![Starfleet Tactical #196: USS BELKNAP Class Strike Cruiser Baseline [July 04 2026 @9pm ET] @AresStudios](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jf_sOdpuHio/maxresdefault.jpg)
Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Back in the 1980s and early 1990s, Todd Guenther, MasterCom Data Center , and others produced some of the highest quality Star Trek fandom technical products out there. One fan-favorites was the BELKNAP class strike cruiser.
In this episode Chris will look at the baseline BELKNAP design, compare it to the TMP ENTERPRISE design, and explore some of its interesting attributes.
In the next two episodes, Chris will also compare BELKNAP to some derivative designs, the ASCENSION class dreadnought and the ATHABASKA class Exploration/Heavy Cruiser.
Be sure to invite your inner 12-year-old -- s/he's going to want to see this.
STARFLEET TACTICAL is the YouTube show where we talk about the intersection of naval history and science fiction, with some gaming occasionally thrown in for flavor. Primary host Chris Weuve is a naval analyst and wargame designer, whose superpower is that he can talk about Real World(tm) navies and science fiction navies at the same time.
CHRISTOPHER WEUVE is a professional naval analyst and wargame designer. He is a co-founder of the Connections Online wargame conference, held every April via YouTube. Outside the day job, Chris is a co-founder of BuNine (David Weber's Honorverse analytic visualization team), and has also consulted with Chuck Gannon, Walter Hunt, Alec Peters, Tom Harlan, John Lumpkin, and others. His work has been featured by Baen Books, the US Naval War College Review, Foreign Policy, and the Discovery Channel. Since May 2020 he's been the co-host (with Pat Doyle) of "Starfleet Tactical" on the Ares Studio channel on YouTube. His hobbies are naval history, science fiction, and not speaking for his employer.
LYSSA BECK does a lot of things, including producing the show. Want to support her in her other endeavors? Her link tree is: https://linktr.ee/geekgirllyssa
ARES STUDIOS graciously hosts Starfleet Tactical. You can become a Patron of Ares Studios on Patreon: patreon.com/aresstudios
Paypal address: aresstudiosatl@gmail.com
Ares Studios Website: aresstudios.net/
DISCLAIMERS
Unless otherwise stated, the opinions expressed here are the opinions of the speakers and not their employer, past present, or (probably) future. All images et cetera are the property of their originators. We’re here to add educational value through criticism and commentary.
Back in the 1980s and early 1990s, Todd Guenther, MasterCom Data Center , and others produced some of the highest quality Star Trek fandom technical products out there. One fan-favorites was the BELKNAP class strike cruiser.
In this episode Chris will look at the baseline BELKNAP design, compare it to the TMP ENTERPRISE design, and explore some of its interesting attributes.
In the next two episodes, Chris will also compare BELKNAP to some derivative designs, the ASCENSION class dreadnought and the ATHABASKA class Exploration/Heavy Cruiser.
Be sure to invite your inner 12-year-old -- s/he's going to want to see this.
STARFLEET TACTICAL is the YouTube show where we talk about the intersection of naval history and science fiction, with some gaming occasionally thrown in for flavor. Primary host Chris Weuve is a naval analyst and wargame designer, whose superpower is that he can talk about Real World(tm) navies and science fiction navies at the same time.
CHRISTOPHER WEUVE is a professional naval analyst and wargame designer. He is a co-founder of the Connections Online wargame conference, held every April via YouTube. Outside the day job, Chris is a co-founder of BuNine (David Weber's Honorverse analytic visualization team), and has also consulted with Chuck Gannon, Walter Hunt, Alec Peters, Tom Harlan, John Lumpkin, and others. His work has been featured by Baen Books, the US Naval War College Review, Foreign Policy, and the Discovery Channel. Since May 2020 he's been the co-host (with Pat Doyle) of "Starfleet Tactical" on the Ares Studio channel on YouTube. His hobbies are naval history, science fiction, and not speaking for his employer.
LYSSA BECK does a lot of things, including producing the show. Want to support her in her other endeavors? Her link tree is: https://linktr.ee/geekgirllyssa
ARES STUDIOS graciously hosts Starfleet Tactical. You can become a Patron of Ares Studios on Patreon: patreon.com/aresstudios
Paypal address: aresstudiosatl@gmail.com
Ares Studios Website: aresstudios.net/
DISCLAIMERS
Unless otherwise stated, the opinions expressed here are the opinions of the speakers and not their employer, past present, or (probably) future. All images et cetera are the property of their originators. We’re here to add educational value through criticism and commentary.
![Starfleet Tactical #196: USS BELKNAP Class Strike Cruiser Baseline [July 04 2026 @9pm ET]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jf_sOdpuHio/mqdefault.jpg "Starfleet Tactical #196: USS BELKNAP Class Strike Cruiser Baseline [July 04 2026 @9pm ET]
Back in the 1980s and early 1990s, Todd Guenther, MasterCom Data Center , and others produced some of the highest quality Star Trek fandom technical products out there. One fan-favorites was the BELKNAP class strike cruiser.
In this episode Chris will look at the baseline BELKNAP design, compare it to the TMP ENTERPRISE design, and explore some of its interesting attributes.
In the next two episodes, Chris will also compare BELKNAP to some derivative designs, the ASCENSION class dreadnought and the ATHABASKA class Exploration/Heavy Cruiser.
Be sure to invite your inner 12-year-old s/hes going to want to see this.
STARFLEET TACTICAL is the YouTube show where we talk about the intersection of naval history and science fiction, with some gaming occasionally thrown in for flavor. Primary host Chris Weuve is a naval analyst and wargame designer, whose superpower is that he can talk about Real World(tm) navies and science fiction navies at the same time.
CHRISTOPHER WEUVE is a professional naval analyst and wargame designer. He is a co-founder of the Connections Online wargame conference, held every April via YouTube. Outside the day job, Chris is a co-founder of BuNine (David Webers Honorverse analytic visualization team), and has also consulted with Chuck Gannon, Walter Hunt, Alec Peters, Tom Harlan, John Lumpkin, and others. His work has been featured by Baen Books, the US Naval War College Review, Foreign Policy, and the Discovery Channel. Since May 2020 hes been the co-host (with Pat Doyle) of Starfleet Tactical on the Ares Studio channel on YouTube. His hobbies are naval history, science fiction, and not speaking for his employer.
LYSSA BECK does a lot of things, including producing the show. Want to support her in her other endeavors? Her link tree is: https://linktr.ee/geekgirllyssa
ARES STUDIOS graciously hosts Starfleet Tactical. You can become a Patron of Ares Studios on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/aresstudios
Paypal address: aresstudiosatl@gmail.com
Ares Studios Website: https://www.aresstudios.net/
DISCLAIMERS
Unless otherwise stated, the opinions expressed here are the opinions of the speakers and not their employer, past present, or (probably) future. All images et cetera are the property of their originators. We’re here to add educational value through criticism and commentary.")
![Starfleet Tactical #155: Mystery Guest! [14 Dec 2024]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lDLgkCaF4F0/mqdefault.jpg "Starfleet Tactical #155: Mystery Guest! [14 Dec 2024]
Starfleet Tactical #155: Mystery Guest! [14 Dec 2024 @10pm EST]
Come join us as we discuss all things Space Combat!
This week, Chris will have a mystery guest, and wellwill answer questions.
I thought it was going to be this week, but this time I mean it! Next week, Chris Weuve and Chris Carlson continue their three-part discussion of some NAVSEA studies from the late 1980s and early 1990s, focusing on Well Deck Combatants. In other words, the USN does battle riders!
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![Starfleet Tactical #199: Trek Canon, Fleet Design, and the BROWNWOOD class [July 25 2026 @9pm ET]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/msu16RTCm-E/mqdefault.jpg "Starfleet Tactical #199: Trek Canon, Fleet Design, and the BROWNWOOD class [July 25 2026 @9pm ET]
Starfleet Tactical #199: Trek Canon, Fleet Design, and the BROWNWOOD class Assault Transport [July 25 2026 @9pm ET]
While researching the BELKNAP class and its derivatives, Chris rediscovered the BROWNWOOD class Assault Transport/Tug. An answer to the burning question what if a MIRANDA class frigate/cruiser and a PTOLEMY class transport/tug love each other very much?, the BROWNWOOD appears to be a fully functional MIRANDA that can also take the multiple cargo containers of the PTOLEMY class. This ship is brilliant, despite the fact that it only exists in, effectively, two fandom sources (Jackills Starfleet Reference Manual: Ships of the Fleet, Volume I, and https://fasaststcs.com/, the website for the FASA Star Trek Starship Tactical Combat Simulator).
But this ship got Chris thinking about Starfleets fleet design process, and begs questions not only about Starfleets requirements and design process. but how to think about canon.
So, come along for the ride as Chris explores this design, its implications for the setting (both actual and what they should be), and how to handle canon when fandom is smarter than the production studio.
STARFLEET TACTICAL is the YouTube show where we talk about the intersection of naval history and science fiction, with some gaming occasionally thrown in for flavor. Primary host Chris Weuve is a naval analyst and wargame designer, whose superpower is that he can talk about Real World(tm) navies and science fiction navies at the same time.
CHRISTOPHER WEUVE is a professional naval analyst and wargame designer. He is a co-founder of the Connections Online wargame conference, held every April via YouTube. Outside the day job, Chris is a co-founder of BuNine (David Webers Honorverse analytic visualization team), and has also consulted with Chuck Gannon, Walter Hunt, Alec Peters, Tom Harlan, John Lumpkin, and others. His work has been featured by Baen Books, the US Naval War College Review, Foreign Policy, and the Discovery Channel. Since May 2020 hes been the co-host (with Pat Doyle) of Starfleet Tactical on the Ares Studio channel on YouTube. His hobbies are naval history, science fiction, and not speaking for his employer.
LYSSA BECK does a lot of things, including producing the show. Want to support her in her other endeavors? Her link tree is: https://linktr.ee/geekgirllyssa
ARES STUDIOS graciously hosts Starfleet Tactical. You can become a Patron of Ares Studios on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/aresstudios
Paypal address: aresstudiosatl@gmail.com
Ares Studios Website: https://www.aresstudios.net/
DISCLAIMERS
Unless otherwise stated, the opinions expressed here are the opinions of the speakers and not their employer, past present, or (probably) future. All images et cetera are the property of their originators. We’re here to add educational value through criticism and commentary.")
