I always was under the impression that shields simply had so much of a power drain that keeping them on during hyperspace was inpractical.
If you could sustain combat shields indefinatly, then why would you ever deactivate them? I think that shields drain so much power that they are used only when needed.
Another thought: if shields block fighters, then why do the ISD's in Episode IV start blasting away at the asteroids in the Hoth field? If there shields would protect them I see no reason for them to start blasting asteroids just for kicks.
I am not saying I am right. Someone could point out something in the technical specs of the SW guide and I'll adjust my thinking.
I would hardly call this something to guide your rp'ing by. Just like the Clone Wars cartoon is no way to play Jedi action by.
First of all, ARE they shielded? Just because they are fighting one can't assume that. Maybe there are shields just over the hanger entrance?
I am just saying.. You could be right. But where can we find out?
So you are saying that shields cannot stop physical attacks yes?
And with regards to the planetary shields, I was never sure they encompassed the entire planet. If they did, then there could be no ground troop landings.. Since troops and dropships can come (ala ESB and Zahn's description of attacking a shielded modern world in Thrawn Trilogy) then I am of the impression planetary shields cannot stop physical entry... just directed energy.
And if shields cannot stop physical entry, then perhaps ship shields can allow ships to come and go into hanger whether operational or not.
Because impact hits still damage whether you have shields or not, whether they block physical objects or not. The ship will still take damage even if the shield can block solid objects. Those asteriods were big and could probably take down an entire shield grid no matter what they could or couldn't do.
In any event, what bothered me was the fighers in ROTJ that destroyed the shield generator for the bridge. I would think that shield generators could umm.. include themselves in their shielding function...
It makes me wonder then if there are portions of an ISD that perpetually remain unshielded..
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Either that or the fighters could have overwhelmed the shields with proton torpedoes. Or concussion missiles. Your talking about the A-wing attack right?
The attack seemed pretty consistent with concussion missiles, from what I've seen concussion missiles looking like in video games. If you look carefully the blasts are much bigger than laser cannon shots.
So far as I can tell, there are particle shields that are damaged by rockets and stuff, and energy shields that are hurt by lasers. If you have 'shields up', then solid objects can't get out - weapons get out because they're built in to the shield network or some such thing so that there's a space open in front of them. To be honest, I never understood the specifics of how the shields work, just that raising shields protected you from everything but made contact impossible.
If solids could pass through shields, why ever use lasers?
It would also make sense that a similar hole could exist to allow fighters to exit. Even if it was just a temporary opening to allow the fighters to leave the vessel, then sealed back up again.
I don't care one way or another. As long as my fighters aren't blowing up on the shields of my capitals, then I am happy with whatever we decide for the shield issue.
