Steve Jackson Games Forums

Steve Jackson Games Forums (https://forums.sjgames.com/index.php)

- GURPS (https://forums.sjgames.com/forumdisplay.php?f=13)

- - metal shields (https://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=68568)

Re: metal shields

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlangsdorf (Post 964100)

And Orichalcum is 1/3 the weight of bronze, so Orichalcum shields weigh 2/3rds as much as normal (x2 for metal, 1/3 for orichalcum).

OK - I am doing some thread hi-jacking here.
If Orichalcum weighs 1/3 of metal (for the same amount of protection), then it cannot suddenly weigh 2/3 because it is metal.

I know that DF1 says that Orichalcum shield weighs 2/3 of a normal shield.

But Orichalcum already weighs 1/3 of normal metal. So you cannot put in another *2 modifier in there.

I think you want that *2 modifier to come along because metal shields weigh twice as much as wood. But wood has never entered the equation here.
So following that logic Orichalcum shields should only weigh 1/3 of a normal metal shield.

Does anyone know (or can figure out) why an Orichalcum shield is so heavy? (Orichalcum armor follows the above mentioned rule of 1/3 weight but same DR).
It seems there is a breech in consistency there.
(Also, I believe this has been discussed before but I could not find the relevant thread)

Re: metal shields

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pmandrekar (Post 964155)

I don't know the exact numbers, but I ran across TL5/TL6 Steel and Titanium Steel alternatives (if memory serves, Titanium gives the same DR for 1/3rd the weight. The cost was substantially more). Both were listed (as I recall) in GURPS High-Tech, 4th Edition. I don't remember where, but it was one of those inset boxes. Just ran across it the other day.

It was listed as armor that modern reenactors might be able to have made by TL. But I would certainly see this as being appropriate techniques available to low-tech cultures with access to the Magic tables. :)

Textbox: High Tech Low Tech p.65 of Gurps High Tech 4e.

The titanium option is in line with the modern steel choice of 2x DR at the same weight or same DR at half weight. I'd assume you could have titanium at 2x DR for 2/3rds weight.

Technically the weight ration of titanium to iron/steel is about 0.60. DR is the same as modern steel (RHA) for equivalent thickness.

Re: metal shields

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rune (Post 973391)

I think you want that *2 modifier to come along because metal shields weigh twice as much as wood. But wood has never entered the equation here.
So following that logic Orichalcum shields should only weigh 1/3 of a normal metal shield.

An orichalcum shield does weigh 1/3 as much as a normal metal shield, but the default shield is wood, not metal. Since metal shields are twice the weight, an orichalcum shield is 1/3 of that.

Quote:

Does anyone know (or can figure out) why an Orichalcum shield is so heavy? (Orichalcum armor follows the above mentioned rule of 1/3 weight but same DR).

Orichalcum armor is for items that are already metal (really that are already bronze), so there's no need to double the weight for changing from wood to metal.

Re: metal shields

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rune (Post 973391)

Normal shields are wood. Metal shields weigh twice as much as wood shields. Orichalcum shields weigh 1/3 as much as metal shields.

Boring old algebraic properties say that orichalcum shields weigh 2/3rds as much as (normal) wood shields.

Re: metal shields

Yes. Somehow my fractions got inverted.
Weight is 2/3 of a wooden shield. I see it now.