RE: [FT] Screen Value

Brian wrote:

I am looking at an experimental species that has ablative shields. That
is
screens that provide a set amount of protection each TURN until the
generator is destroyed.

Thus, my question: What would be a fair value for the shields to
provide? I
want the  cost and protection to be equivalent to human screens. I am
not so
concerned about the mass.

My initial thought was about 3pts per level. This has the correct feel
when
it is one ship on one ship. However, I have seen screens stop MUCH more
than
that in a turn when attacked by a beam-heavy fleet. Especially when
multiple
ships attack a single ship in a turn. 

I had thought about 3pts per attacking ship, but rejected this on two
reasons:
	1. Hard to justify 
	2. Seems Cheesy
	3. Makes a ship virtually immune to small ships with 1 or 2
weapons.

---

I take it you are trying to match the mass and cost characteristics of
the
current shield systems.  The ablative shield has a fixed value of shield
hits regardless of the number of beams directed at it, where the current
shields are fully protective for all incoming beam fire.

Current shield technology
Expected hits		No shields  1 shield   2 shield

6 dice			    4		3	   2
18 dice 		   12		9	   6
36 dice 		   24	       18	  12

So yes, a 36 dice beam attack will suffer 6 less points of damage per
shield.

It's like setting a discrete value to a linear function.  You could set
the
ablative shields at 3 hits per level and then not restrict the number of
shield
systems that the race could use.  (That could get very cheesy!)

Jon