Particle weapon

A particle weapon is a type of weapon that is used by many technologically developed or equipped civilizations. They operate by bombarding a target with energetic particles via a particle beam or projectile-like bursts. (ENT: "Fight or Flight")

Several species utilized what was described as particle weapons during the mid-22nd century as both ship-mounted and sidearm weapons. Ship-mounted particle weapons are typically referred to as particle cannons.

The terms "particle cannons" and "particle weapons" have been used interchangeably on numerous occasions to describe the ship-mounted armaments of numerous species.

Sidearms

Vulcans utilized hand-held particle weapons as early as the mid-20th century. (ENT: "Carbon Creek") By the mid-22nd century, Coridan rebels were armed with particle weapons. (ENT: "Shadows of P'Jem") The Tandarans were also armed with particle weapons, during this time. (ENT: "Detained") Xindi-Reptilians were, likewise, armed with particle weapon sidearms. (ENT: "Hatchery") The Suliban also used particle weapon sidearms which were capable of stunning their victims. (ENT: "Cold Front")

Starfleet issued phase pistols as well as a variety of non-phase particle pulse sidearms during the mid-22nd century. The EM-33, a pulse gun, required the user to compensate for particle drift when firing. (ENT: "Sleeping Dogs")

The phase pistol, the predecessor of the phaser, fired a continuous beam and was capable of stun and kill settings. (ENT: "Broken Bow")

It appears that most non-phase pulse weapons had no stun setting.'

The particle yield of phase pistols can be doubled by cross-polarizing the power cells. (ENT: "Regeneration")

Ship-mounted weaponry

The results of firing ship-mounted particle weapons are signified by particle impacts that typically leave scorch marks on a ship's hull. In the case of high-yield particle impacts, the particle residue may cause oxidization and thermal shock effects to the hull. (ENT: "Fight or Flight")

Shortly after the introduction of the phase cannons utilized by Starfleet starships it was determined that they could not be fired at warp due to the particle discharge. According to Malcolm Reed, "It would destabilize [their] warp field and most likely burn out both [of their] nacelles." (ENT: "Fallen Hero")This problem was solved by the shortly afterward (ENT: "Shockwave, Part II"). To the Klingons of the 22nd century, these cannons were described as "low-yield particle cannons," and were deemed little threat to a Template:ShipClass battle cruiser. (ENT: "Judgment")

Many other species encountered by Starfleet during the 22nd century were armed with similar ship-mounted weapons.

• Suliban cell ships utilized high-yield particle weapons (ENT: "Broken Bow", "Shockwave")
• The armament of Enolian shuttles consisted of fore and aft particle cannons, which were less than a match for an NX-class starship (ENT: "Canamar")
• Xindi-Insectoid ships were armed with up to half a dozen ship-mounted particle cannons (ENT: "Hatchery")
• Andorian battle cruisers were armed with particle cannons, including multiple forward cannons (ENT: "Kir'Shara", "Zero Hour")
• Tellarite cruisers were also armed with particle cannons, which leave a signature unique to Tellarite technology (ENT: "Babel One")
• Xantoran patrol ships were equipped with low-power particle beams (ENT: "The Breach")