Miranda class

The Miranda class is a Federation frigate.

Description
The Miranda Class is one of the oldest Federation ships still in service, designed as a smaller, workhorse counterpart to it's older sibling the Constitution Class. Initially due to be phased out with the introduction of the newer Saber Class, the Miranda Class was brought back into the spotlight, and in overwhelming numbers too. Now serving as a light frigate, the Miranda Class is ready to overwhelm the enemy lines and allow the heavier hitting starships of the fleet to get their weapons off.

Performance
From a production point of view, the Miranda is one of the cheapest Starfleet vessels. Being an early game 'cruiser', she can be built in large number quickly even at early game, when resources are tight. This places her as the mainstay of the fleet in early game.

With a cheap cost comes with a cheap performance. As a cheap cannon fodder, the Miranda Class is more suitable for attacking in groups, as its older phaser emitter and torpedo launchers has limited firepower, as well as her aged hull configuration, which hasn't seen much changes and modifications for decades, thus the light cruiser can barely hold her own when engaging alone or in very small numbers without other newer ships' support. She does however possess top-notch agility and can be mass-produced with a low cost. During the Dominion wars she is common to spot Mirandas escorting larger ships and participating in all kinds of missions, from mundane escort missions to major fleet engagements such as Operation Return. The versatility of this ship has encouraged Starfleet to spawn several variants out of this successful design.

Overall, the Miranda has an advantage in numbers and cost, she functions as a cannon fodder, paving way for the larger and the more valuable vessels.

External References
TBD