Shipchat: V-30 Winged Defender

[@TimothyChapman]

Funny how the Romulans basically back-stabbed their ally just to field-test a prototype Warbird, and were still able to integrate Klingon tech into their ships for a while afterwards. Makes me think that the Earth-Romulan alliance of the dominion war is just one of convenience.

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

Certainly make sense for the romulans.

[@mustlovedragons8047]

I thought that was cannon already.

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

@@mustlovedragons8047 kinda sorta.

[@mustlovedragons8047]

@@venomgeekmedia9886 Well... with the Romulans they don't descide untill _after_ they've back-stabbed you. ;)

[@mattosullivan9687]

Any alliance with a Romulan is just convenient, with the Klingons you gain respect with Honor, with the Vulcans, by reason, with the Ferengi by profit. The Romulans only deal in Self Interest

[@SPatrickRoss]

B'Rel vs Winged Defender. Yes the Romulans have the sexier bird.

[@rmcdudmk212]

One of the best looking Romulan ships ever build. 👍

[@SPatrickRoss]

I imagine after it's refit, the Winged Defenders could fly circles around the Jem' Hadar Attack Ships.

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

Not quite it's still a lot bigger than a jem'hadar fighter. Similar size to a miranda.

[@davidgupton3764]

I played the game back then. I loved reading the FASA ship manuals.

[@jhallam2011]

Another great video Venom!!👍 I never get tired of Romulans, that’s how I became interested in your channel in the first place!

[@phluphie]

As I understand it, in one of the script versions of ST III, Kruge steals the Bird of Prey from the Romulans. Then heads off to Genesis. I think the idea was to establish Kruge as a badass and worthy opponent for Kirk. But the design was originally a Romulan ship not Klingon.

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

Yeah but fortunately they changed that since the BOP fits better as a klingon design.

[@sonofeyeabovealleffoff5462]

@Kevin Anderson Waitaminnit. Are you THE Kevin Anderson who helped Brian Herbert write the Dune expanded universe? I don't know of too many other people with that name. Lol.

[@phluphie]

@@sonofeyeabovealleffoff5462 I ain’t sayin’ that I am and I ain’t sayin’ that I ain’t.

[@nabbar]

FASA's Starship Combat Simulator board game tied in with Star Trek II and predates Star Trek III. They released an update with new ships for Star Trek III. I'm almost positive that I remember the Winged Defender being part of the original game.

[@RobertWilke]

It was.

[@cranetech71]

Yes it was a part of the original game, although it had a slightly different design.

[@chrisbritt4266]

I remember getting those FASA games when I was a kid. And that ship the Winged Defender was my favorite.

[@Quetzalcoatl_Feathered_Serpent]

Can we also appreciate the fact that the Winged Defender actually looks like a very pissed off and deadly bird of prey. Like a actual bird.

[@scotth4713]

FASA had some amazing designs and I LOVE the V-30, but I still liked Starfleet Battles better.

[@DeaconBlu]

Fantastic! Probably my all time favorite Romulan design. Years ago when I had a copy of the FASA game, many great battles were fought. Winged Defender vs Constitution and Enterprise class vessels. She didn’t always win, but she put up one hell of a fight every time. Glorious hull form. Beautiful ship, probably the finest (visually, imho) design to ever fly off a Romulan space dock. Thanks for this chat.

[@LancetFencing]

i used to play this game and yeah i’m amazed at how well this ship design has remained in our minds

[@lynngreen7978]

What you are not seeing. I have this model on the shelf right next to a refit Constitution. Those wings are huge! Almost as thick as the secondary hull on the Connie. Each wing is about the length of that hull, but much wider. The central body and the "head" are smaller than the Connie saucer, but the overall mass is greater. And most of that extra mass is probably engine. This is a heavy cruiser in the movie era, and comparing it to the Connie, D-7, and D-10, it is the largest.

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

I think it depends on which model you look at. And even if the wings are thick I doubt they are habitable.

[@OllamhDrab]

Extremely cool. Maybe a bit too on the nose with the bird metaphor in side profile, but look at it. :) Oh, btw, I'm pretty sure FASA Trek was around in the early 80s, I forget when, but their movie supplements for ST III and IV were essential stuff, and fancier printings. :)

[@occultatumquaestio5226]

Of the big 3 powers of the 23rd century the Romulans in a form of poetic irony get the least amount of limelight for their ships. It is enjoyable to see more of them. Regarding the Winged Defender, it is a very skeletal design, though it clearly shows itself to be Romulan.

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

But most 23rd century ships are pretty skeletal

[@occultatumquaestio5226]

@@venomgeekmedia9886 ; I mean skeletal as far as most Romulan designs go. The T'liss and most other 23rd century Romulan vessels are relatively meaty (metaly?).

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

@@occultatumquaestio5226 fair point. the main thing to bear in mind is that those chunkier ships were also much slower.

[@HeadlessChickenTO]

So would you consider the Winged (Wing-ed) Defender be more like a heavy destroyer over a cruiser? It hunts and kills larger targets while punching well above its weight, much like a Defiant.

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

Depends on the period. By the dominion war its a destroyer. But in its day it kinda fits in as a light cruiser.

[@barrybend7189]

I would love this ship in STO.

[@garyhill2740]

I love the Wing-ED Defen-Der! :)

[@roberthooper77]

Excellent video, will there be a Dominion War Recap video for July?

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

Yep on sunday

[@sycyourtube]

Nice job! I always loved this design. I see that you used my old sprite of the winged defender in all of your diagrams. Thanks for always using community images. It’s nice to see that you are a big fan like many of us.

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

Great job on the sprite. The orange tint to the feathers is a nice touch

[@Virtue2721]

I so love this ship.

[@apophis40123]

I fell in love with the Draconarius from Star Trek Armada, so when I saw it was based off the Winged Defender, I squeed

[@philly83]

23rd century romulan designs were the best..... 😁

[@lordmortos979]

Wing-edd! 🤣 oi luv ow bout a spot a tea! 🤣🤣🤣

[@KorMacDM]

The BOP in ST3 was romulan used by klingons.

[@Sephiroth144]

Soon, SOON, the Nova Z-1 (and maybe the Z-2/3 upgrades) will rise from the Wings of Romulus... Sooooooon

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

Soooon

[@Sephiroth144]

@@venomgeekmedia9886 At least I'm consistent ;-p

[@shanenolan8252]

Did i spot a winged defender in strange new worlds. ? I thought so

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

Similar but not quite.

[@mattosullivan9687]

A fun ship in Legacy

[@warhawk4494]

Nice. Love these designs from FASA. I hope they all become Canon.

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

Maybe not all. Some are kinda awkward

[@chrissonofpear1384]

@@venomgeekmedia9886 The Keith class... Worst, Federation, starship, design - in history. And in FASA.

[@loopslytle]

FASA had a lot of good material, which Starfleet Battle used.

[@mathewweeks9069]

Your awesome dude and awesome video be safe out there ❤😎👍

[@mustlovedragons8047]

Could you do a detailed video on warp field geometry? Particularly how hull shape and engine placement (ie how much of what part of the field the ship actually fills up) affect speed/maneuverability/fuel efficiency et etc?

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

Yeah I should clarify my thoughts on that

[@mustlovedragons8047]

@@venomgeekmedia9886 It would be really cool! :)

[@mustlovedragons8047]

Thanks for the heart! :)

[@paulbeaney4901]

Venom geek and the winged defender sitting in a tree, K.I.S.S.I.N.G........🤣🤣🤣. Sorry mate lol.

[@seannewboy8612]

I know that the valdore is a "warbird" but i think that it is more of bird of prey than a cruiser. a response to your idea that the v-30 is the last bird of prey design.

[@AnjinKyotsu]

Correction need to be made... Variable wing position was created by the Romulans, then sold to the Klingons...

[@LancetFencing]

i could be wrong but i thought the winged defender or-dates the Klingon bird of prey

[@elcowabungahe-man6156]

This ship is perfect for escort the big Warbirds

[@jasonwhite7905]

Oh eaglemoss, I hope you're paying attention... oh right ch 11. Hey game print, I hope you're paying attention.

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

Someday...

[@jasonwhite7905]

@@venomgeekmedia9886 game print is actually reasonably priced. 4 inche models are about $22. 5 in are $30. 9 are $155 and 1f is $350. Fully colored with custom decals. I'm looking forward to a federation Excalibur class with my own personal registry.

[@ISAF_Ace]

Going on the TOS constitution classification of Battlecruiser, I'd probably put the classification of the V-30 as a Panzerschiffe (Pocket battleship). Its fast and over gunned but comparatively small and vulnerable to damage in a prolonged battle. I am using the term pocket battleship very broadly because the V-30 was absolutely way to small to be considered a battleship, but its probably the best fitting for its size and firepower in that Era. It could fill the role of light cruiser and it is flexible enough to do that, but I'd say its firepower and large silhouette (from the top anyway) is enough to get it designated a Panzerschiffe. But by the dominion war it will have been degraded a lot, easily put down to a light cruiser at the least but more likely a destroyer. Its: manoeuvrability, speed and work has a hunter killer is very different from normal Romulan doctrine of overwhelming firepower comes out of nowhere and ruins your day like the D'deridex. Its probably so iconic in Beta Canon because of that unique niche that it fills and has a beautiful design to compliment it. Plus its bare bones design does go with future Romulan designs which retain that massive silhouette but are actually quite skeletal. TLDT: Romulan defender good

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

Yeah although its also illustrative of the state of the romulan fleet in this period which was much weaker than the TNG fleet.

[@drewjackson3858]

Hey Venom, you may not have noticed but the Winged Defender kinda looks like a bird from certain angles. If you stare really hard you can almost make out an ospery reaching it's feet down as it dives. It's like a friggin Voltron villain in the shape of a squid or a clam or something. Giant robots wouldn't ever look like that. This is just like Justin Beeber. Everyone looooves Justin Beeber. I don't get it. Or Hawaiian Rolls. They're too sweet! But every damn time there's a cookout all I hear is 'get Hawaiian Rolls, get Hawaiian Rolls.' And if I get Brioche which is clearly better they look at me like I took a dead cat out of the grocery bag. The Winged Defender is exactly like that: A giant Justin Beeber robot clam Hawaiian Roll. And you can take that to the bank.

[@Cauin450]

Venom Geek, has anyone speculated as to what a kind of Romulan ships would be designed past the Mogai and Kerchan had the Romulus/Remus' star hadn't exploded?

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

I'm not sure there are flying wing designs which look very advanced. Might be something to consider

[@shanenolan8252]

Winged ( is correct English)

[@davesobani9565]

Didnt this appear in the Strange New Worlds Finale?

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

No but a very similar looking ship did.

[@shanenolan8252]

Cheers

[@promnightdumpsterbaby9553]

I made a couple miniatures of these out of wood using stencils i made my self lol

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

Awesome. That must have taken some time.

[@promnightdumpsterbaby9553]

@@venomgeekmedia9886 yes,it did. I made a dominion war chess board with the roms,feds,and klingons on one side and the jem'hadar,breen,and cardis on the other. Even built the chess board as well. It got destroyed by one of my cats....

[@dot2562]

Chipshat

[@LancetFencing]

they knew what they looked like your a kid

[@LancetFencing]

i don’t subscribe to the idea that the klingons have several sizes of birds of prey it’s dumb

[@jaredcolon4535]

The underslung disruptors ruin it for me honestly

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

What about the klingon BOP though?

[@dragonhound3706]

Again like the Ker'chan I hope it goes into Star Trek Online

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

One day...

[@jetnova16]

It’s an Star Trek Armada II and given the name: Draconarius-class

[@pixelforge4858]

enjoy the channel but i hate this design

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

Really? What's wrong with it?

[@pixelforge4858]

@@venomgeekmedia9886 over all in my mind just not a well balanced look

[@glennlaroche1524]

Sorry, y'all, never liked any of the FASA designs--please God keep this ugly mess out of canon. Ugh. I fully realize most viewers will vehemently disagree w me on this, but..........ya no, barf.

[@venomgeekmedia9886]

really? not even this?

[@glennlaroche1524]

@@venomgeekmedia9886 Nope. For me there is just something awkward/ungainly about it that is just flat-out uuuuuuugly. Sorry, dude.

[@fooo2241]

I'm not wild about the general look of it, but I def respect the 'you are my prey I am going to kill you now' stature. Only a spread of talons could further that.

[@phluphie]

Sorry Glenn, You’re gonna be outvoted. FASA had some dogs. But they also had some real winners. This and the White Wind are two of the winners.