Customisable Armour Rules

Customisable Armour Rules

These rules allow customised pieces of armour to be designed. The rules are for use with the Shadowrun Combat System Version 5.

Constructing Armour

Armour consists of three elements: ballistic, impact and plates. For each location type (torso, arm and leg) a combination of these armour elements can be selected. For these rules arm and leg locations are considered as the pair of limbs, not just one. Selecting Plates 1 for legs mean both legs have them.

Ballistic: These elements of the armour are made from Kevlar and other similar materials. These materials are excellent at stopping high kinetic energy attacks but offer little protection against impacts and blades. They are also very light and flexible. Impact: These thick materials or in expensive cases leather offer excellent padding and protection against blades and impacts but offer no protection against fire arms. Plates: Usually made of ceramics or metal, these offer excellent protection against bullets and melee attacks, but are awkward and heavy, and usually restricted to being worn in vests. If plates are added to an arm or leg location add 1 to the encumbrance factor.

Once the materials of the armour are selected then calculated its Encumbrance and Concealability factors, and the Average Armour Value. Additional armour options may also be selected. The base armour cost can be calculated by adding the total Nuyen of each rating of material used.

Type	Rating	Ballistic	Impact	Encumbrance Factor	Concealment Factor	Cost Nuyen
Ballistic	1	1	0	0	0	50
	2	2	0	0	1	100
	3	3	0	1	2	150
	4	4	0	2	3	200
Impact	1	0	1	1	1	10
	2	0	2	2	2	20
	3	0	3	3	3	30
	4	0	4	4	4	40
Plates	1	1	1	2	2	100
	2	2	2	3	3	150
	3	3	3	4	4	200
	4	4	4	5	5	250

Helmets

Helmets do not count towards EF of armour. They also add 25% of there rating to the Average Armour Value. The base concealability for head protection is 8 as it is quite easy to see if someone is wearing it.

Type	Rating	Ballistic	Impact	Perception Modifier	Concealment Factor	Cost Nuyen
Ballistic	1	1	0	0	0	50
	2	2	0	0	1	100
	3	3	0	1	2	150
Impact	1	0	1	1	1	10
	2	0	2	2	2	20
	3	0	3	3	3	30
Plates	1	1	1	2	2	100
	2	2	2	3	3	150
	3	3	3	4	4	200

Encumbrance Factor

Each character has a Maximum Encumbrance Rating which is equal to their (Body + Strength + Quickness)/3 rounded down.

This number represents the awkwardness of the armour. For each two levels of encumbrance factor over the characters maximum encumbrance rating the character suffers -1 on their combat pool. If multiple layers of armour are worn their encumbrance factors arm added. This effect can be removed if the Form Fitting Armour Option is selected for the armour.

If multiple layers of armour are worn then for each point that the encumbrance factor exceeds the characters Maximumu Encumbrance Rating that character suffers a +1 target number modifier on all quickness and dodge related tests and a -1 quickness modifier for movement purposes. This effect can be removed by taking the Custom Tailoring option is selected for the armour. Helmets do not count as layered armour.

The average armour rating is used in area of effect attacks such as grenades, shotguns with shot rounds and manipulation area of effect spells. It is calculated using the following formula:

Average Armour Value = [1.5*Torso value + (Arm Value + Leg Value)/2]/2 (Rounded down)

Armour Options

Armour modifications May be selected as per the rules in the Cannon Companion. Where ratings are stated a piece of armour may receive a number of modifications equal to its total Encumbrance Factor. These modifications effect each location equally (e.g. if fire resistance level 5 is take all locations protected by that piece of armour have that modification). Normal clothing can take two levels of modification. Concealability Factor The Concealability Factor of armour can be calculated by adding the concealability factor of the torso to the average or the arm and leg locations. Concealability can then be determined subtracting its total concealability factor from 14. Concealability may be increased by the Concealed Armour option. When working out the concealability of layered armour add the highest Concealability Factor to half of the next highest Concealability Factor and then subtract this from 14 to find the concealability.

Armour Options

Form Fitting

The piece of armour is sculpted to fit the wearers’ body contours. Only one piece of form fitting armour can be worn. Form fitting may not be used in conjunction with the Plates material. Only two levels of Impact armour can be taken with the Form Fitting Option. Armour with this option does not add its Encumbrance factor for determining combat pool loss and does not count for determining quickness loss. Form Fitting also halves the Concealability Factor of the armour. Apply this modification before the Concealed Armour Option. Cost: Base + 100%

Custom Tailoring

This piece of armour has been carefully designed not to restrict movement and its Encumbrance Factor does not count towards calculating quickness penalties. Cost: Base + 50%

Concealed Armour (Rating)

The armour had been carefully designed to appear normal. Each level of rating removes one point of Concealment Factor. Concealability Factor can only be reduced by a maximum of half. Apply these modifiers after those of the Form Fitting option. Cost: (Base + 100%) x Rating

Loose Fitting

Clothing worn by under cover agents is often designed to be one size to large so as to help conceal weaponry. This option adds +50% to the concealability of a weapon hidden under this armour. Jackets may only hide pistol and SMG weapons while long coats may hide shotguns, riffles, and assault rifles. Not compatible with Form Fitting. Cost: Base + 20%

Tres Chic

This clothing is just cool, the height of fashion. The higher the rating the more fashionable it is. Cost: (Base + 100%) x Rating

Camouflaged

This clothing has a specially designed pattern to assist with sneaking and hiding. The type of camouflage must be selected (urban, night, arctic etc). Perception tests against the wearer are at +4 target numbers. Note that camouflage is obvious and very un-chic.

Examples of Existing Armour

Armoured Jacket

Location	Ballistic	Impact	Plates	Encumbrance Factor	Concealment Factor	Armour Value
Torso	3	1	2	5	6	5/3
Arms	3	2	0	3	4	3/2
Legs	0	0	0	0	0	0/0
				8	8 (C 6)	5/3

Form Fitting Suit with out Helmet

Location	Ballistic	Impact	Plates	Encumbrance Factor	Concealment Factor	Armour Value
Torso	4	1	0	3	4/2* (2)	4/1
Arms	4	1	0	3	4/2* (2)	4/1
Legs	4	1	0	3	4/2* (2)	4/1
				9	4-2 (C 12)	5/1

Options: Form Fitting *, Concealable Armour Rating 2