My not-so Trekverse

[oldgamergeek]

I am implementing a universe not exactly ST. In my universe their is a lot of strange ideas in the confederacy. One is the best ships usually go to less qualified people while those with more abilities are assigned to older less powerful vessels with outdated equipment and assigned to backwater posts. they will have to trade with larger newer ships or purchase/trade for better equipment. The system they will be stationed in is close enough to the Zangid Empire that raiders cross the border and must be dealt with. Somehow the confederation officers have managed to do their jobs with the equipment they have.

[az_gamer]

That is an interesting concept. I would make it more of an political situation. Those commanding officers with good political connections get good ships those without get smaller less power and less prestigous ships. If the Commander doesnt play ball with the brass they get crappy backwater assignements with challenging equipment. Giving powerful ships to less qualified people may not be the strict way to go but does make sense. This makes me think of the incompetant commander assigned to the Excellsior in ST III. He was not a great commander but may be a fair officer and was placed in a baby sitting role for the new top of the line dreadnaught while it went through space trials.

[Wizardawn]

I like your plan here as it gives the players something to strive for other than rank (or with rank comes great benefits). Although they may have a crap equipment and ships early on...they will have better stuff later on...giving that D&D type feel of having better magic items as you go on more adventures.

[Grif]

This reminds me of Jack Campbell's "Lost Fleet" stories: Captain John "Black Jack" Geary comes out of a century of suspened animation to find that, whereas in his time, all the best captains were given battleships, nowadays all the "hot" skippers want the fast, lightly armoured battlecruisers, so they can close with the enemy as fast as possible; second-rate captains are given battleships, so that all that armour can keep them safe(r)! Geary supects that this is an alien-engineered plot to give the most powerful ships to the not-so-good captains, and to kill off the best captains in ill-protected ships!
Grif

[Stephen]

I like your plan here as it gives the players something to strive for other than rank (or with rank comes great benefits). Although they may have a crap equipment and ships early on...they will have better stuff later on...giving that D&D type feel of having better magic items as you go on more adventures.

Agreed. It's sort of a "frontier" mentality that encourages player customization and cooperative play.

[oldgamergeek]

Here is what I have so far: The Bell weather (aka Backwater) sector command is composed of older frigates and a star base that services them. Despite the limitations placed on them by the Confederacy Government the people are very competent and maintain a professional and "can do" attitude. Many of the "old timers" have families in the area so keeping the fleet running is a point of pride to them.
History: The Bell weather sector is newly open and largely unexplored and the official mission is exploration a well as security. Unofficially they keep close tabs on fleet build up and movement in the Zangid Empire in the neighboring sector. Encounters with raiders and renegade Zangid are common and so far the Empire has not made a large fuss when a Zangid ship is captured or more commonly destroyed in confederation territory.
The set up: the players have just arrived and are given no time to unpack before their first mission to investigate the fate of the frigate Luna Terra and if possible return her to the Star Base.