Since there are a few low slot modules that help shield tanks (Damage control, power diagnostics) I wonder if a mid slot module offering a mild (think reasonable) increase to armor would be possible, or possibly a rework of the energized armor layering modules as a mid slot item. something like “replaces shield emitters with extra armor plating -x% to shield hp +x% to armor hp”
It seems like with heavy buffer tanks, (especially supercapitals) shield tanks have an advantage in both EHP (despite slave implants) and DPS. I could be wrong (I often am) but just a thought that popped in my head after looking over many fits, and statistics.
The problem is that many armor ships are already balanced towards low slots. For example, the punisher has 2 mids. That’s prop and scram for PvP leaving no room for more mods. Yet it has 5 low slots, so can already achieve a respectable tank. Then look at the maller and prophecy which both can already Have an enormous tank. Giving them more in the form of midslots would be over kill.
As for your 2 examples, they aren’t exactly shield only modules. They are mixed use modules that provide some shield benefit in addition to other benefits. The DC is unique in that it is used on almost all PvP ships, has been rebalanced and all ships were even rebalanced around that change. It really doesn’t count as a shield module but more a general tank module. The power diag… I love it. It is a great little mod. However It is a niche item. Unless you need that extra power grid, there are better options.
I find this true all across the board and have been thinking about it a lot lately.
There is a huge, gigantic overall imbalance between shield and armor tanks within the game and not just in PvP. The most noticable are T3s and faction ships, followed by battleships (marauders, black ops included).
Shield tanks in general tend to not only get better base tank numbers and resits, but also have more flexibility in fits all the meanwhile using far less cap (mainly cause shields + missles). Even if you make a armor drone boat and go for same buffer number + same resits of a shield tank, you’ll end up with about 20-25% less movement and far less DPS cause your lows go to tank instead of DPS mods.
And don’t even get me started on active tanks. The cap on armor drains so much quicker then shield its not even remotely funny.
I really don’t understand the game balancing here. Armor in general provides less total tank, less resits, costs more cap if active tank, dents DPS and mobility more often then not and on top of all that has less fitting options.
O, and where is the equivalent of passive shield regen fits for armor tanking ?
Can you say LOL W T F ? Just W T F is with this balance ?
Shield boosters cycle faster and use more cap per unit of repair than armor reps. Active armor tanks are much more cap efficient than active shield tanks. For the same amount of repair, a shield booster will cost you more cap than an armor rep.
A shield booster depletes more cap per cycle, and cycles faster than a local armor rep.
Shield boost amps change all that maths. As do ASB’s.
Armour tanks simply don’t compete with potential rep amounts or efficiency in the specialised active fits.
I am all down for mid slot armor modules, if and only if all armor ships get their low slots reduced to 1 or 2 and as an extra ability those modules will remove the ability to fit an energy nosferatu or neutralizer module.