You could check out some shield calculation apps
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHYpwEU6GpY
and https://cmdrs-toolbox.com/ (https://cmdrs-toolbox.com/shield-tester)
I usually have a bias towards higher thermal resistances as most NPC incoming fire is laser based I also believe that for resistance based shields each shield class has an optimum strength range.
e.g. On my builds a class 6 bi-weave will have between 700 - 900 MJ, essentially above 900 MJ you start to lose the advantages of the bi-weave approach and probably a 6A + HD boosters would be more appropriate.
Here's a Krait build I use https://s.orbis.zone/87O6
and https://cmdrs-toolbox.com/ (https://cmdrs-toolbox.com/shield-tester)
I usually have a bias towards higher thermal resistances as most NPC incoming fire is laser based I also believe that for resistance based shields each shield class has an optimum strength range.
e.g. On my builds a class 6 bi-weave will have between 700 - 900 MJ, essentially above 900 MJ you start to lose the advantages of the bi-weave approach and probably a 6A + HD boosters would be more appropriate.
Here's a Krait build I use https://s.orbis.zone/87O6
One alternative answer to this is try coriolis.io and then copy the URL to a new browser tab / window for comparison. The maintainers do a good job at providing accurate results. (With Engineers it became probably simply too complex for mere 2D spreadsheets.)
There are other limitations for optimisation which limit the resistance you can attain, like the number / size of military, optional and utility slots you can throw in and how you balance mass and power usage.
Also never neglect absolute hull, absolute shield and maybe some Module Reinforcement Package(s).
To quickly test I put for example one shield generator type on the top utility slot, the other on the bottom and alt-click-drag either to the other utility slots while checking the results.
Observe the figures headed "ABSOLUTE", "EXPLOSIVE", "KINETIC" and "TERMAL". These include the boost.
Under "POWER AND COST" you can turn off all modules except the Shield Generator and the Shield Boosters to see the consumed power more clearly.
With shields it is important to know that the resistances of the Shield Generator (after engineering) severely limit what you can achieve with stacked resistances from boosters. To balance means to sacrifice shield strength (fewer Heavy Duty boosters) and less resistance for other damage types (fewer Resistance Augmented shield boosters).
For armour this is less of an issue, the limits in the formula are constant.
For Armor I usually start from:
Reactive Armour - Lightweight Grade 5 - Thermal Resistant + 1x 4D or 5D Hull Reinforcement Package - Heavy Duty - Deep Plating.
This is lighter and has higher absolute, kinetic, explosive and thermal damage capacity than
Reactive Armour - Heavy Duty 5 - Deep Plating + 1x 1D Hull Reinforcement Package - Thermal Resistant - (no experimental).
but uses a larger internal slot. It has both higher Kinetic and Explosive resistances but Lower Thermal resistance.
Then I add more Hull Reinforcement Packages as space and mass permit, the smallest one Thermal Resistant with Reflective Plating, all others Heavy Duty engineered and if they are larger than 1D also with Deep Plating experimental.
It is better to use 2x 4D than 1x 3D and 1x 5D etc., you get only marginally lower resistances but substantially higher absolute armor and lower mass.
Fill free slots with 1D Heavy Duty (no experimental) (After you maybe got some Module Reinforcement Packages)
For Shields I usually start with the largest Bi-Weave. Here I find engineering a bit trickier to decide:
Reinforced has +38% up-front shield strength and all resistances benefit from it (+12%), but you can't get thermal resistance that high with resistance stacking, and broken regeneration is slowed (rate -10%). The +12% distributor draw is considerable.
Thermal Resistant is a good choice for resistances and overall; the +40% Thermal resistance from the Generator alone allow higher stacking and are very useful in PvE and the +50% Integrity are also helpful in PvP. However, up-front shield is not increased, and Kinetic resistances are lowered.
Enhanced Low Power also has its uses.
The only experimentals I consider for the Shield Generator are Fast Charge (for resistance + Bi-Weave) and Low Draw.
Then I add a combination of 0A Shield boosters, either Heavy Duty or Resistance Augmented engineered, usually both with Super Capacitors experimental.
For Exploration Builds I tend to use 0E Resistance Augmented with Super Capacitors or Flow Control experimental.
There are notable boost, mass and power draw differences between 0A & 0E and Heavy Duty & Resistance Augmented.
Note that Guardian Shield Reinforcement Packages benefit from resistances after boosters, add a flat MJ to shields, can't be turned off and have power priority 1.
There are other limitations for optimisation which limit the resistance you can attain, like the number / size of military, optional and utility slots you can throw in and how you balance mass and power usage.
Also never neglect absolute hull, absolute shield and maybe some Module Reinforcement Package(s).
To quickly test I put for example one shield generator type on the top utility slot, the other on the bottom and alt-click-drag either to the other utility slots while checking the results.
Observe the figures headed "ABSOLUTE", "EXPLOSIVE", "KINETIC" and "TERMAL". These include the boost.
Under "POWER AND COST" you can turn off all modules except the Shield Generator and the Shield Boosters to see the consumed power more clearly.
With shields it is important to know that the resistances of the Shield Generator (after engineering) severely limit what you can achieve with stacked resistances from boosters. To balance means to sacrifice shield strength (fewer Heavy Duty boosters) and less resistance for other damage types (fewer Resistance Augmented shield boosters).
For armour this is less of an issue, the limits in the formula are constant.
For Armor I usually start from:
Reactive Armour - Lightweight Grade 5 - Thermal Resistant + 1x 4D or 5D Hull Reinforcement Package - Heavy Duty - Deep Plating.
This is lighter and has higher absolute, kinetic, explosive and thermal damage capacity than
Reactive Armour - Heavy Duty 5 - Deep Plating + 1x 1D Hull Reinforcement Package - Thermal Resistant - (no experimental).
but uses a larger internal slot. It has both higher Kinetic and Explosive resistances but Lower Thermal resistance.
Then I add more Hull Reinforcement Packages as space and mass permit, the smallest one Thermal Resistant with Reflective Plating, all others Heavy Duty engineered and if they are larger than 1D also with Deep Plating experimental.
It is better to use 2x 4D than 1x 3D and 1x 5D etc., you get only marginally lower resistances but substantially higher absolute armor and lower mass.
Fill free slots with 1D Heavy Duty (no experimental) (After you maybe got some Module Reinforcement Packages)
For Shields I usually start with the largest Bi-Weave. Here I find engineering a bit trickier to decide:
Reinforced has +38% up-front shield strength and all resistances benefit from it (+12%), but you can't get thermal resistance that high with resistance stacking, and broken regeneration is slowed (rate -10%). The +12% distributor draw is considerable.
Thermal Resistant is a good choice for resistances and overall; the +40% Thermal resistance from the Generator alone allow higher stacking and are very useful in PvE and the +50% Integrity are also helpful in PvP. However, up-front shield is not increased, and Kinetic resistances are lowered.
Enhanced Low Power also has its uses.
The only experimentals I consider for the Shield Generator are Fast Charge (for resistance + Bi-Weave) and Low Draw.
Then I add a combination of 0A Shield boosters, either Heavy Duty or Resistance Augmented engineered, usually both with Super Capacitors experimental.
For Exploration Builds I tend to use 0E Resistance Augmented with Super Capacitors or Flow Control experimental.
There are notable boost, mass and power draw differences between 0A & 0E and Heavy Duty & Resistance Augmented.
Note that Guardian Shield Reinforcement Packages benefit from resistances after boosters, add a flat MJ to shields, can't be turned off and have power priority 1.
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Engineers - Ship Builds & Load Outs - Shield and shield booster
Optimal positioning of shield boosters on warships depending on the effect applied to the main shield. Instruction : 1. Choose the ship we need (any). 2. Place on it the shield we need, the class and type we need. 3. We'll apply the engineer's modification to this shield. (Since the ship is...