Self Destruct

Given the Foundation's love of scorched earth warfare, it's important to ensure their facilities and equipment can be easily removed.

Base Systems

Every Foundation installation includes a emergency self-destruct system of some kind. This is usually a single large thermo-nuclear device designed to also severely irradiate the area. In inhabited regions, the devices are usually re-set to produce less dangerous fallout. Typically, a single, large device placed centrally deep beneath the facility is preferred, but in some cases multiple devices must be placed.

This system is typically for imminent emergencies only; whenever possible, conventional explosives are used to ruin anything of value to the enemy, while important fixtures are removed ahead of time.

Starships

Aboard ship this is slightly more difficult, as most Foundation-built spacecraft are much too hardened to be destroyed by a single detonation. Also, the risks of such a device being hijacked during an intrusion is considered too high. Typically, a ship contains Exploding Consoles, and larger explosives to cripple the engines and weapons, discard fuel, de-activate Starship Life Support Systems, or ruin the ammunition, in case the ship is taken. Most of these damages are reversible, if the crew regain control.