Armor Points

Armor is rated by its ability to stop Wounds and is referred to as Armor Points. Armor with an Armor Point value not allowed to a Player Class may be worn for the highest value allowed to the Player Class with the permission of the reeve.

Basic Rules

• The Monarch, Champion and Guildmaster of Reeves rate armor.
• Armor that is of mixed values across the same area will be averaged based on the percentage of each type of coverage of the area, rounding fractions to the nearest whole number.
  

Example: An arm with a Plate bracer (5 AP) covering 30% of the arm and a Chainmail sleeve (3 AP) covering 70% of the arm will result in an armor value of (.3*5) + (.7*3) = 3.6 = 4 AP across the entire location.

• Armor that is made from synthetic materials such as vinyl, plastic, etc may be used but may never be rated higher than 2 Armor Points.
• Armor is considered to be of the type it most closely resembles.

Example: Leather with small plates or studs attached at 1” intervals is still leather armor, it is not butted plate with a negative modifier.

• Armor that is initially rated as zero points does not count as armor. Armor that has been depleted continues to be considered armor, but does not continue to stop wounds until restored.
• Armor listed under Armor Types show the minimum/maximum ranges for which a piece of armor will receive base points. Armor may also receive Armor Point bonuses and penalties. These modifiers may not result in a total net bonus of greater than +1, unless otherwise noted.
  

Example: Chainmail may be heavy weave, heavy gauge, riveted aluminum, and would have modifiers of -1 for lighter materials, -1 for less protective materials, +1 for riveted, +1 for heavy gauge, and +1 for heavy weave for a total of 4 points.

General Modifiers

General Modifiers

Type	Bonus/Penalty	Example/Notes
Inferior Construction	Up to two points can be deducted for armor that is substantially less protective or durable than standard construction techniques.	shoddy workmanship, larger ring diameter, lighter gauge, etc.
Non-Standard Metal	One point is deducted for metal armor that is less protective or lighter than steel.	titanium, bronze, etc. Metal which is both less protective and lighter has one point deducted for each.
Inferior Appearance	Up to two points can be deducted for inferior appearance, unrelated to the construction techniques used. This does not apply if the armor is intentionally made to look shoddy for an in-game purpose, such as monster/barbarian armor. Armor may receive this penalty regardless of construction quality.	obviously unfinished armor, visible inauthentic materials, or tarnished/poorly maintained armor.
Superior Construction	Up to one point may be awarded for armor that substantially exceeds the defensive properties of the standard materials or uses superior construction techniques such as fluting, heavier thickness/gauge materials, hardening, smaller ring diameter, etc. May not be awarded in combination with the same specific armor type modifier.	A +1 cannot be awarded twice for fluting on Articulated Plate.
Superior Appearance	Up to one point may be awarded for exceptional appearance unrelated to the construction techniques used. Armor receiving a modifier for Inferior Construction is not eligible for this bonus.	Examples include extensive and well-done tooling of leather, appealing addition of studs and/or rings, etching of metal, gilding, blueing, etc.
Light Helms	Up to one point may be awarded to the worn torso armor for wearing a helm on the head.	arming cap, coif, etc.)
Heavy Helm	Up to one point may be awarded to the worn torso armor for wearing a helm on the head. The torso armor bonus received from a Heavy Helm may allow the wearer to exceed the maximum value for the armor type.	Spangenhelm, Crusader Helm

Armor Types

Synthetic

Description	Material such as vinyl, naugahyde, ABS plastic, etc.
Base Armor Points	1
Maximum Armor Points	2
Requirements	Must be a minimum of 1/8” thick. Must not be obviously synthetic in appearance.
Modifiers (+1 each)
Heavy Gauge	Material is at least 1/4” thick either as a single piece or through the permanent attachment of several layers.	Gambeson	The armor is worn over a Gambeson.

Cloth

Description	This fabric armor offers minimal protection from penetration and impact.
Base Armor Points	1
Maximum Armor Points	2
Requirements	Must be a minimum of 1/16” thick when fully compressed. Must not be easily mistaken as regular garb.
Modifiers (+1 each)
None

Light Leather

Description	This animal skin or fur armor offers minimal protection from penetration and impact.
Base Armor Points	1
Maximum Armor Points	2
Requirements	Must be a minimum of 1/16” (0.06") thick, or 2mm (0.08") thick leather alternative (PU leather, Pleather, Faux Fur). Must not be obviously synthetic in appearance.
Modifiers (+1 each)
Cuirboilli	The leather has been made rigid through boiling, wax impregnation, lacquering, or a similar process.
Gambeson	The armor is worn over a Gambeson.

Strong Leather

Description	This thick leather armor provides some amount of protection from impact and penetration.
Base Armor Points	2
Maximum Armor Points	3
Requirements	Must be a minimum of 3/16” thick.
Modifiers (+1 each)
Cuirboilli	The leather has been made rigid through boiling, wax impregnation, lacquering, or a similar process.
Gambeson	The armor is worn over a Gambeson.
Heavy Gauge	The leather is at least 1/4” thick either as a single piece or through the permanent attachment of several layers.

Chainmail:

Description	This flexible armor is comprised of a tight weave of interlocked metal rings that provides good protection against penetration and some protection from impact. The standard weave for chainmail is 4-in-1 European. Weaves containing less metal qualify as inferior construction.
Base Armor Points	3
Maximum Armor Points	4
Requirements	Any weave is permitted, but must not allow a 1/2” diameter dowel to pass through it. Minimum 1.58mm (0.06") (16 gauge) diameter round steel rings. Flat rings must be at least 1.22mm (0.05")(18 gauge) thick along their thinnest axis. Maximum ring inner diameter of 3/8” (0.38").
Modifiers (+1 each)
Heavy Gauge	The rings are at least 1.9mm (0.07")(14 gauge) in diameter. Flat rings must be at least 1.58mm (0.06")(16 gauge) thick along their thinnest axis
Gambeson	The armor is worn over a Gambeson.
Dense Weave	Must not allow a 1/8” (0.125") diameter dowel to pass through it.
Solid Rings	All of the rings are permanently joined so that they may not separate. Examples are riveting, welding, or solid-cast rings.

Butted Plates

Description	Armor comprised of numerous steel plates butted together within sewn pockets, attached to a backing, linked by cord or chain, or by some other method. This armor is flexible with numerous seams and joints between plates. This armor will deform locally when struck rather than spreading out impact over a large area. It provides fair protection against both penetration and impact.
Base Armor Points	3
Maximum Armor Points	4
Requirements	Plates must be at least 1.22mm (18 gauge) steel. Plates must be spaced no more than 1/2” apart. Plates must cover at least 80% of the exposed area of the armor.
Modifiers (+1 each)
Heavy Gauge	The plates are at least 1.58mm (0.06")(16 gauge)
Heavy Backing:	The plates are attached to a backing of Strong Leather.
Gambeson	The armor is worn over a Gambeson.
Rigid	The plates are attached to a rigid backing in such a way as to create armor which does not deform locally on impact.
No Gaps	The plates are attached in such a fashion as to provide a continuous layer without gaps between plates.

Scale

Description	This armor is created by overlapping many metal plates which are attached along only one edge. Individual scales are not held into rigid contact with the others, thus providing less protection from penetration and impact than other overlapping metal armors. Scale offers fair penetration and impact resistance.
Base Armor Points	3
Maximum Armor Points	4
Requirements	Scales must be at least 1.22mm (0.05")(18 gauge) steel. Scales must overlap by at least 10%. The backing must not be visible through the scales.
Modifiers (+1 each)
Fluted	Each plate has been fluted for additional strength and rigidity.
Heavy Gauge	Each plate is at least 1.58mm (16 gauge).
Rigid	Each scale is attached to neighboring scales in such a fashion as to create a rigid shell rather than individually mobile scales.
Gambeson	The armor is worn over a Gambeson.

Lamellar

Description	This armor is constructed from numerous plates connected to each other in an overlapping fashion by cord, chain link, or similar methods. Unlike scales the plates of this type of armor are firmly connected to each other in such a way that they resist penetration. Lamellar armor differs from other rigid metal armors in that it is not shaped to fit the body or articulated; mobility is instead provided by the small amount of flex and slack in the attachment between the individual plates. This armor provides good protection from both impact and penetration.
Base Armor Points	4
Maximum Armor Points	5 (6 if both the Superior Overlap and Heavy Gauge modifiers are used.)
Requirements	Plates must be at least 1.22mm (0.05")(18 gauge) steel. Plates must overlap by at least 10%. No backing is used for support; plates must connect directly to each other.
Modifiers (+1 each)
Fluted	Each plate has been fluted for additional strength and rigidity.
Heavy Gauge	Each plate is at least 1.58mm (0.06")(16 gauge).
Superior Overlap	75% of plates overlap at least 25% of their surface area.
Gambeson	The armor is worn over a Gambeson.

Brigandine

Description	This armor is constructed from numerous shaped and fitted overlapping metal plates solidly connected along supporting shell of heavy cloth (such as canvas, denim, or velvet) in such a way that when worn all plates are held together firmly without any gaps between them and follow the general contours of the body This armor provides good protection against both impact and penetration.
Base Armor Points	4
Maximum Armor Points	5 (6 if both the Superior Overlap and Large Plates modifiers are used.)
Requirements	Plates must be at least 1.22mm (0.05")(18 gauge) steel. At least 75% of plates must overlap by at least 10% of their surface area. Plates need only be attached along one edge but must be held firmly against each other when the armor is worn. Plates must be shaped and fitted so as to follow the general contours of the wearer.
Modifiers (+1 each)
Heavy Gauge	Each plate is at least 1.58mm (0.06")(16 gauge).
Superior Overlap	75% of plates overlap at least 25% of their surface area.
Gambeson	The armor is worn over a Gambeson.
Large Plates	At least 50% of the surface area of the armor is protected by individual large plates rather than numerous smaller plates. Each large plate must be at least 10% of the total size of the hit location.

Plate

Description	Plate armor is the pinnacle of medieval armor and offers excellent protection against both impact and penetration. Plate armor armor forms a solid metal shell over the protected areas that spreads impact over a large surface area to mitigate concussive force. The individual metal pieces of plate armor are shaped and fitted to articulate together and follow the contours of the body. Plate armor will not deform locally when struck, but will instead behave as a single contiguous whole.
Base Armor Points	5
Maximum Armor Points	6
Requirements	Metal used must be at least 1.22mm (0.05")(18 gauge) steel. At least 75% of the protected area must be covered by individual plates which cover at least 10% of the hit location; Plate is large individual contiguous pieces of metal connected together to form a whole, not a large number of smaller plates. Each plate must be firmly attached to all neighboring plates by strapping or metal-on-metal articulation in such a way as to form a rigid shell when worn. Armor may still be flexible where necessary for mobility.
Modifiers (+1 each)
Fluted	Each plate has been fluted for additional strength and rigidity.
Heavy Gauge	Metal used is at least 1.58mm (0.06")(16 gauge).
Metal Articulations	At least 60% of articulations and connections between plates are metal-on-metal rather than metal-on-leather
Gambeson	The armor is worn over a Gambeson.