Approved Tech Ziedrich Shield System

[John Locke]

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To sub a tactical shield system for use in later subs.
• Image Source: Artstation
• Canon Link: N/A
• Restricted Missions: N/A
• Primary Source:
  Retribution Feedback Shield
• Mandalorian Melee Shield

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

• Manufacturer: Locke and Key Mechanics
• Model: Ziedrich Shield System
• Affiliation: Closed-Market (Any character can use this if they have explicit permission through, for example, a marketplace purchase),
• Modularity: No
• 
  Production: Limited (Only one small group of characters. IE: Small task force, not entire factions.)
  
• Material: Electronics, Shield Emitters

SPECIAL FEATURES

• Can deploy various shields, physical or energy, to meet whatever threat is faced.
• Able to charge the shield with an energy charge, turning it into a retribution shield.
• Is able to generate a shield at a gesture of its user, either an outstretched hand or crossed hands.

Strengths:

• Multiple shield modes: The Ziedrich has multiple modes for its shield allowing it to deploy the best shield for any situation, energy or physical.
• Retribution Shield: The Ziedrich is able to give it's energy mode shield an energy charge which reacts to enemy energy attacks with a discharge feedback causing damage to the attacker.
• Combined Shield: The Ziedrich is capable of projecting a combined energy and physical shield when required.

Weaknesses:

• There can be only one: Most of the time only one shield is capable of being used at one time. The Ziedrich is either capable of deploying an energy shield or a physical shield, it is generally incapable of projecting both shields at once. In order to switch from one type of shield to another, the Ziedrich must first drop and then be reactivated.
• Specialised: The Ziedrich's specialised mode, energy and physical, are unable to block damage of the type they are not built for. Energy attacks will slip right past a physical shield while physical attacks will go right through the energy shield. Switching up attack types will render the shield's specialised functions a liability.
• Panoramic Shield: When deployed the Ziedrich creates a hemispherical shield in the direction the user gestures in. This hemispherical shield does not provide a full body coverage and an attack from behind will not be blocked. This half protection matches the idea of the Ziedrich, not to provide a full shield but a tactical shield to be deployed when needed by lighter armour systems.
• Choose the right time: Although the Ziedrich is capable of combining it's physical and energy shields doing so only provides 30 seconds of protection, after which the shield is offline for 5 minutes (or a time encompassing 4 posts) which the emitters reset due to a power overload. In a similar manner, the retribution shield can be activated for 30 seconds before requiring a 2-minute cooldown (or a time encompassing 2 posts). Everything about the shield builds on this requirement to make a tactical choice of when to deploy it or one of its special functions.

DESCRIPTION

The Ziedrich System approaches providing shielding in a different way from other shields used by Locke and Key Mechanics. Instead of providing a full body shield or a bracer the system instead creates a hemispherical shield in one direction (as chosen by the user). Due to shield generators capable of generating shields in a 180-degree arc the user just needs to gesture for example crossing their arms to activate the shield. The second difference with the shield is its specialisation. The Ziedrich System contains two separate types of shield, an energy shield and a physical shield. The Ziedrich’s Energy Shield comes in two forms, a normal energy shield and the retribution shield. The Normal Energy Shield is the more powerful shield but the retribution comes with a nasty surprise for an opponent. The energy shield used by the Ziedrich was a retribution feedback shield, a pure energy shield capable of using an energy charge to provide a response to enemy attacks with a feedback that can damage the originator. The downside of this was in Retribution mode the shield was weaker and more easily overpowered. The energy charge of the retribution can only last for 30 seconds of feedback before it’s worn out needing another 2 minutes (roughly 2 posts in combat) to regenerate the energy charge again. The system also comes with a shield purely capable of blocking physical attacks, though in this form it is unable to block any energy attacks.

While the multi-shield system available through the Ziedrich is powerful it has its limits. The hemispherical shield only provides protections from one side, leaving the user vulnerable to attack from different angles. A further limitation of the system is that only one type of shield can be activated at a time, The prototype of the Ziedrich does allow an overcharged complete shield, combining an energy and physical shield at the cost of the system being taken offline for 5 minutes (roughly four posts in combat). The Ziedrich isn’t meant to be a constant shield but rather a tactical shield, giving its user a variety of options to choose from to take an enemy by surprise in a fight. in addition to the other limitations of the system the Zeidrich is not designed to be more powerful than your standard physical or energy based shield, it is instead designed to provide a shield to those armours and outfits where a shield might not commonly be available.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Under Review.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="John Locke"]

Two things, I think the design and versatility of this are rather complex and thus the production needs to be bumped down to Minor...if not Limited(You'll have to do some convincing for me to keep it at even Minor).

Second

Choose the right time: Although the Ziedrich is capable of combining it's physical and energy shields doing so only provides 30 seconds of protection, after which the shield is offline for 5 minutes which the emitters reset due to a power overload. In a similar manner, the retribution shield can be activated for 30 seconds before requiring a 2-minute cooldown. Everything about the shield builds on this requirement to make a tactical choice of when to deploy it or one of its special functions.

I think this feature is actually fine, but I would like you to add a post equivalent to these times. Say; Three posts to recharge the 5 minutes, etc.

This is mostly because 5 minutes, 30 seconds, etc is all super arbitrary in RP times and I need a more concrete weakness to pass this.

 

[John Locke]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

First, thank you for taking a look at this Submission for me.

As per your request I've introduced a post count for the cooldowns, 2 posts for the lesser cooldown for the retribution shield and 4 posts for the longer 5-minute cooldown. Please let me know if they are acceptable.

In terms of the production value, I'm not against knocking it down to limited, but I'd like to make an argument for minor and if you still feel it's too complex then I'm happy to follow along.

My biggest reason for not going to a limited rating is that the Mandalorian Melee shield exists in canon as does the pure energy shielding and the retribution feedback shield. I can understand that I have subbed a shield that combines them all into one, but there is nothing stopping someone from possessing all three shield and just activating them one at a time if they wish. The difference here is that I am combining the shield into one device, albeit one that can only activate one type of shield at a time. My thought when writing up the sub was the weaknesses of the shield, it's requirement to drop the shield to change the defence type and the limitations in that it only provides a half sphere of cover in front of you make it balanced enough.

Of course, as I said, if you are of the belief that it needs to be dropped to a limited rating to be approved I'm happy to adjust it.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="John Locke"]

I can see the argument and understand it, but quite honestly I think I'd just be more comfortable dropping it to limited.

You're right that someone could do that, but imo the chance of it is rare and this device allows for it on a more steady basis. Plus, I'd rather not see this used on a large basis by entire NPC armies, which is what minor/mass production would allow. Not that I think you would try to do that, but yeah.

 

[John Locke]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

I can understand that. Thank you for considering my argument, and I can understand your concern. As you say I'm not looking to make a massive army equipped with this but as I said, I'm happy to drop the manufacturing down to Limited.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="John Locke"]

Then this component as is I will approve

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Approved.