Starfleet is not primarily a military organization. Despite its military ranks and procedures, its frequent space battles, and its ships which carry enough firepower to bake the crust of a planet, Starfleet is devoted primarily to the peaceful exploration of space and the policing of Federation spacelanes. However, there are times when military intervention becomes necessary. High tech combat equipment is essential for the support of these military missions.
This is a source of combat equipment available in the Archangel universe. This is not a complete list - it's a big universe out there - but we try to be pretty accurate to the game.
Body ArmourAblative armour specifically designed to
take phaser fire and disrupt instead of the wearer. This
can only be hit a few times until it is useless. |
|
These devices monitor the user's life signs and sends a beacon for teleport when the user's life is in danger. Two such devices are used. One is a small device that is worn about the wrist and the other is in the form of a chip which is inserted under the skin at the level of the wrist. These beacons have to be configured for each individual race in order to get the precise measurements and emergency category.
All grenades weigh one pound and are made of plastic, but come with a removable metal sabot enabling them to be fired out of grenade launchers. They can be impact-fused or delay-fused (1 to 30 seconds)
The different types of grenades available to Starfleet personnel are:
Plasma
Flash
Chemical
Sonic
Flash grenades release a pillar of smoke and burn brightly, even underwater, providing light for combat purposes. The flare grenade puts off a bright flash once fused and anyone without anti-glare protection will be blinded for a short period of time.
Chemical grenades are capable of containing several types of chemicals for specific purposes. Some prime examples are Anesthezine, Kayolane, Melorazine, Morphazine, Nerve gas and smoke. See the Medicines section for more details.
Sonic grenades are non-lethal weapon originally intended for riot dispersal. Once set off, it "screams" at a deafening pitch, oscillating up and down the audible scale and on nerve-shattering subsonic levels. It lasts for 30 seconds. Marine and security personnel implementing these devices need protection to keep from being effected as well.
This weapon was originally Designed after the Wolf 359 incident and is specifically designed to do extreme amounts of damage to Borg vessels. Based around a plasma weapon it uses a Heavy Gravity field.
The basic theory is as follows. Shields use a subspace harmonic to create their cohesion. It has been found that a shield can be rendered useless in Heavy Graviton fields and Starfleet recognized this as a potential weakness. If the frequency is correct you can distort another ships shields without affecting your own. In essence this is how the Heavy Graviton Plasma driver works. The actual Plasma weapon is a very crude, high power phaser of sorts which, although not as highly tuned as the type X phaser array, can do awesome amounts of damage. If the ship it is firing at has shields, it does very little damage. However in conjunction with a Heavy Graviton distortion driver the result is very similar to a Quantum Torpedo. The tuned plasma goes straight through the outer shields of the ship and tears into the hull to do massive amounts of damage.
There are two forms of portable holographic devices that are used in the field. One is used for unit operation and the other is used for personal operation. The unit device is strapped to the back of the operator and can have several uses to help covert operations and other special operations. The device can provide cover for an entire unit but requires constant manipulation by the operator.
The personal device is light weight and worn as a vest. It is capable of giving the user a different appearance and requires no special operation.
LASER was once an acronym for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation." Now the name has become generic for any coherent energy beam. There are several older models of laser weapons available but these unreliable devices have been replaced by the phaser.
This low tech footwear gives the wearer quiet footfalls.
Phasers are the standard defensive sidearm of Starfleet. They also serve as the defensive weapon for most Starships. They fire a highly cohesive, phased particle/electromagnetic beam capable of effects from light stun to total disintegration of solid matter. There are three types of Phaser sidearms:
The Phaser I is a small hand-held Phaser that can be easily concealed.
The Phaser II is larger, but has more range.
The Phaser III, also known as a Phaser Rifle, has an extremely long range, and is very powerful. It is not commonly used, except in military applications.
The Phaser IV, also known as the Compressed Phaser Rifle, is similar to the Type III phaser but is capable of creating a concentrated burst of phaser energy. The power release for each setting is the same but the effect is much more destructive in nature. Up to 50% more damage is capable.
The Phaser Rifle and the Compressed Phaser Rifle have an advanced targeting system used for increased accuracy, especially at long range. The targeting device is mounted on the top of the weapon and displays crosshairs on the exact point of impact. The display also gives the range to the target.
Phasers operate at varying power levels, starting with Stun effects and going up to total molecular disruption. Phaser I's can only fire at settings 1 through 8, but Phaser II's and III's can fire at all sixteen settings.
The effects at the various levels are:
Setting 1 - Light stun
Discharge energy index 15.75 for 0.25 seconds. This setting is calibrated for base humanoid physiology, and causes temporary central nervous system (CNS) impairment, and subjects remain unconscious for up to five minutes. Higher levels of reversible CNS damage results from repeated long exposures. The discharge energy index is related to RNE protonic charge levels. Standard median-density components structural material samples, are not permanently affected, although small vibrational warming will be detected. A standard composite sample consists of multiple layers of tritanium, duranium, cortenite, lignin, and lithium-silicon-carbon 372. A standardized damage index is derived for setting comparisons; each whole number represents the number of centimeters of material penetrated or molecularly damaged. The structural damage index for this setting is zero.
Setting 2 - Medium stun
Discharge energy index 45.30 for 0.75 seconds. This setting renders base-type humanoids unconscious for up to fifteen minutes, and resistant humanoids for up to five minutes. Long exposures produce low levels of irreversible CNS and epithelial damage. Structural materials are not affected, though higher levels of vibrational warming are evident. The structural damage index is zero.
Setting 3 - Heavy stun
Discharge energy index 160.65 for 1.025 seconds. Base humanoids will remain in a sleep-like state for approximately one hour, while resistant bio-forms is rendered unconscious for up to fifteen minutes. Single discharge raises 1 cc of liquid water by 100 °C. Structural samples experience significant levels of thermal radiation. The structural damage index is 1.
Setting 4 - Thermal Effects
Discharge energy index 515.75 for 1.5 seconds. Base humanoids experience extensive CNS damage and epidermal EM trauma, while structural materials exhibit visible thermal shock. Discharges of longer than five seconds produce deep heat storage effects within metal alloys. The structural damage index is 3.5.
Setting 5 - Thermal Effects
Discharge energy index 857.5 for 1.5 seconds. Humanoid tissue experiences severe burn effects, but due to water content in the body, deep layers will not char. Simple personnel force-fields are penetrated after five seconds exposure. Large Away Team Force Fields will not be affected. The structural damage index is 7.
Setting 6 - Disruption Effects
Discharge energy index 2,700 for 1.75 seconds. Organic tissues and structural materials exhibit comparable penetration and molecular damage effects as higher energies cause matter to dissociate rapidly. Familiar thermal effects begin decreasing at this level. The structural damage index is 15.
Setting 7 - Disruption Effects
Discharge energy index 4,900 for 1.75 seconds. Organic tissue damage causes immediate cessation of life processes, since disruption effects become widespread at this setting. The structural damage index is 50.
Setting 8 - Disruption Effects
Discharge energy index 15,000 for 1.75 seconds. Cascading disruption forces cause humanoid organisms to vaporize, as 50 % of affected matter transitions out of the continuum. The structural damage index is 120. All unprotected matter is affected and penetrated according to depth and time of exposure.
Setting 9 - Disruption Effects
Discharge energy index 65.000 for 1,5 seconds. The structural damage index is 300, and medium alloy or ceramic structural materials over 100 centimeters in thickness begin exhibiting energy rebound prior to vaporization.
Setting 10 - Disruption Effects
Discharge energy index 125,000 for 1.3 seconds. The structural damage index is 450, and heavy alloy structural materials absorb or rebound energy, with a 0.55 seconds delay before material vaporizes.
Setting 11 - Explosive / Disruption Effects
Discharge energy index 300,000 for 0.78 seconds. The structural damage index is 670, and ultra-dense alloy structural materials absorb and rebounds energy, with a 0.20 seconds delayed reaction before material vaporizes. Light geologic displacement occurs. Equal to or lesser than 10 m3 of rock or ore of 6.0 grams per cm3 is explosively uncoupled per discharge.
Setting 12 - Explosive / Disruption Effects
Discharge energy index 540,000 for 0.82 seconds. The structural damage index is 940, and ultra-dense alloy structural materials absorb and rebound energy, with a 0.1 second delayed reaction before material vaporizes. Medium geologic displacement occurs. Equal to or lesser than 50 m3 of rock or ore of 6.0 grams per cm3 is explosively uncoupled per discharge.
Setting 13 - Explosive / Disruption Effects
Discharge energy index 720,000 for 0.82 seconds. The structural damage index is 1,100, and shielded matter exhibits minor vibrational heating effects. Medium geologic displacement occurs. Equal to or lesser than 90 m3 of rock or ore of 6.0 grams per cm3 is explosively uncoupled per discharge.
Setting 14 - Explosive / Disruption Effects
Discharge energy index 930,000 for 0.75 seconds. The structural damage index is 1,430, and shielded matter exhibits medium vibrational heating effects. Heavy geologic displacement occurs. Equal to or lesser than 160 m3 of rock or ore of 6.0 grams per cm3 is explosively uncoupled per discharge.
Setting 15 - Explosive / Disruption Effects
Discharge energy index 1,700,000 for 0.32 seconds. The structural damage index is 1,850, and shielded matter exhibits major vibrational heating effects. Heavy geologic displacement occurs. Equal to or lesser than 370 m3 of rock or ore of 6.0 grams per cm3 is explosively uncoupled per discharge.
Setting 16 - Explosive / Disruption Effects
Discharge energy index 2,550,000 for 0.28 seconds. The structural damage index is 2,450, and shielded matter exhibits light mechanical fracturing damage. Heavy geologic displacement occurs. Equal to or lesser than 650 m3 of rock or ore of 6.0 grams per cm3 is explosively uncoupled per discharge.
You should be warned that Phasers set on very high settings cause an unusually high amount of damage - both disruptive and explosive. Phasers set on high settings not only mean bye-bye victim, but bye-bye nearby objects as well.
* Note: at settings 11 - 16, Phaser fire also causes an explosion of the same damage as the Phaser setting.
Phasers use Saurium Krellide power cells allowing
for large amounts of energy storage. Fully charged energy storage
rating for each Phaser type in MilliJoules is:
TYPE |
CHARGE (MJ) |
I |
7,200,000 |
II |
45,000,000 |
III |
67,500,000 |
IV |
101,250,000 |
For example, a fully charged Phaser II could fire off 9,183 shots at setting 7, and 2,812,500 shots if set on setting 1. Under normal situations, it is doubtful that the power cell of a fully charged Phaser will be depleted. Of course, the higher settings, 11-16, take a lot more power and will deplete the power cell quickly. For example, a Type II phaser will have only 17 shots at setting 16.
Phasers can also be set for overload, a process where all the energy remaining within the power cell is released explosively. The safety interlocks must first be disabled. During the overload process, the Phaser will emit a high-pitched squeal which increases in pitch while overload is occurring. During the 30-second build-up, the overload can be deactivated by re-enabling the interlock. After 30 seconds, the Phaser will explode, causing SEVERE explosion damage.
All of the phasers are capable of the "wide beam" setting. This will generate a cone shaped beam capable of effecting a larger area, at the cost of increased charge output. The Type IV phaser is capable of the add-on option of a fan setting and a scatter setting. This would allow for a wide area of effect for the higher settings without the MUCH higher power usage and collateral damage.
For Heavy Weapons combat, large power cell belts are used to increase the charge of a Phaser Type III and Phaser Type IV for up to five times the normal capacity. This is especially useful when using the wide, fan or scatter settings of the weapons.
This is a modified Phaser III rifle. This rifle has been modified so that the beam it produces is in the IR part of the visible spectrum which makes it is invisible to human eyes. The main disadvantage of this device is that the weapon is quite bulky with extra cooling coils required and it can only fire up to setting 5. This weapon also features a long distance electronic sight. Exclusively for SFMC Recon
Romulan Disruptors are essentially identical to a Phaser II except that they are slightly heavier, around 1.75 pounds. Romulans also have a Phaser III like weapon with similar stats to the Federation Phaser III.
Klingon Disruptors are similar to Phaser II's with only power levels 8 and 9 available. Also, weight is around 2.5 pounds, since they have a larger power cell. However, they only have 200 charges due to the fact that the Klingon power cell is less sophisticated than the ones the Federation or the Romulans use.
Other Disruptors, such as the ones used by the Ferengi and other races, are similar to Phaser I's in effectiveness, charges, range, etc., but are like Phaser II's in size.
Starship Phasers are much like the regular hand-held Phasers, except bigger. Much bigger. There are three types of ship Phasers that are used in current Starfleet ships.
Type Ten Phasers are the main Phaser bank aboard any Starship. They are extremely powerful. They have been connected directly to the Warp Drive engines for even more powerful discharges. Newer Type Ten Phasers are set up in a Phaser array on the underside of the saucer section of starships, and can fire in an almost 360 degree arc (with the exception of directly aft of the ship, which is covered by another array in the stern). This also gives the saucer section a defensive mechanism during times when it is separated from engineering. Note that during these times, the engineering section of the ship does not have to maintain the saucer section, giving it even more power to use in Phaser battles.
Type Nine Phasers are the secondary Phasers used as backups to the main Phaser bank. They are not quite as powerful, nor are they attached to the Warp Drive engines. They receive their power from the Impulse engines. They are placed in Phaser arrays in strategic locations around the ship.
Type Eight Phasers are point defense Phasers, and are also the Phaser Cannons used in "Menagerie". They are generally set up at points where either the primary or secondary Phasers have "blind spots", as well as near entrances to the ship, in order to repel boarding parties. There are also portable Phaser Cannons that can be set up anywhere required.
Starship Phasers can be set on settings similar to hand-held Phasers, but with a much greater effect. The stun settings can even be used, but on a much wider area. The stun effect will affect everyone in the area of effect, friend or foe. The stun effect can be set on as small an area as one city block, or as large as an entire planet, although a sweep of the planet would be necessary to achieve this effect. The other use of Starship Phasers would be on attacking vessels
Starfleet has been playing with the idea of Phaser Cannons for well over 50 years. Numerous test prototypes have been produced and unfortunately failed. A Phaser Cannon, or most commonly known as the Disruptor Cannon takes a large amount of phased energy and bundles it in a cohesive shell. This shell is either magnetic or graviton based, however over distance it does dissipate, leaving the phased energy to escape into space, rendering it harmless. The Klingon, Romulan and Breen Empires all have developed disruptor technology and developed it to a point where it is a very effective weapon with an excellent range.
The Federation however took a different path in the design of its phased energy technology, opting for a more refined singular beam. This Type X array has severed Starfleet well, however it does have its downfalls. Helm to Tactical response times were highly unacceptable with a mobile, very powerful attack force. This factor, in combination with phaser array refocusing time forced Starfleet to develop the new Phaser Cannon. This development project was also pushed into being by the first Borg Encounter in system J-25. Previously all test projects had failed, however this time, with help from Malz, a renown Klingon scientist the highly unusual Federation style Phaser cannon came into being. The cannon uses a pulse modulated graviton shell to hold the phased energy together, the energy itself being fed directly from the Warp engines (instead of from batteries supplied by the warp core). Once fitted to the Defiant these cannon (four all together) proved to be excellent in simulated wargame exercises, the Helm to Tactical response time nearly flatlined. However problems arose with the amount of energy being channeled from the Defiant's oversized warpcore. There was massive recoil problems with the ships warp nacelles threatening to be torn off, the SIF not able to cope with the extra stress.
The problems were, over time, cured by designers, but not before Starfleet had officially closed the project after primary testing. When the ship came out of storage engineers already had a blueprint of how to modify the SIF so the Cannons were no longer a problem.
Photon Torpedoes are another offensive weapon of Federation Starships. They are considered to be Matter/Anti-Matter "missiles"..
The launch tube induces a warp field in receptor coils in the torpedo casing. A sustainer coil augments the induced field using warhead matter/antimatter components as propellant and provides for mid-flight course and speed corrections.
The warhead consists of a few kilograms of matter and antimatter. Before launch the reactants are stored in different areas of the casing. Approximately one second after successful launch, the warhead arms and the reactants are brought into proximity separated by force fields. At detonation, the fields drive the reactants quickly together.
Minimum safe target range is 15 kilometers. Maximum range for nominal warhead yield is 3.5 million kilometers.
Galaxy class starships carry 275 torpedo casings.
Up to 10 torpedoes can be launched as a single unit. After traveling for 150 meters, they separate into distinct delivery systems.
Starfleet tactics include simultaneous discharge of phasers and torpedoes. The phasers locally weaken the target's defensive shields allowing the torpedoes to penetrate and detonate within the shield perimeter, usually resulting in complete destruction of the target.
A "Photon" torpedo is a torpedo casing (with a *very* small warp engine which has enough fuel for a few seconds of "power-assisted" flight), fired from a huge rail-gun. The casing carries a warhead of a few hundred grams of antimatter in a magnetic "bottle". Upon impact, the magnetic bottle disintegrates, and the anti-matter impacts with the inside of the casing, providing a *very* powerful explosion, with a blast of mega doses of broad-spectrum radiation, with "extra" energy in the X-ray and Gamma ray range... *THAT* is what does all the damage.
So why is it called a Photon torpedo? When electrons and antielectrons (positrons) collide and annihilate each other photons are emitted.
Starfleet for some time now has been worried about the well established photon torpedo, which although highly effective in combat has been known to 'backfire', some times wrecking starships in the process.
The major difference between the quantum and photon torpedo has to do with the warhead.
Photon torpedoes use a mixed matter/anti-matter reaction as their warhead. This can create a powerful explosion, but is unsafe. Anti-matter is very unstable and must be kept in a magnetically-sealed container. You often hear in a battle situation, that before torpedoes are launched, the weapons officer has to arm them. Armed meaning that the torpedoes must be filled with anti-matter before they can be fired. This process is relatively fast, a matter of seconds, but seconds can be a bad thing when in battle. A malfunction in the arming mechanism can ignite the anti-matter and blow a hole in the hull of the starship. For this reason the Starfleet weapon designers came up with the quantum torpedo.
Designers had to find a power source for the warhead that was stable and powerful. Something that could be loaded into a torpedo when their made and remain stable throughout a mission. The designers found such a power source in the form of the Quantum Filament. You will recall that the Quantum Filament is a natural form of energy in space. It has no mass and if triggered just right can release almost astronomic amounts of energy. Using reading taken by science teams studying natural filaments, the designers created small artificial filaments. What makes a Quantum torpedo so powerful is that the warhead contains 50-100 small artificial filaments. These can be loaded into a torpedo before they are put on a starship, and remain stable. The filaments can then be made active by a cascade reaction activated when the torpedo is launched from a starship. Up on impact the filaments spread out and explode, ripping any starship hull apart.
Overall the Quantum Torpedo is one of the major advances in weapons technology for over 100 years and has aided in keeping both the Borg and Dominion at bay since its inception.
After the First Galactic War, the Starfleet Corps of Engineers realized that the need for a new type of torpedo had arisen. This discovery had been made during the First Galactic War, when it was discovered that Romulans could easily lock onto and destroy the Quantum Torpedo.
Quantum Torpedos were a great advance in Federation technology, so much so that nobody noticed the inherent design flaws that were unwittingly built into every torpedo. One such of flaw was that enemy vessels could tap into the arming mechanism and detonate the torpedo without even boarding the starship.
To correct the errors, design engineers built a safety mechanism into the Quantum Flux Torpedo, which prevented the torpedo from detonated with in thirty meters of the ships hull. This was accompanied by a fluctuating targeting dispersal generator, which was where the name Quantum Flux Torpedo was derived from. Another new adjustment that makes a Quantum Flux Torpedo so powerful is that the warhead contains 100-200 small artificial Quantum Filaments, up to a hundred more that the Quantum Torpedo.
The Isokinetic Cannon is a powerful weapons system developed by a species native to the Delta Quadrant. Designed to penetrate heavy shielding and inflict serious damage with a single shot, the isokinetic cannon was purchased by the USS Voyager in exchange for 125 isolinear computer chips. The Cannon was installed on board Voyager for a test firing; despite a successful test, a subsequent misunderstanding occurred in which the manufacturer of the device was killed before it could be integrated into Voyagers tactical systems.
Despite this tragedy, Voyager retained the cannon and finally managed to fully intergrate it with the shielding and targeting systems.
This is one of the staple devices for marine combat missions. It is simply a tricorder device that is specifically designed for combat use and hand's free operation. Some of it's abilities include:
Voice Activated Commands
Heads Up Display (HUD) visor
Light Enhancement
Polarized Vision
Full Light Spectrum Sight
Schematics Display
Motion Detection
Life Form Detection
Spatial Sensory
Viewing Magnification 2X-100X
Auto Mapping
Image/Motion Recording
The HUD is used to display the information given by the Ramrock. This visor is also used to provide vision in complete darkness with the use of light enhancement and full light spectrum sight. The visor is also polarized to prevent temporary blindness in the user after bright flashes of light. The images viewed can also be magnified anywhere from 2X to 100X their normal size. The X4's spatial sensors can give precise distances and will allow for auto mapping which proves invaluable during recon operations. Motion and life detection are also available for help in target acquisition in combat situations.
The X4 has the capability to record anything the wearer is viewing. This ability is widely used for reconnaissance, post mission briefings and training exercises. These video recordings are also used to supplement personal logs. There are several mission "videos" on file from different Starfleet battles and most of the individual combat awards and decorations reports include such recordings.
There is also another model, the X5, that also provides a connection to the main computer, which will tap into the full array of sensors available and provide functions similar to a standard tricorder, using the HUD visor for display purposes. This can be used to detect many things such as energy, power and radiation sources (for detecting weapons being fired); minerals, metals and chemical compounds (for detecting illegal contraband); holographic images and force fields; and even biological material (for detecting specific life forms). Because the X5 model needs contact with the computer, they are not normally used in the field.
Deflector shields are focused spatial distortions resulting in a deflective graviton field. This field effect is generated by waveguides on the outer hull of the ship.
Deflector shields have a significant fratricidal effect on the warp fields. Neither system can be operated at optimal efficiency when both are in operation.
Like most forcefield devices, the deflector system creates a localized zone of highly focused spatial distortion within which an energetic graviton field is maintained. The deflector field itself is emitted and shaped by a series of conformal transmission grids on the spacecraft exterior, resulting in a field that closely follows the form of the vehicle itself. This field is highly resistive to impact due to mechanical incursions ranging from relativistic subatomic particles to more massive objects at lesser relative velocities. When such an intrusion occurs, field energy is concentrated at the point of impact, creating an intense, localized spatial distortion.
Basically all this says is that the shields are a set of reversed gravity screens. if anything 'hits' the screens, the shield system reverses the gravitational acceleration in that zone, counteracting the force of the photon torpedo or whatever. To the torpedo, it will seem like it hit something solid.
In combat, the shield frequency is modulated at random to prevent opponents from matching a weapon frequency to shield frequency. During the frequency change, sensor operations are performed. Such deflector "windows" can sometimes be used to transport to a ship whose shield are operating. Although normally the transporter requires more bandwidth than the window allows.
Similar to starship deflector shields, these portable shields provide focused spatial distortions resulting in a deflective graviton field. These devices are capable of providing shielding for a whole unit while being operated by an individual. The device is strapped to the back and resembles a large, heavy backpack. The frequency of the shield can be modulated by the operator to give the unit's phasers "windows" for attacks.
These weapons produce concentrated sound - a high-pitched, rasping squeal. They don't operate in a vacuum. A slammer literally tears the flesh from its victim's bones. These also have a stun setting.
During the initial scare in System J-25 with the Borg one of Starfleet's many projects was the Tri-Cobalt Device. It was the predecessor of the Quantum Torpedo but in effect had ten times the destructive capability. Again, this project used three of the most powerful explosives know to Starfleet: Tri-Cobalt, Antimatter and Quantum Filaments. As mentioned above the Quantum Torpedo uses Quantum Filaments which arc out over the targets hull ripping it to shreds, however the principle with the Tri-Cobalt device differs from this. Tri- Cobalt is normally a reasonable stable compound unless it is broken down at the molecular level. In the past Starfleet had tried to use it as an explosive, but failed due to impractical methods. However with the discovery of Artificial Quantum filaments the situation changed drastically.
The design of the Tri-Cobalt device is highly unique in the Alpha Quadrant. It uses a three tier warhead. One compartment is loaded with Antimatter, one with around 200 Quantum filaments and an appropriate amount of Tri-Cobalt. Upon impact there is a number of things that happen inside the warhead. Firstly the Quantum filaments are released into the Tri-Cobalt chamber creating a cascade reaction, mixing the Tri-Cobalt into a highly volatile mixture. A millisecond later the magnetic containment field around the antimatter is released and the active Tri-Cobalt and Anti hydrogen mix together creating a lethal explosion. The weapon is capable of disabling starships with one blow, as Starfleet unfortunately found out.
Initial testing of the weapon took place just before Wolf 359. Designers were panicked and rushing the project through under Starfleet's hasty gaze. USS Keel, an Excelsior class ship was the test vessel. The first few barrages in the Asteroid field in the Terran system proved to be massively successful. However in the final day of testing an accident occurred. One of the devices lodged itself in its launching tube and the warhead went critical. The resultant explosion tore the saucer section clean off the Keel and the minutes later the warp core in the drive section went critical. A total of 40 lives were lost in the accident and only weeks later Wolf 359 Occurred.
Designers eventually figured out what had gone wrong. The Tri-Cobalt device was in theory much heavier than a standard photon torpedo, and although the designers had taken this into account when modifying the launching tubes on the Keel they had not been sufficient. After the disaster at Wolf 359 Starfleet was still interested in using the Tri-Cobalt device on Starships. Quantum Torpedoes were now in development, however the sheer destructive capability of the weapon was seen as a possible defense against the Borg, whose vessels were very large targets. The designers took the launching system back to the drawing board and eventually came up with a highly safe system. From that point on Starfleet orders all new ships to be fitted with this kind of launching system and a steady retrofitting of the defensive capabilities of the other ships in the fleet (Note the Lakota). The standard ship compliment is for four Tri-Cobalt devices. Any more would pose great danger to the ship. In addition, ships on diplomatic or internal missions have the warheads removed for safety reasons.
This is a device worn about the neck by the user which disguises their voice as anything previously sampled. Currently, these devices are not capable of interfacing to computers.
These devices generate white noise which masks noise and gives the illusion of silence. There is a large unit capable of providing cover for a whole combat unit and a smaller personal unit. These devices are mainly used for covert operations for stealth.
This is a crescent-shaped, two-handed sword. It is also the legendary Sword of Honor, first created by the Klingon warrior Kahless the Unforgettable over 1500 years ago.
The d'k tahg, also called the Klingon Ceremonial Blade, is a large knife designed to inflict extra damage on impaling attacks. It has two small 'arms' that snap out into position before combat begins. These arms are designed to increase the amount of impaling damage.
The gin'tak spear has a large, oddly-shaped blade set on a short thick haft into which are carved a regular series of notches. The butt of the haft has two animal fangs set into it. Because of its large head, it does more damage than similarly-sized spears. It is used entirely for combat.
The kut'luch is a large knife with a serrated blade that leaves a nasty wound. It is usually used by assassins, and as such is frequently poisoned. It can be considered the "dishonorable" counterpart to the d'k tahg.
mek'leth
The recently noted weapon of the empire, whose popularity has also recently risen. A single handed weapon shorter blade than the bat'leth of approximately 525mm in length. Used in both the reverse grip and the traditional grip. Mek'leth means "Sword of Reason", or literally, "Reason Sword".
The qa'vak spear is a slim metal javelin used in the Klingon game of qa'vak, the object of which is to hurl the spear through the center of a half-meter hoop rolled through a series of stakes. This is considered essential training for the Klingon ceremonial hunt, which is performed using the qa'vak spears.
The ahn-woon is an ancient Vulcan weapon consisting of a strip of leather that can be used as a noose or a whip.
The lirpa is an ancient Vulcan weapon with a spade-shaped blade on one end and a heavy bludgeon at the other often used during Pon Farr ritual combats. The lirpa is a very heavy, unfamiliar weapon that requires a strong user.
A strand of wire a few molecules thick is stretched along the edge of a reinforced sword or knife, enabling the weapon to cut through almost anything as the wire slashes into the target at the molecular level. It can cut through most materials in time but it must be able to cut into an angle such as a corner, since the monowire is only along a blade's edge, it cannot cut into a flat surface. These weapons are considered unethical by Starfleet.