“Transporter Phasers” (from SFA “Vitus Reflux”)

[Christopher]

If that's what an old constitution class can do what can the Enterprise D or E do to a planet?

The D was not a warship, but a research vessel with defensive capability. Just because it was larger doesn't mean it would've had more powerful weapons. The E was a post-Borg design, though, so it was probably more geared toward combat.

Again, though, all you need to cause a mass extinction is one shuttlecraft at high impulse. Or a tractor beam to accelerate an asteroid onto an impact trajectory.

 

[Candleicious Ghost]

The D was not a warship, but a research vessel with defensive capability. Just because it was larger doesn't mean it would've had more powerful weapons. The E was a post-Borg design, though, so it was probably more geared toward combat.

Again, though, all you need to cause a mass extinction is one shuttlecraft at high impulse. Or a tractor beam to accelerate an asteroid onto an impact trajectory.

True enough... Tractor beam and fling a rock or two. Still General order 24 sounds like an order of last resort

 

[Christopher]

Still General order 24 sounds like an order of last resort

The idea that Starfleet would even have an "annihilate a whole planetary population" protocol has always been controversial. Many fans have wanted to assume Kirk was bluffing, except he can't have been, since all he said to Scotty was "General Order 24, two hours," and Scotty knew what he meant.

 

[Candleicious Ghost]

The idea that Starfleet would even have an "annihilate a whole planetary population" protocol has always been controversial. Many fans have wanted to assume Kirk was bluffing, except he can't have been, since all he said to Scotty was "General Order 24, two hours," and Scotty knew what he meant.

Indeed.. Well at least now I learnt of this bit in the episode which I don't think I have ever seen. I wonder if the Federation still has such an order on the books in Picard's time.