Armor
Armor is critical to survival. Even a little makes a difference.
With the advent of ballistics, 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 a 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, causing wear.
- Reduction is subtracted from damage.
Armor Burden
Armor can be extremely burdensome. Many fighters opt to wear just a 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 donning it 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 here to aid the creation of new armor items. Armor items built for the head or hands have 1 less reduction due to their proximity to bone.
Burden/area: Round up when determining armor burden.
| material | Hardness | Reduction | burden/area | price/area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leather/thick wool | 2 | 1 | 0 | £1 |
| Stiff leather/rubber/padding | 3 | 2 | .25 | £2 |
| Fin maille/heavy padding | 4 | 3 | .5 | £5 |
| Hard leather | 5 | 3 | .5 | £10 |
| ceramic/porcelain | 4 | 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+2 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. |
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protective clothing
| item | HARDNESS | REDUCTION & COVERAGE | burden | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boxing gloves | 3|2 hands | 1 | £1 10p |
| Foundry gloves |
3|2 hands, forearms | 1 | £3 |
| Leather apron | 2|1 chest, abdomen, thighs | 0 | £3 |
| Leather gloves |
2|1 hands | 0 | 10p |
| Leather chaps | 2|1 thighs, shins | 0 | £2 |
| “Hard-Boiled hat”/riding helmet | 5|2 skull | 0 | £10 |
| Riding gauntlets/l. leather gloves | 2|1 hands, forearms | 0 | £1 |
| Riding leggings, thick leather | 3|2 calves | 0 | £2 |
| Rugby pants | 2|1 abdomen, thighs | 0 | 18p |
| Shin guards, sporting |
2|2 calves | 0 | 14p |
| Waders, rubber | 3|1 feet, calves, thighs, abdomen | 1 | £1 |
body armor
| item | HARDNESS | REDUCTION & COVERAGE | burden | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 “executioner” hood | 6|1 skull, face, 6|2 neck, shoulders, chest | 5 | £100 |
| 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 — — |
£60 +£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 + garter plates + thigh plates (cuisses) + shin plates (greaves) + foot plates (sabatons) |
— 6|4 abdomen 7|5 thigh 7|5 shin 7|4 foot |
— +1 +1 +1 +1 |
£5 +£30 +£30 +£30 +£30 |
| Munition 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 |
| †, ‡ = mutually exclusive; may not be had together, ↑ = requires item on line above, | |||
boots
| item | HARDNESS | REDUCTION & COVERAGE | burden | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stout leather boots + fleece lining + hard soles + hobnails + hard leather uppers † + steel uppers † + tall quarters + spurs |
3|2 feet, 1d4+1 B stomp dmg. 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 |
| Cavalier boots (soft leather) | 2|1 feet, shins | — | £4 |
| Corridor boots (steel) + springheel jacks |
7|5 foot, shin — |
2 3 |
£60 + £200 |
| Chap boots (soft leather) | 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 (hobnails, hard soles, thick leather) | 3|2 feet | 1 | £5 |
| Rubber boots (insulated) | 3|2 feet, Shins | 1 | £2 5p |
| Gaiters (rubber, insulated) | 3|2 feet, shins, thighs; 1 warmth | 2 | £3 |
| Work boots (hard soles, soft leather) | 2|1 feet | — | 15p |
advanced armor
| item | HARDNESS | REDUCTION & COVERAGE | burden | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springsteel cuirass | 9|4 Chest, back, abdomen | 2 | £330 |
| Isolation rig | 6|2 Face; 11|4 Skull, Torso; 7|3 everywhere else | 10 | £450 |
| Isolation suit | 3|2 everywhere but face | 4 | £80 |
| Plate surface treatment + serratic + cupronickel |
— bladed outer assembly anti-corrosive surface treatment |
— — — |
— +£10/area +£8/area |
| 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
Delicate steel mesh. Used in couture and armory, both, and available in several decorative link styles. The links are merely butted, not riveted, offering only moderate physical protection.rivet maille
Machine-spun maille linked by durable rivets. Combat-grade, and quite 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 its lightness, but unable with withstand hard thrusts or gunshots. Costly to produce.
Pickelhaube
Light Lothrheimer army helm of molded boiled leather, finished gloss black, ridged ornately, and topped with a nickel-plated steel spike that exchanges for a plume.Munition plate
Slabs of 4–6 mm iron plate forged in vaguely human shapes. Mass produced for militaries, security forces, and banks. Vary in style depending on the manufacturer. Usually grey and unadorned or painted a mild drab tone. Highly modular, building upon a base breastplate and underlying harness. Garnitures are added piecemeal for different fighting circumstances.
Closed helm
Heavy, inflexible full helmet with slit-eyed visor. Simplistic and practical, often a mere domes or tube of rolled steel. Attaches like a gorget to a chestplate and backplate pair. Provides superior protection, but disallows turning the head. 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—that hang from a breastplate, protecting 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
Usually peaked, deflecting projectiles. Some have slit eyes, goggles, mesh face guards, or fly-like eye domes with sight holes, invariably creating an anonymous and inhuman countenance. Most flip up or sideways on their mounting hinges.high neck guard/bevor
A peaked face and neck guard. Fastens on the front lugs of a breastplate.neck guard/gorget
A steel bib and tubular collar. Fastens to front chestplate lugs.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. The couters are pointed, assisting in belly-crawling and elbowing opponents. Clips or laces into gauntlets and rerebraces.armguards/rerebraces
Steel upper-arm sleeves. Separates into bicep and triceps halves. Cumbersome, typically omitted from field armor.shoulder guards/pauldrons
Peaked or rounded shoulder guards. Modern ones are large and rather thick, lending the wearer considerable width. Heavy, often omitted.thigh plates/Cuisses
Formed plates that hang from the arming belt, encapsulating the thighs. Serve as the mounting point for poleyns or greaves.shin plates/greaves
Shin plates with hinged knee guards (poleyns.) 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.springheel jacks
Ankle-mounted, spring-loaded stilts with a digitigrade contour, granting 25cm of lift and a definite spring to the step. Mounts on munition plate boots. +4 m sprint speed, +1 m jump height and dodge distance, fall feet-first up to 3 m safely. If staggered, suffer knockdown.ADVANCED ARMOR
Cutting-edge armor, implementing new alloys, clockwork mechanisms, and construction techniques
Isolation rig
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. Watertight, lead-lined, hermetically sealed, insulated, corrosion resistant, and non-conductive. A corrugated tube can connects the helmet to an air supply. Diving weights and compressed air tanks connect to the belt, allowing for up to 2 hours of submerged exploration.
Isolation suit
A thick rubber unisuit with attached gloves and booties. Triple-overlap closures prevent gas intrusion. If worn with a gas mask, the ensemble is entirely airtight.
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, allowing perfusion of air when the arms are lifted. An experimental model by Voussoir Material Philosophy. An foray into using ballistic spring alloys in body armor.
plate surface treatments
Modifications applicable to any steel plate armor. Priced per body area—e.g., a munition plate costs x1, while a stovepipe rig costs x7.