KD-56 Gryphon-class Federation Warp Fighter

UPDATE: New Weapon Systems, modelled by Omardex for Star Trek: Theurgy.

These are the warp fighters the pilots on the U.S.S. Resolve and the U.S.S. Harbinger use in Star Trek: Theurgy.

The first design of the Gryphon-class Warp Fighters were made by Andrew Gillespie (KadenDark) and GK Designs, and has more or less become canon to the Star Trek: Community at this point. It has been modelled and featured in a couple of old Star Trek games, chosen as fighters in many simms, and I want to commemorate this awesome fighter with a new rendition of it.

I think I speak for a big part of the Star Trek community when I thank KadenDark and GK Designs for bringing this fighter to life, for it has inspired countless non-canon stories and the creativity of many artists. Thank you for this old achievement of yours, which still lives on to this day.

This version above was made by me and the 3D model was a commissioning by Omar Tavera (Omardex) (omardex.deviantart.com/). The weapon systems show in the image were originally made for the Mk III Valkyrie. Blender scene, edits, texts and add-ons to the 3D render of the ships were made by yours truly. The new model can be seen in all its detail and glory below (and good luck if you want to look for the hidden Easter Egg while you are at it....):

SKETCHFAB GRYPHON MODEL DISPLAY

I would like to make this model available to all DeviantArt artists and the whole Star Trek community out there, anyone who want to use it in their art or their stories, and the only thing I ask is that you give due credit to KadenDark & GK Designs for the original design, and to Omardex for the model itself. Personally, I would be happy if you just mentioned where it came from and posted a comment in reply here, showing where you used it. If you want the actual model, here it is:

KD-56 Gryphon Warp Fighter 3D Model

...but bear in mind that there are no conversions available. This model was made in Cinema 4D and rendered in Octane Render, using Substance Painter. Without that specific set-up, the model might not look the same.

However, here is also a PSD file with a lot of rendered angles of the model, the background-less renders ready to be inserted and edited into any space scenes without the use of the 3D model.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION: TACTICAL CONN & THE VALKYRIE PROGRAM

The formation of the Starfleet Aerospace Command is heavily influenced by the successful deployment of Peregrine-class fighters aboard the starships serving as carriers in the fleet, yet the USS Theurgy does not hold a squadron of Peregrine-class fighter aboard, but the more developed Valkyrie-class. Namely, the prototype Mk III version, a superior fighter that make use of recent advances in technology. 

The year 2375 - after the conclusion of the Dominion War - the Mk I Valkyries were deployed. These fighters were assigned to the USS Typhon (TNG game: Star Trek: Invasion). They were initially designed as a carrier-based fleet engagement craft. Initially, the design proved successful, with a high survivability rate matching the heavy fire power available to bring down larger ships. In learning that a full squadron of Valkyries would still require a lot of support from for engagements of a Dominion-War level threat, Starfleet deemed that the attack fighter needed an upgrade. By 2381, these fighters are still being deployed in fairly limited numbers - shuffled around the fleet. 

Another development at the time was that a group of influential admirals in the fleet demanded to form a new - evaluational - department that hand-picked the Conn officers with the most tactical training. It was the only way, they reckoned, to ensure that the fleet used the right kind of pilots for these fighters. The original score of 400 personnel -  the fleets new Tactical Conn officers - served as the foundation for a new and more organised department for fighter pilots. They accepted only the highest scoring Conn or fight-trained Security or Tactical Cadets, and then dealt them another year of training in the fields they lacked from their Academy training. White became the chosen colour for the department, and the admirals that rode this project into history became the core of the Aerospace Command.

Both the Mk I and II Valkyries used Rear Intercept Officers (RIOs), but the Mk II Valkyrie - commonly called the Gryphon-class - could be flown without a RIOs as well, albeit at great difficulty in some situations. The efficiency in which the attack fighters were operated were doubled by allowing the pilots to focus solely on the manoeuvres and weapons employment of the craft during a fight, allowing the RIO to handle comm traffic, emergency repairs and tactic simulations.

Among the improvements for the Mk II Valkyrie were a new ablative armour compound, improved power plant, and the employment of a hardpoint system beneath the wings. With the Mk II, the Valkyrie truly stepped into a class of her own. At the success of the Mk II and the fleet-wide deployment of the Valkyries in the fleet, Starfleet Command began looking into the Valkyrie with more interest, and with new resources added to the Valkyrie Program, the Mk III Valkyrie would soon see the light of day:

 

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Main Forum page: Star Trek: Theurgy

Star Trek: Theurgy is kind of a progressive novel, composed of large long-lasting story arcs that can go on through several Episodes, as well as the more common plots produced by character interaction. All of this is written cohesively by the writers, edited and corrected by the group and the Game Moderator to assure a consolidated storyline. Other terms for this kind of community are "sim" or "play-by-post/forum roleplaying". 

"What kind of writers are we looking for at Star Trek: Theurgy?"

We're looking for good, descriptive and creative writers that can handle English well. You should also know enough about the Star Trek Universe to be able to partake in creating intense, interesting storylines together with the other writers. We are a very literate group, with a minimum posting requirement of 200 words per post, and the commitment to the story is long-term. We have been running the story actively for five years, and we will continue for many years to come. Therefore, we are not interested in casual, brief commitments, but something that will last for many years.

"What's the nature of the story?"

Star Trek: Theurgy is a detailed, quite dark, story-driven and long-term roleplay and while it's rated 18+, it is not some shoe-horned excuse to write Star Trek smut scenes. If that's what you are looking for, you can look elsewhere since you'll be really disappointed.

It is not expected of any of our writers to detail the intimate relations of their characters with others, even if it's allowed. Several writers among us have an aversion to writing graphic sexual scenes, so if that's not what you care for, then that's no problem at all. The story revolves around a ship and a crew in dire straits, against impossible odds, and with a lot of intrigue and mystery to it. We just don't enforce limits on what you care to write, like explicit scenes of violence or intimacy, as long you adhere to our General Rules and all writers consent to the specific scene their characters are in.

"How do I join the story?"

This page should serve quite well for an answer, but it's recommended you contact the Game Moderator if you have any questions: Joining the Crew.