Why does ST ships only fire one beam?

[Dark Primus]

That has been bugging me a lot lately. They have shown to be capable to fire two beams from one phaser stripe without reducing the level of damage, seen in Sacrifice of Angels when one passing Galaxy class criples one Galor.
But why using just one phaser stripe all the time, why not using all of them at the same time fire at multiple targets at once?

I do believe Starfleet are capable of doing it but i don't believe the people behind the special effects can, it requires time and costs to render it all. They are using Lightwave for the special effects, a program that has been used for many tv series and movies, specially the movies on Spacebattles made by Johan Alm and other makers such as Icefire and his cool Death of Angels series.

Or does anyone have any more better suggestions why ST ships only uses one primary weapon?

[Howedar]

Because almost always the Trekship is seen against a single opponent.

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

Not enough power?

[Master of Ossus]

Perhaps there are baseline costs in energy for firing a phaser. For instance, say that it takes one hundred energy units to fire a phaser, and all energy beyond that point makes the weapon more powerful. In that case, it would be more efficient for them to fire only one beam at a time.

When have we seen a ship fire multiple shots simultaneously without a loss in power (other than the Defiant)?

[Dark Primus]

Perhaps there are baseline costs in energy for firing a phaser. For instance, say that it takes one hundred energy units to fire a phaser, and all energy beyond that point makes the weapon more powerful. In that case, it would be more efficient for them to fire only one beam at a time.

When have we seen a ship fire multiple shots simultaneously without a loss in power (other than the Defiant)?

We have seen Voyager fire several beams, can't remember the name of the episode. But Voyager was landing in a city laying in total ruins and was attacked by several small crafts.

[Master of Ossus]

Perhaps there are baseline costs in energy for firing a phaser. For instance, say that it takes one hundred energy units to fire a phaser, and all energy beyond that point makes the weapon more powerful. In that case, it would be more efficient for them to fire only one beam at a time.

When have we seen a ship fire multiple shots simultaneously without a loss in power (other than the Defiant)?

We have seen Voyager fire several beams, can't remember the name of the episode. But Voyager was landing in a city laying in total ruins and was attacked by several small crafts.

In this case it would actually make sense for them to fire multiple weapons if we believe my explanation. That would mean that Voyager's total offensive output is slightly diminished, but if the ship was attacked by several smaller craft and could destroy them or badly damage them even when not firing at maximum output, it would make more sense for them to fire several independently targeted but lower power shots at several craft, rather than one big shot at one target. In almost all other circumstances (including fleet battles) it would be better for all of the SF vessels to attack a single target each at maximum output (it would be even better if several ships were able to target a single target, but assuming relative parity in numbers and SF's general lack of ability to coordinate, this is reasonable). In this manner, the fleet's firepower would remain high, without trying to spread the total firepower too thin by having each ship target multiple enemies. My explanation stands, if this was supposed to be a rebuttal.

[paladin]

Why do ST ships fire only one beam at a time?

Easy, so they don't blow up the ship. Given the design of ST ships with their exploding warp cores and bridge consoles, I think they don't want chance blowing the ship up by firing more then one beam.

[Tsyroc]

I thought I saw the Enterprise D fire phasers from multiple strips at the same time in one of the BOBW episodes but it's been a long time since I've seen it.

Considering how many strips there are on the Enterprise it is amusing that we usually only see them fire from the ones on the saucer section.

I also seem to remember them fireing in nearly multiple directions at once when the crew was convinced that they were at war with an technically inferior race.

[Vympel]

Saw the episode 'Darmok' the other day. You know, with the alien speaking in metaphors ("Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra" or something)

Question- we've seen some pretty silly mistakes in both SW and ST: e.g. the ROJ Imp uniform screw-up- but the E-D in this episode fires phasers from its TORPEDO LAUNCHER. Like ... what?

How could you make a mistake like that, honestly HOW?!!?!?!?!?

[Master of Ossus]

I thought I saw the Enterprise D fire phasers from multiple strips at the same time in one of the BOBW episodes but it's been a long time since I've seen it.

Considering how many strips there are on the Enterprise it is amusing that we usually only see them fire from the ones on the saucer section.

I also seem to remember them fireing in nearly multiple directions at once when the crew was convinced that they were at war with an technically inferior race.

All of this supports my theory. Against races with markedly inferior technology, it is better to fire multiple shots with slightly reduced power (but still enough to overwhelm the little ships), than it is to eliminate one of them at a time with an over-kill shot. This strategy would allow for the E-D to engage a group of smaller ships at the same time, and take less damage than if they continued to fire only one-at-a-time.

In BoBW, they were looking for the right frequency, and not necessarily one that would have allowed their ship to have the maximum output. In that case, it was more damaging to guess the right frequency with low-power shots than it would have been if they had fired a single, powerful shot at the wrong frequency.

All of this supports my theory about entry-energy-costs in phaser fire.

[Master of Ossus]

Saw the episode 'Darmok' the other day. You know, with the alien speaking in metaphors ("Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra" or something)

Question- we've seen some pretty silly mistakes in both SW and ST: e.g. the ROJ Imp uniform screw-up- but the E-D in this episode fires phasers from its TORPEDO LAUNCHER. Like ... what?

How could you make a mistake like that, honestly HOW?!!?!?!?!?

I also have seen that episode. I think it was a screw-up, but we must now accept the fact that the E-D has a phaser emitter very near its forward torpedo tube. I have no idea why they would have one there, as its arc is already completely covered by the lower phaser strip, but apparently they do. Its arc would also be covered by their torpedoes.

[Vympel]

How far do we take canon however? A mistake is sometimes simply a mistake, IMO, and you must chalk it up as such- like the phaser is coming right out of the hole, it's simply stupid.

Similarly, we have the scene in ANH when Obi-Wan's fighting Vader... Vader lunges and you see Obi-wan's light saber for a good few frames its a thin stick with a light at the end (how come they didn't fix this in special edition as well is totally beyond me... it totally ruins the whole shot); this is an error, pure and simple.

[Admiral Valdemar]

"Dragon's Teeth" is the only ep I can think of. But we really see them fire one beam after another fairly rapidly.

[Darth Wong]

Technical theory: phasers discharge energy from "phaser bank capacitors" (I think I might have actually heard this term on the show somewhere). The capacitors take 1-2 seconds to charge and hold enough juice for one full-power shot.

Therefore, as postulated elsewhere, they can only fire one full-power shot at a time. In "Dragon's Teeth", they split the power among several banks for a handful of simultaneous low-power shots.

[Isolder74]

Technical theory: phasers discharge energy from "phaser bank capacitors" (I think I might have actually heard this term on the show somewhere). The capacitors take 1-2 seconds to charge and hold enough juice for one full-power shot.

Therefore, as postulated elsewhere, they can only fire one full-power shot at a time. In "Dragon's Teeth", they split the power among several banks for a handful of simultaneous low-power shots.

This also mey be due special effects costs. In TWOK The E-nil Fires its phaser from multiple emitters and angles, as does the Reliant. The TNG Special Effects team is not ILM so they are not are careful.

[Cpt_Frank]

That is surely the real life explanation, but if we suspend disbelief, Darth Wong's surely right.

[Isolder74]

That is surely the real life explanation, but if we suspend disbelief, Darth Wong's surely right.

and if i understand the E-nil's engineering right it had a capacitor for each "Phaser Bank". It seems that TNG engineers have overcentralized everthing.

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

Phasers work on gayness capisitors. When various characters spout their gay technobabble, the phasers are much stronger. When they don't say anything, like when we're seeing the ship, not the people, phasers are weak. That is why technobabble increases ST ship strength.

[Master of Ossus]

Actually, Darth Wong's theory works. Every time we have seen a ST ship firing multiple phasers, it was in a situation where volume of fire was more important than total output. Multiple low-power shots were more useful in those incidents than a single powerful one.

And I have also noticed how easily, using technobabble, phaser-output is increased dramatically and temporarily. It does not make sense, GAT.

[Setesh]

IIRC during the Dominion war the Defient (mk2) crew had a cerrimony involving the capasitors that have 'burnt out' due to over use. I also remember hearing that the type 10 pulse phasers each has its own capacitor due to the high ROF. Anouther explination also might be number of gunners, in most TNG ships a single officer is firing while on the Ent-nil they had a control room for the phasers with a 2 man console, while the weapons could be bridge controled if battle damage cut off the bridge from the phaser control this room could target and fire on its own. Not really suprising since the Ent-nil IS better designed then the Ent-D.

[Isolder74]

IIRC during the Dominion war the Defient (mk2) crew had a cerrimony involving the capasitors that have 'burnt out' due to over use. I also remember hearing that the type 10 pulse phasers each has its own capacitor due to the high ROF. Anouther explination also might be number of gunners, in most TNG ships a single officer is firing while on the Ent-nil they had a control room for the phasers with a 2 man console, while the weapons could be bridge controled if battle damage cut off the bridge from the phaser control this room could target and fire on its own. Not really suprising since the Ent-nil IS better designed then the Ent-D.

on the E-D Everything is controlled from the bridge.

[THEHOOLIGANJEDI]

Technical theory: phasers discharge energy from "phaser bank capacitors" (I think I might have actually heard this term on the show somewhere). The capacitors take 1-2 seconds to charge and hold enough juice for one full-power shot.

Therefore, as postulated elsewhere, they can only fire one full-power shot at a time. In "Dragon's Teeth", they split the power among several banks for a handful of simultaneous low-power shots.

This also mey be due special effects costs. In TWOK The E-nil Fires its phaser from multiple emitters and angles, as does the Reliant. The TNG Special Effects team is not ILM so they are not are careful.

Actually, the TNG series did use ILM, watch the end credits from each episode. As for the TNG movies only Insurrection and Nemesis didn't use ILM, and it shows.

[Isolder74]

Technical theory: phasers discharge energy from "phaser bank capacitors" (I think I might have actually heard this term on the show somewhere). The capacitors take 1-2 seconds to charge and hold enough juice for one full-power shot.

Therefore, as postulated elsewhere, they can only fire one full-power shot at a time. In "Dragon's Teeth", they split the power among several banks for a handful of simultaneous low-power shots.

This also mey be due special effects costs. In TWOK The E-nil Fires its phaser from multiple emitters and angles, as does the Reliant. The TNG Special Effects team is not ILM so they are not are careful.

Actually, the TNG series did use ILM, watch the end credits from each episode. As for the TNG movies only Insurrection and Nemesis didn't use ILM, and it shows.

acually most of the Special effects came from thier own crew. ILM is in the credits because several key things on the show were created by ILM, like the enterprise model and the Excselsar, so they have to include them in the credits so that they can use these items.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Phasers work on gayness capisitors. When various characters spout their gay technobabble, the phasers are much stronger. When they don't say anything, like when we're seeing the ship, not the people, phasers are weak. That is why technobabble increases ST ship strength.

My friend please try not to link my sexual orientation with star trek, I gives gays a bad name

[Howedar]

How far do we take canon however? A mistake is sometimes simply a mistake, IMO, and you must chalk it up as such- like the phaser is coming right out of the hole, it's simply stupid.

Similarly, we have the scene in ANH when Obi-Wan's fighting Vader... Vader lunges and you see Obi-wan's light saber for a good few frames its a thin stick with a light at the end (how come they didn't fix this in special edition as well is totally beyond me... it totally ruins the whole shot); this is an error, pure and simple.

I agree. It is silly to now accept that the E-D has another phaser emitter right where the torpedo launcher is.