The Evolution of Starship Shields... And Other Defenses

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
  • Today we delve into the development of Starship Sheilds. Arguably one of the most important technologies in Trek. However these systems are not without rival, with Starship Armor and Close In Weapons Systems (CWIS), making multiple apperances throughout the long history of Starfleet.
    (Also Tremble before the mighty ROCKWELL CLASS!!!)

КОМЕНТАРІ • 170

  • @TheBigExclusive
    @TheBigExclusive Рік тому +68

    I heard that the reason the bridge is in the center of the saucer is because it is the most protected area of the ship. So despite the appearance of being vulnerable, the center of the saucer actually has the most "overlapping" shielding emitters. So you will have several shield layers protecting the bridge.

    • @_Omega_Weapon
      @_Omega_Weapon Рік тому +20

      Even with that in mind, I think it's still prudent to have the bridge recessed or sunken below the hull with a layer or two of armor above protecting it.

    • @SuperGamefreak18
      @SuperGamefreak18 Рік тому +4

      @@_Omega_Weaponand you see more sunken shields on combat focused federation ships the cruisers especially flagships are command ships and most fights most ships when they close in expose their underbelly in most attacks since that is normally the safe tactic in general. Now the Klingons and somewhat the romunlans have bridges more exposed than federation ships, the bigger the ship gets the small a target the bridge naturally is and honestly becomes risked because it’s behind the best armor and shields.

    • @Maniac3020
      @Maniac3020 Рік тому

      @@SuperGamefreak18 Yet many starfleet ships have the antimatter storage tanks near the hull on the bottom of the engineering section. Hitting those could be worse than destroying the bride.

    • @gmradio2436
      @gmradio2436 Рік тому +2

      Mounting the Antimatter there may be design doctrine meeting combat doctrine. Starfleet is supposed to meet threats head on with the saucer hull above the threat and the engineering section on the same level or below. That puts most the ship between enemy fire and the Antimatter.

    • @TheWoblinGoblin
      @TheWoblinGoblin Рік тому +4

      Eh, now we need windows ;)
      even so, we were always limited by budgets and WW2 metaphors. Real world bridges - for navigation - are on the top of the ship and even British Battleships had notorious officers not using their conning towers. A CIC on the other hand shouldn't be the same as a navigation bridge. To some extent we saw that in TOS with the secondary bridge and in TNG with the battle bridge

  • @occultatumquaestio5226
    @occultatumquaestio5226 Рік тому +23

    Even with the continued advances in shield tech in Trek, there are still plenty of potential advantages in having more layered defenses.
    Overall though, a delightful video to watch in analyzing the development of starship defenses.

  • @lynngreen7978
    @lynngreen7978 Рік тому +67

    I believe Polarized Hull Plating is related to Structural Integrity Fields. So the tech actually continues to exist in later eras. Weapons simply grew so potent, that SIF was not really a combat defense.

    • @jonathanstrong4812
      @jonathanstrong4812 Рік тому +2

      In the old TNG era book Federation Captain Picard strengthen the outside hull of Enterprise D during a power failure when the defecting Romulans extended their cloaking device around to protect the Enterprise D The cloaking device destabling the Enterprise's warp core and which who couldn't generating a warp bubble Picard's order to transfer ALL power into the SIF And then he told the conning officer to ready a collision course at the other attacking Romulan starship And the tilt was brief and to the point And Hey Presto! one destroyed Romulan starship

    • @WardenWolf
      @WardenWolf Рік тому +4

      @@jonathanstrong4812 I forget that part of the book, but that book did Zefram Cochrane far better justice than Insurrection. Insurrection did him dirty.

    • @trekwars5400
      @trekwars5400 Рік тому

      That's a really good point

    • @patrickhaynie3131
      @patrickhaynie3131 Рік тому +5

      If anything i’d actually argue that “Polarized Hull Plating”/SIFs were demoted to being a more passive defense. Especially in contrast to increasingly more powerful shield technology throughout the 23rd century. In Wrath of Khan when Kirk orders Yellow Alert there’s a quick remark by Saavik about “energizing defense fields…”; I’ve always taken it to mean that the Enterprise had polarized her outer hull by the time the Reliant fired. Likewise, the presence of a reinforced hull in such a manner would explain why/how the Enterprise was able to take such damage even with her shields down.
      SIFs are still a combat defense (even well into the 24th century), just not an active/primary one in the same manner that shields are.

  • @trekwars5400
    @trekwars5400 Рік тому +4

    I appreciate the shout out. And I really appreciate the evaluation of Polarize hall armor I really had no idea how that worked.😊

  • @corbinhirschhorn9064
    @corbinhirschhorn9064 Рік тому +3

    Love the thought you put into this. Wish they had someone like you in the actual writers' room to clean up the mess they've made.

  • @thestanleys3657
    @thestanleys3657 Рік тому +3

    "she's packing quite a wallop shields weakening"-Scotty

  • @CaptChang
    @CaptChang Рік тому +2

    Worth pointing out that Star Fleet Battles have all of them! :D The old-gen Romulan ships like warbird have armor. Everybody have shields. And some power have ADDs, which is basically CIWS to counter the missiles (drones in SFB).

  • @shanenolan5625
    @shanenolan5625 Рік тому +3

    Cheers.

  • @supportveep380
    @supportveep380 Рік тому +1

    Something I wish was presented more accurately is the detonation yield and absorption when photon torpedoes are hitting shields. The kinetic energy of the torpedo impact itself, an object weighing hundreds or even thousands of pounds, and traveling at some percentage of lightspeed would be enough to destroy a sizable asteroid..Add to that A 1.5kg anti-matter warhead will yield 50 megatons of energy. They are always shown mostly as small explosives. The energy required to absorb that much kinetic and explosive yield would be mind boggling

  • @kfcroc18
    @kfcroc18 Рік тому +2

    I think it should be the other way around. 6:33 Energy shields stop energy hits and physical armor stops physical hits.

  • @timothyhiggins8934
    @timothyhiggins8934 Рік тому +1

    a strong offense is the best defense. because you cannot just sit there and take shots all day. so i say a fleet with starships loaded with great speed, great shielding and great firepower and can field them in numbers should win out in small to medium conflicts more.
    great video

  • @Michael-yg7gq
    @Michael-yg7gq Рік тому +2

    Can you do a video on the top 5 classes of ships that drove victory in the Dominion war.

  • @madkabal
    @madkabal Рік тому +1

    I believe we are on our way to see shields in our children's children lifetime. We already have a sort of "primative shields" in the 21st century today. Im talking about Active Protection Systems (APS).
    APS is a system mounted on the most modern main battle tanks that consists of a doppler or millimeter band rader and projectile launchers strategically placed on the Tanks turret. Once the radar detects an incoming object that is large and fast enough to threaten the vehicle it commands one of the launchers to automatically fire its own volley of munitions and destroys the misslie before it makes contact with the Tank.

  • @jhallam2011
    @jhallam2011 Рік тому

    Venom thank you for this! I didn’t realize there are so many types of defenses even though I was familiar with the terminology!

  • @c4vengineering
    @c4vengineering Рік тому +1

    Good video. I loved it. only one issue. its super minor but its CIWS, not CWIS due to it being an acronym. yeah thats my 2 cents that bugged me. OCD really made me type this

  • @Thornbloom
    @Thornbloom Рік тому +3

    Lasers in Trek are kind of a joke actually. Nobody past the 22nd century feels even remotely threatened by them.

  • @king_br0k
    @king_br0k Рік тому +1

    I think by the dominion war standard phasers and fire control are capable of being used as a cwis without the need for a dedicated system

  • @valor1omega
    @valor1omega Рік тому

    Shield emitters can and do burn out regardless of how strong they are.
    Secondary shields can be used when the main shields go down or burnout giving them some extra protection.

  • @90lancaster
    @90lancaster Рік тому

    The best way to run lasers is a lot of them at VERY low power and then when one of them hits something (i..e how laser range finders work) then that beam is fed more energy and destroys the target reducing the chance of a miss.
    The slight downside being you make your ship look like a laser spitting hedgehog in this mode.

  • @merafirewing6591
    @merafirewing6591 Рік тому +2

    I wonder if the systems of Space Battleship Yamato 2199 are similar to how Starfleet Starships function?

  • @bettyswunghole3310
    @bettyswunghole3310 Рік тому +1

    Energy shields strike me as one of the more plausible pieces of Trek technology...extremely intense electric fields...ions marshalled by those electric fields into dense layers...I can sort of get a feel for how they *_might_* work.
    It's the things like transporter beams and holodecks that come across as the more scientifically "wacky" ideas.

  • @IronMan-kz8tg
    @IronMan-kz8tg Рік тому +1

    USAF: you're interesting .

  • @MarkHurlow-cf2ix
    @MarkHurlow-cf2ix 3 місяці тому

    Shields can hold off energy attacks that can burn whole cities from orbit. That’s amazing.

  • @DarinRWagner
    @DarinRWagner Рік тому +1

    I always thought the NX-01 should have had countermeasures instead of "hull polarization."

    • @venomgeekmedia9886
      @venomgeekmedia9886  Рік тому

      I think In the romulan war they probably hastily added countermeasures

    • @TheRezro
      @TheRezro Рік тому

      @@venomgeekmedia9886 My guess is that polarized plating probably use magnetism to disperse low level radiation like plasma or laser weapon. And well. Actual radiation.
      I think the main reason why shows do not mention countermeasures is because those concepts were not so well known back then. Even if especially the books have them as writers have more time to explain what those things are. For example TOS did have drone ships. But people lot of people actually realized that only when concept become well known in 90's.

  • @davidnelson5533
    @davidnelson5533 Рік тому +1

    So technology 9 times. Tech once. If correct I’ll sign up

  • @Alex-nj3dj
    @Alex-nj3dj Рік тому

    Seeing the close in weapon systems on star fleet ships compared to battle star galactica make me shake my head in embarrassment

  • @danverss6176
    @danverss6176 Рік тому +1

    So why is strange new worlds using skin shields for the enterprise?

  • @andyf4292
    @andyf4292 Рік тому

    i always liked the klingon d6

  • @matchesburn
    @matchesburn Рік тому

    3:03
    Um... I'm not a Star Trek expert, but I do know a few things... And I can tell you right now that this explanation *_does not_* fit with the NX-01. There's no "repulsor field" being involved.
    _"In Star Trek Monthly issue 87, according to André Bormanis: 'To minimize potential damage from weapons fire and other space hazards, NX-01 incorporates a polarization matrix in its_
    _armored hull plating. Through the application of electromagnetic power, the metal hull of the ship can be made several orders of magnitude harder than it is in its non-polarized state.'"_
    From my understanding, this is actually based on a real-world concept where ceramics can become stronger in tensile strength through an electrical field being applied to them because the grain boundaries in the ceramic are aligned in a uniform nature. It could theoretically drastically improve the durability of the ceramic (in this case armor/hull) depending on the specific ceramic composite and the electrical field being used. You can even adapt these into piezoelectric ceramics where the very fact that they are put under pressure (from, say, a torpedo hit) generates even more power and further strengthens the hull plating.

  • @davidmallernee3868
    @davidmallernee3868 4 місяці тому

    shields are used every day at cern magnetic as well as at the expermintal site messing with anti matter

  • @baystated
    @baystated 8 місяців тому

    Except, we don't allow Worf to raise the shields. Lol.

  • @ryanyvegaify
    @ryanyvegaify 2 місяці тому

    We need to figure out LCARS. I watched TNG growing up amd never saw anyone rage at their pads like i see people get annoyed at their touch screen phones. We suffer with these badly designed guis and the entire galaxy operates off of touch screen panels

  • @GRIGGINS1
    @GRIGGINS1 Рік тому

    Damn it Venom you gave me Alcohol poisoning lol.

  • @pauln6917
    @pauln6917 Рік тому

    CIWS.

  • @Big_Black_Dick
    @Big_Black_Dick Рік тому +2

    😂 yeah star wars ninjas are finished lol their ships wit "laser" weapons couldn't even penetrate a star trek ship's navigational deflector aray,

  • @FrakkinGaiusBaltar
    @FrakkinGaiusBaltar Рік тому +16

    300 years in the future, armour and firepower are still fighting the same battle. Truly war never changes

  • @JackyTheNerd
    @JackyTheNerd Рік тому +15

    If the Rockwell class was flipped upside down, I don't think anyone would have a problem with it. But a ship's a ship, and I love them all.

  • @zeul1337
    @zeul1337 Рік тому +4

    first + thank you for the vid!

  • @Sephiroth144
    @Sephiroth144 Рік тому +11

    From a meta-angle, shields getting battered don't require one to adjust the models you're filming (due to damage), just changing the number the actors read. Plus, when ships DO take (persistent) damage, it makes a bigger impact, (see Trek II & III, as well as the 3rd season of Enterprise)

  • @RamielNagisa
    @RamielNagisa Рік тому +7

    I think secondary shields function like the older CIWS; it's intended to supplement active shields and make upgrading the primary more viable. Ships that live longer provide more information, allowing you to learn what caused the main shields to fail.
    It's similar to the Survivor Bias; What killed planes? Look at the planes that came back. You don't add armor to where there are holes, you add it where there are none. Because planes that died had been hit in those places, planes that survived Didn't get hit in those places.

    • @IO-hh2fz
      @IO-hh2fz Рік тому

      I'll add my own thoughts to that comment. I think that a secondary shield is not intended as a replacement for the primary shield (at least in theory, some captains will still use it that way). It is more intended to help a ship in breaking away from a losing engagement and preventing it from being destroyed should the shields fail due to a random lucky phaser or disrupter hit.
      To put it in a table top gaming terms, instead of having to roll 5 or higher (on a standard 6 die) to survive, you now only have to roll 2 or higer.
      In addition, I also think that one of the reasons for secondary shielding existing in the 24th century but not before, is because there is a diminishing return on installing extra shield generators or emitters. This creates a practical 'cap' on shield strength for a ship of a certain size and power output. While this 'cap' of course varies per tech level, I think that by the time secondary shields come about is a notable constraint on how capable a shield can be.
      The reason why you don't see them earlier is quite simple, hitting the diminishing return threshhold is hard enough on earlier tech bases that it's just not practical to add a secondary shield ask compared to just beefing up the primary shield. It takes up sufficient amounts of extra power generation capacity and space that the trade-offs just aren't worth it yet.
      That is not to say you can't do it, but look at a ship like the TOS enterprise. She can only take about 3 maybe 4 proton torpedo's on her standard shield, a secondary shield is just not going to be powerful enough to stop a single torpedo. Installing one anyway will take so much power generation and space that you will need a bigger ship, which means you need more power generation, which needs a larger warp core, which needs a bigger hull, etc. etc. It just spirals away too quickly.
      Compare that to say the enterprise F, were adding a couple of extra modular pallets with shield generators just means giving up a lab or 2 and putting some crew in shared quarters, while also providing a strong enough shield to still stop stray weapons fire. All you need to do is hook those shielding pallets into the power systems and have them automatically switch on the moment the primary shields go down, which means installing them is only a 2 hour field job for the engineering crew. It's simply a much more relevant technology at that point, especially when compared when combined with a likely increase in other defensive systems such as CIWS and E-war equipment.

  • @_Omega_Weapon
    @_Omega_Weapon Рік тому +26

    I would to see future Janeway's deployable armor be worked into Trek. Like a really tough Neutronium version made up of pre-programmed matter that ensheaths the hull upon being released from tanks, or another type of containment system within a ship.

    • @shanenolan5625
      @shanenolan5625 Рік тому +2

      I believe ( perhaps after the dominion war ) the federation acquired the knowledge of making neutronium Hull plating . ( uss shepherd) the 22nd century gargarin class refit. . The dominion used it on a ground base . And apparently, they were capable of absorbing quantum torpedoes. ( o brien , to the death) . Dominion headquarters on cardassia as well

    • @kamenriderblade2099
      @kamenriderblade2099 Рік тому +3

      Neutronium Armor would be "Story Line" breaking, it's too good and powerful of a defense.

    • @shanenolan5625
      @shanenolan5625 Рік тому +2

      @kamenriderblade2099 it sounds like starfleet spends 20 years getting it too much, and it's not pure nuetrouim. , it's an alloy mixed with nuetrouim. .
      They have them in, but haven't I haven't seen them in combat. . But star fleet technology has moved past the point that the older powers are a treat.
      In the books , it and transwarp ( quantum slipstream) causes an alliance of romulan, breen , thoian, and tzcenketi. To unite against the federation, as a last chance before the new technology becomes fleet wide . Makes future war impossible.

    • @_Omega_Weapon
      @_Omega_Weapon Рік тому +1

      @@kamenriderblade2099 I would probably make it an alloy. Not 100% pure, and would require a new power system. Something like a vacuum energy generator, in addition to the warp core/EPS systems. To help power it and other primary systems. One could always make up exceptions for when it doesn't work, like against certain types of weapons, in certain anomalies/areas of space, and auto retracting after taking critical damage etc.

    • @mickeyholding7970
      @mickeyholding7970 Рік тому +1

      I'd love to see a video here on this subject.

  • @Marinealver
    @Marinealver Рік тому +4

    I always thought defenses work better when they match the weapon type, energy on energy and matter on matter. Armor would be better against shells, shields against beams, interceptors against missiles.

  • @JaredLS10
    @JaredLS10 Рік тому +3

    The lack of CIWS has always bothered me in Trek. A 24th century vessel should have no problem incorporating a rail gun type CIWS to shoot down incoming torpedo's which would allow the shields to deal with energy based weapons fire.

  • @Sierra0331
    @Sierra0331 Рік тому +3

    I’m schtill at the end here… *passes out from alcohol poisoning*

  • @captainsinclair7954
    @captainsinclair7954 Рік тому +5

    The Plasma Turret idea is basically "Holy Wall of Hot Flak GO!" and i love it

  • @logicplague
    @logicplague Рік тому +3

    Would have been nice at some point to see the Federation reverse-engineer the Borg's adaptive shielding tech. Two or three shots, and that weapon(at least at a certain frequency) becomes utterly ineffective. I know, plot, but still.

  • @unknown9126
    @unknown9126 Рік тому +6

    Great video as always.
    As for secondary/emergency shielding, I could see it being useful to allow time for the primary shields to recharge or to last just long enough to make an escape. Assuming the ship has the space available for the other system.

  • @joeswanson733
    @joeswanson733 Рік тому +2

    starfleet should have a 3 layer defense system
    1.) point defense phasers
    2.) shields (primary/secondary)
    3.) armor plating.

  • @misterlau5246
    @misterlau5246 Рік тому +2

    "Energy" weapons are very visible, maybe it's matter, and light, photons, don't have electric charge, no effect from a EM repulsion.
    The antimatter warhead is a terrible idea. Too dangerous. But in space, that would generate only lots of gamma radiation, no explosion.
    Energy is just a relation between physical magnitudes, it's not a "thing".
    A ballistic missile means lots of energy too.

  • @sixwingproductions
    @sixwingproductions Рік тому +5

    they could also introduce a feature i've toyed with in my own writings, layered absorption shielding. essentially you have three to four shields layered together, each shield recharges itself by absorbing the energy of enemy weapons and channeling that back into the shield matrix powering the shield with the enemies own weapons, by layering the shields and allowing some bleed through you can disperse that energy over multiple shield grid preventing them from overloading as easily from enemy weapons energy exceeding the capacity to power them.

    • @kamenriderblade2099
      @kamenriderblade2099 Рік тому +1

      That sounds a lot like the "Tholian Web", which would make for great Space Chain Link fencing IMO.

  • @averylee4302
    @averylee4302 Рік тому +2

    so for the redundant shields, couldn't one be a bubble and one be a skin shield? maybe the bubble is adaptive and the skin shield is regenerative for best of all worlds defense?

  • @spartan078ben
    @spartan078ben Рік тому +2

    Its too bad we never saw a gattling phaser cannon, something we would recognize as a CIWS.

  • @KJAkk
    @KJAkk Рік тому +3

    I thought the redundant shield was the idea for an outer bubble shield and an inner skin shield. When the outer one was damaged you pulled it in to recharge while expanding the inner one into a bubble.

  • @stevenewman1393
    @stevenewman1393 Рік тому +2

    🖖😎👍Very cool and very nicely well done and executed and very well informatively explained in every detail way shape and form provided on this format and subject matter indeed, On explaining everything on and about hull plating and various sheilds strengths and how they actually work in defense on protecting the ships from acquiring major hull damage and so forth indeed!.

  • @HeadlessChickenTO
    @HeadlessChickenTO Рік тому +2

    I dont know, multi-layeres shields could be useful if they are different types. Say for instance, your primary is regenerative while your secondary is reactive. So if your primary goes down, it has a chance to recharge while your secondary will do a good job at holding off attacks. Just look at the beating the Scimitar took from 3 warships, including a salvo of successive hits from quantum and photon torpedos, on top of thr multiple disruptor and phaser hits. Her shields were still up.

    • @logicplague
      @logicplague Рік тому

      That's kinda how the US and Israel handle missile defense now, layer upon layer for different purposes. THAAD for one range of altitude and type of missile, Patriot for another, etc. US has like 6 layers of missile defense systems I believe, and Israel a couple more.
      edit: so far I've found THADD, Aegis, Patriot, M-SHORAD, and various land based CIWS.

  • @vortega472
    @vortega472 Рік тому +2

    Very Cool Video. I remember your short about the Kelvin Universe anti-missile defense weapons (that look like intelligent lights for shows on stage).
    I can see why it's not as big a deal in T.V. with Star Trek with those kind of defenses - but in real combat situations - anti-missile technology is key to a fleet (in sea or space).

  • @FreeThePorgs
    @FreeThePorgs Рік тому +2

    Star trek nemesis had primary and secondary shields on the scimitar, the enterprise E threw everything and barely scratched it. So that means it had 200% shields???? Or super powerful 100% shields??? They had to ram it to scratch damage it.

    • @kamenriderblade2099
      @kamenriderblade2099 Рік тому

      It has 2x Very Powerful Shields that can cover for each other.
      That's why it took a 3 VS 1 & Ramming when the Shields were down to win.

  • @davidponseigo8811
    @davidponseigo8811 Рік тому +1

    Deflector Shields are one piece of Star Trek technology that is actually feasible to build in our lifetime unlike warp drive and artificial gravity. Beam weapons and other types of Star Trek weapons are also feasible.

  • @speedcreep2605
    @speedcreep2605 Рік тому +1

    I'm almost certainly wrong but my inference for polarized hull plating was quite different. I thought about what happens when a kinetic impact (missile/torpedo/gun) occurs. When this happens, it's usually not a perfect puncture; there is tearing/ripping/shattering involved. What if polarizing the hull is not about damage avoidance but damage triage? Yes, the damage still occurs but the area of damage/depressurization is reduced. It's an idea that, in my mind, goes right along with sealable watertight/airtight bulkheads. Neither of those prevent damage, they minimize it. This might be accomplished by introducing a strong magnetic field across the hull, actually pulling the metallic particles tightly together via magnetism. Think about something like putting tape on glass before you try to drill through it...
    That was my thought anyway.

  • @franksmedley7372
    @franksmedley7372 Рік тому +1

    Hello VG
    Like most fans, I decried the short ranges used on the show. 10,000 kilometers? In space warfare, 10,000 Km is not just short range, it would be like being inside your opponent's vest pocket! THAT close to them.
    Now, I can 'see' why the writers used such ranges. Most people don't understand just how Vast space is. Also, they don't really understand how 'slow' the speed of Light is in relation to that vastness.
    Now, we all know that one Light Second is around 300,000 Km, or roughly 186,000 Miles. Light travels this distance in One second, every second, forever.
    Without using FTL targeting systems, that can detect things at long ranges instantaneously, you are limited to the speed of light for combat.
    This being so, half a light second is about as far as you can deal with for most weapons, since the 'round trip' is one second. In other words, if you fire a beam weapon, it will take half a second to reach its target, and another half second for the returning light to appraise you of the 'hit'.
    Torpedoes are slightly different. Although far slower than a beam weapon, they have long durations and can be fired with auto-corrective hardware (guidance systems) to give the weapon a better chance to hit its target.
    Back to distances... to the uneducated, 10,000 Km (6,214 Mi) seems like a fair distance. Sort of like someone who's only ever thrown rocks with their arms trying to envision the distances of a wet navy battle, where ship are firing miles and miles apart.
    But, 10,000 Km is 'only' 1/30th (one thirtieth) of a single light second. This might be good for registering a hit and immediately enabling you to correct for errors, but the same is true for your opponent. Light speed is light speed. Neither side has any advantage just due to the sped of light.
    A more 'realistic' distance would be half of a light second, or roughly 150,000 Km (93,000 Mi). Far enough to be a 'good' distance away from your target's return fire, yet close enough to register a hit in a single second. This is also far enough to give you a chance to maneuver to avoid being hit by 'dumb' projectiles, like Gauss cannon rounds. Torpedoes, though, would still have predictive algorithms to enable them to, mostly, adapt to a target's movement to gain a 'hit' upon it.
    So, early space battles (like the Romulan War) were fought at distances between one, and no more than 20 or so light seconds (torpedoes being exclusively used at anything over one or two light seconds distance).
    The longer the distance, the more likely that your target has moved in some manner to avoid being hit, and you are not being able to see that happen from your perspective due to the 'light speed lag'. Although you CAN hit a target at longer ranges, you have to accurately predict where it will be to make that 'hit' happen, because due to the speed of light, you won't see your beam hit for several seconds (remember, your light speed weapon's time to cover the distance, and the same amount of time for the return reflection to be seen by your ship).
    Due to the above, most battles would be fought at distances of half a light second or less. The closer you get to your target, the more accurate you can be with weapons fire. But this is also true for your opponent as well.
    Back to the 10,000 kilometer range. This is Transporter range. And only a 'combat' range if you are willing to get that close to an 'enemy' ship. Usually via some sort of stealth, or other means, to apply a devastating hit or hits to the foe before you 'hightail' it to more reasonable ranges.
    So, the gist of this long comment is that ranges as seen in the movies are not really 'realistic', and should be taken with 'a grain of salt' and mentally should be increased by a factor of 15 to 30 times stated distances to make any kind of sense at all to someone with a modicum of knowledge about actual distances and the speed of light.

  • @trevorstein4603
    @trevorstein4603 Рік тому +1

    I always thought it was interesting, especially concerning the Federation and Starfleet as a whole, being more of a defensive postured fleet, that they hadnt figured out a way for ship shielding to absorb the energy from incoming energy weapons and use it to immediately bolster their shielding or their Phaser arrays.
    Effectively recycling the incoming energy into large battery banks inside of the ship and using that to bolster their ships shield output, and its own phaser array. Granted that tech would have its downsides, O'Brien would never be done replacing EPS relays and conduits due to overloads, and this tech woudl have no appreciable bonuses over regular shields to defending against missles or torpedoes.
    As always embrace the CIWS.

  • @athcnv
    @athcnv Рік тому +1

    (thumbnail pic) CWIS? 😳 Isn't it CIWS? 😅 Close-In Weapon System? I mean, it IS pronounced CWIS or see-wiz or see-whiz....🤔🤓

  • @misterlau5246
    @misterlau5246 Рік тому +1

    I don't know how do shields "regenerate" because it's always like "shields at 15%".🤔 I presume they recharge in a certain period of time, but what is it or how they work?

  • @Hambie76
    @Hambie76 Рік тому +1

    No, bro, you definitely have that wrong. You do not want any ordinance to detonate within the ship. That is the weakest part of the ship. If you have to take ordinance, then you want it to be stopped by shields or the armor. Not inside the damn ship! Your version gets a lot of people killed and damages sensitive areas of the ship. Also, there is no reason, other than in the poorly thought out Star Trek universe, to think that Ordinance wouldnt be stopped by shields. Additionally if that were a real problem then you would want immense point defense capabilities and the idea that ordinance can easily penetrate the shields would mean that you want fighters. God, Roddenberry was a shit tactician!

  • @brianjohnson5272
    @brianjohnson5272 Рік тому +1

    All hand level one battlestations, arm the CWIS, arm the Tristans and Isolde, arm all launchers with with neidharts.
    Oh wait
    Wrong sci fi!

  • @maxfreedom1710
    @maxfreedom1710 Рік тому +1

    every time you talk about starship weight i wonder if you forget you're discussing spacecraft

  • @LackofFaithify
    @LackofFaithify Рік тому +1

    Tek-Nologeee....there are 4...no....7...no, ohhh I don't like the lights.....

  • @balrighty3523
    @balrighty3523 Рік тому +1

    8:43 Does this become the defensive fields we see on the Enterprise in TWoK when the Reliant first approaches (before Kirk actually orders shields up)?

  • @soul1d
    @soul1d Рік тому +1

    I always laugh when I see star trek throwing photon torpedoes like candy. When each one is an antimatter bomb that makes the Tsar Bomba look tiny.

  • @bobsterclause342
    @bobsterclause342 Рік тому +1

    THe klingongs boat hat is a submarine
    who cares about ships
    You can just sink them with torpedoes.

  • @esgardir
    @esgardir Рік тому +1

    Maybe also add in defense fields for critical areas as we see in TWOK as part of the multi layer defensive system.

  • @anthonyb5279
    @anthonyb5279 Рік тому +1

    Electromagnetic shields have been around since the late 80's. The British had the first system used in combat in 1991. Today the most popular system is the Israeli Trophy system. The coolest thing is it attenuates shockwaves preventing TBI.

  • @shanenolan5625
    @shanenolan5625 Рік тому +1

    I recall. The flack. ( ciws) in Star Trek 09 .
    First. 23rd century version was effective on borg anti matter missile..( late 24th / 25th )
    Second. The commentary on the movie said . The idea was ciws. But also, at close range, they were an anti shield weapon. .
    I think certifiably ingame. His nebula class video.he said around the Dominion War period or the build-up, they were testing a new ciws system on a nebula.

  • @cryptohivemind205
    @cryptohivemind205 Рік тому +1

    Would love to see a collaboration with lore-reloaded and Ric

  • @kamenriderblade2099
    @kamenriderblade2099 Рік тому +1

    The reason you want Multi-Layered Shields is that in most space battles, once you take the Shields down past 0, if you do enough extra damage on the final hit there seems to be some blow back that damages the Deflector Shields & requires time to repair it and bring it back online.
    Also having Multi-Layered Shields makes it harder for any Bleed-Through Damage to get to your Hull Armor.
    And Remember, the Nova-class had a fast "1-minute" recharge if you took it off-line.
    Imagine having Multiple layers or Emitters for Shields that you can swap to bring online to full Shield Strength.
    It would make conventional battle "Very Difficult" and turn Space Battles into a long Pro Wrestling Fight in Space with StarShips.
    My Multiple Defense Layers:
    1a) Normal Hull Armor Plating
    1b) Ablative Armor
    1c) Ablative Hull Generated Armor
    2a) Skin Shields that hug your ships Hull for that inner Shield protection layer
    2b) Shield Orb (Some form of Internal Orb that projects a Shield through sub-space and out into real-space locally that lies between the outter and inner shields
    2c) Deflector Shields emitted from your Deflector Dish
    (Multiple Large Deflector Dishes would allow multiple Deflector Shields to swap Up/Time in battle instantaneously)
    2d) Shield Drones = Autonomous AI driven Floating Auto-Defense Drones that have "Dual Shield Emitters" that can block outside of your Shield Bubble.
    The Shield Drones can follow your Ship and be tied to your ships navigation
    The Enemy would have limited options:
    1) To either "War of Attrition" you and make you run out of fuel to power your reactors to recharge your shields.
    Hope you didn't get the call out for back-up or nobody friendly comes by and interrupts the battle.
    2) Blitz through as much damage in as small of a time as possible to burn through multiple Shield Layers and start damaging the hull.
    Hard, but not impossible, you'd have to be specced out for that type of combat or be severely over-powered to do it
    3) Find tricks to bypass multiple layers of shields, those tricks exist, but they usually are hard to pull off when you have a competent protagonist Ship & Crew.
    4) Chuck Giant Objects at your StarShip that would do massive damage like what Riker did with chucking a Asteroid at the Shrike or the Shrike chucking a Small StarShip at your bigger Starship
    Physical Damage works great when you have enough raw mass to throw at close range.
    This Scenario won't always be available, a cheaper method would be Anti-Matter Bullets with some form of Machine Gun to "Rapid-Fire" at close range to drain shields
    But having Multiple Layers of Shields doesn't pre-clude defeat, it just makes it challenging and requires a thinking mans writer that knows the in-universe lore to defeat it.
    But good offense like CIWS or any form of Energy Projectiles to blast down incoming Physical Projectile or Energy Blast at range would be just as valid for Point Defense.

  • @andyf4292
    @andyf4292 Рік тому +1

    B5 earthforce had excellent ciws

  • @tullyDT
    @tullyDT Рік тому +1

    My polarized hull plating head cannon was similar in function but slightly different in execution. In my head cannon beams and toroeados carry an overall positive or negative charge based on the faction. So when polarising the hull you apply a positive or negative charge to the hull to match the charge of the incoming attack. The overall effect is the same though if the hull plating charge is strong enough you can effectively hold the incoming beam or torpedo at arms length until the hull charge is drained or the incoming attack burns out/detonates. Typically beams would drain the charge on the hull while a torpeados would prematurely detonate, causing splash damage by sheer brute force. Similarly, if the incoming attacks had a stronger charge or enough momentum they could brute force their way through and impact the hull plating.

  • @Smokeey214
    @Smokeey214 Рік тому +1

    I Think it’s spelled CIWS

  • @andyf4292
    @andyf4292 Рік тому +1

    could a tractor beam stop a photon torp?

  • @andrwblood9162
    @andrwblood9162 Рік тому +1

    I had come up with a head-canon early version of polarized haul plating for pre-WW3 Earth jet planes. As like a replacement for modern stealth tech, bouncing and absorbing radar signings as well as dissipating vehicle heat signatures. Also, later 21st century lasers... at least to stop pilots from getting dazzled while in flight.
    I should get a patient so that Lockheed Martin doesn't steal this idea 🤣

  • @spudz7405
    @spudz7405 Рік тому +1

    Have u see the chart for protection

  • @tullyDT
    @tullyDT Рік тому +1

    I actually see a good reason for having a back-up shield. I know you made the argument that why have two when you can have one better one but, as we see in the media as shields start to be depleted keeping them engaged puts a strain on the system causing power spikes and blown circuits. So with this in mind I see it as being in a similar concept to giving a nuclear sub a back up diesel generator. If your primary shield generator or circuitry blows or burns out in the heat of combat its good to have something to fall back on while you try to effect repairs especially if it is in a running battle. Also if you have regenerative shields you could cycle between the two allowing one to recover while the other fends off the incoming attack.

  • @short72hp1
    @short72hp1 Рік тому +1

    Wonderful and fast night video fascinating

  • @TheRezro
    @TheRezro Рік тому +1

    @venomgeekmedia9886
    Regard shields in real life. Think is that as far we know it is impossible to manipulate what we may call "kinetic field". It is completely made up concept. Yes. There is magnetism, but magnetism has severe limitations. Two most realistic types of shields are "plasma shielding" what use plasma keep in magnetic field to disperse radiation, plasma and direct energy weapons. Additional bonus is that it is used also as radiator. Though it would not stop kinetic weapons. Though hot plasma and magnets may protect from small debris. The more valid way to make shield is actually to use miniature drones to redirect kinetic impostor and move block of armour on way of the ammunition (Borg sort of did that?). My guess is that Shield used in Trek is actually based on gravity manipulation. Basically using properties of warp engines. You could in theory redirect munitions or extend relative way between you and target to simply go out of range of the enemy. In such case only small portions of dispersed enemy would hit the ship. What would explain exploding panels, but not the ship. Gravity manipulation is though as far as we known not a thing... yet at least. But FTL civilization probably would have this tech.

    • @TheRezro
      @TheRezro Рік тому

      Secondary shield may be valid solution against specific weapons, what can make shield short circuit and drop entirely. If such weapons become a thing in the 25'th century. Then it could make sense. Otherwise not.

  • @jimwegerer5988
    @jimwegerer5988 Рік тому +1

    Quick question, what is the difference between force fields like those on the Cardassian orbital weapons platforms and starship shields?

    • @venomgeekmedia9886
      @venomgeekmedia9886  Рік тому

      Not too sure although the ones on the weapons platformd are significantly more resilient

  • @yf9856
    @yf9856 Рік тому +1

    What about amor and prevent transporters? Hull polarized plating if I recall correctly stopped some transporters not all. Can you do a video about that?

    • @venomgeekmedia9886
      @venomgeekmedia9886  Рік тому +1

      Shouldn't do. We see plenty of aliens beam through Hull plating although it might make it a little harder.

  • @mrtrek2117
    @mrtrek2117 Рік тому

    Sheilds holding Captain! That's all I need to hear, don't need to know how they work!

  • @rmcdudmk212
    @rmcdudmk212 Рік тому +2

    The idea of using plasma weapons as a kind of WW2 style AA guns of naval vessels makes a lot of sense before shield tech was what it was in even TOS. 👍

  • @jameshunt4978
    @jameshunt4978 Рік тому +1

    Depending on the multi-shield systems if its multilayered, alternating or something in-between you'd be able to extend the secondary grid to cover another ship without the drawback of stretching your primary shields too thin

  • @chrisbuckley7345
    @chrisbuckley7345 Рік тому +2

    In Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan, when Kirk says to go to Yellow Alert, Saavik reports "Energizing defense fields" and the status graphics shows some form of protective field being deployed around the bridge and immediate surrounding areas. It's worth noting that this is distinctly different that the "shields" graphics, as seen on the Reliant.
    As i recall, Mr. Scott's guide to the Enterprise actually has a 1-sentence comment on it, describing it as a magnetic field that reinforces the hull (although it's been a few years since I read it, I might be slightly off). This sounds similar to your description of Polarized Hull Plating.
    Another interesting note - the original published materials for Star Trek TMP describe the Enterprise as having an experimental new shield system that included a layer of matter that was constantly replenished by a transporter-type system, making it much more potent than previous shields. And the TMP Enterprise *survives* a hit from the V'Ger digitizer with some shields remaining, which seems much more impressive than any other shielding seen before or after. I've head-cannoned that there turned out to be a serious flaw with this tech, and Star Fleet returned to "conventional" shield systems.

    • @SiXiam
      @SiXiam 7 місяців тому

      This had to be an early version of the TNG style structural integrity fields, but only able to protect key areas. By the time of TNG the fields ran throughout the entire hull.

  • @DontFeedAfterMidnitePodcast
    @DontFeedAfterMidnitePodcast Рік тому +1

    Another brilliant episode!👍 Thanks man!

  • @Relav1364
    @Relav1364 Рік тому +2

    Thank you! You just solved one of my TOS Mysteries, ie when Sulu always said "Captain, Shields just snapped on!" Like, wouldn't he have to push a button?! But naw, its auto reactive shields.
    Question: What did you think of the idea in Mem Alpha that Enterprise A's shields in ST6 was actually an invisible layer of metal spread by replicators over the hull, hence the visible scorch marks from Chang's torpedoes?
    Brilliant as usual. Your videos are the highlights of my drives

  • @shadesofslay
    @shadesofslay Рік тому

    Took a shot for every time you said technology. I'm now unable to feel my arms.

  • @dajonaneisnoah8714
    @dajonaneisnoah8714 Рік тому +1

    There was also a transitional weapon system in the 2260s. In TOS: "Balance of Terror," we see Phasers used with a proximity mode, which creates large explosions that were capable of hazarding the Bird of Prey. It stands to reason that such explosive blasts would also be useful in clearing out long-range torpedo fire. This would make other CIWS systems obsolete, and could explain why they fall completely out of use. (The penchant for ships to fight at Warp speeds during TOS likely also outmoded point-defense fire.)

    • @venomgeekmedia9886
      @venomgeekmedia9886  Рік тому

      Proximity phasers in that episode is mostly because the writers hadn't come up with the idea of photons yet.

  • @TimothyChapman
    @TimothyChapman Рік тому +1

    2:13 - What is that abomination? Do the nacelles even have line of sight?

    • @venomgeekmedia9886
      @venomgeekmedia9886  Рік тому +1

      That my friend is a rockwell and yes the nacelles do have line of sight.

    • @TheRezro
      @TheRezro Рік тому

      @@venomgeekmedia9886 I just realized that Rockwell is basically a early version of Bonaventure class.

  • @athena139c
    @athena139c Рік тому +1

    Nice work as always! One thing I am curious about is the extent to which armor schemes and subdivision are incorporated into ships in Trek, and if they have structures similar to citadels and armored conning towers. This may also explain another reason why Starfleet is so fond of the saucer as it is geometrically an easy shape to section off.

  • @Cenan80
    @Cenan80 Рік тому +1

    There's also the issue where a laser has to be focused on its target for a full light-second, which is difficult to maintain if the target is in motion and not taking the laser strike full on.

  • @KylieDesire
    @KylieDesire 2 місяці тому

    Could watch it 24/7 on and on ,D
    Could you make a Video about Galaxy NCC 1701-D statship, how plasma flows from MARA and about Galaxy wespons, only>
    Thanks
    Kylie Desire
    France, Paris

  • @geraldapollyon655
    @geraldapollyon655 5 місяців тому

    After watching this I am even more convinced that a layered defensive strategy on ships, Space or water, will always be preferable to any 'one size fits all' defensive strategy. Interceptor Missiles, for long range defense against missiles, torpedoes, and strike craft, Lasers, for intermediate defense from the same, some form of flak/CIWS for close in defense against the same, then shields and finally armor both to defend from the above mentioned and from enemy fire that your other defenses can't do anything about. ECM to confuse missiles, torpedoes and other weapons locks would be somewhere in there, probably ahead of the interceptor missiles but I feel like ECM would be used throughout the entire defense envelope.

  • @a-blivvy-yus
    @a-blivvy-yus Рік тому

    On the topic of redundant shields, that's actually got very good logic.
    Imagine you have a ship with shields that can survive for 5 minutes under heavy fire from a small group of enemy ships. They'll go down, and then you'll die, but they keep you alive for 5 minutes, so that's pretty good. And if you can survive, the shields will only take about another 5 minutes to recharge and be ready to engage again. Also great... not likely useful if you're still under fire because you won't last 5 minutes without shields, but still useful if you're moving into another risky situation soon after a battle.
    But your ship has room - and reactor power - to support some improvements. Here's your options:
    1. Add a second shield system, equal in power to the first.
    2. Upgrade the current shield system.
    Or, to put it another way:
    1. Give yourself a shield that will last *FOREVER* against that same threat that takes your shields down in 5 minutes, because when your shields go down, you activate the secondary shield, and that lasts the full 5 minutes needed to restore your primary shield, and you switch back as the secondary shield goes down.
    2. GIve yourself a shield that will last for 10 minutes before leaving you vulnerable for 5 minutes.
    I know which one I'd pick.