Very Short Treks: Very Short Patience?

The 50th anniversary of Star Trek's original Animated Series should be a time for celebration.

It was the first spin off from Star Trek, coming four years after the cancellation of the show and return the majority of the classic cast to their roles albeit vocally.

So what better way to honour those memories with the arrival of five mini-episodes in the same visual style as the Filmation series. Not only that but Trek alumni including Doug Jones, Ethan Peck, Gates McFadden and Jonathan Frakes have lent their voices to the shorts.

Imagined from the mind of Casper Kelly, the non-canon stories are shall we say distinct in their vision. Opening with Skin a Cat, the story here openly tackles the limits of political correctness, Holiday Party has Spock introducing a cringe-worthy blooper reel aboard Pike's Strange New Worlds USS Enterprise and Worst Contact places Riker and Dr Crusher into a rather sickly encounter with a recently warp capable race.

Sounds good? In principle the idea of these Very Short Treks seemed perfect but each week has brought disappointment and dismay. Each has utterly missed the mark and thank goodness for the non-canon safety net.

Take Skin a Cat. Including the vocals of Ethan Peck as Spock, everything the captain says manages to offend someone on the bridge and creates a new and (even for Star Trek) far-fetched bats-arse alien race purely as a punchline. Initially the "cat" reference offends the (brilliant to see) M'Ress before each line angers the Ass Face, Screwhead and Knickersonian bridge crew. Yes, seriously. It's that kind of comedy level.

Those things might be dealt with in the first 90 seconds before the ship captain realises a politically correct way to save his vessel from Klingon attack but these totally override the twist completely. I had to rewatch it just to be reminded of what happened for the closing 90 seconds for that reason.

Holiday Party is a slight improvement with at least the imagining of the SNW crew in this 70s animation style as well as Bruce Horak taking a turn as Hemmer and Celia Rose Gooding as Uhura.  Spock's misunderstanding of humour and the probably outdated concept of a blooper make for uneasy and uneven viewing. Spock saying "fart"? Why not here. More accurately... why? This isn't the way to nod to the past and at just over three minutes it's still too long.

The bloopers chosen are themselves somewhat grim with disembowelling to ice that proverbial cake. Worst Contact draws level with the snotty, hygiene unaware species coming off as annoying clown parodies. McFadden and Frakes deliver the dialogue as best they can and easily have the stronger lines and verbal relationship but the jokes just fall flat and firmly in the territory of "gross". Walls covered with boogers, microwaved rotting fish and eyeball licking are the orders of business for these aliens and certainly not for Starfleet.

Ok, so there are underlying "serious" issues in here. Political correctness, appreciation of humour and acceptance and understanding of different peoples and customs but they get lost under the bizarre way in which the animated skits have been written. I find American humour an acquired taste and for me a lot of Trek's humour can be miss rather than hit however this has gone very far of the mark in almost every sense.

The visuals and music cues are perfect however and truly reflect the nature of that series' style and essence. At times the Animated Series could be off the wall but it felt right for the show and the time as well as pushing the limits of Star Trek as restricted by a live action budget and era.

The shots of the SNW and TNG Enterprises are lovingly created as are the visuals of characters such as Riker, Saru and Spock but the parts are far off making a greater sum. We still have Holograms, All the Way Down and Walk, Don't Run still to go and I'm not holding out for a massive change in tone. These are shorts worth checking out for the visual style and then probably only the once. The tragedy is they just emphasise how great a loss it is that Prodigy failed to get its second season on Paramount.

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NX XL: Enterprising Perfection

Even a decade later, the NX-01 model from the Eaglemoss Official Starships Collection remains one of its finest entries.

How would one even attempt to top it? After all, it exuded superb detail, brilliant build quality and, incredibly, it was less than a handful off issues into the 180 edition run.

The answer to that was fairly simple; make it bigger. While I was unable to get my hands on one of the NX-01 XLs back in the heyday of Eaglemoss, Master Replicas have given both myself and every Star Trek fan out there another bite at the apple so to speak. That's been true in this very case.

The Enterprise from, well, Enterprise is just as magnificent as it smaller counterpart which was also re-stickered up as the Mirror Universe version for the second of the bonus editions.

If you’re into collecting Enterprises then this one is a sure thing. The detailing on the hull is exquisite with the increased scale only adding to the package. Just on first glance there’s the shimmer of the aztec paintwork utilising that very slight tonal change to add real depth to the hull. 

But what makes this just so damn amazing? Well, initially that paint job works a little better with the contrasts not being so obvious and blocky. There's more definition around the RCS thrusters  at the edges of the saucer and significantly the golden elements including the bridge dome are brighter. The grille behind the bridge itself is now silver rather than gold and the "lined" detail on the shoulders has been removed with additional window detail dropped on.

Hull lines seem more precise and actually less prominent. Looking back on the original, the window details at the saucer edge are less blurred and there's a much cleaner curve and slope to the hull. On the smaller version the gradient is quite sharp and ugly but here there's a visual step to the lower rim. 

Out at the front the deflector isn't luminescent blue with the tones limited to the surround rather than bleeding out on to the silver edges of the surrounding metalwork. Same goes for the red and greens of the port and starboard lights which are much more exact in their finish, avoiding the slodgework of the regular issues.

Moving backwards there's little change apart from the upscaling and you can see that the XL is an enlargement of the original moulds. The pylon detail is much sharper with the larger bussard collectors and blue warp engine grilles allowed more space to add that pop of colour.

On the underside there are some noticeable updates. There are more windows and on the issue four version the black "dotting" was absent however some of it here has the standard misalignment we've come to love... or not. The lower sensor dome now has a full coat of paint replacing the worn/unfinished look of before. you might even be forgiven for thinking that the black decals to the front and on the port and aft registries has been darkened because it very evidently has.

Best upgrade has to go to the stand. The smaller one was prone to snapping and only formed a hairs-breadth fastening to the hull. In the XL box the clear holder now folds around the underside of the NX-01 rather than relying on a tiny piece of hull for support.

The magazine (hit and miss if you'll get one with the Master Replica releases) treads the territory of how Enterprise came to be as a prequel series and also the casting of the main crew of Earth's warp five starship.  As with a lot of the XL mags it feels hopelessly padded and really not one that will tempt you back for a reread anytime soon. To be honest when the model is as good as this one, why would you want to?!

This is another where there's not been a serious amount of reworking rather the scale up has allowed for more accuracy and touchups where required. If you've not managed to snag one by this point, time is running - or may have - run out. One of the best? Yes and even better that little bit bigger.

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In the Cards...of Fluxx

Fluxx has been a game that's kept giving (Star Trek) editions for some time.

Adding to the TOS, TNG, DS9 and VGR sets there was also the Bridge expansion which allowed the Kirk and Picard sets to be linked into a 20 card deck.

But what about the other two packs? Surely Sisko and Janeway want to get in on the action? Adding a special Ezri Dax card was a nice touch for the DS9 set but we want MORE!

As I've started getting back into playing a few rounds, the DS9 and VGR packs have become more of a go-to. The first two packs are great but we've taken to the characters and combos a little more. Of course this means we can't be far off an Enterprise pack?

Well no. Instead of a fifth installment of this great card game, Looney Labs have chosen a slightly different path. Choosing to tie in two expansions, Archer and Porthos, Fluxx now has even more endless possibilities for us to explore.

These two packs add in new Goals and Keepers which allow for the DS9 and VGR packs to be fully integrated into a 400+ deck that includes everything Star Trek that's come before. It's been a new lease of life for the game where the only options were to combine the TOS and TNG packs or play the later two as their own individual games but now the options are endless and there's the chance to combine between two and four packs and not all the time either.

But enough of the advert(!), it's just a damn fine game that deserved an ENT tie-in piece. The major issue might be though that there's only Archer and Phlox included from a crew perspective so don't be expecting T'Pol, Reed, Tucker or even the NX-01 (big shame) in either set.

The Archer pack contains several new elements to the game alongside new nine goals to draw the whole range of packs together. This set includes three new Keepers in the form of Archer himself, time traveller Daniels and from TOS’ All Our Yesterdays the Atavachron. New Creepers include Temporal Rift and The Xindi to add to the list of no-gooders to ruin your hand. There’s a new Surprise in Department of Temporal Investigations and a Meta Rule which allows multiple goals as long as they are from different packs, to be used at the same time.

The Porthos expansion sort of continues the Enterprise theme with the eponymous canine appearing alongside Dr Phlox but we also see the inclusion of Data’s cat Spot as a keeper as well as Romulan Ale and Klingon Kor. The additional eight goals (Errand of Mercy goal was in my pack twice?) tie in each of the main packs with multiple characters being brought in to win the game. One New Rule also appears which allows all players to draw and play an additional card if Star Trek is on the TV. The final card included is an Action which lets you draw an extra card if you leave the room during the game and return almost as if nothing has happened. 

These additions do bring that extra spark to the proceedings and give Fluxx another new spin. With all the options and alternatives that between one and four main packs can provide this has meant that game length can be incredibly varied and no two games are even slightly similar. 

What is quite overwhelming is the volume of goals now. These two packs alone provide 16 new possible winning formulas. The challenge is that to take full advantage you would need to combine all four packs every time. That’s 400 cards and for that I’d say you’re only going to want to play with at least four players otherwise it’ll take days to complete. Ultimately only worth it if you're ever going to combine packs and more so if you're going to be using all four base editions. 

Played Fluxx or any of the sequel packs? What did you think?

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Shuttles 8: It Ain't Starfleet

After seven set of Starfleet auxiliary craft, Shuttles Eight takes us into other territories.

Bringing together four ships from the Klingons, Ferengi, Xindi and Vulcans, this mixed set covers ENT, TNG and DS9 with something of a soup of appearances.

Each of the shuttles comes in its own package within the larger set box and includes a mini-stand, wafer-thin A5 magazine and lithograph print. The stands usually seem a bit of a waste but in the case of both the Vulcan and Xindi ships they are essential for display.

So let's tackle these in issue order. This set covers 29 - 32 which sort of adheres to the timeline of appearances. First up therefore is the Vulcan Shuttle as seen in ENT, more often than not docked with a Suurok Class vessel. It's the most streamlined of the four with some marvellous panel work and spotted detail on the hull. For a ship that was most often seen as part of another it's great to see it up close.

Of course it bears the marks of the Vulcan ships from the NX-01 era in its brown paint scheme and the hoop warp engine. What puts this and the Xindi Assault Shuttle apart from the Klingon and Ferengi options is that these two were CG creations. This shows through in the amount of surface detail they have in comparison to the ships introduced in TNG. 

The Vulcan Shuttle is by no means a very big craft, probably slightly smaller than some of the Kelvin Timeline (set four) Shuttles but with a more distinct finish. The stand also holds the craft in a certain way so watch out here the "kinks" are and line them up with the indents of the shuttle.

I do like this one even given its small stature because you can still make out the surface detail and the painting actually lines up to what it needs to represent - even down to the light blue of the warp engines on the ring. 

Number two up in this pack is the Xindi Assault Shuttle seen exclusively in the third season of ENT. Used by Degra and later Archer on an infiltration mission, the Assault Shuttle is insanely well detailed with extensive panelling from bow to stern. The metal finish is given a two-shade contrast to help distinguish the hull markings and it works more than adequately. 

The blue and darker grey elements are precisely painted in and assist in finishing off the industrial look of the vessel. The upper weapon spike is the main metal element here and ties the parts of the ship together. Visually you'd be hard pushed to tell what was plastic and what wasn't.

Seriously, the panel work is top class as is the colouring of the blue inset segments particularly up and along the edge of the upper weapons spike which protrudes from the rear. Again, it requires the stand and slots firmly in once you line it up with the half-circle grips. Sadly given its shape it just won't stand on its own.

Even the back end is well-worked with fantastic precision in the shell-like hull pieces leading back to the exhaust port. It is, like the Vulcan Shuttle, stupidly small for the price when you work out the individual price for each shuttle but it is well crafted.

Third, we have the Ferengi Shuttle. Most notably appearing in TNG's The Price and DS9's Little Green Men, the distinctive support craft is one that fans will have been waiting for in these sets.

Retaining the sandy Ferengi paintjob as well as the pincers which echo the larger Marauders, the shuttle is the highlight of the pack. With a two-tone hull colouring, the panelling remains simple but the grid lines are fairly distinct. Given the scale this s pretty nice to see and personally, the craft looks better here than it did on TV.

It's the little details here - the yellow of the warp engines and the Ferengi emblems being just two. The tonal shift on the surface doesn't even make it onto the cover of the magazine and definitely adds to the depth of this little ship. The top segment also includes blue engine exhausts to the rear and also the entry port, both of which are once more very crisply added to the model.

Last in here is the Klingon Toron Class Shuttle. Ok, this one is a bit of a love/hate model. Utilised as several other one-man craft over the course of TNG including Rasmussen's pod from A Matter of Time and the Nenebek from Final Mission, this version is as seen in season seven's Gambit.

Simple, blocky and if nothing else, functional, the shuttle bears zero similarities to any Klingon ships - but then you have to consider that the TNG production team were shaving costs wherever they could.

The pint on this one does seem a little heavy with the sharp panel lines we see on the magazine and on screen somewhat softened on the final product. With only two main colours - brown and black - there's little that can go wrong. Do note that there are some signs of wear on the surface especially around what I suspect are the engine units blocked to the sides and above the rear entry hatch. It's also quite weighty given its size but then the majority of the upper hull is full metal. 

Against the other ships in this pack, the Klingon shuttle sticks out a mile with its plain finish and blocky shape. It's also one that we would expect to turn up in this series but would it have been better as the Nenebek? I guess keeping it themed to different races took priority here.

As noted at the start, each shuttle also comes with a LCARS lithograph print. This was absolutely perfect for the Starfleet/Federation ships but with this selection it might have been more logical to use each of the different races own graphics as part of the illustrations. The LCARS images are also on the last pages of the individual magazines.

Unfortunately and in keeping with the previous 28 magazines, the CG in each of them is first class but there's almost no substance, no background and no design processes covered. I think with these fans would have appreciated a ton more detail on how they all came to be - and just how many redressed that Klingon shuttle had over time.

Shuttles Seven included the first non-Starfleet ship with Cyrano Jones' Spacematic so it was then only a matter of time until we have a series of alien race craft. These don't disappoint for the most part even if the Vulcan and Xindi versions could do with being a little bit bigger. Worth a look, especially if there are some decent Eaglemoss offers on the board.

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Galactic Proportions: USS Enterprise NCC-1701-J XL

 The largest Enterprise never to grace the screen works to a degree as an XL replica.

As with all the preceeding XLs, this started life in the regular size collection but is well known for its fragile nacelles and pylons. As a gigantic starship - that only appeared on a background display - the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-J could do with being an XXL to allow some of the details on the hull to really breath.

The largest ship to date to be sized up, the Enterprise-J model is beautiful but just seems to hit the mark because even this scale doesn't really suit it.

Formed almost entirely in metal, the J looks great and Eaglemoss have tried to push the envelope further with it, raising the window blockings and adding much more surface aztec detailing on the base layer of the elliptical primary hull. The centre marking does look like a sticker and perhaps cheapens the finish over all. Nor do all of the window markings line up with

One issue I have faced with mine is that the hammerhead piece that sweeps out to the front and carries the ship registry is loose ad wobbles a bit. I'm hoping this is limited to just this model and not the whole production run. There are also a couple of surface blemishes on that piece which are noticeable only because it's such a smooth section of the ship.

It's also really hard to properly judge the model versus the "actual" ship since it's only on a LCARS display but it feels as good a reproduction to Doug Drexler's concept as it could be. The usual images of the J do suggest it's darker but that's space for you, after all, it's black.

Tracing back along the hull, the J has a distinct spine that leads back to the warp field generator (blue dot) and then forks out to the warp engines. While the front of this model is sold and metal as indicated, the rear still looks incredibly fragile. The central supporting structure is fully connected into the primary hull but the pylons are still almost non-existent.

Their attachment to the equally threadbare engines is better than on the regular sized edition but the scale again doesn't seem to be super strong. But - the upper sections of the engines are actually a moulded part of the metal frame with translucent warp grilles and bussard collectors attached into them. 

This works 100 times better but it still all looks scarily haphazard. Yes, I know if it was scaled up more we would see that it's probably the chunkiest and most well constructed Enterprise ever but when you shrink it, not everything works perfectly.

However, frustrations of scale aside, this is decently finished aside from the piece of loose bodywork. I can live with that and a blob of glue will no doubt erase the problem completely. The design is revolutionary, very forward thinking although not enough to have detached nacelles (that's not a point to debate here!!!). Lined up with her predecessors you do lose something because of the variances in scale. 

Yes, there are inherent design similarities most directly between the NX-01 and the J and this is a canon Enterprise yet it still feels oddly - and perhaps should - out of place. I kind of like the design and Eaglemoss have done the ship a lot more justice and respect for choosing to upscale her. Maybe the only issue is that at full price there isn't a lot of ship there for your money as you would expect from a C or a D but that's the nature of the game I guess.

There's a good chunk in the magazine covering the design of the Universe Class starship. From initial sketches through to unused concepts, it's followed with a decent write up on Doug Drexler's ship designs. Drexler' work covered here but isn't limited to, the NX-01, Voyager, the Romulan Shuttle and Borg Tactical Cube. The interesting part here is the mix of sketches and early CG work plus some final images from Drexler's work that has been used in the Ships of the Line calendar.

The NCC-1701-J Special Issue is ok at best. Suitably bigger but for a design that was never actually onscreen it's  not one I would have said was a necessity. Aside from one slight build issue this is however a well-constructed replica yet not one of the finest in the XLs.

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20 of Enterprise

Aside from The Original Series, Enterprise has the ignominy of being one of only two shows from the franchise to date that were cancelled before the end of their projected run. 

Running to a rather unfortunate 98 episodes, two short of that key 100, Enterprise has received mixed reviews over the years and is often, perhaps wrongfully, accused of attributing to franchise exhaustion at the end of the Berman era.

Offering many similarities to the classic Kirk show, Enterprise even went down the line of a minimum number of alien races amongst its crew - two - and even chose to go back beyond The Cage to the very origins of Starfleet, even going as far to initially ditch off the ‘Star Trek’ moniker due to its setting on the timeline.

Billed as the prequel series, Enterprise promised a lot. After the saturation of the 24th Century from The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager it was, literally, a step back to a simpler time of warp five, shuttles  and exploration. A time when the Klingons were Klingons, the Andorians were angry, the Vulcans were super-sneaky and the Romulans were unseen.

Viewing figures started well with 12.5 million tuning in to watch Broken Bow but there was a steep slide with that US audience over halving by the end of the season with just 5.28 million watching Archer get stranded in the future.

While The Next Generation had pulled in a consistent 12 million across the years with 17.4 million for its finale, All Good Things... , Enterprise struggled to retain its audience, dipping as low as 2.53 million in its final season (Babel One) and never hitting about five million after season two's Marauders which was only the sixth aired of the year.

There were a lot of changes to try and shore up its future - the reintroduction of the Borg, a season long (and brilliant) arc with the Xindi and a fourth season that really tried to explore some of the origin stories of Star Trek. Alas it was all too late with the cast being informed they were cancelled during the filming of In a Mirror, Darkly.

But was the writing on the wall long before that point? Of course it was and any Star Trek fan will readily agree. Enterprise has undoubtedly aged well. In fact I would be as bold as to say that it is much better on a rewatch and a hundred times more enjoyable 20 years on. At the time the change to the very flashpoint of the Federation was an exciting prospect. A new old start and a back to basics approach however the first season was mired with some very average stories about mysterious aliens and cargo ships. 

There were some standout points such as the return of the Andorians and their discovery of the secretive nature of the P'Jem monastery. The Temporal Cold War (since featured in Discovery's muddled third season) worked well for a time especially with the season cliffhanger but it all seemed a bit familiar.

Behind the scenes that was certainly the case with Rick Berman in charge since the late
1980's and TNG and VGR writer Brannon Braga helming as producer. The characters themselves in some degrees were a little bland with Mayweather receiving next to no screentime or development bar one or two episodes. Scott Bakula was dependable as Archer but the spark of a Kirk, a Sisko or even a Picard(!) just didn't materialise. In truth, Enterprise was not that exciting.

Step forward the Xindi and the sheer destructive power of their prototype weapon that rips a whole in the US in what was a very clear parallel to 9/11 with Archer and the NX-01 embarking on a war against terror - or in this case a mission to stop the Xindi from perfecting and launching Weapon Zero. Made up of six distinct species; Primates, Arboreals, Reptilians, Aquatics, Insectoids and the extinct Avians, the Xindi social structure was likened to that of the Dominion with its compartmentalised nature. Season three would be the year that Enterprise became Star Trek: Enterprise just in case anyone was in any doubts to its background and there would be some seminal highlights. There was the the mesmerising Twilight as well as the shocking Azati Prime which demonstrated that Enterprise wasn't afraid to mix things up and leave them mixed and the excellent conclusion in Zero Hour but even this shift wasn't enough.  The other issue was that it actually went against some of the premise of the show. Ok, it was extremely different to try a story contained to just one season (DS9 had swung an arc across its last three/four seasons) but fans were "troubled" by how such a huge event had been completely overlooked by later Star Trek series. It was messing with established continuity! Not that that has happened since...???

Think about it; Enterprise was supposed to be about the origins of Starfleet, the beginnings of the Star Trek we had come to know in the 60's, 70's and 80's but instead its third season was dominated by a singular thread with all other concerns seemingly cast aside. Yes, it was making an incredibly loud social commentary as Star Trek intended but this wasn't necessarily what viewers signed up for.

So it was that too little too late chimed in with season four. Embarking on three part narratives, exploring the background of the Vulcans, the Augments, the Mirror Universe, all of which were well received yet the ratings continued to plummet. Even with the assistance of new producer Manny 24 Coto on the scene and a breath of fresh air in the storylines the audience was already gone. 

After 18 straight years of Star Trek TV and movies, 2005 marked the end of Enterprise and rightly so. The franchise was tired and repeating itself. Take a ganders at the early two seasons of Enterprise and spot the backsteps to pull in the Ferengi, the Borg, even the later E2 is Children of Time from Deep Space Nine given a cover over. Star Trek had suddenly become frighteningly irrelevant and a shadow of its former self, retreading its own ground and failing to go where no episodes had gone before. It was knackered, run down and needed a breather. New hands at the helm, a new butt in the captain's chair, whatever you want to term it as but Star Trek needed it like a Tribble needs pregnancy advice.

We can debate the fifth season possibilities for an age - the Romulan War, Future Guy, the NX-01 refit - but they will never happen apart from in the novel series or in onscreen references in the shows currently or about to air. Enterprise was perhaps not different enough given its press and even Trekkies had consumed too much with around 24/26 new episodes constantly every year at a minimum. 

Maybe newer shows have learnt something and with the condensing of modern TV seasons to 13(ish) episodes, the quality can be refined and the aren't as many space filling shows to flesh out the year. The Kurtzman era of Star Trek has and also needs to learn something from that period in its history. Too much of a good thing can indeed be too much however look at where the franchise stands today.

The variety within the shows is impressive. Each series has an identity, each show is diferent and not all are limited to a single ship or base. There's diversity and that, in many ways, is what Enterprise didn't have. TV was changing and Star Trek just hadn't. Shows such as CSI, The West Wing, 24 and Lost were all hitting the airwaves and Star Trek was stalling in its 90's format. 

Change of course would come in the form of JJ Abrams and then the televisual rebirth from Alex Kurtzman but Enterprise represents a huge milestone in the franchise. The end of a style of Star Trek born in the 1960's that met its end in 2005. Star Trek had inspired much including the rebirth in fantasy and scifi TV but it had been left behind. Now, oddly on a rewatch, Enterprise stands out as an exceptional series that was a grassroots show we actually needed but it was lost in the lethargy and over familiarity of the time. Go and grab a coffee and celebrate Star Trek's most understated and underrated (visually and verbally) with a catch up. Maybe it's time to give this one a bit more love. 

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Shuttles 2: Four Small and Several Years Ago

Continuing our step back and move for completion, the second set of shuttles produced waaaaaaay back in 2015 have now been added to the collecton.

Packed up in one box, the four small units come with their own mini-mags plus a lithograph LCARS print for display. I have however chosen to keep the prints in their wrapping and fortunately away from my own greasy fingerprints(!)

In Pack 2 there is the Spacedock Shuttle from The Undiscovered Country, the larger Type-7 and the Type 15 from TNG plus the Pod 1 craft from Enterprise.

As with boxes one and three which we've covered previously, there is the option to display the ships on their own individual mini-stands but aside from the odd one, they look far better standing on the ground - as they naturally would in the "real" world.

Tackling these in numerical magazine order, we have the NAR-25820 Spacedock Shuttle up first. More recognisable if you flipped it over and stuck some warp engines on as the USS Jenolan from Relics, the Spacedock Shuttle is the most distinctive of the four. Showing off a more sleek design there is a good amount of hull detail although the painting doesn't line up exactly with the hull lines that indicate where it should be - especially along the side windows. 

What is good here is the application of the decals and some of the smaller thruster detail. That pennant on the side doesn't quite line up with the text which is horribly noticeable on this scale - just as much as the occasional paint bleed. The marking out for the entry doors is nice and clean but the grey misaligned paint just knocks it from being a good 9/10 to a steady 7.

The underside is more filled with greebles and also two very recognisable borrowed warp engines from the Galaxy Class Enterprise-D. Certainly a franchise that likes to reuse items. it's one of the most obvious I've seen on a replica for a while and is nowhere to be seen by the time it's refitted out as the Jenolan. 

Some of the joint lines are gaping around those engines and at the rear however the curving nature of the hull sides seems to be hiding a multitude of building sins and works in favour of the finished article.

Second in here it's the gorgeous Type-7 from early days TNG. When I sat this on screen it looked cumbersome, ugly and just terrible but I've clearly matured over time with the model from Eaglemoss looking stunning. The curves and lines of this one are so heavily '80's it almost hurts but importantly and in contrast to the Spacedock Shuttle, the paint all lines up!!!

The decalling is at A+ levels on the Hawking right down to the tiny registry on the sides and the alignment of the sharp Starfleet pennant. The joint lines from the main hull to the pylons and then to the nacelles aren't ll that clean but the fact that we have translucent bussard collectors and translucent warp field grilles more than makes up for it. The shape of this thing is just stunning and Eaglemoss have done it more justice than I ever expected even down to the tiny RCS thrusters and impulse engines to the rear. Magnificent.

The third is also an early TNG shuttle, the rather TV budget friendly shuttlepod that cropped up a lot in season two. Named here as the Aldrin, the pod was a boxy sprite that this scale suits perfectly.

Allowing for not just clear decalling, the surface features here are distinctive and easy to make out with hatch lines and particularly to the rear where there is a single porthole and some shaded surface greebling. The join line are stealthily hidden under that black central stripe but again, what's not to like with this result. Upping the scale for these shuttles has nailed the quality that can drop off on some of the larger-made-very-small models we've seen so many times. Ok, the windows are blacked out but creating the interiors would be a mammoth and expensive task on a £75 asking price (at time of writing £60 on sale). 

Finally and the only one of the four not to be in a shade of white, we have Pod 1 from the NX-01. Bullet-shaped and more in line with the design lineage of 20th Century space shuttles, the shuttlecraft from the Enterprise is a mix of eras combining the winged atmospheric capabilities of a chunky plane with the need to operate in space.

The work on this one again is excellent with that paintwork being spot on the mark. More impressive than the other three is the fact that the more metallic finish also has lines criss-crossing the hull in a lighter shade plus a lot more distinct panel lines. The hatch for example is a much more intricate (and timeline basic) design with multiple divisions in a fairly small space. Somehow it works.

The black paint around the engine block to the rear is a tad scruffy on the edges and sadly there's no good way of covering up the hull section lines with the central horizontal one very evident when viewed from the back and behind the wings. It's cleverly (slightly) concealed forward of this thanks to the alignment with the bottom of the passenger hatch so hats off to Eaglemoss for that clever positioning.

I do prefer the Type-7 just based on its look and design especially when it comes to the translucent sections on the engines which even the Aldrin pod doesn't manage but on detail you can't get better here than the NX-01 Pod 1. As a pack though these are among the best released together with four blindingly good and "realistic" replicas from the franchise. Could we get a few XL versions in the future perhaps?

Check out all our Starships (and shuttles!) posts HERE

You can find out more on the Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection by visiting the Hero Collector website HERE

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Live Long and Prosper: Attack Wing's Vulcan Faction Pack

Vulcans. You can’t trust ‘em. Apparently. One minute they’re a faction on their own and then they decide they want to act as a sub-faction… as I said, can’t trust ‘em.

With that little twist to their existence in Attack Wing now a few years old it was somewhat of a surprise to see that they would be receiving their own faction pack and, in all honesty, it’s fairly decent.

Not just relying on Vulcans from Enterprise or multiple Spocks, the Live Long and Prosper box takes its lead from the prequel series as well as TOS and DS9 with callouts to The Immunity Syndrome and Take Me Out to the Holosuite. 

Dropping in two D’Kyr Class ships from Enterprise, the pack is fleshed out with the Constitution Class USS Intrepid and the Nebula Class USS T’Kumbra. There’s also a bountiful supply of captains, upgrades and missions to fulfil your fleet needs so let’s engage!

All of the models have been released before but unbelievably this is the first time I’ve had the pleasure of a D’Kyr Class starship - and two arrive at the same time. Coloured in the classic sandy Vulcan paint, the ships are among the best and most cleanly detailed in the Attack Wing collection. For once the hull lines are visible, there's distinct engine markings and - shocker - there's even multiple colour shades across the hull.  The D'Kyr is well suited to this scale so having two isn't a bad thing.

Now to the ship stats and it's a little surprising that the Nebula Class isn't the most powerful ship in the box. That falls to the 25 point V'Shar from the D'Kyr Class with 3 in attack, 1 defence, 5 Hull and 4 Shields. All the Vulcan craft operate with the standard Evade, Target Lock, Scan and Battle Stations Actions available. The V'Shar also provides the slots for 2 additional Tech, 1 Weapon and 1 Crew. As for a Unique Action, the starship can spend a Scan and on the next attack ignore its target's shields - big chance to hit some critical damage early on!

The 24 point Kir'Shara is the second of those D'Kyr Class ships in the box. Levelled out with the same attack, defence, hull and shield scores as the V'Shar it carries 2 Crew, 1 Weapon and a Tech upgrade option. Why there's a point difference (literally 1 point) is unclear. The Kir'Shara also uses Scan tokens but this time can convert up to 2 Battle Station results into Damage results if said token is in play.

Both the T'Kumbra and the Intrepid operate as dual faction ships, either Vulcan or Federation. The 22 point T'Kumbra is perhaps the best all-rounder with 4 Attack, 1 Defence, 4 Hull and 4 Shields along with a set best 5 upgrade slots comprising 2 Tech, 2 Crew and 1 Weapon. All Captain, Admiral and Crew upgrades from the Vulcan faction assigned to the T'Kumbra cost one less point and when it performs a Scan you can drop an extra Scan token into play. 

The 20 point Intrepid isn't quite as impressive but looks to hold its own with a 3 Attack, 1 Shield, 4 Hull and 3 Shields. You can enhance her with 2 Crew, 1 Weapon and a Tech upgrade plus her Unique Action is a freebie. By placing an Auxiliary Power Token beside the Intrepid you an then target a friendly ship up to range 2 and place a Scan and Evade token next to both craft.  That's a lot of scanning action overall between the four ships with each gaining significant benefits every time.

Stepping into play for your Captain options there's Sisko's Starfleet nemesis Solok with a skill of 7 and a cost of 4 points. All of the captains can field an Elite Action and s an additional perk, Solok is the only one operating dual faction Vulcan/Federation. He can perform his Action up to range 2 and, you guessed it, it's focused around Scan. When he does perform this move, Solok targets an opposing ship with a maneuvre dial that has yet to be flipped. Taking a look at that ship dial, Solok can then make his ship Sensor Echo at speed 1 even if not cloaked.  very tactical play if ever there was. 

Perhaps a little more well known is the 6-skilled T'Pol also priced at 4 points. The Enterprise first officer allows you to change any placed Scan tokens beside her command into either Evade or Battle Stations during combat. Note that there's no disable so this can be done every round and therefore allow you to second guess what's going on.

Muroc oddly costs less than TPol however rocks in with a 7 Captain Skill. Having a Scan available and in play with this captain allows players to convert 1 blank attack die result into a Damage result. Added bonus here too because if Muroc is facing an Independent captain he can convert that blank result into a Critical Damage.

Last there's pop sensation (sorry) T'Pau. Skilled at 5 and costing 4 points she allows a Scan token still in play to be replaced with an Evade and Battle Station which do not need to be removed during the End Phase. 

The Crew options come from TNG, DS9 and VGR - one from each show. T'Paal from Gambit has the Stone of Gol Tech upgrade hidden underneath at a 0 cost. She is discarded from your ship as is a Tech upgrade from a targeted ship within range 2. The Stone of Gol is flipped over and then equipped, ignoring any restrictions on the host vessel. For note, the Stone of Gol costs 3 points. Assassin Chu'Lak (2 points) can play as either Federation or Vulcan and operates as a Free Action to drop 3 Scan tokens next to his ship. Cleverly though you can then choose which Crew upgrade on his ship you discard as the cost for this - so choose wisely as you might be able to use this multiple times.

Voyager's Vorik is also dual faction Vulcan/Federation and costs 2 points. Placing 3 Time Tokens onto his card you can then remove a Target Lock or Battle Station from an attacking ship and place one of those Scan tokens next to his own.

Being Vulcans there are minimal Weapon choices with only Photonic Auto-Cannon and Aft Particle Beam contained in the pack. The former can be fired from both forward and rear-facing arcs at rages 2 or 3. Only able to be fitted to a Vulcan ship, it continues the Scan theme with that token (in play) being switched for 3 Time Tokens. The five dice attack on your opponent then converts all Battle Stations into Damage results.

The rear-only firing Aft Particle Beam (clue in the name), operates up to range 3 with a four dice attack. Costing 2 points, the weapon results in your ship receiving 2 Time Tokens. 

While the Vulcans might skimp on their Weapons, they make up for it with 6 Tech cards which I think is the most provided in any set to date. Most expensive is the 4 point Science Vessel Variant that can be equipped to both D'Kyr and Suurok Class ships, This option increases the defence and hull value of its assigned vessel by 1 point each. Likewise the cheaper 2 point Combat Vessel Variant raises just the Primary Weapon Value by1. Both of these cannot be placed on the same ship at the same time.

Three points will get you the Translinear Sensors. During an attack you can add 3 Time Tokens to this card if there's a Scan in play and the opposing ship can only roll a maximum of 2 dice in defence. The Stone of Gol costs 3 points - and 8 if you're wanting to place it on a non-Vulcan ship. It strikes out up to range 1 and targets an opponent Crew upgrade. The Stone allows you to roll the same number of attack dice as that Crew upgrade costs and if you roll a Critical Damage it's lost. If you don't, then the card receives a Time Token. The attacker ship (yours) also receives 3 Time Tokens onto the Sensors card. A win either way!

Graviton Telescope (2 points) offers the chance to discard it as long as there's a Scan in play on your ship to add a Damage result to your roll. Katric Ark stops a Crew upgrade being discarded as it's placed under this card when it would be lost. Reading into this one it's something you can keep in play until you need to use one of the "lost" Crew upgrades at which point any, other than the one you want to equip, are removed from play. I like this little 2 point safety net as it lessens opponents' effects and gives you a chance to deploy an upgrade as you might have planned.

Live Long and Prosper, the first of 2 Elite Actions, is a discard for 3 points. Available up to range 2, players can roll four defence dice during the Activation Phase and if there are at least 3 Evade results then the ship and a targetted ship cannot be attacked. Maybe a suggestion to fly your Vulcan fleet in close formation for the duration of the game?

The 2 point Logic is the Beginning of Wisdom is also played during the Activation Phase and works up to range 2. It targets a ship and can either put a Time Token, Continuous or Permanent Effect token by that craft - which means that neither of these Elite cards is effective on just enemy craft. 

Last up are the brand spanking new Ambassador cards. While Sarek has already been allocated to the Federation pack, we're handed V'Lar and Soval. Both cost a steady 3 points and have an Negotiation Accepted and Negotiation Denied action.

V'Lar, if accepted, allows opposing players to disable an upgrade on the other player's ship as long as it costs 3 points or less. If denied, she removes a Crew upgrade from the enemy vessel. With Soval, if two chosen opposing ships move into range 1 of each other they both receive an Auxiliary Power Token while denying relations will mean that the Vulcan ship launches a 3 dice attack on a specific ship which cannot be modified or re-rolled.

As with all the new Faction Packs there are also 2 new missions to try out. Assault on Andoria oddly requires a Suurok Class ship that's not in the set and requires the enemy player to use non-Vulcan ships in a straight pitched battle. This is set to a 10 round game with difficulty changed by increasing rounds or decreasing rounds. The "Andorian" player can win if they destroy the Vulcans or last to the end of the final (10th) round.

With Hold the Line, the use of the T'Kumbra and Solok indicates a more DS9 era scenario which is amplified thanks to the inclusion of the Dominion. This is one, potentially, you could spin as a 1 player game setting the Dominion ships in a straight flight from one side of the board to the other or use the evade move set from Alliance. 

As a set I'm surprised how much it relies on the Scan action however this does provide the Vulcans with a unique selling point. It's also an unexpectedly powerful and varied set with ships of 3 different eras and one of the broadest ranges of tactics I've experienced. There's also a lot of abilities which target Crew in here that balances nicely to the pack's decidedly low amount of Crew. The Vulcan leaning towards Tech is keeping very in character with the franchise and is carried off well in no small part to the amazing low cost of the upgrades included. As I went through the pack I think I was head-building a fleet from the off and had a real challenge deciding what I would have to ditch off for maximum effect. 

As one who has underestimated the abilities of the Vulcans, this pack was a real eye-opener and one that I would suggest any respecting Federation player gets hold of. It certainly polar opposes the Weapon heavy Klingons relying on more "intellectual" means than firing a torpedo to win the battle. This is probably a pack for a player who is looking to try more than standard attacks and a bit of pre-planning.

You can check out all our Attack Wing reviews over on the Gaming Section!

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