Reinforcing Shields

[Doug Taylor]

In the Narrator's Guide, p. 106, under "Reinforcing Shields" it says "By making a successful System Engineering test...". But then, under the Example posted, it has Lieutenant Ward making a System Operation test.

Do you think this test should be against Engineering: Systems or System Operation?

[Doug Taylor]

I'm leaning towards allowing EITHER, myself.

Any thoughts?

[somaticon]

I would play it either way depending on the situation E.g. A Romulan warbird has fired on the vessel, the ship has taken damage The tactical officer is incapacitated or otherwise engaged the engineering officer can make an engineering check to boost shields. Situation 2 the ship is approaching a potentially hostile vessel the Tactical officer can make a systems check to boost shields. I feel that this approach reflects what you see in several episodes and movies.

[Fugazi Grrl]

That would depend on who's doing it -

If, on TNG, Picard ordered "Mr. Data, reinforce the shield strength !" then it would be a systems-ops test. But if he called down to engineering - "Mr. LaForge, we need more power to the shields !" then that would be a Systems Engineering test.

If Picard or Riker ordered Worf to increase the shield integrity, then it would still be Systems Operations. As Worf is working his console on the bridge.

At least that's how I've always seen it working, based on the shows (esp. TNG & Voyager as they are the ones set aboard a ship in the 24th century).

I think, in the TOS era maintaining the shields, from the bridge is Sulu's job while doing so from Engineering is, of course, Scotty's department.

[Doug Taylor]

Good calls. One of my players suggested that it could be either, but - if the person doing so didn't have any Engineering experience, the TN should probably be 5 higher.

[Fugazi Grrl]

And, if a non-Engineer is trying to do it, like Data or Worf in my examples, and they have some Engineering skill but they're using bridge terminals, maybe they get a +1 Affinity bonus for their Engineering skills ?

I'm sure Data knows his way around Main Engineering. Not so sure about Worf but I seem to remember an episode where he was working on a project with LaForge in Engineering - Best of Both Words, I think. Some of Riker's modifications to the Enterprise after he took command, and he was trying to implement Shelby's ideas to defeat the Borg.

[somaticon]

I always got the feeling that Engineering was Riker's primary calling, yet the stats don't support that.

[Doug Taylor]

Here's my (hopefully) final revision:

p. 106
REINFORCING SHIELDS
By making a successful System Operation (Operations) or Engineering (Systems) test against TN 10 + the amount of damage sustained by the shields, a player can restore lost shield strength. The TN should be increased by 5 if the character does not have any ranks in Engineering (Systems). System Operation (Operations) provides an affinity bonus for Engineering (Systems) and vice versa.

[Tomcat]

How much shield strength is restored? And is it based on DOS? How many times can it be done in an encounter? And does it require that another system be reduced?

As it reads, except for the amount restored, it sounds like one bridge PC or NPC's actions could be dedicated each round to restore shields. Damage to shields is finite based on DOS and it sounds like it can be abated by this rule, with each hit the ship takes.

[Doug Taylor]

How much shield strength is restored? And is it based on DOS? How many times can it be done in an encounter? And does it require that another system be reduced?

As it reads, except for the amount restored, it sounds like one bridge PC or NPC's actions could be dedicated each round to restore shields. Damage to shields is finite based on DOS and it sounds like it can be abated by this rule, with each hit the ship takes.

No, straight out of the Narrator's Guide, one can only improve as much as four points (with an extraordinary result). And to do so you have to damage another system (and can only do it after the shields have lost strength). As it says in the NG on p. 106: "Reinforcing shields can be attempted any number of times, so long as the Crew is willing to damage their systems."

I wasn't attempting to change or amend any of that, simply trying to figure out (and clarify and define) which actual tests get made to do so. So my rule posted earlier simply replaces only those few lines in the rules.

[Tomcat]

I actually came to this assumption, right after I had posted, that you had just clarified the rulings as stated in the NG. I just forgot to post to ignore my questions... so it all looks good!

[Fugazi Grrl]

I always got the feeling that Engineering was Riker's primary calling, yet the stats don't support that.

You say that as if there are CODA stats for Will Riker I might be able to have a look at ? I would looooove to see CODA gaming stats for the rest of the TNG crew, beyond Picard & LaForge, and Worf from the NG.

Especially, of course, Mr. Data.

I'm sure if Decipher had been able to continue the line they would have had sourcebooks for all the shows as they were doing with the different films in the Lord of the Rings series. And each sourcebook would have included full stats on all the central characters.

I agree Riker must have had some training in engineering - he wore a yellow uniform as "Thomas Riker", and really knew his way around a computer system. But, he also struck me as a security, or tactical type. So, maybe Systems Operations (Mission Ops, Tactical) +6, Systems Engineering (Computer Sys.) +6 would work for Will.

[somaticon]

You say that as if there are CODA stats for Will Riker I might be able to have a look at ? I would looooove to see CODA gaming stats for the rest of the TNG crew, beyond Picard & LaForge, and Worf from the NG.

Especially, of course, Mr. Data.

I'm sure if Decipher had been able to continue the line they would have had sourcebooks for all the shows as they were doing with the different films in the Lord of the Rings series. And each sourcebook would have included full stats on all the central characters.

I agree Riker must have had some training in engineering - he wore a yellow uniform as "Thomas Riker", and really knew his way around a computer system. But, he also struck me as a security, or tactical type. So, maybe Systems Operations (Mission Ops, Tactical) +6, Systems Engineering (Computer Sys.) +6 would work for Will.

Thats what I was thinking. His past assignments were all engineering/command eg the Phoenix.