«Last Updated on December 26, 2023 »
design by Rick Sternbach
NOTES:
The Bode Class entered Starfleet service in 2232. This large (for its time) scout was one of the last major warship classes built without the benefit of dilithium moderated warp drives.
The Bode class was designed to act as a Battlefleet Scout, and quite often was deployed in task forces alongside a Baton Rouge class cruiser – the Baton Rouge class ship being the flagship of the force, and the Bode it’s eyes and ears.
The Mk I Bode class featured protected warp nacelle bussards, on an engine that in terms of design owed much to the design used on the Mann class cruiser. Initially the protective ring only enclosed half of the bussard, but later this ring was extended around the whole circumference of the bussard scoop to try to boost efficiency.
The Bode was popular with its crews, as although only lightly armed with lasers, it did include a single FAC-1 accelerator cannon, which meant that the Bode could easily damage then evade a more powerful opponent. The ample power of the engines and excellent maneuverability of the design allowed the Bode to choose its combats. The class was later supplanted in its fleet role by Hermes, Monoceros and Nelson class scouts, but it was retained in use supporting second line fleets. With the outbreak of the Four Years War, many Bode class vessels were pressed into service scouting ahead of convoys.
The failure of the Hale class in service, and its withdrawal in early 2253, meant that the Bode had a second lease of life offered to it in the fleet role. The other common scout class, the Sawyer, was deemed to be too small for the role, and production of Hermes and Nelson class vessels was being deferred in favor of destroyers of the Larson and Saladin classes instead. Accordingly 20 Bodes were quickly re-equipped with Dilithium moderated warp drive, which gave a maximum speed of warp 7, however this was at the expense of a 20% loss of installed power. To compensate for this loss of available power, the shields were upgraded to the FSC system, which more than made up for the loss. As part of the upgrade the M-1 computer replaced the old L3. The class received the FIB-3 impulse drive.
Following the withdrawal of the Sawyer Class scout from service in late 2253 the Bode was for a short time the main fleet scout. When sufficient numbers of Nelson and Hermes class scouts became available in 2254 the Bode was withdrawn from operational service, as although it was a capable vessel problems with maintenance meant that the class was very man power intensive to maintain in service. Additionally, as with the experience with the Sawyer and Hale classes, Starfleet was uncomfortable with the level of losses that these light scouts were suffering given the crew shortages that Starfleet was forced to address as a result of the war.
Most surviving Bodes were mothballed at the Morena Yards, and would have been recalled to service if the strategic situation had deteriorated further; fortunately, this proved unnecessary. Four Bode class ships remained in limited service attached to the Academy. A proposal to refit the Bodes with phasers and photon torpedoes was made after the end of the war to allow a return to service, but it was felt that refitting newer classes was far more cost effective.
The Bodes attached to the Academy survived in service until 2262. Most of the Bodes that had been stored at Morena were later expended in trials of the new FP4 torpedo system
| Construction Data: | ||
| Model Number — | Mk I | Mk II |
| Ship Class — | V | V |
| Date Entering Service — | 2232-2260 | 2252-2262 |
| Number Constructed — | 51 | Refit |
| Hull Data: | ||
| Superstructure Points — | 12 | 12 |
| Damage Chart — | C | C |
| Size: | ||
| Length — | 191 m | 191 m |
| Width — | 95 m | 95 m |
| Height — | 45 m | 45 m |
| Weight — | 45,843 mt | 59,400 mt |
| Cargo: | ||
| Cargo Units — | 45 SCU | 45 SCU |
| Cargo Capacity — | 2,250 mt | 2,250 mt |
| Landing Capacity — | None | None |
| Equipment Date: | ||
| Control Computer Type — | L-3 | M-1 |
| Transporters: | ||
| Standard 6-person — | 3 | 3 |
| Emergency 22-person — | 2 | 2 |
| Cargo — | 1 | 1 |
| Other Data: | ||
| Crew — | 73 | 50 |
| Passengers — | 10 | 20 |
| Shuttlecraft — | 2 | 2 |
| Engines And Power Data: | ||
| Total Power Units Available — | 26 | 24 |
| Movement Point Ratio — | 2/1 | 2/1 |
| Warp Engine Type — | FFTL-2B | FWB-1 |
| Number — | 2 | 2 |
| Power Units Available — | 12 ea. | 9 ea. |
| Stress Charts — | M/O | M/O |
| Max Safe Cruising Speed — | Warp 4 | Warp 7 |
| Emergency Speed — | Warp 5 | Warp 8 |
| Impulse Engine Type — | FNSP-1B | FIB-3 |
| Power Units Available — | 2 | 6 |
| Weapons And Firing Data: | ||
| Beam Weapon Type — | FL-2 | FL-4 |
| Number — | 2 | 2 |
| Firing Arcs — | 2 p/f/s | 2 p/f/s |
| Firing Chart — | F | G |
| Maximum Power — | 2 | 3 |
| Damage Modifiers: | ||
| +3 | (-) | (-) |
| +2 | (-) | (-) |
| +1 | (-) | (1-4) |
| Torpedo Weapon Type — | FAC-1 | FAC-2 |
| Number — | 1 | 1 |
| Firing Arcs — | 1 f | 1 f |
| Firing Chart — | F | G |
| Power to Arm — | 3 | 4 |
| Damage — | 8 | 10 |
| Shield Data: | ||
| Deflector Shield Type — | FDS-4 | FSC |
| Shield Point Ratio — | 2/1 | 1/1 |
| Maximum Shield Power — | 9 | 9 |
| Combat Efficiency: | ||
| D — | 39.4 | 47.2 |
| WDF — | 3 | 4.5 |
Design Notes:
This version of the Bode class is a modification of the design by Steve Bacon and Lee Woods. The historical text is a modification of their original text. Visit Vintage Starship for more information on their excellent design.