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| === Weaponry === | | === Weaponry === |
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| * Phaser Weapons - The standard beam weapon for all Federation troops, Naval and Marine, is the phaser. Phasers (PHASed Energy Rectifiers) carefully modulate wavelength and amplitude to produce the most versatile type of beam weapon. This careful modulation can produce effects from bioelectric shock which will stun most organic targets to heat to sub-atomic disruption which can vaporize or explode targets. Phasers are rated by the ultimate power output capacity of their emitters and by beam type. | | * Phaser Weapons - The standard beam weapon for all Federation troops, Naval and Marine, is the phaser. Phasers (PHASed Energy Rectifiers) carefully modulate wavelength and amplitude to produce the most versatile type of beam weapon. This careful modulation can produce effects from bioelectric shock which will stun most organic targets to heat to sub-atomic disruption which can vaporize or explode targets. Phasers are rated by the ultimate power output capacity of their emitters and by beam type. Most marine use is of [[TechMemo:Phasers#Phaser Types| Type]] II-V phasers. |
| ** Type I - The type I phaser is the standard palm phaser. It is small and easily concealable. Although capable of killing most humanoid targets, it has limited firing power and limited duration. The weapon has 8 power level settings.
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| ** Type II - The type II phaser, the phaser pistol, is the standard Marine and Naval security sidearm. It has much greater power reserved than the type I phaser and is capable higher power output rates. The weapon has 16 power level settings.
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| [[Image:phaser-typeII.png|114px|right]]
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| [[Image:phaser-typeIII.png|224px|right]] | |
| [[Image:phaser-typeIIIa.png|194px|right]]
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| [[Image:Phaser-typeIIIa-alt.PNG|162px|right]]
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| ** Type III - The type III phaser, the phaser rifle, is carried in most ship stores for emergency situations. Type I and type II weapons are suitable for most situations. The type III has the same 16 beam settings of the type II, a multiple target acquisition system, a gyrostabilized beam emitter, and a larger power reserve than either the type I or II. The type IIIa is a compact "phaser carbine" which has the capabilities of a standard phaser rifle in a smaller overall form factor. Its stabilization system is generally considered to be less effective than the standard type III.
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| ** Type IV - The type IV phaser is a heavy ground or light space weapon. It may be mounted on a tripod or vehicle, including shuttle craft, reconnaissance skimmers, personnel transport skimmers, and as an auxiliary weapon on hover tanks. The power system configuration allows the type IV to deliver short blasts at near overload intensity for the emitter. All type IV phasers emit a pulsed blast which has earned the weapon the moniker of "phaser machine gun." In its tripod mounted form, it is often carried by 4-man heavy weapons teams as part of a marine heavy weapons squad. One person carries the weapon proper, 2 carry power cores, and 1 carries the tripod.
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| ** Type V - The type V phaser is the heaviest phaser weapon normally used by the marines. It is mounted on fighter and strike combat shuttle craft, marine dropship shuttle craft, and as the main weapon on many hover tanks. It is the most powerful beam weapon deployed by the Federation for atmospheric use.
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| ** Type VI through X phasers are ship-mounted weaponry, but are included for completeness. Firing time and maximum power output are dependent upon the support systems for the phaser, not on the emitter itself.
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| *** Type VI - The type VI phaser array is the most power weapon allowed aboard non-military craft. Its installation is starships and other space craft is strictly regulated. It is used primarily for asteroid mining operations.
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| *** Type VII - The type VII is, essentially, an outdated main battle phaser. It is no longer used in large numbers on combat ships in the United Federation of Planets. Because of the efficiency of streamlining production to one class of phaser emitter, some vessels, notably non-combat oriented frigates whose power needs would be satisfied by the type VII emitter, carry type X emitters.
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| *** Type VIII - The type VIII emitters has, in parallel with the type VII, been phased out of common use in most Federation starships. The most common use of the Type VIII class emitter is aboard older Star Fleet transport ships which often carry limited armament for defense.
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| *** Type IX - The type IX phaser was long the main stay of the cruiser fleets of the Federation. Like the type VII and VIII, it has been phaser out in favor of standardization to the type X phaser. Additionally, many modern cruiser types need the expanded power handling capabilities of the type X phaser.
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| *** Type X - The standard array on most Federation capitol ships is the Type X. These are the most powerful arrays available for use on a starship. The normal configuration for these elements is a long strip array. This array may consist of hundreds of individual elements connected in parallel which appear as a slightly raised strip on the hull with most of the active components of the array hidden and only the emitter visible. There are several specialized variants of the basic type X emitter.
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| *** Type Xa - The Type Xa pulse phaser cannon mounts one or more standard type X phaser emitters in a ball turret. The turret is much like those used on the old CONSITUTION-class vessels. What makes this phaser emplacement different is the power source. The power system configuration allows the Xa to deliver short blasts at near overload intensity for the Type X emitter. The net effect is an extremely rapid series of high powered packets of phaser energy which delivers an increased punch at somewhat shorter ranges. Because of the power configuration needed to operate in pulsed mode, these phasers cannot operate as a continuous beam.
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| *** Type Xc - The Type Xc phaser cannon links type X emitters in series rather than parallel. The net effect in this case is a much higher power beam; however, beam focus breaks down and the range of the weapon is more limited than the standard parallel emplacement. Like the pulse phaser, this is an offensive weapon system employed on very few vessels.
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| *** Type Xf - The Type Xf long range phaser directs energy stored in type X phaser banks into a tightly focused beam which is emitted in short bursts from a dedicated turret. While this allows for effective ranges greater than that of any other phaser, it also requires an enhanced targeting or sensor system to be effective and twice the recharge time of the type X (it also drains the phaser banks twice as fast).
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| * Plasma Rifles - The plasma rifle is a type of ion weapon. It operates by exciting the atoms of a gas to the point where they spontaneously ionize and expelling the plasma bolt in a magnetic bottle which breaks upon impact. The weapons has is powered by a standard type III phaser power pack and is charged with a hydrogen cartridge. A plasma rifle burns through ablative armor more effectively than a phaser weapon which tends to have its energy conducted across a wider surface area. Moreover, phaser weapons have the potential at higher power settings to trigger explosive decoupling of atomic bonds in matter. Plasma weapons do not operate in the same manner as phasers and so do not pose this risk. | | * Plasma Rifles - The plasma rifle is a type of ion weapon. It operates by exciting the atoms of a gas to the point where they spontaneously ionize and expelling the plasma bolt in a magnetic bottle which breaks upon impact. The weapons has is powered by a standard type III phaser power pack and is charged with a hydrogen cartridge. A plasma rifle burns through ablative armor more effectively than a phaser weapon which tends to have its energy conducted across a wider surface area. Moreover, phaser weapons have the potential at higher power settings to trigger explosive decoupling of atomic bonds in matter. Plasma weapons do not operate in the same manner as phasers and so do not pose this risk. |
| * Electromagnetic Projectile Weapons - While Star Fleet seldom uses projectile weapons, there are cases where they are more effective than either phasers or plama weapons. Shaped charge projectiles are often the most effective way to deal with armored individuals. Moreover, projectile weapons have certain advantages over phaser and plasma weapons. These advantages include the ability to spin a projectile in order to curve its flight path. That is, certain projectiles weapons are capable of literally shooting around corners. This latter ability is particularly used in sniper weapons. | | * Electromagnetic Projectile Weapons - While Star Fleet seldom uses projectile weapons, there are cases where they are more effective than either phasers or plama weapons. Shaped charge projectiles are often the most effective way to deal with armored individuals. Moreover, projectile weapons have certain advantages over phaser and plasma weapons. These advantages include the ability to spin a projectile in order to curve its flight path. That is, certain projectiles weapons are capable of literally shooting around corners. This latter ability is particularly used in sniper weapons. |