I'll link the SWTC article for other's use....
http://www.theforce.net/swtc/towers.htmlNote that a number of the novels were made after it was put together, as were the comics and recent games.
Eh... The sensor/shield mix I don't think I have a problem with really.
Some things I would have to think about or come to mind are...
1. Typically the placement suggests that they would be sensors, because they have to "see"
over the length of the hull... but the shields do as well. If you go through the Executor's section
on SWTC... it shows how the shields react in two instances when hit by massive objects, etc.
Sort of a rolling wave... not a "splatter" or ping on a shield bubble.
http://www.theforce.net/swtc/ssd.html#shieldsUnless you consider that the shield (domes) would create a bubble around the ship (as seen
in the comic example there, but not in the movies at all) then the domes can't be responsible
for all of the shields simply because they cannot "see" the bottom of the ship. Thus unless another
generator is hiding down there - that section should be unprotected. This goes for the sensors too...
You'd have to have multiple systems in either case if they work off the line of sight principal.
2. If you did separate them, then it would almost have to be the globes to be shields
and the central tower for sensors... because having the shields in that one spot on the tower
doesn't make as much sense visually... unless you were going for the most coverage right over
the primary bridge pit. Which I'm fairly sure I remember secondary command centers on ISDs and SSDs.
Really, if they were to be split up, it makes more technical sense for the shield generators
to be placed around the hull in various locations. Like per say when the ion cannon on Hoth
hit that one Star Destroyer... you might say that one or two of the forward deflectors had been taken out
at the same time.... thus the front shields would go down in gameplay. Also having them spread around
makes it so you have more trouble trying to take each ship out... thus longer gameplay.
One of the things I always did, was go after the domes. Knock out the shields in the games.
Then it's pretty easy to kill an SSD or whichever with a single A wing...
But the idea of the Bacta War X-wing books, where they loaded up the freighters with heavy rockets
and slaved the targeting computers to the X-wings was a good one.
Another nice sequence was when Wraith Squadron used the Corvette to latch on to the
dustball of a "moon," and slide back and forth taking shots at an ISD II (using the tractor beam)
while the Tie's and X-wings were able to penetrate into the ISD's core generator on the bottom.
But eh, I'm not arguing the use of putting them together. Just pointing out some visual/mechanical
issues with Imp cap ships in general. Thinking out loud. ^_^
Edit - Oh now I remember my other point... besides the deflector type shields, there were supposed
to be other kinds that protected from other objects during travel or energy on a ship. I can't confirm this, it just
seems to be a nagging memory from one of the books. I think it had to do with the Falcon in one novel, and
it was mentioned in another when something exploded in front of a command bridge. Sorry I can't narrow it down better.