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Military armor

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Angelone

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« Reply #30 on: <04-19-13/1225:05> »
One of my PCs has a set of ruthenium covered light military armor for heavy ops. It's definitely not everyday wear but it's fun to roll hard every now and then.   
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KarmaInferno

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« Reply #31 on: <04-20-13/2351:44> »
As I've said before, why use milspec when all the various armor stacking and modding rules allow ordinary armor clothing to be just about as good?

Also, the corp response to milspec attackers isn't going to be more milspec. It's likely to be great big honking spirits, because those can be dispatched and arrive at a facility in minutes.

Oh, the corp WILL eventually send on the boys in walking tanks with god weapons, but those take time to gather and field. More time than the runners will take to do their thing and escape. So the corps need a high speed high power response that can be launched from halfway across the city, or heck the next city over. That means spirits.



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mtfeeney = Baron

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« Reply #32 on: <04-21-13/0053:42> »
What's the highest armor rating you can get from modding and stacking armor?  Lay it out for me.  My guess is... 

SWAT Armor, 12/10 with 18 rating slots open.  Gel packs, Fire resistance 6, Electric resistance 6, YNT Softweave, whatever else.
PPP full set for +2/+6, 9 mod slots, throw in ice resistance 3 and acid resistance 6.
FFBA Full for +6/+2, 9 mod slots, throw in...whatever.  Thermal 6, maybe?
Swat helmet at +2/+2.

This brings you up to 22/27 Armor and 19/26 Encumbrance, so you would need 13 Body minus your strength to wear it without penalty.  Any better combo?
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UmaroVI

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« Reply #33 on: <04-21-13/1657:02> »
You can slap on variuos other things. Quizzel Fairy/Dragon Wings (Attitude) and the Tactical Neck Insulator (better known as the Moonsilver Line Scarf from Arsenal), which can have the attitude Weaves on it. Depending on how your group rules Weaves work, you can also replace SWAT armor with Vashon Island Steampunk and put weaves on every piece but that will not fly at most tables. You also might be able to wear a Ballistic Mask but again your GM might draw the line at the fourth piece of protective headgear. You can also use a shield, but that's generally not worth it.

Where MilSpec armor has the advantage is for low-Body people who couldn't wear all that crap anyways, and can cap out with MilSpec using that mod it gets that reduces movement penalties, Softweave with the strength bonus it gives, and the x3 encumbrance. For a Body 3 dude the difference is enough that if you have the spare money for times when you don't care about subtlety, it is worth it. Past about Body 6 MilSpec just sucks.

Glyph

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« Reply #34 on: <04-21-13/1822:25> »
<snip> the Tactical Neck Insulator (better known as the Moonsilver Line Scarf from Arsenal) <snip>

Hey, Yoko!  Would you lend us your scarf?  Gurren Lagann needs more armor!

Mithlas

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« Reply #35 on: <04-22-13/2203:45> »
Past about Body 6 MilSpec just sucks.
I seem to recall that milspec armor had better capacity than other armor, but I'm away from books right now.

Michael Chandra

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« Reply #36 on: <04-22-13/2210:51> »
Heavy MilSpec is at 20 iirc.
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Angelone

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« Reply #37 on: <04-22-13/2323:06> »
Past about Body 6 MilSpec just sucks.

Pay no attention to this one. To him everything sucks, from Adepts without implants to the sample characters in the core book, and now military armor. Have to wonder why he even bothers with the game if he hates it that much...

He's right about the sample characters and I tend to agree with the adept thing as well, military armor sucking not so much.
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RHat

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« Reply #38 on: <04-22-13/2357:34> »
Military Armour may not be the BEST option for raw Ballistic/Impact values anymore past a certain Body score, but given it's access to unique enhancements "useless" is entirely inaccurate.
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UmaroVI

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« Reply #39 on: <04-23-13/0843:55> »
Well, in fairness, it's not like there's a sharp threshold where it's suddenly awful. It would be more accurate to say that there is a steady increase in suckitude as your Body increases past 6 and you are giving up more and more defense for the unique enhancements. At, say, Body 9, you really are giving up a hefty chunk of armor to be using expensive, distinctive, unconcealable and illegal armor with some nifty side benefits, but at 6 you're giving up less. It really is a lot less good for a Body 6 character than a Body 3 character, though.

UmaroVI

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« Reply #40 on: <04-23-13/0853:03> »
Did All4BigGuns post and then delete his post? I'm seeing a reply but not what was replied to.

mtfeeney = Baron

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« Reply #41 on: <04-23-13/0921:56> »
Someone with 3 Body can't wear Milspec.  3 x 3 is only 9.
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Michael Chandra

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« Reply #42 on: <04-23-13/0926:21> »
Without helmet we're talking sacrificing 8 out of 20 capacity on compensation to nullify the penalties.
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Mirikon

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« Reply #43 on: <04-23-13/1019:33> »
Someone with 3 Body can't wear Milspec.  3 x 3 is only 9.
Mobility Upgrade can negate the penalties.
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Tsuzua

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« Reply #44 on: <04-23-13/1200:23> »
The vast majority of military armor specific modifications can be more discretely done by cyberware* or bioware for roughly the same price. The only ones that are unique are meant to mitigate the drawbacks of military armor like not being able to swim or reducing its encumbrance penalty. Then coupled with the fact you're broadcasting to everyone that you're so ready for a fight you went out and bought a 20,000+Y suit of armor that doesn't even bother to look like normal clothing means its uses are limited.

Armor capacity doesn't mean as much in a world of gecko tape and backpacks, and the fact that if you armor stack, you have tons and tons of armor modification limits to use. The immunity to injection attacks is cool, but not especially noteworthy since most injection attacks will have a bite attached or they're using DMSO instead.

All-in-all, military armor has a niche for high threat low subtlety** situations for well-supplied people with low to mid range body scores who have time to prepare. As SR goes, that's a perfectly fine niche and a lot more other things get. It's just military armor isn't some sort of be-all-end-all pink mohawk armor***. That said, if you houserule that military armor can stack with other worn armor, it then does become the be-all-end-all pink mohawk armor.

*- I know I'm part of the "don't buy cybereyes, buy goggles" crowd. In that case, goggles or glasses are perfectly normal equipment that you might see a guy on the street use. Likewise, a gyromount in an cyberarm has the good sense to hide itself until you use it. You also get armor and/or attribute boosts with that arm that apply when you go see someone at a seedy bar.

**- This is subtlety in the sense you don't expect to be walking down a street like a regular pedestrian without a fight. You can sneak around just fine in military armor.

***- What is depends on what books you're using. It's likely SWAT armor or the Steampunk suit with armor weaves.