In the early ages of interstellar travel, it became clear that directed energy devices would be needed in order to assist in clearing gas, dust and other microscopic materials from the flight paths of vehicles. A way was found to deflect these materials by using directed energy. It soon became apparent that such technology could also make an effective weapon system, and the phaser was conceived.
 
Current Federation ship-mounted phasers range in power from the Phaser Type IX (the weakest ship-mounted phaser) to the Type XII (the most powerful ship-mounted phaser). Each phaser class has both a fast and slow firing variant. Fast-firing phasers are less powerful than their slow-firing counterparts, but recharge more quickly. Phaser energy dissipates over distance, resulting in a loss of efficiency and damage at long range. This, combined with the phaser’s high accuracy, makes it an ideal short-range weapon.

Phasers proved effective against most vessels in the early history of space travel. However, as warp drive became more prevalent, the need arose for a weapon deliverable at high relativistic and warp speeds. Initially, rudimentary nuclear projectiles were used for this purpose. After much research, Starfleet engineers perfected the controlled detonation of matter and antimatter and fitted the new technology into a torpedo casing with an advanced propulsion system. The result was the photon torpedo, which immediately became the standard heavy weapon on all Federation vessels. Though the design has been upgraded since its inception, the basic configuration remains the same on even the most advanced vessels.
 
 The Klingon Empire was experimenting with matter/antimatter weaponry at the same time as the Federation, and their weapons were very similar to those of Starfleet. However, their weaponry was developed with a slightly higher yield and fewer safety precautions. Since then, the two empires have shared technology to the point where the two systems are identical on current vessels. Photon torpedoes can be armed with Proximity fuses, which detonate when the weapon gets close to an enemy vessel instead of on impact. This increases the probability of hitting a fast-moving target, but significantly reduces the amount of damage inflicted.

As the photon torpedo reached what many Starfleet researchers agreed was its highest possible explosive yield, a group of engineers at the Starfleet R&D facility on Groombridge 273-2A began investigating methods for achieving a higher release of energy from a projectile of equal dimensions to the photon torpedo. The result was the quantum torpedo, which utilizes an eleven-dimensional, space-time membrane suspended in an ultra-clean vacuum within the projectile. The membrane is twisted into a string and then isolated from the background vacuum. This results in the creation of a new particle, which is accompanied by a tremendous release of energy.
 
 The quantum torpedo is a heavy weapon available only to Federation vessels. It does significantly more damage than the photon torpedo. Like the photon torpedo, it can be set to proximity detonate.

The pulse phaser was developed by Starfleet as a weapon to combat future Borg incursions and was first fitted onto the prototype U.S.S. Defiant. The device functions similarly to a standard phaser, but without a continuous beam. The energy emissions are instead stored in a magnetic field, allowing them to coalesce and agitate to higher energy states. The field is then re-directed, forcing the burst of phaser energy toward the target. This process is repeated rapidly using multiple magnetic field generators, and the result is a stream of phased energy projectiles. Although the range of such a weapon is much less than the standard phaser due to rapid dissipation, from close range the pulse phaser can do far more damage than a standard beam phaser. The weapon has been adapted to function on most Federation ships.

The space mine is, at its heart, a matter/antimatter warhead designed to detonate when a vessel reaches a certain proximity to it. It functions in much the same way as the Federation photon torpedo. These mines utilize a detonation device that releases controlled amounts of matter and anti-matter, which annihilate and cause a massive energy release. Although the effectiveness of mine fields in the vastness of space is minimal, mines have been used to great effect in close quarters starship combat or to distract and damage pursuing vessels.

Early Romulan spacecraft were equipped with basic projectile weapons, which were largely ineffective at high speeds and long range. As their technology grew, the Romulans realized (as Starfleet later would) that the same directed energy fields used to deflect particles of dust in the path of their vessels could be amplified and used as an effective weapon. The standard disruptor functions very similarly to the phaser, although it is often fired in pulses as opposed to beam form.

A brief Romulan-Klingon alliance around 2268 resulted in disruptor technology being shared with the Klingon Empire. Although they have upgraded the disruptor to their own specifications since then, the two weapons remain largely identical. Disruptors are available in strengths from 1 (weakest) to 4 (strongest), and each level is available with a normal or faster firing rate. The faster firing rate requires more energy.

The ion cannon is similar to the Romulan plasma torpedo, although instead of the highly unstable and dangerous plasma, it uses a stream of highly ionized gas suspended in a magnetic field and hurled at the target. The resultant explosion is not nearly as damaging as the plasma torpedo, but requires far less energy to fire and is much less likely to overload. As the ionized gas travels through space it dissipates, giving the ion cannon a much shorter range than a torpedo-based weapon. However, at close range, the ion cannon can do more damage than torpedoes.

The polaron weapon was developed by the Klingons in an effort to create a torpedo-based weapon to keep pace with the Federation’s research into quantum torpedoes. Although the explosive discharge is not much greater than a standard photon torpedo system, the delivery system has been vastly upgraded to include a modulating polaron radiation generator. This surrounds the torpedo in a field of polaron emissions, which are constantly changing modulation. This allows the torpedo to pass through most forms of energy shielding in use today in order to impact directly on the target’s hull. The upgrade also provides the torpedo with a slightly increased range.

The polaron torpedo charges at a rate equal to the photon torpedo, but it has a slightly longer range. Each torpedo has a chance to bypass an enemy’s shields and damage their hull directly.

The tachyon pulse was developed by Klingon scientists in an effort to prevent opponents from fleeing battle, a tactic deemed dishonorable by the Klingons. It utilizes a burst of tachyons, particles that can only exist at faster-than-light speeds. This tachyon burst is dissipated as soon as it comes into contact with an enemy vessel, but the resultant sub-space disturbance caused by the sheer number of particles makes the formation of a warp field impossible for a short period of time. The tachyon pulse renders warp drive inoperable and prevents the enemy from fleeing battle. This technology has spread to other empires, which have adapted it for use on their own vessels.

Plasma is a highly unstable form of matter in which a gas has become so hot, its electrons have been stripped away from the atomic nuclei. The result is matter on the verge of becoming pure energy. While most races have abandoned research into plasma-based weaponry because of the high risk involved, the Romulans ignored precautions and developed the highly destructive plasma torpedo. The device generates a ball of plasma using a burn process similar to the one used in impulse engines (which generate plasma as a byproduct). This plasma is suspended in a magnetic field and hurled at a target. On impact, the plasma ignites and a massive amount of energy is released. Early plasma weaponry degraded seriously over distance and traveled quite slowly. Recently, based on intelligence on zero-point, clean-vacuum energy fields stolen from Federation sources, the plasma torpedo has been upgraded to deliver a higher speed and greatly increased effective range.

Plasma torpedoes are available in three strengths: light, medium and heavy. They are very slow to recharge and require large amounts of energy to maintain, but they are the most powerful heavy weapon available to any race.

Utilizing technology discovered on a salvaged Dominion vessel, Romulan researchers developed the myotronic beam. The weapon does a fairly high amount of damage on its own, but a side effect of its enhanced energy field is the creation of a field of electromagnetic particles. These particles interfere with the energy buildup typical of most weapon designs. The result is that the enemy’s weapons are unable to fire for a short period of time after being struck.

The myotronic beam charges faster than a plasma torpedo launcher, but has a shorter range. A successful hit will damage the target, and has a chance to stun its weapons systems for a short period.

Little is known about the genesis of Borg weaponry, but many races in the galaxy have been unfortunate enough to see the effectiveness of the Borg cutting beam in action. The beam damages a vessel’s shields and will eventually cut through them and into the hull of the enemy ship. Primarily used by the Borg to dissect and analyze enemy ships for possible technological assimilation, it has also proven to be a powerful weapon.

The cutting beam is available in light, medium and heavy versions. Higher-end beams do more damage, but require more power to maintain.

Although the Borg are primarily concerned with the assimilation of other worlds, they are occasionally tasked with defending themselves against those who don’t wish to be assimilated. To adapt to this situation, they developed the gravimetric torpedo. This projectile weapon utilizes an advanced graviton inversion field to cause a gravimetric shear in its target, causing severe structural damage.

The gravimetric torpedo does more damage than the standard photon torpedo and requires equal energy to maintain.

Depletion of an enemy’s shields is crucial to the assimilation of a ship and its crew. Damage to the hull of a vessel risks the destruction of viable technology. The Borg have adapted the shield inversion beam to aid them in combating shielded enemies. While most weapons damage only the shield facing they strike, the shield inversion beam damages all of an enemy’s shields at once. The result is that the shields are weakened equally. This makes lowering an opponent’s shields for boarding easier, as the enemy cannot maneuver their stronger shields toward the attacker.

The Borg shield inversion beam charges slightly faster than the gravimetric torpedo, but has a shorter range. A successful hit will deplete all of the enemy’s shield facings equally.