Upgrading your shield generators?

[dcforeman]

Hi,

I'm flying a type 7 cargo transport, I have enough credits to upgrade my shields but I've read on reddit that increasing the rating of your shield generator doesn't actually improve the protection you are given?

Is this true? And if so, I'm better off upgrading my armour to military aren't I?

 

[Sandmann]

Dunno... I've just upgraded my cobra's from an E4 to a B4 and I can't say I got amazingly better shields... if someone can rell me definitivley I'll downgrade them and put my credits to better use.

 

[Ragnol]

you have to find a class that is suitable for your ships hull mass, a Type 7 is big and heavy and i believe a class 5 generator is sufficient to keep you safe from most dangers, especially with 4 ticks in systems

I run mine with a C5 generator, works fine, going to class 6 seems excessive for a T7

 

[dcforeman]

I'm still thinking in old Elite: Frontier and Elite First Encounters (yeah I'm that old, lol I was playing both games when they were first released). In that game the more shield generators you added the more powerful your protection.

In most other games, if you have the option of buying a more expensive shield generator, then that shield generator would return benefits. Usually some kind of increased protection.

So my question is simple, does upgrading your shield generator matter in this game?

 

[IceFire122]

This debate is ongoing between players.

What I think:
Upgrading to a better letter (E->A) seems to help in terms of protection.
Upgrading to a higher class depends on you hull mass. If e.g. a class 4 already has an optimum mass rating higher than your hull mass (not ships total mass), than upgrading to a class 5 might not give you much extra protection.

Currently, I tend to stay with a lower class and spend the freed mass/internal slot for a shield cell:
A4 shield+B3 shield cell are more effective than just a A5 shield and you have up to 8t more cargo space.
Edit: Though you have to keep an Eye on your shield status, if you use such a low shield class in multirole craft like a Python during combat.


For pure trader ships, I always equip the lowest possible class to reduce repair costs.

 

[dcforeman]

What you say makes sense, so I'll try upping the ratting rather than the class.

Yes I used shield cells with my Cobra III, it was great. For a transporter though it means using up an extra slot, I'm lazy so I'd rather use a docking computer as I don't intend to get into any heavy space battles in this thing. Having said that I'm being interdicted a lot. So I've put most of my money into upgrading power distribution, this gives me the ability to run with multiple engine burns in a short space of time, and recharges my engine power faster. Better to run until my FSD cools right? I might slap on some military grade armour as well just in case a well armoured player turns up.

For now I'll slap in an A rated shield and hope I have not wasted my credits.

Really, this sort of thing should be in the damn manual. But there's no mention of it that I can see which is pretty weak for a game of this complexity.

 

[mic]

Hi,

I'm flying a type 7 cargo transport, I have enough credits to upgrade my shields but I've read on reddit that increasing the rating of your shield generator doesn't actually improve the protection you are given?

Is this true? And if so, I'm better off upgrading my armour to military aren't I?

It all kinda depends, as with all things... A rated shields will at least recharge way faster than any of the lower rated shields. As for actual protection, well that's anybodys guess atm.

Unless you frequently find yourself without shields, I'd save the money for a dropship/clipper/T9.