Shields

Learn how Synergy boosts your Advent Beam Defense Platforms in Synergy, granting damage and shield bonuses. Optimize your defenses with our expert guide!

Alright, let's talk about Synergy, a pretty neat passive ability for the Advent Beam Defense Platform. It's one of those things that can make a big difference if you set it up right. Basically, once you research Synergy, you can link up to four other Beam Defense Platforms with it. When they're all within 6000 km of each other, each platform gets a boost: a 12.5% increase to damage and an extra 250 shield points per nearby platform. So, if you have five platforms all close together, you're looking at a massive 50% damage boost and 1000 extra shield points for each one! This makes your Beam Defense Platforms way more effective, especially after the Entrenchment expansion. But, and this is important, they're still not invincible. Don't rely on them alone to fend off serious threats like high-level pirate raids. You'll still want backup from things like an upgraded starbase, repair platforms, hangars, or even your main fleet. ## Stacking Bonuses Here's a quick rundown of how the bonuses stack up: * 1 platform: No bonus. * 2 platforms: +12.5% damage, +250 shields to each. * 3 platforms: +25% damage, +500 shields to each. * 4 platforms: +37.5% damage, +750 shields to each. * 5+ platforms: +50% damage, +1000 shields to each. Remember, all platforms need to be within that 6000 km range to get and contribute to the bonus. ### Why Even One Level Matters That first level of bonus is actually super important. While the bonus doesn't get worse until you hit 5 platforms, that initial boost gives your platforms shields where they had none by default (unless you have Hangar Defenses with Shield Bestowal nearby). Structures with shields, even after they're depleted, get damage mitigation. This means that first shield boost dramatically increases their 'effective HP' because mitigation kicks in. So, if you're going to build any Beam Defense Platforms, it's almost always worth it to have at least two. They're pretty cheap individually, too! ### Important Notes: * The bonus caps at 5 platforms, but any extra platforms within range still benefit from the maximum bonus. * If you have more than 5 platforms, the bonus won't drop until the count falls below 5, which adds some nice resilience. * This bonus *only* applies to Beam Defense Platforms. It won't buff other beam-armed units like Illuminator Vessels or most capital ships. * Synergy doesn't shield other structures. For that, Advent players can use Hangar Defenses with Shield Bestowal, but that doesn't stack with Synergy. ## Costs and Benefits This table breaks down the costs in resources and tactical slots versus the benefits in damage and shields. Keep in mind that actual damage figures will vary based on research and other factors. Shield points here don't get boosted by shield point research but *do* benefit from mitigation research. (Assuming no other effects like Hangar Defense Shield Bestowal are active.) | Platforms | Cost (¢, m, cr) | Tac Slots | Total Damage (%) | Total Shields | |---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | 250 ¢, 75 m, 35 cr | 1 | 100% | 0 | | 2 | 500 ¢, 150 m, 70 cr | 2 | 225% | 500 | | 3 | 750 ¢, 225 m, 105 cr | 3 | 375% | 1500 | | 4 | 1000 ¢, 300 m, 140 cr | 4 | 550% | 3000 | | 5 | 1250 ¢, 375 m, 175 cr | 5 | 750% | 5000 | | Each over 5 | +250 ¢, +150 m, +35 cr | +1 | +150% | +1000 | So, think about how you're deploying your Beam Defense Platforms. Getting a few together for Synergy can really beef up your defenses!