Placing a Larger scale shield generator in a ship?

[tetsuoh]

I have a plan to install a larger scale shield generator on my ship - but is this even possible?

The only rules for any of this I have seen have been replacing shield generators with better ones in GG10: Tramp Freighters.

Also - if this isnt in any of the books - what are your thoughts on this?

Alotment on my ship isnt the real concern - as I have 165 metric tons of space that is currently unused.

I can see needing a larger power supply to help run it of course.
I can also see only being able to use one that is one scale larger due to scale itself - attempting to put one that is two scales larger would be impossible in my eyes as at that point the shield generator is likely larger than the ship itself.

[CRMcNeill]

[vanir]

Generally I prefer to convert using half/double measure between scales and reserve scale variations on single craft for special purposes, like the point defence lasers on a capital scale ship being starfighter scale (for reaction speed).

So when I mount an E-Web on a PC's speeder, I change it to speeder scale because it's going to be fired from the cabin, and half the damage to 4D speeder scale. If it was pintle mounted, manhandled by a gun crew and designed to be anti-personnel I might keep it character scale to make aiming at intended targets easier.

Same when I converted the Skipray for 12j stats, in which the craft is rewritten as starfighter scale and only the ion cannon are capital scale. It detects as capital scale, but more correctly flies and handles as starfighter scale. Only the main ion guns are unwieldy to aim, the small twin laser turret is fast, modern and high powered, perfect for taking down starfighters. Hull and shields are starfighter scale (which is important when you use 2e cap scaling like I do), it's the amount of power the main ion guns draw that bumps up the output reading.

And for that conversion it was simple, just double capital scale codes to get the appropriate starfighter scale ones. Don't use the 2R&E scale conversion dice for this kind of adjustment, this is more like shipbuilding and modification, not scale conversions between two class of craft in combat with each other.

Another way to put it is a Skipray is already about a 4D starfighter class structure, it's just written as about 2D capital scale to keep commonality because the author wanted capital scale main guns.
It really works better for game mechanics and more detailed Imperials to impose the complication of varied scale and rewrite the Skipray as starfighter scale. It's tougher.

I do the same thing with any scale conversion. If Players want to put a small turbolaser on a tramp freighter I'll initially convert it from 3D+2 capital scale to 7D starfighter scale unless they specify they want a capital scale installation, which I then throw some terms like power grid around and make them jump through some hoops.


Unless you specifically intended to have capital scaling on your shields, the correct conversion should be double capital dice to get starfighter dice equivalent, in shipbuilding terms. Different for combat scaling.
So your 3D capital scale shields would be 6D starfighter scale shields after installation on a starfighter-scale transport. But consider the size of capital ships that normally have 3D shields, pretty gigantic compared to a starfighter.
So I would also argue 3D capital scale shields is entirely unrealistic on a starfighter, how would you power them, tow a cruiser-sized power core behind the ship?
The tramp freighters guide mentions three classes of readily available shield ratings (starfighter scale), 1D 2D 3D and that modifying shields is much more difficult than other items so GMs might impose a 2pip restriction on modifying factory shields, otherwise larger shield generators must be purchased and installed (ie. mod 1D to 1D+2 but have to buy 2D shields if you want more power). This maxes out starfighter shields on modified tramp freighters to 3D+2 which is powerful.

If this represents a limit of current typical production technologies then that would be to say a starfighter class transport can provide power for up to about 3D+2 shields or 1D+2, 2D on the outside in capital scale.


So if you specifically wanted capital scale shields on your starfighter vessel, then I'd impose about a 2D restriction for power, ship class and size reasons, but I'd say you're better off just converting it to starfighter scale and using it as an explanation of where you got 4D starfighter shields from: adapted them from 2D capital ship shields you stole off a cruiser.

[CRMcNeill]

[garhkal]

[tetsuoh]

Okay - So its Possible by the current rule set - IF your GM allows the x20 ruling.

which makes even the smallest scale up fill a 120ton space - and that doesnt even include the power draw.

you'd probably also need a scaled up reactor to supply it.

*Scratches head* I don't think we got the room chuck.

we'll see what my GM thinks but the comments at least let me know where stuff stands.

A few questions though.
Does the skipray seem to use that much space and power for its shields?
Without the Larger power source does it seem feasible to be able to power shields even with cutting power to everything except emergency systems?
Just how gamebreaking does doing this seem to other GM's out there?

I'm trying to build up a ship that will gain a reputation as being near indestructable. And as such this was one of my thought processes.

Problem is I started with a Ghtroc 720 - they aren't noted for their shields or hull being particularly strong. But thats one of the things I like about the project - its challenge factor.

Now another question - according to the rulebook you can augment shields - and according to Tramp Freighters you can replace them. But is that a double limit factor. Can you only replace shields on a standard 1d shields ship up to 2d+2 ???
If so thats seems a bit - well ridiculous. Espcially in a setting where customization of ships can literally become a sport.

my head hurts...

Edit: oh - IDEA - is there precedence of a light frieghter having more than 4d+2 shields - Other than the skipray and such?

[garhkal]

Well lets see..

Luxury 5000 space yacht. 5d hull, 3d shields (no source listed)

Delaya courier ship, 4d hull, 4d shields (with 3d backup)
Vanaya jedi courier ship, 4d hull, 4d shields
Both listed as being from powers of the Jedi (d20 book backwards converted) and the former is also in the tales of the jedi source book.

YZ-900 freighter, 5d hul, 3d shields(source not listed)

YZ-929 armed freighter (new jedi order time frame), 1d hull, 4d shields
(Source is Starwars gamer issue 2 and new jedi order source book, another d20 product)

YZ-775 transport (Gamer magazine issue 2, so unsure if official) 7d hull, 6d shields (WOW THATS POTENT!)

VCX-700 freighter, (new republic time frame) 5d hull 3d shields (starwars gamer issue 2)

VCX-820 escort freighter (NJO time frame, NO SOURCE LISTED), 5d hull 6d shields

That's it for SF scale freighters. ALL the rest are between 1d and 2d shields AT MOST.

So by the back conversion of some D20 ships we get a few with potent shields, and other fan made ones with ludicrous shields (those with no source or made via SW gamer)..
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[Fallon Kell]

My Starship Construction System, based off of Grimace and Krapou's work can handle calculations for the prohibitively expensive cost for this type of thing, but unless you're intent on a rock hard shield ship that does little else, I side with crmcniell. Go for a massive starfighter-scale shield.
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[garhkal]

Which caps out at 3d.

Also, i would rather have better hull than shields (since hull is used to soak ion damage).
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[CRMcNeill]

[garhkal]

Not saying they were right (as some of the ships i posted above would then be illegal), but saying that BY the book they cap at 3d.
So first off you would need to convince your DM (GM) to house rule that shields can be purchased/made/tweeked to go ABOVE 3d, THEN you need to (in game) research it and then do the purchases etc...
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[tetsuoh]

Thats normally what we do.

My GM doesn't actually have a problem with it - however you see thats because all things have a natural cap in our game. Installing this will probably be beyond my characters ability - hes simply not that technically minded yet.

you see for us going for a 1d to 3d is more difficult in itself - 6 pips of difference is monumental - increasing it further is usually one more difficulty per pip and we go beyond heroic even, at +10 per usually :S

[garhkal]

Remember you can combine actions for installing stuff.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!