Here is the first X-ship. It displays the definitive "strakes" which are part of X-technology and are showing in the later MSSBs. The plan is to let you chat about it for a week, then tell the other sculptors to get busy doing X-ships for the launch of the X-ship series in March 2020.

By Nick Blank (Nickgb) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 05:59 pm: Edit

What are 'strakes'? The fins I assume, but what are they?

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 07:26 pm: Edit

Don't like the strakes at all.

By wayne douglas power (Wayne) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 07:39 pm: Edit

An Engineering feature of the X-Technology (strakes, showing in later MSSDs?). I have not any Master edition books or Modules yet.

By wayne douglas power (Wayne) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 07:53 pm: Edit

Are the "Strakes" empire specific, do Klingon ones look the same?
Has a Klingon D7X ship got the same number of "Strakes" as the Federation CX?

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 08:13 pm: Edit

Klingons have the "Strakes" on their rear hulls.

As seems to be a general consensus, they look kind of "Wrong" to me as well. However, as pointed out, they are established as an X-ship feature, courtesy of the artwork in the MSSB.

One thought (please feel free to laugh about "Me" having a thought ) is "How would they make the ship look if, instead looking like old fashioned steam radiator heaters from the `30's, they looked more like the delta wings of some fighters from the `60's?"

By Eddie E Crutchfield (Librarian101) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 08:36 pm: Edit

Interesting my Master Federation Star Ship Book does not have them in the artwork, maybe I have earlier edition. 2014

By Eddie E Crutchfield (Librarian101) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 08:38 pm: Edit

What design feature would the represent?

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 09:01 pm: Edit

I've been hoping that the X-ship designs for the Feds and Klingons would reflect, or at least be inspired by, Adam Turner's work on the Federation CX and the Klingon DX from images such as the cover art for SFB Module X1R. (The CX also appears on the cover of SFB Module G3, while the DX can also be seen on the cover of Captain's Log #39.)

So, on the one hand, I'm glad to see that the X-engines on this CX are inspired by those in Adam's work. But on the other hand, I feel that it might be better to have the "X-markings" (Or "X-grilles" or whatnot) be flush along the surfaces they are to be placed upon, with the assumption that the advanced technology therein is embedded beneath the surface of the hull at these points, rather than breaking the "flow" of the hull as is shown above.

Also, two other things:

Adam's CX has a sort of "gun deck" (or "drone deck"), akin to those on the Fed BCG. Should such a feature be added here, or would that risk looking too Franchise-ey?

Also, according to the SSD, the CX should have the same 2-box "warp pack" in its saucer as those on the Fed BCG and CB saucers. Is that what the block underneath the impulse deck represents?

In any case, I look forward to seeing the first wave of X-ships arrive in March, and to seeing how each empire expresses this evolutionary leap in the process. For the Feds, I hope that the GSX and HDWX might be added in a later wave further down the line.

By John Sickels (Johnsickels) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 09:14 pm: Edit

I think the strakes are too exaggerated.

By Andrew Schwenzer (Andrew_Cluetain) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 10:08 pm: Edit

Have to agree with Gary, the 'strakes' look off but would be great if flush with the hull. That said the warp engines lokk great.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 10:14 pm: Edit

How is flush with the hull different from not there at all?

By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar3) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 10:31 pm: Edit

Hmmm, the warp pack might be the structure under the impulse decks.

As for the strakes - it's art not engineering … [I mean they seem to add 3-4 decks of height but not much in width that would account for additional internals]

By Charles Chapel (Ctchapel) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 10:31 pm: Edit

No thank you on the Strakes. Yes thank you on the warp engines. BCH gun house, yes please. Does the 2 box warp in the primary hull need a end cap dome?

By Nick Samaras (Koogie) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 10:44 pm: Edit

The strakes might be correct as per the MSSB art, but the engines don't look anything like the MSSB art anyway.

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 10:52 pm: Edit

I think that buy-in for the "strakes" would have a much better chance of acceptance if we had any understanding of what they represent. Obviously, they are an artistic exercise to show the ship is X-ish and all, but giving them some kind of in-universe explanation at all wouldn't hurt. Usually a formation like this means someone flat out screwed up. If it isn't a screw up, then an explanation of why they are necessary and how they are not a screw up would help.

That all said, it sounds like the strakes are here to stay, so, moving on to that ...

The strakes on the secondary hull are probably in as best a spot as they can be. Fine. The ones on the primary hull, however, don't look right. Given how they look on the secondary hull, they should be centered around the thickest part. I recommend moving them forward so that they are between the LS/RS phaser banks and the bridge. I also recommend that they have more of a jaunty angle, rather than being perfectly vertical.

As for the suggestions that they be flush with the hull, I don't think they have to be totally flat. There can be depth. The height shown above is just immense. Make them a quarter of the height and I think there would be much fewer complaints. (Similar to the height of the battery conduits on maulers, for example. Maybe a little higher.)

And Gary is correct that it should have a mini emergency engine on the primary hull.

By Douglas Saldana (Dsal) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 11:01 pm: Edit

Make the strakes shorter in height and more rounded, tapering off at either end. I think they would look better smooth, without detailing.

By Andrew Schwenzer (Andrew_Cluetain) on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 - 11:22 pm: Edit

Ok I missed a couple of things in my post, my bad. What I ment was turn the strakes 90 degrees on their side so that the ridges are pointing up. Then lower the height of the strakes so they are a detail that is part of the hull. This should make them look like grating on the hull.

Again the flush comment was a knee jerk reaction and needed some more explanation, my apologies.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Thursday, January 30, 2020 - 12:01 am: Edit

Q:"I feel that it might be better to have the "X-markings" (Or "X-grilles" or whatnot) be flush..."
A: I have no idea what you're talking about, Gary. Do you mean the strakes?
Read SVC's initial post.

Q: "Adam's CX has a sort of "gun deck" (or "drone deck"), akin to those on the Fed BCG. Should such a feature be added here, or would that risk looking too Franchise-ey?"

A: I feel Adam's use of the gunhouse on the dorsal neck was just begging for trouble. Too much franchise movie-ship, in my opinion.

It can be added, if SVC directs it to go that way. (the drones are currently on the upper rear of the saucer, as-on the CS, CVS, and BCG).

Q: "Also, according to the SSD, the CX should have the same 2-box "warp pack" in its saucer as those on the Fed BCG and CB saucers. Is that what the block underneath the impulse deck represents?"
A: Please review the Shapeways model for the BCG that you note. That ship and the BCV have a similar warp pack at the join of the neck to the saucer. This is also as was done on the Starline 2500 BCG and CB.

Q: "Does the 2 box warp in the primary hull need a end cap dome?"
A: It didn't have one on any of the Starline 2500 versions, nor the previous Shapeways BCG and BCV.

The dome is usually indicated to be a Bussard collector. It's not needed to make warp drive work, it's just there to gather some free hydrogen along the way.

By Jay Gustafson (Jay13) on Thursday, January 30, 2020 - 12:07 am: Edit

I really really like

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Thursday, January 30, 2020 - 12:24 am: Edit

Love the twin turbolift shafts just behind the bridge.


Garth L. Getgen

By Mike Dowd (Mike_Dowd) on Thursday, January 30, 2020 - 01:27 am: Edit

The Steves will do what they want to do, and we have *very* little influence over their decisions.

That said, I am *not* a fan of the 'strakes'. I personally find them jarring, and imagined the X ships to get sleeker as the generations progress.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Thursday, January 30, 2020 - 01:39 am: Edit

The starship sailed on the strakes years ago. For good or ill, they are there to stay. That arguably needed more discussion at the time, but the time has passed. We need to have SOMETHING that instantly says "I am an X-ship" and back at the time strakes were selected nobody came up with anything else. Too late now. So work with me and Will to make something workable of them. I would say they are a combination of cooling, shield generators, and sensors.

By Steve Stewart (Stevestewart) on Thursday, January 30, 2020 - 06:46 am: Edit

I don't find the strakes particularly bothersome; how would they look if slightly shorter I wonder? Really like the engines and the deflector dish on the secondary hull.

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Thursday, January 30, 2020 - 08:38 am: Edit

Normally I am one who is resistant of change, which is normal for a human being especially when it comes to favorites or things that we are comfortable with. The Federation starship profile fits that category nicely for me. (I was not fond of the changes to the CVA(o) or ships that received 2nd hull flat warp engines.)

This however was different. I actually liked the front view and rear view of the secondary hull and thought that the X formed by these strakes fit and quite possibly led to the tech name X-ship / X-technology. Maybe it’s a deck too high but meh, I can deal. (Maybe they get shorter in X2 hehe).

The saucer strakes are a different issue. Do they have to be on the saucer too? (More questions below) These do seem obstructive of the phasers and a bit tall / too far apart. If they have to be there, could they be slightly moved back and toward each other and tipped outward so as to also form an X?

How many strakes are on other empire cruisers with primary and secondary hull designs? Will there be eight on the Gorn CX, the Klingon DX, KRX? Or can 4 suffice? What about smaller designs like the Fed DDX, FFX, or empires with singular hull designs Hydran, Lyran CCX?

Sorry Steve for the questions, I really enjoy the rest of the design, but somehow missed the X discussion years ago explaining how the strakes work into the tech. Since this may be another ‘first of its kind’ conversation setting precedent for many other designs it seemed appropriate to dig a little deeper.