This proposal started as an X-Wing Only Thing^© (after reading some of the "fix the X-Wing threads") and it could be made to have wider application (though I like it better as an X-Wing only modification, personally.)

The mechanic being something along the lines of: the modification card is placed (horizontally) above or below the pilot card to signify Double-Front/Double-Rear. A number of shield tokens equal to the current number of shield tokens on the pilot card are placed on the modification card. The opposite arc is treated as having no shields. If the shields are re-balanced, the shield tokens on the modification card are lost (card is placed beside the pilot card) but the opposite arc may benefit from the protection of any shield tokens on the pilot card. I see this as costing an action (ACTION: header), but remains until changed.

Balance issues: As the shield tokens on the ship card are worn down, the benefit is largely reduced/eliminated. This is something likely to be used on turn one or two (i.e. preparing to engage.)

There would need to be a clear mechanism for determining if an incoming attack hits the doubled-arc or merely the side (normal shield - no doubling effect) or the "naked arc". My initial thought is that a line from center post to center post be used for this. Roll a red die if it cannot be determined/ambiguous. (Hit/Crit it is the attackers choice, Focus/Blank, it is the defender's choice.)

Cost would be fixed if X-Wing only, or based on a ships shield strength, if open to other ships.

Thoughts/Ideas/Tantrums?

RogueMorgan

An easier way to do it would be:

Action: Until the end of the round, if an enemy inside of your firing arc attacks you it takes two uncanceled <hit> or <crit> results to remove one of your shield tokens, attacks from outside of your firing arc remove two shields for each uncanceled <hit> or <crit> result.

This would operate more in line with the rules as they are currently written. The downside being it uses up an action, but you could easily make it something that you could choose to do at the beginning of the combat phase. It would also make it so that your main supply of shields is still being depleted with each shot instead of gaining temporary extra shields.

Let me see if I understand this modification:

1. Take Modification.

2. Put Shield tokens on Modification equal to number of Shield tokens ship possesses.

3. Declare "Arc" that modification covers.

4a. Attacks that come from the direction the arc covers (this is going to be that shortest line to the attacker/source used to determine range) remove shield tokens from the modification first.

4b. Attacks that originate opposite the arc the modification covers get to ignore shield tokens.

I've got no idea what to say about redistribution because if you can do that then what's the point. You double up one side until those extra shields are gone the redistribute so you get more tokens to point that way.

Maybe this could work with a bunch of simplification. For starters this modification should always be one if equipped. Next you should have to pick a firing arc printed on the ship for it to apply to. Even with these two conditions I think it would be a pain to price as you could simply double up the forward shield when moving to joust and get twice the shield protection as no one is shooting at your backside yet anyway.

The hardest part of getting this to work would be balancing Biggs. He'd have the equivalent of seven HP when shots at from within his firing arc.

Hard to balance this. Might think about it as just a set number of shields instead of equal to your own. eg. a b-wing gets 5 more shields but the x only gets 2. Might be easier to use a mechanic similar to the reinforce action on huge ships to simulate the extra shields. Get a free evade token you can use against each attack in your forward arc this turn, then discard this card type of thing.

Hard to balance this. Might think about it as just a set number of shields instead of equal to your own. eg. a b-wing gets 5 more shields but the x only gets 2. Might be easier to use a mechanic similar to the reinforce action on huge ships to simulate the extra shields. Get a free evade token you can use against each attack in your forward arc this turn, then discard this card type of thing.

I agree that simpler is better.

Ex:

Modular Shields (Modification): 3 points

At the start of the combat phase, you may assign one evade token to your ship. This token may only be used against an attack if the attacker is inside your firing arc. If you spend this token, for the rest of the combat phase roll one fewer evade die against attacks from attackers outside your firing arc.

This sort of thing belongs in the 'wargame style' advanced X-Wing rules which I hope will one day see the light of day.

Currently this game is simply a 'boardgame', which I don't think can support advanced details such as this.

What about different kinds of shields? One that blocks only lasers and one that blocks only torpedoes. It might make taking those secondary weapons more viable.

I've been calling for a similar title:

Stabilize Rear Deflector Shields:

X-wing only Title

When defending, if the attacker is outside of your firing arc, you may change one of you blank results to an evade.