Tactical/Engineering Questions
There are questions that pertain to the Tactical and Engineering field on Federation Space. This page is a continuing work in progress (last updated: 21708.08).
Attack Patterns
Q: Is there a table for evasive maneuvers, similar to the Attack Patterns page?
A: No.
Cloaks
Q: Do cloaking devices of this era cover all wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum? Are they in essence a complete cloak, or do they only cover standard used wavelengths. Could, for instance an RF frequency be used to detect a cloak while something of higher energy would not be able
to?
A: As far as I understand it the cloak can bend all waves of the EM spectrum as well as advances in the technology have allowed later vessels to counteract their low gravity profiles and shield their plasma exhausts so an "undiscovered country" incident wouldn't happen again. Although a cloaked ship moving through a dense particle field such as a nebulae would be detected because of its effect on the field. Tachyons and Tetryons are also a give away of a cloaked vessel although it is safe to assume that ways of counteracting these effects are the top of any Romulan or Klingon R&D projects.
Romulan Generators for larger ships powered by a quantum singularity would also be a give away if not configured properly. High concentrations of gravitons would be a dead give away. But alas the Romulan Commanders seem intent on making sure their generators are properly sealed and shielded.
Q: Now that we are at war with the Romulans, do we have to honor that old treaty regarding cloaks? Can the Federation take that technology out of moth balls and make it available?
A: We are still bound by the Treaty of Algeron, and therefore we cannot develop or employ a cloaking device.
Computers
Q: Which is more in-depth, a level 1 diagnostic or a level 4 diagnostic?
A: A level 1 diagnostic is the most in-depth.
Engineering Misc
Q: What happened to all the tactical advantages that Voyager brought back from the Voyager episode 'Endgame'?
A: It was decided that there were too many things in that episode that would lead to super ships on the site, so we stuck with more conventional technology.
Q: Do Engineers carry phasers with them?
A: During times of War all Star Fleet Officers are required to carry Phasers at all times.
Gravity
Q: How exactly is it generated? Are the floorplates equipped with gravity generators? Or is there some sort of 'field' generated that encompasses the ship?
A: Where the standard Star Trek theory appears believable and understandable without too much techno-blurb, I am always in favour of sticking with it. Although there is roughly 40 years between the 1701D and now, I doubt that many details will have changed except that possibly the operational time ater power failure has been extended. For that reason I freely acknowledge
the details given in ST:TNG Technical Manual, and summarised below.
They describe the Galaxy starships using a network of small gravity generators, the number of networks dependent upon the size of the ship. Each network can support up to 400 small generators with slightly overlapping fields so there are no dead spots.
The gravity field itself is created by a controlled stream of gravitons, much like those produced by the tractor beam. These generate the gravity field, each gravity pulse having a lifetime of a few pico seconds. (10 to the power of minus 12). The field is gentle enough to allow natural walking without a gravity gradient from head to foot, long a problem in brute-force physical centripetal systems. Each generator would be approximately 30 metres from each other.
In the event of a power failure, the generators continue to work for about 4 hours falling from about 1.0 g to 0.8 g. hereafter they will rapidly fail. There is a link to the inertial damping field system to minimise motion shock during flight, i.e. you won't suffer astronaut gravitation stress during large accelerations.
The 1701D had 4 networks in total, 2 in the saucer and 2 in the main engineering hull. A fairly simple calculation could be carried out for your own ship (based on the ships schematic data) to decide how many generators you would need and therefore how many networks to support them. I would suggest that anything frigate and above would have a minimum of 2 networks, so that one can be shutdown for maintenance if required.
I have more details if you require them.
As for the gravity plate idea its an interesting idea that has been used in other ST arena's. Maybe thats whats used on smaller ships where the amount of power required would be a problem, or where the existence of gravitons would cause their own problems, even on a ship the size of the 1701D.
Holographics
Q: What, if any, is the difference between a Holodeck and a Holosuite?
A: Holodecks are holographic environment simulators used by Star Fleet and the Federation.
Holosuites are holographic environment simulators NOT under Star Fleet administration. They are usually private property and are rented out for use such as the ones in Quark's bar (that's why the DS9 cast had to pay to use them).
Technologically, the are similar and appear to have the same features and safety protocols.
Q: Does the Federation have mobile emitters? Does the Federation install holo-emitters all throughout the ship as standard design?
A: No, as Voyager did not return to the Federation, mobile emitter technology was never recovered. The Federation does not install holo-emitters throughout the ship.
Q: What about the EMH, are they advanced? Are they accepted as individuals like the Voyager's doctor?
A: They were of the same level as Voyager's EMH for simplicity. As Voyager never returned, the question of holographic rights was never raised.
Q: Are the ships equipped with an ECH or Emergency Command Hologram, in case of the loss of the entire Command Staff on a ship?
A: No. The ship's computer would use seniority to redistribute command codes as needed in the case of the senior officers being incapacitated.
Q: Can holograms such be programmed to fight?
A: Yes, but Star Fleet would not likely use such a thing as a fighting hologram.
Runabouts / Shuttles
Q:Do runabouts/ shuttles have their own independent transporter system?
A: Runabouts and Shuttles do have their own transporters.
Tactical Misc
QAre we using three-dimensional/holographic controls? Or are we still using the old two-d?
A: Well, in that episode it was about 58 years from the "modern" time, if I recall, so it'd be another 20, 25 years ahead of our timeframe.
Personally, I'd say we're still using 2D, but it wouldn't surprise me if there were some 3D interfaces being worked on at the Corps of Engineers or SFSI at the moment.
Warp Core
Q: Would emergency shielding around engineering and the Warp Core be enough to keep a core breach from destroying the rest of the ship? Or what would be the most likely effects of a breach with emergency shielding in place?
A: If the problem is limited to a pressure breach of the warp core and the matter antimatter (MAM) reaction has been stopped, then internal safety shields should contain the explosion and there will be a major mess to clean up afterwards.
If there is a developing fault, and the engineers cannot stop the MAM reaction by (say) stopping the matter flow, then there should be time for a warp core ejection to be attempted.
If the breach occurs suddenly without warning whilst at power – i.e. the MAM reaction is still in progress - then it is unlikely there will be any time to even eject the core, or say your prayers.
Q: How many warp cores are on each ship?
A: All ships of Heavy Cruiser size or above have at least one primary warp core and one auxiliary core.
Q: According to specs pages for the Zeus Light Cruiser, it's maximum impulse speed is .93c.
According to canon sources, "full impulse" is .25c.
I need a clarification on which is true. Are we going with canon, or are we bending a rule of the Star Trek universe so that we match up to our specs?
A: The correct values for max impulse speed are as follows:
Ahead 1/3 = .083c
Ahead 2/3 = .166c
All Ahead Full = .25c
All Ahead Flank:
CV: .45c
BB: .45c
BC/CA: .80c
CL: .95c
DD: .75c
FF: .85c
SC: .85c
Star Fleet regulations state that during NORMAL operations, full impulse is indeed .25c
Flank speed, authorized by the officer of the deck (Whoever has control of the bridge aka Whoever has the Conn), could be used in emergencies and combat operations.
Weaponry
Q: What is the explosive yield of a photon torpedo? I was led to believe it would be at least equal to one kilotonne of normal explosive and therefore unsuitable for use on planets...is this correct?
A: The standard torpedo has a yeild of 18.5 Isotons which is the equivilant of a 64.4 megaton nuclear explosion. 50 isotons is enough to destroy a small planet.
Q: Do phasers work at warp?
A: Yes.
