Why didn't Data shoot incoming torpedoes with the ship's phasers?

[DonIago]

Of course, it would be silly to assume that just because the torpedos look identical means they are. Every other aspect of technology seen in the franchise evolves; why would torps be unique in this regard?

Perhaps there was an evolution in technology such that during the time of the Kelvin shooting down torpedos was (considered) a viable approach, while by Kirk's time that was no longer considered the case, to the point where usually they didn't even bother trying.

 

[bbjeg]

Of course, it would be silly to assume that just because the torpedos look identical means they are. Every other aspect of technology seen in the franchise evolves; why would torps be unique in this regard?

Perhaps there was an evolution in technology such that during the time of the Kelvin shooting down torpedos was (considered) a viable approach, while by Kirk's time that was no longer considered the case, to the point where usually they didn't even bother trying.

Possibly because none of them had a mind like Data.

 

[Timo]

Of course, it would be silly to assume that just because the torpedos look identical means they are. Every other aspect of technology seen in the franchise evolves; why would torps be unique in this regard?

To the contrary, I'd argue that very little evolution takes place. ENT has the same phasers, transporters and warp drives as TNG, for all practical purposes...

It might also be worth noting that the Kelvin successfully shot down projectiles that supposedly were more modern than anything Kirk, Picard or Janeway ever encountered - that is, from a decade or two after the end of the last spinoff show. Although it can be argued that they were modern yet not particularly high-performance projectiles, considering they came from the standard stores of a civilian mining rig.

It might be that the ability of death rays to shoot down projectiles has stayed constant, but shields have gotten so much better that it no longer is worth the while to waste power in CIWS phasers; better pump it into shields instead and let the projectiles hit those.

Possibly because none of them had a mind like Data.

...A mind that says "No, I won't try and shoot down any torps, ever"?

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Makarov]

Why not take it a step further and have the galaxy class controlled entirely by the computer? It can take orders remotely. Picard can command it while sitting in his vineyard on earth half drunk on wine all day.

 

[bbjeg]

Why not take it a step further and have the galaxy class controlled entirely by the computer? It can take orders remotely. Picard can command it while sitting in his vineyard on earth half drunk on wine all day.

They couldn't make it all automated. There are unknowns they can't program into the computer.

 

[anh165]

VFX limitations and perhaps lazy/conservative execution of trek technology.

And I disagree that having shields negates the need for point defense, it is always better to avoid getting struck.

 

[Timo]

Surely not - it's simply a matter of hard mathematics. If it takes way less power to shield against impacts than to dodge them, the side that tries to shoot down incoming projectiles will lose.

Think knights in armor. If they dodged blows they can withstand, they would wear themselves down and die. Sure, there could always be opponents who possess weapons capable of blows the knights cannot withstand - heavy swords, warhammers or powerful bows. But those opponents could be identified from a distance. In Trek, it may well be that no weapon comparable to a maul exists, and the "knight" can rest secure that it's always better to shield than to dodge. Indeed, the only time we saw a weapon capable of piercing shields and vulnerable to CIWS defensive fire was in STXI! And that was a weapon displaced in time; a rat race in shielding vs. shield-piercing technology may preclude such weapons existing unless time travel is applied.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[LMFAOschwarz]

Overall, I think your point is right. However, it should probably apply to just about everything Data does. Remember in Identity Crisis, how s-l-o-w-l-y he was assembling that device with which to find Geordi on the planet? Poor LaForge is lost, transformed into another life form, and Data appears to be taking his sweet time with the device!

 

[bbjeg]

His speed definitely varies but on his best day, it's easy for me to believe he could shoot something out of the sky traveling the speed we've seen torpedoes travel on screen. People (and the wikis) say torpedoes travel at light speed but in Generations, after the Enterprise fires a torpedoe at the Klingon ship, Lursa has enough time to get a good look at it and then turn to look at B'Etor. I don't think the Klingon were moving at the speed of light during that scene.

 

[Timo]

I think we can safely assume Trek weapons to be traveling at different speeds in different instances - in-universe, too, and not just in the context of the dramatic presentation. Why our heroes and villains would set their weapons for "slow" over short ranges but "fast" over long ones is more difficult to tell. Perhaps torpedoes are slow to accelerate to high warp, or have a safety feature preventing them from doing so too close to the firing ship's own warp field?

When Worf agonized over the up to fifteen seconds of targeting Soran's missile, he would have been facing the multiple problems of not knowing the launch site, not knowing the signature, and not knowing the flight profile (i.e. when would the rocket accelerate to warp exactly, and how high a warp?). Shooting down enemy torpedoes would be easier if our heroes had fought those previously already, and knew at least some of their specs...

...Which in itself would be reason enough to fire torpedoes at different speeds in different engagements, so as to keep the opponent guessing. Going slow might be a good idea if the torpedo then suddenly and unpredictably accelerated for the final dash to impact, even if going slow is otherwise giving unfair advantage to the opponent.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[xvicente]

have you read "What Went Through Data's Mind 0.68 Seconds Before the Satellite Hit"?

 

[Timo]

Its high-gain antenna, perhaps?

Timo Saloniemi

 

[trevanian]

Its high-gain antenna, perhaps?

Timo Saloniemi

Nice. Ever since I heard
"I wonder what the last thing was that
went through his mind when the car exploded?" followed by
"I think it was the dashboard"
on MOONLIGHTING nearly three decades back, I've been angling to try to use a variant. Very impressive.

 

[varek]

Realistically, I think you are correct. But I think writers either did not think about it or ignored it. Basically, it would give the E an almost perfect counter measure system where no enemy torpedoes could ever hit it. The Enterprise would become too powerful. In fact, there are probably several things that the writers have to ignore because it would bust the story.

I agree. The Enterprise would probably have been invulnerable, so there would have been little element of danger in the stories.

(Plus, technically, he was Operations, rather than Tactical. But, he was the Second Officer, so he could have taken charge of the phasers and torpedoes.)

His quick reflexes might have saved the Enterprise-D in Generations!