Phase Cannon vs the Spatial Torpedo

[Mark]

Did anyone else notice that the first two seasons seemed (in my opinion, at least) to get it backwards? I was always under the impression that the beam weapon was supposed to be a ships main weapon as it was rechargeable and wouldn't "run out of ammo", with the torpedo being the ships secondary, heavy weapon (it's power being offset by there only being so many aboard)

They stated that the Phase Cannons were supposed to be Enterprises most powerful weapon. If that's the case, why keep spatial torpedos aboard at all? We've seen that they are mostly useless against any kind of shield, had a relatively slow rate of fire, and were limited in number. So, why was it always torpedo this and torpedeo that? Why did they wait so long to install the phase cannons after they expierenced the "weakness" of the Spatial Torpedo?

Your thoughts?

[Blackstar the Chakat]

Majority opinion will be: stupid writers

Me: The Phase canons were in an experimental stage or something where the NX-01 could fall back on the old spatial torpedoes if they failed.

[Teaos]

Good point. The torpedoes did appear to suck rather hard.

[Monroe]

Maybe the cannons had some form of radiation that could harm the crew in high doses. Similiar to X-rays.

[Mark]

Maybe the cannons had some form of radiation that could harm the crew in high doses. Similiar to X-rays.

That's possible, but it seems they would have overcome that drawback by season 3 where we saw the phase cannons used alot more.

[Mikey]

I tend to think that the phase cannon were rather new, and relatively untried in the field. The crew would naturally tend towards using a known quantity rather than an unknown, especially when their lives were at stake. The gradual increase in use of the phase cannons would represent the crew's growing familiarity with, and trust in, the weapons.

[Sionnach Glic]

Given how new the phase cannons were, it's possible they didn't know how they would perform under combat conditions. Hence them arming the NX-01 with a less powerful but more reliable weapon.

[Teaos]

They didnt seem very reliable.

[Reliant121]

Against some enemies no, but thats because we had no idea what kind of tech and strength the hostile races had.

[Mark]

Did anyone ever catch what the yield of a spatial torpedo is compared to a photon torpedo???

[Mikey]

Did anyone ever catch what the yield of a spatial torpedo is compared to a photon torpedo???

Less.

[Mark]

I walked right into that one, didn't I?

[Reliant121]

Erm...yes, yes you did.

[Sionnach Glic]

Did anyone ever catch what the yield of a spatial torpedo is compared to a photon torpedo???

Whatever plot dictates.
Just like the speed of the ship.

[Teaos]

Hey the speed of the ship is always the same. They just change how far apart things are.