[PvK]

The point is that ionic disruptors are way too poweful without a countermeasure - especially with the increased importance of supplies in Proportions, and in the latest Gold Version (no supplies means no weapons or shields). Also, leaving enemy derelicts that have to be maintained is even more damaging in Proportions, because resources are much harder to mass-produce with quick colony development.

I have tested the Ionic Shields in Proportions and was pretty happy with how they work. They work about like Proportions standard armor, but only against ionic weapons. You may have a hard time destroying the Ionic Shield with Ionic weapons, but well, that's what the Ionic Shield is for. Meanwhile, you will still sometimes destroy engines despite the shield, and of course ignoring all shields and armor that the ship may have, so ionic weapons do not become useless. Ionic shields have their disadvantages, too - they count as an engine, so a ship with an ionic shield has reduced engine design capacity, and of course they take a fair amount of component space, are just like expensive armor against non-ionic weapons, and they can be taken out by non-ionic weapon hits.

So, I think they're serving their intended purpose well. It provides a much-needed mostly-effective countermeasure to ionic weapons, which has its own important trade-offs and limitations.

Unless I'm missing something. They may still need tweaking.

Thanks for the alert though! All feedback is helpful.

PvK