Being a fan of the old FASA game, I've always had a soft spot for some of the workhorses and tugs that we don't see as often compared to the line ships. They're the ones that have the more dull missions generally but also act as the lifeline for all of the major powers.

I always thought the Ptolemy and its later cousins were interesting designs, with the ability to carry lots of cargo modules in a way that would fit in with the original concept of Trek being a space wagon train. One could argue that with the evolution of replicators and transporters, there'd be less need for such designs. And that's probably true to some extent, but I also like the idea that advanced technology can't solve every potential problem.

During the Four Years War in the FASAverse between the Federation and the Klingon Empire (which led to the cold war mentality that was common in TOS), the Orion Colonies basically manipulated both sides not to interfere with their convoys, by threatening to withhold shipments of dilithium and other essentials if that happened. They were naturally playing both for profit, as that's what the Orions typically do, but it worked.

What do you think about these sorts of classes, and how the powers would manage trade routes? Another interesting aspect of the FASA Trekverse in that respect is the Triangle region where the borders of the Federation, Klingon and Romulan states intersect. None of them have a huge influence there but they all have small enclaves and areas of interest, along with some independent planets.

Goods that cannot be replicated, (critical) fuel components, dilithium and other mined substances, replicators, and personnel are examples of goods that I think are plausible to require interstellar container transport.

As someone who served mostly on a logistics ship during my time in the Navy, I too have a soft spot for the workhorses needed to make a civilization function. So yeah, I wish we saw more of that kind of infrastructure represented in the ship classes.

The FASA module The Mines of Selka has a couple of nice examples of original mining and transport vessels. In this case they're Orion copies of the original Federation designs, as the Orions had limited resources with which to construct fleets.

The FASA Orions are sort of a more successful example of what the Ferengi were intended to be. For centuries their colonies were a crossroads for more powerful races, and they decided the best way to survive was to give the illusion of supporting those powers while manipulating them to the fullest extent. The Klingons actually occupied most of the Orion planets at one point, but became uncomfortable with their weasely nature. Their occupation seemed to be more trouble than it was really worth.

The Orion fleet is a mixture of a few original designs (mostly suited for raiding and piracy), a number of Klingon vessels (obtained both legally and illegally) and a small number of designs that have copied from other races. Typically civilian vessels that are much easier to replicate, and more likely to blend in. The drawback is that the Orion shipyards are less advanced, so these copies are more likely to develop structural and engineering "knockoff" flaws that wouldn't be typical of a non-Orion vessel.

The classes which appear in Mines included the Jessup and Monon class transports and the Klondike class prospecting vessel.

Jessup class

Monon class

Klondike class

I also love imagining Trek’s trading routes and various trading hubs, infrastructure and supply lines.

The Kobayashi Maru - at least, of what was seen in Trek 09 - carried cargo compartments? I realise that the onscreen visual (from a screen) of the ship differs somewhat from the Eaglemoss diecast - however both versions have these long outrigger ‘racks’, containing smaller compartments:

https://trekclivos79.blogspot.com/2...r-uss-kobayashi-maru.html?m=1#google_vignette

There have been a couple of various designs for the Kobayashi Maru in different offscreen works, both on the assumption that she's a fictional member of a class designed solely for the program and a real class of which she's perhaps the most infamous member. FASA used the former approach with the Lotus Flower (another FASA design I like ) while Jackill used the latter with his KM design.

FASA's version

Jackill's version

I think both approaches are good, depending on the context. The Klingon and Romulan fleets in FASA also have several designs that seem comparable to the Ptolemy family in many respects, with the ability to tow cargo modules. The J-3 and J-8 designs are both "pullers" like the Ptolemy, with the J-8 having a smaller cargo capacity but being newer and more cheap to construct. It's named for a major trade hub.

Klingon G-5 Qexa (Tugboat)

Klingon G-6 Besz Ra'te (Catapult)

Romulan J-3 Ustalam Stelas (Starlifter)

Romulan J-8 Moorabbin

FASA also assumed that the famous Merchantman design (called the Monarch class in the RPG) originated as a Klingon vessel but became so successful that it spread across the galaxy, even to freighter crews in the Romulan Empire and the Federation.