Leather armour (bracer)

[Qcumber]

I have a leather bracer which I use for longbow archery. It is about 3mm thick and semi-flexible; enough to wrap around the arm easily but certainly not enough to form an item of clothing. It weighs 100g and covers about 60% of the forearm. It's durable and feels like it would take a bit of effort to cut or pierce it (although I have not tried); with light padding beneath I think it would absorb some of the power from a blunt weapon too. Where would this stand in terms of protection using GURPS rules?

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by Qcumber

I have a leather bracer which I use for longbow archery. It is about 3mm thick and semi-flexible; enough to wrap around the arm easily but certainly not enough to form an item of clothing. It weighs 100g and covers about 60% of the forearm. It's durable and feels like it would take a bit of effort to cut or pierce it (although I have not tried); with light padding beneath I think it would absorb some of the power from a blunt weapon too. Where would this stand in terms of protection using GURPS rules?

DR 1 vs cutting, protects on 1-2 out of d6 for arm hit*.


*Where for an arm: (1-3) forearm; (4) elbow; (5) upper arm; (6) shoulder.
Low Tech, p. 100.

[Captain-Captain]

I don't see why not.

It's reasonably close enough to leather armor as described in the rules by your account.

[Crakkerjakk]

You could even say 1-2 on an arm hit, since it only covers 60% of the forearm.

[Qcumber]

I thought that thin leather would fit the bill, except that it (the bracer) is very stiff leather. I imagine thin leather as described in LT to be much more flexible; much like that used for a leather jacket.

[Crakkerjakk]

Originally Posted by Qcumber

I thought that thin leather would fit the bill, except that it (the bracer) is very stiff leather. I imagine thin leather as described in LT to be much more flexible; much like that used for a leather jacket.

I'd bump it up to actual DR 1*, not just v cutting. Maybe DR 2*, though I think that's where you get into cuirbolli, and I don't know if that's really justified.

[Qcumber]

DR1 seems justifiable, especially if worn with padding. Weight wise it would be about the same as padded cloth so would be equivalent to that. I would not consider it flexible though.

[DanHoward]

Medium leather is DR 2* (1 vs imp). I'm not sure whether only 3mm of leather qualifies. I'd go with Light Leather too, which only gives DR 1 vs cut.

[Qcumber]

Medium leather sounds about right but works out heavier than the actual weight of the bracer. Extrapolating the weight of the bracer as torso armour would give a value of about 4lbs (1.6kg) - much lighter than medium leather. How much would padding weigh? If it was 2lb then this would give the same weight as padded cloth.

[Lupo]

Originally Posted by Qcumber

I imagine thin leather as described in LT to be much more flexible; much like that used for a leather jacket.

I think that a leather so thin does not grant DR. Of course it depends on how thick is the jacket :)