My 2 cents...

Trying to keep the simplicity of starmada but the feel of SFB, here is what id like to see.

Directional/Ablative shielding
1, 2 and 3 turn arming cycles.  (disruptor, photon, plasma)
Strikers that disipate their damage as they move.
Multi-mode weapons - standard (normal damage), overload (double damage, limited range), proximity (half damage, more accurate).

I like the simple move and shoot starmada movement system, but the impulse movement of SFB allows for alot of move-shoot-move tactics.   One way to address this would be to add a weapons fire order to the movement plot.  Move 3 forward, turn left, Fire Primary, Move Two.   Obviously you could only fire if your target was still in arc at that point in your movement.

Another thought is ploted arming for multi-mode weapons.   At the beginning of each turn that a multi-mode weapon is ready to fire you have to plot its mode.   That way you cant toggle between overload and standard if the situation changes after movement.

I look forward to the ablative-armor type of shielding.  I will use it on my ships and think of it as armor plating; similiar to the polarized armor that the Earth Starship Enterprise has on the StarTrek-prequil TV show "Enterprise". 
I wonder, do ships with this ablative-armor type of shielding can also have regular Starmada shields or Starmada screens? :?

Dan,
any tidbits you could drop on shields in KA that we could start tossing around??
I like the idea of each arc having a certain number of damage points that can be absorbed before damage drops that shield. Of course, shield reinforcement, damage repairs, etc.  could all find their way into this.

I am sure there will be some weapons, like ion, weapons that could ignore shields until you factor that defensive technology into it.  I assume that their will be different strength levels.
The shields of Dreadnought will be able to absorb more than a  Heavy Cruiser.

oh look for an order from me later tonight or tomorrow on mj12

I'd wager that ADB and Steve Cole will want first crack at that.....

I have a group itching to playtest and be humbled to do so if you would like to include me..

We are getting close to "the end of May," anything brewing??

Dan,
are you ready for other groups to do some playtesting yet?

Just a quick question, I apologize if this has been answered elsewhere, but will KA have any new rules at all, or is it purely a "setting" sourcebook utilizing only existing SAE rules?
Thanks,
Erik

I am pulling out some old games that don't exist anymore to see how they do it.

Dan, any luck compiling?