Hard and Soft Armors

Body armors are divided up by whether or not the majority of their protection is based on rigid metals/ceramics/composites, or on softer, more flexible ballistic fabrics. This is done for layering purposes and for some weapon damage effects. The table below is arranged with heaviest protection at the top, lightest at bottom.

HARD/SOFT ARMOR TABLE

Mayering Armor: "What a concept", you think, shrugging into a bulletproof T-shirt, bulletproof vest and a Kevlar armor jacket. Theoretically, one should be able to layer protection upon itself until he becomes invulnerable.

Prongo. First of all, let's look at reality. If the average cop could stack layers of armor on himself before tackling a domestic disorbance call, you can bet he'd do it. But doesn't, because it just isn't practical. Here's why.

Then you layer flack jackets, you aren't invulnerable; you're just immobile. While modern armor isn't as heavy as old fashioned armor plate, it's very encumbering from the movement angle.Straps, buckles, padding and stiff plastic add up to restrict arm movement, chafe the torso, and weigh down the legs. Pillsbury-doughboy padded arms don't lift guns very well, and well-stuffed legs aren't much for bending, climbing and running.

For this reason, every armor type in FNFF has an encumbcrance value (EV). When wearing body armor, add up the total of EV's (listed in the Armor Table), and subtract this from your character's REFLEX stat. Even if you're cybered up, a lot of armor is gonna cost you.

New Armor Rules:

These new rules (previously published in CP 2020 erratta sheets) have been added to clarify the armor question and deal with a reoccurring problem.

New Rule 1: Maximum Armor

Now, in addition to Encumberance Values, only a maximum of 3 layers of Armor can be worn at any one time; no more than one of these layers can be Hard Armor (see Hard/Soft Armors Table). The 2nd layer has an extra EV penalty of -1; the 3rd layer, an additional penalty of -2. Subdermal Armor and Bodyplating cyberware options are considered to be armor layers; Skinweave is considered a layer, but receives no penalty.

New Rule 2: Proportional Armor

When layering armor, or wearing armor behind an obstacle or cover, subtract the smaller SP from the larger one. Find the difference on the table below and read across to the other column. This is the bonus number you add to the larger SP to determine overall protection from the armor/armor, or armor/cover combination. If you have three or more layers of protection, calculate in pairs from the inside out (example: For armors A, B, C, you compare A and B; determine the bonus number, and then compare the new strength of the larger of the pair to armor C.)

Armor Piercing Rounds

There's another reason why armor isn't the universal cure for flying lead, and it's called Armor Piercing (AP) rounds. These are bullets designed to deliver their full impact to a single point, instead of mushrooming out like a normal bullet. They don't cause as much damage as a standard lead or hollow point round (1/2 normal damage), but they cut through armor like a hot knife through cheese. As a result, whenever AP rounds are encountered, armor will have one half it's total SP value.

For example, say a 5.56 AP round muses 30 points of damage. It hits SP 10 armor, which reduces it by 5 (10/2=5) The remaining 25 points ore further reduced to 12 (25/2= 12.5, rounded down to 12), based on an AP round's lower damage capacity.

The same is true of knives, swords and other edged weapons. Note that armors marked with a check (***) on the Armor Table are at half SP effectiveness against edged weapons.

The smart solution in a combat situation is to rely on the lightest armor you think you can get away with unless you're planning to take on a stationary position or go up against very heavy firepower.

Staged Penetration: Armor doesn't just keep absorbing damage indefinitely. One option is to use the concept of Staged Penetration. Each time the armor is struck by a pentrating attack (i.e., an attack that actually exceeds the armor's SP), it's SP is reduced by 1 point When the SP reaches 0, the armor will no longer stop damage.