Large Shield Dome

Cost	Metal:	50 000
	Crystal:	50 000
	Deuterium:	0
Structural Integrity:		100 000
Shield Power:		10 000
Weapon Power:		1

The Large Shield Dome is a stronger version of the Small Shield Dome. It costs 5 times the resources and has 5 times the Shield Power. Only one Large Shield Dome and one Small Shield Dome may be built on a planet. Despite their description, and being called a "dome", domes do not offer any sort of overarching defensive ability. They act as a single unit of fodder.

Some would argue that this makes them not very effective, and that the resources should rather be spent on a Plasma Turret. However, this is not entirely true. Nothing has Rapid Fire against it, while other defenses used as fodder do. The Large Shield Dome usually prolongs the combat another round, many times being the last object that all the attacking ships target. This could yield the difference between a draw and a defeat for the defender, and thus save the defender his resources sitting on the planet being attacked.

Any ship with less than 100 of firepower is also victim of the 'bounce' effect, so you need ships stronger than Light Fighters to damage a Large Shield Dome.
Light Fighters are not able to penetrate a Large Shield Dome unless the attacker's Weapon Technology level is 10 higher and at least twice the defender's Shielding Technology level. In practice this doesn't ever happen, thus a Large Shield Dome will never be destroyed if attacked with a fleet of pure Light Fighters.

Also, no ship has rapid-fire against the Large Shield Dome. If a planet is frequently attacked by rapid-fire-heavy fleets (Deathstars or Bombers), the presence of a pair of shield domes serves as a "block" against rapid-fire during that combat round.

Requirements

• Shielding Technology Level 6
• Shipyard Level 6

In-Game Description

The further development of the small shield dome. It is based on the same technology, but uses significantly more energy to withstand enemy attacks.