Have you ever wondered how cool it would be for some of your favorite shows to mix characters across the different networks or franchises?
Way back in the day (WAY back) I always wanted to see Airwolf, Blue Thunder and K.I.T.T. bring it to the bad guys in the same show. Yet whenever a superhero crossover ever happened in the comics, they always seemed to duke it out between themselves first. And this is what I thought of when I saw an inspired idea over on DVICE where they decided to match the technologies of the original U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 up against the Battlestar Galactica in a pitched and heated battle.
Well, a theorized battle, anyway.
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However I think the folks over at DVICE might be a little biased. According to them, the Battlestar would come out on top against the Heavy Cruiser. I think they aren’t being fair. A Colonial Battlestar against a Federation Cruiser? I would pitch a Federation Dreadnought against the Battlestar, but that’s just me.
As it is, I’ll work within the framework of what DVICE started from, but still, from my side of things, I think the outcome would be a bit different. I’ll touch on the same points they did and we’ll see where it takes us!
Phasers vs. Kinetic Energy Turrets: DVICE gave the edge to the phaser (Phased Energy Rectification Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) because it could cut through unshielded ships. I agree with that so the first point goes to the Federation.
Enterprise: 1, Galactica: 0.
Photon Torpedoes vs Nukes. The argument is that the Enterprise couldn’t take a nuke hit while the Galactica could take a photon torpedo hit. This one goes to Galactica on DVICE, but then they don’t exactly go into what kind of punch a Photon torpedo can do. Let me.
According to some estimations, a Photon torpedo can pack a 64 megaton punch. According to the Galactica Wiki, Galactica Nukes yield 5 to 150 Kilotons, depending on what is dialed in.
150 kilotons = 625 Joules, and 64 Megatons = ~269 Joules. So the hitting power does go to the Galactica.
Enterprise: 1, Galactica: 1.
Sensors vs Dradis: For some reason, DVICE gave this one to the Dradis on Galactica. Are they kidding? I have to digress here and give the edge to the Enterprise. The Federation sensors can sense when a mouse farts! The Dradis seems to only see ships. Have I missed something. If not, I’m changing their score and giving this tech edge to the Enterprise.
Enterprise: 2, Galactica: 1.
Shuttlecraft vs Vipers: Is this even a comparison? This goes to the Galactica with their fully armed Vipers versus the original series shuttlecraft.
Enterprise: 2, Galactica: 2.
Impulse engines and Warp Drives vs Ion Engines and FTL drives: They argue that the Enterprise is more agile on impulse and warp drives. I tend to agree that the smaller Enterprise can dance all around the Galactica. The Enterprise has varying degrees of Warp speed, while the Galactica is a go / no-go, one speed ship when it comes to light speed travel. But the Galactica’s FTL drives are pretty cool as far as popping in and out of places, including popping out of planet atmospheres during free-fall. (Was that not cool when the Galactica did that free-fall over New Caprica?) But it takes a lot of calculations for the Galactica to pop around and time for the FTL to spin up. I think with all the flitting around the Enterprise can do compared to the Galactica, I’ll agree and give the edge to the Enterprise.
Enterprise: 3, Galactica: 2.
Transporters vs Raptors; Is this even a fair comparison? Enterprise, hands down. They can just beam boarding parties on the Galactica. Heck, they can beam the crews out of the Raptors! In Star Fleet Battles (a board game I played) boarding parties were one of my best tricks once shields were down.
Enterprise: 4, Galactica: 2.
Shields vs Point-Defense Cannons: As far as taking a beating, the Galactica took a nuke hit! The PDC’s can dish out serious suppressive fire while the ship can absorb whatever gets through. The Enterprise takes a shield hit or two and panels spark and people fly! Technically, regardless of the flying bridge crew, I’d think the Enterprise has the edge, though DVICE gave this one to the Galactica. Can PDC’s stop a Phaser? I don’t think so. The Enterprise can stand off and fire at will.
Enterprise: 5, Galactica: 2.
So somehow, in the end DVICE gave this comparison to the Galactica. I want to go into a little reasoning on some things.
They didn’t consider sizes of the two ships though engine comparisons and the weight they push around was touched on:
The Enterprise: Length: 947 feet; Overall Beam(width): 417 feet
The Galactica: Length: 4640 feet; Overall Beam(width): 1821 feet
Being big is great, but sheesh. Enterprise? What Enterprise? You mean that spot on the paint? Ramming speed Galactica! But the small ship would probably be able to dance around the big boy. This is the classic argument of light sword, many hits; heavy sword, one good hit. These size comparisons sure make it seem like the Galactica might be able to dust the little guy but technology always wins out gang.
Of course this whole comparison thing pits the Galactica up against the NCC-1701. This wouldn’t even be a question if they were looking at the 1701-D Galaxy Class from Star Trek: The Next Generation. On the D, the shuttle craft had phasers and photons, didn’t they? On Voyager, Janeway’s shuttle was armed to the teeth. Or how much more punch would a Federation Dreadnought have?
But why would DVICE weigh their scales the way they did? DVICE is part of the network with the Sci Fi Wire and the Sci-Fi Channel… so ya gotta take this comparison with a grain of salt and have fun with it. FUN, I say.
In the aspect of fun, let’s look at a few other things:
Society: If we start looking at some of the intricacies, Starfleet personnel have a rather organized society. The Galactica fleet really have their heads frakked up right now because their destined goal of humanity’s salvation, Earth, was a wasteland. Oops. They’d probably just give up!
Captain Kirk Vs Admiral Adama: Kirk would have Spock baffle Adama with calculations of probabilities of their outcome while Kirk would end up making out with No. 6, or Sharon or whatever warm blooded woman on the Galactica he could snag and go about his day. Meanwhile, Adama might get Athena to plug into the Enterprise and send it to the “edge of the galaxy”… again.
The fun of it all: In the end, these kinds of comparisons are for fun and could endlessly go on as we think of other shows we could pit against each other. Rather than pitting all of Star Trek against Battlestar Galactica, or against Babylon 5, or what ever franchise we like, I say we stack all the good guys from all the shows on one side, give The Hulk a space suit and see how that works out for everyone!
Speaking of cross-overs, I remember a comic book where the classic Enterprise encountered who I think was a member of Marvel’s Kree race. The panels were fun to go through. Sulu tells Kirk that sensors are picking up a man outside the ship. Kirk confusedly asks what he’s doing. Sulu says he looks like he’s going to punch the ship. Suddenly the bridge staff go flying when the Kree decks the ship. I loved that scene but I just don’t have the time to dig through my garage sized collection of comics to verify it was the Kree. If anyone can help me remember, that would be cool.
Basically, in the end, I say we line up all the good guys vs all the bad guys from the different sci-fi shows and have a massive crossover. That would really mess with all the legal teams!
Are there any team-ups, or face-offs you’d like to see? Let us know.
Sources: DVICE, Stardestroyer.net, Sideview images: ship schemantics.net, st-minutia.com, wolf’s shipyard; ex astris scientia; Image (almost to scale) overlays by Bruce Simmons
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72 Comments
Woton,
Bruce is on the money. Although I pretty much disagree with the concept in your first comment (hey, I’ll bet Spongebob Squarepants could kick Mike Tyson’s butt if you took away Tyson’s boxing skill and strength), there was no need for your second comment.
Vic
im sorry i got carried away. lol.
Hi all,
Here’s a matchup for you: How ’bout a hand-to-hand battle between Type 100 Terminators & Cylon walking toasters? It might be interesting, in a classic warfare kinda way, doncha think?
Also, I just gotta agree with Kahless (great handle, btw), Science Officer T’pol of Captain Archer’s NX-01 Enterprise blows even Tricia Helfer’s Cylon Six (Caprica) clean away! Jolene Blaylock, who played her, made a perfect Vulcan, too. Anybody wanna see an interstellar cat-fight? Mreoooow!
As for Troll-bait & Robin, kindly lighten up! I like Bruce’s post, and we should all feel open to fun ideas, right?
This post does raise a question, one I have pondered for a long time – does anybody know, has the Starfleet Canon ever logged a 1-2 man warpfighter, similar in concept to the Viper? As far as I can remember, only the Cadet Trainer from STNG’s episode ‘The First Duty’ was ever seen in live-action. This begs the question, would there ever be another fighter-carrier Enterprise, a Starcarrier? Should there be? the difference, I needn’t tell you, lying somewhere between armed shuttlecraft and a dedicated fighter as the ship’s primary offensive weapons system. Anybody?
Hey, Vic.
JOHN
PS: Superman would DEFINITELY kick Peter Parker’s little ass! Spiderman? No contest!
later…
I forgot to mention, I had NO IDEA the BSG was so massive!!! The last I remember, from the original series of thirty years ago (I know, I know, Pa Cartright as Adama), the Galactica was approx 2,000 feet long, roughly the same size of the Galaxy & Soverign classes (Enterprise D & E), but, MA GAWD, I had no idea Ron Moore’s BSG was nearly a mile long! I guess size really does matter…that would help in FTL jumps, I should think, mass being more conducive to spatial distortion.
JOHN
Actually, I do think that the Enterprise might have a higher chance of winning under most circumstances, however, the BSG I’m sure could put up and excellent fight. If the BSG got close enough to ram the Enterprise I’m sure it would crush it. Also, it could use it’s Vipers and Raptors to outmaneuver the Enterprise. Offhand, I’d say it’s pretty even – the Enterprise has the technology, but the BSG has the bulk.
-Woton
Ok I read these often and like some have said, Star Trek is so far fictional and not real that it’s almost comedy. Shield? Physics say not ever. The Nukes on Galactica are not small yield and are in the up to 400 Meg Ton range.
I also like the beam the Nuke to the bridge of Galactica. Ok why don’t they always do it? LMAO. Watch the battle scenes and see how fast their weapons are. Much faster that today’s weapons and just as fast as Star Trek universe weapons. What’s even better is the fact that the Star Wars guys roasted Star Trek about their so call “IM SO POWERFUL ENTERPRISE” LOL
Why is it that Star Trek losses shield when hit with a kinetic forces? there is no hurry in Star Trek and have to wait for the captian who is in bed with some chick, to report to the bridge. Galactica would have ran the Enterprise over like a car vs a cat.
Actually Jeff, you know the Israelis are actually already developing a shield system for their armored vehicles right? Albeit it’s more of an active shield than a passive shield like most sci-fi movies depict, but it’s actually getting there.
@Jeff:
Ken J is absolutely right, the Israelis are working on what amounts to an automatic aggressive targeting/strike system that, basically, takes out any kind of artillery shell or anti-tank missile by defeating it with a launch of its own outright, ‘ala’ Bruce Lee in a Kung Fu fight.
Also, no offense, but you really should brush up on your fundamental physics – “Shield? Physics say not ever…” – wrong, pal, when it comes to a passive protective shield, you are living inside one RIGHT NOW – unless you live off planet, like, say, the MOON: It’s called the Earth’s natural electromagnetic shield, and it is formed by the electric motor-like effect of the planet’s plastic-iron outer core spinning, very fast, around the molten iron inner core, thereby protecting us from deadly killer rays from the sun – which, between that & the ozone layer (of which the deterioration has been stopped, btw), is all that keeps us alive. Like our natural satellite, Luna,the planet Mars (which may once have had one) doesn’t have such a field, and therefore can no longer support life, even if we give it a breathable atmosphere (which is called terraforming)
And maybe you haven’t been paying attention, pal, but there was a TRUCKLOAD more of boinking, screwing around, and just plain POONTANGING goin’ on aboard Galactica, including Admiral Adama (President Roslin?) than EVER went on aboard the Enterprise – any of ‘em!
Get yer head down & unlocked, will ya?
Please? It’s embarrassing. Like people who dismiss teleportation as ‘impossible’ when physicist Paul Dirac laid it all out more than half a century ago – even without Heisenberg compensators (Heisenberg was a buddy of Hitler’s anyway, how smart could he have been?). Nothing is impossible, and physics now indicate that – haven’t you heard? They teleported light photons not more than a couple of years ago…
You might wanna watch the Science Channel, it’s very informative, and quite entertaining…
JOHN
BSG is not that good. If it fires a nuke at ENT, ENT just picks it up and beams it back. If BSG decides to launch Vipers and Raps, ENT just cuts the landing bay from BSG. ENT has powerful scanners, it can pinpoint exactly where to cut, and with what yield. Finally, its crew is unburdened by the colonies’ past and flaws. BSG crew is always on the verge of some breakdown or rebellion, ENT crew is focused and dedicated. Enterprise wins. There are wildcards too, ENT’s Character Shields(important characters do not die) and last minute techno-miracles vs BSG’s ‘Destiny’… it’s a tough one. I just hope they spare Starbuck, and tricoder her mysterious new existence, and find a way to keep her there. Just Starbuck, no one else onboard that Battlestar is worth the save.
BSG might have had a chance against something slower, less equipped and with a crew of the more common sort.
But to go against Kirk, Picard or Janeway… madness. Their tactics are mad crazy, and their crew is… well, imagine if BSG had several dozens of Gaius Baltars WITH a backbone.
Most of BSG crew wouldn’t be fit to scrub decks on ENT.
I am a fan of both series, but BSG dissapointed me after 3.5, it got… weird. Star Trek is always trustworthy, like a Vulcan that was Borg that later had a positronic brain implanted and by a freak teleporter accident got a trill symbiont that has travelled through time in a parallel dimension (not mirror) and once possesed all the great captains that ever lived, and married Worf, or his sister. It’s secure and fuzzy.
On the other hand, BSG is more vivacious and exciting, i’ll give them that. It is more blue collar and it got more flawed as S3 progressed. Picard is a scholar and tactician, Kirk an adventurous soul and a born leader, Janeway a smart all-rounder with staying power, while Adama is but a Seasoned General that mayhap drinks to much, goes to strip joints and is as humanlike as you could get. This trait is endearing, but i’d rather take Picard’s cold precise command any day.
So, in a battle, ENT wins, but which is the better show…? I like Trek more, but i enjoyed BSG as well. Trek is like old wine, it gets a bit dusty and outdated, but in a pleasant way. We’ll see how BSG ages. Untill then.
Alex:
Wow, I think you coined the best phrase to describe BSG: Blue Collar.
Good coinage.
I like your social observations from both shows.
I love both shows, but man, after BSG, ST just feels like a Disney-fied space show. (I don’t mean that in a bad way… )
Bruce
Thanks for the spoiler alert…
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