Is it possible to add a completely new armor type to the game?  I added entries for a new armor type, which I'm calling 'Escort' to the gameplay constants file, but the my mod stopped loading, so I've clearly done something wrong.  My intent is to make this new armor type take damage in an identical fashion that heavy armor does in the stock game.  Then I'm going to make anti-very-heavy do full damage to heavy armor type.  This will give players the option of using bombers against ships like Subverters and Guardians.

I'm doin this as part of a rebalancing mod that makes several moderate changes to the frigates in the game.  The flak frigate's are being changed so that all their guns fire forward.  The idea is that they will be used as LRM hunters.  For balancing reasons, so far flaks (which I'm referring to as destroyers now, since they are for more than just anti fighter work) are getting a minor to moderate nerf in shield and hit points and are also equipped with the new Escort armor type.  LRMs are also getting a minor shield and hit point nerf, while light frigates are getting a moderate DPS, shield, and hit point buff.  Cruisers remain unchanged for the moment, but I might insert a tech that increases the number of strikecraft in a cruiser carrier's squadron before it's over with.  Capitals are unchanged except for carrier caps, which now carry more squadrons.  They still start with the standard 2 squadrons, but gain one more command point per level, causing them to max out at 11 squadrons instead of the usual 6.

The overall purpose of this mod is to make it advantageous to do something besides spam LRFs and HCs.  Granted, these ships will still be important and will probably still anchor your fleet, but spamming them is going to get you into trouble once I get all the balances worked out right.