STO Klingon

It’s been a while since we did this, but I’m back today with more Klingon spaceframes inspired by the many designs on Star Trek Online. This post has been in the works for a while because there were so many from-scratch spaceframes and I wanted to make sure everything looked good. Today, though, I’m excited to bring you the first of the raptor spaceframes of the Klingon fleet.

Raptors are fast and maneuverable, and have plenty of offensive firepower. While Battlecruisers combine power and durability and Raiders focus on hit-and-run strikes, Raptors are the tip of the spear. They are designed to enter the front lines of battle and punch a hole in enemy formations. All ‘Base Model’ Raptors will have +2 to Security in their Department modifiers, in holding with their ‘tip of the spear’ role, though crew improvements and variants can certainly shift this.

Somraw class

Our very first raptor-type ship, available for free at Tier 2, is the Somraw-class which is actually the oldest-known Klingon ship design. It’s seen on screen with the prototype vessel, the I.K.S. Somraw which appears in Star Trek: Enterprise. We could easily set the Entered Service date for this thing at any time in the first half of the 22nd Century, but I’m going to say that this is the Klingon counterpart to the NX-class, the pinnacle of Klingon technology of the era, and thus we’ll set its launch date at 2151 which is the same as the NX. This gives us 37 System points to work with. To start, Engines and Weapons are both at 7 points. This represents the best power generation, propulsion, and weapons technology that can be brought to bear for the era. Put Computers at 5, representing Klingon computing technology being a bit behind the curve compared to Vulcan or even Earth Starfleet tech, and all other systems at 6, the average for the era. The full stats are found in the attached file.

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Qorgh class and SuQob class

The free Tier 3 raptor, the Qorgh-class spaceframe, is definitely much bulkier than the Somraw-class. It’s also about as large as the D7 and K’t’inga, so definitely Scale 4, and a much later design. We’ll give it an Entered Service date of 2251, contemporary to the D7, which gives us 46 Systems Points to work with. We’ll put 9 points each into Weapons and Engines (this thing has slightly more powerful engines to the D7, but has just as much firepower) and 8 points into Structure to give this thing some durability. We’ll put Computers at 6 (the computer core likely still isn’t as powerful as the D7’s) and all other Systems at 7.

The stats for the Qorgh class can be found in the file above, as can the stats for the spaceframe’s 25th-century variant: the SuQob-class raptor. This has all the standard rules for a 25th century design with an Entered Service date of 2401 and sixteen refits. The SuQob class is a lot sleeker than the Qorgh-class base design and the upgrades have a general +2 to all Systems from those refits, an extra +1 to Weapons and Computers, and an extra +2 to Sensors. This is going to be meant for ‘Active Recon’, or attacking the enemy to gather intel on their capabilities. To further match this, take Security down to +1, and bring Science up to +1. Also, replace Rugged Design for Advanced Sensor Suites. The Cloaking Device also becomes default equipment. Lastly, the early-era phaser banks are replaced with the more era-appropriate with disruptor banks.

Pach class and Puyjaq class

The Pach-class raptor spaceframe is a Tier 4 design, and a powerful starship considered “the talons of the Klingon fleet.” Let’s make them deadly talons, shall we? The Pach class is also a Scale 4 ship, and we’ll give it an Entered Service date of 2387. This gives 60 System Points to work with and the focus will be in Weapons, Engines, Structure, and Sensors. It packs a punch too with Ablative Armor and Quantum Torpedo Launcher, the first 24th-century Klingon spaceframe to have those. My lore behind this is that 2387 was when the Klingons first reverse-engineered Starfleet Quantum Torpedoes, and began making them themselves. The Pach-class was their testbed ship, the first one that carried these mighty weapons as standard equipment.

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The single variant of the Pach-class raptor is the Puyjaq-class spaceframe and, as with most Klingon C-Store raptor and bird-of-prey designs at lower tiers, the Puyjaq-class raptor shows heavy influence from the Orions, Nausicaans, and Gorn. We’ll give it a Launch Date of 2407, giving two refits, and because of those massive cannons mounted amidships we’ll put those into Weapons and Structure. Future improvements will get the Puyjaq class up to speed with other 25th century designs and its armaments are improved to reflect that. The stats for both the Pach-class raptor and the Puyjaq-class variant can be found in the file below.

Qin-class Heavy Raptor

The default skin for the Tier 5 raptor, the Qin-class heavy raptor is described as “the spearhead that pierces its enemy’s heart.” In my mind, that means this is a “surgical strike” unit that goes in and deals as much damage as it can on enemy command assets and defenses to soften the ground for a follow-up attack fleet. It’s also large enough to count as Scale 5, making it a pretty big spearhead. Anyway with that role in mind, and a Launch date of 2403 giving us 62 System Points to work with, we can put 12 each into Engines and Weapons. The speed to get to its target well ahead of any other ships, the cloaking device to avoid detection until it’s time to strike, the firepower to cause significant damage, and a powerful enough reactor to fuel all of that. A Structure of 10 gives it some durability, and a Sensors of 10 gives it proper targeting capability. Comms and Computers both get 9 Points. For Talents, Improved Warp Drive further enhances its quick strike abilities, and Advanced Torpedoes give it extra boom. The Cloaking Device is practically mandatory. For weapons (and using the 25th century rules) we have disruptor cannons, disruptor banks, quantum torpedoes, one Advanced Torpedo Type, and a Scale 4 Tractor Beam. As a final note, the Qin-class (with its unique role as a surgical strike ship) is the only raptor to also possess the Raider Spaceframe Trait, meaning a crew could equip one with an Advanced Klingon Cloaking Device through the use of Milestones, if they so desired.

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The Birok-class raptor shows plenty of influence from Orion and Gorn engineers, as shown in the much more rounded design, and the enlarged nose section. As such, let’s make this thing a bit tankier. To make a Birok, take the Qin-class statblock and reduce Weapons and Engines by -1 each and then raise Structure by +2. Also, reduce Security to +1 and Conn to 0, and raise Engineering to +2. This will be a much more defensive ship, assigned to picket duty. For Talents, replace Improved Warp Drive and Advanced Torpedoes with Ablative Armor and Advanced Shields, which also removes the morat ro’ Advanced Quantum Torpedoes from the Weapons List.

The Qa’Tel-class raptor has even more Gorn, Orion, and even Nausicaan Influence than the Birok. This thing is actually designed as an assault carrier, able to carry small fighters into battle, while still dealing decent damage on its own. That means it’s gonna take some tweaking to make. To make a Qa’Tel-class ship, start with the Qin-class statblock again but give it a Launch Date of 2410 (which provides a refit). This point goes into Comms and it isn’t the only one: we also need to take two points from Weapons and put those into Comms, too, and take a point from Engines and put it into Computers. This extra equipment will improve coordination with its fighter squadron, though I’m going to make specialized lore that the Qa’Tel was designed to provide a “pocket flagship” for small battlegroups and House Fleets. Namely, small Houses that gain great influence by allying themselves with a prominent Great House can use this as the center of their forces. To further this goal, reduce Security by -1 and raise Command by +1. Also, remove the Improved Warp Drive and “Morath’s Fist” Advanced Quantum Torpedoes and replace them with the Command Ship and Fighter Wing Talents.

Mat’Ha-class Raptor

The first true Tier 6 raptor, the Mat’Ha class is basically a set of guns strapped to an engine block, much like the Defiant-class and its variants. This is very much a frontline destroyer-type craft, designed to overwhelm enemy forces with sheer firepower, especially in groups. So let’s arm this thing to the teeth. An Entered Service date of 2410 gives 63 Systems Points to work with and it also looks like a Scale 5 starship to me in terms of size, so we’ll go with that.

We put 13 Points in Weapons (obviously: we need boom, and we’re gonna get boom) and set Engines at 12 for speed, power, and using the Cloaking Device. Another 10 Points in Structure, so it can take a decent pounding (but not too much) and put Computers at 10 as well. Finally, Sensors and Comms at 9. For Departments, put Security at +2 and Conn at +1, resulting in the following spread. For Talents, in addition to the Cloaking Device, we also get Ablative Armor and Advanced Torpedoes: specifically, the morat ro’ Advanced Quantum Torpedoes. These advanced torpedoes are in addition the standard 25th Century armament package of disruptor cannons, disruptor banks, and regular quantum torpedoes, along with the Scale 4 Tractor Beam.