# Empires/invasions in a Star Trek-like universe. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 30, 2008, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/empires-invasions-in-a-star-trek-like-universe/479158 "2008-12-30T02:38:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/empires-invasions-in-a-star-trek-like-universe/479158/1 "2008-12-30T02:38:27Z")
Would there be much point in invading alien planets in a ST:TNG or DS9 type universe? With the level of technology that many species have in these series they could colonise and acquire any resources they needed for their populations without resorting to conquest. Are Class M planets meant to be vanishingly rare and worth the conquest in the ST universe? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/empires-invasions-in-a-star-trek-like-universe/479158/2 "2008-12-30T02:42:19Z")
You seem to take for granted that the only reason conquest-seeking peoples would seek to conquer another planet would be for resources or other “rational” purposes. What about the simple desire to conquer? We are led to believe throughout TOS\* that this is what motivates certainly the Klingons and probably the Romulans as well. - As late as _Undiscovered Country_, very highly placed Klingons claim to need “breathing room.” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/empires-invasions-in-a-star-trek-like-universe/479158/3 "2008-12-30T02:45:44Z")
I daresay the notion of a planet with a “strategic location” doesn’t make much sense to a species with Star Trek-level interstellar travel. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/empires-invasions-in-a-star-trek-like-universe/479158/4 "2008-12-30T02:53:10Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > You seem to take for granted that the only reason conquest-seeking peoples would seek to conquer another planet would be for resources or other “rational” purposes. What about the simple desire to conquer? We are led to believe throughout TOS\* that this is what motivates certainly the Klingons and probably the Romulans as well. > > - As late as _Undiscovered Country_, very highly placed Klingons claim to need “breathing room.” Earth. Hitler. 1939. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/empires-invasions-in-a-star-trek-like-universe/479158/5 "2008-12-30T02:58:07Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I daresay the notion of a planet with a “strategic location” doesn’t make much sense to a species with Star Trek-level interstellar travel. I’m sure that Middle aged vikings would’ve said the same thing about WW2 or current day naval vessels. Yet, we all know how important places like Iwo Jima were. (_Okay, the strategic importance of that specific island is debated by some, however you know what I mean._) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/empires-invasions-in-a-star-trek-like-universe/479158/6 "2008-12-30T02:58:18Z")
;), **Aesiron** ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/empires-invasions-in-a-star-trek-like-universe/479158/7 "2008-12-30T03:16:40Z")
> [@Trocisp](#): > > I’m sure that Middle aged vikings would’ve said the same thing about WW2 or current day naval vessels. > > Yet, we all know how important places like Iwo Jima were. (_Okay, the strategic importance of that specific island is debated by some, however you know what I mean._) Sure, to refuel ships and planes. The ships in _Star Trek_ setting go forever on vaguely-defined power systems and don’t even land on planets, so why do they need them as staging areas? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/empires-invasions-in-a-star-trek-like-universe/479158/8 "2008-12-30T03:23:57Z")
I suppose a doctrine of racial superiority might be enough of a spur but it seems that it would be a waste. On Earth, wars are often fought over finite resources, in outer space, with their technology, barring some very useful, unreplicatable unobtainium-type elements there are no finite resources. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/empires-invasions-in-a-star-trek-like-universe/479158/9 "2008-12-30T03:46:06Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I daresay the notion of a planet with a “strategic location” doesn’t make much sense to a species with Star Trek-level interstellar travel. Until Borg-level transwarp technology is common among the Federation and the well-known empires and such, the fact of travel time means that there are strategic locations. It would take 70 years to get to the Idran System (Dominion Space) from Bajor without the wormhole, but if the wormhole wasn’t there, the Dominion would never want Bajor at all. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/empires-invasions-in-a-star-trek-like-universe/479158/10 "2008-12-30T03:59:06Z")
Well, okay, if you’re talking wormholes and such, I’ll admit to the possibility of strategic territory, but until the nature of the interstellar travel is established, it may be moot. Why bother taking Organia, for example, if you can just sail around it? If, in fact, just slowing down to orbit Organia represents a huge waste of time when you could be sailing along at 500_c_?