Continent Class   ●   Assault Ship / Troop Transport   ●   United Federation of Planets


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I ALWAYS DID LIKE THE LOOK OF THE CONTINENT CLASS assault ship, if only because it departs markedly from the typical saucer-shaped hull design.  With an almost predatory appearance, the Continent is a better fighting ship than its lighter cousin, the Makin.  The Continent doesn't pack more firepower necessarily, but it has better superstructure and twice as much power available for weapons and movement.  In game play the Continent is at least twice as mobile as the Makin, often able to avoid ship-to-ship melees with speed instead of always having to hide behind a flotilla of friendly vessels.  When it comes time to take a planet, the Continent also has a lot more troops, making it more effective in numbers.
        My only real problem with the Continent, is with the original dimensions as listed by FASA.  The warp nacelles—if sized comparatively with those on the Enterprise/Constitution Refit—make this a much larger vessel than FASA would have us believe.  That, combined with the tremendous number of troops, prompted me to list (what I consider to be) appropriate dimensions when I did the re-draw.  Also, as with so many TMP-era classes, I took the liberty of fleshing out some additional models that take this design beyond TMP and into the inter-series era between Kirk and Picard's time. (Also, click here to see the original FASA drawing, for comparison.)

        — BRT

From the FASA Star Trek FEDERATION SHIP RECOGNITION MANUAL, circa 1985
Continent Class IX-X Assault Ship
Notes:  A typical Continent Class assault ship can beam down its contingent of 3,200 marines, 16 heavy tanks, and 50 light support vehicles in 30 minutes, insuring fast response when arriving at a planetary trouble-spot.  The Continent is produced at Sol II at a rate of 12 per year.  Of the 60 Continent Class ships built, 58 remain in active service, 1 is used by Star Fleet Training Command, and 1 has been scrapped.

Construction Data:
     Model Numbers-
     Ship Class-
     Date Entering Service-
     Number Constructed


MK I
IX
2/1801
60


MK II *
IX
2289
?


MK III *
IX
2304
?


MK IV *
IX
2313
?


MK IV *
X
2327
?

Hull Data:
     Superstructure Points-
     Damage Chart-
     Size
         Length-
         Width-
         Height-
         Weight-
     Cargo
         Cargo Units-
         Cargo Capacity-
     Landing Capability-


15
C

302.1 meters
148.7 meters
64.1 meters
129,900 tons
 
1,000 units
50,000 tons
None


17
C

302.1 meters
148.7 meters
64.1 meters
133,245 tons
 
1,000 units
50,000 tons
None


19
C

302.1 meters
148.7 meters
64.1 meters
137,100 tons
 
1,000 units
50,000 tons
None


21
C

302.1 meters
148.7 meters
64.1 meters
139,820 tons
 
1,000 units
50,000 tons
None


24
C

302.1 meters
148.7 meters
64.1 meters
146,120 tons
 
1,000 units
50,000 tons
None

Equipment Data:
     Control Computer Type-
     Transporters-
         Standard 6-person-
         Combat 20-person-
         Emergency 22-person-
         cargo small-
         cargo large-

  
M-3
  
6
8
4
6
2

  
M-6
  
6
8
4
6
2

  
M-6
  
6
8
4
6
2

  
M-6
  
6
8
4
6
2

  
MBT-05
  
6
8
4
6
2

Other Data:
     Crew-
     Troops-
     Shuttlecraft-

  
62
3,200
6

  
79
3,200
8

  
79
3,200
8

  
73
3,200
8

  
73
3,200
8

Engines and Power Data:
     Total Power Units Available-
     Movement Point Ratio-
     Warp Core Type-
         Warp Core Output-
         Stress Charts-
         Maximum Safe Cruising Speed-
         Emergency Speed-
     Impulse Reactor(s) Type-
         Impulse Reactor(s) Output-

    
40
3/1
FWD-2
36
M/G
Warp 5
Warp 7
FID-2
4

    
56
3/1
FWG-1
52
M/G
Warp 6
Warp 8
FID-2
4

    
56
3/1
FWG-1
52
M/G
Warp 6
Warp 8
FID-2
4

    
74
3/1
FWG-1
52
M/G
Warp 6
Warp 8
FNIS-040
12

    
82
3/1
FNWD-3A
60
M/K
Warp 8
Warp 9
FNIS-040
12

Weapons and Firing Data:
     Beam Weapon Type-
         Number-
         Firing Arcs-
         Firing Chart-
         Maximum Power-
         Damage Modifiers
               +1

   
FH-2
6 in three banks
2f/p, 2f, 2f/s
H
3
  
(1 - 10)

   
FH-11
6 in three banks
2f/p, 2f, 2f/s
Y
10
 
(1 - 10)
(11 - 17)
(18 - 24)

   
FH-11
6 in three banks
2f/p, 2f, 2f/s
Y
10
 
(1 - 10)
(11 - 17)
(18 - 24)

   
FH-11
6 in three banks
2f/p, 2f, 2f/s
Y
10
 
(1 - 10)
(11 - 17)
(18 - 24)

   
FH-11
6 in three banks
2f/p, 2f, 2f/s
Y
10
 
(1 - 10)
(11 - 17)
(18 - 24)

Shields Data:
     Deflector Shield Type-
         Shield Point Ratio-
         Maximum Shield Power-

  
FSD
1/2
7

  
NGSS-B
1/2
10

  
NGSS-C
1/2
12

  
NGSS-D
1/3
15

  
NGSS-E
1/3
18

Defense Factor-
Weapon Damage Factor-

68.5
7.8

?
 ?

?
 ?

?
 ?

?
 ?

* Denotes completely hypothetical model number and stats, devised by Brad R. Torgersen.


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