Explorer Menu
Sutherland Menu

Targeting Systems

• The CTO may choose a weapon system and target and the computer will attempt to lock that weapons ability to hit the selected target. If the target moves out of range of that weapon, perhaps by moving to the opposite side of the ship the ship can automatically switch locks to a similar weapon type not already committed to a separate target. Alternatively the selection of new weapon system can be done manually. Note the computer will not automatically switch types of weapon, So a vessel targeted by the port Pulse Phaser, when it moves to the starboard side will be targeted by the starboard Pulse Phaser, but not by the Forward Photon Torpedo Launcher.
• The CTO may simply choose a target, at which time all ships weaponry that may focus on the target will attempt to maintain a Lock this is the best option for one-on-one combat since it frees the Helm to perform more intricate Manoeuvres.
• If for some reason the computer is not able to maintain a lock, or the commanding officer deems a more specific section of the other Ship needs to be targeted, the CTO may opt to manually target the weapons. This process is obviously much slower and can be more prone to errors. It is not unknown for a CTO, whilst trying merely to send a warning shot, to hit a critical area and destroy a vessel completely.

Weaponry

Disruptors

Although not used by Federation crews this is the directed energy beam weapon of Races such as the Romulans, Klingons and Breen. Klingon Disruptors are also known as Phase Disruptors. Romulan Disruptors leave a high residue trace of antiprotons for hours after the weapon has been discharged.

Phasers

Phased Energy beam weapons used by the Federation. Phasers, like Disruptors, come in a number of size classifications (see chart below). A Phaser may emit a small narrow beam repeatedly and fast, or a wider beam (capable at full spread of taking out an entire room) at a much slower firing rate. Note that wider spreads are prone to fast power loss on the scale of (2xDistance)=(Power/4). Also Phasers may be see set to a specific yield, so that even the ships Type X Phaser Arrays can do as little as give a light dose of sunburn. In fact Phaser Arrays have been used on occasions to transfer energy to a stricken vessel. The most effective tactic, regardless of beam type, or shield configuration is to maintain contact between beam and Target.

Pulse Phasers

By regulating the phaser output into short spurts, a small ship is able to deliver significant energy without putting substantial strain on phaser systems or ships power. The USS Explorer has two forward facing Pulse Phasers in place of the normal Phaser Array. These are normally retracted into the forward section of the upper deck ![when not in use]!. The units system parameters state they can tolerate delivery of Type IX Phaser power, but the ship is only capable of running them at Type VI equivalent power without the aid of a Trilithium Warp Core.

Photon Torpedoes

Highly charged projectile weapons capable of travelling at Warp speeds up to a range of 3,500,000 km. Measuring 210x76x45cm and weighing 247.5 Kg, these self targeting missiles are capable of carrying a Matter/Antimatter payload of varying strengths. Their actual speeds is limited to slightly above the launch speed of the vessel. A single Launcher may fire up to 10 Torpedoes in a single volley, each of which can target separate entities. It takes a Photon Torpedo 1.02 seconds to arm, so collision closer than this will not trigger detonation. If detonation occurs to close to the launching ship it may damage it severely. As a general rule Photons are NEVER used if shields are down. The USS Explorer's records show it to have a compliment of 20 Photon Torpedoes, though the turreted launcher (normally retracted into the forward section of the lower deck) is usually only set to fire probes. The USS Sutherland has a compliment of 200 Photon Torpedoes and two launchers (facing fore and aft) in the Secondary Hull.

Quantum Torpedoes

These are a larger and more potent version of the standard Photon Torpedo. They require a great deal of energy to arm and fire. A single launcher may fire only 1 Torpedoes per volley. The USS Explorer's records show it to have a compliment of 4 Quantum Torpedoes, though it does not have the power to arm and fire any unless using the Trilithium Warp Core. The USS Sutherland has no Quantum Torpedoes listed on it's inventory.

Tractor Beams

Although technically not an offensive weapon, these are often controlled by the CTO. Based on gravitational and subspace emitters these devices may attract or repel objects. Payloads range from 7,500,000 tons at a distance of less than 1 km, to 1 ton at around 20,000 km. The USS Explorer has a single small tractor beam used for docking on the ventral airlock, and a second used to guide shuttles into the dorsal shuttle bay.

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Shields

Shield Generators

The Navigation Deflector consists of 2 redundant gravitational field generators, each containing four 128 MW emitters. Defensive shields use the same field generators as the Navigational Deflector, set to about 85% output, as well as 6 secondary generators in appropriate areas. A single generator can deflect 473,000 MW for around 170 milliseconds, but all six can be used in sequence for a total of 2688 MW (dissipating around 7,300,000 kW). A single generator should only operate for 12 hours, with a 12 hour degauss and service between times. Each generator has an operational life of 1,250 hours before requiring replacement. There are further back up generators that can operate at 65% of full capacity. The Schematics of the USS Explorer indicate there is an auxilary generator positioned on the lower deck, but that it is presently dedicated to supporting the Medical labs. There are a number of dormant paths to allow extra generators to be fitted to the modular sections of Deck 2.

Navigational Deflector

A navigational tool designed to deflect small particles of dust and so forth that would otherwise be too small for the ship to avoid. At speed of even 1/4 Impulse a single dust fragment could rip a hole right through the hull. This equates to a Shield rating of about 05%. At navigational setting these will not deflect weaponry.

Defensive Shields

Huge energy fields designed to buffer or block the severity of weaponry attacks. A ship usually has six shield areas; Forward, Aft, Port, Starboard, Dorsal and Ventral. Shield ratings are given in a percentage of their maximum capacity.

• It is not normally possible for a Transporter to beam through a shield even when the exact frequency is known.
• Weaponry may be fired out of a shield by calibrating weaponry and shield frequencies, or by leaving a "window" of frequencies.
• If the exact frequency modulation of a shield is known by an opponent they may set Weaponry, or even Transporters, to match and ignore the shields. This can be overcome by modulating the shield frequency, though this method is unreliable and difficult to maintain.
  Why it is possible to beam through an enemy's sheilds, but not your own, has not been adequitely explained in any episode or source material.
• Alternatively, shields may be set to exactly counter the incoming Weaponry or natural phenomena, such as setting shields in the 10^-10 meter bandwidth to fully shield from X-ray emissions.
• Since sensors rely on the EM spectrum, "windows" of spectrum must be left open to allow them to function. These frequencies are normally well outside the range of ship Weaponry.
• Use of the shields at Warp, unless compensated for, results in a 32% drop in the Warp Engine output.

Ablative Armour

This physical deffence is made of reincforced armour plates which are sacrificed to minimise damage done to the hull superstructure. Ablative Armour does not replenish the same way as energy sheilds, and needs to be hard replaced, usually at a spacedock. The USS Explorer is equipped with Ablative Armour, as are most Klingons vessles, but very few other Starfleet vessles are.

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Phaser Designations

Type I	Slightly larger than a credit card. Carried by all Starfleet Officers. Maximum setting, level 8 (0.01 MW)
Type II	Hand phaser. Maximum setting, level 8. A hit can destroy half a building.
Type III	Phaser Riffle. Biggest hand weapon available. Maximum setting, level 16.
Type IV	Shuttle craft standard.
Type VI	B’rel Class standard. Pulse Phasers using Dilithium power source.
Type VIII	Ideal for mining configuration.
Type IX	Good back up weapon for vessels which cannot support Type X. Pulse Phasers using Trilithium power source.
Type X	Galaxy Class standard. The ship weaponry strongest available. Heavy on power (5.1 MW output).
Type X+	Planetary Defence. The strongest available. Power output as yet unclassed.

Note on Settings Chart

• Setting - Usually indicated by a digital power bar.
• Name - Colloquial term for the effects of this setting.
• Energy/sec - The amount of energy emitted and the duration of beam.
• EM vs ND - The relation of simple Electromagnetic effects, to that of nuclear disruption. Obviously the higher the ration in the ND the higher the chance of complete cellular dispersal.
• Damage index - Number of cm³ of material penetrated or damaged by beam.
• Description - Further explanation of the beams effects

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