Armor
Since the advent of the gunspring, armor has increased massively in weight. Full suits are reserved for brief, high-intensity fighting. Otherwise, most soldiers, cutters, and security groups don merely a helmet and some portion of body armor, balancing limberness with protection of vital areas.
Hardness & reduction
Armor items have two values: Hardness and reduction.
- Hardness converts all damage that doesn’t exceed it to bludgeoning. Damage exceeding it breaches the area hit, negating its protection.
- Reduction is subtracted from damage.
Armor Burden
Armor can be extremely burdensome. Many fighters opt to wear a just helmet and body armor, trading full protection for mobility. Those prepared to fight in full armor may keep most of their armor suit packed with Stowage, unpacking and arming themselves only in preparation for violence.
Layering
Flexible armor items may be worn under others. Layered body areas:
- get +1 reduction
- use the higher hardness between the layered materials
- cause 1 speed penalty per under-layer layered over
Any gaps in the outer layer are armored as per the under layer. If breached, both layered items are breached.
visibility
Unless specified, armor covering your face causes -2 to Perception rolls and initiative. This is true of most full helmets.
armor materials
Armor materials are provided to aid the creation of new armor items. Shields have +1 reduction. Armor items built for the head or hands have 1 less reduction due to their proximity to bone.
| material | Hardness | Reduction | burden/area | price/area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft leather/thick wool | 2 | 1 | 0 | £1 |
| Thick leather/rubber cloth/padding | 3 | 2 | .25 | £2 |
| Fin maille/heavy padding | 4 | 3 | .5 | £5 |
| Hard leather | 5 | 3 | .5 | £10 |
| ceramic/porcelain | 5 | 0 | .33 | n/a |
| Wood/casque | 5 | 4 | 1 | n/a |
| Bronze plate | 5 | 4 | .66 | n/a |
| Rivet maille | 6 | 3 | .75 | £12 |
| Splint/jackcloth | 6 | 4 | 1 | £20 |
| Springsteel plate | 8 | 4 | .5 | £40 |
| Laminar plates | 6 | 5 | 1 | £25 |
| Munition plate | 7 | 5 | 1 | £30 |
| Superheavy plate | 8 | 6 | 2 | £50 |
shields
Shields function as armor when blocking, rather than applying a block value (see Guard & Bash.) All shields, regardless of size, have 0 reach when attacking.
| shield | coverage | skill | damage | armor | burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| buckler | 1 | Guard & Bash | d4+1 B | material +1 reduction | 1 |
| roundshield | 2 | Guard & Bash | d4+1 B | material +1 reduction | 2 |
| large/kite/heater | 3 | Guard & Bash | d4+1 B | material +1 reduction | 3* material # |
| tower/riot/full pavise | 4 | Guard & Bash | d4+1 B | material +1 reduction | 4* material # |
| ARMOR stat equals the armor material it is made of. COVERAGE describes what body areas it passively armors. BURDEN equals armor material burden (#) per area times coverage, rounded up Pavise variant shields have tripod leg crampons. They may be set with an action to create mobile cover. |
|||||
†, ‡ = mutually exclusive; may not be had together.
§ = requires the above item
body armor
| item | HARDNESS | REDUCTION & COVERAGE | burden | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leather apron | 3|2 chest, abdomen, thighs | 0 | £3 |
| foundry cap/riding cap | 3|1 skull | 0 | £2 |
| Leather chaps | 3|2 thighs, shins | 0 | £2 |
| Leather jacket + tube collar + fleece lining + padded lining † + fin maille/heavy padded lining † + rivet maille lining † + hard leather body plates ‡ + iron body plates ‡ + spikes/clout nails |
2|1 chest, back, abdomen, shoulders, arms 2|1 neck 2 warmth armor changed to 3|2 armor changed to 4|3 armor changed to 6|3 5|3 layer chest, back, abdomen 6|4 layer on chest, back, abdomen +1 to reaction rolls with cutters |
0 — +1 +2 +3 +4 +2 +3 — |
£5 +£1 +£6 +£10 +£25 +£60 +£30 +£60 +£2 |
| Padded tube collar + thick padding |
3/2 neck, face 4|3 neck, face |
S 1 |
£4 +£6 |
| Padded jacket + vest + thick padding + hard box pockets |
3|2 chest, back, abdomen, shoulders, upper arms, forearms Reduce all prices by 30%. No arm armor permitted. 4|3 chest, back, abdomen, shoulders, arms +6 pocket space (protected) |
2 1 x2 — |
£12 * +£18 +£4 |
| padded guncoat + thick padding |
3|2 neck, chest, back, abdomen, shoulders, arms, thighs 4|3 neck, chest, back, abdomen, shoulders, arms, thighs |
2 +2 |
£14 +£21 |
| padded coif + thick padding |
3|1 skull, 3|2 neck 4|2 skull, 4|3 neck |
0 1 |
£4 +£6 |
| Fin maille-cotton cuffia | 4|3 neck or 4|2 skull, +1 warmth | S | £11 |
| Fin maille blouse | 4|3 chest, back, abdomen, shoulders, upper arms | 3 | £30 |
| Fin maille sleeves | 4|3 upper arms, forearms | 1 | £10 |
| Pickelhaube/fireman helmet/security cap | 5|2 skull | 1 | £10 |
| Hard leather gauntlets + long |
5|3 hands 5|3 forearms |
0 +1 |
£10 +10 |
| rivet maille coif + long |
6|2 skull, 6|3 neck 6|3 chest |
2 +1 |
£30 +£10 |
| Rivet maille shirt + long |
6|3 chest, back, abdomen, shoulders, upper arms 6|3 thighs |
5 +1 |
£70 +£10 |
| Rivet maille sleeves | 6|3 upper arms, forearms | 2 | £30 |
| rivet maille chausses | 6|3 thighs, shins | 2 | £30 |
| rivet maille mantle + hood + long |
6|3 shoulders, back 6|2 skull 6|3 chest |
2 +1 +1 |
£30 +£15 +£15 |
| Jackcloth vest | 6|4 chest, back, abdomen | 3 | £60 |
| jackcloth coat | 6|4 chest, back, abdomen, shoulders, upper arms; 2|1 forearms |
5 | £90 |
| Jackcloth longcoat | 6|4 chest, back, abdomen, shoulders, upper arms, thighs; 2|1 shins, forearms |
6 | £110 |
| Antiballistic serape + hood + muffler + thermal lining + tactical pouches |
6|2 shoulders, chest, upper arms 6|1 skull 6|2 neck 2 warmth 6 pocket space |
3 +1 +1 — — |
£50 +£15 +£15 +£6 +£2 |
| combat helmet + visor + throat guard |
7|4 skull 7|4 face 7|4 neck |
1 +1 +1 |
+£30 +£30 +£30 |
| munition plate + backplate (carapace) + shoulder plates (pauldrons) + arm guards (rerebraces) + forearm guards (vambraces) § + abdominal plates (faulds) + thigh plates (tassets) § + neck guard (gorget) † + high neck guard (bevor) † |
7|5 chest 7|5 back 7|5 shoulders 7|5 upper arms 7|5 forearms 7|5 abdomen 7|5 thighs 7|5 neck 7|5 neck, face |
2 +2 +2 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 |
£60 +£60 +£60 +£30 +£30 +£30 +£30 +£30 +£60 |
| arming belt + thigh plates (cuisses) + shin plates (greaves) + garter plates |
— 7|5 thigh 7|5 shin 6|4 abdomen |
— +1 +1 +1 |
£5 +£30 +£30 +£30 |
| munition plate gauntlets + long |
7|4 hands 7|5 forearms |
1 +1 |
£60 +£30 |
| lobster harness | 7|5 neck, chest, back, abdomen, shoulders, front thighs, upper arms | 9 | £270 |
| stovepipe rig | 8|6 skull, face; 7|5, neck, chest, abdomen; -4 to Perception | 6 | £160 |
boots
| item | HARDNESS | REDUCTION & COVERAGE | burden | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thick leather boots + fleece lining + hard soles + hobnails + hard leather uppers † + steel uppers † + tall quarters + spurs |
3|2 Feet, 1d4+1 B stomp damage+ 1 warmth +1 damage +1 damage 4|3 Feet 6|5 Feet 3|2 Shins -1 horse temper |
0 — — — 1 1 — — |
£2P + 15p + £1 + £12 + £2 + £5 + £2 + 15p |
| Chap boots, soft | 2|1 Feet, Shins, Thighs | — | £3 |
| Chap boots, thick leather | 3|2 Feet, Shins, Thighs | 1 | £5 |
| Traveling boots, soft leather | 2|1 Feet | — | £1.5 |
| Combat boots, hobnailed, thick leather | 3|2 Feet | 1 | £5 |
| Rubber boots | 3|2 Feet, Shins | 1 | £2 5p |
| Gaiters, insulated, rubber | 3|2 Feet, Shins, Thighs; 1 Warmth | 2 | £3 |
| Work boots, hard soled, soft leather | 2|1 Feet | — | 3s |
| Riding boots, tall | 2|1 Feet | — | £4 |
advanced armor
| item | HARDNESS | REDUCTION & COVERAGE | burden | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springsteel cuirass | 9|4 Chest, back, abdomen | 2 | £330 |
| Isolation suit | 6|2 Face; 11|4 Skull, Torso; 7|3 everywhere else | 10 | £450 |
| Odite chain shirt | 6|2 Chest, Back, Abdomen, Shoulders, Arms | 2 | £130 |
chain maille
The automatic maille gin revitalized chain maille coastwide. The stuff sees as much use now as in the Dark Ages. Produced cheaply and in vast quantities, it is widely offered in two grades: fin maille (or finemail) and rivet maille.
fin maille
Lightweight steel mesh. Attractively used in couture and armory, and available in several decorative link styles. Fin maille links are merely butted, not riveted, and offer only moderate physical protection.rivet maille
Machine-spun maille linked by durable rivets. Combat-grade, but very heavy. Not often worn as primary body armor, but used to compliment modern plate as sleeves, capes, and chaps worn alongside modern helms and munition plates. Commonly sold backed and lined by oilcloth to mitigate rust, rustling, and glinting.Jackcloth
A thick, semiflexible material of small alloy plates riveted between padding and cloth. A jackcloth garment doesn’t announce itself as armor, but it offers inarguable protection.
hard leather
Or cuir bouilli. Thick cuts of leather molded and hardened into lightweight armor shapes. Decent armor, for their lightness, but unable with withstand hard thrusts or gunshots. Expensive to make, these days, due to a leatherbouf shortage.
Pickelhaube
Common Lothrheimer army hat. A light helm of molded boiled leather, finished gloss black, ridged ornately, and topped with a nickel-plated steel spike that can be exchanged for a plume.Munition plate
Slabs of 4–6mm iron plate forged in vaguely human shapes. Mass produced for militaries, security forces, and banks. Vary in style depending on the manufacturer. Usually, they are grey and unadorned or painted a mild drab tone.
These items are highly modular, designed to build upon a base breastplate and underlying harness. “Garnitures” are added for different fighting circumstances. These still bear their Dark Age names, and they are much the same as their ancient counterparts, save for their post-Industrial Enlightenment appearance.
Closed helm
A heavy, inflexible full helmet with a slit-eyed visor. Attaches like a gorget, to a chestplate and backplate pair. Does not permit the wearer to turn their head, but provides superior protection. Comes in many styles. Some resemble the bestial or regal helms of knights. Others are simply practical, domes or tubes attached at the neck. When worn, you can’t react to motion in your side arcs.Munitions chestplate
A contoured plate covering the heart and lungs. Standard body armor for heavy fighting. Its underlying harness and eyelets serve as the base for further garnitures.abdominal plates/faulds
Underlapping curved plates, like isopod segments, meant to hang from a breastplate and protect the belly and groin.combat helmet
A simplistic, modern combat helmet, little more than an iron dome with padding and straps. Often includes a full, round brim or caul covering the ears. Most possess hinged mounting brackets for faceplates.visor
These come in many forms. Most are peaked, to deflect incoming projectiles. Some have slit eyes, goggles, mesh face guards, or fly-like eye domes with sight holes. Invariably, they make the wearer appear rather inhuman. Most can be flipped up or to the side on their mounting hinges.high neck guard/bevor
A peaked face and neck guard, designed to attach to the mounting points on the front of a breastplate.neck guard/gorget
A steel bib and tubular collar meant as a complement to the attachment lugs on a cuirass of chestplate.gauntlets
Steel, segmented gloves with long, tubular cuffs. The palms are covered in thick leather or rubber.forearm guards/vambraces
Steel sleeves for the forearms with attached, hinged couters covering the elbows. Said couters are usually pointed to assist in belly-crawling and elbowing opponents. Meant to connect to gauntlets and rerebraces via laces or clips.armguards/rerebraces
Upper arm sleeves meant to sheath the biceps and triceps. Typically omitted from field armor due to their high weight-to-utility ratio.shoulder guards/pauldrons
Peaked or rounded shoulder guards. Modern pauldrons are large and rather thick. As a result, they are often omitted due to weight. They lend considerable width to a fighter’s silhouette.thigh plates/Cuisses
Formed plates that encapsulate the thighs. Attach at the top, to the belt, and below at hinged points to the poleyns of greaves.shin plates/greaves
Shin plates with hinged knee guards (poleyns.) They open like a clamshell and shut with steel clips.lobster Rivet
Modern Lothrheimer sentry armor. A chestplate and long apron of overlapping curved plates, hinged with rivets, much like a lobster tail.Stovepipe rig
A neckless iron tube worn over the shoulders and strapped around the waist. Entirely encloses the head and chest in thick iron, with naught but louvered blinds for sight. Meant for heavy fighting in enclosed spaces.ADVANCED ARMOR
Cutting-edge armor, implementing new alloys, clockwork mechanisms, and construction techniques
Isolation Suit
A heavy unibody alloy cuirass and spherical helmet set with barred porthole viewports. The rest of the suit is rubberized cloth reinforced with steel plates. A corrugated tube connects to the rear of the helmet, leading to a rack for pressurized air tanks on the belt. This suit, modeled after modern diving gear, is intended for the exploration of hostile environments, including other worlds. It is watertight, lead-lined, hermetically sealed, insulated, corrosion resistant, and non-conductive. Compressed air tanks may be connected to the belt, allowing up to 2 hours of fresh air. Diving weights may be connected, as well.
Springsteel harness
A birdlike, peaked chest and backplate in green-black odite alloy layered seamlessly over cummerbund-like sinched springsteel bands. Comes with an arming coat of rubber padding cut with channels to allow perfusion of air when the arms are lifted. An experimental model, brought early to market by Voussoir Material Philosophy. An foray into the use of ballistic spring alloys in body armor.