[Cutting-Edge Armor Design] Real World SCA-legal Armour and Ballistics Armour

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Anthony

If you're looking at http://www.flashbainite.com/cm/dpl/i..._Challenge.jpg, that's not level IV. Level IV is 7.62M2 AP at 868m/s (2848 fps), that graphic is at 2100 fps. Pretty nice deceptive advertisement, though.

No, Flash® 500 is not the same alloy I'm thinking about. 'AR600' made using with the flash bainite process has a hardness of 600 and significantly better performance.

I was thinking that the performance of Vargas' armour might be around the performance of the Flash® 500 plate, so 5-6 mm will be enough for most 5.56x45mm and 7.62x39mm rounds, which are the most likely threats he'll face.

Actual armour-piercing ammunition looks like it is pretty rare in Mexico, even among cartels using various military ordnance. So full Level IV protection seems unecessary, even if it would be nice.

From a gamist point of view, the best the PCs can throw at him is 55 grain FMJ in 5.56x45mm from a 16" AR-15 barrel and 123 grain FMJ in 7.62x39mm from a 16" AK barrel. That's doing something around 5d-1 pi and 5d+1 pi.