Armour Construction in Full Thrust

Rationale:  The Armour rules in More Thrust imply that the hull is 
toughened against incoming fire, through a use of exotic alloys and 
hardening techniques.  These rules have come under criticism in the past, 
because they seem to create problems for Captains forced to use 
"conventional" battery technology.

However, these rules do not really simulate the concept of making a 
given hull thicker, thus improving its ability to survive combat by
making it able to absorb more damage.   For example, a mass 100 SDN
would be expected to be harder to kill then a mass 100 CV, by virtue
of their roles.  Yet, there is no difference in their DP values, and
no way to generate that difference.

This is an attempt to create another option for armouring your ships.
This type of armour option is an attempt to simulate thicker hulls, 
better internal subdivision, more ehanced Damage Control techniques,
etc.  Thus, a ship isn't harder to hit, just harder to kill.  

Rules:
When a ship is first constructed, it is possible to convert unused
MASS (dedicated to systems) into damage points, at a ratio of one 
unused MASS creates one DP.  The cost is simply one point per DP
created.  However, for every two DP created, add one MASS to the 
ship for the purposes of calculating Thrust.  No matter how many
DPs are created nor how large the effective MASS becomes, a ship 
stays within the class that it was created, for both threshold 
checks and Thrust Calculations.

For example, a MASS 36 FTL Cruiser devotes all of its 18 MASS available
into extra bulkheads, thicker hulls, etc.  This raises its cost by 
18 points for the armour.  However, this means we must also add 9 
MASS to generate an effective mass of 45 - thus, we must calculate
the cost for the ship's THRUST as if the ship was a Cruiser class 
vessel of MASS 45.  We do not elevate the ship's class to a Capital,
nor do we increase the number of damage tracks for threshold check
purposes.

CRITICAL HITS IN HANGER BAYS

Rationale:  Full Thrust does not simulate the catastrophic damage a ship 
can take when a hanger bay is attacked by things that go BOOM.  (8-)

Rules:
If ever a 6 is rolled on a threshold check on a Hanger Bay, roll 2d6.  
If this roll >= 7 for a loaded bay (i.e. a bay that has 
not launched its ships), or if this roll >= 10 for an 
unloaded bay, then something critical explodes in the hanger bay.
The hanger bay is rendered useless, as per a threshold check, but
Damage Control teams CANNOT bring the bay back on-line.  In addition,
the ship must take a further d6 worth of damage.  If this brings 
about another round of threshold checks, perform them as per
the rules.

Note that the critical numbers (7/10) can be altered depending on
whether or not your ship's race is extremely adept at damage control,
or other factors.  This is a good area for House Rule interpretation.