[Ed Kolis]

Give:
Beam weapons
Beam weapons
Beam weapons
Beam weapons
Beam weapons
Beam weapons

Want:
Shields
Shields
Shields

This would trade Beam weapons VI for shields III, no matter what tech level either player had in those areas.

Almost... what if the player getting beam weapons already had level 3, and the player giving them had level 9? Then the player getting them would get levels 4,5,6,7,8, and 9. That's why you always have to be careful what your opponent has...