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Thread: Romulan Plasma Torpedoes: Help!

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Edina, MN, USA
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    Wink Romulan Plasma Torpedoes: Help!

    A question for discussion/debate:

    Just a philosophical question... we see the power of the Romulan Plasma Torpedo in TOS... how does it evolve til the tme of DS9? Does it get more powerful? Does it sacrifice power for improved mobility (i.e. it can't be outrunned much in the way other vessels cannot seem to outrun a photon or quantum torpedo). Does it have limitations like limited rate-of-fire?

    In other words, if the Romulans had such a powerful weapon in the 2260s, what is it like in 2374 and why aren't they the undisputed rulers of the Alpha and beta Quadrants?

    Thanks in Advance.
    "Everything happens for a reason..."

  2. #2
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    If I remember correctly, wasn't the Plasma Torpedo just a ball of plasma. It would be impossible to provide it with mobility, wouldn't?

    Now if they encased it in a tube like the photon torpedo it could be more mobile and maybe improve range and damage too. Being inclosed the plasma would not disapate over distance, but could be maintaind. Have the tube breakaway seconds before impact and bam. . .full plasma burst no matter the range.
    Steven "redwood973" Wood

    "Man does not fail. He gives up trying."

  3. #3
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    I think the general consensus is that the Romulans sort of evolved the technology into what we know as the plasma torpedoes today. it's all relative:

    What they actually destroyed with the plasma torpedo was small outposts, however in a relative sense it was not much more than what was capable with Photorp type technology. (Photorps are as destructive as needs be in Trek, we've seen one destroy a whole ship, and a volley of dozens glance of shields). It was probably implemented in such a way as it overwhelmed shields, and then left no witnesses.

    In other circumstances we've seen the Federation develop defences against something they fully understand. For example, the Phased Polaron technology the Dominion employed passed through shields like they weren't there, and in that era, that left a ship VERY vulnerable. If this was an instance of such a technology (rather than an unstopable uber weapon) then yes it's quite explainable once the Enterprise knew and recorded what it was they were up against the Federation altered their shielding tecnology to combat it. In much the same example, once The Federation had tweaked its shields to resist the Phased Polaron technology they were no more dangerous than any other comparable particle/energy weapon of the era (which is to say dangerous, just not insta destroy ships!)

    It may well be the case that more modern Romulan beam weapons and torpedoes are the progenitors of that technology: They are known to be very potent, but then of course Federation weapons and shields moved on a lot into the 24th century too!
    Ta Muchly

  4. #4
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    Good Point

    Yes, adaptation is quite logical. I guess I can buy that. It beats creating strange mechanics for it.
    "Everything happens for a reason..."

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