Why no Zats or Staff Weapons in Atlantis?

[zahncrelnik]

that is not the case sg1 are always keen to get and use alien technology for their own purposes

That would be SG-1, but we are talking about SG-Atlantis, which
may be operating on different rules for a reason not yet explained
in the story...

[Qasim]

That would be SG-1, but we are talking about SG-Atlantis, which
may be operating on different rules for a reason not yet explained
in the story...

when will people realise that atlantis is based on sg1 they dont just go off do their own thing which it totally and utterly not related to sg1

[Daniel's_twin]

Ok, the Atlantis expedition obviously forsaw some kind of danger might be in the Pegasus Galaxy, that's why they brought the guns. But I have a question, wouldn't it have been prudent to bring some zats or something with an unlimited power source whereas they would have a limited number of bullets for their P-90's and such. The SGC could easily get zat guns (if they don't already have enough) and at the very least give the Atlantis team a dozen or so. Anyone have any theories as to why they wouldn't other than TPTB didn't want Atlantis to be too similar to SG-1?

[Hatcheter]

Hatcheter’s “not another zats thread” standard reply form:

In the world of Stargate, there are two very plausible reasons why they didn’t take zats:
Reliability Zats are alien weapons, and Earth has not yet shown the ability to reproduce or even understand their functionality. No military unit would use weapons they are unable to maintain or repair. They would use the weapons they are familiar with, that they can repair or reconstruct as needed.

Availability When the Atlantis expedition left, the Milky Way was still embroiled in the Jaffa Rebellion. The SGC would be funneling all recovered weapons to the rebel Jaffa, maybe keeping a small handful for research or supplemental equipment.

Ultimately, TPTB wanted to separate the two shows, and limiting the rossover of alien stuff created in SG-1 was one of the biggest ways to do that. We got naquadah reactors, so we had to give up the zats.



And before you talk about ammunition, note that they brought a small rmory’s worth of weaponry with them (as seen in ‘The Storm’). There’s no way the troops could have carried all that on them, they must have had extra weapons on the pallets, or perhaps loaded on the MALPs.

Doing a little googling, I found that a P90’s 5.7 x 28mm cartridge weighs six grams. Fifty pounds of P90 ammo (easily moved on a pallet or hand cart) would equal almost 4000 rounds.

On top of this, bullets are fairly simple to manufacture, with the right equipment. The expedition has already found two civilizations capable of producing bullets, and there are probably a few more out there, as well.

[hallmjo]

I agree that Earth doesn't use nearly enough Alien Tech...machines guns should go, or atleast they should use 25% alien weaponry.

[blueguy w/thehand]

wouldn't there be ancient hand guns somewhere or something.

[Rogue5]

I was watching SGA re-runs on Sci-Fi channel and I just thought of something. Maybe someone can help me out with a credible explanation of this. When the Atlantis team left Earth for Atlantis....

..... why didn't they bring any Zat guns or Staff weapons with them? They brought all the heavy artillery but no Zats or Staff weapons? Come to think of it, in Seige Part I and II, when they reconnect with Earth and they brought the rail guns to defend Atlantis, knowing that it was going to be under attack etc... did no-one think to bring Zats or Staff weapons?

why, why why? Maybe they are hiding them in Season 2, but one would think that if they are going to be facing a technologically advanced enemy, you would want to bring your most advanced weapons? I know that the rail guns would be more powerful and would be whats needed to knock out enemy ships, but they surely would have thought that if the enemy breached their defenses and it ended up going hand to hand... zats and staff weapons might at least be useful?

Any thoughts?

[Anubis345]

yeah i agee i was looking forward for the zats to be seen bu then there were none so i hope they bring them through into season two when they reconnect with earth that would be cool and who knows maybe that would kill the wraith easier

[grendelsbayne]

The only zats they have are those captured from the enemy, which translates to they don't have very many, and it would've been logical to assume that the SG teams out of Cheyenne Mountain would need them much more since they visit new worlds regularly AND have to fight replicators and system lords and various other assorted things, whereas the Atlantis mission was mainly supposed to be exploring the technology in the city itself, not the pegasus galaxy in general. Of course when they found out they had an imperative to find a new power source, their mission had to change, but that was only after they left Earth.

I also wouldn't expect them to bring many to use against the wraith, for a number of reasons:

1) They seem to have got their own supply captured wraith stunners already, which, being designed by the wraith, would be more equipped to take them down than a zat anyway.

2) The SG teams still need the zats, b/c they continually require the flexibility of shooting first and asking questions later (like interrogating people). The Atlantis mission doesn't need as much in the asking questions department, they can usually go straight for the kill.

3) In regards to the staff weapons, you'll recall the demonstration in (what I believe was the episode titled) "The Warrior" showing the difference between a staff blast and a P-90 burst. As Jack said, the Staff is a weapon of intimidation to make your enemies afraid. The P-90 is designed to kill. It's the latter one you want to take into a war, not the former.

[Darkhawk]

Better question why didnt they bring glidestaff weapons?
I mean come on they are designed for battle against ship and ground they would be good to shot down darts ;o

or TAK's those nice automatic balls :3

[col_oatmeal]

In the seth episode they get a hugh supply of zats about 20 plus now with the free jaffa nation as an ally we have all of the zats we need. But the zats give a energy off for all we know this will feed the wraith. That would be unfortunate. but we have no real idea (that i know of) why they didn't bring zats.

[grendelsbayne]

In the seth episode they get a hugh supply of zats about 20 plus now with the free jaffa nation as an ally we have all of the zats we need.

20 isn't very many and the Jaffa will probably keep most of the weapons they capture to use against the remaining system lords.

[col_oatmeal]

They probably are going to set up a prfesional army so they would most likely have extra.And how did they first get them there must be a big plant that makes them or aomething.

[grendelsbayne]

Relations among the Alliance haven't exactly been at their best lately, and we've yet to see the fallout from the Trust's symbiote poison scheme. Also, Earth really isn't in dire need of zats when P-90s are still great at killing things (even wraith, although they take more bullets than usual), so if they met any resistance, which I think they would, they wouldn't push their luck with the FJN. Not at this stage, anyway.

[immhotep]

the only chance well get to see a zat/staff weapon is when tealc comes to atlantis in a crossover, maybe hell drop a few , they should of brung them anyway, i know TPTB wanted not to confuse mythologys but its stupid not to of brung them or other goauld weapons, supply is not a probley its never has been, if u want a zat u go to the armoury, i mean this in one episode we see the armoury and there are hundred of them + all the other ones at area 51 and alfa site, all the ones the jaffa can get( they each have like 50 of them) so thats not a problem, they more common than the p-90 thats for sure,the p-90 been around for what 20years, the zat has been around 5000+ years, alot more have been lost/roped and stolen im sure than we could ever need. reason to take to atlantis:
*place full of scinetists, who arnt military type people ( hate blood yadayadayada), doesnt kill so can go up and win but still not feel bad.
*easy to carry,use, store
*no ammo
*very effective weapon against anything bar replcators( even the glowy bug things)
*experience not needed, squeese handle point squeese again, p-90 weird weapon
*cool
they should of taken them and not taking them was plain stupid, TPTB let the zat have an apperence, on the daedalus crew would be fine, or in the crossover a comparison of the stunner and zat, glider cannon and rail gun, p-90 and staff ( wait theat bin done), just lets us see the favorate thunder electric blast gun thign be in atlantis.