Just thought some of you might find this interesting, it's Gene's feedback on the Reliant attack in TWOK, where he postulates one idea for how Kirk could not be stupid enough to leave the shields down and yet still be lured into a position where the Enterprise is vulnerable. Agree with it or not, it's an interesting glimpse into how he (at that time) saw the Enterprises' defenses worked.
Excerpt from memo to Harve Bennett from Gene Roddenberry dated Sept. 2, 1981, page 4.
[...] However, we can keep Khan's treachery
alive by doing something we often did in the series, i.e., playing
the starship's “protective armor" as consisting of the basic
protective forcefields which surround the entire vessel in times of
emergency, plus the more localized ultra-high energy deflectors
which are even more powerful but create an enormous drain on ship's
power.
In putting up forcefields or protective forcefields or forcefield
shields (whatever you prefer to call them), starship Enterprise is
protected unless the other vessel is allowed to get in too close
where a point blank concentrated phaser strike could rupture the
forcefield protection (which is why the ship has the heavier
deflectors for just such protection in critical battle situations).
Now, this allows Khan to use his cleverness and tricks to steadily
get in closer and closer, perhaps even using a transmitted comment
from Chekov to put Kirk off guard. Then at the last split second,
Kirk sees what is happening, but it is too late to get the powerful
deflectors into place, and the Enterprise is heavily damaged just as
described.[...]
Excerpt from memo to Harve Bennett from Gene Roddenberry dated Sept. 2, 1981, page 4.
[...] However, we can keep Khan's treachery
alive by doing something we often did in the series, i.e., playing
the starship's “protective armor" as consisting of the basic
protective forcefields which surround the entire vessel in times of
emergency, plus the more localized ultra-high energy deflectors
which are even more powerful but create an enormous drain on ship's
power.
In putting up forcefields or protective forcefields or forcefield
shields (whatever you prefer to call them), starship Enterprise is
protected unless the other vessel is allowed to get in too close
where a point blank concentrated phaser strike could rupture the
forcefield protection (which is why the ship has the heavier
deflectors for just such protection in critical battle situations).
Now, this allows Khan to use his cleverness and tricks to steadily
get in closer and closer, perhaps even using a transmitted comment
from Chekov to put Kirk off guard. Then at the last split second,
Kirk sees what is happening, but it is too late to get the powerful
deflectors into place, and the Enterprise is heavily damaged just as
described.[...]
