Armor/Shields

[Turambar]

The one thing I am having real trouble with in this game as a new player is armor and shields. Besides knowing that the higher the class and rating the better, I don't really know what is what. Why are there not actual numbers for this? Like if I upgrade to military grade composite, how much more armor is that then just reinforced? And the same with shields? Am I just missing something? Are there not actual number/percentage stats for this in game?

[Cat Face]

Yeah. As in no, the outfitting screen does keep a lot of things secret like that. As far as armor/shields go, try www.edshipyard.com which has a few more numbers to look at

[Turambar]

Originally posted by Mrts:

Yeah. As in no, the outfitting screen does keep a lot of things secret like that. As far as armor/shields go, try www.edshipyard.com which has a few more numbers to look at

I wonder why, of all things, they don't make this a little clearer? On Coriolis I can see some numbers actually, I just went there and put in all my parts.

http://coriolis.io/outfit/vulture/24A5A4B3C5B4D3C150v030l08074c2bf22g2l.Iw19kA==.IwBhrSq4g===?bn=Black%20Thorn

[NotSoLoneWolf]

I prefer to use coriolis.io.

As for shields, it lists its Optimal Mass. The better the shield generator, the more shield boosters you have, and how close your mass is to the Optimal, the better your shields.

For armour, Lightweight is 0/0 protection, meaning no protection against thermal or kinetic weapons. Reinforced is 25/25, meaning 25% damage reduction against all types of attack. Military Grade is 50/50, the best you can get. Mirrored is 75/25, much better protection against thermal at the cost of kinetic defence. Reactive is the opposite with 25/75. Hull Reinforcement Packages simply increase your health with no extra damage reduction.

Thermal weapons are stuff like lasers and plasma accelerators. Kinetic weapons are stuff like bullets, cannons, and railguns. In addition to your armour type, thermal weapons have a unknown damage buff against shields, and kinetic have an unknown damage buff against armour.

Hope I helped!

[🅽🅴🅼🅾]

Originally posted by NotSoLoneWolf:

I prefer to use coriolis.io.

As for shields, it lists its Optimal Mass. The better the shield generator, the more shield boosters you have, and how close your mass is to the Optimal, the better your shields.

For armour, Lightweight is 0/0 protection, meaning no protection against thermal or kinetic weapons. Reinforced is 25/25, meaning 25% damage reduction against all types of attack. Military Grade is 50/50, the best you can get. Mirrored is 75/25, much better protection against thermal at the cost of kinetic defence. Reactive is the opposite with 25/75. Hull Reinforcement Packages simply increase your health with no extra damage reduction.

Thermal weapons are stuff like lasers and plasma accelerators. Kinetic weapons are stuff like bullets, cannons, and railguns. In addition to your armour type, thermal weapons have a unknown damage buff against shields, and kinetic have an unknown damage buff against armour.

Hope I helped!

The way I understand it a shield's optimal mass is based on the ship's "base mass", so adding heavy modules doesn't affect your shield strength if you go over. Thrusters however are different, the further below optimal the better for maneuverability.

[Turambar]

Originally posted by NotSoLoneWolf:

I prefer to use coriolis.io.

As for shields, it lists its Optimal Mass. The better the shield generator, the more shield boosters you have, and how close your mass is to the Optimal, the better your shields.

For armour, Lightweight is 0/0 protection, meaning no protection against thermal or kinetic weapons. Reinforced is 25/25, meaning 25% damage reduction against all types of attack. Military Grade is 50/50, the best you can get. Mirrored is 75/25, much better protection against thermal at the cost of kinetic defence. Reactive is the opposite with 25/75. Hull Reinforcement Packages simply increase your health with no extra damage reduction.

Thermal weapons are stuff like lasers and plasma accelerators. Kinetic weapons are stuff like bullets, cannons, and railguns. In addition to your armour type, thermal weapons have a unknown damage buff against shields, and kinetic have an unknown damage buff against armour.

Hope I helped!

Yeah that does help a good bit. I was wondering about the Hull Reinforcement Packages too. A little extra health never hurts. I just upgraded to Military Grade as well. I love that Coriolis.io shows power consumption so well too. I was using 2 point defense boosters because I was worried a second sheild booster would be too much (it can be hard to tell) but with Coriolis I was able to see it all laid out nicely. Great site. Will be using from now on for all ship/upgrade purchases.

[Badger]

Originally posted by NeMo:

Thrusters however are different, the further below optimal the better for maneuverability.

Down to 50%, below 50% of optimal mass there is no additional benefit. Just FYI.

[🅽🅴🅼🅾]

Originally posted by scottvdken:

Originally posted by NeMo:

Thrusters however are different, the further below optimal the better for maneuverability.

Down to 50%, below 50% of optimal mass there is no additional benefit. Just FYI.

Interesting.

[Turambar]

So I just dropped my D shield booster to an E but upgraded my generator to 5B from C....is a higher rated generator better then lower with higher boosters or does it not matter?

And on a related note... As long as I am not above 100% of my power with hardpoints deployed I will not suffer any performance loss or problems correct?

[Badger]

Originally posted by Turambar:

So I just dropped my D shield booster to an E but upgraded my generator to 5B from C....is a higher rated generator better then lower with higher boosters or does it not matter?

And on a related note... As long as I am not above 100% of my power with hardpoints deployed I will not suffer any performance loss or problems correct?

-Yes, higher rated is usually better. You can see a "shield multiplier" in the overview for the module

-Correct, below 100% you'll be ok. Over and you'll have to toggle modules off in combat.

[🅽🅴🅼🅾]

According to coriolis.io you get another 15MJ to your shields with your new setup.

[NotSoLoneWolf]

Originally posted by Turambar:

So I just dropped my D shield booster to an E but upgraded my generator to 5B from C....is a higher rated generator better then lower with higher boosters or does it not matter?

And on a related note... As long as I am not above 100% of my power with hardpoints deployed I will not suffer any performance loss or problems correct?

Boosters give a flat percentage increase.
E booster = +4%
D booster = +8%
C booster = +12%
B booster = +16%
A booster = +20%

It's the shield generators which actually increase your base shield value. Upgrading your shield generator SHOULD be better than an extra 4% shields, but if you have to choose between, say, a brand new A Booster, and a Shield Gen upgrade, it would be a close fight. Just to be sure, plug it in to coriolis.io

And yeah, as long as you are not over 100% you will be fine. BUT you can set some modules to lower priority in the Modules menu. For example I set my Frame Shift Drive to priority 2 instead of 1, that way when I go over my limit (aka when I deploy hard points) it will disable it. This works fine because you can't use your FSD with your hard points deployed anyways. You can squeeze out some extra power by setting these to priority 2:

Heatsinks/non-combat Utility hardpoints
Fuel scoop/FSD Interdictor and anything else that can only be used in Supercruise
FSD
Cargo Hatch (ONLY IF YOU HAVE NO CARGO RACKS otherwise everything will drop out)
Life support, if you have a C rated life support or above that gives you 10 minutes before you need to disable hardpoints for two seconds to refill on air.

[Turambar]

Originally posted by scottvdken:

Originally posted by Turambar:

So I just dropped my D shield booster to an E but upgraded my generator to 5B from C....is a higher rated generator better then lower with higher boosters or does it not matter?

And on a related note... As long as I am not above 100% of my power with hardpoints deployed I will not suffer any performance loss or problems correct?

-Yes, higher rated is usually better. You can see a "shield multiplier" in the overview for the module

-Correct, below 100% you'll be ok. Over and you'll have to toggle modules off in combat.

I just looked at getting a 5A generator but I would have to lose both E boosters and a point defense. 392 mj with 5B/2 E boosters, 387 mj with 5A.... So in that case its probably better to keep the 5B and extras right?

[NotSoLoneWolf]

Originally posted by Turambar:

Originally posted by scottvdken:

-Yes, higher rated is usually better. You can see a "shield multiplier" in the overview for the module

-Correct, below 100% you'll be ok. Over and you'll have to toggle modules off in combat.

I just looked at getting a 5A generator but I would have to lose both E boosters and a point defense. 392 mj with 5B/2 E boosters, 387 mj with 5A.... So in that case its probably better to keep the 5B and extras right?

Yep, at least until you can afford to replace those Boosters. Unless it's a power issue, in which case read my post above.

[Turambar]

Yeah I have been setting my priorities. I watched a video on that when I first started playing so I stay on top of that. I'm at 99.9% power usage (deployed) with my current set up....cutting it close lol.

[NotSoLoneWolf]

Originally posted by Turambar:

Yeah I have been setting my priorities. I watched a video on that when I first started playing so I stay on top of that. I'm at 99.9% power usage (deployed) with my current set up....cutting it close lol.

Living on the edge I see XD