Particle Shields

[CRMcNeill]

Under WEG, particle shields are rather poorly defined. While supposedly only effective against particle attacks (ion weaponry and missiles, as well as micrometeorites in space and the like), the rule WEG uses for them applies to energy weapons as well.

IMU, I treat them less like particle shields and more like navigation shields, effective against both energy and particle weaponry (which is more in keeping with WEG's rule than WEG's own write-up).

What I'm wondering is how others picture particle / navigation shields operating. Personally, I see two separate-yet-integrated systems providing a similar effect.

1) Something along the lines of Trek-type structural integrity fields, essentially reinforcing the outer hull and internal framework to provide protection and durability superior to anything achievable with purely physical material. This is hinted at in ANH, with the magnetically sealed garbage compactor.

2) An "inner-layer" shield system, situated between the ship's Hull and the boundary of its energy shields (represented by Shield dice) that deflects energy and particles away from the actual hull, either dampening the impact or redirecting it entirely.

Thoughts?
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[MrNexx]

I see them primarily as the second, myself... a skin-hugging shield that reduces the impact of space junk and energetic particle weapons, thus reducing the damage the ship takes over time... using magnetic fields to reduce the velocity of incoming particles, disrupt the magnetic bottles of blasters prior to impact (making them less efficient), and diffusing the impact even further over the hull than hull plating can. Because shields are essentially infinite (not in capacity, though in duration), they eat up a lot of the damage that the ship would otherwise have to deal with.

Of course, there's also stuff like the trash compactor in ANH, but I tend to view that as being specific to the trash compactor... shields for the interior of the trash compactor in case of accidental explosions (i.e. someone tosses something that still has a charge; another person tosses some chemicals that will ignite from that charge, and *boom*... but it's just a fart in a bottle).
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[garhkal]

I agree, i see them as #2, and thus if the ship gets main power knocked out, the particle shields go, ergo -2d to hull. to a Min of 1d in hull.
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[CRMcNeill]

Part of why I see them as projecting further out is for atmospheric flight purposes. A lot of SWU ships lack a stream-lined design, yet operate without penalty in atmosphere. My theory is that the #2 option I proposed above also serves to create "virtual aerodynamics" by shaping the field into a shape that directs airflow around the blunt edges of the ship's hull.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

[MrNexx]

[CRMcNeill]

[Zarn]

Bao-Dur's arm, and the energy tethers for pods in pod racing. It's clear that using energy as a structural component of various stuff is if not common in Star Wars, at least not wholly unknown.

Which might mean that the beautiful starship designs from the otherwise underwhelming Jupiter Ascending could work if one wanted to introduce a new race, or perhaps ships from an unknown clan of Kwa or Sharu.

[MrNexx]

[CRMcNeill]

[CRMcNeill]

[garhkal]

[MrNexx]

[CRMcNeill]

[CRMcNeill]