A touch of reality (kind of)
This post is long. It is also mostly aimed towards SFK but there are relevant parts to TFA in here as well. As I am aware many of you don't need this/have time for all of it I will highlight in RED stuff that is SFK specific and BLUE/RED where relevant to both TFA and SFK.
This is mostly to help SFK players better understand their side as well as better explain the culture and military style way the KDF functions. It’s to help better flesh out your characters and develop their background and understand others you RP with and to help those looking to get into KDF side RP. You can take this info to heart and use every last bit of it, or you can disagree/not like it and not use any of it at all. It’s only here as an information tool should you decide to use.
This isn't a lecture (I'm just bored). Nor was it brought about by anyone/RP specific. It isn't the end all be all guide to anything let alone everything. It also isn't a wiki entry. So, if you do find something that you disagree with then please add your two cents. Or not, and just ignore it, that's perfectly acceptable too. If you have questions please feel free to ask here because you might not be the only one wondering.
Culture.
Klingons
I haven't really seen anything worthy of complaint with those that RP as Klingons. For those interested in making one in the future I will toss a few details here. Klingons are like a nice blend of Spartans, Samurai, and Vikings. Extremely well trained in the art of war, disciplined, honorable, searching for glory, and never backing away from a fight. However, they are not nearly as barbaric as others have made them out. A war has to be honorable or it isn't worth fighting. Slave labor is a no-no. Labor class, that's a bit different and something I will touch on in a bit. The Empire has many systems (more systems/aliens than the FED according to almost every book) but the weak are relegated to working the crap jobs such as mining, janitor, etc. You are expected to be productive in the Empire, so if your planet has been conquered then your people will serve the Empire either with aiding the military or providing resources/labor the Empire needs. With that said, the Klingons are very big on freedom. You are free to do what you want, but you are considered a coward if you do not do your part to assist the Empire against its enemies or, at a minimum, fail to take your enemies on. That can come in different ways though. Doctors and scientists are not expected to swing a bat'leth, but their contributions are valuable just the same. The culture is really focused on honor and defeating "enemies" be they yours or the Empire. If you are a merchant then there is glory in defeating your competitors by out selling them. It’s an alpha male dominated culture. Klingons also have far more than just warriors; their society wouldn't exist without construction, farmers, teachers, and so forth.
I have seen in more than one location an explanation to the KDF. I have no way of knowing if this is the most accepted way, the canon way, or what. But it is the way I find most interesting. Apparently the KDF is the smallest active military in the known Galaxy. What they do have a ton of though is average every day citizens with a will to fight. The Empire never gets rid of old ships, they just throw new gear on them. And they mass produce ships nonstop, mainly the Bird of Prey. Imagine a 2410 version of Walmart, they have to haul goods from point A to point B and worry about pirates and what not, unless this business buys a few BoPs and pays people to crew them. If a family is in the business of shipping important goods, or even just does a lot of traveling, owning a BoP can come in handy. The thing I have read is that the Empire simply requires that the BoP serves X amount of years as border patrol, exploration, or something that serves the Empire. Obviously more influential/rich individuals and business might buy bigger and better ships, but this is why the BoP is everywhere. And when the Empire goes to war they depend on the service of these BoPs (or other older ships) to show up, which is why Klingons can’t just wage petty wars left and right, they have to be righteous and have public appeal. Businesses and owners do their part to “Serve the Empire” by devoting their ship to serve the KDF’s war effort. To me, it comes across as having a massive, always ready, well equipped, militia.
The actual trained and skilled active duty military serves on the bigger and newer ships and stations.
Orion Syndicate
There isn't a ton of info on Orion’s like there is on Vulcans or Klingons. But the name of their government helps you understand that the name Orion Syndicate indicates that they are a Mafia style culture. Gambling, human trafficking, selling illegal goods, theft, extortion, you name it. And cryptic did a great job in naming the NPCs, "Thug" and "Enforcer" sound exactly like the jargon one would use to describe certain individuals within a Mafia. I'm sure you've heard about Mafia lawyers. There are also Mafia bankers and Mafia doctors (who treat gunshot wounds without calling the cops). Just like the Klingons, their culture must have more than just one type, slavers, in order to exist. They are a people who off each other left and right to move up or because they might be a rat turning in info to other galactic powers and what not. They do believe in slave labor, which is probably what they use to crew the lower ranks of their ships and even construct their ships. They have probably even managed to swindle a few races out of power for their home world with the promise of "protection" or extortion or flat out buying it.
Leathians
Not touching them. There's little known, little shown, and only 1 or 2 people play them. I'll leave it to you how to go about if you want to play one.
Nausicaans
I'm not sure if the Nausicaans have a central government. They are largely into pirating. They too are an alpha male dominated society. I don't think we've ever even seen Nausicaan females. An IC explanation can be that it is a male dominated society. Like the Leathians, there isn't a lot known about them.
Gorn
The Gorn have been space worthy longer than any other current race in Trek. Their territory once encompassed an area the size of both the FED and KDF combined. But they have shrunk over the generations for some unknown/and unaddressed reason. There must be some reason their technological advancements have come to a halt and why they no longer control so many systems. I'm not going to touch that in the event Cryptic/CBS comes up with an explanation. As far as I'm concerned it can be the same explanation Klingons had for why their appearance changed from TOS, "We don't discuss it with outsiders." If you wish to explain or even just hint at the reasons for this please consult a few people before you go forward with it first. The Gorn are a very militaristic society. It would seem that their entire culture is built around their military. I’d even go so far as to wager that the military controls everything and that everyone has a part in the military.
Romulans
Rude. Xenophobic. Secretive. But they are also without a home world and appear to be in a loose civil war between the Republic and Remnants of the Romulan Star Empire. They have a choice, continue to be rude, xenophobic, and secretive and risk going extinct/get conquered. Or they can stop being so uppity and make nice with others finally in the hopes they can continue to go on as their own rather than subjugated by another race that does have a home world and isn't in a civil war. So while their old tendencies are likely to be front and center during RP, it also likely that many are (at least pretending) to try and change public opinion of their people before someone like the KDF decides it’s better to rule them than deal with them. Romulans are fairly well fleshed out and I haven't seen much, if anything, where players are portraying the Romulans “wrong.”
Aliens
As I said above, the Empire has more member worlds than the FED. Unfortunately Trek never showed aliens in the Empire. As long as they are honorable and tough they do get to serve in the KDF. It’s even likely the best of the best are allowed to command ships and hold positions of high authority. One thing is clear though, aliens cannot serve as governor of their planet and they may not be members of the High Council. That doesn't mean they don't get any respect though. If they are allowed to serve in the KDF then obviously Klingons respect them. And in order to gain Klingon respect one must be honorable and willing to fight for what they believe is right.
Combined Efforts
I'm putting this here before I get into the next part because it makes for a nice bridge. It is important to remember that the Gorn are not a member of the Klingon Empire. Nor are the Nausicaans or Orions. I believe the Leethians are though. Before the war between the Gorn and Empire, the Orions saw what was happening; they knew business would be better with Klingons around than Gorn. So, the Orions joined the cause of the Empire. Likewise, the Nausicaans were paid by the Gorn to fight for them; they became allies through deals made. It's akin to WWII in the sense not every allied power was British or American and not every axis power was Germany or Japan, others saw what was going on and decided, for whatever reason, to throw their hat in with the side they wanted. Now, after the Empire defeated the Gorn they decided to allow the Gorn to govern themselves. The Empire helped the Gorn rebuild their military and made the same deals with the Nausicaans with the understanding that they WILL actively support a war with the Federation as well as any future conflicts for the foreseeable future. So, in SFK there is the KDF + Orion military + Gorn military + Nausicaan military/pirates/militia (each has their own registry prefix, btw, such as OSS for Orion Syndicate Ship and so on). So, these powers are working together, largely under the guidance and supervision of the KDF yet still retain their own identity unless an individual is an immigrant who has officially sworn an oath to the Empire. They might have different motives than to find glory for the Empire, but they are still bound by their leader’s agreement.
Military Culture.
I can only give you the perspective of an enlisted American Army Infantryman. Luckily I have seen and experienced a lot and worked with a lot of others. The KDF is very much like the military, specifically the enlisted ranks. Starfleet comes across more like the Officer core of the military, buttoned down, professional at all times, higher emphasis on education. Whereas Klingons are more vocal, boisterous, and eager to fight. I will try to explain the difference as best as I can.
Obviously Officers and Enlisted must work together in the military. Why I view the FEDs as more in line with the Officer core is how they present themselves and conduct their duties. Very professional. And they rarely speak out against one of their leaders, when they do there is usually some formal punishment. I have only ever witnessed 2 different serious arguments (swear words, insults, the works) between Officers whereas I have seen numerous between Enlisted (insults, language, fists, beer bottles, head-butts, etc.). I have never seen an Officer demoted, but I have seen one relieved of his command and another receive an interesting punishment. We had this one Captain who went against the Battalion Commander’s (Lt. Col.) orders multiple times and was involved in some "conduct unbecoming" activities. His punishment? He was reassigned to be Post Commander... of a remote missile silo in Alaska. That's not a joke, that's what he got and it was a career killer. That comes across as a very Starfleet like punishment to me. However, I've seen Enlisted guys kicked out for being a giant pain. I’ve both witnessed and initiated a “smoking” (a gauntlet of demoralizing, embarrassing, and extremely effective physical fitness exercises). I've done/seen formal paper work against them; I've demoted them/seen them demoted. I've seen soldiers physically threaten each other and fight in uniform. I’ve seen soldiers and leaders challenge another’s authority/integrity right in the middle of a group. And I've seen them get hit... by accident of course because hitting soldiers is against regulations. The punishments are more brutish, and there is a higher probability of someone challenging your authority while enlisted, but one has to be confident and forceful to maintain dominance and control or the whole unit will break down and walk all over the enlisted leader. This seems much more in line with the KDF. There's also a greater recognition of skills and respect with enlisted over the officer core. As an officer you are what your rank is, nothing more and nothing less. Enlisted side there is a greater emphasis on skills/experience rather than rank. Although rank structure is still strictly enforced, if a young soldier has combat experience but just hasn't yet been promoted then his input will be perceived as just as, if not more, valuable than his sergeant who has never been in combat.
Military Personality
I felt this was important after referring to the KDF as a group of enlisted grunts. There is a wide range of personalities just in my unit. There was even a time many years ago when I was the only white guy in my squad. It wasn't until I got to my current unit did I even ever have an American born medic (Dominican Republic, Kenya, China). We all have different backgrounds, we've all been raised differently in different areas but we are all working together for the same goal. I often feel most people think regular enlisted grunts are just dumb knuckle draggers... which goes hand in hand with how the KDF is perceived. Some certainly are. But here is a great example: We used to have a sergeant in our unit (he's since been promoted and moved to another unit) who was active duty then joined the National Guard like me. He could chew tobacco, drink beer, and swear like the rest of us. But his regular civilian career threw me for a loop when I found out. He was one of the top scientists for a major pharmaceutical company. He did the bulk of the work in developing the H1N1 vaccine (or so I was told by others). Being an infantryman who throws grenades, shoots machine guns, and attacks bunkers was just his outlet and a way for him to do something other than work in a lab. There are actually a large number of bachelor degrees and master degrees in our enlisted ranks in our unit. Likewise I have another example. We get issued both winter boots and summer boots. One day some soldier showed up with a winter boot on one foot and a summer on the other. So the intelligence factor ranges from super genius who cures diseases on his spare time to a man who can't figure out why his left foot is hot but his right foot is cold. And everywhere in between. Personalities and life are the same wide range from single, married, kids, multiple divorces, good career, crappy job, funny, rude, liar, trust worthy. The works. And those in the KDF are no different; their culture (honor and glory bound) is just slightly different from ours. Officers typically look at how to handle a situation with no/least amount of violence as necessary whereas Enlisted are more likely to beat their chest and demand a fight.
Hopefully that stuff adds a more clear perspective for those unsure how to RP KDF side. There are an infinite number of personalities, backgrounds, and skills. Yet, when that line is crossed and it has officially become "go time" then violence, alcohol, and bragging will be abundant.
Positions/Career path
I feel sometimes players get the impression they are locked into 1 generic career path and they know nothing else. I'll try to break things down a little more in depth than Trek has traditionally done.
Firstly, it is extremely likely both Starfleet and the KDF cross train their members on careers and positions. They need to know how to use a phaser/disruptor, apply first aid, perform basic computer functions, and so on. Just because someone is an engineer doesn't mean they are completely incompetent when it comes to defending themselves or treating an injured crew mate. Also, your in game career does not have to be your IC career. RP trumps what color uniform the game says you would have worn before you became a Captain.
As a Captain, or greater, these career paths are just your background. It’s what you once specialized in. You don't specialize in it now (likely), now you specialize in commanding a ship or whatever your base duties are. For example, before I became a leader I was a machine gunner. More accurately I was the best machine gunner (as everyone claims they are). But it has been so many years since I've handled one that I guarantee some young soldier could out shoot me now. That was my specialization... but it hasn't been in years so my skills have eroded slightly as they are out of practice. The same is likely true, to a point, for your character.
XO/First Officer
These poor souls are really out of the loop when it comes to anything "fun." They are largely responsible for logistics, maintenance, supply and accountability (right down to basic issue of uniforms), and food and water. But they do have to be ready and willing to step up and do the Captain's job at any time should he/she be unavailable.
The in game TAC/SCI/ENG isn't really all there is or even what Trek really portrayed. It’s more accurately Command/Operations/Science.
*Before you read this and get cranky, I do recognize that this is the future. A lot of things are automated and computers can handle the bulk of the work. So, it is possible for someone to be a blanket, 1 size fits all, CMD/OPS/SCI officer. If that's what you want and believe then ignore this. But I'm bored so I'm breaking it down.
Science
There are many different sciences. Astrobiology, physics, medical, etc. It is unlikely anyone is a jack of all trades. They are more than likely specialized in one specific field in science, but that isn't to say an astrophysics has absolutely zero medical knowledge, but they likely don't have enough knowledge on how to perform surgery. Situations that arise in RP should spark their scientific nature, they should be curious about it and want to learn more about it. Medical professionals should be concerned about safety procedures and harm to staff and crews.
Operations.
Operations covers Ops, security, tactical, engineering, transporters. I'll break these down, but I’ll save tactical and security to the end as they are, IMO, 2 of the more inaccurately portrayed RP positions... that doesn't mean anyone is wrong because this is RP, a very quick and simple IC explanation can explain a lot away.
Ops
Covers all functions on the ship. This is what Data did. Ensures everything is being done that is supposed to be done. If there is a hull breach then Ops officers are relaying that info and coordinating repair teams and medical teams to that location. They monitor functions on the ship and prioritize details/tasks to be completed. They are also the ones usually relaying info to the XO/CO when there is an emergency on one of the decks.
Engineering
There are engineers in engineering, repair/maintenance engineers, engineers for shuttles and more. It’s up to the player what type of engineer they are/were. During RP these players are typically focused on how to keep things functioning and/or how to construct/develop something that can defeat an enemy/anomaly without the use of weapons. Though they have been known to be crucial in emplacing/disabling mines, traps, and so forth.
Transporter
Duh
Security
Security is security. They are not tactical (unless you belong to the belief that 1 size fits all, and that's fine if you do). They provide security for the ship/base and crew on away team missions.
Tactical
These are the ones firing ship weapons. Now, Worf was called Chief of Security yet operated the tactical console. You can argue what was stated above about things being automated and streamlined and that's why the two positions are really one in the same. That is perfectly possible and plausible. Realistically (yes, I know it’s Trek) it’s a bad idea for someone to be the head of two departments. If something happens to them then you are only down 1 crewmember, but you're down 2 department heads. But generally speaking, Tactical officers are the ones responsible for the ship/base/shuttle weapons and targeting specific points on the enemy ships.
No need to cover Command as it’s self-explanatory like Transporters just with the added bonus of also breaking down further into the pilot subcategory.
To circle back to tactile though, I see a lot of tactically unsound ideas coming forth. That isn't a slam on anyone, I just have RL experience. I wouldn't be very good in coming up with a medical solution in RL but if the situation presented itself I'd try it in RP and likely look like a fool to anyone with extensive medical training.
There is such a thing known as a Show of Force. It’s when you roll out everything you've got to make the enemy tremble. It isn't done very often because it is extremely dangerous. Typically speaking, in any tactical situation, you want to tackle the situation with the least amount of assets possible. As in send 2 or 3 ships to deal with a Breen ship, not an entire fleet. Why? Well, I'm glad you asked. There are 3 reasons. 1st, you really shouldn't show the enemy everything you have in case they get away or get out a transmission to their friends, now your enemy knows how many ships you have in the area and the class of ships (likely giving away capabilities there as well). 2nd, you've now just told your enemy that got away that this spot is very important to you and/or is easily defended. It would be better to go with a couple ships, let them think it’s a good spot so they return with 6 ships which you respond with 12 ships... still maintaining the tactical advantage for yourself. 3rd, how do you know what that ship is capable of? Obviously we in TFA and SFK do not allow super-mega-iWin weapons for use by us, but Trek has shown repeatedly that some enemy ships do have them. Example: In combat if we spotted 2 or 3 guys out in the woods or field we wouldn't send a tank. A tank can handle 3 dudes easy peasy... until 1 of those guys has an anti-tank rocket. Now you’re down a tank because you didn't use the minimum force needed to handle the threat. It would be better to send a squad (9 soldiers) up there because they are well trained and equipped, not a large target, and can overwhelm 3 men. Also, if you lose 1 or 2 that's a lot better than losing an entire tank and tank crew (4 soldiers). Do you really want to send 10 ships after that lone Breen ship... that maybe has an experimental weapon, laid mines, and/or is just baiting you in so their buddies can ambush you with a larger element? Now you've lost half a fleet as opposed to a couple ships. Just something to think about when planning combat related RP, but it doesn’t mean you HAVE to do it a more tactical way. I know no one wants to be left out of situations, but there are other things they can be doing during the RP. And the person who planned out the RP, the game master, should have a plan to accommodate a large group for RP when a situation would only call for a handful to respond to a situation.
Intel Officer.
I'm not sure if we have any. But it’s worth covering. There are 2 types, field operatives and desk jockeys. I'm going to take a stab in the dark here and assume we won't have many that want to hold a desk, but they make up the bulk of the Intel staff. Analysis, identifying patterns, piecing together information that comes through so that it makes sense. That’s what most do. Field operatives are on the ground gathering all that Intel. They might do some James Bond level stuff but that's a rarity as it’s mostly working local contacts, conducting surveillance, placing bugs to monitor transmissions, stuff like that. Intel officers aren't doing assassinations, interrogations, sabotage, or any other clandestine style operation. They gather intelligence. Again, this is the future, so if you want to blend all that together and say it’s one occupation now because of tricorders et al, then that’s fine but it’s probably worth mentioning in RP that your character can do that as it isn’t likely to be assumed.
Brute Force
Got a planet acting up? A race being snarky? Hold off on the torpedoes there you glorious warrior, you. You might make the situation worse. Pounding any place that has civilians to smithereens isn't a smart tactic unless we are in a full scale slugfest major war. A surgical attack/strike is far better. Those civilians have family, friends, and lovers. You go and torpedo the Gre'thor out of an area that has 500 bad guys and in the process blow up residential areas, a hospital, and a school then, yeah, you probably killed those 500 bad guys... and you just made 10,000 new ones from all the vengeful survivors and those now missing their friends, family, and lovers from your careless and tactically unsound plan. Try sending an away team/strike team in there to target your enemy specifically before you compound your problem and create more work for yourself. If you are still so 1 dimensional as to say, "We can handle 10,000." Then just know every time you repeat that tactic you are only serving to exponentially increase your enemy’s numbers... unless your plan is to conduct a full scale genocide, which I'm sure the FEDs, ROMs, Cardassians, Breen, and everyone else will totally be cool with and not team up together to attack and destroy your dishonorable military/government.
Ramifications
Your actions will have consequences. Notice how your country (I don't even need to be specific here) doesn't just shoot up civilian merchants of nations that make them mad? Ever notice how there is such a strong opposition from the global community on the use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons? That's because it’s generally accepted that the wanton death and destruction of civilians is bad and nations that do stuff like that usually get invaded by 10+ nations at once. So, blowing up a civilian space station for any reason, executing the crew of a freighter for any reason, gassing a population for any reason, is going to cost you. It would hurt trade, commerce, travel, allied relationships; it might bring about embargos and even sanctions and possibly even a call for a change in leadership/punishment for nonpolitical leaders from your own people who are bound by honor.
Klingons are not Saturday morning cartoon villains
If your character has a suggestion that would fit right in with a cartoon villain rubbing his hands together while giving a sinister laugh then it’s a bad idea and it will be rejected every single time. Remember: The Federation, Republic, Empire, and everyone else is alive/exists SOLEY because of the Empire. The Empire said the Gorn were infiltrated by the Undine, they were. They said the same about the FEDs, they were. Both times the FED said the Klingons were wrong, both times the Klingons were proven correct. If we followed the FEDs lead, the galaxy as we know it would be lost already. The FEDs failed to act, their cowardice was front and center, and all that forced the Klingons to go forward, without their greatest ally, into not one but TWO extremely bloody conflicts where untold millions (possibly billions) lost their lives. Of course, the usual retort to this is, “Yeah, well, we helped save Qo’noS.” Great, except it wouldn’t have been placed in danger to begin with had the UFP joined us from the get go, and those smooth heads are quick to forget we also helped save ESD. So, it’s rather weak to portray the Klingons as villains. The Empire's glory and honor bound culture might be foreign to most of us in western society but their actions and reason were noble and ultimately saved us all. Does that sound like a group of people who just kill random civilians, use WMDs against civilians, attack anyone without provocation, or subjugate an entire culture "just because" they felt like it? Think of all the times Klingons were seen in all of Trek. Every time they are portrayed as villains what happens? Every other Klingon condemns their actions or it was because they got a little too eager to increase their personal glory and went a tad too far. ST III: The Empire had creditable Intel the FEDs had a super weapon (genesis) and were concerned it may be used against them, so where they wrong to take action? Would the FEDs not do the same? ST V: They had it in their mind killing Kirk and destroying the Enterprise would increase their glory and honor, it was like hunting for a prized game animal. Yet, those Klingons were ordered by a superior to stand down so obviously the actions were not sanctioned. ST VI: Only a few dishonorable Klingons, assisted by FEDs and ROMs, were responsible. The rest were willing to take the same stance as the bulk of the FED. ST VII: The actions of a house which had previously been condemned by the High Council. The Klingon war with FEDs during DS9: Infiltrated by a shape shifter (likely caused their insight to recognize current shenanigans in STO) and ceased once they realized what was going on.
The Empire has a strict code of honor. If your idea/background is one of cowardice and/or dishonorable then it will not blend well if you are a Klingon. Though, other races are not bound by these traits.
Think about this stuff when planning an RP or creating your character's background for SFK. If you want help with FED or KDF RP ideas just ask, I'm always willing to give my insight and ideas to help your story out.
If you are interested in starting a KDF character but still aren't sure how to proceed, just ask. I'd love to see more players in SFK with well thought out characters. And if you want something different than to command a starship, just say so. There are plenty of positions that come to mind that would be fun and interesting to see active in RP and give you a different kind of RP experience.
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To expand on the military personality aspect he mentioned, I'd highly recommend reading a book like Stephen Pressfield's "Gates of Fire" (a narrative from the point of view of a Spartan helot around the time of the Battle of Themopylae) and the movie "The Thirteenth Warrior". As a Marine Infantryman, I can say that both do excellent jobs portraying not only the attitudes and mindsets of a people like the Klingons, but also training and tactics that could easily be adapted to them.
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