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* General term covering nadion-based particle beam weaponry | ==Technical== | ||
* General term covering [[nadion]]-based particle beam weaponry | |||
** Most well-associated with the [[Federation]], but also independently developed by the [[Ferengi]] and [[Third Republic of Bajor|Bajor]] | ** Most well-associated with the [[Federation]], but also independently developed by the [[Ferengi]] and [[Third Republic of Bajor|Bajor]] | ||
** Mid-22nd century, known as either phase pistols (handheld variants) or phase cannons (starship-mounted variants) (ENT) | ** Mid-22nd century, known as either phase pistols (handheld variants) or phase cannons (starship-mounted variants) (ENT) | ||
Line 23: | Line 25: | ||
*** Kill | *** Kill | ||
**** Known as "force 3" c.23rd century (TOS: "Operation: Annihilate!") | **** Known as "force 3" c.23rd century (TOS: "Operation: Annihilate!") | ||
*** Disintegrate | |||
**** c.24th century, uppermost settings, up to level 16 (''TNG Technical Manual''; TNG Novel: ''Vendetta'') | |||
***** Only available on type-2 hand devices | |||
***** At maximum power, capable of destroying a 100m span of metamorphic rock (TNG Novel: ''Vendetta'') | |||
****** Sustained blast forces shutdown for 6 seconds to prevent overload (TNG Novel: ''Vendetta'') | |||
****** Fully charged type-2 phaser capable of 10 shots before nearly depleting power cell (TNG Novel: ''Vendetta'') | |||
* Hand weapons powered by [[sarium krellide]] cells (ENT: "The Andorian Incident"; TNG: "In Theory") | * Hand weapons powered by [[sarium krellide]] cells (ENT: "The Andorian Incident"; TNG: "In Theory") | ||
** Generates constant, detectable EM field while powered, even when not in use (DS9 Novel: ''Mission Gamma: Cathedral'') | |||
** General landing party protocol to carry one extra fully-charged cell in gear (DIS Novel: ''Desperate Hours'') | ** General landing party protocol to carry one extra fully-charged cell in gear (DIS Novel: ''Desperate Hours'') | ||
* Shipboard weapons involve multiple prefire chambers injecting nadion energy in sequence before emitting phaser beam (VOY Novel: ''Mosaic'') | * Shipboard weapons involve multiple prefire chambers injecting nadion energy in sequence before emitting phaser beam (VOY Novel: ''Mosaic'') | ||
** If not charged in proper sequence, can lead to backfire, explosion (VOY Novel: ''Mosaic'') | ** If not charged in proper sequence, can lead to backfire, explosion (VOY Novel: ''Mosaic'') | ||
* Phaser technology also applied to certain non-offensive areas | |||
** Industrial drilling (SCE Short Story: "Ambush") | |||
** Metal machining (SCE Short Story: "Ambush") | |||
==History== | ==History== | ||
Line 39: | Line 51: | ||
* c.2300: [[Starfleet]] model hand phaser upgraded (DS9 Novel: ''Demons of Air and Darkness'') | * c.2300: [[Starfleet]] model hand phaser upgraded (DS9 Novel: ''Demons of Air and Darkness'') | ||
** Among changes in new model were removal of design flaw preventing weapon discharge in ambient radiation above 500 rads (DS9 Novel: ''Demons of Air and Darkness'') | ** Among changes in new model were removal of design flaw preventing weapon discharge in ambient radiation above 500 rads (DS9 Novel: ''Demons of Air and Darkness'') | ||
* c.early 2374: Regenerative phaser technology developed, allowing for functioning within environments that would otherwise suppress phaser functioning (DS9: "Field of Fire"; DS9 Novel: ''Mission Gamma: Lesser Evil'') | |||
==Related Devices== | |||
===Rapid-frequency nadion-pulse cannon=== | |||
* High-power planetary defense installation (TNG Novel: ''A Time to Kill'') | |||
** Fires packets consisting of millions of individual nadion pulses at distinct nutations (TNG Novel: ''A Time to Kill'') | |||
*** Rapid cycling, coupled with high power level, harmonizes with [[deflectors|deflector shields]], resulting in shield emitter overload (TNG Novel: ''A Time to Kill'') | |||
* Initial prototypes proposed, developed 2366 as [[Anti-Borg weapons|anti-Borg weapon]] (TNG Novel: ''A Time to Kill'') | |||
** Deemed too complex for widespread deployment (TNG Novel: ''A Time to Kill'') | |||
** Deployed in second test implementation c.2372 on [[Tezwa]] in preparation for potential defense against [[Klingon Empire]] following abrogation of [[Khitomer Accords]] by [[Klingon Chancellor|Chancellor]] [[Gowron]] (TNG Novel: ''A Time to Kill'') | |||
[[Category:Weapons]] | [[Category:Weapons]] |
Latest revision as of 20:25, 21 May 2019
Technical
- General term covering nadion-based particle beam weaponry
- Most well-associated with the Federation, but also independently developed by the Ferengi and Bajor
- Mid-22nd century, known as either phase pistols (handheld variants) or phase cannons (starship-mounted variants) (ENT)
- By late-22nd century, known colloquially as phasers (or occasionally lasers) (ENT Novel: Live By the Code; TOS: "The Cage")
- Projects beam of rapid pulses of phased nadions at particular frequencies (TNG: "The Mind's Eye")
- Allowable frequency range for a given device determined by calibration of collimation lens (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)
- Frequency of pulses determines color of beam (TNG: "Best of Both Worlds, Part I")
- Following first-contact with the Borg, Starfleet hand phasers upgraded to provide in-built random variation of settings and frequencies within the specifications of a given unit (SCE Short Story: "Cold Fusion")
- Shipboard phaser weapons, as with most energy-based weapons, can only fire at warp between vessels upon synchronization of warp fields (TNG Novel: The Buried Age)
- Beam effect ranges from light stun to heat to fatal nervous disruption to full disintegration
- Specifics of mechanism
- Stun
- Term for lowest phaser beam levels in Federation implementation
- Phaser level 1 through 3, also commonly known as light stun, medium stun, and heavy stun (TNG Technical Manual)
- Also used as a generic term for the equivalent effect in other implementations, phaser-based or not
- Overloads a target's central and peripheral nervous system with hyperstimulus, shocking the brain by triggering the entire nervous system at once (SCE Short Story: "Fatal Error", "Cold Fusion")
- Light stun limited to a dazing effect, disabling a target for a few minutes but leaving them conscious (TOS: "The Man Trap")
- Higher levels overload the nervous system to the point of unconsciousness (SCE Short Story: "Cold Fusion")
- Repeated use of light stun can result in the same effect (SCE Short Story: "Fatal Error")
- On average human, target is disabled for approximately 15 minutes at medium stun, approximately one hour at heavy stun (TNG Technical Manual)
- Time can vary widely by species, particular biochemistry
- Repeated usage of heavy stun against a single target can lead to nervous system damage, possibly death (TNG: "Samaritan Snare")
- Term for lowest phaser beam levels in Federation implementation
- Kill
- Known as "force 3" c.23rd century (TOS: "Operation: Annihilate!")
- Disintegrate
- c.24th century, uppermost settings, up to level 16 (TNG Technical Manual; TNG Novel: Vendetta)
- Only available on type-2 hand devices
- At maximum power, capable of destroying a 100m span of metamorphic rock (TNG Novel: Vendetta)
- Sustained blast forces shutdown for 6 seconds to prevent overload (TNG Novel: Vendetta)
- Fully charged type-2 phaser capable of 10 shots before nearly depleting power cell (TNG Novel: Vendetta)
- c.24th century, uppermost settings, up to level 16 (TNG Technical Manual; TNG Novel: Vendetta)
- Stun
- Specifics of mechanism
- Hand weapons powered by sarium krellide cells (ENT: "The Andorian Incident"; TNG: "In Theory")
- Generates constant, detectable EM field while powered, even when not in use (DS9 Novel: Mission Gamma: Cathedral)
- General landing party protocol to carry one extra fully-charged cell in gear (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)
- Shipboard weapons involve multiple prefire chambers injecting nadion energy in sequence before emitting phaser beam (VOY Novel: Mosaic)
- If not charged in proper sequence, can lead to backfire, explosion (VOY Novel: Mosaic)
- Phaser technology also applied to certain non-offensive areas
- Industrial drilling (SCE Short Story: "Ambush")
- Metal machining (SCE Short Story: "Ambush")
History
- c.2240s: Development concludes on type-nine phaser banks
- This build was an experimentation with pulse phaser banks
- Starfleet standard by mid-2250s (DIS)
- c.2250s: Development concludes on type-ten phaser banks; they are soon installed on Starfleet vessels, with the Constitution-class fleet the first to be upgraded
- This build was a reversion to beam-style phasers (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)
- Large jump in power over type-nine (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)
- Starfleet standard by late-2260s (TOS)
- c.2300: Starfleet model hand phaser upgraded (DS9 Novel: Demons of Air and Darkness)
- Among changes in new model were removal of design flaw preventing weapon discharge in ambient radiation above 500 rads (DS9 Novel: Demons of Air and Darkness)
- c.early 2374: Regenerative phaser technology developed, allowing for functioning within environments that would otherwise suppress phaser functioning (DS9: "Field of Fire"; DS9 Novel: Mission Gamma: Lesser Evil)
Related Devices
Rapid-frequency nadion-pulse cannon
- High-power planetary defense installation (TNG Novel: A Time to Kill)
- Fires packets consisting of millions of individual nadion pulses at distinct nutations (TNG Novel: A Time to Kill)
- Rapid cycling, coupled with high power level, harmonizes with deflector shields, resulting in shield emitter overload (TNG Novel: A Time to Kill)
- Fires packets consisting of millions of individual nadion pulses at distinct nutations (TNG Novel: A Time to Kill)
- Initial prototypes proposed, developed 2366 as anti-Borg weapon (TNG Novel: A Time to Kill)
- Deemed too complex for widespread deployment (TNG Novel: A Time to Kill)
- Deployed in second test implementation c.2372 on Tezwa in preparation for potential defense against Klingon Empire following abrogation of Khitomer Accords by Chancellor Gowron (TNG Novel: A Time to Kill)