In a Nutshell

For more about weaponry in the Andromeda universe, check out SPACE.com' s online guide.

In general, this universe looks like an exciting place to be. But before you rush to enlist in the High Guard, a word of warning, this universe can bea very harsh realm. To give you an idea of the dangers soldiers face, here's a little definition from the web site:

"SUICIDE SWITCH: Device used by smaller ships in a battlegroup to masquerade as a high value asset, usually a Heavy Cruiser. The suicide switch mimicsthe sensor cross-section of the high-value asset, making the user a more attractive target for incoming offensive missiles."    More Stories 'Andromeda' Guide to Military Technology Dispatches from 'Andromeda' - The Nietzscheans 'Andromeda' Going Beyond the Federation Frontier Sneak Peek: Robert Wolfe Talks Gene Roddenberry and 'Andromeda'    Related Links Tribune Entertainment Roddenberry Productions Andromeda The High Guard probably shouldn't mention this passage in their recruitment literature.

SPACE.com: Andromeda seems to focus on military tactics and psychology. What sort of exposure have you had to the armed forces?

Robert Hewitt Wolfe: I'm an army brat. My father was in the Special Forces. So I grew up on military bases. The focus of the show certainly isn't military, but I do want to get those details right. Additionally, Ashley Edward Miller, one of our staff writers, is a consultant on combat operations for the US Navy. When we hired him, he was working for the Pentagon.

SC: You go into great detail about the relative strength of ships and their armaments. It reminds me of manuals for some roleplaying games. I easily see this as the basis of a great strategy/simulation game. What sort of influence has gaming had in designing this universe?

RHW: Well, some of our writers and our technical consultant played a lot of strategy games in our college days. Again, strategy and tactics aren't the primary emphasis of the show, but we do want to give our ships and space combat a realistic feel.

SC: The science is also very detailed for a TV show. What's your science background?

RHW: My first year at UCLA, I majored in electrical engineering. As a result, I have a good background in physics, math, and chemistry.

SC: When writing about nanotech, what sort of source material do you use for inspiration?

RHW: News reports, science magazines, science fiction novels and our imaginations.

SC: Do you have a technical advisor?

RHW: Yes. Paul Woodmansee, our technical/science advisor is a spacecraft propulsion engineer at JPL [Jet Propulsion Laboratory]. He's a former satellite launch supervisor for the Air Force and has a Masters [degree] in aeronautical engineering from the Air Force Graduate Institute (I think that's what it's called). He's also got a great web site where he answers peoples questions about space science.

SC: What's his role?

RHW: To keep us from making idiots of ourselves, basically. He gives notes on all the scripts from a science, engineering, and military perspective. If our science is skewed, he helps us find ways to get it back on track.

SC: The force-lance and bracers seem look like they would come in handy for hand-to-hand combat. Given [series star] Kevin Sorbo's action experience with Hercules, how important will physical action be for the show?

RHW: Physical action will definitely be part of the show, though not as much of a part as it was in Hercules. I believe Herc had three to four fully choreographed action sequences per episode. We may do that many in some shows, but our emphasis will be much more on story and character (and space combat).

SC: Lancers seem like Marines. Or are they more like Round Table knights? Or both?

RHW: Both. And good old infantry. And armor. Basically, the Lancers are the Commonwealth's Army/Marines and the Argosy is the Commonwealth's Navy/Coast Guard/Air Force. Both the Lancers and the Argosy have a strong chivalric tradition dating back from the days of the Vedran Empire.

SC: The standard operational cycle for any starship activity is called the OODA Loop (Orient, Observe, Decide, Act). It seems to have its roots in Sun Tzu's The Art of War. Has that been an influence in creating the character of the High Guard?

RHW: Well Sun Tzu has definitely had a profound influence on human military science and humans have had a profound influence on the Commonwealth armed forces (having had a hand in the High Guard Reforms of CY 6903), so indirectly, yes.

SC: Why so many different types of ships?

RHW: For the sake of realism. And to create our own distinct "flavor" for the Commonwealth and the Argosy.

SC: Who came up with all those configurations?

RHW: Mostly Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz, with plenty of input from Paul Woodmansee and an occasional instance of benevolent dictatorship from me.