Class and Type: New Orleans-class Frigate
Commissioning Date: 2340
Lead Engineer: Bruce Ford

Hull Characteristics
Size: 7 (520 meters long, 20 decks)
Resistance: 4
Structural Points: 140
Operational Characteristics
Crew/Passengers: 600/2,000
   [7 pwr/round]
Computers: 4
   [4 pwr/round]
Transporters: 4 personnel, 4 cargo, 4 emergency
   [8 pwr/round]
Tractor Beams: 1 av, 1 fv
   [2 pwr/rating used]
Propulsion and Power Characteristics
Warp System: 6.0/9.0/9.2 (12 hours)
   [2 pwr/warp factor]
Impulse System: .75 c/.9 c
   [7/9 pwr/round]
Power: 180
Sensor Systems
Long-range Sensors: +2/15 light-years
   [6 pwr/round]
Lateral Sensors: +2/1 light-year
   [4 pwr/round]
Navigational Sensors: +2
   [5 pwr/round]
Sensor Skill: 5
Weapons Systems
Type IX Phaser:
   Range: 10/30,000/100,000/300,000
   Arc: All (720 degrees)
   Accuracy: 4/5/7/10
   Damage: 18
   Power: [18]
Type II Photon Torpedoes:
   Number: 400
   Launchers: 1 av, 1 fv
   Spread: 8
   Arc: Forward or aft, but are self-guided
   Range: 15/300,000/1,000,000/3,500,000
   Accuracy: 4/5/7/10
   Damage: 20
   Power: [5]
Weapons Skill: 5
Defensive Systems
Starfleet Deflector Shield
   Protection: 55/80
   Power: [55]

Description and Notes
Fleet data: The New Orleans-class Frigate was designed to produce a modern-day frigate. A vessel designed specifically for military duty. While it could still handle many secondary duties, it did not have the full scientific capabilities that were installed in the Ambassador-class Explorers as room was made for a better sensor system and a larger weapons load.

The New Orleans-class Frigate was also designed to be more maneuverable and to enter into lower-atmospheric orbit for planetary assault support missions by the addition of three advanced turbine thrusters mounted on the saucer section. This allowed these vessels to support the marines during a landing and increased accuracy when firing upon planetary positions.

Given the design's weapons configuration, the New Orleans would prove to be an effective fighting ship that would be able to successfully respond to a threat force upon the Federation border. Their main baptism of fire would come only a few years after commissioning when the Cardassian war began shortly after the Setlik III massacre.

The New Orleans-class frigate also was designed to carry a compliment of Marines aboard as well as one shuttlebay devoted to Marine operations that houses their assault shuttles.

As of 2370, many of these vessels are now being produced with an upgraded warp core, shield system, and Type X phaser arrays or are being refit with the new equipment when they receive an overhaul.

Noteworthy vessels / service records / encounters: U.S.S. New Orleans, prototype; U.S.S. Kyushu lost at Wolf 359; U.S.S. Renegade helped uncover the subversion of Starfleet Command in 2364; U.S.S. Rutledge served with distinction during the Cardassian War; U.S.S. Thomas Paine helped uncover Starfleet Command's subversion in 2364.

Author's Notes
This is a conversion from my FASA TNG game. Given the maneuverability that I had in mind for these vessels during sublight combat, any flight maneuver receives a reduction of -1 on the target number.

If you choose to use one of the refit New Orleans-class frigates. Replace the shields to 60/80 [60]. Replace the phaser with a Type X array and increase the emergency warp speed from 9.2 (12 hours) to 9.2 (36 hours).

The minimum rank of its CO is Captain and the Department Head cost is rated at three points.

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