====== Body Armor ======

Armor doesn’t seem to have been used until the beginning of the Bronze Age, when warfare became organized (see GURPS Low-Tech Companion 2). Helmets and shields appeared first, followed by body armor. Armor design has always been a tradeoff between protection and ease of movement. Through most of history, the military elite equipped themselves with heavy armor. The rest of the army sometimes wore lighter armor and occasionally had nothing but a shield.

Even very light armor can help to protect a warrior from many attacks and incidental injuries. Heavy armor can render him nearly immune to battlefield threats, although it’s fatiguing to wear (see Armor Fatigue, p. 101).


==== Textiles ====

If clothing can be made from fabric, then so can armor.
To provide protection, it must be much thicker than regular
clothing. This is accomplished either by stuffing two textile
layers with padding or by quilting together multiple layers.

=== Layered Cloth (TL0) ===

Multiple layers of quilted cloth can form a semi-rigid
defense. Examples include the Greek linothorax, European
padded jack, Indian peti, and hair and fiber armor of South
America and the Pacific Islands. Layered cloth armor provides
better protection than a similar weight of leather
armor. The degree of protection is a function of the number
of layers and the weight of the fabric: light, medium,
or heavy (see the Armor Table, pp. 110-111). Armor quality
depends on the grade of fabric and the spacing between
rows of quilting.

=== Padded Cloth (TL0) ===

Usually either a heavy layer of felt (about 1/4” thick) or
a stuffed quilt (two layers of cloth between which rags, tow,
horsehair, rock salt, dried grass, or straw is sandwiched).

Other materials can be substituted for similar protection;
e.g., sheepskin with the wool on the inside.
This is the standard cloth armor on p. B283.

=== Silk (TL2) ===

Byzantine medical manuals – and monks such as Carpini, who traveled far into the East – mention the
usefulness of silk undershirts. Most suitable is raw
silk, which is tougher than refined threads. Mongolian silk dels consisted of several layers of
tightly woven raw silk, worn under armor to help
resist arrows.

Such a garment doesn’t prevent a weapon from
penetrating the body, but engulfs the tip and is
pulled into the wound. This reduces the depth of
penetration and makes the weapon easier to extract.
It also decreases the likelihood of dirt and fragments
of fabric entering the wound. Silk gives an extra +1
DR vs. cutting and impaling attacks, and negates the
effects of barbed weapons. Against such attacks, it
grants +1 to First Aid rolls to treat injuries and eliminates -2 in penalties to HT rolls for infection due to dirt in the wound (p. B444). Finally, silk prevents skin contact, negating any blood agent or contact poison. Any cloth armor can be made of silk instead of more common textiles. +19 CF; weight is unchanged.

Some campaigns may allow more exotic threads, such
as spider silk. This produces a superior fabric when woven into cloth. Treat as regular silk, but with +2 DR vs. cutting and impaling. +99 CF; weight is unchanged.

=== Feathers (TL1) ===

Aztec nobles wore feathered armor. For this to work,
the feathers’ quills must be incorporated into the initial weaving process. Overlapping rows of feathers are assembled in a manner similar to the plates in scale armor (pp. 106-107). A feathered surcoat is both water-resistant and effective at deflecting arrows and darts. Adding feathers to any cloth garment adds +1 DR vs. light missiles (see Arrow Curtains, above). Melee attacks aren’t affected. Firearms are also unaffected, due to the higher velocities. Adds $2,000 to the base price of cloth
armor; weight is unchanged.

=== Arrow Curtains ===

A loosely hung cloth or light leather curtain is useful
against ranged attacks, as light projectiles that encounter such a barrier are less likely to pass through. Some Greek hoplite shields employed a curtain hung from the bottom of the rim to stop arrows and sling shot (protects the legs).

Aztec shields sometimes used a curtain made of feathers. The Japanese horo worked on a similar principle – attached to the wearer’s neck and waist, it billowed out behind like a sail when he rode his horse (protects the back, but only when moving faster than Move 2).

An arrow curtain gives +1 DR vs. any light ranged
weapon (arrows, sling shot, thrown knives, etc.). Firearms are exempt because bullets’ higher velocity lets them pass through with minimal interference. A curtain attached to the bottom of a shield makes the shield less maneuverable: -1 to Shield skill. $80, 2 lbs.

==== HIDE ====

“Hide” refers to any kind of animal skin – processed or
not. Some hides are more suitable than others for making armor.

=== Furs (TL0) ===

There’s no evidence that Stone Age warriors wore garments specifically designed to resist weapons, but a few layers of animal skins are heavy enough to provide DR 1 vs. cutting (only). For stats, see Winter Clothing (p. 98).

=== Leather (TL0) ===

Leather has been used extensively to make armor. The
size of the animal generally determines its thickness and hence its DR.

//Light Leather//: Soft, flexible leather, from animals such as cattle, sheep, pigs, deer, reptiles, and even fish. Not often worn as standalone armor; it’s usually the backing for something more substantial, such as scale armor (pp. 106-107). Worn on its own, it works like furs (above), providing
DR 1 vs. cutting attacks.

//Medium Leather//: From animals such as bear,
aurochs, buffalo, and large crocodiles. Medium leather
armor was used from Europe to Indonesia. It’s still flexible, but offers reasonable protection. Medium leather gives DR 2 vs. all attacks except impaling, against which it has DR 1.

//Heavy Leather//: From large animals, such as elephant, hippopotamus, and rhinoceros. Heavy leather
was once widely used throughout Asia; the Asian rhinoceros was hunted to extinction during the Bronze
Age as a result. Coastal Chinese clans sometimes used
whaleskin once the rhinoceros became scarce. Heavy
leather affords DR 3 vs. all attacks except impaling,
against which it has DR 2.

=== Rawhide (TL0) ===

Rawhide is basically untanned leather. It’s vulnerable
to moisture, and deteriorates quickly. Treat it as hardened leather armor (p. 105), with two exceptions. First, it gives the DR of hardened leather only while dry; if it gets wet, it loses all protective capability until thoroughly dried and reshaped. Second, it has half the HP of hardened leather
(see Armor Damage in GURPS Low-Tech Companion 2).
Coating it with oil, wax, lacquer, or resin can avoid the first problem (see Wet-Weather Gear, p. 99), but only tanning (see Leathers, p. 22) or a very dry environment can mitigate the second.

=== Leather of Quality ===

Kangaroo leather has a very high tensile strength, three times that of cowhide. Sharkskin is extremely tough, and more resistant to abrasion than any other leather. Giraffe hide is sought after in Africa because it’s both lightweight and extremely tough. Certain sections of horse hide also provide
excellent leather. In addition, some advanced tanning methods may improve leather’s quality. Treat superior hides as fine leather armor with +1 DR. +4 CF; weight is unchanged.

=== Layered Leather (TL1) ===

In Bronze Age China, warriors wore armor made of several
layers of leather. Asian nomads and Eastern Europeans
adopted similar armor during the Middle Ages. South
American examples have also been recovered. The multiple
layers enable it to absorb impact and resist impaling attacks
more effectively than a single thick layer. All but the lightest
of layered leather cuirasses are rigid. The number of layers
and the thickness of each layer determine the degree of protection:
light, medium, or heavy (see the Armor Table, pp. 110-
111). Leather scale armor may also be treated as layered
leather (for metal scale armor, see pp. 106-107).

=== Hardened Leather (TL2) ===

Known as cuir-bouilli, hardened leather was first documented
in Western Europe near the end of the 12th century.
It was used centuries earlier in Asia. Soaking leather
in hot water softens it, enabling it to be molded into a
desired shape. Then it’s either left to dry naturally or
slowly baked in an oven at medium temperatures. Finally,
it’s waterproofed with a wax, resin, or lacquer coating.
The end product is a very hard, water- and shatter-resistant
material, perfect for resisting weapons.

Hardening adds +1 to leather’s DR against impaling damage.
It also causes the leather to shrink; more material is
required to cover the same area (+25% weight). Light leather
cannot be strengthened this way; it would warp and crack.
Hardened medium leather is the leather armor on p. B283,
with DR 2 vs. all attacks. Hardened heavy leather provides
DR 3. Use these stats for both a solid leather cuirass and one
assembled from narrower segmented panels.

====REINFORCED====
Textile or leather armor may be reinforced with metal,
horn, wood, or shell pieces for additional protection. This
option isn’t available for metallic armor. Reinforcing grants
+1 DR vs. cutting (only), but adds +0.25 CF and 25% to
weight. Recalculate armor HP based on the new weight.
Below are some common types of reinforcing.

===Bezainting (TL0)===
Bezainted garments have small pieces of horn or bark – or
fish scales, coins, or metal discs – attached with rivets or lacing.
A surviving Alaskan example consists of a hardened
leather cuirass covered with Japanese and Chinese coins. In
medieval Europe, this was sometimes called a “pennyplate
coat.” If the discs overlap, treat this defense as scale armor
(pp. 106-107) instead. Metallic bezainting is TL1.

===Armored Surcoat (TL2)===
A sturdy surcoat reinforced with rows of fairly long, rectangular,
overlapping plates, set vertically and riveted to the
inside of the fabric. It first appeared in Europe in the second
half of the 12th century, and was layered over mail (p. 107)
for extra protection. By the 13th century, it had evolved into
the coat of plates (see Segmented Plate, pp. 107-108).

Example: Treat an armored surcoat as reinforced
textile armor. Light layered cloth has DR 2*, and is
$150, 12 lbs. Reinforcing increases DR vs. cutting to
3, but adds 25% to both cost and weight. Final cost
is $187.50; final weight is 15 lbs.

===Ring Armor (TL2)===
Often incorrectly called “ring mail,” this armor
was used on rare occasions in Asia, and consisted of
a cloth or leather garment upon which metal rings
were sewn. There’s little proof that ring armor ever
existed in medieval Europe. During the Renaissance,
a type of ring armor called an “eyelet doublet” was
developed; this consisted of a quilted garment onto
which hundreds of small rings or eyelets were sewn.

===Splinted Armor (TL2)===
Splinted arm and leg guards were common in many cultures.
Construction consists of a cloth or leather item with
vertical strips of metal, horn, or wood riveted to either the
inside or outside (sometimes alternating). Metallic splints
may be concealed by riveting them underneath the foundation
and then covering the rivet heads with another layer of
cloth (see Concealing Armor, p. 102).

Example: We want splint reinforcing on hardened leather
shin greaves. Hard medium leather torso armor has DR 2,
and is $125, 15 lbs. Greaves cover only the shins; from the
Armor Locations Table (p. 100), we find that shins have 50%
the cost and weight of torso armor, so they’re $62.50, 7.5 lbs.
Reinforcing raises DR vs. cutting to 3, but adds 25% to both
cost and weight. Final cost is $78.13; final weight is 9.38 lbs.

===Jack Chains (TL3)===
Narrow metal bars or splints are aligned along a limb
(arm or leg) to offer additional protection. A small length of
chain – maybe three or four links – joins the bars together
while allowing the limb to articulate. Sometimes a small
metal cup covers the knee or elbow.

==== OTHER NONMETALLIC ARMOR ====
Nonmetallic armor can be made from materials other
than cloth and hide. A region’s raw materials determine
what kinds of armor are prevalent among the locals.

=== Bone (TL0) ===
Dead bone is too brittle to make decent armor, but it was
used on occasion. Examples include the bone-splint breastplates
of the American Plains Indians, and the animal-skull
helmets of some South American and African tribes. Treat
as horn armor (p. 110), but semi-ablative (see p. B47).

=== Cane (TL0) ===

Common among the Inca of Peru and on many Pacific
Islands, cane was sometimes used in Europe. One method
of construction is to lace rattan to a tree-bark lining. Another is to weave flexible cane rods into the desired shape, such as a helmet, breastplate, or greave. Cane is combustible – it can catch fire if burning damage penetrates DR! See Making Things Burn (p. B433); treat the armor material as resistant.

=== Horn (TL0) ===

This includes antler, ivory, hoof, turtle shell, and baleen. Such materials are light and tough, and can be molded when heated in water, making them good for fashioning armor – most commonly a kind of scale armor (below). Horn armor was popular in regions with few resources, such as the Asian steppes and the Arctic Circle. An early example is the boar’s
tusk helms worn in Greece by the ancient Mycenaeans.
Another is the scale armor worn by the Neolithic
Sarmatians, made by slicing horses’ hooves into scales and sewing them onto a garment with sinew.

=== Straw (TL0) ===
Although heavy and uncomfortable, straw-mat armor
offers decent protection at a bargain price. During his final
expedition, the English explorer Captain James Cook tried
to subdue a Hawaiian native with musket small shot. His
opponent fell to the ground, but the man’s straw-mat
breastplate prevented serious injury. Straw is as combustible
as cane (above).

=== Wood (TL0) ===
Solid chunks of wood can be carved into shapes that are
fitted to the body. Armor may also be assembled from
wooden slats or rods tied together with cord or rawhide
and suspended from the shoulders, hanging loosely against
the body. Wooden armor is semi-ablative (see p. B47).

=== Stone (TL1) ===
In 1999, archaeologists in China discovered a huge tomb
southeast of the Qingshihuang Mausoleum containing several
types of stone armor. Every piece was chipped and polished
from stone into different shapes, which were then
connected with wire to create a type of lamellar armor. It is
unlikely that this armor was ever meant for fighting, however;
it was probably created purely for funerary purposes.
Treat as heavy scale armor (p. 110), but semi-ablative (see
p. B47), and with -0.5 CF and double weight.

=== Jade ===
The Chinese believed that jade could preserve the
physical body after death. Ceremonial suits of jade
armor were crafted as funerary goods for powerful
individuals. Jade is extremely tough, however, and
could be used for actual combat! Treat as stone
armor (above), but it gives +2 to reaction rolls and
has +4 CF. Gem-quality jade armor would give +3 to
reaction rolls and have +9 CF.

===Paper (TL2)===
In Japan, the peasant hat called a jingasa was sometimes
made of several layers of rice paper (p. 24), coated with lacquer.
This keeps the rain off, and offers a little head protection
(DR 1).

In most cases, however, what’s really meant by “paper
armor” is barkcloth (see Paper and Its Cousins, p. 24).
Laminated barkcloth was issued to common soldiers as
cheap, disposable armor. In Korea, it was called jigap. This
material is remarkably efficient at distributing impact, and
its multiple layers can trap weapon points. Treat as layered
cloth (p. 110), except that it can catch fire if burning damage
penetrates DR. See Making Things Burn (p. B433); the armor
material counts as resistant. -0.25 CF; weight is unchanged.

Barkcloth can be proofed against light firearms by combining
it with a few layers of silk. This version is TL4. Like
other paper armor, it’s combustible.

====METALLIC ARMOR====
Metal has been preferred for armor since the dawn of
the Bronze Age. The earliest examples were Sumerian copper
helmets – but soon, elite troops were wearing bronze
scale armor. Pound for pound, work-hardened metals such
as bronze and iron afford better protection than any other
material available to a low-tech society.

=== Scale and Lamellar (TL1) ===
These are the oldest known types of metallic body armor. Both consist of small plates laced to each other in overlapping rows. If the plates are fastened to a cloth or leather backing, then the armor is scale. If they’re assembled so that no backing is required, then the armor is lamellar – an example of which is the o-yoroi worn by Japan’s samurai.

The plates’ thickness and degree of overlap determine
the level of protection. Three grades of scale armor approximate
this on the Armor Table (p. 110): light, medium (most
common), and heavy. Heavy scale is usually only worn on
the chest, although panels can be made into guards for
shoulders, abdomen, and thighs.

=== Chinese Mountain Scale ===

Armor made from scales shaped like the Chinese
character for “mountain.” When assembled, the surface
of each scale resembles a star; thus, this armor is
also known as “star scale.” This construction is flexible
like scale armor, but the scales lock together on
impact, creating a rigid surface that’s less susceptible
to blunt trauma – a behavior called “shock hardening.”
Treat this as light or medium scale without the
-1 DR vs. crushing. +1 CF; weight is unchanged.

=== Mail (TL2) ===
Probably the most successful type of body armor ever
devised, mail seems to have been invented in Central
Europe in the fourth century B.C., and was soon adopted
by the Celts and then the Romans (who called it lorica
hamata). It saw continuous use for the better part of 2,000
years in most metal-using cultures, with the exception of
China. In essence, it’s a fabric of interlocking metal rings,
each linked through four others – two in the row above it
and two below – and riveted closed. There are variations,
but this “four-in-one” pattern is by far the most prevalent.
The diameter of each link and the thickness of the wire
determine mail’s effectiveness.

Fine Mail (TL2). Made from small links of light wire, this
material flows through the fingers like metallic cloth, yet
can resist all but the heaviest sword cuts and spear thrusts.
The earliest finds date to the Roman period.

Light Mail (TL2). Consisting of fairly large links of light
wire, this mail was more often layered with other armor
than worn by itself.

Heavy Mail (TL2). Has large links of heavy wire.
Historically, mail worn as primary armor (Roman, Viking,
Norman, etc.) tended to be heavier than that meant to be
layered under other armor.

Jousting Mail (TL3). Mentioned in some medieval
accounts, this seems to have been specifically designed for
tournaments at a time when jousts involved fully sharpened
war lances! It isn’t entirely clear how it differed from
field mail, but it was likely more rigid and heavier. As with
jousting plate (p. 109), the armor’s construction hampers
movement: -1 to all DX-based skills except Lance.

Mail and Plates (TL3). Sometimes called combined mail,
this consists of mail armor with vertical rows of overlapping
plates incorporated into it. It appeared in India,
Russia, and the Middle East around the 14th century. It has
better resistance to crushing damage than heavy mail.

====Mail and Padding====

Mail – like many types of armor – is usually worn over
light padding. This might be a separate layer (an aketon or
pourpoint; see Arming Garments, p. 101) or sewn to the back
of the mail. Such padding is rarely thick enough to add DR.
Mail’s main disadvantage, however, is that it’s flexible, and
susceptible to blunt trauma (p. B379). To mitigate this, it’s
sometimes layered with padded cloth (DR 1) or more-rigid
armor. This gives a DX penalty; see Layered Armor (p. 103).

===Butted Mail (TL2)===
Heavy wire links bent into rings that aren’t riveted
closed. While cheaper, it provides less protection
against impaling attacks – weapon points can easily
open the rings! Historically, butted mail is rare except
as ceremonial armor, but modern recreationists prize
its ease of manufacture. Treat butted mail as heavy
mail, but with only DR 2 vs. impaling and 40% manufacture
time. -0.6 CF; weight is unchanged.

===Banded Mail (TL3)===
Light mail with horizontal strips of leather woven
through every other row to stiffen the weave and
increase resistance to blunt trauma. This rare
construction is unsuitable for hit locations that
require flexibility – arms, legs, abdomen, etc. – and is
normally only used on collars to protect the neck (see
Mail Collar, p. 113). Negates the -2 DR vs. crushing.
+0.5 CF; +50% weight.

=== Jazerant (TL3) ===

A mail shirt sandwiched between two layers of light
padding and/or fine leather. The word is derived from
the Arabic kazaghand; its earliest recorded use is in the 12th century, in the Middle East. With this construction, the mail is sewn inside the padding rather than worn over it. The most common form of concealed armor, jazerant can be based on any regular mail, typically fine mail. It has the underlying armor’s weight and DR; modify cost to reflect the Holdout modifier, as explained in Concealing Armor (p. 102).

=== Jack of Plates (TL2) ===

European jacks usually consist of overlapping plates –
similar to scale armor – sandwiched between two layers of lightly padded fabric and held in place with cord. Oriental jacks have individual pockets into which the plates are
sewn. Either type of armor resembles quilted cloth, making
it fairly easy to conceal (+1 to Holdout).

=== Segmented Plate (TL2) ===

Segmented plate is made from large horizontal bands,
curved around the body and overlapped to allow some
articulation. The best-known variety is the lorica segmentata of the Roman legions, but such armor also saw use in the Middle East and Asia. The earliest known example is the bronze Dendra panoply (Greece, dating to around 1400 B.C.), which consists of a solid cuirass protecting the chest, with hide-laced segmented plates hanging below to protect the abdomen and thighs.

A more advanced version is the coat of plates (TL3),
which probably evolved from the armored surcoat (p. 105).
This segmented variant differs in that the horizontal plates
are riveted to the inside of a foundation garment so that
only the rivet heads are visible on the surface. It’s often layered
over a light mail shirt for additional protection.

Most of the evidence for this armor was excavated from
Scandinavian graves at the site of the Battle of Wisby
(1361), although it was also worn in Russia and Asia.
Segmented armor is much easier to fashion than solid
plate because the metal sections required are smaller, and
the armor requires less tailoring to a given wearer. Once
the segments have been forged, assembly is quick and
simple. Lace, wire, or rivets connect adjacent bands, or
the plates can be riveted to canvas or leather. The rules for
increasing DR under Heavy Plate (p. 109) are applicable to
segmented plate.

===Brigandine (TL4)===
Well-tailored, close-fitting armor consisting of small,
overlapping metal plates riveted to the inside of a cloth or
leather garment. The name has nothing to do with thieves
or bandits! The term “brigand” originally denoted a foot
soldier; thus, “brigandine” simply describes a type of
armor for infantry.

Brigandine first appeared in Europe in the middle of the
14th century, evolving from the coat of plates (see Segmented
Plate, above). Similar armor was developed in Asia, and
became fashionable as courtly wear. Within a generation,
brigandines grew very popular, remaining in fashion until
the end of the 16th century. Many commentators regard it
as a civilian armor worn by Renaissance gentlemen, but it
made frequent appearances on the battlefield, where it provided
excellent protection; some examples were proofed
against firearms (see Heavy Plate, p. 109), and had lancerests
(see Jousting Plate, p. 109).

Brigandine can be concealed by hiding the rivets under
a textile or fine leather cover (see Concealing Armor,
p. 102); however, while it might seem ideal for this treatment,
it was rarely concealed historically. Brigandines
were the height of fashion – flamboyantly displayed, with
expensive textiles and gilded rivets arrayed in attractive
patterns. They were even emulated in civilian dress both in
Europe and in Asian courts. Cloth garments known as faux
brigandine were cut and tailored like brigandines, with rivets
attached in similar patterns, but without metal plates
behind them. Such clothing is sometimes erroneously
called “studded armor,” but provides no DR.

===Plate (TL4)===
The Basic Set lists plate armor as TL3 (see p. B283).
Historically, solid plate torso protection made from iron
was exceedingly rare before TL4. Earlier attempts (e.g.,
Japanese tanko) relied on smaller plates that were riveted
or welded together, and made of poorer-quality iron. These
were heavy and required an exceptional craftsman to fashion.
Solid plate armor began to advance only after the
development of blast furnaces (see Iron and Steel, p. 20)
that could smelt iron blooms large enough to create a single-
piece breastplate, and of water-powered trip-hammer
mills that reduced the labor and manufacturing costs.

Treat the TL3 plate in the Basic Set as an early attempt
to create such armor – or to fit anachronistic armor into
TL3 fantasy. Its weight is higher than many real TL4 examples.
This applies only to torso armor and complete suits,
though. Smaller pieces of iron plate, such as helmets and
greaves, are available starting at TL2. Full suits of bronze
plate are available from TL1, with the usual +3 CF.

==== Copper and Bronze ====

The stats for metallic armor assume worked iron.
However, metal armor can be and often was made from
bronze – and sometimes copper.

===Copper Armor (TL1)===
Very early TL1 societies sometimes used unalloyed
copper for armor; e.g., in helmets. Copper’s metallurgical
qualities make it poorly suited to this application.
Copper armor is of cheap quality, yet has full cost; see
Armor of Quality (p. 109).

===Bronze Armor (TL1)===
Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin (see Copper,
Bronze, and Brass, p. 20); the higher the tin content, the
harder the metal. Approximately 10-12% tin was common
for weapons, while 8-10% was usual for armor.
Properly cast and work-hardened, bronze is as effective
as iron for armor.

Even during the Iron Age (TL2), bronze was the
most common metal for plate armor. This was because
iron had to be forged from relatively small billets,
which made it extremely difficult to fashion larger
plates, and the laborious hand-forging and careful
tempering required relied on techniques not widely
known before late TL2. The Roman desire for massproduced
armor led to solid bronze plate armor being
abandoned in favor of segmented iron protection (see
Segmented Plate, pp. 107-108). Iron’s key advantage
was availability – it enabled a far higher proportion of
an army to be equipped with metal arms and armor,
while bronze was reserved for the elite. Not until
quench-hardened steel was fully understood at TL4
(see Hardened Steel, p. 110) did iron articles begin to
surpass bronze ones in actual effectiveness.
All types of iron armor can be made of bronze.
Bronze armor is as good as iron armor, but adds +3 CF.
Weight is unchanged.

Full suits of iron plate first appeared in Western
Europe in the late 1300s. Over the next century,
they evolved into fully articulated protection far
surpassing anything previously developed. Plate
armor could be surprisingly light and, if custom fitted
to an individual and articulated properly, quite
comfortable. It allowed a full range of movement,
and weighed less than any other low-tech armor
offering similar protection. A plate suit (called a
“harness”) used pieces of varying thickness, with
the lightest on the least-susceptible areas (ribs, forearms,
shins) and the heaviest on the most-vulnerable
ones (head and chest). See Heavy Plate (above)
for additional details.

===Jousting Plate===
By the 15th century, jousting plate was well-developed.
This cumbersome and highly specialized form
of protection is the source of many misconceptions
about plate armor. Its awkwardness gives -1 to all
DX-based skills except Lance. A knight who’s
knocked over or unseated needs two Change Posture
maneuvers for each posture change (treat him as
being in the original posture until the end of the second
maneuver). Additionally, Move is reduced due to
encumbrance – jousting plate isn’t light.

Such armor’s specialized protection is concentrated
at the front torso, left arm, neck, and head.
Other locations are more lightly protected, as
they’re less likely to be hit while jousting. The
cuirass is fitted with a lance-rest: +1 to Lance skill,
$50, 0.5 lb.

There are three ways to arrive at this kind of
armor:

  * Use purpose-built jousting plate. That is, a heavy harness designed exclusively for jousting, unsuitable for the battlefield or adventuring. Build such armor by using Heavy Plate (above) to add extra DR in strategic locations. A knight who owns a suit like this will also want a separate harness (called “field armor”) for fighting in battle.
  * Add a grand-guard. A grand-guard is a piece of armor specially designed to bolt on top of another plate harness. Purchase it as a separate suit of armor, with an extra $100 to cover the connectors. This arrangement allows two layers of rigid armor that otherwise follow the rules under Layered Armor (p. 103).
  * Buy a garniture. A garniture consists of modular heavy pieces – built using Heavy Plate (above) – that can replace individual articles of field armor, converting it into jousting armor. One piece is worn on any given location at a time, but only the heaviest arrangement of the garniture suffers the problems of jousting plate listed above. Because the heavy pieces are made to match another harness, they cost extra; each piece that can be swapped out has +0.2 CF. Still, money is saved by not having to purchase separate harnesses for jousting and battle!

===Heavy Plate===
Plate can be very thick, but high DR is costly and massive.
For every +1 DR, add 50% to base cost and weight. All armor
made with large plates – including segmented plate (p. 107)
and brigandine (p. 108) – can use these rules.

Example: A DR 3 iron cuirass is $1000, 8 lbs. For every +1
DR, add $500, 4 lbs. Thus, a DR 6 cuirass is $2,500, 20 lbs.
See the Armor Table (pp. 110-111) for other examples.
The thickest plate that can be manufactured before TL5
has DR 14. This is at the upper range of historical examples
– specialized jousting plate (above) or the heaviest proofed
armor (p. 110). Anything above DR 10 is usually only worn
on the head or chest; a complete suit would be too cumbersome
and difficult to articulate.

===Sliding Rivets (TL4)===
Developed in the 15th century and perfected during the
16th, the sliding rivet is integral to the production of well-articulated
plate armor. The rivet’s head is burred over and fixed in
the upper plate, while the lower plate is slotted for about 3/4”,
so that it can slide up and down on the rivet’s shank, allowing
more mobility than the previously used “arming nail” (fixed
rivet). This helps to produce an evenly distributed system of
interlocking plates, permitting excellent freedom of movement.
Primitive TL3 plate doesn’t use sliding rivets; this weakness
reduces the penalty for targeting chinks in armor
(pp. 101-102) by -2, to -6 or -8.

====ARMOR OF QUALITY====
Skillfully crafted armor that’s custom-fitted to a particular
wearer affords improved protection. Metal armor made
from better grades of steel – or with added ribs and fluting –
is likewise superior. Conversely, poorly made armor has
reduced effectiveness. Thus, armor has quality grades
besides the good quality assumed by the Armor Table
(pp. 110-111).

===Cheap Quality===
This might be mass-produced munitions armor, issued
to an army’s rank and file; an early example is the lorica segmentata
(Segmented Plate, pp. 107-108) of the Roman
legions. Alternatively, the armor could be the work of an
inexperienced armorer, or incorporate low-grade materials.
Cheap armor has -1 DR. -0.6 CF; weight is unchanged.

===Fine Quality===
Fine-quality armor has increased DR and/or reduced
weight. Such weight reductions don’t lower HP. Calculate
HP from weight before quality adjustments.
Below are some common examples. These can be combined
unless noted otherwise; DR modifiers, CF, and
weight reductions are additive. For instance, masterfully
tailored, fluted armor has +33 CF, -40% weight.
Many other types of fine-quality armor are possible. Two
examples are Silk (p. 104) and Leather of Quality (p. 105).
Exotic materials – dragon hide, spider silk (p. 104), and so
on – may provide additional benefits, increasing DR or
reducing weight even further.

===Expert Tailoring (TL1)===
Low-Tech assumes that all but cheap-quality armor is
custom-fitted to the owner. An experienced armorer can
improve the fit even further. This adds -1 to penalties to
target chinks in armor (pp. 101-102). +5 CF; reduce
weight by 15%.

===Masterful Tailoring (TL1)===
This is very fine armor, made
by one of the world’s best armorers. As above, but +29 CF
and reduce weight by 30%.

===Fluting (TL1)===
All plate armor (pp. 108-109) is specifically shaped to
cause blows to glance off harmlessly, but adding flutes, ribs,
and bosses in key areas allows a weight reduction with no
loss of strength. Scale and lamellar armor (pp. 106-107) can
likewise be strengthened with a boss or vertical medial rib
raised on each scale. Not available for other armor. +4 CF;
reduce weight by 10%.

===Hardened Steel (TL4)===
Typical metal armor is made from good-quality bloomery
iron, which is reasonably tough and ductile – but heavy
weapons can cause dents and tears in light plate. Armorers
worked out fairly early how to add carbon and heat-treat the
result to get hardened steel, but this isn’t a mature technology
until the late Middle Ages. All metal armor, including
mail and scale, may be made from hardened steel. It provides
+1 DR. +4 CF; weight is unchanged.

Duplex Plate (TL4). This is an advanced form of
hardened steel; see Armor of Proof (below). It’s only an
option for plate armor. As above, but +8 CF and
reduce weight by 10%.

=== Armor of Proof (TL4) ===
There are several ways to improve armor’s resistance
to powerful bows and firearms. One is to bolt an additional
plate called a plastron over the breastplate; handle
this with Layered Armor (p. 103), as explained in Jousting
Plate (p. 109). Another is use thicker plate; see Heavy Plate
(p. 109). However, these methods proved impractical as
firearms improved – they made armor unbearably heavy.
A more advanced technique involved trying to determine
the ideal heat treatment for shot-proof plate, but the
process was too complex to yield reliable results with
medieval technology. The most elegant solution was to
rivet or weld together two plates of different hardness;
this duplex plate provided both the hardness and toughness
to resist firearms without complicated heat treatments;
see Hardened Steel (p. 110).

==== ARMOR TABLE ====
See Armor Tables (p. B282) for an explanation of the
notation and abbreviations used here. In brief:

TL: The tech level at which this armor is available.

Torso Armor: The armor’s name. All armor here protects
the torso (areas 9-11, plus vitals). Use the Armor
Locations Table (p. 100) to determine the weight and
cost of armor covering other hit locations.

DR: The amount of Damage Resistance the item
gives. The DR of some armor, such as mail, varies
depending on damage type (see the notes after the
table). “*” means that the armor is flexible and susceptible
to blunt trauma (p. B379).

Cost: The item’s price, in $.

Weight: The item’s weight, in pounds.

Don: The time required, in seconds, to put on this
armor; see Donning Armor (p. 102).

Notes: Many items have special features or restrictions;
see the notes after the table.

^ TL ^ Torso Armor ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ Don ^ Notes ^
| 0 | Cane | 1 | $35 | 12 | 28 | [1] |
| 0 | Cloth, Padded | 1* | $50 | 6 | 15 |
| 0 | Horn | 3 | $250 | 25 | 30 |
| 0 | Layered Cloth, Light | 2* | $150 | 12 | 20 |
| 0 | Layered Cloth, Medium | 3 | $350 | 20 | 30 |
| 0 | Layered Cloth, Heavy | 4 | $600 | 28 | 30 |
| 0 | Leather, Medium | 2* | $100 | 12 | 30 | [2] |
| 0 | Leather, Heavy | 3 | $200 | 20 | 30 | [2] |
| 0 | Straw | 2 | $50 | 20 | 30 | [1] |
| 0 | Wood | 3 | $100 | 30 | 30 | [3] |
| 1 | Layered Leather, Light | 2* | $120 | 15 | 20 |
| 1 | Layered Leather, Medium | 3 | $220 | 26 | 30 |
| 1 | Layered Leather, Heavy | 4 | $525 | 35 | 30 |
| 1 | Scale, Light | 3 | $320 | 16 | 30 | [4] |
| 1 | Scale, Medium | 4 | $550 | 28 | 30 | [4] |
| 1 | Scale, Heavy | 5 | $1,100 | 40 | 30 |
| 2 | Hardened Leather, Medium | 2 | $125 | 15 | 30 |
| 2 | Hardened Leather, Heavy | 3 | $250 | 25 | 30 |
| 2 | Jack of Plates | 3 | $300 | 18 | 30 | [4] |
| 2 | Mail, Light | 3* | $500 | 12 | 15 | [5] |
| 2 | Mail, Fine | 4* | $900 | 15 | 15 | [5] |
| 2 | Mail, Heavy | 5* | $1,200 | 18 | 15 | [5] |
| 2 | Segmented Plate, Light | 3 | $600 | 16 | 45 |
| 2 | Segmented Plate, Medium | 4 | $900 | 24 | 45 |
| 2 | Segmented Plate, Heavy | 5 | $1,200 | 32 | 45 |
| 3 | Mail and Plates | 5 | $1,000 | 20 | 20 | [4] |
| 3 | Mail, Jousting | 6 | $1,500 | 30 | 30 | [6] |
| 4 | Brigandine, Light | 3 | $900 | 10 | 30 |
| 4 | Brigandine, Medium | 5 | $1,800 | 20 | 30 |
| 4 | Paper, Proofed | 6 | $2,000 | 45 | 20 | [1] |
| 4 | Plate, Light | 3 | $1,000 | 8 | 45 |
| 4 | Plate, Medium | 6 | $2,500 | 20 | 45 |
| 4 | Plate, Heavy | 9 | $4,000 | 32 | 45 |

Notes:
  * [1] Combustible. If DR is penetrated by burning damage, it can catch fire. See Making Things Burn (p. B433); treat the armor material as resistant.
  * [2] -1 DR vs. impaling.
  * [3] Semi-ablative. Loses 1 DR per 10 points of basic damage it resists (see p. B47)
  * [4] -1 DR vs. crushing.
  * [5] -2 DR vs. crushing.
  * [6] -1 DX, except for Lance skill.


===== ARMOR AND PROTECTIVE GEAR =====

A wide array of armor and protective equipment
appears at TL5-8. These items are listed in approximate
order of appearance within their TL, to make it easier for
the GM to decide whether they exist yet in a campaign set
at that TL. See Armor Tables (p. B282) for an explanation of
the notation and abbreviations used in this section’s tables.

==== BODY ARMOR ====

Body armor is heavy, and stifling even in temperate
conditions. In hot weather, it increases FP costs
(see Fighting a Battle, p. B426) and can contribute to
heatstroke (see Heat, p. B434). To mitigate heat
problems, use a climate-control system (p. 74) or
wear a wicking undergarment (p. 64).

=== High-Tech Low-Tech ===
Versions of the low-tech armor on pp. B283-284 still see
use at TL5-8. Notably, scuba divers and industrial workers
wear high-tech mail, while reenactors construct modern versions
of ancient armor from TL8 materials.

Steel (TL5). Metal armor (mail, scale, plate, etc.) and
shields built using TL5+ steel and machining enjoy twice the
DR of their low-tech equivalents; cost and weight don’t
change. Alternatively, halve cost and weight without doubling
DR.

Smart Foam (TL8). This foam is made from “shear thickening
liquid” – a substance that is normally quite flexible but
becomes rigid on impact. It’s concealable under normal clothing.
It provides DR 4 vs. crushing damage, DR 1 vs. all other
damage. Weighs the same as cloth armor, but cost is x10.

Titanium (TL8). Metal armor and shields made of titanium
offer the same DR as their low-tech equivalents at 1/3 normal
weight. Cost is x5.

=== Torso Armor ===

Steel Vest (TL5). A concealable armor vest, relatively
lightweight and cheap. An example is the Soldiers’
Bullet Proof Vest, produced by carriage-maker G. &
D. Cook & Co. of New Haven, Connecticut during the
American Civil War. It was a standard, military-style
blue vest with pockets for two steel plates in the front.
These overlapped in the center where the vest buttoned.
Infantrymen thought it too heavy and hot during
long marches – and of little value against musket
fire in any event. Nevertheless, it was a common sight
on the battlefield. Legend has it that Wyatt Earp wore
one, although he vehemently denied it.

Steel Corselet (TL5). The body armor of the heavy
cavalryman. Before WWI, every major European government
had at least one regiment of cuirassiers – big men on
big horses, trained to charge home with the sword. Their
armor was highly polished for show (and often used as a
mirror!), but had a cloth cover for field duty.

Silk Vest (TL6). A thickly padded silk vest of the type
often worn by affluent gentlemen. Most observers who
notice it are unlikely to assume that it’s armor. A famous
example is the tightly woven vest that Catholic priest
Casimir Zeglen developed after the 1893 murder of a popular
Chicago mayor. The London Daily Mail reported that
none other than Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the
Hapsburg dynasty, was wearing such a vest the day he was
assassinated; other accounts suggest that he declined to
wear it in Sarajevo’s stifling heat. Regardless, the bullet
struck him in the neck and he bled to death in minutes
from a severed jugular vein. During the Russo-Japanese
War, 50,000 vests with a steel plate sandwiched between
silk padding were issued to Russian troops.

Composite Body Armor (TL6). A cuirass and groin protector
made from layers of resin-impregnated silk, linen,
and cotton. An example is the Chemico Body Shield, made
by the Country Chemical Company of Birmingham,
England. About an inch thick, it had a duck cloth cover
with ammunition pockets on the front. It was the only practical
body armor issued to British troops during WWI – and
only from 1917.

Sentry Armor (TL6). A steel breastplate such as the
Infanterie-Panzer, worn by German soldiers during WWI.
Nicknamed Sappenpanzer (“trench armor”), some 500,000
were issued – mostly to machine gunners and sentries.

Light Body Armor (TL6). Steel armor with thick, spongerubber
padding. It covers both front and back, and is
designed to protect against shell splinters and pistol bullets.
Arm and leg protection is also available (pp. 67-68). The
Engineering Division of the U.S. Ordnance Department
developed it during WWI. Mainly experimental, but small
lots were sent to France in the war’s closing days.

Bulletproof Vest (TL6). A vest of overlapping steel plates
riveted between layers of cloth, made to look like an ordinary
suit vest. It covers the front and back of the torso. In
the 1920s and 1930s, Elliott Wisbrod’s Armored Police Vest
Company marketed a concealable vest that became a
favorite of criminals and government agents alike; the
Dunrite Manufacturing Company sold similar body armor.
Wisbrod launched a unique national publicity campaign to
demonstrate his confidence in his product: he was shot in
the chest in front of crowds of police officers, city officials,
and curious onlookers in cities all over the U.S.! His campaign
worked. Baby Face Nelson and John Dillinger were
repeat customers, and even Franklin Roosevelt and Joseph
Stalin were reported to have worn Wisbrod vests. Japanese
troops during WWII wore similar gear.

Flak Vest (TL7). “Flak” is an abbreviation for
Fliegerabwehrkanone, German for “anti-aircraft gun.” The
flak vests of WWII were designed to protect flight crews
against anti-aircraft shell bursts. The American M1 was
made of Hadfield manganese steel riveted to a nylon backing.
It was heavy, bulky, and not designed to be concealed.

Fragmentation Vest (TL7). A nylon vest with aluminum
plate inserts to shield the vitals from the front. It’s intended
to protect against fragments from artillery and hand
grenades, not to stop bullets. The U.S. Marine Corps
ordered 50,000 such vests in the closing days of WWII – too
late to see action in that conflict. They were used extensively
in Korea, however.

Improved Fragmentation Vest (TL7). A typical protective
vest constructed of ballistic nylon or similar fibers.
Examples include the U.S. M1952 and M69, worn by
American ground troops in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Some models can be fitted with heavy ceramic-fiberglass
plates; vehicle drivers, tankers, and boat crews were issued
such plates in Vietnam. The table lists the vest, plus a set of
front and back plates (7.5 lbs. apiece).

Aircrew Armor (TL7). A rigid aluminum oxide and glassreinforced
plate inside a ballistic nylon carrier. Such armor
was issued by the U.S. Army from 1966; helicopter crews
called it “chicken plate.” The table entry assumes a vest
with only a single plate in the front of the carrier, as worn
by pilots and copilots. Helicopter door gunners wore a back
plate as well. This provides protection for the front and
back of the torso, but increases cost to $1,100 and weight
to 34 lbs.

Shoulder Pads (TL7). This is gridiron armor for
American-style football. It protects the upper torso and
shoulders.

Fragmentation Vest (TL8). At TL8, frag vests use aramid
fibers that are five times stronger than steel. An example is
the Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops (PASGT)
vest, adopted by the U.S. Army in 1976. Later versions –
such as Germany’s Mehler Splitterschutzweste MIL-120 –
are much lighter (5.7 lbs.) and better-designed. In the
1990s, the PASGT vest was upgraded with a carrier for
ceramic plates (8 lbs. each) and called the Interim Small
Arms Protective Overvest, or ISAPO (DR 30, $700, 25 lbs.).

Early Concealable Vest (TL8). A concealable vest representative
of those on the market since the late 1970s. It may
be available in TL7 campaigns set during this period (GM’s
option).

Concealable Vest (TL8). The lightest and most concealable
protective vest currently on the market. It can be fitted
with a trauma plate.

Assault Vest (TL8). A heavy ballistic vest, worn by SWAT
teams and soldiers. The removable trauma plates provide
protection against rifle-caliber weapons; the groin protector
is also detachable. The Interceptor OTV (Outer Tactical
Vest) is the current U.S. military-issue vest in Iraq and
Afghanistan.

Anti-Stab Vest (TL8). A tight-weave ballistic vest – like
those in the EnGarde Eagle Eye series – that can stop
impaling damage as well as other attacks. It’s worn by corrections
officers, and by police in areas with high levels of
violent crime that doesn’t involve firearms (stabbings, beatings,
etc.).

Advanced Body Armor (TL8). Pinnacle Armor’s SOV
looks like a run-of-the-mill tactical ballistic vest – albeit
thinner – but is much more advanced. Instead of relying on
bulky plates, it takes a so-called “scalar” approach, using
overlapping ballistic-resistant scales (each 2”-3” in diameter)
made from a patented titanium-ceramic matrix. This
makes it the only concealable vest capable of resisting rifle
fire over the whole torso rather than just the vitals. Gives +4
(quality) to Holdout attempts to conceal it.

=== Trauma Plates (TL8) ===

At TL8, soft ballistic vests typically have built-in
pockets for removable “trauma plates” or “anti-stab
plates.” Such plates increase the armor’s cost and
weight, but significantly enhance the protection it
affords. Assume that plates are available for any flexible
torso armor.

Ballistic plates are rigid, and greatly increase a
vest’s bulk. Those made from ceramic are also brittle
– they work by cracking, which absorbs some of the
bullet’s energy, and lose effectiveness after a small
number of shots. The GM who enjoys gritty realism
may treat trauma plates as semi-ablative DR (p. B47).

Anti-Stab Plate (TL8). A small plate of lightweight
metal alloy, intended for protection against knife
attacks, not firearms. It covers the vitals from the
front only. Gives +4 DR. $150, 0.5 lb. LC3.

Small Trauma Plate (TL8). A small ceramic plate
that protects the vitals from the front only. Gives +25
DR. $250, 3 lbs. LC3.

Trauma Plate (TL8). A large ceramic plate that protects
the entire torso from either the front or the back
– two are needed for full torso coverage. Gives +25
DR. $500, 4 lbs. LC3.

=== Dirty Tech: Homemade Armor ===

Layers of paper (newspapers, magazines, etc.) and
duct tape can be fashioned into a thick vest capable of
providing some protection against knives, shotgun
pellets, and shell fragments. It won’t tolerate water,
though, and will come apart in damp weather.
Constructing it requires an Armoury (Body Armor)
roll at +5 – an IQ roll, if working at default – and 30
minutes’ work. Gives the torso DR 3. 18 lbs.

A pair of heavy snips or bolt cutters can turn a
plastic bucket or barrel into a quick-and-dirty lorica
segmentata (p. B283). This requires an Armoury
(Body Armor) roll at +3 and 3 hours’ work. Gives the
torso DR 3. 11 lbs.

In a post-apocalyptic setting, those with the Armoury (Body Armor) skill and suitable tools can recycle old road signs and car bodies into real shields and armor.

===Torso Armor Table===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 5 | Steel Vest | torso | 5F | $150 | 7 | 4 | [1] |
| 5 | Steel Corselet | torso | 10 | $600 | 12 | 4 |
| 6 | Silk Vest | torso | 4/2* | $800 | 6 | 4 | [1, 2] |
| | + Steel Plate | torso | +5F | +$400 | +6 | 4 |
| 6 | Composite Body Armor | torso, groin | 4 | $150 | 6 | 4 |
| 6 | Sentry Armor | torso, groin | 14F | $300 | 20 | 4 |
| 6 | Light Body Armor | torso, groin | 5 | $1,000 | 9 | 4 | [1] |
| 6 | Bulletproof Vest | torso | 6 | $750 | 8 | 4 | [1] |
| 7 | Flak Vest | torso | 7 | $500 | 20 | 4 |
| 7 | Fragmentation Vest | torso, groin | 6 | $200 | 13.5 | 4 | [3] |
| 7 | Improved Fragmentation Vest | torso | 4/2* | $400 | 8 | 3 | [2] |
| | + Trauma Plates | torso | +18 | +$3,600 | +15 | 2 |
| 7 | Aircrew Armor | torso | 20F | $600 | 15 | 3 |
| 7 | Shoulder Pads | torso, arms | 3/1 | $50 | 5 | 4 | [4] |
| 8 | Fragmentation Vest | torso, groin | 5/2* | $350 | 9 | 3 | [2] |
| | + Trauma Plates | torso | +25 | +$350 | +16 | 2 |
| 8 | Early Concealable Vest | torso | 8/2* | $200 | 2.5 | 3 | [1, 2] |
| 8 | Concealable Vest | torso | 12/5* | $1,000 | 2 | 3 | [1, 2] |
| 8 | Assault Vest | torso, groin | 12/5* | $900 | 8 | 2 | [2] |
| | + Trauma Plates | torso | +23 | +$600 | +8 | 2 |
| 8 | Anti-Stab Vest | torso | 5F* | $300 | 4 | 4 |
| 8 | Advanced Body Armor | torso | 35/5* | $4,600 | 17 | 2 | [1, 5] |

Notes:
  * [1] Concealable as or under clothing.
  * [2] Split DR: use the first, higher DR against piercing and cutting attacks; use the second, lower DR against all other damage types.
  * [3] Provides DR 8 to the vitals from the front.
  * [4] Protects the torso (1/6) and arms (1/6). Use DR 3 against crushing attacks; use DR 1 against all other damage types. Gives +1 to damage inflicted and DR 3 against damage received when making a slam (p. B371).
  * [5] Use the lower DR versus crushing attacks only.

=== Concealing Armor ===

To conceal armor from somebody who’s looking
for it, you must win a Quick Contest of Holdout
(p. B200) vs. his Search skill (p. B219). Holdout suffers
a penalty equal to DR for rigid armor, DR/3
(round up) for flexible armor. Armor designed specifically
to be concealed gives +1 to +4 toward negating
this penalty. Also add the bonus for clothes worn over
the armor (e.g., Long Coat, p. 64, and Undercover
Clothing, p. 64). Range penalties apply to Search.

=== Limb Armor ===

While neither as popular nor as essential as torso armor
(pp. 65-67) and headgear (pp. 69-70), limb armor has occasionally
found its way onto the modern battlefield. These
items protect the entire length of the limb – and both its front
and its back – unless specified otherwise. Exceptions use the
notation explained in Hitting ’Em Where It Hurts (p. 69).

Chaps (TL5). Chaparreras are worn by cowboys to protect
from thorns and scrub brush while working cattle.

Shin Guards (TL5). Steel greaves were developed for soldiers
during the American Civil War, but used only briefly.
They protect only the lower leg (2/6 protection) – and only
from the front.

Light Body Armor (TL6). This is part of the experimental
steel armor developed for trench fighting during WWI (see
also “Light Body Armor” under Torso Armor, p. 66). While
50 sets were shipped to France before the Armistice, it’s
doubtful that any of it saw combat. It has foam-rubber
backing and is painted a dull khaki or olive drab color. The
armor covers most of the limb (5/6 protection).

Aircrew Leg Armor (TL7). A heavy ballistic shin guard of
the type worn by helicopter crewmen during the Vietnam
conflict. It protects the front of the lower leg, from just
above the knee to the ankle (3/6 protection).

Riot Gear (TL7). A set of leggings and sleeves made from
thick plastic backed with padding. It’s worn by riot-control
and corrections officers. It can blunt the impact of a
thrown rock or brick, and is light enough to wear in a foot
chase. Very similar armor is used in many contact sports.
Ballistic Leggings (TL8). Flexible, ballistic-fabric leggings,
worn by assault troops. They’re bulky and not easily
concealed.

Sharp-Protective Armor (TL8). A layer of ballistic fiber
worn by corrections officers, lumberjacks, and industrial
workers exposed to “sharps” during the work day. It’s
easily concealed under clothing.

Deltoid and Axillary Protectors (DAP) (TL8). “DAP” is
military-speak for an upper-arm protector worn with an
assault vest. The flexible ballistic cloth covers from just
above the elbows to the shoulders (2/6 protection).

===Limb Armor Table===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 5 | Chaps | legs | 1* | $40 | 2 | 4 |
| 5 | Shin Guards | legs | 4F | $50 | 1.5 | 4 |
| 6 | Light Body Armor | arms | 4 | $300 | 5 | 4 |
| 6 | Light Body Armor | legs | 4 | $350 | 8 | 4 |
| 7 | Aircrew Leg Armor | legs | 15F | $200 | 18 | 3 |
| 7 | Riot Gear | arms | 3 | $100 | 2 | 4 |
| 7 | Riot Gear | legs | 3 | $100 | 4 | 4 |
| 8 | Ballistic Leggings | legs | 12/5F* | $400 | 8 | 4 | [1] |
| 8 | Sharp-Protective Armor | arms | 3/1* | $100 | 2 | 4 | [2, 3] |
| 8 | Sharp-Protective Armor | legs | 3/1* | $100 | 4 | 4 | [2, 3] |
| 8 | DAP | arms | 8/2* | $200 | 5 | 4 | [1] |

Notes:
  * [1] Split DR: use the first, higher DR against piercing and cutting attacks; use the second, lower DR against all other damage types.
  * [2] Split DR: use the first, higher DR against impaling and cutting attacks; use the second, lower DR against all other damage types.
  * [3] Concealable as or under clothing.

===Footwear===

At TL5, shoes are a simple affair, only approximately
sized to the feet, with square toes. There’s no such thing as
a right/left pair. Leather or canvas gaiters are worn to protect
the tops of the shoes, shoelaces, and calves. At TL6,
shoes are built for either the left foot or the right foot, and
come in standard sizes. Other advances include rubber
soles, steel shanks for arch support, and waterproofing. At
TL7-8, synthetic footwear is breathable and long-wearing,
with athletic shoes becoming much better fitting and more
supportive.

Footwear can be a deciding factor in the success of a
stealthy approach. Some of the footgear described below
gives a modifier to the wearer’s Stealth skill when trying to
move silently. Items that list neither a penalty nor a bonus
have no effect on Stealth.

Boots (TL5). Standard Wellington or “cowboy”-type
boots, in either a pull-on or lace-up version. High heels keep
the feet from slipping through saddle stirrups. At higher
TLs, these are rugged work boots, combat boots, or hiking
boots.

Boots, Arctic (TL5). Heavily insulated and waterproof
boots. At TL7-8, double price but halve weight. Arctic boots
are often worn with crampons (p. 56). -1 to Stealth.

Boots, High (TL5). Bucket boots were popular in the
1700s. These pull-on riding boots extend to the knees or
even mid-thigh. Wearers often turn down the high tops,
pirate fashion.

Moccasins (TL5). Light, thin leather footwear preferred
by hunters, Indians, and other people who need to move
quietly. Use the same statistics for any light, functional
shoes; e.g., Japanese tabi. +1 to Stealth.

Cleats (TL6). Athletic shoes fitted with spikes. They give
Terrain Adaptation (Mud and Dirt). -1 to Stealth on tile
floors, concrete, bare rock, etc.

Sneakers (TL6). Duck cloth uppers vulcanized to thick
rubber soles. Later TLs introduce air-cushioned soles, zippered
pockets, and even tiny impact-activated lights. +1 to
Stealth.

Boots, Steel-Toed (TL6). Industrial or construction boots,
with a box of metal around the toes.

Boots, Jungle (TL7). Boots with steel shanks in the soles
for protection against attacks from below (nails, spiked pits,
caltrops, etc.).

Boots, Blast (TL7). A pair of clumsy, heavy boots, worn
by explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) personnel when
clearing minefields. They have ballistic material in the soles
to protect against attacks from below. -1 to Stealth.

Boots, Firefighter (TL8). These rubber-soled, waterproof
boots are nearly indestructible. They have steel toes, and
steel shanks protect the bottom of the feet. -1 to Stealth.

Shoes, Climbing (TL8). Shoes with sticky rubber soles
that are soft and pliable enough to allow the wearer to feel
the surface beneath his feet. Give +1 to Climbing when scaling
a vertical stone wall or other slick surface (see Climbing,
p. B349). +1 to Stealth.

=== My Sore, Aching Feet! ===

Those trekking off into danger wearing footwear
that hasn’t yet been “broken in” must make a HT,
Hiking, or HT-based Soldier roll. Equipment Modifiers
(p. B345) apply for custom-made footwear, which is
of good or fine quality. Success means the footwear
breaks in quickly, with a minimum of discomfort.
Failure results in moderate pain (p. B428) for 2d days.
Critical failure leads to terrible pain or even a crippled
foot – GM’s decision.

=== Footwear Table ===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 5 | Boots | feet | 2* | $80 | 3 | 4 | [1, 2] |
| 5 | Boots, Arctic | feet | 2* | $150 | 6 | 4 | [1, 2] |
| 5 | Boots, High | feet | 2* | $100 | 6 | 4 | [1, 2, 3] |
| 5 | Moccasins | feet | 1* | $40 | 1 | 4 | [1] |
| 6 | Cleats | feet | 1* | $50 | 2 | 4 | [2] |
| 6 | Sneakers | feet | 1* | $40 | 2 | 4 | [1] |
| 6 | Boots, Steel-Toed | feet | 6/2 | $100 | 4 | 4 | [1, 2, 4] |
| 7 | Boots, Jungle | feet | 3/2 | $75 | 3 | 4 | [1, 2, 5] |
| 7 | Boots, Blast | feet | 15/2 | $350 | 5 | 3 | [2, 5] |
| 8 | Boots, Firefighter | feet | 6/3 | $250 | 7 | 4 | [2, 4, 5] |
| 8 | Shoes, Climbing | feet | 1* | $80 | 1 | 4 | [1] |

Notes:
  * [1] Concealable as or under clothing.
  * [2] Give +1 to kicking damage (p. B271).
  * [3] With the tops turned up, provide 3/6 protection to the legs; see Hitting ’Em Where It Hurts (p. 69).
  * [4] Split DR: use the first, higher DR when – in the GM’s opinion – the boot’s steel toe box would protect (e.g., dropping an item on the foot or crushing the toes in heavy machinery) or when an attack on the foot hits the toe (2/6 protection); use the second, lower DR against all other attacks.
  * [5] Split DR: use the higher DR when an attack strikes foot from beneath.

===Gloves===
Hockey Glove (TL7). A modern padded sports glove for
one hand. Gives Ham-Fisted 1 (p. B138) when using that
hand for fine work.

Frisk Gloves (TL8). Policemen often wear thin leather
gloves with ballistic fiber liners which provide some protection
against “sharps”: needles and other objects that might
stick or cut an officer during a pat-down search.

Sharp-Protective Gloves (TL8). Gloves that protect the
hands much as sharp-protective armor (p. 67) protects the
limbs.

===Gloves Table===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 7 | Hockey Glove | hand | 3 | $50 | 2 | 4 |
| 8 | Frisk Gloves | hands | 1* | $50 | 0.5 | 4 | [1] |
| 8 | Sharp-Protective Gloves | hands | 3/1* | $30 | 1 | 4 | [1, 2] |

Notes:
  * [1] Concealable as or under clothing.
  * [2] Split DR: use the first, higher DR against impaling and cutting attacks; use the second, lower DR against all other damage types.



==== BODY ARMOR ====

Body armor is heavy, and stifling even in temperate
conditions. In hot weather, it increases FP costs
(see Fighting a Battle, p. B426) and can contribute to
heatstroke (see Heat, p. B434). To mitigate heat
problems, use a climate-control system (p. 74) or
wear a wicking undergarment (p. 64).

=== High-Tech Low-Tech ===
Versions of the low-tech armor on pp. B283-284 still see
use at TL5-8. Notably, scuba divers and industrial workers
wear high-tech mail, while reenactors construct modern versions
of ancient armor from TL8 materials.

Steel (TL5). Metal armor (mail, scale, plate, etc.) and
shields built using TL5+ steel and machining enjoy twice the
DR of their low-tech equivalents; cost and weight don’t
change. Alternatively, halve cost and weight without doubling
DR.

Smart Foam (TL8). This foam is made from “shear thickening
liquid” – a substance that is normally quite flexible but
becomes rigid on impact. It’s concealable under normal clothing.
It provides DR 4 vs. crushing damage, DR 1 vs. all other
damage. Weighs the same as cloth armor, but cost is x10.

Titanium (TL8). Metal armor and shields made of titanium
offer the same DR as their low-tech equivalents at 1/3 normal
weight. Cost is x5.

=== Torso Armor ===

Steel Vest (TL5). A concealable armor vest, relatively
lightweight and cheap. An example is the Soldiers’
Bullet Proof Vest, produced by carriage-maker G. &
D. Cook & Co. of New Haven, Connecticut during the
American Civil War. It was a standard, military-style
blue vest with pockets for two steel plates in the front.
These overlapped in the center where the vest buttoned.
Infantrymen thought it too heavy and hot during
long marches – and of little value against musket
fire in any event. Nevertheless, it was a common sight
on the battlefield. Legend has it that Wyatt Earp wore
one, although he vehemently denied it.

Steel Corselet (TL5). The body armor of the heavy
cavalryman. Before WWI, every major European government
had at least one regiment of cuirassiers – big men on
big horses, trained to charge home with the sword. Their
armor was highly polished for show (and often used as a
mirror!), but had a cloth cover for field duty.

Silk Vest (TL6). A thickly padded silk vest of the type
often worn by affluent gentlemen. Most observers who
notice it are unlikely to assume that it’s armor. A famous
example is the tightly woven vest that Catholic priest
Casimir Zeglen developed after the 1893 murder of a popular
Chicago mayor. The London Daily Mail reported that
none other than Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the
Hapsburg dynasty, was wearing such a vest the day he was
assassinated; other accounts suggest that he declined to
wear it in Sarajevo’s stifling heat. Regardless, the bullet
struck him in the neck and he bled to death in minutes
from a severed jugular vein. During the Russo-Japanese
War, 50,000 vests with a steel plate sandwiched between
silk padding were issued to Russian troops.

Composite Body Armor (TL6). A cuirass and groin protector
made from layers of resin-impregnated silk, linen,
and cotton. An example is the Chemico Body Shield, made
by the Country Chemical Company of Birmingham,
England. About an inch thick, it had a duck cloth cover
with ammunition pockets on the front. It was the only practical
body armor issued to British troops during WWI – and
only from 1917.

Sentry Armor (TL6). A steel breastplate such as the
Infanterie-Panzer, worn by German soldiers during WWI.
Nicknamed Sappenpanzer (“trench armor”), some 500,000
were issued – mostly to machine gunners and sentries.

Light Body Armor (TL6). Steel armor with thick, spongerubber
padding. It covers both front and back, and is
designed to protect against shell splinters and pistol bullets.
Arm and leg protection is also available (pp. 67-68). The
Engineering Division of the U.S. Ordnance Department
developed it during WWI. Mainly experimental, but small
lots were sent to France in the war’s closing days.

Bulletproof Vest (TL6). A vest of overlapping steel plates
riveted between layers of cloth, made to look like an ordinary
suit vest. It covers the front and back of the torso. In
the 1920s and 1930s, Elliott Wisbrod’s Armored Police Vest
Company marketed a concealable vest that became a
favorite of criminals and government agents alike; the
Dunrite Manufacturing Company sold similar body armor.
Wisbrod launched a unique national publicity campaign to
demonstrate his confidence in his product: he was shot in
the chest in front of crowds of police officers, city officials,
and curious onlookers in cities all over the U.S.! His campaign
worked. Baby Face Nelson and John Dillinger were
repeat customers, and even Franklin Roosevelt and Joseph
Stalin were reported to have worn Wisbrod vests. Japanese
troops during WWII wore similar gear.

Flak Vest (TL7). “Flak” is an abbreviation for
Fliegerabwehrkanone, German for “anti-aircraft gun.” The
flak vests of WWII were designed to protect flight crews
against anti-aircraft shell bursts. The American M1 was
made of Hadfield manganese steel riveted to a nylon backing.
It was heavy, bulky, and not designed to be concealed.

Fragmentation Vest (TL7). A nylon vest with aluminum
plate inserts to shield the vitals from the front. It’s intended
to protect against fragments from artillery and hand
grenades, not to stop bullets. The U.S. Marine Corps
ordered 50,000 such vests in the closing days of WWII – too
late to see action in that conflict. They were used extensively
in Korea, however.

Improved Fragmentation Vest (TL7). A typical protective
vest constructed of ballistic nylon or similar fibers.
Examples include the U.S. M1952 and M69, worn by
American ground troops in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Some models can be fitted with heavy ceramic-fiberglass
plates; vehicle drivers, tankers, and boat crews were issued
such plates in Vietnam. The table lists the vest, plus a set of
front and back plates (7.5 lbs. apiece).

Aircrew Armor (TL7). A rigid aluminum oxide and glassreinforced
plate inside a ballistic nylon carrier. Such armor
was issued by the U.S. Army from 1966; helicopter crews
called it “chicken plate.” The table entry assumes a vest
with only a single plate in the front of the carrier, as worn
by pilots and copilots. Helicopter door gunners wore a back
plate as well. This provides protection for the front and
back of the torso, but increases cost to $1,100 and weight
to 34 lbs.

Shoulder Pads (TL7). This is gridiron armor for
American-style football. It protects the upper torso and
shoulders.

Fragmentation Vest (TL8). At TL8, frag vests use aramid
fibers that are five times stronger than steel. An example is
the Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops (PASGT)
vest, adopted by the U.S. Army in 1976. Later versions –
such as Germany’s Mehler Splitterschutzweste MIL-120 –
are much lighter (5.7 lbs.) and better-designed. In the
1990s, the PASGT vest was upgraded with a carrier for
ceramic plates (8 lbs. each) and called the Interim Small
Arms Protective Overvest, or ISAPO (DR 30, $700, 25 lbs.).

Early Concealable Vest (TL8). A concealable vest representative
of those on the market since the late 1970s. It may
be available in TL7 campaigns set during this period (GM’s
option).

Concealable Vest (TL8). The lightest and most concealable
protective vest currently on the market. It can be fitted
with a trauma plate.

Assault Vest (TL8). A heavy ballistic vest, worn by SWAT
teams and soldiers. The removable trauma plates provide
protection against rifle-caliber weapons; the groin protector
is also detachable. The Interceptor OTV (Outer Tactical
Vest) is the current U.S. military-issue vest in Iraq and
Afghanistan.

Anti-Stab Vest (TL8). A tight-weave ballistic vest – like
those in the EnGarde Eagle Eye series – that can stop
impaling damage as well as other attacks. It’s worn by corrections
officers, and by police in areas with high levels of
violent crime that doesn’t involve firearms (stabbings, beatings,
etc.).

Advanced Body Armor (TL8). Pinnacle Armor’s SOV
looks like a run-of-the-mill tactical ballistic vest – albeit
thinner – but is much more advanced. Instead of relying on
bulky plates, it takes a so-called “scalar” approach, using
overlapping ballistic-resistant scales (each 2”-3” in diameter)
made from a patented titanium-ceramic matrix. This
makes it the only concealable vest capable of resisting rifle
fire over the whole torso rather than just the vitals. Gives +4
(quality) to Holdout attempts to conceal it.

=== Trauma Plates (TL8) ===

At TL8, soft ballistic vests typically have built-in
pockets for removable “trauma plates” or “anti-stab
plates.” Such plates increase the armor’s cost and
weight, but significantly enhance the protection it
affords. Assume that plates are available for any flexible
torso armor.

Ballistic plates are rigid, and greatly increase a
vest’s bulk. Those made from ceramic are also brittle
– they work by cracking, which absorbs some of the
bullet’s energy, and lose effectiveness after a small
number of shots. The GM who enjoys gritty realism
may treat trauma plates as semi-ablative DR (p. B47).

Anti-Stab Plate (TL8). A small plate of lightweight
metal alloy, intended for protection against knife
attacks, not firearms. It covers the vitals from the
front only. Gives +4 DR. $150, 0.5 lb. LC3.

Small Trauma Plate (TL8). A small ceramic plate
that protects the vitals from the front only. Gives +25
DR. $250, 3 lbs. LC3.

Trauma Plate (TL8). A large ceramic plate that protects
the entire torso from either the front or the back
– two are needed for full torso coverage. Gives +25
DR. $500, 4 lbs. LC3.

=== Dirty Tech: Homemade Armor ===

Layers of paper (newspapers, magazines, etc.) and
duct tape can be fashioned into a thick vest capable of
providing some protection against knives, shotgun
pellets, and shell fragments. It won’t tolerate water,
though, and will come apart in damp weather.
Constructing it requires an Armoury (Body Armor)
roll at +5 – an IQ roll, if working at default – and 30
minutes’ work. Gives the torso DR 3. 18 lbs.

A pair of heavy snips or bolt cutters can turn a
plastic bucket or barrel into a quick-and-dirty lorica
segmentata (p. B283). This requires an Armoury
(Body Armor) roll at +3 and 3 hours’ work. Gives the
torso DR 3. 11 lbs.

In a post-apocalyptic setting, those with the Armoury (Body Armor) skill and suitable tools can recycle old road signs and car bodies into real shields and armor.

===Torso Armor Table===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 5 | Steel Vest | torso | 5F | $150 | 7 | 4 | [1] |
| 5 | Steel Corselet | torso | 10 | $600 | 12 | 4 |
| 6 | Silk Vest | torso | 4/2* | $800 | 6 | 4 | [1, 2] |
| | + Steel Plate | torso | +5F | +$400 | +6 | 4 |
| 6 | Composite Body Armor | torso, groin | 4 | $150 | 6 | 4 |
| 6 | Sentry Armor | torso, groin | 14F | $300 | 20 | 4 |
| 6 | Light Body Armor | torso, groin | 5 | $1,000 | 9 | 4 | [1] |
| 6 | Bulletproof Vest | torso | 6 | $750 | 8 | 4 | [1] |
| 7 | Flak Vest | torso | 7 | $500 | 20 | 4 |
| 7 | Fragmentation Vest | torso, groin | 6 | $200 | 13.5 | 4 | [3] |
| 7 | Improved Fragmentation Vest | torso | 4/2* | $400 | 8 | 3 | [2] |
| | + Trauma Plates | torso | +18 | +$3,600 | +15 | 2 |
| 7 | Aircrew Armor | torso | 20F | $600 | 15 | 3 |
| 7 | Shoulder Pads | torso, arms | 3/1 | $50 | 5 | 4 | [4] |
| 8 | Fragmentation Vest | torso, groin | 5/2* | $350 | 9 | 3 | [2] |
| | + Trauma Plates | torso | +25 | +$350 | +16 | 2 |
| 8 | Early Concealable Vest | torso | 8/2* | $200 | 2.5 | 3 | [1, 2] |
| 8 | Concealable Vest | torso | 12/5* | $1,000 | 2 | 3 | [1, 2] |
| 8 | Assault Vest | torso, groin | 12/5* | $900 | 8 | 2 | [2] |
| | + Trauma Plates | torso | +23 | +$600 | +8 | 2 |
| 8 | Anti-Stab Vest | torso | 5F* | $300 | 4 | 4 |
| 8 | Advanced Body Armor | torso | 35/5* | $4,600 | 17 | 2 | [1, 5] |

Notes:
  * [1] Concealable as or under clothing.
  * [2] Split DR: use the first, higher DR against piercing and cutting attacks; use the second, lower DR against all other damage types.
  * [3] Provides DR 8 to the vitals from the front.
  * [4] Protects the torso (1/6) and arms (1/6). Use DR 3 against crushing attacks; use DR 1 against all other damage types. Gives +1 to damage inflicted and DR 3 against damage received when making a slam (p. B371).
  * [5] Use the lower DR versus crushing attacks only.

=== Limb Armor ===

While neither as popular nor as essential as torso armor
(pp. 65-67) and headgear (pp. 69-70), limb armor has occasionally
found its way onto the modern battlefield. These
items protect the entire length of the limb – and both its front
and its back – unless specified otherwise. Exceptions use the
notation explained in Hitting ’Em Where It Hurts (p. 69).

Chaps (TL5). Chaparreras are worn by cowboys to protect
from thorns and scrub brush while working cattle.

Shin Guards (TL5). Steel greaves were developed for soldiers
during the American Civil War, but used only briefly.
They protect only the lower leg (2/6 protection) – and only
from the front.

Light Body Armor (TL6). This is part of the experimental
steel armor developed for trench fighting during WWI (see
also “Light Body Armor” under Torso Armor, p. 66). While
50 sets were shipped to France before the Armistice, it’s
doubtful that any of it saw combat. It has foam-rubber
backing and is painted a dull khaki or olive drab color. The
armor covers most of the limb (5/6 protection).

Aircrew Leg Armor (TL7). A heavy ballistic shin guard of
the type worn by helicopter crewmen during the Vietnam
conflict. It protects the front of the lower leg, from just
above the knee to the ankle (3/6 protection).

Riot Gear (TL7). A set of leggings and sleeves made from
thick plastic backed with padding. It’s worn by riot-control
and corrections officers. It can blunt the impact of a
thrown rock or brick, and is light enough to wear in a foot
chase. Very similar armor is used in many contact sports.
Ballistic Leggings (TL8). Flexible, ballistic-fabric leggings,
worn by assault troops. They’re bulky and not easily
concealed.

Sharp-Protective Armor (TL8). A layer of ballistic fiber
worn by corrections officers, lumberjacks, and industrial
workers exposed to “sharps” during the work day. It’s
easily concealed under clothing.

Deltoid and Axillary Protectors (DAP) (TL8). “DAP” is
military-speak for an upper-arm protector worn with an
assault vest. The flexible ballistic cloth covers from just
above the elbows to the shoulders (2/6 protection).

===Limb Armor Table===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 5 | Chaps | legs | 1* | $40 | 2 | 4 |
| 5 | Shin Guards | legs | 4F | $50 | 1.5 | 4 |
| 6 | Light Body Armor | arms | 4 | $300 | 5 | 4 |
| 6 | Light Body Armor | legs | 4 | $350 | 8 | 4 |
| 7 | Aircrew Leg Armor | legs | 15F | $200 | 18 | 3 |
| 7 | Riot Gear | arms | 3 | $100 | 2 | 4 |
| 7 | Riot Gear | legs | 3 | $100 | 4 | 4 |
| 8 | Ballistic Leggings | legs | 12/5F* | $400 | 8 | 4 | [1] |
| 8 | Sharp-Protective Armor | arms | 3/1* | $100 | 2 | 4 | [2, 3] |
| 8 | Sharp-Protective Armor | legs | 3/1* | $100 | 4 | 4 | [2, 3] |
| 8 | DAP | arms | 8/2* | $200 | 5 | 4 | [1] |

Notes:
  * [1] Split DR: use the first, higher DR against piercing and cutting attacks; use the second, lower DR against all other damage types.
  * [2] Split DR: use the first, higher DR against impaling and cutting attacks; use the second, lower DR against all other damage types.
  * [3] Concealable as or under clothing.

===Footwear===

At TL5, shoes are a simple affair, only approximately
sized to the feet, with square toes. There’s no such thing as
a right/left pair. Leather or canvas gaiters are worn to protect
the tops of the shoes, shoelaces, and calves. At TL6,
shoes are built for either the left foot or the right foot, and
come in standard sizes. Other advances include rubber
soles, steel shanks for arch support, and waterproofing. At
TL7-8, synthetic footwear is breathable and long-wearing,
with athletic shoes becoming much better fitting and more
supportive.

Footwear can be a deciding factor in the success of a
stealthy approach. Some of the footgear described below
gives a modifier to the wearer’s Stealth skill when trying to
move silently. Items that list neither a penalty nor a bonus
have no effect on Stealth.

Boots (TL5). Standard Wellington or “cowboy”-type
boots, in either a pull-on or lace-up version. High heels keep
the feet from slipping through saddle stirrups. At higher
TLs, these are rugged work boots, combat boots, or hiking
boots.

Boots, Arctic (TL5). Heavily insulated and waterproof
boots. At TL7-8, double price but halve weight. Arctic boots
are often worn with crampons (p. 56). -1 to Stealth.

Boots, High (TL5). Bucket boots were popular in the
1700s. These pull-on riding boots extend to the knees or
even mid-thigh. Wearers often turn down the high tops,
pirate fashion.

Moccasins (TL5). Light, thin leather footwear preferred
by hunters, Indians, and other people who need to move
quietly. Use the same statistics for any light, functional
shoes; e.g., Japanese tabi. +1 to Stealth.

Cleats (TL6). Athletic shoes fitted with spikes. They give
Terrain Adaptation (Mud and Dirt). -1 to Stealth on tile
floors, concrete, bare rock, etc.

Sneakers (TL6). Duck cloth uppers vulcanized to thick
rubber soles. Later TLs introduce air-cushioned soles, zippered
pockets, and even tiny impact-activated lights. +1 to
Stealth.

Boots, Steel-Toed (TL6). Industrial or construction boots,
with a box of metal around the toes.

Boots, Jungle (TL7). Boots with steel shanks in the soles
for protection against attacks from below (nails, spiked pits,
caltrops, etc.).

Boots, Blast (TL7). A pair of clumsy, heavy boots, worn
by explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) personnel when
clearing minefields. They have ballistic material in the soles
to protect against attacks from below. -1 to Stealth.

Boots, Firefighter (TL8). These rubber-soled, waterproof
boots are nearly indestructible. They have steel toes, and
steel shanks protect the bottom of the feet. -1 to Stealth.

Shoes, Climbing (TL8). Shoes with sticky rubber soles
that are soft and pliable enough to allow the wearer to feel
the surface beneath his feet. Give +1 to Climbing when scaling
a vertical stone wall or other slick surface (see Climbing,
p. B349). +1 to Stealth.


=== Footwear Table ===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 5 | Boots | feet | 2* | $80 | 3 | 4 | [1, 2] |
| 5 | Boots, Arctic | feet | 2* | $150 | 6 | 4 | [1, 2] |
| 5 | Boots, High | feet | 2* | $100 | 6 | 4 | [1, 2, 3] |
| 5 | Moccasins | feet | 1* | $40 | 1 | 4 | [1] |
| 6 | Cleats | feet | 1* | $50 | 2 | 4 | [2] |
| 6 | Sneakers | feet | 1* | $40 | 2 | 4 | [1] |
| 6 | Boots, Steel-Toed | feet | 6/2 | $100 | 4 | 4 | [1, 2, 4] |
| 7 | Boots, Jungle | feet | 3/2 | $75 | 3 | 4 | [1, 2, 5] |
| 7 | Boots, Blast | feet | 15/2 | $350 | 5 | 3 | [2, 5] |
| 8 | Boots, Firefighter | feet | 6/3 | $250 | 7 | 4 | [2, 4, 5] |
| 8 | Shoes, Climbing | feet | 1* | $80 | 1 | 4 | [1] |

Notes:
  * [1] Concealable as or under clothing.
  * [2] Give +1 to kicking damage (p. B271).
  * [3] With the tops turned up, provide 3/6 protection to the legs; see Hitting ’Em Where It Hurts (p. 69).
  * [4] Split DR: use the first, higher DR when – in the GM’s opinion – the boot’s steel toe box would protect (e.g., dropping an item on the foot or crushing the toes in heavy machinery) or when an attack on the foot hits the toe (2/6 protection); use the second, lower DR against all other attacks.
  * [5] Split DR: use the higher DR when an attack strikes foot from beneath.

===Gloves===
Hockey Glove (TL7). A modern padded sports glove for
one hand. Gives Ham-Fisted 1 (p. B138) when using that
hand for fine work.

Frisk Gloves (TL8). Policemen often wear thin leather
gloves with ballistic fiber liners which provide some protection
against “sharps”: needles and other objects that might
stick or cut an officer during a pat-down search.

Sharp-Protective Gloves (TL8). Gloves that protect the
hands much as sharp-protective armor (p. 67) protects the
limbs.

===Gloves Table===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 7 | Hockey Glove | hand | 3 | $50 | 2 | 4 |
| 8 | Frisk Gloves | hands | 1* | $50 | 0.5 | 4 | [1] |
| 8 | Sharp-Protective Gloves | hands | 3/1* | $30 | 1 | 4 | [1, 2] |

Notes:
[1] Concealable as or under clothing.
[2] Split DR: use the first, higher DR against impaling and cutting attacks; use the second, lower DR against all other
damage types.



==== Low-Tech Body Armor ====
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 0 | Fur Loincloth | groin | 1* | $10 | neg. | – | [1] |
| 0 | Fur Tunic | torso | 1* | $25 | 2 | – | [1] |
| 1 | Bronze Breastplate | torso | 4F | $400 | 20 | 3 | [2] |
| 1 | Bronze Corselet | torso, groin | 5 | $1,300 | 40 | 3 | | 
| 1 | Cloth Armor | torso, groin | 1* | $30 | 6 | – | [1] |
| 1 | Leather Armor | torso, groin | 2 | $100 | 10 | 4 | |
| 1 | Leather Jacket | arms, torso | 1* | $50 | 4 | – | [1] |
| 2 | Light Scale Armor | torso | 3 | $150 | 15 | 4 | |
| 2 | Lorica Segmentata | torso | 5 | $680 | 26 | 3 | |
| 2 | Mail Hauberk | torso, groin | 4/2* | $230 | 25 | 3 | [3] |
| 2 | Mail Shirt | torso | 4/2* | $150 | 16 | 4 | [1, 3] |
| 2 | Scale Armor | torso, groin | 4 | $420 | 35 | 3 | |
| 3 | Double Mail Hauberk | torso, groin | 5/3* | $520 | 44 | 3 | [3] |
| 3 | Heavy Steel Corselet | torso, groin | 7 | $2,300 | 45 | 3 | |
| 3 | Steel Breastplate | torso | 5F | $500 | 18 | 3 | [2] |
| 3 | Steel Corselet | torso, groin | 6 | $1,300 | 35 | 3 | |
| 3 | Steel Laminate Plate | torso, groin | 5 | $900 | 30 | 3 | |
| 4 | Buff Coat (Leather) | body, limbs | 2* | $210 | 16 | 4 | | 

==== Low-Tech Limb Armor ====
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 1 | Bronze Armbands | arms | 3 | $180 | 9 | 4 | |
| 1 | Bronze Greaves | legs | 3 | $270 | 17 | 4 | |
| 1 | Cloth Sleeves | arms | 1*| $20 | 2 | – | [1] |
| 1 | Heavy Leather Leggings | legs | 2 | $60 | 4 | 4 | |
| 1 | Heavy Leather Sleeves | arms | 2 | $50 | 2 | 4 | |
| 1 | Leather Leggings | legs | 1* | $40 | 2 | – | [1] | 
| 1 | Leather Pants | legs, groin | 1* | $40 | 3 |  – | [1] |
| 1 | Studded Leather Skirt | groin, legs | 3/2* | $60 | 4 | – | [3] |
| 2 | Mail Leggings | legs | 4/2* | $110 | 15 | 3 | [3] |
| 2 | Mail Sleeves | arms | 4/2* | $70 | 9 | 3 | [3] |
| 2 | Scale Leggings | legs | 4 | $250 | 21 | 3 | | 
| 2 | Scale Sleeves | arms | 4 | $210 | 14 | 3 |
| 3 | Heavy Plate Arms | arms | 7 | $1,500 | 20 | 3 | |
| 3 | Heavy Plate Legs | legs | 7 | $1,600 | 25 | 3 | |
| 3 | Plate Arms | arms | 6 | $1,000 | 15 | 3 | |
| 3 | Plate Legs | legs | 6 | $1,100 | 20 | 3 | |

==== Low-Tech Headgear ====
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 1 | Bronze Helmet | skull, face | 3 | $160 | 7.5 | 4 |
| 1 | Bronze Pot-Helm | skull | 3 | $60 | 5 | 4 |
| 1 | Cloth Cap | skull | 1* | $5 | neg. | – | [1] |
| 1 | Leather Cap | skull | 1* | $32 | neg. | 4 |
| 1 | Leather Helm | skull, face | 2 | $20 | 0.5 | 4 |
| 2 | Legionary Helmet | skull, face | 4 | $150 | 6 | 3 |
| 2 | Mail Coif | skull, neck | 4/2* | $55 | 4 | 3 | [3] |
| 3 | Barrel Helm | skull, face | 6 | $240 | 10 | 3 | [4] |
| 3 | Face Mask | face | 4 | $100 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | Greathelm | skull, face, neck | 7 | $340 | 10 | 3 | [4] |
| 3 | Pot-Helm | skull | 4 | $100 | 5 | 4 |

==== Low-Tech Gloves ====
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 1 | Cloth Gloves | hands | 1* | $15 | neg. | – | [1] |
| 1 | Leather Gloves | hands | 2* | $30 | neg. | – |
| 2 | Gauntlets | hands | 4 | $100 | 2 | 4 |
| 3 | Heavy Gauntlets | hands | 5 | $250 | 2.5 | 3 |

==== Low-Tech Footwear ====
| 0 | Sandals | feet | 0 | $25 | 0.5 | – | [1, 2] |
| 1 | Shoes | feet | 1* | $40 | 2 | – | [1] |
| 2 | Boots | feet | 2* | $80 | 3 | – | [1] |
| 3 | Sollerets | feet | 4 | $150 | 7 | 3 |

==== Low Tech Notes ====
  * [1] Concealable as or under clothing.
  * [2] Partial coverage: sandals give DR 1 to the underside of the foot, while breastplates protect only from the front.
  * [3] Split DR: use the lower DR against crushing attacks.
  * [4] Helmet gives wearer the No Peripheral Vision disadvantage (p. 151) while worn.

==== High-Tech Body Armor ====
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 6 | Flak Jacket | torso | 7 | $500 | 20 | 3 |
| 7 | Frag Vest | torso, groin | 5/2* | $350 | 9 | 3 | [1] |
| | + Plate Inserts | torso | +20 | +$300 | +15 | 3 |
| 8 | Ballistic Vest | torso | 8/2* | $400 | 2 | 3 | [1, 2, 3] |
| 8 | Tactical Vest | torso, groin | 12/5* | $900 | 9 | 2 | [1, 3] |
| | + Trauma Plates | torso | +23 | +$600 | +9 | 2 |
| 9 | Ballistic Suit | body, limbs | 12/4* | $1,000 | 6 | 3 | [1, 2, 3] |
| 9 | Tactical Suit | full suit | 20/10* | $3,000 | 15 | 2 | [1, 3, 4, 5] |
==== High-Tech Gloves and Footwear ====
| 7 | Reinforced Boots | feet | 5/2 | $75 | 3 | – | [2, 6] |
| 9 | Assault Boots | feet | 12/6 | $150 | 3 | 4 | [3, 6] |
| 9 | Ballistic Gloves | hands | 8/2* | $30 | neg. | 4 | [1, 2, 3] |
==== High-Tech Headgear ====
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 6 | Gas Mask | eyes, face | 2 | $100 | 4 | 4 | [7] |
| 6 | Steel Pot | skull | 4 | $60 | 3 | 4 |
| 7 | Frag Helmet | skull | 5 | $125 | 3 | 4 |
| | + Visor | eyes, face | 1 | +$25 | +1.5 | 4 | [8] |
| 8 | Ballistic Helmet | skull | 12 | $250 | 3 | 3 | [3] |
| | + Visor | eyes, face | 10 | +$100 | +3 | 3 | [3, 8] |
==== Environment Suits and Headgear ====
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 7 | NBC Suit | full suit | 1 | $150 | 3.5 | 4 | [5, 9] |
| 7 | Space Suit | full suit | 2 | $2,000,000 | 225 | 4 | [4, 9, 10] |
| | + Space Helmet | head | 3 | +$25,000 | 10 | 4 | [7, 11] |
| 9 | Battlesuit | full suit | 70/50 | $80,000 | 150 | 1 | [3, 4, 6, 12] |
| | + Helmet | head | 70/50 | +$10,000 | 15 | 1 | [3, 6, 7, 11] |
| 9 | Combat Hardsuit | full suit | 50/30 | $10,000 | 30 | 2 | [3, 4, 5, 6] |
| | + Helmet | head | 18/12 | +$2,000 | 5 | 2 | [3, 6, 7, 11] |
| 9 | Space Armor | full suit | 50/30 | $20,000 | 45 | 2 | [3, 4, 6, 10] |
| | + Helmet | head | 40/30 | +$3,000 | 7 | 2 | [3, 6, 7, 11] |
| 9 | Vacc Suit | full suit | 6* | $10,000 | 25 | 4 | [3, 4, 10] |
| | + Vacc Helmet | head | 6 | +$2,000 | 5 | 4 | [3, 11] |

==== High-Tech Notes ====
All TL7+ armor electronics and powered systems (including the battlesuit) work for (TL - 6) ¥ 6 hours before they require recharging or refueling.
  * [1] Split DR: use the first, higher DR against piercing and cutting attacks; use the second, lower DR against all other damage types.
  * [2] Concealable as or under clothing.
  * [3] DR increases with TL. After the TL of introduction, consult the following table:
^ TL ^ DR Multiplier ^
| Intro | x1 |
| Intro+1 | x1.5 |
| Intro+2 | x2 |
| Intro+3 | x3 |
| Any higher | x4 |
  * [4] Biomedical sensors allow remote monitoring of vital signs, giving +1 to Diagnosis skill when examining the wearer. In addition, the suit is climate-controlled.
  * [5] Requires NBC Suit skill – but at TL9+, the suit does not limit DX. Worn with a mask or a helmet with note [7], the combination provides the Sealed advantage.
  * [6] Split DR: use the higher DR only if the attack strikes the torso (if body armor), skull (if headgear), or underside of the foot (if footwear).
  * [7] Provides Filter Lungs, Protected Smell, and Protected Vision – but before TL9, it also gives the No Peripheral Vision disadvantage.
  * [8] Provides Protected Vision.
  * [9] Suit’s DR applies only against burning or corrosion damage.
  * [10] Requires Vacc Suit skill. If worn with its helmet, the suit gives Doesn’t Breathe (for 12 hours), Protected Smell, Sealed, and Vacuum Support.
  * [11] Provides Protected Hearing, Protected Vision, and Radio. At TL9+, add Absolute Direction (Requires Signal), Infravision, Night Vision 9, and (TL - 8) levels of Telescopic Vision. TL9+ helmets also include a head-up display (HUD) compatible with “smartgun” electronics (p. 278). Battlesuits add Hyperspectral Vision and Laser Communication.
  * [12] Requires Battlesuit skill. Gives Lifting ST +10, Striking ST +10, and Super Jump 1. Add +5 to Lifting ST, +5 to Striking ST, and +1 to Super Jump per TL past TL9. With its helmet in place, it also grants Doesn’t Breathe (for 12 hours), Protected Smell, Sealed, and Vacuum Support. Do not count suit weight toward encumbrance!

=====Ultra-Tech Body Armor and Protective Gear=====

The armor tables follow the same format as those in the
GURPS Basic Set; see p. B282 for an explanation of abbreviations and location coverage. Some items have special
features or restrictions; these are detailed in the item’s
description.

===Threat Protection===

High DR doesn’t provide much defense against chemical
weapons, great heat, microbes, and so on. These dangers
demand specialized protection that corresponds to particular advantages. Below are several common classes of
“threat protection” used in descriptions of protective gear:

Climate Control: The equipment provides protection
against climatic extremes equivalent to the Temperature
Tolerance advantage. Climate control systems remove
waste heat as well as providing insulation and air conditioning. They extend the wearer’s comfort zone to the range
noted. If the suit is not sealed, treat as if it were merely air
conditioned and insulated. If the wearer’s own comfort
zone is greater, the equipment may fail before its user does!

Air Supply: The equipment provides air for the wearer.
The air supply times listed are an approximation (different
people use air at different rates), and assume an external
pressure of one atmosphere or less. For game purposes,
assume that most adults use about the same amount of air
per hour, and that children under 12 use half as much. It
takes 10 seconds to hook up a tank and two seconds to jettison it. Air refills are $5 per hour, but most vehicles with
life support systems incorporate air compressors that can
top them up for free.

Glare-Resistant: The equipment screens out bright light.
It is equivalent to Protected Vision (p. B78, and works
against the deleterious effects of “dazzle,” “flash,” and
“strobe” weapons.

Hearing Protection: The equipment screens out noise,
and is equivalent to Protected Hearing (p. B78).

Radiation PF: The equipment has a radiation Protection
Factor. Divide radiation by the PF before applying its
effects, as if the user had Radiation Tolerance (p. B79).

Pressurized: The equipment is resistant to pressures
greater than one atmosphere. Pressurized comes in three
levels, each equivalent in effect to a level of Pressure
Support (p. B77). This protects against crushing ocean
depths and superdense atmospheres like those of Venus
and Jupiter.

Sealed: Impervious to penetration by liquids and gases.
This corresponds to the Sealed advantage (p. B82). It prevents all harm from noncorrosive bioweapons, chemicals,
and nano, as well as ordinary rust and waterlogging.
Vacuum Support: Protects the wearer or occupants from
the deleterious effects associated with vacuum and decompression (other than lack of air). This corresponds with the
Vacuum Support advantage (p. B96).

====Body Armor====
These unpowered suits and armored garments require
no special skill to use.
All body armor can come in any desired color, including
camouflage patterns. It takes three seconds per piece to
don or remove most body armor.
==Body Armor Styles==
Ultra-tech body armor is available in a variety of standard styles.

Bodysuit: This outfit covers the torso, groin, arms, and
legs. The neck, head, or extremities are uncovered, making
it easy to add customized boots, gloves, and helmets.

Gloves: A pair of armored gloves. They’re made of thinner material than other armor types to avoid compromising the wearer’s manual dexterity.

Jacket: This is a heavier outfit that covers the torso and arms. It zips up and has plenty of pockets.

Suit: This head-to-toe outfit includes a hood and face
mask with eye slit. It’s a useful exploration suit, supers costume, or ninja suit. It is also used as the basis for tailored
armor (pp. 174-175).

Trousers: A pair of long pants, protecting the groin and
legs (but not the feet). It is not obviously armor, and can
pass for a normal pair of work pants or jeans.

Vest: A sleeveless t-shirt covering the torso.

All concealable armor styles can pass as normal clothing, although bodysuits and complete suits are likely to be
conspicuous.

Additional styles can be created using the tailored armor
(pp. 174-175) rules.
===Ballistic Armor (TL9-11)===
This armor uses flexible materials to resist high velocity
projectile attacks as well as cutting blows. It’s the ultra-tech
successor to modern bulletproof vests. On a practical level,
TL9+ ballistic armor’s major advance is that it can provide
full protection for areas other than the torso without sacrificing mobility.
Since bullets are among the most effective ways to deal
damage at TL9-10, ballistic armor is widespread at these
tech levels. At TL11+ it often declines in popularity, superseded by armor optimized against beam weapons.
Ballistic armor is flexible with a split DR: it provides full
protection against piercing and cutting attacks, and uses its
reduced DR against all other types of damage.
As material technology advances, ballistic armor continually improves. Examples of progressively-better ballistic
armor types are reflex, nanoweave, and monocrys armor.

Reflex (TL9): This ballistic armor is a fabric woven from para-aramid fibers (such as Kevlar), polyethylene, or synthetics inspired by the molecular structure of spider silk. It is soaked in a “shear thickening fluid” of hard ceramic nanoparticles suspended in liquid. During normal handling, the armor is very flexible, but when a bullet or fragment strikes it, it becomes a rigid material.

Nanoweave (TL10): This armor is similar to reflex armor, but is reinforced for extra strength by woven carbon
nanotubes. Nanoweave armor can be fitted with various accessories, using “smart” properties that can be engineered into it.

Monocrys (TL11): This is a single-crystal weave of synthetic diamondoid fibers, also called “nanocrystal.” It is
very light, but diamondoid materials melt at high temperatures, which means that monocrys is not particularly useful against beam weapons.

For heavier, non-concealable versions of reflex,
nanoweave, and monocrys, see the descriptions of tactical
vests (p. 173) and tactical suits (p. 178).

===Concealable Ballistic Armor Table===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 9 | Reflex Bodysuit | body, limbs | 12/4* | $900 | 6 | 3 |
| 9 | Reflex Gloves | hands | 6/2* | $30 | neg. | 4 |
| 9 | Reflex Jacket | arms, torso | 12/4* | $450 | 3 | 3 |
| 9 | Reflex Suit | all | 12/4* | $1,200 | 8 | 3 |
| 9 | Reflex Trousers | groin, legs | 12/4* | $280 | 2.8 | 3 |
| 9 | Reflex Vest | torso | 12/4* | $300 | 2 | 3 |
| 10 | Nanoweave Bodysuit | body, limbs | 18/6* | $900 | 6 | 3 |
| 10 | Nanoweave Gloves | hands | 9/3* | $30 | neg. | 4 |
| 10 | Nanoweave Jacket | arms, torso | 18/6* | $450 | 3 | 3 |
| 10 | Nanoweave Suit | all | 18/6* | $1,200 | 8 | 3 |
| 10 | Nanoweave Trousers | groin, legs | 18/6* | $280 | 2.8 | 3 |
| 10 | Nanoweave Vest | torso | 18/6* | $300 | 2 | 3 |
| 11 | Monocrys Bodysuit | body, limbs | 24/8* | $900 | 6 | 3 |
| 11 | Monocrys Gloves | hands | 12/4* | $30 | neg. | 4 |
| 11 | Monocrys Jacket | arms, torso | 24/8* | $450 | 3 | 3 |
| 11 | Monocrys Suit | all | 24/8* | $1,200 | 8 | 4 |
| 11 | Monocrys Trousers | groin, legs | 24/8* | $280 | 2.8 | 3 |
| 11 | Monocrys Vest | torso | 24/8* | $300 | 2 | 3 |

* Flexible.

===Tactical Vest (TL9-11)===
This thick, sleeveless, jacket-like vest covers the torso
and groin, with front and back pockets for inserting rigid
ceramic or alloy plates.

A tactical vest is made of similar materials to concealable body armor, but is heavier, and is obviously
body armor. It provides full protection against cutting
and piercing damage, and reduced protection against all
other attacks. Its trauma plates provide full protection
against all damage types. It takes three seconds to insert
or remove the plates.

===Tactical Vest Table===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 9 | Reflex Tactical Vest | torso, groin | 18/7* | $900 | 9 | 2 |
| | trauma plates torso | +34 | +$600 | +9 | 2 |
| 10 | Nanoweave Tactical Vest | torso, groin | 24/10* | $900 | 9 | 2 |
| | trauma plates | torso | +46 | +$600 | +9 | 2 |
| 11 | Monocrys Tactical Vest | torso, groin | 36/15* | $900 | 9 | 2 |
| | trauma plates | torso | +69 | $600 | +9 | 2 |

* Flexible.

===Assault Boots (TL9-12)===
These armored boots add metal or ceramic inserts to the
sole of a ballistic fiber. At TL9-11 they provide their full DR
against attacks to the underside of the foot (e.g., stepping
on a stake, a contact-detonation mine, etc.) but half DR
against attacks from other angles. TL12 boots provide full
protection from all angles.

Hiking: Ultra-tech combat boots incorporate smart-matter responsive fabrics and biomaterials that treat or prevent
blistering from long marches. They count as the best quality equipment and add +TL/2 to Hiking skill.

===Assault Boots Table===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^ Notes ^
| 9 | Assault Boots | feet | 12/6 | $150 | 3 | 4 |
| 10 | Assault Boots | feet | 18/9 | $150 | 3 | 4 |
| 11 | Assault Boots | feet | 30/15 | $150 | 3 | 4 |
| 12 | Assault Boots | feet | 50 | $150 | 3 | 4 |

===Laser-Resistant Body Armor (TL9-11)===
Ultra-tech lasers are capable weapons at TL9 and
become common at TL10, resulting in the development of
flexible body armor optimized to counter them.

==Ablative Armor (TL9)==
This is similar to reflex armor, but made of plastic fabric designed to vaporize when struck by a laser beam. Since
the armor is damaged by the attack, ablative armor is more
useful against a single assassin than it is in a lengthy combat mission!

Ablative armor has a split DR. Its full DR is used against
the burning or crushing explosive damage inflicted by any
type of laser (including X-ray and graser models). This DR
is also semi-ablative: For every 10 points of basic laser damage rolled, remove one point of DR from the location
struck, regardless of whether the attack penetrated or not.
Its lower DR is used against all other attacks, and is not
ablative.

==Reflec (TL9)==
Reflec is a light, highly-reflective armor of polished
metallic fibers that reflects laser fire. It is useless against
other attacks, but can be worn over other armor. Reflec has
a split DR: It gets its full DR against microwaves and lasers
(but not X-ray or gamma-ray lasers), but provides no protection against other weapons.
Reflec is an excellent radar reflector: any stealth benefits
against radar are negated, and add +1 (+2 if wearing a full
suit) to rolls to detect its wearer.

Reflec is not superscience, but is a cinematic technology. Realistically, mirrored material is not very effective
against laser weapons, although it will function against
microwave beams.

Any rigid helmet can be made reflective for $50. It gains
+20 DR vs. lasers and microwaves.

==Ablative Nanoplas (TL10)==
This is advanced ablative armor made of tailored carbon
nanotubes. It has higher DR, but it is otherwise equivalent
to TL9 ablative armor.

==Retro-Reflective Armor (TL11^)==
This superscience reflec armor is embedded with
polished, metallic fibers covered with millions of tiny
spherical lenses. The micro-mirrors reflect laser fire back
at the attacker. The armor “bounces back” half the
damage from visible-light or near-infrared lasers that the
DR actually resisted. The remaining damage affects the
wearer normally.

If he wasn’t suspecting the reflection, the attacker
doesn’t get an active defense against the first attack reflected back at him. He gets his usual defenses against subsequent reflected attacks, or if he knew the armor would be
retro-reflective. Retro-reflec only works against direct hits!

===Laser-Resistant Armor Table===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^
| 9 | Ablative Jacket | arms, torso | 24/4* | $450 | 3 | 3 |
| 9 | Ablative Suit | all | 24/4* | $1,200 | 8 | 3 |
| 9 | Ablative Trousers | groin, legs | 24/4* | $280 | 2.8 | 3 |
| 9 | Reflec Helmet | head | 20/0* | $25 | 0.5 | 4 |
| 9 | Reflec Jacket | torso, arms | 20/0* | $150 | 1 | 4 |
| 9 | Reflec Suit | all | 20/0* | $300 | 2 | 4 |
| 10 | Ablative Nanoplas Jacket | arms, torso | 36/6* | $450 | 3 | 3 |
| 10 | Ablative Nanoplas Suit | all | 36/6* | $1,200 | 8 | 3 |
| 10 | Ablative Nanoplas Trousers | groin, legs | 36/6* | $280 | 2.8 | 3 |
| 11* | Retro-Reflective Helmet | head | 40/0* | $250 | 0.5 | 4 |
| 11* | Retro-Reflective Jacket | torso, arms | 40/0* | $1,500 | 1 | 4 |
| 11* | Retro-Reflective Suit | all | 40/0* | $3,000 | 2 | 4 |
* Flexible.

===Bioplas Armor (TL10)===
Bioplas is a strong, pseudo-alive smart matter material
that is light and comfortable to wear – see Smart Bioplastic
(p. 171). Flexible armored suits and clothing are made out
of this material. Like other bioplastic equipment, it can
heal rips and tears if it has access to moisture and heat,
such as sweat and body heat. Bioplas is also a popular
material for swimwear and other sports clothing.
Bioplas is flexible armor with a split DR. Unlike ballistic
body armor, bioplas provides its full DR against burning
and piercing damage, but gets only one-third DR vs. other
damage types. Thus, it’s very effective against a bullet or
most energy beams, but not that much use against a powerful blow or a vat of acid.
See Space Biosuit (p. 179) for a sealed environmental
suit version.

===Bioplas Armor Table===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^
| 10 | Bioplas Bodysuit | body, limbs | 15/5* | $1,800 | 3 | 3 |
| 10 | Bioplas Gloves | hands | 15/5* | $60 | neg. | 4 |
| 10 | Bioplas Suit | all | 15/5* | $2,400 | 4 | 3 |
* Flexible.

==Transparent Bioplas (TL10)==
This is an option for any bioplas outfit and the space
biosuit (p. 179). It does not protect against laser fire, but
otherwise is the same as any other bioplas vest or suit. The
suit adjusts around the user’s body, and is almost invisible
when worn. (A Vision roll from a yard or less will spot it,
and anyone touching the wearer will notice it.) Transparent
bioplas also comes in translucent colors; by covering up
strategic areas, a wearer of a tinted bodysuit can look as if
he or she is wearing a swimsuit while protecting the entire
body. Transparent bioplas costs twice as much as ordinary
bioplas, but is otherwise identical.

===Energy Cloth (TL12)===
This light and easily-concealed armor is an ultra-tech
ballistic fiber similar to monocrys. Its hyperdense “fabric”
is resistant to nearly all forms of attack. It is flexible, but
gets its full DR against all damage types.

===Energy Cloth Table===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^
| 12 | Energy Cloth Bodysuit | body, limbs | 30* | $2,000 | 6 | 3 |
| 12 | Energy Cloth Gloves | hands | 15* | $50 | neg. | 4 |
| 12 | Energy Cloth Jacket | arms, torso | 30* | $1,500 | 3 | 3 |
| 12 | Energy Cloth Suit | all | 30* | $4,000 | 8 | 4 |
| 12 | Energy Cloth Trousers | groin, legs | 30* | $1,400 | 2.8 | 3 |
| 12 | Energy Cloth Vest | torso | 30* | $1,000 | 2 | 3 |
* Flexible.


====Rigid Body Armor====

These are non-flexible pieces of non-sealed armor used
to protect particular body parts.
===Headgear (TL9-12)===
This armor protects the head or eyes. It is made of rigid
armor plastic or composites.
==Armored Shades (TL9-12)==
Sunglasses with armored lenses are available. They are
glare-resistant and can be built into any of the video glasses described in Chapter 3.
==Light Infantry Helmet (TL9-12)==
These helmets resemble those used by 20th-century soldiers. They have no built-in electronics, and are often worn
with armored shades (above) or an optional visor attachment. The visor is glare-resistant, and is often fitted with a HUD (p. 24), although this is not standard.

===Rigid Body Armor Table===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^
| 9 | Armored Shades | eyes | 10 | $100 | +0.1 | 4 |
| 9 | Light Infantry Helmet | skull | 18 | $250 | 3 | 3 |
| + | Visor | eyes, face | 15 | +$100 | +3 | 3 |
| 10 | Armored Shades | eyes | 15 | $100 | +0.1 | 4 |
| 10 | Light Infantry Helmet | skull | 24 | $250 | 3 | 3 |
| + | Visor | eyes, face | 20 | +$100 | +3 | 3 |
| 11 | Armored Shades | eyes | 20 | $100 | +0.1 | 4 |
| 11 | Light Infantry Helmet | skull | 36 | $250 | 3 | 3 |
| + | Visor | eyes, face | 30 | +$100 | +3 | 3 |
| 12 | Armored Shades | eyes | 30 | $100 | +0.1 | 4 |
| 12 | Light Infantry Helmet | skull | 48 | $250 | 3 | 3 |
| + | Visor | eyes, face | 40 | +$100 | +3 | 3 |

===Clamshell Armor (TL9-12)===
This hinged cuirass consists of sloped, molded composite laminate reinforced by an inner layer of flexible armor.
It is favored by soldiers who don’t want to carry around the
weight of a full suit of armor, but do want plenty of protection where it counts.

===Clamshell Armor Table===
^ TL ^ Armor ^ Location ^ DR ^ Cost ^ Weight ^ LC ^
| 9 | Heavy Clamshell | torso | 45 | $900 | 18 | 2 |
| 9 | Light Clamshell | torso | 30 | $600 | 12 | 2 |
| 10 | Heavy Clamshell | torso | 60 | $900 | 18 | 2 |
| 10 | Light Clamshell | torso | 45 | $600 | 12 | 2 |
| 11 | Heavy Clamshell | torso | 90 | $900 | 18 | 2 |
| 11 | Light Clamshell | torso | 60 | $600 | 12 | 2 |