Point Hull Deflectors

Point Hull Deflectors are a highly durable but low powered shield system designed for a similar task to whipple shields, swapping out the maintenance cost for power cost. Their primary duty is to block micrometeors and other small debris, but are capable of blocking lighter munitions such as the low caliber guns mounted on strike craft as well. They operate via a dedicated sensor net tied into network of low-power shield generators which generate a small 'shield disk' at the predicted point of impact. These sensors have a range of approximately 100km, and are specifically tuned for tracking small, high velocity objects - with effectiveness relating to the capabilities of the computer grid of the mounting vessel. They are thankfully not a very power-draining system despite being a form of shield generator, being possible to run off the power of a large solar array.

This system does not cost any design points due to its unobtrusive design making it take up very little space regardless of its widespread sprawl throughout the hull of a vessel - and integration with mounted shield array systems if present. In the case of deflectors integrated into a shield array - when the primary shield fails, it is theoretically possible for advanced versions of these deflectors to become emergency barrier systems to mitigate some of the damage that would be otherwise dealt by a shell or explosive, but this capability takes away from the low-form factor of the deflector, adding a minor cost.