This includes information about Wrath of the Ancients which some might interpret as spoiler information. It is a question to check whether I am thinking along the correct lines.
Wrath of the Ancients has a section on ancients screens. While some are new quite amazing, the Nuclear Interaction Field (which can reduce meson and nuclear attacks by 8d) looks, at first glance, a little shabby when simply compared to the Meson Screen (2dx10). I think a ship stacks multiple screens if it has the space available. The Imperial mason screen has a tonnage of 10 while the NIF has a tonnage of 4 (on the ship that is found). Which means for the same tonnage you could get 2.5 screens and the same average meson protection. Of course the NIF has multiple functions and therefore you are maybe reducing the tonnage required by a ship even further so could be, theoretically, stacking more screens (instead of needing tonnage for both Meson Screens and Nuclear Dampeners you simply have a stack of NIF).
Am I correct in thinking this is where the superiority of the Ancients tech lies in this case? If I wanted Imperial screens to give meson protection and protection against destructive nuclear weapons I need 1 meson screen and 5 nuclear dampeners for 2dx10 and 10d (normal nuclear attacks) or 1dd (destructive nuclear attacks). That same 60 tonnes of NIF provides 15 screens and therefore 120d against both meson and all kinds of nuclear damage. Am I thinking along the correct lines?
Am I correct in thinking this is where the superiority of the Ancients tech lies in this case? If I wanted Imperial screens to give meson protection and protection against destructive nuclear weapons I need 1 meson screen and 5 nuclear dampeners for 2dx10 and 10d (normal nuclear attacks) or 1dd (destructive nuclear attacks). That same 60 tonnes of NIF provides 15 screens and therefore 120d against both meson and all kinds of nuclear damage. Am I thinking along the correct lines?