Sovereign Saucer Seperation

[Nihilus]

Cutaways and the Master System Display for the Sovereign Class seem to indicate that the ship is capable of Saucer Separation.  But no one has made a Sovereign Class for the game which had Saucer Separation.  So I'm trying to come up with a look for the ship when she's separated.  So far I've come up with is...



This is just a rough idea at the moment.  The exterior of the Battle Bridge needs to be designed and I'm trying to find a way to give the Saucer Impulse Engines.  The obvious choice would be to simply let the Saucer take off with the Impulse engines, but I think the Stardrive looks better with them included.  What do you guys think?

[1DeadlySAMURAI]

Actually, Mr. John made one. http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/file/;29101

But of course, that doesn't stop you from completing your idea.
I just thought you should know.

[FarShot]

That's a good concept, however, there is a semi-official version.  John Eaves, the designer of the Enterprise E for First Contact, also worked out a separation, never added to canon, but is the closest thing out there, as he made it himself.  Taken from Designing the Enterprise E.


_{jb76 edit - image uploaded...  hotlinking wasnt working...}

[Kirk]

That drawing still begs the question: Where's the propulsion system for the drive section?

[majormagna]

Maybe it was only to be used the same way as the Constitution refit? I.e. to get away from a warp core breach (among other potential disasters)

[limey BSc.]

Maybe it was only to be used the same way as the Constitution refit? I.e. to get away from a warp core breach (among other potential disasters)

If so, then the impulse engines need to be on the saucer section, not the engineering hull.

[Kirk]

If so, then the impulse engines need to be on the saucer section, not the engineering hull.

It is that way in the "official" version, but not in the OP's rendition.

[FarShot]

Okay, before any new lookers get confused...

Nihilus is suggesting his own.
I told him John Eaves sketched one up while designing the E.
Kirk commented that Eaves' sketch doesn't have a impulse engine on the secondary hull.
Major Magna said separation would only be used to get away from an impending breach.
Limey got confused and thought Magna was referring to Nihilus' sketch, not to Eaves'.
Kirk rectified and said Eaves' has the impulse engines on the saucer, and Nihilus' doesn't.

Whew, now to move past this little fiasco...
So, what are your plans for the saucer engines, Nihilus?  I suggest ones that come out of hatches, kinda like the Delta Flyer's extra impulse thrusters...

[Nihilus]

One thing that should be considered is what the Starship was designed to do.  For example, the Galaxy class is clearly an explorer designed to house children and other civilians.  Although she is heavily armed, she's not exactly a warship by any means.  The Galaxy's ability to separate was so that the saucer could escape while the Stardrive engaged the enemy.  Or also in the case of Generations, if the Warp Core was about to breach.

But the Sovereign is primarily a warship.  A quick glance at her design and you can see she was designed to be far more aggressive and combat ready than the Galaxy class.  If you believe the ship would separate for combat, it didn't seem right that the Stardrive would be left without impulse engines so my idea for the ship is to keep the engines.  FarShot's idea of the engines coming out of the hull like the Delta Flyer seems like the most logical way to go.

So far I've been concentrating more on the Stardrive.  Here is what I have so far, which really isn't much...



Based on the cutaways, I'm not sure if the Battlebridge would be visible once the saucer was removed like on the Galaxy class, or if it's a few decks below for protection.

[milenent]

Maybe Engineering section have Impulse engines upper the Aft torpedo launchers on deck 20 behind these big panels.

[Kirk]

That would be a cool sequence, seeing those panels roll away to reveal Post Nem Sovereign style impulse engines.

[Nihilus]

Perhaps something like this?

[ACES_HIGH]

I think he meant something more like this:

To be honest, I'm more a fan of the Eaves design