"Place yours bets"... really?

It is quite obvious to me -- and to any other Star Trek AND Star Wars fan -- that this picture was created by an idiot. He is a person who is either singularly ignorant of Star Trek tech history, or one who is ignorant WHILE taking a jab a Star Trek fans. Either way, I shall tear this image and its implications apart by providing pertinent information and by putting things into perspective, and maybe by thinking up a better comparison.


For anyone who doesn't know, the ship on the left is the USS Enterprise NCC-1701, a Constitution class starship which was launched by Starfleet in 2245; command of the ship was assumed by James T. Kirk in 2265, the beginning of its famous five year mission. She is 289 meters long, the approximate height of New York's Chrysler Building, and has an maximum crew compliment of approximately 500 assorted personnel. The Constitution class possessed the pinnacle of every technology of the day which made it the perfect choice as the Federation flagship.

The larger vessel on the right is an Imperial-class star destroyer, the front line of the Galactic Empire's fleet. For the sake of argument, though, I will be referring to the Imperial II-class -- or the "ImpStar Deuce" -- as it is a more contemporary refit of the Imperial I. As far as I know, the exact year that this class of ship was first used by the Empire is unknown. (If anyone does know, please, share). However, we've all seen the triangular ancestor of the Imperial class -- known as the Venator class -- in the final scene of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and numerous scenes throughout Episode III. The vessel is 1600 meters long and has a crew compliment of approximately 37,000.


To imply that the Constitution class would stand a remote chance against an Imp Deuce is a severe error, in my opinion.  The Enterprise was armed with 4 standard phaser banks (2 phase cannons each) and at least 4 photon torpedo tubes. Said armaments were stated to have the capability to destroy the entire surface of a planet; for a ship built for the express purpose of boldly going where no man has gone before, I would count that to be considerable firepower. However, before one ship can hope to damage another, it has to penetrate its shields, a task which the Enterprise simply could not hope to accomplish against a Star Destroyer's 72x deflector shields.

 The Imp II possesses 100 heavy turbo laser batteries and 20 ion cannons. When watching the original Star Wars trilogy, it was clear to see that a one or two blasts from a turbo cannon could easily do away with an X-Wing. In that light, I don't think it a far fetched notion to say that a single volley from 100 multi-barreled batteries could not only drain the Enterprise's shields but completely incinerate it.

"Have you ever seen what a Star Destroyer can do to the surface of an unshielded planet? Stones run like water and sand turns to glass." -Crimson Empire

Having a broad perspective of Star Trek history, I have grown to view this particular Enterprise as an antique, technologically speaking. Over the next century or so, following the destruction of the Enterprise in 2285, starship technology advanced in leaps and bounds. The necessity to defend the Alpha Quadrant against the Dominion and the Borg spurred the advancement in weapons technology, and the return of the USS Voyager from the Delta Quadrant brought back a wealth of new technological inspirations.

It seems quite obvious to me that "Place Your Bets" is meant as a facetious jab at Star Trek fans given out by a Star Wars fan who underestimates Trek tech. So, if anyone thinks that the original Enterprise is the best that the Star Trek Universe has to offer up against a Star Destroyer, I can offer evidence to the contrary.

In conclusion, this picture is stupid.