Armor

[Wraith]

I agree that we're playing a representative game, of course. However, I disagree that entirely abstract representations are what we're going for. Where weapons are concerned, I would be quite content if ultralights were considered to be magic weapons. After all, they are lighter, faster, and easier to swing than any weapon built by the rulebook's standard guidelines, representing a definite physical out-of-game advantage over a standard PVC-core weapon, even using thinwall.

My point is that the in-game advantage of having points of armor is currently linked to the out-of-game condition of wearing a physrep that might be mistaken for actual armor, and as such carries some of the drawbacks of armor. It has a weight. It slows you down. In return, you can afford to dodge less because you have ~30 more points of acceptable damage. Without those drawbacks, then even calling the armor rules representative is somewhat of a joke, as a sweater dyed steel grey has none of the defining properties of chainmail beyond a faint resemblance from ten feet back.

I personally feel that players wearing actual armor adds a lot to the suspension of disbelief that makes the game more enjoyable. Strapping on several pounds of steel really underscores the fact that this isn't your dayjob, and you're not just out on a picnic with some oddly-dressed hippies. But that's just me.

 

[jpariury]

Without those drawbacks, then even calling the armor rules representative is somewhat of a joke, as a sweater dyed steel grey has none of the defining properties of chainmail beyond a faint resemblance from ten feet back.

Strawman statement. My argument is not that a steel-gray sweater is sufficiently representative of chainmail. A steel-gray sweater looks nothing like chainmail, as such, it should get nothing like chainmail-value. Aluminum chainmail, otoh, looks like steel chainmail, and as such, should garner the same benefit. The idea is "does X look like the thing it reps? If so, in game terms, it -is- that thing."

I personally feel that players wearing actual armor adds a lot to the suspension of disbelief that makes the game more enjoyable. Strapping on several pounds of steel really underscores the fact that this isn't your dayjob

How do you reconcile the latter statement with the first? Isn't the whole idea that you are pretending that you are a badass in armor when in real life we're all just lumpy bowls of dumpling-pudding?

 

[Wraith]

How do you reconcile the latter statement with the first? Isn't the whole idea that you are pretending that you are a badass in armor when in real life we're all just lumpy bowls of dumpling-pudding?

You have a point there, I may not be logically consistent.

 

[Unsure]

One more thing. What if the plates in between the chainmail were 16 ga. stainless. Whould that improve the value of the armor per location to a 3?

B~>

 

[Maxondaerth]

If the plates covered more than 50% of each location, then yes. If less than that, then no.