under Captain Franklin arrives in the Korial system to Defence Outpost 1121 (near Starbase 27). Captain Carl Curtis runs the outpost, Commodore Bram Harmonson ran the Task Force and Commander Gordon Davidson was the station Chief Engineer. The Lexington crew stumble across the damaged Strider docked there and an investigation commenced.

The Strider was taken back to retrieve her missing log buoy. The details from the buoy exonerated Captain Reardon’ version of events. The Klingon Empire was found to have placed a spy to force Starfleet into making the Neutral Zone as an attempt to gain the Tasor Major system. Reardon received a Code 1-a to say the Federation was at war and the Organians did not intervene – final proof that they were not interfering in Federation-Klingon affairs. Commodore Harmonson was unmasked as a Klingon deep agent and was last seen heading into the Triangle region.

Strider incident crew:

Captain Reardon

Commander Stoan (Vulcan male)

Lt Cmdr Jack Thales Thompson - helm

Lt Lori Karen Desmonal – chief engineer (Centauran)

Lt K’tril – communications (Caitian)

Vessels include: USS Conti, USS Franklin, USS Jackson, USS Revere, USS Bell, USS Cropper, USS Dunn, USS Ferrone, USS Mattacks, USS McBoeb, USS Mercury, and USS Nebraska



Ady notes:

I rationalise that a successor should be at the very least EQUAL to the predecessor. As such, our new scout MUST have at least one shuttle, perhaps docked in the lower aft section. The two ‘photon launchers’ at the front are a joke, given this is a scout for exploring. If most of the crew haven’t got their own quarters then we aren’t fitting big weapons on the front. Archer class had four torpedoes. I’ll concede we’ll have to match. Check out the below link as includes David Mack extras on the design that are awesome. Oh how I wish the Vanguard series could be made for TV