Full info is here:
positech.co.uk/cliffsblog/?p=748
Working on a new module, which beams shield energy over to an allied cruiser, to reinforce fialing shields. It’s frigate-only, and Empire-only.
I’d lvoe to know peoples thoughts on this as a new module for the main game.
Looks good cliff! This might actually get me to play empire =)
I like it, although the use conditions for it seem be a bit rigid. Obviously there’s no way to have loose frigates chase down friendly cruisers, so this may encourage overly dense fleets.
Great idea… definitly improves the appeal of the empire… You could also create a module which repairs the hull and modules… but it will need proper balancing… would introduce totally new layers of battles… fast repair ships or really slow and well armored repairships combined with fast well armed cruise with cautios order… give it a thought 
Great idea of adding it as a frigate turret, people would spam cruisers in formation which would ‘heal’ their shields between them. Also Empire needed a bit of help, it’s good to know you created a new module type for them
Just a question,
[size=150]When will we be able to use it?[/size] 
Looks like a great idea… I already keep frigates tailing cruisers for anti-fighter/ecm uses so for me it would be no great change in tactics.
But…
I find the Empire suffers from fighter flocks that can shoot under the shields. Often I seen Imperial cruisers succumbing with their shields full up. I would suggest something along the lines of the missile disruptor the swarm uses but tune it for fighters. Perhaps not destroying them but temporarily disabling them so they can be picked off easier.
And along the lines of suggestions though this is not the suggestion area…
It would be nice if torpedo’s/missiles could “relock” on something if they miss. It’s annoying to see my ordnance blissfully flying through an enemy fleet doing nothing. It would make point defense more usefull since they destroy the missile as opposed to just getting it to fly in some other direction.
Anti-Fighter flak - just a cannon that causes explosions that can damage pesky fighters and fill your screen with little blossoming explosions willy nilly.
And does anyone find any use for the Quantum blaster?
Anyhow cheers and back to blowing things up.
Berny
I definitely support this!
Will it jumpstart failed shields? Or does it only recharge the shields?
What happens if two frigates have this and are both in range of the cruiser? Will they both use it at the same time, or will they stagger it, so first one recharges the cruiser, then when the cruiser shields are damaged again the other one fires?
Edit:
From looking over your blog posting it almost sounds like a repair module! The capacitor has limited supplies and does not replenish, correct? Works like a repair module’s stockpile of spare parts? If so, thats awesome. Also makes frigate-only fleets quite doable, assuming one frigate can recharge another, and that the shields don’t instantly implode due to fire. If they last just long enough that they can be restored before they fail you could have the frigates backing each other up.
This would be great in that the frigates would be nearly invulnerable…at least until the shield recharge capacitors run out. Then they’ll all probably explode at once as the cruisers cut them to pieces within seconds. Frigates are squishy.
My current design has it that the modules can only be carried by frigates, and only work on cruisers. Also, there is no limit to the amount they can be used, the capacitors recharge over time. They also can work together on the same target, so in theory a cluster of frigates could render a cruisers shields almost impossible to penetrate, but then of course the frigates themselves can be targeted and taken down.
Some of my aims for this are to
a) Give a definite reason to encourage a mix of cruisers and frigates
b) Give some race-specific capabilities to the empire
c) Counter the popular method of highly concentrated mass-missile/plasma spam targeted on cruisers.
It’s my first toe-in-the-water of clearly defined support modules, where the ships work together as a team.
you might want to dig out the old support drone suggestion thread for other race equivalents 
I think some modules assisting in the opposite direction - cruisers to frigates - might be helpful for that.
Fast frigates freely maneuvering about do very well, but locking a frigate in formation or escort with a cruiser carries all sorts of problems.
There’s very little cruisers can actually do to prevent these frigates from being stripped away by heavier weapons, although the scrambler is an exception of note. To make matters worse, cruisers that do go down are going to hit surrounding frigates with large shockwaves.
As things are now, I’d say that cruisers already derive more from the presence of frigates than the other way around. Frigates have better weapons for combating fighters and other frigates; cruisers just outlast these targets, which doesn’t do the frigates any good.
Keen.
Generally cruisers already stand up to a slugfest very well. A cruiser can soak up a lot of punishment. Frigates could use a bit of love though, at least in regards to them being so squishy. Frigate armor is fine, its just that frigate shields are more of a suggestion of shields than providing actual protecting.
Leave frigate shields thin, but allowing frigates to recharge ships around them, including cruisers or other frigates, would give Empire frigates a lot more staying power. They still have a weakness due to the huge shield bubbles, but at least the shield bubbles would remain up longer.
Frigate defenses are so weak that its often times not even worth giving them any defenses at all. Pack them with lots of guns and engines, send them in, and hope they kill enough things before they explode. Allowing frigates to recharge each others shields would give them a significant boost to viability.
I do love the idea of modules that allow ships to support each other. Shield recharge modules, repair modules, maybe even targeting modules, or some way to intercept incoming fire even if its heading to another ship. Large shield bubbles maybe? A module that provides a gigantic shield bubble which can protect multiple ships even if the ship that has the module is not the one being shot at?
I like the looks of this already. My only concern echoes a point that’s been made here, but I’ll say it again anyway. Boosting cruiser shields is all well and good, but one of Empire’s biggest drawbacks is their almost unerring ability to be shredded beneath the shields by fighter swarms. I really like the idea of support frigates to shore up cruiser shields, but I suspect in short order we’ll see fighters zooming in and KABOOMing the support frigates as quickly as possible before they can really be of use.
But then I could be wrong.
A cool module anyroad.
It’d be cool if Empire got something that functions like a smart bomb (period ship-centered area pulses) and both EMPs and slows all fighters in its range when it goes off.
That would help a lot, but they could also use some area of effect weapon against fighter swarms besides the emp.
I hope there are going to be some more race-specific modules, perhaps an alliance module that repairs armor of neighbouring ships like the shield beam.
It is a good point about frigates needing more help than cruisers in terms of shield strength. I could easily tweak it so that it can be directed at frigates as well as cruisers. I may also extend the range of it a bit so that the ‘ship-you-were assisting explodes’ issue isn’t so bad.
come to think of it… why not a shield leecher beam?
like the romulans had in star trek armada 2,i always thought that ability was helluva cool
Another empire only weapons to bolster shields would be great! Would be good in a general fleet, but useless against anything without shields. I don’t think it would be too hard to make, just a support beam targeted at the enemy and bolstering the own shields while sucking the enemy shieldpower away.
Empire ships should have a weak point. Laser fighters should be the bane of Empire ships. They should have awesome shields but be vulnerable to fighters. You need both strengths and weaknesses.
Just look at Tribe ships. Their shields and armor are a joke, but their ships can take a huge beating before going down. Upside to Tribe ships is that none of their ships die easily. Downside is that their ships are very easy to damage due to thin shields and armor.
I enjoyed that game! Very underrated game. 
Shield draining would be interesting. Not sure about the balance issues on that though. You could put 2-3 of them on all of your ships along with the very long range beam weapons Empire ships have. Shield draining modules suck enemy shields dry while boosting your own shields, and then the laser beams carve up the unprotected hull. While it certainly makes the Empire stand out and gives them a very unique perk it may be a little overpowered since not only are you boosting your own shields but you’re doing so while destroying the other side’s shields.
The shield recharger only recharges shields, and does not harm enemy shields. You get twice the benefit with draining shields since you’re both restoring your shields while destroying their shields.