Star Blazers Wiki

July 1, 2003 - Strike hard, strike fast, and strike deep. Or so says the official KOEI ad campaign promoting its latest action/simulation title Naval Ops: Warship Gunner. The second installment of the Kurogane no Houkou series (the first was the Japanese-only Warship Commander), Micro Cabin's charming combination of high seas warfare and simplified strategic ship building does a great job of achieving two of the three commands highlighted above.

And though the game may not have a large amount of speed when compared to other action titles (yes friends, depth and authority have definitely been accounted for), KOEI's attempt at naval combat and construction still manages to come through with more good than bad. But then again, we're getting ahead of ourselves. And before we start handing out a bunch of congratulatory handshakes to the production staff and their buddies; we should do a little explaining first.

Story Set during World War II, Warship Gunner begins with a two-ship convoy of destroyers being sucked into some kind of nether-dimensional vortex. Thrown directly into the middle of a naval battle between two unknown factions, the convoy loses one ship as they're immediately cast into fighting. After the smoke clears and the remaining destroyer can speak with the survivors, the truth is finally learned: this world that has captured them is a mirror image of earth. And with identical city names, countries, and technology, life is almost indistinguishable from our own. That is, with one little difference -- World War II isn't happening.

In its place the player is confronted with a situation just as dire. Enslaved by a ruthless pact of aggressors known as "The Empire", this alternate earth has been almost completely conquered. Fought off by a small band of military specialists known as "Freedom Fighters", the powerful dictatorship of "The Empire" is just a few skirmishes away from gaining total control of the planet.

But that's where you come in! Agreeing to help "The Freedom Fighters" with their struggle by joining their navy, the story continues as you assume the role of a confused captain trying to make sense of his awkward situation. As the plot continues to unfold after the completion of every mission, the true nature of "The Empire" and its plans for the world become frightfully clear. That revelation, however, we leave for you to discover on your own. But its ultimate conclusion and the path you'll take to get there was a definite bonus for a game we didn't expect to have it.

Gameplay Unlike most action titles in today's market, Warship Gunner offers two distinct elements of gameplay. The first, and most immediate, is a third-person naval conflict mode that pits your ship against an entire enemy fleet. It's here that players will spend most of their time and here that will no doubt pull in the masses. The second component is a far more deliberate and strategic ingredient that reminds us more of KOEI's other maritime battle game P.T.O. IV. Allowing users to purchase upgrades in innumerable categories, players will be able to build their ship into whatever war machine they so choose. It sounds great in theory, but the execution isn't quite there.

The main issue comes by way of the automatic build feature and the ability to buy pre-contracted ships. So while its fantastic that there is such an abundance of goodies to pick up throughout the campaign (800 ship components, including 200 aircraft and 400 armament types for the curious), the need to design an unstoppable juggernaut of destruction isn't as splendid -- you can have the computer do it for you regardless. In fact, it's entirely possible to complete the game on the hardest setting with nothing but pre-built and auto configured war craft. Why worry about upgrading your transportation when the computer can and will do it anyway?USA Info Japanese Info Image Title Star Blazers Uchuu Senkan Yamato(宇宙戦艦ヤマト)("Space Battleship Yamato") Star Blazers · · · Space Battleship Yamato Released 77 TV episodes 77 TV episodes Dates 1979–80 1974–81 Company Office Academy/Claster/Sunwagon Productions/Westchester Creator Leiji Matsumoto Director Leiji Matsumoto GenreEnglish Name Japanese Name English Name Japanese Name Derek Wildstar Susumu Kodai Krypt(+) Hisu(+) Nova Yuki Mori Leader Desslok(+) Leader Dessler(+) Bane(+) Gantsu(+) Mark Venture(+) Daisuke Shima(+) Captain Avatar(+) Admiral Juzo Okita(+) Orion(+) Hikozaemon Tokugawa(+) Dr. Sane(+) Dr. Sakezou Sado(+) Queen Starsha(+) Queen Stasha(+) Ganz(+) Tukoruto(+) Sandor(+) Shirou Sanada(+) IQ-9(+) AnalyzerAnime Description: Star Blazers

The ultimate animated space opera! This was no ordinary cartoon series... in most cartoons there was a theme particular to each episode, a different enemy, etc. In Star Blazers, you meet the characters at the beginning of the series and watch their personalities develop through three major sagas. The first two are 26 episodes in length and the third is 25 episodes.

Throughout the series, the characters find themselves at war, not only with their main enemies Desslok of Gamilon and Prince Zordar of the Comet Empire, but amongst themselves as well. In time, these rivalries fade and relationships form between some of the major characters.

The first saga, Quest For Iscandar, is the fight to reclaim Earth from the destruction caused by the planet bombs released by Desslok of Gamilon. The second saga details their exploits against Prince Zordar of The Comet Empire, and his attempt to conquer the earth. The third saga, The Bolar Wars, pits the Star Force and Desslok (yes, they become friends) against the Bolar FederationStar Blazers Star Blazers Ship List

Astro Fighter

Here is the listing of Star Blazers ships worth mentioning. Actually, we have tried to be as extensive as possible. This list was composed from information contained in Roman Album #53 and #54, and from simply watching the episodes and movies.

[Earth]      [Gamilon/Galman]      [Comet Empire and others]

Earth
   Space Battleship Argo (Space Battleship Yamato)

Known in Japanese as "Uchuu Senkan Yamato", and strangely mistranslated as "Space Cruiser Yamato", the Argo was the first Earth ship able to travel faster than light. Built from the wreckage of the World War II Japanese battleship, Yamato, the Argo is the pride of the Earth Defense Fleet. Length = 265.8 metres, width = 34.6 metres, height = 77 metres.

Its primary weapons are its main shock cannons and its great Wave Motion Gun. Also in its battery are a complement of anti-missile missiles, bow and aft torpedo launch ports, side assault missiles, stack missiles, Wave Motion cartridge guns, anti-aircraft pulse-laser cannons, anti-missile screen gun, asteroid polarity shield, reflector force-field, sub-space "sonar", time radar, and the Black Tiger fighter squadron.

In 2202, for Be Forever Yamato, a white anchor logo was painted on the Argo's bow and sides. Also, three white stripes were painted on the ends of its main gun muzzles. For the movie, Final Yamato, the anchor logos were removed.
   Black Tiger Fighter (Comso Tiger)

The Black Tiger squadron of the Star Force flies the Black Tiger (Cosmo Tiger) plane during the first trip to Iscandar. This plane looks like a cross between a flat-nozed shark and a flying pink eraser. Main weapons are six laser cannons on its wings which can fire in beam or pulse fashion.
   Astro Fighter (Cosmo Tiger II)

Astro Fighter

The Black Tiger squadron changes to a new plane in 2201. This Astro Fighter (Cosmo Tiger II) looks more like a conventional jet fighter. It's weapons include pulse and beam lasers as well as a maximum of seven missile or torpedos.

There are actually three versions of the Astro Fighter. One is the basic model described above; the second comes equipped with an anti-aircraft turret mounted on top. The third type looks like the second, but carries heavy torpedos instead of missiles.
   Year 2201: War Against the Comet Empire
   Super-battleship Andromeda

275 m long, 66 m wide, 98000 tons. Captained by Gideon in TV Season 2, this fast ship is the flagship of the Earth Defense fleet. It is a souped-up version of the Main Battleship, carrying a double-barrel Wave Motion gun. It only has one engine, so it is estimated that the fire power of this gun, when charged in the same amount of time, is the same as that of the Main Battleship. If time is allowed, though, both compression cylinders can deliver a full charge.

Main Force Battleship

L242 W45.8 59400 ton. This is perhaps Earth's most successful battleship design (aside from the Argo). It has three triple-barrel main gun turrets, several missile and torpedo launch tubes, and a large Wave Motion gun.

Main Force Carrier

Length seems to be the same as that of the Main Force Battleship. It's front half seems to be the same as that of the battleship, complete with Wave gun. It is, however, much widened at the aft to accomodate the gravity-based launch deck. Planes must land by flying into ports just above the engine. Perhaps this was not a wise design.
   Destroyer

This ship has no wave motion gun, though the other ships of its size do. No size information is available, but it seems to be about the same length as the Cruiser class.
   Escort Ship

L122 W13.9
   Patrol Ship

This ship is similar in design to the Cruiser, and like it, has a small wave motion gun.
   Year 2202: War Against the Black Nebula Empire
   Wildstar's Patrol Boat

Seen in Be Forever Yamato. Actually, this ship is painted almost black. The first time I saw it, I thought it was on of the Black Nebula Empire's ships. It's the shape a the Battlestar Galactica, with its length about equal to its width.
   Unmanned Large Battleship

Has no crew and is controlled by radio from the station on Earth. This ship dimensions are L300m H94m W85m. It has two wave motion gun muzzles which protrude outward from its main body, looking like Desslok's SMITE projectors on his flagship. The fleet of unmanned ships is wiped out by the Black Nebulan Black Fleet in a matter of seconds.
   Unmanned Small Battleship

Has no crew and is controlled by radio from the station on Earth. This ship dimensions are L180m H55.4m W43.5m. It has one wave motion gun muzzle which protrudes outward from its main body.
   Others

Earth also has two new manned Battleship classes, one new Destroyer, and one new Cruiser according to Perfect Manual #2. But, no stats are given, and we never see these ships in the movie.
   Year 2205 (or 2203)
   Battleship Arizona

The Arizona is a large battleship with a single wave motion gun installed atop its waterline. Of all the ships in Star Blazers, this is the one that most resembles the Argo. The Arizona is not heard of until the Star Force discovers it wrecked on a planet in the Skalagaks Star Cluster... a victim of the Bolar Fleets.

Originally, when Season 3 was in its planning stages, the writers had planned to do much more with the Arizona. Budget cuts chopped the number of production episodes from 52 to 25, and the Arizona's story got cut along with it.
   Battleship Bismarck

Bismarck is similar to the Arizona, but has a much smaller wave motion gun. It is seen only in dry dock.
   Prince of Wales

Also seen only in dry dock, the Prince of Wales has its wave motion gun mounted on its lower half.
   Year 2203 (or 2205/6)
   New Main Battleship

Final Yamato sees a new battleship design. It and the new cruiser both look similar to the Arizona of TV Season 3. The Battleship is shown here.

These ships are painted white and blue, and are in my opinion rather nice-looking. Since Season III, the EDF seems to have taken to making other battleships that resemble the Yamato. The new battship has two triple-barrel shock cannons, bow torpedoes, missile array, and a prominent Wave Motion Gun. It seems that bow designs have borrowed from the Gamilon/Galman style as this new breed of war ships has replaced the familiar open engine nozzles with a more enclosed engine port. This ship is slightly longer than the Yamato.

On the whole, this is a powerful ship. But, it succumbs to the Deingilian hyper-radiation missiles in a matter of minutes.
   New Cruiser

See notes for New Battleship. Wave Gun muzzle is flatter and broader than in the new battleship. This ship is slightly shorter than the Yamato.
   New Destroyer

Again apparently without a Wave Motion gun, this ship is armed with a few double-barrel shock cannons. It's main purpose seems to be to provide easy targets for Deingil's hyper-radiation missiles, and to serve as shielding against the missiles for the Argo.Star Blazers

Ship List (page 3)

Continued from page 2.

Comet Empire Super Fighter Carrier

Here is the continued listing of Star Blazers ships worth mentioning. Actually, we have tried to be as extensive as possible. This list was composed from information contained in Roman Album #53 and #54, and from simply watching the episodes and movies. Comet Empire Comet Empire Fortess (Gatlantis)

The Comet Empire base consists of a mobile fortress which is protected by a swirling vortex of white plasma, and the planets and regions of space that its military forces have subjugated. When moving, the fortress resembles a large Comet, and is virtually impregable. The plasma shield acts as both a protection device and a means of absorbing space matter for fuel. The fortress itself is a huge city built on an artificial mountain set atop a hemispherical lower shell which resembles the surface of Earth's moon. The city's diameter is 15 kilometres, and overall height of the fortess is 10 kilometres. But, with its plasma shield at full travelling strength, the diameter is about half that of Earth. At the rim of the city is a revolving belt of hundreds of plasma cannons, capable of wiping out enemy fleets at point-blank range. Zordar's Dreadnaught

Embedded under the Comet Empire city is Zordar's huge black dreadnaught. This was intended as an escape plan should Gatlantis be rendered non-functional. It is equipped with many heavy plasma cannons and one giant cannon with the apparent strength of a few Wave Motion Guns. However, the ship has no shield, and therefore Trelaina is able to dissolve it in seconds by creating a burst of antimatter over it. Large Super Carrier

Super Carrier

This is the white double-sided fighter carrier captained by General Manic. Has two runways per side. L315m W95.5m 65500 tons. Carries both the Devastator bomber and the Eater II type fighter. High-speed Medium-sized Carrier

This is a green single-sided fighter carrier with only one runway. L240m W72m 51000 tons. Bleak's Flagship, Medaruhse

Probably better known as the Magna Flame Gun ship. Its principal weapon is a large plasma cannon which fires directly into a SMITE field.

The SMITE field teleports to energy to emerge at a considerable distance from its initial firing point. This gives the weapon a tremendous edge with respect to firing range, being more than twice range of a Wave Motion Gun. Warning: Do not fire in ice fields! Large Battleship

The main battleship of the Comet Empire is a long, slender ship with vortex-enhanced shock cannons. Cannon energy expands into a huge energy vortex upon reaching its target, thus inflicting much more damage than a concentrated beam. L310m W87.7m 63000 tons. Destroyer

This is the smallest ship in the Empire's fleet, at L132m W59m 4800 tons. But, it is fast and maneuverable. It is the Fourth Battle fleet, composed of these and the Large Battleships that the Star Force wipes out with the Wave Motion gun at Brumas. Missile Ship

Among the missiles in this ships arsenal is the huge, planet-destroying Antimatter Missile. L240m W126m 68000 tons. This is General Torbuck's flagship. Sub-space submarine

This ship is rather uncharacteristic-looking for a Comet Empire craft. Grey and elongated, it has the ability to conceal itself in subspace. Black Nebula Empire Dezarium

Dezarium is a mechanised skeleton of a planet. At its core is a huge crystaline city. Scaldart disguises the planet as Earth in an attempt to trick the Star Force into surrendering. The planet is protected by a defense fleet whose flagship is the Beta Cannon-wielding Grodaze. Auto-star Goruba Fortress (1080 m)

A huge urn-shaped fortress about as long as the Comet Empire was tall. Goruba is equipped with a full array of missiles and laser ports. It also has six large ports which can emit plasma blasts or giant missiles. The cumbersome missiles are rather inefficient in fighting ships such as the Argo which are smaller than they. Battleship Grodaze (Grodehz)

Flagship of the Dezarium defense fleet, a fleet of similar ships wielding Beta Guns (electron cannons). Their energy systems, like most other Black Nebula Empire energy systems, react violently with the tachyon-based Wave Motion energy. Battleship Pleiades and Galiades (360 m)

These are the huge command ships which lead the Empire's territorial space fleets. The Galiades is captained by Commander Kazan of the Earth Occupation Force. While the Pleiades is destroyed in Yamato New Journey, the fate of the Galiades is left a mystery. Fighter Carrier (480 m)

Looks like a Battleship class without the spiring bridge/cannon structure stacked on top. Several of these are seen docked on the Mobile Ferry at the edge of the Black Nebula. Hyperon Bomb Occupation Base

This base is built around a bomb, ensuring the loyalty of its crew, and posing a great threat to whatever planet it is landed on. Lt. Arufon gives Nova the location of the bomb's trigger fuse. Bolar Federation

The Bolar Federation has a large variety of battleships, cruisers, and destroyers... most of which are rather unnoteable. Legendra (Lagendora)

Perhaps the only notable Bolar ship, this is the flagship of the Berth Defense Force led by Captain Ram. The Legendra is escorted away from an Earth base by Galman General Dagon's fleet where it is attacked and destroyed. Deingil

No information yet. Iscandar Astra's Shuttle Telezart Trelaina's Anti-gravity Castle (Telazarium)

Trelaina's castle appears at first to be just a stationary floating dwelling. But, we learn that it escaped the explosion of Telezart and was able to sail through space to Earth. The interior furnishings are made of a transparent crystaline substance, probably forged by Trelaina's telekinetic powers. Its drive source seems to be gravitational. Guardiana (Shalbart)

What ships the Guardianans may have once had were probably quite powerful. But they have since willingly been hidden away and taken out of use by their peace-loving creators.Just what is Wave Motion, anyway? A Discussion on the Star Blazers/Yamato Energy Source

According to the translation, the two energy sources used by used by the Argo and the Earth Defense Force are solar power and "Wave Motion" energy. This discussion focuses on the latter source -- wave motion energy. In Japanese, this is "ha doh", literally "wave motion". Hence we have the "ha doo ho" (the wave motion gun, also misguidedly called the undulation cannon) and the "ha doo enjien" (wave motion engine). But, what is this magical wave motion energy source?

The term "wave motion" is used to describe one attribute of the energy source. In reality, most forms of energy we know of have an attribute of wave motion. Sonic and electromagnetic energy travel in waves.

The Earth Defense "wave motion" energy systems take inert space matter, such as dust and gas, and convert it to tachyon energy particles. A tachyon particle is a particle that moves faster than the speed of light (as opposed to slower particles which are collectively called tardyons). Modern physics tells us that it is impossible to accelerate a tardyon past the speed of light without infinite energy. If tachyons do exist, they must already be moving at speeds greater than that of light. But, in the Star Blazers universe, dust and gas are not accelerated, but rather somehow electromagnetically compressed until they transform into tachyon particles. This is about as plausible as harnessing antimatter in a fashion as it is done in Star Trek. But, being in the realm of science fiction or fantasy, we accept this feat without much further scientific protest. SUB-SPACE

In the Star Blazers universe, there are two types of space -- normal-space, and sub-space. No mention is made of the familiar hyper-space, but essentially, sub-space functions as hyper-space does in other science fiction epics. That is, by moving in sub-space, it is possible for a ship to travel faster than light, at least if its motion is measured with respect to its displacement in normal space.

WARP

The great space warp is acheived by invoking a rift between normal- and sub-space, and then allowing a ship to slip into sub-space. This is acheived by allowing a charge of tachyons to re-integrate into slower particles. Several times throughout the Star Blazers TV seasons, we see a brief explanation of this as, in diagrams, the ship is shown to jump off the "curve" of normal space. Moving in sub-space allows the ship to travel from crest to crest with the same effort at it would normally take to travel completely along the curve. The time and location at which this jump occurs is important. The fabric of space/time is another wave phenomenon. The ship can enter a warp only when it enters sub-space at a time when it is at a wave crest on the space-time curve. Otherwise, the ship would merely submerge into some level of sub-space for a short duration. SUB-SPACE SUBMERSION

One technology that the Gamilons, and later the Galman-Gamilons, used was that of sub-space submersion. Rather than warping, a ship may enter and hide for any extended period of time in sub-space. This is acheived in the same manner as a warp, but the ship does not leap off a wave crest. Rather, it merely slips into sub-space at any arbitrary point on the curve without excessive acceleration. It is a state of near-warp. The effect serves as a kind of cloaking device as the submerged ship is not generally detectable to ships operating in normal space. Ships entering or leaving a warp, however, must necessarily pass through lower levels of sub-space in which a ship may be hiding. Hence, a small space warp can be used as a means to detect, even if momentarily, a ship hiding in sub-space. WEAPONRY

The rift in space cause by decelerating tachyon particles can cause intense releases of energy. Thus, this can be used as a weapon. The Wave Motion gun and shot cannons of the Earth forces, as well as the weapons of the Gamilons, are all based on this principle. The particle energy they fire is generated by the sudden decompression of tachyon charges. Energy converts to matter (particle plasma).The Story:

* Overview
   * First TV Season
   * Second TV Season
   * Yamato New Journey
   * Be Forever Yamato
   * Third TV Season
   * Final Yamato

* Space Battleship Yamato
   * Arrivederci Yamato (a.k.a. Farewell Yamato)EDF Capital Ships

Subclass Ship Name Source Official Battleship Akira Bibliography No Battleship Andromeda Bibliography Yes Battleship Andromeda Type II Bibliography No Battleship Arcadia (Blue Variant) Bibliography Yes Battleship Arcadia (Green Variant) Bibliography Yes Battleship Arizona Bibliography Yes Battleship Bismarck Bibliography Yes Battleship Borodino Bibliography Yes Battleship California Internet - Brian D. Rivers and EDF Drawing Board No Battleship David Internet - Brian D. Rivers and EDF Drawing Board No Battleship Excalibur Internet - Brian D. Rivers and EDF Drawing Board No Battleship Great Yamato Bibliography Yes Battleship Great Yamato Type 2(Great Galaxy) Bibliography Yes Battleship Kearsarge Bibliography No Battleship Lazerous Internet - Brian D. Rivers and EDF Drawing Board No Battleship Musashi Bibliography No Battleship New York Internet - Brian D. Rivers and EDF Drawing Board No Battleship Pandora Internet - Brian D. Rivers and EDF Drawing Board No Battleship Prince of Wales Bibliography Yes Battleship Radetsky Bibliography No Battleship Thunderchild Internet - Brian D. Rivers and EDF Drawing Board No Battleship Unknown Bibliography Yes Battleship Virginia Internet - Yamato Mechanics No Battleship Vladivostok Internet - Yamato Mechanics No Battleship Yamato Bibliography Yes Battleship Yamato Newtype Internet - Art Braune from Fixed Data Manual No Battleship Yamato Redux Internet - James Shipley No Battleship Yamato Upgrade Internet - Brian D. Rivers and EDF Drawing Board No Battleship Yamato Upgrade 2 Internet - Brian D. Rivers and EDF Drawing Board No Battleship Yamato Type 2 Internet - Nova Shipyards Yes Battleship Yamato Type 17 Bibliography Yes Battleship Yamato (c.1945) Bibliography Yes Battleship, Heavy Unmanned Bibliography Yes Carrier, Attack Shinano Bibliography No Carrier, Battle Brazil Internet - Brian D. Rivers and EDF Drawing Board No Carrier, Battle Lexington Bibliography Yes Carrier, Light Triumph Bibliography No Cruiser Mogami Bibliography Yes Cruiser Unknown Bibliography Yes Cruiser, Battle Hood Bibliography Yes Cruiser, Battle Hood II Bibliography No Cruiser, Experimental Light Strike Galatea Bibliography No Cruiser, Heavy Battle Invincible Bibliography No Cruiser, Patrol Konigsberg Bibliography Yes Destroyer Gearing Bibliography Yes Destroyer Gearing (Anti-Battlecraft Variant) Bibliography No Destroyer Unknown Bibliography Yes Destroyer Unmanned Bibliography Yes Destroyer, Torpedo Lightning Bibliography Yes Dimensional Jumper Intressa Internet - Brian D. Rivers and EDF Drawing Board No Freighter Oceania Bibliography Yes Frigate Airone Bibliography Yes Frigate Airone (Anti-Stealth Variant) Bibliography No Frigate, Heavy Stiletto Bibliography No Patrol Ship Avatar Bibliography Yes Found 55 matching vessels in the database. | EDF Capital Ships | EDF Small Craft | EDF Official Ships | | Gamilon/Garumman Capital Ships | Gamilon/Garumman Small Craft | Gamilon/Garumman Official Ships | | Comet Empire Capital Ships | Comet Empire Small Craft | Comet Empire Official Ships | | Dark Nebula Capital Ships | Dark Nebula Small Craft | Dark Nebula Official Ships | | Bolar Federation Capital Ships | Bolar Federation Small Craft | Bolar Federation Official Ships | | Deingil Capital Ships | Deingil Small Craft | Deingil Official Ships |

General Space Battleship Yamato Bibliography Read the Space Battleship Yamato F.A.Q. Space Battleship Yamato Chronology Associated Space Battleship Yamato Links | Star Trek | Battlestar Galactica | | Babylon Five | Space Battleship Yamato"(The United Federation of Planets) is the most remarkable institution ever conceived..." -Judge Aaron Satie

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The Federation is a large interstellar union of planetary bodies and civilizations operating under a single charter, and governing body. Its Starfleet agency is built on the driving directive to seek out new life, and new civilizations, and to 'boldly go where no-one has gone before',,,

CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

The very beginnings of this organization can be traced back to a devastated and post apocalyptic Earth. After the cataclysmic Bell Riots in Los Angeles 2024, many of the world's long standing social problems were finally confronted and slowly things were turned around. But Earth would be plunged into a global war during the middle of the century, a conflict which caused the loss of more than half a billion lives. But with pioneers such as Zefram Cochrane, there was still hope of a brighter future. Soon after the war, a new unified Earth Force had began to explore the neighbouring star systems with sub-light vehicles. Such expeditions at this time were funded by private contractors, using outdated, pre-war technologies, and such explorations were heavily curtailed by time dilation at relativistic velocities approaching the speed of light, but the breakthrough would come thanks to Cochrane's brilliant and visionary research.

Maverick scientist Zefram Cochrane had experimented for years testing the properties of Dilithium, a unique crystalline ore first discovered 10 years before the war by interplanetary probes charting and surveying a variety of geological features on the solar system's inner planets. It was Cochrane's initial discovery that Dilithium possessed extraordinary capabilities, being totally resistant to antimatter, and when bombarded with high energy plasma released a controlled matter/antimatter reaction of huge energetic potential which he believed, if harnessed correctly, could alter, or 'warp' the geometry of space. Such a system he theorised could be utilized in an advanced propulsion system that would render normal-space light speed physics redundant.

Constructed using the frame of an old Titan 5 nuclear missile, Cochrane's revolutionary prototype warp-ship 'Phoenix' made it's first test flight on April 4th 2063. After breaking the warp barrier, and cruising for only a few seconds at warp 1, a nearby Vulcan survey vessel passing the outer rim of the system detected the 'warp effect' via subspace monitoring techniques. This resulted in first contact with another, non-terrestrial civilization the following day when the Vulcan ship landed at Cochrane's Montana base, and a small contingent of Humans and Vulcans came together to exchange greetings. History records Cochrane's impressions of this first encounter as being 'unique', 'exciting', and 'cataclysmic', though he has been heard to say off the record that the Vulcans were amongst the 'dullest guys he had ever met'. But ties forged with this race would endure far into the future.

As news of the contact spread, it acted as a wake-up call for Humanity, and the catalyst for the rebuilding of Earth's social structure, as well as the reconstruction of Earth cities, and the network of trade and industry in general. The chaos and global depression of the post atomic horror began to ebb, and with the Vulcan's assistance real progress was beginning to be made with a global stride towards a prosperous new era. Cochrane got to work on refining and reconfiguring his warp model to incorporate blue prints of larger scale vehicles for interstellar exploration. Selling his new warp system to highest bidder, and with external aid from the Vulcan scientific community in the way of design modifications and the supplying of materials, the new alliance of Earth's military set out on a voyage of discovery to chart the neighbouring systems, and beyond. This mandate was formed and defined by the embryonic body called Earthfleet, later becoming Starfleet, encompassing several operational arms, one of these, significantly, was called UESPA (United Earth Space Probe Agency). Their objective from the start sought to explore and chart the more promising star systems close to Earth with the intention of investigating colonization potential. Cochrane later retired to live out his old age at the Alpha Centauri colonies, and Official Federation records state that that was his last known location, for he disappeared in 2117, and was presumed dead soon after.

Leaving his knowledge and legacy behind, a man called Henry Archer took up the challenge to improve and refine Cochrane's warp theory. With the rapid advance of technology Archer came close many times to the first warp 5 breakthrough, but key information was withheld by the Vulcan scientific community, as they deemed Humanity was not yet ready to possess the technology.

But success eventually came. And it was fine irony that his son, Jonathan Archer, became the first Captain in Starfleet to command a warp 5 starship in 2151. The new NX-Class of starship was spearheaded by the prototype Enterprise, and being only barely commissioned herself, the ship was rushed into service to counter an alien threat from an elusive species called the Suliban. More alarming than even this, it was at this time that Starfleet encountered the first Klingon activity, and although first contact went reasonably smoothly, thanks in no small part to Archer, this species would be a key player in the future affairs of Starfleet.

It was in the mid 22nd century when Starfleet vessels encountered Imperial scout ships of the Romulan Star Empire. Earth authorities instantly distrusted this new power, and it wasn't long before this distrust was transposed into violence, as full scale war raged for the next few years. Earth vessels at this time were significantly more advanced, with superior propulsion and high yield torpedoes and Phase Canons. The war climaxed at the Battle of Cheron in 2160, resulting in a famous win for Starfleet. Soon after, peace was established by the installation of the 'Neutral Zone', being a neutral corridor of space approximately one light year thick. It was established that violation of this space by either side could be considered as an act of war. Minor incidents involving Romulans forces occurred thereafter, but a full confrontation was always avoided, such arguments deflated by diplomats, and composed starship captains...

Immediately following Cheron, ambassadors of the surrounding star nations met to discuss the idea of a 'grand unification'. Delegations composed of Humans, Vulcans, Tellarites, Andorians, Zakdorn, Deltans and others -12 parties in total came together for a historic seminar. What emerged after the seven day meeting in the San Francisco Conference Centre was the blueprint constitution for the United Federation of Planets. A body dedicated to research, understanding and co-operation, with the exciting mandate for the mass exploration of space, supported by a specialist 'star fleet' agency, that, as well as being a defence mechanism for the Federation, would conduct missions of discovery, with the ideal goal of contact with new worlds.

The day was January 4th 2161. The Federation was finally founded after the earlier paper work, diplomacy, and red tape had commenced to sort out the multi-facetted architecture needed for such a union to work. Such considerations involved myriad constitutional modifications to function around the Federation's cultural diversity; the founding of a central council and its location; various scientific research structures; a medical agency; an intelligence unit; the possibilities of a localised Starbase and outpost network; trade and commerce routes and protocols; other combined resource logistics -and most importantly, the nature of the new restructured Starfleet - its starship designs and deployments, as well as the form of its command structures and personnel training facilities... The list of requirements and considerations was extensive.

First and foremost was the formation of a centralized Federation Council. Employing a full Presidential system, this body would be the diplomatic, organising and presiding governing body in control of Federation affairs. The Council's Headquarters location was voted as being San Francisco, which had for a century been the principal administrative centre of Earth affairs, as Washington DC had been mostly levelled during the wars, and the Starfleet's military arm at the time was mostly controlled from the American Continent. The President, meanwhile, taking control of the Council for no more than two four year terms, was elected from Council member ambassadors on a rotational basis. And the very first President, being Vulcan remarked on the 'aesthetically agreeable' surroundings of the ancient European city of Paris, and took residence there. As a tradition, the President of the Federation always resides in Paris, and for future Presidents, transporter link technology would permit easy access to and from HQ in San Francisco.

For the initiative of Starfleet personnel recruitment and training, the Starfleet Academy was established, which continues to flourish to this day. Any member, or aligned world species was permitted to apply, though certain biological and physiological concessions were installed. On occasion, the applications of individuals from worlds which were incompatible with standard gravitational, life support, and atmospheric pressure values on fleet vessels had to be sometimes dismissed as unworkable, as starships have to operate under a preset environment for all of the crew to work together in the same locations and in the same conditions. Many had to adapt, or have specially fitted devices which assist in areas such as respiratory functioning, or have to undergo regularly administered medical supplements to counter the biological effects of a starship's disparate gravity and life support conditions.

After so much deliberating, calculating, analysing and theorising, now the actual working model of the UFP was in place, and was being put to the test. As politicians, ambassadors and scientists discussed the minutiae of the new Federation down to the quantum level, the first Federation ships were being launched from three yard locations, at Earth, Vulcan and Tellar.

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Flow Chart Diagram - Starfleet organization (112K)

The new 'Unified Starfleet' was officially reformed and united with other member world military divisions. Its founding motto was 'Ex Astris Scientia', meaning 'From the stars, knowledge'. The initial charter outlined the fleet-wide mission to 'boldly go where no man has gone before'. Many new types of vessel were commissioned, such as advanced surveyor craft, cruisers, freighters, transports, and hospital ships, all necessities to support and complement a fully functional fleet.

All personnel were bound by a specific set of rules and regulations, or Starfleet Directives. The Prime Directive detailed Starfleet's non-interference policy, which prohibits intervention, assistance or any kind of involvement with the development of 'pre-contact' level societies. Contact protocols for any civilization that reaches a social and technological level which is deemed contact-worthy is heavily dependent on further regulations, with particular emphasis that the society be certainly space faring, and should be in at least the warp propulsion development stage.

In the following centuries, due to some first contact disasters and misunderstandings, contact would be carefully prepared for, and be preceded by extensive surveillance and detailed cultural analysis. Sometimes specialists would observe and study social groups, monitoring planetary progress from observation points located in concealed subterranean structures. Once the first contact scenario has commenced further introduction into the Federation charter is observed, and such worlds are continued to be carefully assessed, and slowly indoctrinated. If full membership is to be permitted, further conditions must be met. Firstly the civilization must operate under a unified planetary government, additionally, cases involving any form of social or political ostracism, exploitation, slavery, or internal conflict is definitely not considered. Caste systems are also strictly prohibited. The final phase of membership applications go before the Council, and once all criteria, ranging from military matters, general technological fields, social, psychological and criminal statuses and cultural integration requirements, and many other points which need careful scrutiny and analysis, the decision will be given. But there is much to be done in the way of preparation and research before such a decision is reached. These tasks are initially carried out by an elite committee of specialists from every scholastic and scientific field, from sociologists, to physicians and anthropologists. It is a long and drawn out process of discussion, investigation and examination. In some instances membership proposals can take years to be processed.

By the early 23rd century, the Federation had expanded considerably, with some 30 member worlds, and territory stretching nearly 1000 light years across. Starfleet itself had around 1000 vessels in service, and nearly 50 operational Starbases, Outposts and supply depots. But for Starfleet, and the Federation as a whole, the long term future was to be complicated... In 2218, a convoy of colonial vessels were brutally attacked by Klingon ships of a new and unknown design beyond the Federation borders. The straying into Klingon territory was unintentional, and pleas for amnesty and diplomatic interchange went unheard. New and potentially hostile stirrings from the Klingon Empire had occurred, and this initial bloodbath would lead to decades of sporadic conflict and mistrust, even with the initiation of a buffering Neutral Zone to separate borders.

During an encounter on Organia in 2267, which was at that time under brutal Klingon rule, the passive inhabitants, who later revealed their true enlightened, hyper-evolved nature forced a compromise by neutralizing both Klingon and Federation military fleets. Forcing the diplomatic door open, it eventually led to the signing of what became known as the Organian Peace Treaty. This allowed mutual respect of both power's territory, and even the use of each other's military hardware, such as certain Space Stations and Starbases. A cautious and uneasy peace continued for some time, though an actual war did not occur.

In 2244 Starfleet commissioned one of its most famous class vessels to date. With the advent of Duotronic computer technology and the development of advanced sensor and weapon systems, the Constitution Class was the most sophisticated starship yet constructed. With a general hardware designation as Heavy Cruiser, and deployment designation of Explorer, this class vessel dominated the fleet for many years to come, excelling in exploration and research, whilst promoting diplomatic relations Federation wide, and beyond. The most famous ship of this class, and perhaps the most illustrious to carry the Federation banner was the USS Enterprise. The Enterprise was involved in many critical and key moments in the 23rd century, under Captain's April, Pike, and Kirk. The Enterprise played many notable and important roles in incidents involving Romulans, Klingons and Tholians, and many mission successes, including the forging of ties with the mysterious and formidable First Federation, and playing a role in the Babel conference of 2267, which saw the admittance of the Coridan into the Federation.

One of the most peculiar incidents in the history of this first Federation ship called Enterprise which was of significant interest to the scholars was the inadvertent discovery of an alternative, or 'Mirror Universe' which ran parallel to the current, known Universe; running directly in tandem with the physical dimension domain of the spatial continuum. Little was known regarding the scientific interaction and relationship between the Universes, or if indeed there were additional ones. But it was discovered that persons and events displayed similar characteristics and properties, though there were subtle idiosyncratic differences, which in this Universe had taken on more negative tones in particular, because it became apparent that in some instances details were invariably opposite in certain key attributes and features.

After a visit to this less than pleasant realm, Kirk brought back information that Earth's history in this Universe had been quite similar, but certain tangents had led it down a less enlightened path. Rather than the familiar unified and peaceful 'United Federation of Planets', this Universe had in place a 'Terran Empire', that employed a savage and barbaric regime, as members and allies were recruited by intimidation, or exploited via conquest and subjugation. Kirk returned to the known Universe having left the influential and powerful Spock of this alternate one to mull over his suggestions of possible ideological reforms and disarmament. It was unknown what had occurred for a long time; whether or not the Terran Empire continued or had disbanded. There would be widespread speculation, though no further contact was immediately forthcoming.

A few years later, whilst undergoing extensive refits in 2271, the Enterprise was rushed into service to intercept a huge object of unknown origin threatening the perimeters of the Sol system. Starfleet were stunned to discover the object was of Earth origin, being once designated as a probe of the Voyager series, launched in the 20th century. Having been believed lost to a 'black hole', it had emerged on the far side of the galaxy in tact. The probe was then discovered by a civilization of living machines. It was fitted with the ability to learn, grow and adapt to its surroundings on its trip back to its homeworld -Earth. With the original program to 'learn all that is learnable' V'Ger was able to gather billions of teraquads of data along its journey. Having configured itself as a vessel of millions of kilometers in diameter it was considered a lethal threat upon arrival in the Sol system. It was discovered by the Enterprise crew that its intent was to wipe out all lifeforms on the planet unless it could physically 'merge' with its creator. Crewmen Lieutenant Illia and Commander Decker were lost in the incident that some believe may have given rise to an advanced, extra-dimensional entity.

It has recently been theorised by Federation scientists that V'Ger had in fact triggered, and fallen into a wormhole, rather than a blackhole, and emerged in the Delta Quadrant. More interestingly, that the machine civilization 'V'Ger' encountered may have in fact been the Borg, who, finding this kindred machine and discovering its mission to absorb and assimilate information in order to progress and perfect understanding greatly enhanced its technology, giving it the ability to physically adapt and reconfigure itself. They constructed a new vehicle to convey the central probe unit, whilst endowing it with incredibly advanced scientific and technical knowledge. During its voyage over the course of three centuries, it became so huge, accumulated so much information and technology, it became a sentient emergent lifeform.

Soon after the shock and controversy of the Genesis Incident (see 'Technology' on page two) the Federation was plunged into a new crisis during the 2280's, as yet another foreign body threatened life on Earth. The delicately balanced ecology of the planet was devastated by the affect of an unknown alien probe. On analysis, it was discovered that the probe's transmission carried harmonic variants of 'whale song'. There was no way for anyone on the surface to respond to the probe, as the targeted 'Hump Back Whales' had been extinct since the 21st century. A nearby Klingon Bird-of-Prey, containing the senior officers of the Enterprise, en route to Earth, devised a plan which took them back to the 20th century to 'collect' two Hump Back Whales, which it was hoped would be capable of answering the probe and ending the threat. Although in his efforts to protect, and effectively save Earth, Captain James T Kirk, under Federation law had to take responsibility and answer previously laid down charges of disobeying a direct order from Starfleet, when he had sought to recover Enterprise comrade Captain Spock on the Genesis Planet. The whale probe incident would also see his record issued with a further temporal violation, one of many he had been guilty of throughout his career. But the circumstances of the heroism guaranteed that he'd escape any punishment for this.

The Federation entered a brave new era in 2293 with one of the centuries most important events -The Khitomer Conference. With the shattering effect to the Klingon economy, the explosion of key moon Praxis forced them down the path of diplomacy, and renegotiations with the Federation. Distrust on both sides brought about the potentially catastrophic assassination of Chancellor Gorkon, leader of the Klingon High Council. Gorkon, his aides and a delegation of Council members were on their way to Earth under escort for emergency meetings to discuss their crisis. The two powers came close to an all out military engagement as a result of his death, but it was discovered, to the astonishment of many, that high ranking officials in both the Federation and Klingon Empire had colluded to remove Gorkon, for both parties agreed a lasting peace could not prevail.

But it really went down to an intense mutual fear of such a radically different and unknown future, so used were they to suspicion and conflict. After the perpetrators were dramatically exposed at the conference in front of, amongst a full representation, Gorkon's daughter and the Federation President, trail blazing peace accords were designed, backed, and eventually settled. As well as the abolition of the long standing Neutral Zone, the treaty paved the way to new understanding and interaction between the old enemies, which eventually led to a Klingon/Federation alliance.

Andromeda class

video game battleships

Enemy Delta quadrant

naval ops

Real Yamato

Argo

Comet Empire

Many Argos of many cartoons

Yamato Argo

WW Japanese Navy

Star Blazers and Naval Ops

Enemy Delta quadrant

Enemy Comet Empire

Enemy carrier

Comet Empire carrier

astrofighter