Mule Barding
 

Do different sized animals get mods for barding even of they are in the same SM?

Small Mules (800 lbs) SM:+1 (2 hexes)
vs.
Draft Horse (2000 lbs) SM+1 (3 Hexes)

Meaning, did someone else already figure this out and is happy to share their work?

(I have a test tomorrow and I didn't study)

Re: Mule Barding
 

Those animals don't get barding, they are not good mounts.

(Go study)

Re: Mule Barding
 

GURPS Low Tech has information on animal barding, for horses, camels, elephants, and dogs (that is, animals that were historically armored). Horse armor statistics would probably work just fine for a mule. Once you get into animals that are larger/smaller but have the same basic body type, you'll want to use the guidelines from LTC3 to work out cost and weight. For animals that are within the same SM, I'd say just use the same statistics - a 5-foot-tall character's armor weighs and costs the same as a 6-foot-tall one, after all. That Horse/Mule discrepancy is probably due to the horse being a little too long to count as 2 hexes, and the mule being a little too short to count as 3 hexes, rather than the mule being 2/3 the length of the horse (which would be about -1 to SM).

Re: Mule Barding
 

Humans of different sizes don't have modifiers for different armor unless they get points back for skinny, overweight, or fat. 4' 11" 90 lb ST 6 guy vs 6' 4" 280 lb ST 16 guy pay the same and carry the same weight.

I would assume the same rule therefore applies to non humans.

Re: Mule Barding
 

For a mule, use the stats for barding for a riding horse. For a donkey or small donkey, you'd need to use the rules for Low Tech to scale the mass down. Maybe 2/3 mass.

As others have said, historically barding wasn't made for mules or donkeys, although maybe the Sumerians rigged up something to protect the onagers (domesticated semi-wild donkeys) they used to pull chariots. So, any barding would need to be a custom job.

Given the inherent orneriness of both forms of equids, Animal Handling skill rolls might also be needed to get the beast to happily wear the barding.

Re: Mule Barding
 

Not exactly the most realistic aspect of GURPS...

Re: Mule Barding
 

Indeed, barding for mules does seem a bit odd. Not that 'odd' is bad. Odd can be great fun.

Mules can be used as mounts, and have been used as such in wartime (ACW, some of the Indian Wars, other conflicts). But that does not make them a suitable choice for a heavy 'cavalry' animal, which is what barding seems to imply. You could use 'em for use with mounted infantry.

If the OP's setting has mules, it must have horses. If it has horses, why aren't proper destriers being used by the guys who want the barding? It's a weird choice. But if we knew the context, that might help. Is the mule the only option for some reason? Is this a custom job made for an eccentric rich person? A kludge made by a desperate blacksmith to fight the kobold horde advancing on his village?

:)

Re: Mule Barding
 

A house rule of mine is:
Multiply weight and cost by ST/10
Multiply weight and cost by 1.5 for SM+1, by 2 for SM+2, by 3 for SM+3, by 5 for SM+4 etc...
Multiply weight by New DR/Old DR.

Re: Mule Barding
 

Thanks to everyone.

GURPS is supposebly (Yes I typed that on purpose) a "front heavy" system and I figured it would be easy enough to work out these details ahead of time rather than 'on the fly' during adventure time. I am happy to do the math myself, use my own rules and just go with it. I was just wondering if anyone had already worked it out.

Draft animals are the weak link in a animal drawn wagon. Mules are superior to either parent animal in many respects. I just like animal hybrids. Halfling miniature pony drawn wagons are not uncommon in my campaign. There are even dog carts and Beast* drawn war wagons.

Partial sizes (relating to Size Modifiers) has to have come up before. I think I read that Dwarves use normal torso and arm armor but SM-1 leg armor in one of the books. What-vers. Ain't no thing but a spreadsheet.

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Re: Mule Barding
 

That's what I figured. Armored draft animals in fantasy campaign. FWIW, armored horses were occasionally used to draw chariots in antiquity.