BRAD'S COMMENTS:  I admit, I never played this class.  Un ugly little scout with a weird design that I never liked (though Neal Davidson did do a very nice re-draw of the class, which I have used on this page in place of the original FASA schematics.)  What is up with those warp pylons and that boxy "thing" slung beneath the saucer?  Is that supposed to be engineering?  Who knows.  Anyway, like I said, I never played it, so I don't have any comments on it, other than that I think it's a dog. (Okay, I will say one thing: I like that there is a nod in the backstory to Carl Sagan, in the form of the Sagan Award.  I am a big fan of Carl Sagan and own his famed COSMOS series on DVD.  Carl, we miss you!)

From the FASA Star Trek FEDERATION SHIP RECOGNITION MANUAL, circa 1985
Bader Class VIII Scout
NOTES:  Shortly after the Organian Treaty had been imposed, Star Fleet began a buildup of its research ships.  Contracts were let out for ships with limited combat ability and extensive research facilities.  The most famous of those commissioned was the Bader.  Although classified and armed as a scout because of its military role, it was in all respects a research vessel.  The research facilities aboard the Bader were the most extensive of any on a Star Fleet vessel until the Gagarin Class research vessel entered service.
        The USS Bader, USS Clifton, and USS Tombaugh are the research vessels awarded to the winner of the coveted Sagan Award for research contributing to the advancement of Federation science.  Every year, each of the three research teams that win the award is given one of these vessels for two years, fully equipped to perform whatever studies and research the teams wish.  This has made the Bader Class a popular and easily-recognized vessel throughout the scientific community.
        In its military role, the Bader is not quite as exciting.  The warp engines are not as efficient as those mounted on other scouts, and the vessels are not as maneuverable.  Due to the displacement of the Bader, this deficiency cannot be corrected.  Attempts have been made to increase the impulse drive power, but even this has not brought the performance level up to that of other scouts.  Furthermore, compared to other scout vessels, the Bader is undergunned, mounting only 4 phasers.  The Bader is the only modern scout that does not mount photon torpedo tubes.  For these reasons, the Bader is not popular among the crews assigned to the borders of the other major powers.
        Of the 164 Baders built, 117 Mk IIs and 15 Vs remain in active service, with 4 Mk IIs in reserve fleets.  Five Mk Is, 6 Mk IIs, and 1 Mk V have been destroyed; 4 Mk Is and 2 Mk IIs are listed as missing; 2 Mk IIs have been scrapped; and 4 Mk Is and 2 Mk IIs have been sold to private commercial concerns.  The Bader is produced at the Sol V shipyards at a combined rate of 4 per year.

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