Armor Construction (V7)
From the Rulebook
The Monarch, Champion and Guildmaster of Reeves rate armor. Damage to armor only applies to the hit location that was struck, and armor only protects the area it physically covers. Damage that exceeds the armor value (i.e. arrows, Berserk Barbarian weapons, Great Weapon, etc.) wounds or kills the target. Armor that is mixed (multiple types of armor covering the same body area) will be averaged. Armor may not be stacked or layered to increase or add value unless explicitly stated in these rules. Armor worn under tabards or garb must be partially visible, and must be announced if asked. Armor should weigh close to actual historical standards to receive full value. Armor only protects the area it physically covers. Straps and other such material that hold your armor on do not count as part of the armor, for either coverage or averaging purposes, unless they are specifically built as such. Example: the leather strap across your back holding on your steel breastplate does not protect you from blows. Standard criteria are 16-gauge steel for metals and 1/16 inch for leather. All armor must be safe, with no protruding edges that could injure someone. Armor values may never be greater than 6 points unless you are a 6th level warrior or certain monster classes. Armor is rated as the material that it most resembles, thus plastic and other non-metallic armors can never be disguised nor passed off as plate or Chainmail.