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| operator= [[Starfleet]]
 
| operator= [[Starfleet]]
 
| Active= [[2370]]s
 
| Active= [[2370]]s
| Armament= [[Phaser]]s
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| Armament= [[Phaser]]s<br>[[Photon torpedo]]es
[[Photon torpedo]]es
 
 
| image2= Steamrunner class, forward view.jpg
 
| image2= Steamrunner class, forward view.jpg
 
| imagecap2= Forward view
 
| imagecap2= Forward view
| image3= Steamrunner class-destroyed, fc.jpg
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| image3= Steamrunner class, profile view.jpg
| imagecap3= Wreckage of a ''Steamrunner''-class vessel
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| imagecap3= Profile view
  +
|}}
|Defenses = [[Deflector shield]]s}}
 
The '''''Steamrunner'' class''' was a type of [[Federation]] [[starship]] in service with [[Starfleet]] during the late [[24th century]], entering service some time on or before 2373.
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The '''''Steamrunner'' class''' was a type of [[Federation]] [[starship]] in service with [[Starfleet]] during the late [[24th century]]. [[Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards]] was one of the sites this class was constructed at in [[2371]]. ({{VOY|Relativity}})
   
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== History ==
The ''Steamrunner''-class is a drastic departure from other Starfleet vessels of the era, in that it features a large [[saucer section]], and a detached [[secondary hull]], which is joined at the aft to the ship's nacelles. The [[nacelle|nacelles]] themselves are directly attached to the saucer section by large cowlings, which house the [[Bussard collector|Bussard collectors]]. The ship's [[deflector dish]] is housed in the rear, on the detached secondary hull. The [[bridge]] module was inset between the Bussard cowlings, which added protection to the command center of the ship during an enemy attack.
 
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Entering service some time during the early-[[2370s]], the ''Steamrunner''-class was a common fixture in Federation [[fleet]] deployments, appearing on the [[front line]]s of numerous engagements, including against the [[Borg]] and the [[Dominion]].
   
The ''Steamrunner''-class was a pretty common starship in the Federation fleet, with nearly several dozen fighting on the front lines of the Dominion War.
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The ''Steamrunner''-class saw action at the [[Battle of Sector 001]] in [[2373]], where several were lost. ({{film|8}})
   
''Steamrunner''-class starships saw action at the [[Battle of Sector 001]] in [[2373]], where several were lost. Despite heavy losses against the Borg, several of these starships were later assigned to Starfleet's [[Second Fleet]] during the [[Dominion War]], which participated in [[Operation Return]] in [[2374]], the [[second Battle of Chin'toka]], and the [[Battle of Cardassia]] in [[2375]]. ({{DS9|Favor the Bold|Sacrifice of Angels|The Changing Face of Evil}}, "[[What You Leave Behind]]")
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In the years to follow, several vessels of this class were assigned to Starfleet's [[Second Fleet]] during the [[Dominion War]], which participated in [[Operation Return]] in [[2374]], the [[second Battle of Chin'toka]], and the [[Battle of Cardassia]] in [[2375]]. ({{DS9|Favor the Bold|Sacrifice of Angels|The Changing Face of Evil|What You Leave Behind}}) They were also frequently stationed near [[Deep Space 9]] during the war. ({{DS9|Statistical Probabilities|The Magnificent Ferengi|Afterimage|Field of Fire}})
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At least one member of the class was within a [[light year]] of [[Earth]] in [[2378]]. ({{VOY|Endgame}})
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== Design ==
 
The ''Steamrunner''-class was a drastic departure from other Starfleet vessels of the era, in that it featured a large [[saucer section]], and a detached [[secondary hull]], which was joined at the aft to the ship's [[nacelle]]s. The nacelles themselves were directly attached to the saucer section by large cowlings, which housed the [[Bussard collector]]s. The ship's [[deflector dish]] was housed in the rear, on the detached secondary hull, while the [[bridge]] module was inset between the Bussard cowlings. ({{film|8}}, et al.}}
   
 
==Ships of the class==
 
==Ships of the class==

Revision as of 16:07, 12 February 2017

The Steamrunner class was a type of Federation starship in service with Starfleet during the late 24th century. Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards was one of the sites this class was constructed at in 2371. (VOY: "Relativity")

History

Entering service some time during the early-2370s, the Steamrunner-class was a common fixture in Federation fleet deployments, appearing on the front lines of numerous engagements, including against the Borg and the Dominion.

The Steamrunner-class saw action at the Battle of Sector 001 in 2373, where several were lost. (Star Trek: First Contact)

In the years to follow, several vessels of this class were assigned to Starfleet's Second Fleet during the Dominion War, which participated in Operation Return in 2374, the second Battle of Chin'toka, and the Battle of Cardassia in 2375. (DS9: "Favor the Bold", "Sacrifice of Angels", "The Changing Face of Evil", "What You Leave Behind") They were also frequently stationed near Deep Space 9 during the war. (DS9: "Statistical Probabilities", "The Magnificent Ferengi", "Afterimage", "Field of Fire")

At least one member of the class was within a light year of Earth in 2378. (VOY: "Endgame")

Design

The Steamrunner-class was a drastic departure from other Starfleet vessels of the era, in that it featured a large saucer section, and a detached secondary hull, which was joined at the aft to the ship's nacelles. The nacelles themselves were directly attached to the saucer section by large cowlings, which housed the Bussard collectors. The ship's deflector dish was housed in the rear, on the detached secondary hull, while the bridge module was inset between the Bussard cowlings. (Star Trek: First Contact, et al.}}

Ships of the class

Named
Unnamed

Appendices

Appearances

Background information

According to the Star Trek Encyclopedia, a USS Hiroshima was a Steamrunner-class vessel, but such a ship was never mentioned on screen. This ship name referenced in the Encyclopedia II is from behind-the-scenes source from ILM by John Eaves and Alex Jaeger. The original ship scale with alternate names can be found on John Eaves' blog. Nevertheless, the reference to the vessel was removed from the third version of the Encyclopedia.

Studio model

Design
Steam Runner class final design by Alex Jaeger

Final production concept art

The Steamrunner-class starship was designed by Alex Jaeger at ILM. The original name was apparently intended to be "Streamrunner," based on the name appearing in Jaeger's sketch of the revamped "USS Streamrunner," dated 4 April 1996. This name was a homage to a song by the band Fold Zandura. The reasoning for the name change to Steamrunner is unknown, and was subsequently adapted (or adopted) by the Star Trek Encyclopedia and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual. Jaeger, in far more detail, recalled in 2009,

"Here's a bit of background on the Steamrunner: As one person pointed out, it was originally to be called the StReamrunner. This was the name of a song from a band called 'Fold Zandura' (formerly 'Mortal') It had a sci-fi feel to it and I thought it made a cool ship class name. But somewhere in the process the 'R' got dropped in one of the approval pages and it became the Steamrunner, which is still kinda cool retro-steampunk sounding. So the name stuck. Also on the design, it is actually the merging of two different designs I did. The front saucer section of one ship combined with the catamaran nacelles and boom section of another. The boom section of the second ship was then flipped upside down so the deflector was underneath. The first design had a secondary hull, but instead of struts to hold the nacelles, they where instead mounted to the saucer section and then cowled over. There was even a 3rd version with 4 nacelles, two on the top and two more attached to the lower secondary hull. "The second design was more to my liking, it was a bit more 'automotive' in its design shapes. It featured the catamaran nacelles, but instead of being mounted on top of the saucer, they were mounted underneath and the saucer sort of bent around them. The Deflector dish boom was then mounted more like the boom on the Akira class only this wasn't a weapons pod per say. In the end I was asked to combine the front of #1 with the tail of #2 and after some adjustments, bam the Steamrunner as it appears in First Contact. Some of the more angular features were also a result of the rough model as well. So the more rounded #2 design would've been less economical from a VFX standpoint too." [1](X)

CGI model
Steamrunner class CGI model by ILM Steamrunner Class CGI model by Digital Muse
ILM's original CGI model of the Steamrunner-class
Digital Muse's CGI revised model of the Steamrunner-class

The model was rendered as a computer-generated model and built by Larry Tan and Paul Theren. According to designer Jaeger, the software used to build the models consisted of software that, "(...)ILM was using Electric Image for animation and Form-Z for the models of these ships back then." [2](X) A year later ILM was requested by Paramount to hand over their models made for Star Trek: First Contact, amongst them the Appalachia, to Digital Muse in preparation for use in the upcoming DS9 episode "Sacrifice of Angels". Due to software differences, the model had to be largely rebuilt in LightWave 3D and was remapped at a higher resolution in the process, but was completed early enough to be already showcased in "Call to Arms". [3](X) The model would be used for a presumably unrelated 22nd century class of ship used by the United Earth Starfleet hundreds of years before the Steamrunner-class.

Eaglemoss Steamrunner File:EBvEGB2.png
Updated Eaglemoss CGI model of the Steamrunner-class
Updated Eaglemoss CGI model of the Steamrunner-class

A new CGI model was designed for use in the Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection. The model features a higher polygon count, higher resolution textures, and updated hull detailing, including the addition of visible fore and aft torpedo launchers, two shuttlebays on the aft part of the saucer, and impulse engines. This model was later added as a graphic in the Star Trek Encyclopedia (4th ed., vol. 2, p. 325).

Size

Visual Effects Supervisor David Stipes said that an overall length of 800 feet (243.8 meters) was generally used on-screen. [4]

Apocrypha

The Steamrunner appeared in Activision's Star Trek: Armada and Star Trek: Armada II as a long-range artillery ship firing tricobalt torpedoes.

It also appeared in Star Trek: Legacy as a playable ship.

In Star Trek Online, the Steamrunner-class Blockade Runner Escort is an unlockable ship obtained by installing the game with Valve's Steam DRM software and purchasing the "Steam Starter Pack". It would come with a Tier 1 and a Tier 5 version of the ship with the Tier 1 version coming with a Console which would grant it the power "Team Fortress", named after one of Valve's flagship titles. After the revelation that Steam users were exploiting Steam's refund procedure with DLC, it was removed from Steam and put into the main game

The following specifications are given in the Starfleet Operations Manual supplement for Decipher's Star Trek RPG:

  • Type: Heavy Frigate
  • Dimensions: Length, 375 meters; width, 270.9 meters; height, 79.5 meters.
  • Complement: 200 officers and crew
  • Performance: Warp 9.6 for 12 hours
  • Armament: Four type-10 phaser emitters, two photon torpedo launchers.

External link