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Vector Barrier Shield

I'm not to keen on this system since it will create an unwelcome precedent in the new DR system: Double shielding. I can see this leading to other anti-energy and anti-kinetic weapons by other races, or other forms of direct double shielding. Additionally if more people begin adopting these layered and specialized shields, we might see combat calculations become exponentially more complex and confusing than they currently are.

This is one of those things that has far more abuse potential than it adds to roleplay.
 
Thanks for speaking up, Jess. I agree with you that we need to avoid double shields and other ways of having more shield points than a ship is supposed to, especially when people are still getting used to the new DR system and still making conversions to the new system.
 
I'm sorry, but I can't help but bring the Mindy's forearm shields in here due to this Vector Barrier System thing (Mostly to sate my curiosity on the two system's differences). That is essentially "double shields" since you have your main behind the forearm shields (Which also doesn't degrade... Or have points for that matter.). So, what is the problem here? :?
 
On further contemplation, I realize the issue isn't merely the submission itself, but the DR system. Due to the new system being considerably more complex than the previous one, literally /any/ attempt at double-shielding can add considerable confusion and further complexity to combat calculations. So we need to decide how we're going to go about this. Are we:

a) Going to retcon out all types of double-shields, including existing ones like Exhack's already-approved double-shield and the Mindy arm shields?

b) Figure out a method of making all double-shielding possible, but in such a way it won't add much complexity to calculations. Additionally we may want to add tight restrictions on what sort of bonuses double-shields impart to prevent any sort of abuse or OOC imbalance. (Especially since if double-shielded vessels get a significant combat bonus, everyone and their mom might start using them, adding considerable complexity to ALL combat calculations in the future)

I know this is getting off-topic, but the approval of this (and other) double-shielding submissions will depend on the answer.
 
The rules already state that if multiple shields are used, their total SP cannot exceed the standard Base SP.
 
I still think it's far simpler, if you want to stick to 'rules', to make it be overall one kind of shielding which protects from all the things the multiple shield systems of ships do (such as gravimetric and EM shields ending up being capable of handling damage from those attacks).

Seriously, if we use the Yamatai's CFS system for an example, the thing is probably something that creates 'multiple fields' to protect against different effects. The "multiple shields" people are trying to instate are probably something that already exists and is already taken into account. The rest is pretty much how you roleplay it.

Mindy forearm shields are powerful but shortlived and are obviously tied to weapon power feed. That said, when shield power runs out, you don't have anything left to fire them as weapons, and when shield power is out there's no weapon power left. As a GM, I'd make them easily rechargeable if the person using it toned down on the offense he was bringing up against an enemy.
 
The VBS has been reduced so that total shields correspond to armor of the unit it's mounted on. These are systems good to block one, maybe two hits, if you're lucky.
 
(Threshold = Shield Points)
Click to expand...
Wouldn't that make the threshold quite high? The threshold should never be more than 5, I think.
 
There's no harm in it, Wes. Having a higher threshold is generally just wasteful - the only real application for it is being able to mitigate the damage from an ADR 2 (MDR 10) weapon.
 
Consider this.

On the VANDR, the main mecha type I'm using, these would have a value that is always around 5 (5). This means they could theoretically take one powerful MDR hit and block lesser attacks effectively.

On capital-class starships with the heaviest and most powerful shield arrays, this could at most reach 10 (10), but for the sake of fair gameplay, I'll cap it at (5) for mitigation.
 
Won't that just leave all your stuff with a threshold of five while everyone else has to follow the threshold rules? Hell, even the Eucharis has a threshold of only two. That threshold makes a big difference in a fight.

If all your stuff has a threshold of five, only rare weapons that top their scales will be even able to penetrate the shields! It's still unfair.
 
https://wiki.stararmy.com/doku.php?id=ir ... eld_system

For simplicity's sake, I've lumped their SP together and made the unusually high threshold fit with the current values, and offer something that wasn't too, too strong.

For example, in the case of a ship of the Plumeria's size class (a frigate, destroyer or pocket battleship), it would have shields that are 20 (2/3). And for the largest ship classes, which would have 50 (5) anyway, you end up with 50 (5/5), since I capped it.
 
I recommend approval. There's nothing overall that's bad about this submission. It basically has a lower protective setting to help maintain stealth and a military power setting in which arm shields come online.
 
RPG-D RPGfix
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