[Saphenous]

There is another possibility. Treat the armor as you would cover, using Overpenetration rules. Thus:

Armor has its normal DR and HP equal to 8x(cube root of weight). You need to do DR+HP/4 to cause overpenetration.

Using armor in the Basic Set

Heavy Steel Corselet DR 7 Weight 45
28hp 7+7=14 to overpenetrate

Bronze Corselet DR5 Weight 40
28hp 7+5=12 to overpenetrate

Mail Shirt 4/2 16
21hp 5+4/2= 9/7 to overpenetrate

Leather Armor 2 10
18hp 2+4=6 to overpenetrate

Cloth Armor 1 6
15hp 1+3=4 to overpenetrate

It may make bronze armor slightly too good, though? I don't know how effective it actually should be compared to steel.


If we calculate this with Low Tech Instant Armor for the torso:

Wood DR 3 Weight 30
hp 25 3+6=9 to overpenetrate

Heavy Plate DR9 Weight 32
hp 26 9+6=15 to overpenetrate

Heavy Mail DR5* Weight 18
hp 21 5+5=10 to overpenetrate

Heavy Leather DR 3 (-1 vs imp) Weight 20
hp 22 3+5=8 to overpenetrate

Heavy Layered Cloth DR 4 Weight 28
hp 25 4+6=10 to overpenetrate

Padded Cloth DR1* Weight 6
hp 15 1+3=4 to overpenetrate

Straw DR 2 Weight 20
hp 22 2+5=7 to overpenetrate

This models the effectiveness of armor pretty well, I think. Not only are warriors clad in plate armor near-invulnerable, their armor is also pretty resistant to damage. Meanwhile, the users of worse armor like wooden or cloth ones can get some good protection for a while, until damage to their armor renders it completely useless which I think is pretty realistic. Doing things this way will make combats last very long though, as fighters now have to wear down their opponents armor or strike at an unarmored location/through a chink. Which, again, may be pretty realistic. I'd only recommend doing things this way when running gritty, realistic games with detailed combat.