Planetary Shield Generator

The Planetary Shield Generator is a defense building that creates a partial shield over a planet and uses excess power from the grid to charge itself, similar to Accumulators. Once enough energy is stored, the shield deploys; any additional charging increases the shield’s durability against Dark Fog space attacks. Damage prevented by the shield drains the generator’s stored energy, and the shield collapses when that energy is depleted.

A single planet can have up to 80 Planetary Shield Generators. The building has two linked functions: the support structure that determines shield coverage and maximum storage, and the shield function that determines how much damage the shield can absorb. The shield activates at 1.44 GJ, but at that point it is only a low-altitude shield mainly covering the generator itself. At 2.88 GJ, the shield reaches full size and full coverage. The support-side storage can continue rising to provide a buffer, which is used to keep the shield online during power shortages. The shield’s energy is shared across all Planetary Shield Generators on the same planet, and the recharge rate depends on spare power in the grid.

Planetary Shield Generators always charge before Accumulators when there is surplus power. This makes them easy to starve if the power grid is tight, because their standby draw is constant and they consume even more while charging. Their idle power demand is 12 MW, with a catalog operating value of 24 MW while charging, so establishing and maintaining a strong shield requires substantial power infrastructure. A single idle generator can be supported by a Mini Fusion Power Plant, or by a Geothermal Power Station on a Lv.1 Core Driller after destroying a Planetary Base, but large-scale shielding is usually practical only once a Dyson Swarm or Going nuclear is underway.

In combat, the shield repels incoming Relay Stations and also prevents new Dark Fog Planetary Base construction inside the covered area. The actual altitude of the shield does not matter for repelling Relay Stations as long as the shield exists, but the lower edge of the coverage is relevant for structures near the boundary. Tall vertically built structures can have only their upper portions exposed if placed too close to the edge, while buildings such as Logistics Stations and Satellite Substations remain protected if their base is inside the shield.

• 8 generators are enough to stop Relay Stations from landing anywhere on the planet.
• 20 generators are enough for full planetary coverage, which is required for the A.T Field achievement.
• Symmetrical layouts can be based on a cube for 8 generators or a dodecahedron for 20 generators.
• Coverage does not scale strictly linearly with placement; arrangement matters, and neighboring shields can merge if placed close enough.
• A fully charged, idle Planetary Shield Generator uses the same power as an active Miniature Particle Collider: 12 MW.