Energy Shield

An energy shield is a device which produces a charged particle field around the user to protect them from kinetic and thermal attacks.

Overview
Energy shields are produced by devices known as shield generators, which draw from a local power source to produce charged particles which envelop the user or a designated area. The particles can be produced either by the generator itself and/or by nodes which are connected to the generator. The shield absorbs incoming attacks, preventing harm to the user, but each strike strains the generator until it shuts down to recharge, dissipating the shield until the generator finishes charging. In shields which require a significant amount of power, such as those found on most starships, repeatedly overloading the shield can cause permanent damage to the shield generator and to adjacent electrical systems due to the amount of energy the generator requires while recharging. To prevent damage, most generators are set to automatically shut themselves off before they overload, though they can also be manually deactivated if necessary. This is seldom an issue for most infantry as their shields are not designed to protect them from sustained gunfire, but to instead protect them from surprise attacks and give them time to find cover.

Shields can be broadly divided into two categories depending on what they are calibrated to defend against:


 * Thermal shields dissipate thermal energy. They are effective against most forms of energy weapons, fire, cryogenic chemicals, and plasma-based melee weapons.


 * Kinetic shields absorb and dissipate kinetic energy. They are effective against all forms of projectile weaponry and most types of melee weapons.

It should be noted that kinetic shields still offer limited protection against thermal energy and vice versa, though to a much lesser extent than their counterpart.

Certain weapons are capable of bypassing both types of shields. Some biochemical weapons, namely germs and poison gas, will not trigger shields on their own. Acid, requiring neither heat nor kinetic energy to function, will also bypass shielding, though high-pressure acidthrowers will produce enough kinetic energy at close range to activate a shield. Electromagnetic pulses disrupt the generator's ability to function while lightning weapons impart so much energy into the particle field that the shield shatters.

In their passive state, most energy shields are invisible, though some models can be set to produce a visible force-field of a variety of colors. When struck, shields produce a visible flare at the impact site. A keen attacker can use this to their advantage against shielded opponents utilizing active camouflage.

Shell Shield
Shell shields produce a particle field which envelops the user like a second skin, protecting them but not anything they are carrying over their armor, such as weapons or extra bags of equipment.

Segmented Shield
A segmented shield consists of a generator attached to a network of nodes. Each node produces its own force field independent from the rest, ensuring that even if one node fails, the rest of the network will continue to function, though damage to the generator will still shut down the entire network. Segmented shields require considerably more energy than shells, and are thus more common on vehicles, particularly walkers.

Bubble Shield
Bubble shields, rather than enveloping the user, spread out to form a canopy which can protect multiple people from all directions. Large bubble shields are commonly used to defend against air strikes, artillery, and orbital bombardment.

Handheld Shield
Handheld shields are used by infantry and produce a visible force-field analogous to a traditional metal shield. Handheld shields can come in an endless variety of shapes and sizes.

Directional Shield
Directional shields, like segmented shields, require a node network. The network produces a single field which, upon being struck, redirects power towards the direction of the attack. This significantly strengthens the shield in that area, but conversely weakens it elsewhere, leaving the user vulnerable to flanking maneuvers and attacks from multiple directions. In general, directional shields benefit both a strongly-fortified position and a highly-mobile and coordinated attacking force so long as they can control an enemy's ability to maneuver.

Deflector Shield
Deflector shields, rather than dissipating oncoming energy, redirects the energy away from itself, effectively causing the projectile or weapon to bounce off. Deflector shields can be used against most forms of weaponry, though they are especially reliable against projectile weapons. They are predominantly used in a fashion similar to bubble shields as a defense against artillery and aerial attacks. However, deflector shields require far more power than any other form of shielding; additionally, there is no reliable way to control where a reflected projectile will land, making them a risky option at best for an offensive force.