Similar to torpedoes are various types of mines, which starships can lay down to, for example, deny an enemy access to an area or interfere with shipping lanes. Mines are, in essence, stationary torpedoes. Left floating in space to guard some area and/or interfere with passage through a particular region, they explode only when a ship comes close enough to them to trip their proximity or contact triggers (they can also be triggered by remote by the person who placed them). They have no, or limited ability to move, other than small thrusters to help keep them in place. Some mines can be refitted with Impulse Thrusters to extend to range once a vessel or target comes within their proximity sensors and guide themselves to the target, sometimes to ‘swarm’ an enemy vessel. Versions used by Starfleet include:
Anti-matter Mines:
Anti-matter mines are the mine version of the standard Type II Photon Torpedo (more powerful versions are available). They use magnetic targeting capabilities to detect the approach and detonate when they’ll cause the most damage. They can also be fitted with more advanced targeting systems, including recognizing a specific species warp signature and/or a specific vessels, or by simple visual sensors. Sometimes, all can be employed to prevent enemies from avoiding or disarming them prematurely.
Cloaked/Phase Mines:
Originally a Klingon weapon and adopted by Starfleet in the ‘phase’ version by equipping the unit with an Interphase generator, the mine hides itself within the cloaking/phase field equivilant to a class 10 cloaking device, or in the case of Starfleet Phase mines, a class 10 interphase generator that allows the weapon to pass through energy and matter, rephase at it’s optimal position and explode inside it’s target causing massive damage. They remain in place, inactive but invisible, until armed with a coded subspace signal. When they explode, they do 1000 points of damage.
Gravimetric Mines:
Also known as a ‘Gravitic mine’, it is the mine version of the Gravimetric torpedo. They come in three distinct configurations and power levels.
Type |
Damage |
|
Type I |
200 |
|
Type II |
400 |
|
Type III |
600 |
Self-Replicating:
Invented by Diagnostic and Repair Technician Rom of Deep Space Nine in 2373 as a last ditch effort to prevent Dominion from coming through the Bajoran Wormhole, the self-replicating mine consists of a 1.76x1.76x1.85 meter Duranium cargo container filled with off the shelf photon torpedo parts and replication technology. The replication technology contains enough raw matter to produce 1/65 of a mine; the mines use subspace emitters to draw on each others’ replication capacity to produce entire mines. Thus, before it explodes, a self-replicating mine creates a mine to replace it, making it very dangerous for any ship to venture anywhere near a self-replicating minefield. They do 200 points of damage when they explode.
Technology invented for these mines has been made to refine the design several times over, as well as added into new Orbital Weapons Platforms first deployed for the new Mars Defense Perimeter in 2376.
Spatial and Subspace Charges:
Similar to mines but less powerful, spatial and subspace charges are usually placed by a ship as it passes through an area to deter pursuit or flush another ship out of hiding. Spatial Charges work like anti-matter mines; subspace charges like gravimetric mines. Both do 120 points of damage.
The Mars Defense
Perimeter:
Located just behind Mars (Sol IV) the Mars Defense perimeter is the main defense
perimeter protecting Earth, the Capital of the Federation. It consists of
hundreds of unmanned spherical weapons pods ("Platforms") deployed in a tight
formation not far from Sol's Asteroid belt. After suffering significant Damage
during the Borg incursions of 2367 and 2373, it was upgraded with the Latest
advances in Starfleet Tactical technology. While that wasn't enough to protect
Earth completely from the massive Breen fleet that attacked in 2375, evidence
shows that without the MPD casualties on Earth would have been significantly
higher. The defensive network was further upgraded
in 2377, to allow
MDP platforms to take advantage of the latest in new technologies, such as
Unimatrix shielding, advanced torpedo ordinance, As well as large-scale
deployment to many other Federation core worlds, strategic starbases and
outposts, and deep space stations.
Currently, MDP platforms use Type XV planetary defense Phasers, multiple Torpedo
launchers capable of firing Photon and Quantum Torpedoes, Strong regenerative
Unimatrix force fields (Class 8), and an auto-destruct system which generate
massive explosions to any ship within range that does not transmit the proper
coded signal. Although normally stationary, they can move at low impulse (.25
Full impulse) when necessary.
Perhaps most importantly, the MDP platforms employ self-replication technology,
which allows them to replace themselves when destroyed. Each platform has
sufficient raw material to create 1/10 of a fully armed and operation platform.
It draws on the other platforms via a subspace link when the time comes to
create new platforms. This gives the MDP extra defensive capabilities that take
most attackers by surprise.
Mars Defense Perimeter Platform
Size: 3 (60 meter diameter)
Power: 430
Weapons Systems
Type XV Phaser Array
Range: 10/30,000/100,000/300,000
Arc: 720 degrees (All)
Location: 3 dorsal
sphere, 3 ventral sphere
Accuracy: 3/4/6/9
Damage: 300 [300 Spacedock comparison]
Power: [30]
Type II Photon Torpedoes (May substitute for Quantum’s if available)
Number: 500
Launchers: 6
Spread: 10
Arc: Forward, Port, Starboard, Aft but are self-guiding
Range: 15/350,000/1,500,000/4,050,000
Accuracy: 3/4/6/9
Damage: 20 (30 Quantum) [Spacedock: 200 Photon, 400 Quantum]
Power: [5]
Defensive Systems
Starfleet Regenerative Force-field (Class 8)
Protection: 150/150 [Spacedock: 1500 protection]
In addition to the MDP platforms, Earth defenses include several bases
orbiting (Earth Station McKinley, Starbase 1). Type XVIII mounted on
Luna and Earth itself, as well as various other Facilities.
Power: 1,400
Type XV Phaser Arrays (6) 264
Type: XV
Damage: 300 (30)
Number of emitters: 120 (up to 3 shots per round)
Auto-Phaser Interlock: Accuracy 3/4/6/9
Range: 10/30,000/100,000/300,000
Location: Placed equidistantly around sphere so that any given target can be targeted by a minimum of two phasers, and often more.
Firing Arc: 360 degrees
Firing Modes: Standard, Continuous, Pulse, Wide-Beam
Standard Load: Type IX Photon (250 Damage), Mark I Quantum (400), Mark I Flux (400)
Spread: 10
Range: 15/350/1,500,000/4,050,000
Targeting System: 3/4/6/9
Power: [20 + 5 per torpedo fired]
Location: Placed equidistantly around sphere so that any given target can be targeted by a minimum of two launchers, and often more.
Firing Arc: Varies, but are self-guided
Strength: 11
Bonus: +3
Shield Generator: Class 8 Unimatrix (1500 protection) (150 power/shield/round)
Shield Grid: N/A (Cannot increase protection)
Subspace Distortion Amplifiers: Class Kappa (500 Threshold)
Shield Regeneration System: Class 4 (50 protection per round, 20 second recharge)
Backup Shield Generators: 4 (1 per shield)
Total SU’s: 636