Handheld Phaser Types

Phaser Diagram*	Description**
	Type One Personal Phaser One hand, small phaser. Designed for in-ship or in-structure use if damage is not desired to the surrounding area, the Type 1 phaser is a light weapon useful against personnel or biological life forms, but not useful against structures or for cutting and welding. With a maximum energy capacity of 7.2 x 10⁶ megajoules, if discharged all at once it can totally vaporize one cubic meter of tritanium. This personal phaser is standard Starfleet issue, and one is assigned to all Starfleet personnel- who are required to be proficient in using it- for personal defense purposes.
	Type Two Personal Phaser One hand, small phaser. The maximum energy storage is 4.5 x 10⁷ megajoules, 6.25 times more than the type one phaser. In addition to more energy storage, the Type 2 also has a greater firing capacity than the Type 1, and is used in situations where more potency in terms of firepower is needed such as high intensity nuclear disruption, explosion, and heavy geologic displacement.
	Type Three Phaser Rifle Two hand, medium phaser. The Type 3 phaser's power reserve is nearly %50 greater than that of the Type 2, but it's power levels are only slightly higher. Used in high scale military operations, the Type 3 is equipped with targeting systems, and other features not available on the personal phasers, that make it the more favorable choice for situations where there will likely be heavy phaser use. The Type 3 however, is heavier, and larger to conceal which make it less a favorable candidate for use on away missions or covert operations.
Use and Procedures Starfleet officers are invested with the responsibility to use and handle phasers, and to apply their judgment as to when to use them. Standard procedure is to always have the phasers set on the lowest setting when in storage, and to attempt to stun villains before attempting to kill them, unless under special circumstances. All security personnel must carry phasers while on duty.
Distribution and Accessibility Type 1 phasers are worn on the side belt by security officers at all times. Type 1 or 2 phasers are stored in every room (Except for the brig) on the Thunderchild and in corridor intersection nodes. They are locked in boxes built into the wall activated according to security clearance. Depending on the location of the phaser box, they come in four different sizes that can hold either 1, 2, 6, or 12 personal phasers. Type 3 phasers are stored in security sub-headquarters, transporter rooms, and weapons storage rooms, and are accessible only through high security clearance.

*=diagrams courtesy of the Star Trek Encyclopedia
**=mixed speculation and facts from the TNG Technical manual