Phase Pistols: How Do They Work

[Crazy Eddie]

The names and useage is similar enough to directly imply that they ARE in direct line of succession.

What, plasma weapons and phase weapons?

Phase weapons and phasers. And since phase weapons were preceded by plasma weapons, it makes sense that an intermediate step between plasma weapons and phasers might be a type of plasma weapon that does what phasers do. Like the first muzzle-loading rifles, for example.

Besides "phased plasma weapon" has been a sci-fi staple since at least the 1970s, and ENT wasn't exactly famous for its originality.

 

[Timo]

Phase weapons and phasers.

I don't see any "succession" there, really. It rather seems that the very same guns were given two different names in two different time periods. Why improve on perfection? The revolver hasn't changed noticeably in the past two centuries; the difference between Archer's sidearm and Kirk's or Picard's is not evident on screen, and at best would be something even more subtle than the transition from black powder to modern smokeless in revolvers.

In contrast, succession between the plasma guns and the phase guns seems a rather arbitrary claim. Armies went from crossbow to gun at one point, but the gun could hardly be considered an improved crossbow, and there were no intermediate steps of gunpowder-powered arrows (those were a different weapon in a different culture that never had crossbows) or tension-string-fired lead slugs. "Steady evolution" really is an unlikely occurrence, and actually one of the concepts that detracts from the understanding of the theory of natural evolution, because "punctuated equilibrium" is so much more easily observable... Both steady and unsteady development usually take place, and choosing just one half of the model and turning down the other is an artificial and very probably inaccurate way to interpret development.

Doesn't mean phasers couldn't be advanced plasma throwers. But plasma is such an impractical weapon from the get-go (essentially, you just blow hot air on your opponent). Why should the potent weapon of the hero be based on a scifi concept we'd do better without in the first place? Especially since scifi needs identity, and Trek has generally been good at having some, say, with its prominent use of teleporters as an everyday tool as opposed to every other tome's use of it as near-magical special technology.

Really, since Trek has turned teleportation into a household technology, and supposedly uses "phasing" for it, one would expect a host of spinoff phase technologies that would radically change the Trek world and make a clean break from the technologies of the past. Phase pistols would be an obvious candidate. I mean, steampunk is no doubt a valid way for technology to proceed, but we know from history that the adoption of electricity can produce a vastly different and discontinuous world of technology. Adoption of phasing could mean a similar discontinuity, and would really help explain how the Trek 22nd century can be so amazingly advanced already.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Crazy Eddie]

Phase weapons and phasers.

I don't see any "succession" there, really. It rather seems that the very same guns were given two different names in two different time periods.

Because the WRITERS THEMSELVES described phase weapons as a precursor--somehow--to phasers.

Why improve on perfection? The revolver hasn't changed noticeably in the past two centuries

You better believe it HAS. To such a huge degree that many 19th century revolver designs will fail catastrophically (that is to say, explode) when combined with modern pistol cartridges. And that's ignoring the fact that revolvers are typically NOT standard weapons for most police departments or militaries and have long been supplanted by automatics.

Now, it's significant to note that just about anything manufactured by Colt Firearms in the past hundred and twenty years will still be functional today with modern Colt ammunition. This is one of the main reason I've come to believe "photon torpedoes" are a type of anti-ship weapon produce by Photon Heavy Industries or something like that (in the 22nd century, known as "Photonic Aerospace"). I rather doubt the same is true of phase(r) weapons, but it's highly unlikely anything similar to 22nd century phase pistols will be in use by anyone other than sport shooters and criminals a hundred years later.

the difference between Archer's sidearm and Kirk's or Picard's is not evident on screen, and at best would be something even more subtle than the transition from black powder to modern smokeless in revolvers.

This despite the fact that phasers, lasers, disruptors, particle blasters and occasionally TRACTOR BEAMS are depicted by essentially the same VFX. And of course you're going to ignore the similarity of the FC/NEM phaser rifles to 22nd century plasma weapons; surely they're the same weapon, just subtly different.

Doesn't mean phasers couldn't be advanced plasma throwers. But plasma is such an impractical weapon from the get-go (essentially, you just blow hot air on your opponent).

Tell that to the Romulans. Besides, the most basic form of plasma weapon is and has always been the FLAME THROWER. That constitutes a chemical fuel being mechanically accelerated towards a target. From there, all you'd have to do is refine it to the point where you can generate plasma from electrical or nuclear reactions instead of chemical. The most obvious is by creating and launching high-temperature spheromaks at people.

 

[Meredith]

I wish Enterprise had shown some EM-propelled "smart bullets" instead of going straight for the Sci-Fi Ray guns.