▁hit ▁enemy ▁ships , ▁rather ▁than ▁being ▁precision ▁weapons . ▁L ances ▁represent ▁larger , ▁more ▁precise ▁weapons ▁consisting ▁primarily ▁of ▁massive ▁las ers ▁or ▁pl asma ▁be ams , ▁and ▁target ▁the ▁enemy ▁ships ▁directly . ▁Sh ips ▁are ▁protected ▁from ▁incoming ▁fire ▁by ▁layers ▁of ▁void ▁shield s , ▁and ▁arm our . ▁En emy ▁fire ▁stopped ▁by ▁a ▁ship ' s ▁shield s ▁generates ▁" blast ▁markers " ▁at ▁that ▁location , ▁a ▁general ▁term ▁to ▁simulate ▁de br is , ▁energy ▁dis charg es ▁and ▁clouds ▁of ▁energ ized ▁gas . ▁Bl ast ▁Mark ers ▁dis rupt ▁shooting , ▁and ▁slow ▁down ▁ships ▁moving ▁through ▁them . ▁They ▁also ▁tempor arily ▁bring ▁down ▁the ▁Sh ield s ▁of ▁any ▁ship ▁in ▁contact ▁with ▁them . ▁Once ▁shield s ▁are ▁down , ▁incoming ▁fire ▁strik es ▁a ▁ship ' s ▁arm our . ▁Att acks ▁can ▁also ▁cause ▁critical ▁damage , ▁which ▁covers ▁a ▁wide ▁range ▁of ▁deb il it ating ▁effects . ▁Among ▁other ▁consequences , ▁weapons ▁can ▁be ▁taken ▁off line , ▁engines ▁dam aged , ▁etc . ▁Su fficient ▁damage ▁can ▁reduce ▁a ▁ship ▁to ▁a ▁der el ict ▁h ulk , ▁or ▁cause ▁it ▁to ▁expl ode ▁spect ac ular ly ▁if ▁its ▁react ors ▁are ▁bre ached . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Or dn ance ▁Ph ase ▁ships ▁deploy ▁certain ▁types ▁of ▁weapons ▁and ▁attacks ▁that ▁move ▁and ▁fight ▁independently ▁of ▁the ▁capital ▁ships . ▁This ▁typically ▁includes ▁Tor ped o es , ▁but ▁also ▁includes