Torpedoes (Earthfleet)

In the world of Earthfleet there are a variety of disposable, single use ordinances, colloquially known as "Torpedoes", that are employed by both Earthfleet, as well as many other races in the galaxy. These are the most commonly used across the galaxy.

Antimatter Torpedoes

The Antimatter Torpedo is one of the simplest, yet oldest, high yield anti-ship weaponry employed in common use within the galaxy. They operate by injecting a small, shielded containment core with a tiny, measured blob of anti-deuterium or some other form of antimatter, and then fired at a desired target where, upon impact, the core is breached, and the antimatter released, creating a high energy explosion that inflicts damage upon the desired target. The only drawback to this weapon, aside from its age, is that it can only be deployed on a warp powered starship as it needs the facilities, resources, and antimatter supply of the parent starship in order to be armed and used as antimatter torpedoes can't be stored long term with a live, charged antimatter core. Doing so risks premature detonation in the hold, potentially destroying the ship.

Quantum Doublestrike Torpedo

Quantum Double Strike Torpedoes, sometimes simply referred to as "Quantum Torpedoes", are a weapons technology that uses a unique property of quantum to create what would be the subspace equivalent of a cavitation explosion. This is done by first generating a quantum pulse that first strikes the target, then rebounds, much as a water cavitation would, which results in an energy rebound that is more powerful than the initial wave, which strikes the target a second time, causing further damage. Hence the weapon's name "Double Strike", as it strikes a target twice, back to back, and is considerably more effective and deadly than traditional Antimatter torpedoes.

Isolinear Torpedo

An Isolinear Torpedo is a weapon that, of itself, does not possess the ability to do much damage physically. Where it excels in effectiveness is that, when detonated, it sets up an oscillation in the enemy's power systems, which almost always lead to power system overload, and even failure. On warp powered vessels, this can become deadly because, wholesale failure of the power system can lead to a warp core breach due to total power failure of the antimatter containment system. In most cases, one to three torpedoes, striking anywhere on the vessel, is sufficient to knock out or destroy a ship. However, while highly effective, the system doesn't work on all ships or technologies, and if properly shielded against, the weapon's effects can be totally nullified, thus rendering the weapon impotent. This weapon was first used in the Battle of Sebius, and several subsequent battles afterwards, but was later abandoned once word of its existence spread across the galaxy, and effective countermeasures were created against it.

Protomatter Torpedo

A Protomatter Torpedo is a highly advanced, exclusively Earthfleet technology capable of destroying any star, type F or smaller, with a single shot. Type A and higher may require several hits to destroy it. The weapon was created around the time that Mike Clayton became Grand Admiral of Earthfleet.