Question: Reactive armor and Rail Guns

[Kel Arkir]

Reactive armor and Rail Guns
Or specifically, how is the damage deduction of reactive armor on the weapons computed. Due to their low total damage, the 50% efficiency stated in the description of the rail guns made me wonder, how does it apply?
Considering the 0.5 multiplyer is equated before the reactive armor applies, a single equiv-tech armor plate could completely nullify the dps of railguns.

>>> damage/salvo with the mentioned formular would be:
Damage_Dealt = (0.5*Damage_Salvo - Reactive_Armor_Rating)


Rail Gun I(4) vs Standard Armor(2) >>> 0 !!
Rail Gun II(5) vs Standard Armor(2) >>> 0.5
Rail Gun II(5) vs Enhanced Armor(4) >>> 0 !!
Rail Gun III(6) vs Standard Armor(2) >>> 1
Rail Gun III(6) vs Enhanced Armor(4) >>> 0 !!
Rail Gun IV(6) vs Standard Armor(2) >>> 1.5
Rail Gun IV(7) vs Enhanced Armor(4) >>> 0 !!
Heavy Rail Gun I(9) vs Standard Armor(2) >>> 2.5
Heavy Rail Gun I(9) vs Enhanced Armor(4) >>> 0.5
Heavy Rail Gun I(9) vs Reactive Armor(7) >>> 0 !!
Heavy Rail Gun II(10) vs Standard Armor(2) >>> 3
Heavy Rail Gun II(10) vs Enhanced Armor(4) >>> 1
Heavy Rail Gun II(10) vs Reactive Armor(7) >>> 0 !!
Heavy Rail Gun III(12) vs Standard Armor(2) >>> 4
Heavy Rail Gun III(12) vs Enhanced Armor(4) >>> 2
Heavy Rail Gun III(12) vs Reactive Armor(7) >>> 0 !!
Massive Rail Gun I(15) vs Standard Armor(2) >>> 5.5
Massive Rail Gun I(15) vs Enhanced Armor(4) >>> 3.5
Massive Rail Gun I(15) vs Reactive Armor(7) >>> 0.5
Massive Rail Gun I(15) vs UltraDense Armor (10) >>> 0 !!
Massive Rail Gun II(18) vs Standard Armor(2) >>> 7
Massive Rail Gun II(18) vs Enhanced Armor(4) >>> 5
Massive Rail Gun II(18) vs Reactive Armor(7) >>> 2
Massive Rail Gun II(18) vs UltraDense Armor (10) >>> 0 !!


So, I hereby beg for clarification

[Erik Rutins]

Two key bits of information to add. 50% is the average amount of rail gun damage that will penetrate shields. The actual amount can be higher (up to 75%) or lower (down to 25% and we round fractions up. Also, any hit on a ship, even if the damage is reduced to zero by the reactive armor, still has a small chance to damage the armor. With that said, armor is definitely and intentionally the best counter against rail guns, but there's no perfect protection.

Regards,

- Erik