Energy Shields, simple and modular

[Loconius]

As a kind of toolkit type of product, why doesnt Central supply nor vehicle handbook have energy shields?!?!

A nice simple mechanic for including energy shields in home grown campaigns. We have bio ships, alternative FTL technology and even cybernetics, but we don't have any mention of Star Trek, Star Wars or any of the multitude of science fiction properties out there with energy shields.

Even DARPA is researching energy shields, we should have them as an option in the toolkit books

 

[Meeko100]

Definitely be nice to have under a alternative tab, besides the black globes.

 

[Belisknar]

It's noted in the ' Weapons and Screens' Chapter of High Guard, that Shields will be part of the 'High Technology' chapter at some point.

 

[Loconius]

Awesome! I don't think it would be a stretch to also have them in all three of the core supplements, being such a staple in many science fiction stories.

 

[Nerhesi]

This is one of those snort-snort nerd arguments that I always have with my friends.

Are "energy shields" really a reality compared to more tailored shields? Will we really have shields that can realistically interfere with both radiation, heat, kinetic, etc etc types? Will it work vs Meson, Ion, Laser, Particle, Railgun? etc etc

Meh - I'm not opposed to it being in the high/alternate tech chapter.

I'm one of those that struggles with what would it mean to the OTU if stop-all energy shields existed? Would it simply be "+X" hull refreshed every turn?

 

[Loconius]

I'm one of those that struggles with what would it mean to the OTU if stop-all energy shields existed? Would it simply be "+X" hull refreshed every turn?

I'm fine with keeping the spirit of the OTU (thought they do have black globe and white globe generators), this would be in the vane of the warp drives and hyper drives, for using traveler in "other" settings. +x to hull is kinda unnecessary considering what force fields do in most settings you see them in, they are either walls made of energy (containment fields) or skins around combat vehicles, both of which traveler already has a system mechanic for, "Armor Rating". Force fields could just give you armor points, possibly even against specific attacks if your setting demands it.

 

[Nerhesi]

I'm one of those that struggles with what would it mean to the OTU if stop-all energy shields existed? Would it simply be "+X" hull refreshed every turn?

I'm fine with keeping the spirit of the OTU (thought they do have black globe and white globe generators), this would be in the vane of the warp drives and hyper drives, for using traveler in "other" settings. +x to hull is kinda unnecessary considering what force fields do in most settings you see them in, they are either walls made of energy (containment fields) or skins around combat vehicles, both of which traveler already has a system mechanic for, "Armor Rating". Force fields could just give you armor points, possibly even against specific attacks if your setting demands it.

In most settings (almost everyone I can think of, including star wars and star trek), shields do not function as an absolute armour rating though, in that shields can go up.. and can go down from incoming damage. Which would mean a "+x hull" that refreshed y-value every turn. Obviously I dont mean actually treating it has a bonus hull points, but it would be pool that is varies on it's own.

However, I'm not against have both your style of shields and the ones I've mentioned - in fact, I think a lot of games actually vary and mix both kinds. Example:

Shield Type A: 10 strength, 5/turn regen. 5 damage reduction off each attack.
Shield Type B: 30 strength 10/turn regen. No attack reduction.
Shield Type C: etc etc

Lots of details to play with here with shields. How much they can reduce attacks by, how much they can 'take', how much they regen each turn, how different weapons act differently on them (as you've indicated). Mathematically it just becomes a different defensive pool/resource to manage. I

I would be lying if I said that I prefer OTU with no shields... because I would honestly not be opposed to retrofitting shields into the entire paradigm. Of course, that would have to come from the Powers That Be and not Silly Little Me

 

[Loconius]

I'm one of those that struggles with what would it mean to the OTU if stop-all energy shields existed? Would it simply be "+X" hull refreshed every turn?

I'm fine with keeping the spirit of the OTU (thought they do have black globe and white globe generators), this would be in the vane of the warp drives and hyper drives, for using traveler in "other" settings. +x to hull is kinda unnecessary considering what force fields do in most settings you see them in, they are either walls made of energy (containment fields) or skins around combat vehicles, both of which traveler already has a system mechanic for, "Armor Rating". Force fields could just give you armor points, possibly even against specific attacks if your setting demands it.

In most settings (almost everyone I can think of, including star wars and star trek), shields do not function as an absolute armour rating though, in that shields can go up.. and can go down from incoming damage. Which would mean a "+x hull" that refreshed y-value every turn. Obviously I dont mean actually treating it has a bonus hull points, but it would be pool that is varies on it's own.

However, I'm not against have both your style of shields and the ones I've mentioned - in fact, I think a lot of games actually vary and mix both kinds. Example:

Shield Type A: 10 strength, 5/turn regen. 5 damage reduction off each attack.
Shield Type B: 30 strength 10/turn regen. No attack reduction.
Shield Type C: etc etc

Lots of details to play with here with shields. How much they can reduce attacks by, how much they can 'take', how much they regen each turn, how different weapons act differently on them (as you've indicated). Mathematically it just becomes a different defensive pool/resource to manage. I

I would be lying if I said that I prefer OTU with no shields... because I would honestly not be opposed to retrofitting shields into the entire paradigm. Of course, that would have to come from the Powers That Be and not Silly Little Me

Yeah here are a lot of types of treatments of it. I was suggesting something that would be compatible with how the globe generators work but is generic enough to adapt. The idea of a shield pool that is like a secondary hull pool that fluctuates is a possibility (mongoose 1 had structure and hull so it's not a stretch). Instead of the players having to track minute regelation values I would probably just rule that the shields return after a variable number of rounds, either in full or at 50%.

 

[Nerhesi]

Thats a smart idea. I believe it's similar to how AD2300 does it. With screen refreshing fully each round.