Subsystem: Shield Generators

==Subsystem: Shield Generators==
Power Cost: 15 Points per 10% of Shields
Deflecor shields (so called because they deflect energy and physical objects from the shields to save it from harm, not because they have anything to do with navigiational deflector) are a ship's primary form of defense. They are fields of highly foucsed spatial distortion created by shield generators and forcused by subspace field distortion amplififiers, within which the generators mantain an energetic gravition field. Shield grids on the exterior of a hull shape the shields to confrom to the ship (collectively, the shield grids are referred to as the shield matrix). When energy or physical objects impact the shield, its field energy is concentrated at the point of impact to resist the intrusion. Impacts are accompanined by a quick flash of Cerenkov radiation which humanoids preceive as flash of colored light (blue for Starfleet Shields).
Shields are activated, or "raised," whenever threats to the ship become apparent. This could be an enemy attack, potentially dangerous emissions from a nearby star, or the presence of some enormus spacefaring creature. Shield modulation frequencies shift at random to prevent an enemy from adjusting the freqency of its weapons to penetrate the shields without resistance (on the other hand, adjusting the shields to match the frequency of a weapon can strengthen them agienst it). Raised shields interfere with sensors, or shield freqency rotation creates electromagnetic "windows" to which sensors automatically recalibrate to minimize this effect.
Shields also interfere with warp travel. Software which controls warp drive and shield operations compenstates for this effect. Without such measures, use of shields reduce a ship's Standard, sustainable, and maximum warp speeds by one-third.
Shields would intergere with outgoinging attacks, except that starfleet has anticipiated and corrected for these problems. Torpedoes are equipped with shield transponder which allow them to pass through the shields unimpeded. Beam weapons' frequencies are set by the tactical computer to match that of the shields, so they pass through unhindared.
Shield output is effected directly by how much avialible power is accessable from the warp core systems. The engineers each round readjust the power management to apply excess energy to the shields in efforts to keep them at maxamium rating. Shield computers rate shield strength in precentage 0-100.
Category:Subsystem