WTF? Where were the quantum torpedoes?

Captain Kruger · Post by **Captain Kruger** » 2002-12-14 05:53am

Did anyone else think it odd that the E-E was using PHOTON torpedoes? There was no explanation whatsoever offered for them reverting back to the old torpedo tech. It was as if the film never acknowledged the quantums existing in the first place.

To be fair, I suppose I could see a reason for this. Aside from the USS Lakota, no older ships were seen to be refitted with quantum torpedoes throughout the entire Dominion War. They seemed to be the exclusive property of the Defiant and Sovereign classes. Maybe they were extremely expensive, which made it impractical to refit the entire fleet? Who the hell knows.

Maybe the high cost of manufacture left a very limited supply, which could explain why even the flagship could be stuck with photons for a while. Whatever the explanation might be, I expected to hear at least SOMETHING. If you want to believe the DS9 tech manual, quantums are supposed to have about twice the yield of equivalent-sized photons. This could have made a major difference in the battle with the Scimitar. The sudden lack of weapons that appeared to be standard armament for the E-E in her two previous outings deserved a damned explanation!

Ah, fuck...why even dwell on it? We're talking about the franchise that shows complete disregard for this little thing called continuity.

Mad · Post by **Mad** » 2002-12-14 10:34am

Quantum torpedoes were there. The Enterprise fired quantum torpedoes (blue torps) from its forward launchers, and photon torpedoes (red/orange torps) from the rear launchers.

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2002-12-14 03:27pm

It's entirely possible that they have a limited complement of quantum torpedoes that merely serves to augment their photon torpedos.

They also launched photon torpedoes from the front.

Also, given their atrocious accuracy with torpedoes, it's a good thing they saved their quantum torpedoes for the sure shots.

Captain Kruger · Post by **Captain Kruger** » 2002-12-14 04:29pm

Yeah, they loosed the quantums when they were on top of the thing and disabled the cloak...good point.

ViciousMink · Post by **ViciousMink** » 2002-12-14 09:51pm

The q-torps were fired from a launcher beneath the saucer portion. The photorps were fired from two locations: one just above the hangar bay, and one at the BOTTOM of the engineering hull, and both emplacements appeared to be double launchers -- possibly triple, since the salvos fired to the stern each appeared to be made up of three torps.

Post by **Vympel** » 2002-12-14 11:47pm

Nope the photorp tubes on the front and rear are clearly double launchers.

Luke Starkiller · Post by **Luke Starkiller** » 2002-12-15 01:46am

They definately fired two salvos of three torps each at one point, I am not sure if it was the forward or rear launcher.

Post by **Vympel** » 2002-12-15 02:54am

That doesn't mean three tubes- the Enterprise-D was clearly capable of firing multiple salvos from its single tube, and the Enterprise-E can fire five-round bursts of quantums from its forward dish launcher.

It was just

tube1: fire
tube 2: fire
tube 1: fire

probably

Kamakazie Sith · Post by **Kamakazie Sith** » 2002-12-15 05:49am

Uraniun235 wrote:
Also, given their atrocious accuracy with torpedoes, it's a good thing they saved their quantum torpedoes for the sure shots.

I'm thinking the Reman cloak was the reason behind the atrocious accuracy.

Post by **Vympel** » 2002-12-15 06:11am

Someone should do a study in comparison with

TNG photorp accuracy
DS9 photorp accuracy

Insurrection has the E-E missing two photon torpedo shots against the Son'a ships chasing it IIRC.

It's probably ECM of some sort.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2002-12-15 11:32am

Vympel wrote:Someone should do a study in comparison with

TNG photorp accuracy
DS9 photorp accuracy

Insurrection has the E-E missing two photon torpedo shots against the Son'a ships chasing it IIRC.

It's probably ECM of some sort.

Actually in Insurrection the E-E fired two torpedoes, one at each Son'a ship. One hit, one missed.

Lord Poe · Post by **Lord Poe** » 2002-12-16 11:39pm

What about those....transPHASIC torpedoes Trekkies hope Voyager brought home? Looks like all indications concluse they take apart BORG ships like that, as they were designed to do.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2002-12-16 11:41pm

Shhh, Darkling might hear you!!

Yogi · Post by **Yogi** » 2002-12-17 12:25am

Lord Poe wrote:What about those....transPHASIC torpedoes Trekkies hope Voyager brought home? Looks like all indications concluse they take apart BORG ships like that, as they were designed to do.

Same thing with the auto-deploying ablative armor. Probably depended on parts from the original shuttle. Currently sitting on a shelf in Starfleet Labs being reverse-engeneered.

Chris OFarrell · Post by **Chris OFarrell** » 2002-12-17 03:30am

Yogi wrote:
Lord Poe wrote:What about those....transPHASIC torpedoes Trekkies hope Voyager brought home? Looks like all indications concluse they take apart BORG ships like that, as they were designed to do.
Same thing with the auto-deploying ablative armor. Probably depended on parts from the original shuttle. Currently sitting on a shelf in Starfleet Labs being reverse-engeneered.

Unless you think Admiral Lameways shuttle was a TARDIS, exactly how do you propose she fit anything into it? As far as I saw, she only brought back the plans (which Barcly downloaded into her PADD at the Accademy). Voyager would have had to construct those massive hull mounted armour generators and (assuming they are the same size as Photons and Quantums) the torpedoes as well.

Its probable that the department of temperal investigations jumped all over the Voyager when she got to Earth and stripped all the technology from the ship and put it under lock and key.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2002-12-17 05:03pm

I'm not sure what the big hype over quantum torpedoes is. They don't appear to be any more powerful than photon torpedoes.

By all appearances, transphasic torpedoes were specifically designed to combat the Borg. Or else the flagship of the Federation (which travels alone for some reason) would have them.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-12-17 05:11pm

Durandal wrote:I'm not sure what the big hype over quantum torpedoes is. They don't appear to be any more powerful than photon torpedoes.

No one knows what the big deal is about quantum torpedoes. We speculate, based on "Paradise Lost" [DS9] that the quantum torpedo is a more powerful design than the photon torpedo, but we don't know for sure. It does, however, seem to be much more advanced by all accounts than the standard photon torpedoes.

Silver · Post by **Silver** » 2002-12-17 05:14pm

Do quantum torpedoes require a special type of launcher or are they interchangable with regular photon torpedoes?

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-12-17 05:17pm

Silver wrote:Do quantum torpedoes require a special type of launcher or are they interchangable with regular photon torpedoes?

Unclear. The E-E has only been seen using photon torpedoes from most of its launchers, and quantum torpedoes from one launcher, however in "Paradise Lost," [DS9] the Lakota appeared to have interchangeable weapons.

TheDarkling · Post by **TheDarkling** » 2002-12-17 05:26pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Shhh, Darkling might hear you!!

I had enough fore sight to know they wouldnt be used in the movie and already acounted for that in the discussions revolving around the torps (also no armour which I dont think could be borg effective only), the Torps could have been put under lock and key (because of temporal prime directive or to stop the locals going crazy), the stuff could still be under going R&D or th Ent-D has been refitted yet etc etc.

Since I saw it coming I already had the defense prepared but its good to know the chance of me rising from the depths inspires fear and hushed whispers

.