What have ships done without warp cores?

[sunnyside]

Figured I'd just thow this here to not bother the general board.

So, what can ships do without a warp core?

Stuff I know of.

The origional warp engines used a fusion reaction to go, and ENT used an antimater reaction but didn't have to use a warp core as we know it (though I don't know if their system was any safer).

However it sounds like later "warp plasma" only comes out of the warp core. An explination I've heard is that the "warp plasma" is the most energetic electro plasma and a "core" is needed to get past early TOS warp speeds.

Beyond going at warp speed we know the warp core powers the EPS system to a large degree. I would tend to think that ships using their full weapon complement would tend to tax the system. So a ship without it's warp core wouldn't be able to keep producing enough energy to keep up.

Though it should be able to go a while. Electroplasma can be stored and contained in the EPS system as well as in "capacitors" and such. So while that lasts the ship should be fine.


Anybody have other feelings/knowledge?

[Teaos]

The warp core seems to power pretty much everything. With out it they would only have secondary power. I'm not sure where this comes from, batteries or maybe a smaller power source like a fusion reactor.

I think every ship would have a different out put. So some may be able to do everything at the same time while other can not fire weapons while doing other things.

[Sionnach Glic]

The WC powers pretty much everything, from what I gathered. Given that we've seen ships continue to operate when they've ejected the core, we know that there's some sort of backup generators or power reserves on board. It's quite probable that this source is only really enough to keep essential systems like life support going. I'd imagine that without a warp core, things like shields, weapons and warp drive would be out.

[Teaos]

I doubt the secondary power unit was a warp core. Probably batteries or Fusion, maybe a chemical pack.

[Sionnach Glic]

Quite probable. Or perhaps it's just a reserve of energy already created by the WC and stored for such an occasion?

[sunnyside]

Well it's cannon that there are backup fusion reactores for critical life support systems. And a fusion reactor for the impulse engines that can in principle power the ship. And mention is made of capacitors storing energy (presumably in the form of electro plasma) on a number of occasions.

I do believe the Galaxy fought without its core once, but I don't know how well or for how long.

[Teaos]

The saucer section could still work fine with out one. Must have a decent sized fusion reactor in there.

[Mikey]

The E-E continued fighting after dropping its core in Insurrection. It would seem that the impulse engines, or whatever other backup there is, may power the ship fairly well but probably doesn't have much endurance relative to normal WC operation.

[stitch626]

Also, the E-nil refit (and possibly E-A) had their phasers tied to the warp drive, so without a core, no phasers. (stupid idea, if you ask me, considering what happened in TMP when they went to warp)

[Teaos]

It would make sense to have them able to run of a secondary unit but I cant blame them for tying them directing into the core. It provides so much more power than anything else.

[stitch626]

The stupid part is not useing warp power for the phasers. Its the, warp core problem, phasers cut out, part.

[Teaos]

There is no way around that. If it is powered by the Warp core and the core goes off line they go off line. No way to fix that appart fom give them a secondary power unit just as powerful as the core.

[stitch626]

I guess. They should still be able to run them at, I don't know, 15% power.

[sunnyside]

I guess. They should still be able to run them at, I don't know, 15% power.

Yeah I could see that.

[stitch626]

But on the refit E, once warp went, there were no phasers.