[UT] Armor: Laser Resistant = Beam Weapon Resistant?

[Captain Joy]

(I know about split DR and that these armor types are somewhat effective against all types of attack. My concern is about when to apply the more significant DR.)

Ablative Nanoplas armor (TL10) is most effective against "any type of laser" [UT173]. Beam-Adaptive Armor (TL11) optimizes itself against "beam weapon types" [UT190]. Laser pistols are TL10 and blaster pistols are TL11.

My question is this, is TL10 Ablative Nanoplas armor effective against beam weapons in general, or only against laser weapons specifically.

I have been assuming that "laser resistant" Ultra Tech armor did not restrict its effectiveness to specifically laser attacks, but simply distinguished it from "ballistic" armor. I.e. I've been making ballistic armor effective against bullets (guns) and laser resistant armor effective against lasers and particles (beam weapons).

Have I been doing it wrong this whole time?

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by Captain Joy

My question is this, is TL10 Ablative Nanoplas armor effective against beam weapons in general, or only against laser weapons specifically.

I have been assuming that "laser resistant" Ultra Tech armor did not restrict its effectiveness to specifically laser attacks, but simply distinguished it from "ballistic" armor. I.e. I've been making ballistic armor effective against bullets (guns) and laser resistant armor effective against lasers and particles (beam weapons).

Have I been doing it wrong this whole time?

The description of Ablative Armor specifies laser damage, so it wouldn't help against blasters etc. However, the spray-on Ablative Foam provides protection against all burning damage, though it's only Hardened against lasers. That said, I don't think it would necessarily be too unbalanced to allow, maybe a variant called "Ablative Bioplas" or something.

[Ulzgoroth]

It's probably very unrealistic to treat 'laser' as referring to all beam weapons. Lasers have to 'burn' through (or flash-evaporate through) armor. Particle beams on the other hand are highly penetrating. They don't stop at the surface of a target at all. Whole different thing.

[Captain Joy]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

It's probably very unrealistic to treat 'laser' as referring to all beam weapons. Lasers have to 'burn' through (or flash-evaporate through) armor. Particle beams on the other hand are highly penetrating. They don't stop at the surface of a target at all. Whole different thing.

So then, the only flexible body armor at TL11 that is any good at stopping TL11 blasters (particle beams) is TL10 bioplas? If I'm missing anything, please let me know.

My Star Trek campaign is TL11^ safe tech; the medical tech is only TL9, so there is no bioplas armor.

Am I stretching things too much to say that at TL11, it's okay for laser resistant ablative nanoplas (a TL10 development) to receive the Beam-Adaptive Armor [UT190] upgrade, which "can be used with any TL11-12 armor"? (This would give them DRs of 108! This seems a bit much.)

Or, maybe it'd be better to say that at TL11, advanced materials science can now do what TL10 bioplas could have done. (Now, if I make that beam-adaptive, I get a DR of 45. That seems about right.)

I'm interested in trying to keep my campaign as GURPS canon as possible in the weapon/armor arena. Your thoughts on the matter are appreciated.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Captain Joy

So then, the only flexible body armor at TL11 that is any good at stopping TL11 blasters (particle beams) is TL10 bioplas? If I'm missing anything, please let me know.

Cybersuit/Nanosuit. It's listed under powered armor, but it's flexible limited-profile body armor.

Anything else, I can't comment on without going home to my books.