Armour and Shields

Armour

Armour is skin of the fleet, and it is by this skin that the fleet survives.

Armour costs the same per strength point at the first rating (thickness) as it does at the last.

However, it takes more armour to cover the ship the thicker the armour is since the ship is becoming larger with each added layer.

But, Armour has positive sides and negatives.

Positive

Armour has a great strength per ton ratio compared to other ship components.

A ship with more armour rating can take much (deeper) hits from lasers and still have its internals intact.

Negative

Armour slows a ship down with its weight.

Armour adds to the breakdown chance of a ship.

Armour takes maintenance supplies to repair.

Overrall look at Armour

Now armour cost in speed I can understand, as you add more. and you get less layers per hullsize as you get thicker and thereby a larger ship but thats different from actual cost per armour strength added which stays the exact same.

Ok so here we are.

I have Armour rating 13 on my ship now, that is a total weight of 4585 tons. providing a total of 1100.4 armour strength

If i did that amount in shields, Epsilon r15 shields I would have only 276 shield strength 92 shields x 50 weight each = 4600 tons, and the cost is actually just slightly cheaper than armor at that weight amount, 100 less cost.

but those 92 shields will regenerate 1 shield strength each every 100 seconds. (total recharge time is 300 seconds for a 3 strength shield)

so that is 92 damage you wont be taking against normal weapons every 100 seconds.

BUT 276 total damage stoppage by shields is... very anemic. that is only 50x6 strength missiles to blast right through! That is just 1 salvo from some NPR's!

Shields

Shields are the buffer between the armor and the incoming weapons fire.

Shields have a few positives and negatives as well.

Positives

Regenerate at variable speed depending on technology researched.

While they are up and running, require no maintenance to repair as they take damage.

Negatives

Strength per ton is much worse than armor at every point.

Nearly same cost as armour for worse protection.

General Shield Info

For weight they arent worth it at all, and other than for ships with a long time to be in space, you probably should only throw a maximum

of 20 on them until you have much higher shield strength tech.

Now at lvl 10 strength shield tech, you are now going to have something.

10x94 = 940 shield strength at 4600 tons. That is the point where you can start exchanging shields for armor and easily shields would do better than armor due to regeneration technology! That is... if you dont take into account Armour advancing at the same pace.