How much weaker are Card compression waves vs. phasers?

[Duskofdead]

Title says it all, pretty much. The weapons Cardassians use were interchangeably referred to as phasers, disruptors, or compression beams, but these could have been somewhat generic terms and whenever people actually discussed Cardassian ships themselves, they said compression weapons or phasers. (I think phasers was just mentioned the once when Jellico told them to drop their phaser coils or something?)

We've seen Cardassians vs. Federation many times and their weapons don't seem to do terribly much, even against older Federation ships.

[Tsukiyumi]

Maybe it's a result of them actually using different, distinct weapon types. They worked on all three, rather than focusing research on one, and ended up with weaker versions of all. Though the Galors sure pasted the Dominion bugs during "What You Leave Behind".

[Mikey]

It is an oddity. Generally, a species ship-mounted weapons have been a large-scale version of its hand weapons; and Cardassian sidearms have been specifically referred to as "phasers." And the mention of "phaser coils" in TNG:"Chain of Command" was very specific. I could easily envisage the other terms used being lingo for the particular type or effect of phasers that were used.

Other than that, yep - they did seem fairly weak.

[Teaos]

Due to their lack of technology I'd guess disruptors but people call them phasers as a generic term.

[Captain Seafort]

Cardassian weapons have always produced a continuous beam, like phasers, while disruptors tend to produce pulses. Given that I also can't recall their weapons ever being called disruptors, that's very strong evidence that they're not. As for the compression beam/phaser debate, it's possible that "phaser" is a generic term, and the Cardies use a specific type of the weapon. Note that Voyager's rifles were called "compression phaser rifles", suggesting that they use similar technology

[Teaos]

Maybe compression could just mean the shape of the beam.

Compression is avery fine point to cut and punch a hole were as normal has more kick to it.

[Mikey]

That would make sense in the context of Cardassian tech and philosophy. Perhaps they aren't able to acheive the same power levels as Fed phasers, but compensate with some form of "compression."

[mwhittington]

I thought compression beams were a type of phaser, but that the beam was shortened, or compressed, and the beam's full energy was intact, kind of like taking a .50 cal. bullet and imploding it to the size of a .22, then firing it like a sabot round. It would retain its weight and would need to use the same amount of powder to fire it, but it would retain its energy and go through damn near anything because of its new smaller size.

[Mikey]

I thought compression beams were a type of phaser, but that the beam was shortened, or compressed, and the beam's full energy was intact, kind of like taking a .50 cal. bullet and imploding it to the size of a .22, then firing it like a sabot round. It would retain its weight and would need to use the same amount of powder to fire it, but it would retain its energy and go through damn near anything because of its new smaller size.

That's a definite possibility; but why would that be called "pulse" technology on one hand and "compression" on the other? Were the VOY-type rifles ever referred to as "compression" rifles onscreen?

[Reliant121]

I think comression rifles are just a beam conpressed into a tiny pulse.

the compression beam cannons mounted on cardie ships...hmmm...well if you look at the emitter, specially the main high energy cannon...its bloody massive. its bigger than a torpedo launcher. I imagine the compression system, is to compress the beam into something resembling a phaser, if they didn't the beam would theoretically be the same size as the emitter.

[Mikey]

So :compression" actually refers to the size of the beam output, rather than its capability/power? That's definitely a possibility.

[Tsukiyumi]

Well, by reducing the area the energy is focused on, it would do more damage for the same power, just in a more precise location.

[Teaos]

I'd imagin there is a trade off though. The more compression the less power or something like that.

[Mikey]

True - if it works like that, the act of compressing the beam probably bleeds some power from the actual effect of the beam.

[Teaos]

But since the Cardies know they dont have the power to field a big gun they opt for compression since it gives them a chance to bust through shields and hit the ship.