watching "Yesterday's Enterprise" on tnn and it reminded me of something. When they're fighting and a ship starts to cloak they always stop firing at it. What they should do is fire a continuous phaser burst along the cloaking ship's current heading as it is cloaking so they get a chance to hit the cloaked ship after its shields go down

When the A-Team was running from Colonel Decker, if his troops had fired at them instead of at the dirt at their feet, he probably would have caught them.

das

only on the A-Team can thousands of rounds be fired with no one getting even a nick on the arm

Still wanna know how Joe Nobody could call them on the phone for help, but Colonel Decker could never find/catch them

Loved that show!


(wow did this thread take a turn.. )

I always found it odd that Klingons -- a culture obsessed with battlefield honor and an extrme sistaste for cowardice -- would so flagrantly use cloaking devices.

And, that the federation wouldn't emply such devices. Because of the Prime Directive, the Federation takes great pains to not alter the cultures of other worlds, and it would seem that a cloaking device would permit them to observe without being noticed. Also, it would a good defensive measure and prevent the Federation ships from being targets.

I would also think a cloaking device would be a good thing to have on smaller -- even privately owned -- ships that are, essentially defenseless. Surely piracy exists in the "Trek" universe?

They did in the movie Star Trek: Insurrection.

The problem here is that they can't get a lock. Visually the ship still appears for a few seconds, but sensors just see it disapper suddenly. I do agree that they still should be able to fire AHEAD of where they saw the ship heading... but I assume that Klingons or Romulans will only ever cloak when they know it's safe, the enemys ships weapons are recharging or whatnot.

Another interesting thing, once in an episode of DS9, the Klingons set up a plan to have Worf set up for murder. What happened was that while in battle, they kept making a ship cloak and decloak in a pattern, and as soon as they saw that he was catching on they decloaked a civilian ship. Of course, Worf ordered on the decloaking ship to be fired on, and by the time he realised it was a civilian ship it was too late.

A lot of things about them don't make sense. They're just nutty guys. DS9 actually talked a bit about how nutty they are, but had a lot of fun with it. They think killing yourself is wrong, but being killed by a family member if you ask them too, is alright... they think if you are murdered not in battle, you don't go to heaven (unless someone fights a great battle in your name.)

Alien cultures are just weird.

They have a treaty with the Romulians that they will never use cloaking devices on ships. The Romulans did lend a cloaking device to DS9's Defiant though, with strict rules applied. Also, on Insurrection one was planned on being used illegally. They have the ability, they even have an unperfected BETTER cloak (one that puts you out of phase so you can go through solid mater) but they aren't allowed to use it.

Most important bases and planets have sensor units that detect cloaks... and once a cloak is detected it's useless as you're without any other power for sheilds or weapons. There is plenty of piracy yes (see DS9 again for a whole bunch... even a crime syndicate or two!), the piracy is for goods that can't be replicated, and of course, slaves. Also, just because something can be replicated, doesn't mean it can't be patented. Think of it like that cheap cola you can buy for pennys. Coke still makes a lot of money even though it costs more, because it made the recipe just right, and so people are willing to pay. This is how there can still be money on some worlds, even if they have replicators.


nd cloaks are used I'm sure.