Shield strengths across different ships and different "pips"?

[NeilF]

Pips in SYS has no effect on shield strength (it may possibly have done in alpha and prem beta, as a bug), but having 4 pips in SYS means you're constantly recharging the shields, making them harder to take down.

Sorry to revisit this again, but clearly it's not a straight forward matter.

So power from your SYS battery (if we call it that) is dumped into your shield (rings). So if you've lost a ring, charge from SYS will cause that last ring to get charged up again. Now, be it that you have 4 pips, or 1 pip (or no pips) going to SYS, as long as there is a charge in there, your shield (rings) will charge up again, at the same rate?

Does your SYS battery need to be fully charged before charge is then applied to recharging your shield (rings)? Or, will any charge in there be directed to rebuilding that shield (ring)?



My confusion comes from the fact if the shield (rings) recharge rate is constant, why do some people suggest the more pips to SYS the stronger the shields? eg: From the great Elite pilot guide - "2-3-4 pips will allow you to take 18-23-37 hits before shields will fail (numbers are only as a guide)."

What is it about assigning 4 pips instead of 2 that make your shields last longer (if they recharge at a constant rate)?

 

[Mazhurg]

My confusion comes from the fact if the shield (rings) recharge rate is constant, why do some people suggest the more pips to SYS the stronger the shields? eg: From the great Elite pilot guide - "2-3-4 pips will allow you to take 18-23-37 hits before shields will fail (numbers are only as a guide)."

What is it about assigning 4 pips instead of 2 that make your shields last longer (if they recharge at a constant rate)?

Shields receive power from it's battery (capacitor) at a constant rate, however the battery is being charged at an increasing rate that depends on the number of pips that the pilots sets.

When being depleted, the shield always try to regen using the max capacity that the battery can provide (fixed). This is also much quicker than the ship power generation can provide to the battery (even with 4 pips); so...

If little power is being sent to the battery (Pip1) then the shield will exhaust the battery stored power much quicker than if a large amount of power is being sent (pip4).

Makes sense to me.

 

[NeilF]

Shields receive power from it's battery (capacitor) at a constant rate, however the battery is being charged at an increasing rate that depends on the number of pips that the pilots sets.

When being depleted, the shield always try to regen using the max capacity that the battery can provide (fixed). This is also much quicker than the ship power generation can provide to the battery (even with 4 pips); so...

If little power is being sent to the battery (Pip1) then the shield will exhaust the battery stored power much quicker than if a large amount of power is being sent (pip4).

Makes sense to me.

Ahh! OK!

So, let's say one or two of your shield rings are taken down, and at that moment you have a full SYS battery/capacitor.

With no pips going in, SYS will be drained very quickly? eg: A second or so, and then the shields will cease recharging (to their full 3 ring state).

With four pips going in, SYS will still be drained but not so quickly simply because your filling it up still, be it at a losing rate.

The important thing being the shields will use up SYS quicker than it could be charged? Is this right?


So what we're seeing with 0-4 pips going into your shields, is not the pips helping the shield rings be stronger, but instead simply different amounts of power (pips) going into SYS but pretty much instantly going to the shields to recharge them, because, even 4 pips is less than the constant charge the shields take in such a scenario?

It's like pips are cups of water being poured into a bucket (SYS). But with damaged shields a big hole is opened in the bucket (to recharge the shields) that is letting our more water than even four cups (pip) can fill. All you'll do is delay the bucket from reaching empty in effect. At which time the flow through the hole (to the shields) will then just match the cups (pips).

Is that about it?


If I can get a clearish image of the process in my head, I'll then know what to look out for in game to see it in action.

 

[Mazhurg]

You got it.

BTW, this applies to the other 2 systems also, as in the systems take their power from the appropriate batteries (capacitors) - (Speed and boost from thrusters, heat dissipation for weapons). The thing to remember is that the systems can always deplete the batteries faster than the power plant is able to charge them (under any Pip level).

 

[NeilF]

You got it.

BTW, this applies to the other 2 systems also, as in the systems take their power from the appropriate batteries (capacitors) - (Speed and boost from thrusters, heat dissipation for weapons). The thing to remember is that the systems can always deplete the batteries faster than the power plant is able to charge them (under any Pip level).

"The thing to remember is that the systems can always deplete the batteries faster than the power plant is able to charge them (under any Pip level)." - Hence the reason for the capacitor!

It's akin to if you turn all your taps on in your house, they'll run just fine because your header tank is full (you've filled it when you didn't need the water so much!). But shortly after, your header tank (capacitor) will empty, and then the tap flow will slow down to the level of your mains feed (power plant).

Thanks again for the help!



I wonder if you'll be able to buy upgraded power plants to give you more pips? Or better still, "more powerful pips?" Or bigger capacitors for your trio of uses?

 

[Incandescence]

Flying all the ships for a prolonged period with each one I can safely say, ye s 4 pips or anything more than 2 recharge your Shields faster if they are down.

Also the recharge rate is dependent on the amount of charge available in the SYS area. It recharges faster when it's full and has full power diverted.
If the SYS module Is empty of charge then it's completely dependent on t he amount of direct power that's being put into it.

Yes giving full pips to sys will make your Shields stronger but a relatively small amount but might save you in case of a mid speed collision.

I personally don't bother with them once they are down I divert full power to engines and weapons if I habe high demanding energy weapons.

I see the shield as a temporary refuge.

 

[NeilF]

I personally don't bother with them once they are down I divert full power to engines and weapons if I habe high demanding energy weapons.

I see the shield as a temporary refuge.

From my VERY limited experience that seems to be the conclusion I'm coming to.

The shields are there as a first line of defense. Have 2-4 pips to them to weather the initial storm, but in any real fight they will go down totally down (charging blocks displayed building around your ship), at which point it will most likely be a waste of pips to keep them assigned there. Would it even be the right move to remove all pips from SYS once shields are completely gone?

 

[Incandescence]

It really depends on what your tactics playstyle are.
If you fly viper you can easily boost away and wait for them to recharge the swoop back and attack again.

If you're flying a heavy ship like the anaconda, running away isn't an option most of the time.

It also depends on the setup.

I have kinetic weapons that don't use up energy I put full power to Shields and engines.

It all depends I have to say.
But in a tight stop where is no room for escape only fight or die, once they are down they are likely to stay down, might as well focus on fighting back.