The Andorian battle cruiser was a type of warship in service with the Andorian Imperial Guard during the mid-22nd century through the late 24th century.
History[]
The first ship of this class, the Kumari, was commanded by Commander Thy'lek Shran from 2142 to 2154. (ENT: "Babel One")
Since their launch in the 2140s, several Andorian warships of this type had been reported missing. When Enterprise NX-01 was attacked by a Romulan drone ship disguised as an Andorian battle cruiser, Shran suggested that the Tellarites may have been responsible, using one of these missing ships after enhancing its systems. (ENT: "Babel One")
In 2154, several Andorian battle cruisers were incorporated into an Andorian-Tellarite-Vulcan fleet which consisted of some 128 ships, formed in response to a Romulan marauder that threatened the entire region. (ENT: "United")
In the mirror universe, the Andorian rebels utilized this class of vessel to engage a Terran fleet in 2155. At least two of these vessels were among the rebel ships attacking the ISS Avenger. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II")
In 2381, several of these cruisers were docked at Starbase 25. (LD: "An Embarrassment Of Dooplers")
Technical data[]
The Andorian battle cruiser was considerably more rugged than the designs utilized by contemporary United Earth Starfleet vessels. (ENT: "Proving Ground") Like all Andorian combat vessels, the Andorian battle cruiser was constructed using a "significant quantity" of duranium alloy. (ENT: "Babel One") Despite the vessel's fairly large size, it was crewed by a complement of only eighty-six. (ENT: "United") In comparison, Starfleet's smaller NX-class had a standard complement of eighty-three. (ENT: "E²")
Physical arrangement[]
Design overview
The outboard plan of the Andorian battle cruiser's design consisted of a central "spine" that contained a vertically bifurcated forward hull containing several decks. The central "spine" gradually narrowed toward the aft section of the ship where it connected to two vertically stacked warp nacelles. Located midway down the "spine" were a pair of forward-swept wings which contained the impulse engines and defensive systems. (ENT: "Cease Fire", "Proving Ground", "Zero Hour", etc.)
The additional "pods" located on the wings were never explicitly given a purpose when the ship was initially designed; the production staff suggests that they may have been intended as auxiliary warp engines. (Per contributor's email correspondence with Robert Bonchune).
Defensive systems[]
Forward particle cannon
The defensive systems utilized by the Andorian battle cruiser included a formidable array of particle cannons composed of multiple forward cannon emplacements, port and starboard wing emitters, as well as dorsal and ventral emitters capable of firing in 180 degree arcs. (ENT: "Zero Hour", "Kir'Shara")
The cannons on the wings may have contained multiple emitters or an array system, based on observations that beams were emitted from various points on their surfaces.
The Andorian battle cruiser enjoyed an advantage over other less advanced vessels of this era due to its utilization of deflector shield technology. Nevertheless, this class was somewhat susceptible to attacks directed towards its shield generator. The shield generator itself was located distantly from the vessel's power grid, leaving it vulnerable to damage. (ENT: "Kir'Shara", "Babel One")
During the 2150s, Andorian technology was considered to be more advanced than analogous Tellarite technology. One Tellarite cruiser was said to not be able to "stand a chance" against two Andorian warships. (ENT: "Babel One") The Andorian battle cruiser had a level of firepower comparable to the Xindi-Reptilian warship and the Vulcan D'kyr-type combat cruiser. (ENT: "Zero Hour", "Kir'Shara")
In the mirror universe, this class proved significantly inferior to a mid-23rd century Federation Constitution-class starship. This was clearly illustrated when the USS Defiant, defending the Terran warship ISS Avenger from rebel attack, engaged and destroyed one Andorian battle cruiser within seconds and inflicted heavy damage to a second before allowing it to escape. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II")
Propulsion systems[]
Andorian battle cruisers utilized warp drive technology that was more advanced than Starfleet's warp five engine, allowing Andorian vessels to be "considerably faster" than Earth's NX-class starship. (ENT: "Proving Ground") These vessels could travel at speeds that were described at the time as "high warp." (ENT: "Zero Hour")
One of the technological innovations contributing to the high performance of the ship's warp drive was the utilization of advanced antimatter injectors with variable compression nozzles. In 2153, knowledge of this "sophisticated piece of technology" was still considered to be "rather sensitive information." (ENT: "Proving Ground")
Additional systems[]
Tractor beam
The long-range sensors utilized on board the Andorian battle cruiser were more sophisticated than those utilized on board Starfleet's NX-class. (ENT: "Proving Ground", "Babel One") These sensors were capable of scanning a star system from a distance without betraying the vessel's presence. Conversely, usage of its short-range sensors was detectable by vessels that were being scanned by them. Commander Shran attempted to innocently explain away these sensors to Degra as being "omni-directional" during a ruse to scan the second prototype of the Xindi weapon during its test in the Calindra system in 2153. (ENT: "Proving Ground")
Much like Vulcan ships of the era, Andorian battle cruisers were equipped with a tractor beam. The tractor emitter was located on the ship's forward ventral section. (ENT: "Proving Ground")
Additionally, these warships were equipped with transporters capable of performing site-to-site transport. Use of these transporters was only detectable by internal sensors as a brief energy surge. (ENT: "Kir'Shara")
T'Pol's statement that Andorians did not have transporters in "The Andorian Incident" suggests that either they were added some time after 2151, or that the capability was kept unknown to Vulcans.
Auxiliary craft[]
Escape pod
The Andorian battle cruiser housed at least one shuttle. (ENT: "Proving Ground") They also carried multiple escape pods. (ENT: "Proving Ground", "Babel One")
Interior design[]
 Bridge of the Kumari  The Kumari's viewscreen |
Bridge[]
Capable of operating with a crew of five, the bridge of the Andorian battle cruiser directly supervised all primary mission operations and coordinated all departmental activities. Its design was not unlike the layouts used aboard Earth and Klingon vessels of that era, and of Federation starships of later eras. The most significant difference was the placement of the wall consoles, which faced away from the captain rather than towards him.
The layout consisted of an inverted "half-moon"-shaped viewscreen located on the forward bulkhead, directly in front of the ship's side-by-side helm and navigation console.
In the center of the bridge was the captain's chair, with two large convex dishes on either side of the chair. A semi-circle of four station consoles, each with its own stool, surrounded the captain's chair, one each to port and starboard, and two near the aft. All four consoles were each attached to a support column which braced the bridge's vaulted ceiling.
Along the rear bulkhead were several display monitors, separating the entry way to the captain's ready room on the port side from the entryway to the bridge on the starboard side. (ENT: "Proving Ground", "Zero Hour", "Babel One")
In the final draft script of "Proving Ground", the Andorian bridge was initially described as "stark, functional and somewhat intimidating." In a later-added teaser scene description, the room was referred to as "Stark, efficient and combat ready."
The Andorian bridge was a newly designed "swing set" constructed specifically for "Proving Ground". [1](X) Production Designer Herman Zimmerman noted that the battle cruiser's appearance in "Proving Ground" entailed "the first time we ever had the chance to design an Andorian bridge." In fact, an Andorian battle cruiser's bridge wall was previously built for "Cease Fire", but that does not seem to fit into the later-established bridge layout. Nonetheless, Zimmerman had fun with the task of designing the more elaborate Andorian bridge, of which some set pieces were reused from the interior of the Vulcan starship Seleya, seen in the earlier third season installment "Impulse". Zimmerman remarked that these reuses were "because – as much as they dislike each other – I think they [the Vulcans and Andorians] seem to be very much alike." He concluded, "They certainly are each bullheaded in their own way." (Star Trek: Communicator issue 151, pp. 57 & 58)
In a stage direction from the script of "Kir'Shara", the Andorian battle cruiser's bridge in that episode was instructed to be shown with "a one-wall bridge set."
Several pieces of the bridge set were sold at the It's A Wrap! sale and auction. (See the appendices sections for further information.)
 Ready room of the Kumari  Ready room viewscreen |
Ready room[]
The ready room was located adjacent to the bridge and provided the commanding officer with a private place to conduct ship's business. The ready room on board the Kumari had a large viewscreen located on the bulkhead opposite the entryway and a desk and chair located between the entryway and the viewscreen. Behind the commander's desk was a shelving display that contained the officer's personal effects. (ENT: "Proving Ground")
A desk very similar to the desk that appeared in Shran's ready room (only of a different color) was sold in the It's A Wrap! auction for $561.51. [2](X) One of the six chairs appearing in another It's A Wrap! auction lot was used at the desk in Shran's ready room. The entire lot of six chairs sold for $2,302.77. [3](X)
 Interrogation room console. |
Interrogation room[]
The interrogation room was a small area that contained an interrogation chair located opposite of the entryway and a free standing control console located in the corner, near the door. The interrogation technology utilized a machine that created a neuro-synaptic field which caused the victim's emotional threshold to be lowered rather than causing physical discomfort. (ENT: "Kir'Shara")
This room was described in the script and the production report for "Kir'Shara" as the brig. [4](X) The control console that appeared in the interrogation room later appeared in "Bound", on board Harrad-Sar's barge. It was ultimately sold in the It's A Wrap! sale and auction for $1,483.00. [5](X)
Cargo bays[]
Cargo hold
The Andorian battle cruiser contained at least three cargo bays, with the third being located on the ventral section of the ship, near the center of the vessel. These cargo bays were shielded against potential radiation by use of a force field. (ENT: "Proving Ground")
Close inspection of the ship reveals three additional bay doors, which match the size and shape of bay number three, suggesting that this was the location of the first two cargo bays and the shuttle bay. These bay doors were located on the dorsal "spine", and one each, on the dorsal and ventral nacelle.
Ships of the class[]
- Named
- Unnamed
Appendices[]
Appearances[]
Background information[]
In the final draft script of "Cease Fire", this type of Andorian craft wasn't physically described or given a name other than "Andorian ships". [6] The phrase "Andorian warship" was commonly used to refer to this type of craft in the final draft script of "Proving Ground".
The Andorian battle cruiser was designed by John Eaves. Despite the Andorians having first appeared as long ago as in the 1967 TOS episode "Journey to Babel", Eaves had very little design inspirations to work with. Although he often tried to design a retro version of what had previously been shown on-screen, the Andorian battle cruiser was the first Andorian ship to ever appear. "So this was open for me to figure out what we wanted to do," Eaves explained. (Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection, issue 37, p. 16)
John Eaves began the design process by illustrating a series of alternative concept sketches on a single piece of paper, for the consideration of the producers. He was especially pleased with an extremely organic "manta ray" approach. It even included a suggestion of antennae, referencing the Andorian makeup. (Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection, issue 37, p. 16)
Another, much less thin design John Eaves proposed for the Andorian battle cruiser was shaped like a rocket and had two distinct inspirations: a World War II seaplane and the Battlestar Galactica, the reimagined series of Battlestar Galactica starting to air about the same time as the Andorian vessel was being designed. "I think subconsciously the main body is a little bit of the Galactica flipped over on top and on the bottom, with some weird looking engines." The design of the engines and the wings drew inspiration from features of World War II airplanes. Eaves took the idea of double-jointed wings from a Mariner plane he'd seen at the Phoenix air museum. However, the wings on that aircraft were the reverse of those on the Andorian ship, slanting up and then dropping down. Eaves also borrowed the look of landing skiff from a water-landing plane he'd additionally viewed at the Phoenix museum. "I thought it was kind of cool to tie that together," said Eaves, "so the skiff became the double engines up on top of the wing." (Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection, issue 37, pp. 16-17)
John Eaves was surprised when the producers opted for the thin, rocket-like configuration. Because "Cease Fire" (in which the Andorian battle cruiser was to make its first appearance) was a busy episode, the concept sketch, once it was approved, was sent immediately to Eden FX without any additional drawings. (Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection, issue 37, pp. 16 & 17) The design was thereafter rendered as a CGI model by Pierre Drolet; the "light kit" for the model was added by Rob Bonchune (Per contributor's email correspondence with Bonchune). Drolet completed the design work, refining the design as he did so. (Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection, issue 37, p. 17)
The length established for the model, as scaled in relation to the other models created for the series, was 360 meters. (Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection, issue 37, pp. 1 & 3)
In the final draft script of "Proving Ground", this configuration was at first described as "a formidable looking spacecraft". The next sentence commented, "We may recognize it as an Andorian warship."
The tactile interfaces for the helm/navigation console were sold in the It's A Wrap! sale and auction for US$260.00. [7](X) Two of the four "distressed" work consoles that appeared on the Kumari bridge were also sold in the It's A Wrap! auction for US$676.66 and US$660.00, respectively. [8](X)
The captain's chair, which was a reuse of Voyager's first officer's chair, was sold in the 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection auction. The auction estimate for the chair was US$4,000 to US$6,000; the sale price was US$3,500 (US$4,200 with premium). [9](X) Four bridge stools, similar to the stools used on the Kumari bridge (however painted gold), were also sold in the 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection auction. [10](X)
The Andorian symbol that was on the upper aft section of the bridge was sold in the 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection auction. The auction estimate for the plaque was US$100 - US$150; the sale price was US$1200 (US$1440 with premium). [11](X)
Apocrypha[]
In the 25th century timeline of Star Trek Online, the Andorian battle cruiser (or a ship with a similar design) is known as the Andorian escort, and is available for players to captain.
In Star Trek: Fleet Command, two types of Andorian battle cruisers are featured by the names Talla and Kumari, although the Kumari in Star Trek: Fleet Command looks different than the one seen in Star Trek: Enterprise under the command of Thy'lek Shran.
External link[]
- Kumari class at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
Featured revision (913670) • Diff to current • Blurb