The Commander Series Forum

Hi Guys, I tried using the Unit Cost Calculator from the downloads to stat up my New Alban Airborne Services force with Adaptive camo, and personal shield generators. The FWC rule book says +20 per value for the shield. But the calculator only allows one shield, and it seems to be +80 ?

Anyone else had this problem?

I'll take a look later today.

Thanks Pete. Interestingly, I tested it on the walker I was experimenting with from another list (the Starhawk VI from the Open Cav list p94) and it appears to calculate correctly.

Hiya Doug,

The calculator will add the same number of Shields as the number of hits that the unit has been given and will add the points at 20 points per shield. (This is with the "Power Shield" box ticked, not the shield domes one.)

eg. If your new unit has 3 hits and you click the shields box it will add 60 points; 4 hits, click shields and it will add 80 points. etc etc.

B.

Ah yes, I forgot about that

Thanks Brengun, so I must be pretty thick, but I still don't get it..

Is the calculator correct? If I have a shield value of 1. (i.e. removes one hit before the shield is down) then why would that cost me 80? shouldn't it be a flat +20, and if the shield removes 2 hits +40 and so on?

Yep, that's the way it works, each +20 points = 1 shield value. The calculator automatically adds the same number of shields as you have entered for "Hits". Check out the Hits column in one of the army lists that uses shields, it will have something like 3S or 4S, the 'S' stands for shields; thus a 4S tank would absorb 4 hits on shields first and then start taking damage (another 4 hits worth). The number of shields will always be the same as hits value.
If you want just one shield on a unit (irrelevant of its hits value) just add 20 points for a single shield, it's not quite how the system is designed but I can't see why you couldn't do it as a house rule or amendment.

You don't buy one shield, you have to buy one shield per hit value of the unit, at 20pts per shield.

Hi Pixie, so where in the rules does it say that you have to buy shields equivalent to your hits?

I just want to add S1 to my unit so it can absorb one hit before suffering the additional 4 hits that would destroy it.

My alternative is just to recalculate my hits 4 units to hits 5.

It will cost me less than a shield (unless I want a ridiculous save as well). But I liked the idea of using shields for the tech interest and making them invulnerable to infantry weapons. Just like adding flamethrowers really has limited applicability, (very expensive and short-ranged) but is quite fun.

It's about trying to reflect the character of how I imagined the troops.

It's in the points cost or special tech section - I'd have to get the book out the loft to check!

It's partly what makes not-Ork not-Gargants so expensive, huge hits mean huge shields, which costs hugely and then as they're low tech they get an extra huge cost bump on top :(

S'why I usually strip the shields off them - actually makes them useful for the points!

Ahh.. page 55 - says shields have a strength value equal to the Hits of the unit. I just looked at page 123. Problem solved. Thanks guys. (If all else fails, read the instructions).

I've not met a set of rules yet where that hasn't helped. Mind, there's nothing to stop you from houseruling it and buying a single shield.

Not sure how worth it that would be as it costs you your initiative action to bring it back up...