So I've been rewatching DS9 from Season 1 forward..

[Duskofdead]

The question still remains, why have a beam that wide at all. Why not focus the output energy into a thinner beam like virtually every other ship does. If the beam is merely matching the "shape" of the emitter, which is larger size, then it seems like it must lose a lot of energy from the large size of the beam.

I think the larger beam at leasts assists in hitting smaller and faster targets. When the Defiant is cruising close along the Negh'Var's hull, it takes one shot which "skims" along the top of the ship-- it's not a direct hit, but if the beam had been more narrow, the Defiant would have dodged it entirely.

[Captain Seafort]

It's possible that all phaser beams, from Type-I pistols up to the big guns of the Negh'var, are actually the same diametre, and the apparent variations are actually lense glare on the camera or retina due to the varying power.

[Duskofdead]

It's possible that all phaser beams, from Type-I pistols up to the big guns of the Negh'var, are actually the same diametre, and the apparent variations are actually lense glare on the camera or retina due to the varying power.

But we have seen beams of all sorts hit the Defiant from all kinds of angles and perspectives, and the Negh'Var beams in Shattered Mirror clearly dwarf them. The only thing I can think of which came close was the Vor'cha's beam disruptors in Way of the Warrior, but even that one was significantly more narrow IIRC.

[Captain Seafort]

But we have seen beams of all sorts hit the Defiant from all kinds of angles and perspectives, and the Negh'Var beams in Shattered Mirror clearly dwarf them. The only thing I can think of which came close was the Vor'cha's beam disruptors in Way of the Warrior, but even that one was significantly more narrow IIRC.

All those beams were from ships significantly smaller than the monster in "Shattered Mirror" - that thing was several kilometres long, so it's not surprising that its weapons were more powerful than anything previously seen.

[Duskofdead]

But we have seen beams of all sorts hit the Defiant from all kinds of angles and perspectives, and the Negh'Var beams in Shattered Mirror clearly dwarf them. The only thing I can think of which came close was the Vor'cha's beam disruptors in Way of the Warrior, but even that one was significantly more narrow IIRC.

All those beams were from ships significantly smaller than the monster in "Shattered Mirror" - that thing was several kilometres long, so it's not surprising that its weapons were more powerful than anything previously seen.

Of course, I agree. What I mean is that beam width and beam power do not necessarily go hand in hand. If anything, many times the Ent-D's Type X beams look "bigger" than the Ent-E's Type XII's for instance.

[Captain Seafort]

Of course, I agree. What I mean is that beam width and beam power do not necessarily go hand in hand. If anything, many times the Ent-D's Type X beams look "bigger" than the Ent-E's Type XII's for instance.

Really? Do you have examples? If the E-E examples are during the early stages of the Nemesis battle it may alternatively indicate a reduction in beam strength to increase rate of fire.

[Duskofdead]

Of course, I agree. What I mean is that beam width and beam power do not necessarily go hand in hand. If anything, many times the Ent-D's Type X beams look "bigger" than the Ent-E's Type XII's for instance.

Really? Do you have examples? If the E-E examples are during the early stages of the Nemesis battle it may alternatively indicate a reduction in beam strength to increase rate of fire.

May have been, yeah. But most of TNG's first 3-4 seasons had visual effects that were visibly lower quality than most what we saw afterwards, both in late TNG, DS9 and Voyager. I can't cite specific instances because I haven't seen all of TNG in years but I remember being blown away by the effects jump BoBW made compared to what had come earlier.

[Captain Seafort]

There's also the fact that BoBW was the first (and only time really) that we saw a GCS properly let rip - all phasers firing, PT volleys every two or three seconds. Between the fleet actions of the Dominion War, and those shots of the E-D engaging the cube, I'd pick the E-D every time as the better battle scene.

[Duskofdead]

There's also the fact that BoBW was the first (and only time really) that we saw a GCS properly let rip - all phasers firing, PT volleys every two or three seconds. Between the fleet actions of the Dominion War, and those shots of the E-D engaging the cube, I'd pick the E-D every time as the better battle scene.

Yeah I always wondered why they really "toned down" battle in the big fleet actions. Nowadays it's not as if every shot of a weapon would have cost them tons of money-- you can practically make combat scenes comparable to early TNG in games like Bridge Commander.

[Captain Seafort]

Yeah I always wondered why they really "toned down" battle in the big fleet actions. Nowadays it's not as if every shot of a weapon would have cost them tons of money-- you can practically make combat scenes comparable to early TNG in games like Bridge Commander.

The only thing I can think of is that they blew their budget on the fleet scenes. It got even worse in WYLB, when most of the shots came either from SoA or TotP. I'd rather have had relatively small fleets actually shooting at the enemy over those massed walls that couldn't move without running into each other and barely fired a shot.

[Sionnach Glic]

Agreed. Very disapointing.

[Teaos]

One reason I can think of is that in most situations Star Fleet tries not to destroy. They cripple and capture. Going all out like that is very uncontrolled and hard to tell when to stop. Their usual method of fighting lets them stop when needed.

They only go all out when they really want to stop something ie Borg, Skimatar.

[Sionnach Glic]

Well, that's probably the worst idea to take during a full scale battle. If they really did abide by such measures, then they must have taken lots of needless losses. Better to go all-out, and kill the bastard before he kills you.

[Teaos]

Bad diplomacy. A lot of the time these fights are misunderstandings or minor disputes. Knocking out someones engines tells them who's boss and lets you come to an agreement. Blowing them up is harder to make look good.

[Sionnach Glic]

Well, if you can blow their engines and guns off before they can down your shields, then go for it. Otherwise you're just going to lose people to enemy fire because you didn't hit the enemy fast or hard enough. And at least blowing them up sends a clear "don't screw with us" message to the next idiots who try to sneak into your space.