SCREENCAP ANALYSES

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These images detail various VHS captures I did from the movie Star Trek: First Contact. The battle with the Borg ensues very early in the movie, and flies by quite quickly. But we are given a tantalising glimpse of many new starships (now familiar) that participate in the battle. This analysis aims to identify these ships and try and put a number to precisely how many there are.

The main ships I am concentrating on here are the Akira, Norway, Steamrunner and Sabre classes, which all made their screen debut in the film. I shall be largely ignoring the already familiar ships that also appear, such as the Defiant, Nebula, Oberth, Miranda, and of course the Sovereign Class Enterprise.

'The Ships of Star Trek: First Contact'

Image 1

Here we see the beginning of the battle. Already we see the destruction of Akira 1 and Sabre 1.

Image 2

In the background of this image, some frames later, you can see the appearance of a new Akira and Sabre, and the here's the first sighting of a Steamrunner also. I will be numbering them as we go.

Image 3

Sabre 3: Here the camera sweeps to the other side of the Cube and here we view another Sabre (Sabre 3).

Image 4

This is quite a muddled image. But viewing the moving footage at normal rate, and slowed down, I can confidently say that the labelled ships are identified correctly here, even though the image detail is vague and blurry in places. For instance 'Akira 6' seem little more than a small grey mass, but in playback the familiar shape of the Akira comes alive and it is easily identified.

Sabre 4: Unless it has remained stationary since the last time we saw it in Image 1, or if it has miraculously returned to its former position, we can say that this is a different ship than Sabre 2. It could be that it's meant to be that very same ship, it's just strange that it's in the same position.

Steamrunner 2: This could be Steamrunner 1 in the process of being destroyed. There's no way to know for sure. (By the way, the colour red here indicates that this ship is destroyed and can be ruled out of any identity confusion with other ships seen later on in the battle.)

Akira 3: Again, this could be Akira 2 being destroyed. Either way, this is another Akira removed from the battlefield.

Akira 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: Along with the doomed Akira 3, 5 more ships of this class are discernable in this scene alone. Either one I suppose could be a another candidate for the intact reappearance of Akira 2.

Norway 1: The first Norway appears in the battle.

Image 5

Akira 9: I'm under the impression that Akira 9 is either a sighting of Akira 7, seen later in the scene and from a slightly different angle. When we last see Akira 6 in Image 3, it seems to be heading for the position we see in this frame, or not an Akira at all but a another Sabre - which is probably more likely (as pointed out by Manticore - thanks)

Akira 10: Here we see the destruction of what I had originally labelled as an Akira, but now I'm convinced it's a Steamrunner (quite obviously in fact) - thanks Manticore.

Akira 11: Here is another Akira, the eleventh chronologically identified. Although, once again, there's no evidence to say that this isn't an Akira we've seen already, such as Akira 4 for example...

Steamrunner 3: This ship is not a reappearance of Steamrunner 2. Although they appear to be in similar positions, Steamrunner 2 was destroyed. These scene follows that destruction.

Image 6

Nebula 1: Here's a common Nebula (although not common in this battle, and was nice to see this slice of realism thrown in, rather that it be a simple showpiece for all these new classes)

Steamrunner 4: This labelled with a question mark, as it is uncertain whether this is the 4th Steamrunner appearance, or one we've seen before. I'm fairly sure this is not an earlier sighting of the ship I have later labelled as Steamrunner 5.

Image 7

  Akira 12 & 13: As with the others that require normal playback to positively identify the more vague ones, I can confirm the these two blurs to be further Akiras. Are they new ones? Probably.

  Steamrunner 4: Steamrunner 4 is in the midst of burning here. I think this is the same ship as the one from the previous frame, or it could be a later sighting of Steamrunner 3, either way we have at least 3 Steamrunners certainly identified so far.

Image 8

  Akira 14: Another Akira comes past camera, and this time I would have to say that this is a new one, and hasn't appeared so far. There appear to be another two Akiras in the scene, which I've labelled Akira 15 and 16. One is being tractored, and the other is in the top left of the image. (After a slight error in judgement when labelling the picture I can confirm that these two are the same as Akira 12 and 13). Behind Akira 14 we continue to see the wreck of Steamrunner 4.

  Sabre 6: Like the Akira in this image I suspect this to be a new Sabre, as yet unseen. The same could be said for Sabre 5 towards the top right.

  Norway 2: Could be Norway 1. Evidence neither confirms nor denies this.

Image 9

The camera trains on a new angle, and new ships entering the fray.

  Akira 17: Although this could be Akira 14 as seen from the front I can't say it is with complete confidence.

  Norway 3: A third Norway Class comes on the scene firing its phasers.

  Sabre 7: Here we see the seventh Sabre Class arriving.

Image 10

  Akira 18: Possibly Akira 17 as seen from further away. This frame follows on from the footage seen in the last image. If is Akira 17, and not an entirely different ship, the Norway and Sabre seem to have disappeared rather quickly.

  Steamrunner 5: Here's a new Steamrunner.

Image 11

  Akira 18: Basically the same image as before, just a few frames further along.

  Steamrunner 5: A good view of the Steamrunner Class.

Conclusion...

I'm going to briefly summarize things with a list of the Akira Class ships identified so far.

From this analysis you can see that out of the 18 identified, 16 could be separate ships. There are 4 with certain question marks. But there is, I think definitely at least 8-10 separate Akira Class ships in the sequence. We also see 6, (probably 7) Steamrunners, and up to 8 Sabres.

Page One Screencaps - Qualor II 'Unification' | Page Two Screencaps - Ships of 'A Time To Stand'

Page Three Screencaps - Wolf 359 'The Best Of Both Worlds'  |  Wolf 359 Ships Close up  |  Page Four - First Contact Ships

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