So here we are, the Turas, the last of the tiny ships that I’m writing up. So I thought I’d go with a bit of a theme article. As I’m writing this, I’m just getting back from vacation with the kids, and I’m exhausted, and a little punchy (hence the theme.)
The Turas is a bit of a tease. It kinda looks like the Enterprise. It’s got a sort of a saucer section, two warp nacelles. It’s almost like the real thing.
Getting Your Turas (Any Way You Want It)
You’ll need a level 12 shipyard to construct your Turas. In addition, you’ll also need to have completed, “unlock Turas” research, in addition to “grade 2 ship” research. You’ll also be able to get blueprints for this ship by destroying hostiles.
Using Your Turas (Wheel in the Sky)
The Turas is your replacement for the Realta. When it comes to ships in Star Trek Fleet Command, I think of them a bit like golf clubs. You always want to work on upgrading your clubs – and make sure you’ve got a good one of each in your bag.
In terms of raw power, it’s a big upgrade. It’s not nearly as fast as its older brother, but it beats it in just about every other category. This does make it a little bit less fun, but a little bit better to use as a day-to-day ship. It has the same firing pattern as the Realta, it just does more damage with each shot.
Its ship ability gives it an additional 10% damage against Interceptors, and this works to enhance the combat triangle. In player vs. player, you’re going to have the advantage over most Phindras, and struggle against Tallas.
Swarm ships weren’t in the game when I was using my Turas. But since a Facebook commenter suggested it, I decided to experiment. To try to balance out the technology and officer differences, I used to level 1 Turas. I crewed it with Cadet Uhura as captain, and Instructor Spock and T’Laan as officers, and I had no trouble destroying the 6 level 16 and 20 level 15s needed to complete Swarm dailies for a level 15 player. So it should hold you over nicely until you can construct your Franklin. I tried it up to level 18, and it still worked.
The Drawbacks (Who’s Crying Now?)
The biggest problem for the Turas is that it’s replaced by a better ship almost right away. Granted, you’ll probably have to spend a little bit of money to get the original Jellyfish at level 14, but it’s a much better ship in every way.
If you don’t build a Jellyfish, you’re going to have a bit of a gap until you can get your next explorer – the Vahklas at level 22. And you’re going to find yourself outclassed until you can get that Vahklas.
Weapons And Firing Pattern (Lights)
The Turas has two energy weapons that it fires in every round.
To The Scrap Heap (Separate Ways)
It’s a really good scrapping ship, like the Envoy or the Talla, it takes grade-2 materials and spits out grade 3-materials. In all honesty, this is where I’ve gotten the most use from the ship.
Crewing Your Turas (Any Way You Want It)
It’s an explorer, so you’ll want to crew accordingly. If you wind up with more advanced officers, by all means, go with them. But for beginners…
Against Players, the “Glory in the Kill” crew will be very effective. Go with Rukor as your captain, as he’ll give you a 20% damage bonus on an Explorer. For your officers, go with Komal for the increase in kinetic weapon damage (especially if you’re hunting Phindras, and Kras for his ability to reduce officer stats against players (and for synergy.)
If you have lack Kras, you can substitute Vixis.
Against hostiles, use the Starfleet Academy crew. Put Chen as your captain, with T’Laan to reduce kinetic weapon damage, and Gaila to reduce damage from hostile critical hits.
Against mission bosses, the Another Time crew with Cadet Kirk, Cadet McCoy, and either Cadet Uhura or Instructor Spock.
Turas Background (Worlds Apart)
There’s nothing in the Trek universe to to word, “turas.” It has its roots in Old Irish, where it means “journey.”
This would have been a great spot to put the NX-01 Enterprise if Scopely had owned the rights to TV Star Trek back when the game launched.
I’m curious if they picked the name Turas as an homage to a song that wasn’t by Journey, but almost sounds like it could have been.
It’s in-game description calls it a “heavily-modified version of the Realta.” It’s listed on the hull as NCC-019, which is odd that it’s got a number much lower than that of the Realta (NCC-0184.) That would give it the lowest NCC registry number ever seen in Star Trek.
The only NCC number under 100 ever alluded to onscreen, was the “USS Heart of Gold,” which was an in-joke listed in an onscreen Okudagram as a reference to the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy in the Next Generation Episode Contagion.