Piercing Effect Computer

Piercing Effect Computer
Hit Points	50
Reactor Hit Points	0
Mass	0.10
Luminosity	none
Data Value (ID)	418

Piercing Effect Computers are the controller computer for Piercing Effect systems. This effect system can be slaved to a weapon system cause the weapon to ignore some armor and deal much-improved block damage, at the cost of reduced (or zero) damage to Shields.

They add armor durability to your ship if used alone.

Connecting more modules to the computer will increase the potency of the desired effect.

See Effects and Tertiary Systems for more information.

Usage

Primary Computer	Module
Piercing Effect Computer	Piercing Effect Module

Place this module on a structure and connect it to its appropriate computer to either enable that system or enhance an existing one.

Piercing Effect Modules much like any other enhancer module are designed to increase the power and effectiveness of its associated system. As an effect system this module will have differing effects depending on whether or not the effect computer is connected to a weapon system.

Offensively: Missiles and Pulses get a small explosion radius boost with this weapon (+5 meters). Beams and Cannons deal 25% more block damage, and 50% extra damage to Armor HP.

All weapon types, at maximum Piercing effect, ignore 50% of a block's armor. Since System blocks (Shield Capacitors, Weapon modules, Computers, etc), as well as Hull blocks, have no armor value, this effect isn't particularly valuable for damaging internals. However, against Standard and (especially) Advanced armor blocks, this represents a significant bonus. Therefore, this effect is best used to "crack" enemy armor to allow other weapons (such as Explosive-effected or Missiles) to be used to greater effect.

However, this effect also causes the weapon to deal reduced armor to Shields. At 100% effect, a Piercing weapon will deal zero damage to shields. Thus it is a good idea to either pair this weapon with an Ion weapon, or to use a sub-100% effect. Keep in mind that even once the target's shields are down, after a few seconds they will begin to recharge, and a 100% Piercing weapon can be completely stopped by 1 point of enemy shields, regardless of how powerful it is.

Defensively: A defensive Piercing system causes additional incoming damage to be applied to your Armor HP pool rather than blocks. The effect caps out at 25% additional transference over the default of 50% for a total of 75% (note: Mathematically, this works out to your AHP being twice as effective as default). The ArmorHP bar 'protects' your armor blocks and makes them dramatically more durable. Since this, compared to some systems, does not require very many blocks to become maximally effective, Piercing is a very useful system to have on any ship that may see combat, as even Hull blocks see a notable durability increase. It does not, however, apply to system blocks such as modules, computers, reactors etc.

Production

Production Info
Produced in a			Advanced Factory
Requires			To create
Threns Capsule	x500		Piercing Effect Computer	x1
Hattel Capsule	x1000