LESSON 1: Starship Defense
Photon Torpedoes
Two torpedo types were being developed simultaneously, beginning in 2215. The device Starfleet was waiting for was the second type, made operational in 2271. The basic configuration is still in use with a maximum effective tactical range of 3,500,000 km for midrange detonation yield. Variable amounts of matter and antimatter are broken into many thousand minute packets, effectively increasing the annihilation surface by three orders of magnitude. The two components are both held in suspension by powerful magnetic field sustainers within the casing at the time of torpedo warhead loading. They are held in two separate regions of the casing, however, until just after torpedo launch, as a safety measure. The maximum payload of antimatter in a standard photon torpedo is only about 1.5 kg.
Inside the Photon Torpedo
We all should be familiar with the appearance of the photon torpedo, but what is inside may still a mystery. Within the casing are installed deuterium and anti-deuterium holding tanks, central combiner tank, target acquisition, guidance, detonation assemblies, and warp sustainer engine. The multimode sustainer engine is not a true warp engine, due to it's small physical size. Rather it is a miniature M/A fuel cell, which powers the sustainer coils to grab and hold a hand-off field from the launcher tube, to continue at warp if launched during warp flight by the starship. The actual firing operation occurs in the 2 launcher tubes, one forward and one aft. Both launchers can be loaded with up to 10 torpedoes at one time for simultaneous launch. This is an effective means for simultaneous delivery to multiple targets. Casing can also be used when remote sensing probes are needed. They can be packed with sensor arrays, signal processors, and telemetry systems for launch towards nearby targets. Application will typically include stellar and planetary studies, as well as strategic reconnaissance. Targeting is directed by the tactical officer following command authorization. Target detection and prioritization are carried out by the tactical officer with aid from the computer.
Deflector Shields
The tactical deflector system is the primary defensive system of the Galaxy Class starship. It is a series of powerful deflector shields that protect both the spacecraft and its crew from hazards. 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 field closely follows the form of the vessel itself. This field is highly resistant 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. To an observer, it would appear that the intruding object has "bounced off" the shield. From the point of view of the intruding object however, the trajectory is unaffected, but the location of the starship has suddenly changed. The deflector is also effective against a wide range of electromagnetic, nuclear, and other radiated and field energies. Raising shields to defensive configuration triggers a number of special operating rules. First, active sensor scans are operated according to special protocols that are intended to minimize the interference due to the shielding affects. In other cases, the random variation of shield frequencies is modified slightly to allow a specific EM window at specific intervals necessary for data collection. Further. most defensive scenarios require sensors to be operated in "silent running" mode during which the usage of active scan sensors is not permitted and only passive sensors may be used. Also affected by deflector shields is the operation of the transporter system. It is normally impossible to transport through shields. Shield operation also has a significant impact on warp drive operations. Because of the spatial distortion inherent in the shielding generation process, there is a measurable affect on the geometry of the warp fields that propel the ship. Warp drive control software therefore contains a number of routines designed to compensate for the presence of deflector shields.
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LESSON 2: Personal and Shipboard Phasers
Personal Phasers
The primary defensive arms carried by Starfleet crew members are the small Type I and Type II phasers. They are sized for personal use and may be attached to one's uniform. Type III phaser rifles are also available for special situations, although these are rarely necessary on normal Starfleet away missions and are therefore not included in the ship's standard inventory. The power levels available to both the Type I and Type II phasers are designated 1 to 8. The Type II has an additional eight levels, from 9 to 16., all involving high proportions of nuclear disruption energy. The Type III phaser rifle has setting similar to Type II personal phaser, but it's energy reserve is nearly 50% greater.
Personal Phaser Settings
Setting 1: Light stun. Causes temporary central nervous system impairment. Subjects remain unconscious for up to 5 minutes. Higher levels of reversible CNS damage result from repeated long exposures. the damage index for this setting is zero.
Setting 2: Medium Stun. Base-type humanoids are rendered unconscious for up to fifteen minutes. Long exposures produce low levels of irreversible CNS and epithelial damage. Structural materials are not affected. the damage index is zero.
Setting 3: Heavy Stun. Base humanoids remain in a sleep state for approximately one hour. Single discharges raise 1cc of liquid water to 100 degrees C. Structural samples experience significant levels of thermal radiation. The damage index is 1.
Setting 4: Thermal effects. Base humanoids experience extensive CNS damage and epidermal EM trauma. Structural materials exhibit visible thermal shock. Discharges of more than 5 seconds produce deep heat storage effects within metal alloys. The damage index is 3.5.
Setting 5: Thermal effects. Humanoid tissue experiences severe burn effects but, due to water content, deep layers will not char. Simple personnel forcefields are penetrated after 5 seconds. Large away team fields will not be affected. The damage index is 7.
Setting 6: Disruption effects. 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 damage index is 15.
Setting 7: Disruption effects. Organic tissue damage causes immediate cessation of life processes, since disruption effects become widespread. The damage index is 50
Setting 8: Disruption effects. Cascading disruption forces cause humanoid organisms to vaporize, as 50% of affected matter transitions out of the continuim. The damage index is 120: all unprotected matter is affected and penetrated according to depth/time.
Setting 9: Disruptive effects. The damage index is 300. Medium alloy or ceramic structural materials over 100cm thickness begin exhibiting energy rebound prior to vaporization.
Setting 10: Disruption effects. The damage index is 450. Heavy alloy structural materials absorb or rebound energy. 0.55 second delay before material vaporizes.
Setting 11: Explosive/Disruption effects. The damage index is 670. Ultradense alloy structural material absorb/rebound energy. 0.20 second delayed reaction before material vaporizes. Light geologic displacement.
Setting 12: Explosive/Disruption effects. The damage index is 940. Ultradense alloy structural materials absorb/rebound energy. 0.1 second delay ed reaction before material vaporizes. Medium geologic displacement.
Setting 13: Explosive/Disruption effects. The damage index is 1100. Shielded matter exhibits minor vibrational heating effects. Medium geologic displacement.
Setting 14: Explosive/Disruption effects. The damage index is 1430. Shielded matter exhibits medium vibrational heating effects. Heavy geologic displacement.
Setting 15: Explosive/Disruption effects. The damage index is 1850. Shielded matter exhibits major vibrational heating effects. Heavy geologic displacement.
Setting 16: Explosive/Disruption effects. he damage index is 2450. Shielded matter exhibits light mechanical fracturing damage. heavy geologic displacement. During Alert conditions aboard ship and during Away Missions, the Security Division will oversee the distribution of Type II units. Training for the use of Type III Phaser Rifles is available on starbases only. Structural materials are not affected. the damage index is zero.
Shipboard Phasers
The lead defensive system maintained by Starleet Command for sublight use for the last century is the phaser, the common term for a complicated energy release process developed to replace pure EM devices such as the laser, and particle beam accelerators. Phaser is something of a hold- over acronym, PHASed Energy Rectification, referring to the original process by which stored or supplied energy entering the phaser system was converted to another form for release toward a target, without the need for an intermediate energy transformation. This remains essentially true in the current phaser effect.
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