Shield usage

The strength of your ship's shields is determined by the scale of your ship and the number of blocks it possesses. The shield ratio specific to your ship can be found in the shield controller, indicated as the "Shield Base" value. After your shields are depleted due to enemy fire, it will take approximately 15 seconds for them to recharge and become operational again.

### Ship's Size

Indeed, the size of your ship directly influences the maximum capacity of your shields. Generally, the more space your ship occupies, the greater the potential for maximum shield strength. However, it's important to note that this scale follows a logarithmic pattern. As you add additional blocks to your ship, each subsequent block increases the shield capacity by a smaller amount compared to the previous block. This logarithmic relationship ensures that the increase in shield cap gradually diminishes as the ship grows larger.

### Ship's Power

The ship's power plays a significant role in the rate at which your shields replenish. While ship power may not directly contribute to the maximum shield capacity, it does impact the speed at which the shields regenerate after being depleted. A higher power output allows for a faster shield recharge rate, enabling your ship to recover its defensive capabilities more quickly during combat or after sustaining damage.

### Hardness

Hardness, as a custom feature on Czech Chillout, refers to a mechanism that provides a flat damage reduction to shields from incoming fire. The percentage of hardness you have directly corresponds to the amount of damage reduction you receive. Increasing your ship's hardness can be achieved by installing Gardinium Reactors. Each Gardinium Reactor added to your ship will enhance the shield hardness, but due to the logarithmic scale, the incremental increase will diminish with each subsequent reactor.

### Capacitors

When you incorporate a capacitor block into your ship, it will augment the maximum hit points of your shields. However, this enhancement is accompanied by a proportional reduction in your shield's recharge rate. The effect follows a logarithmic scale, meaning that as you add more capacitor blocks, the diminishing returns on the hp gain become more pronounced.

### IFF Beacon

An IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) beacon is used to designate a ship as a combat vessel. When an IFF beacon is active, combat ships receive a flat 2x bonus on their maximum shield hit points, providing increased defensive capabilities. However, it's important to note that an IFF beacon also automatically broadcasts your ship's position based on factors such as thrust and power output. This broadcasting feature helps other entities identify your ship and determine its combat status.

### Summary

We can summarize the above into several points:

- Ship Size: Generally, larger ships have higher maximum shield capacities, but they tend to be more expensive to build.

- Grid Size: There is no distinction in shield strength calculation between large and small grids, meaning small grid ships can achieve comparable shield strengths to their larger counterparts.

- Gardinium reactors, Capacitors, and IFF Beacons: These components can be utilized to increase the hit points and resilience of your ship's shields. IFF Beacons and Capacitor blocks contribute to shield hit points, while Gardinium Reactors reduce incoming damage.

- Defense Beyond Shields: Shields should not be solely relied upon for ship protection. Incorporating armor and defensive weapons is essential for a well-rounded defensive strategy.