M E A T B A G
Intent: To submit an advanced city-scale deflector shield for use by the Golden Company and their appointed vassals.
Image Source: Asgard Force Field - Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki [x]
Canon Link: DSS-02 Shield Generator, Deflector Shield Generator, Deflector Shields, Xythan Force Shielding.
Primary Source: Repurposed Canon Articles, Cortosis, VDS-02 “Bulwark” - Pattern Military Mobility Shield.
Manufacturer: The Golden Company - Armourer's Guild, The Thyrsian Hierarchy - Royal Armourer's Guild.
Model: VCS-01 “Escutcheon" - Pattern Military Deflector Shield Generator.
Affiliation: The Golden Company, The Thyrsian Hierarchy, Closed Market.
Modularity: No.
Production: Minor-scale Production.
Material: Drop-Forged Durasteel Plating, Cortosis Filaments, Various Internal Circuitry and Insulating Materials, Plastoid and Rubber Composite Housing, Shield Generator Components.
- Advanced [Military-Grade] Shield Projector System.
- Standard [Military-Grade] Cooling Vents, Neutrino Radiators, and Heat Sinks.
- Advanced [Military-Grade] Integrated Shield Capacitors.
- Standard [Military-Grade] Activation Panel.
- Standard [Military-Grade] Capacity Indicator with HUD Uplink(s).
- Standard [Military-Grade] Containment Field Regulator.
- Advanced [Military-Grade] Generator Housing, with Quick Release System.
- Standard [Military-Grade] Insulating Materials.
- Xythan Force Shielding (Energy Absorption and Redirection, Including Directed Ion weapons and Lightsabres.)
- Overlapping Deflector Shield (Particle, Ray and Concussion Barriers.)
- Self-Recharging Generator Housing. (Advanced Housing.)
- Adjustable Projected Barrier Coverage; City-Block to City-Wide.
- Advanced Capacitors. (Strengthened Deflector Screen with Interlocked Hexagonal Appearance.)
- Directional Programming and Projection; Capable of Shooting Out Without Compromising Shield Integrity.
- Capable of Redirecting/Reflecting Small Arms, Light and Heavy Energy Weapons Fire (Including Directed Ion Weapons.)
- Capable of Absorbing and Discharging Successive Plasmatic Bursts. (Including Directed Ion Weaponry.)
- Capable of Absorbing and Discharging the Blade of a Lightsabre.
- Capable of Resisting Bombardment from an Orbiting Fleet for Several Days; without requiring a Capacitor Refresh.
- Highly Resistant to Field Disruptors; Redirects and Returns Energy.
- Self-Recharging Energy Cells.
- Cortosis-Infused Circuitry.
- Slow Energy Cell Recharge Time (Ten Minutes after Depletion.)
- Cannot Protect from Sonic Weapons. (Hard Sound or Otherwise.)
- Cannot Reflect or Redirect Kinetic Projectiles.
- Cannot Properly Safeguard against Dedicated Siege Weapons (I.E. Sustained Turbolasers, Proton Beam Cannons, and Etc.)
- Restricted Energetic Return Trajectory.
- Generator's Vulnerable to Ionic/EMP Overcharge and Overload (Close Proximity Detonations.)
- Cortosis Circuitry; Vulnerable to Prolonged Energetic Exposure (I.E. Starship-mounted Lightning Guns.)
- Possible Neutrino Contamination (Without Environmental Protection, and Sustained Use.)
- Exposed and Stationary Generator; Additional Defenses Required.
Ever since the dawn of time, sentient life always aspired to become one with the stars. However, space was vast and fraught with countless dangers. The earliest recorded Voidnauts took to the heavens with starships cloaked in thick hulls, and reflective panelling to ward off the myriad astronavigational hazards they’d encounter. It wasn’t until centuries later that the first projected deflector screens were created, but their design was originally purposed to safeguard a starship from planetary re-entry. When more advanced versions came about, they were capable of defending against the projected lethality of emplacement weaponry that eventually gave rise to the modern iteration of the deflector shield; which combined the facets of particle and ray shielding.
For reasons unknown, millennia passed before the next advances in deflector technology came to fruition. Many blamed the stagnant and corrupted ideals of the Republic, and the false-peace that followed in its wake. Others blamed the shadowy figures that shrouded themselves in lies and sought to direct the Galaxy towards an uncertain future. Regardless of the truth, the Galactic Empire was the first stellar nation to push the boundaries of science towards limits unheard of before. The first of these advancements were molecular shielding; which was all but impervious to energy weapons, as it stole their lethality and converted it into restorative power that fed into another system.
While these integrated generators were produced on a small-scale for a single purpose in the past, it wasn’t until the present day that they became more prevalent. However, they weren’t the only shields to be created during that ancient era of upheaval. The Xythan Force Shielding was the most advanced design of deflector shields ever to be created in the era before the Four Hundred Years darkness. Through means, previously unknown, the projected barrier was not only capable of absorbing the lethality of a discharged energy weapon but was capable of redirecting that power back from whence it came. This unique facet of the Force Shielding meant that every energy weapon utilized by a sentient was a danger not only to others but also to themselves as well.
Such powerful technology was supposedly never able to spread to the masses and was limited in scale due to the company that developed this advanced system lacking the necessary funding to support their aspirations. It wasn’t until the Golden Company uncovered the ashes of their bones and the treasures that they hoarded, that the Xythan Force Shielding found its proverbial, and artificial dreams within reach. Those enigmatic designs spent hours under ceaseless scrutiny until their secrets were divined, and were lovingly replicated by brilliant Thyrsian hands.
The VCS-01 “Escutcheon" - Pattern Military Deflector Shield Generator was the first, large-scale generator ever to be produced by the Desertborn. The static emplacement was capable of defending the smallest structure, to an entire metropolis, from the dangers of orbital bombardment. In addition to the myriad methods of protection that this generator offered, the Escutcheon also doubled as a static emplacement of sorts; as the barrier was capable of reflecting the discharged fury back at the orbiting ships. What better way to defend an installation then by utilizing an enemies energy weapons against themselves? Naturally, the properties of the Xythan Force Shield were negated by the application of kinetic artillery, as it was physically impossible for the shield to redirect a projectile’s path and send it back to the party that pulled the trigger.
However, such artillery was rare in comparison to the devastating capabilities of superheated plasma and thus was considered a negligible concern during the conceptual process. With the Escutcheon shields layered with particle and concussion barriers - nothing would breach this all-encapsulating line of defence without great effort, and grievously inflicted cost. Well, save for those crafty enough to tunnel under the barrier; but that was only an afterthought to the Scions of Thyrsus -- for they had ways of dealing with such an outcome when it arose. Nevertheless, the city-scale deflector shield was the perfect addition to the Sun Guard’s arsenal, able to defend their holdings against all odds, whilst those within waited for their expected salvation.
