Sometimes you learn more from your failures than your successes.
In this case I had a bit too much wine while playing ED and when switching from a cargo Cobra back to a Combat Cobra I inadvertantly (nice way to say Forked UP!) loaded on a D4 hull armor upgrade instead of the D4 Shield Generator I normally use.
Didn't notice the problem at all at first. Did notice that when I cut loose from the landing platform I always got a hull integrity damaged message from the gal who's nice enough to inform those of us chemically impaired that we probably shouldn't drink and fly. Par for the course I paid no attention.
Here's what I learned: Shields, SHIELDS! I don' nid no stinkin' SHIELDS! Well I really don't as it turns out. With two D4 Hull Armor upgrades and a D2 hull upgrade I was takin' hits from the bad guys I get paid for removing from the gene pool but surprisingly they really didn't do a lot of damage. And without the power drag (with an A4 power plant and A4(3?) power distributer (I forget - it's the best one you can get) I could keep firing my gimble mounted Beam Lasers and never lose them with just 2.5 pips on weps. Not bad I thought.
So the question is why I'm taking a hull hit when launching without shields.
That said: there's something about shields that just feels right - even with the armor ups! I'm gonna get 'em back. But until then one would really like to know; why the heck do I take a hull hit at launch each and every time.
Oh - in case it matters my procedure is when I'm cut loose I go straight up using thrusters. Stop and raise landing gear and then beat feat the heck outt'a dodge. The hull damage takes place as I'm up thrusting.
In this case I had a bit too much wine while playing ED and when switching from a cargo Cobra back to a Combat Cobra I inadvertantly (nice way to say Forked UP!) loaded on a D4 hull armor upgrade instead of the D4 Shield Generator I normally use.
Didn't notice the problem at all at first. Did notice that when I cut loose from the landing platform I always got a hull integrity damaged message from the gal who's nice enough to inform those of us chemically impaired that we probably shouldn't drink and fly. Par for the course I paid no attention.
Here's what I learned: Shields, SHIELDS! I don' nid no stinkin' SHIELDS! Well I really don't as it turns out. With two D4 Hull Armor upgrades and a D2 hull upgrade I was takin' hits from the bad guys I get paid for removing from the gene pool but surprisingly they really didn't do a lot of damage. And without the power drag (with an A4 power plant and A4(3?) power distributer (I forget - it's the best one you can get) I could keep firing my gimble mounted Beam Lasers and never lose them with just 2.5 pips on weps. Not bad I thought.
So the question is why I'm taking a hull hit when launching without shields.
That said: there's something about shields that just feels right - even with the armor ups! I'm gonna get 'em back. But until then one would really like to know; why the heck do I take a hull hit at launch each and every time.
Oh - in case it matters my procedure is when I'm cut loose I go straight up using thrusters. Stop and raise landing gear and then beat feat the heck outt'a dodge. The hull damage takes place as I'm up thrusting.
