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11/30/08(Sun)01:09 No.3086204(Continued)
The main weapon ships use are mass accelerators, they are giant cannons along the ships middle which are used to hit other large ships. When two equally classed ships are fighting their shields should be able to take 2 or 3 direct hits before the ship's energy buffers (more on that later) are depleted. These weapons require aim which creates battle tactics in the setting (which I’ve always loved). Secondary weapons are missiles. These missiles are long range, almost tiny ships themselves. They can either be used to hammer on the enemies shields, or if equipped with a shield pulse emitter, they can be used to deal direct damage.
The reason behind the shield emitter on missiles is not for shielding, the energy required would be too great for a missile to put out. When shields contact each other, they connect and become one, opening themselves to each other. The missile uses this by pulsing a shield around itself right before contacting the enemy ship’s shield. This opening allows the missile to break right through their shields.
One failing with shield technology is the fact that it does not protect against light, hence visible ships. This also allows lasers to pierce the shields of ships, luckily, lasers are extremely short range weapons, only really useful as point defense. But, this does open up the field for Fighters, not only can they get missiles closer to capital ships, they can also be equipped with lasers to stab at the massive capital ships. To fight these fighters, other fighters are made to intercept them. These fighters are usually smaller, and in larger numbers (they don’t have to travel as far), fighters are too small and expendable to have shielding be useful, smaller mass accelerator cannons can be equipped to combat them.
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