Reflex Field Questions

Mark Andrew Siefert writes:

@:)	With all this talk of needle beams (I never found much use for
@:) them myself), I was inspired to bring up discussion on another
@:) rarely used system: The Reflex Field.

@:) 1.	When should the field be activated?

  If this is a rules question, you have to plot it with your movement
at the beginning of the turn.  If it's a tactical question, then the
field should be activated when your opponent least expects it.

@:) 2.	What kind of ships would I install a reflex field.

  This depends on whether your opponent knows you have them or not.  I
played a game some time ago in which one player came in with a few
large ships and several escorts.  I opened up a withering fire with my
AA batteries on one of the escorts ... and ended up eating the damage
because they had reflex fields up.  After that, I ignored the escorts
almost completely for fear of killing myself (in fact that same ship,
leaving the board with 1 damage box, one fire control and one AA
battery remaining, did later kill itself by taking a pot shot at an
escort that I was sure couldn't have its reflex fields up... but
did).  So I would say that putting it on escorts is a good way to
score some early damage and prevent them from getting killed, but it's
best if you have surprise on your side.  On bigger ships I'd be more
worried about reducing my rate of fire substantially.  Then again,
they are pretty big so maybe we have finally discovered a purpose for
light cruisers?

@:) 3.	How does the field effect fire from fighters?  (There were
@:) none in this game.	But the question did come up.)

  The rules say the field is activated when the ship is fired upon by
"beam weapons".  I would tend to interpret this to mean that the field
is only effective against fire from beam weapons and not torpedoes,
needle beams, rail guns, fighters, etc.  I guess this would mean that
fighters are a good cure for reflex fielded ships?  I don't think it
makes fighters any more powerful than they already are, really.

  I don't think the rules ever suggest that a ship using a reflex
field cannot simultaneously use normal screens.  But what happens when
the reflex field is penetrated?  Presumably the screens absorb damage
normally... right?

-joachim