Backplates

Anders · 04-24-2023, 07:03 AM

If you can make a plate breastplate to protect only from the front then you ought to be able to make a plate 'backplate' to protect from the back, right? This would allow for something like Plate (DR 6) from the front and Segmented Plate (DR 4) from the back.

Would you allow this?

Turhan's Bey Company · 04-24-2023, 07:23 AM

If a player asked for this, I'd probably tell them to buy a corselet rather than making me figure out and keep track of stats for a special case.

Anders · 04-24-2023, 08:03 AM

A plate corselet costs $860 more. That is not insignificant when equipping a starting character.

Turhan's Bey Company · 04-24-2023, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anders

A plate corselet costs $860 more. That is not insignificant when equipping a starting character.

Half (give or take) of a segmented plate torso piece is also not insignificant. Not worth my time.

Anthony · 04-24-2023, 01:35 PM

The conventional solution to this is probably layering light plate over mail, but DFRPG doesn't have light plate and the armor layering rules make that inconvenient.

I suspect a backplate is possible, but you wouldn't normally be able to wear it at the same time as a breastplate (because the attachment points overlap), which kinda defeats the purpose; what you really need is custom armor that's just thicker on the front than on the back. Which isn't exactly rare historically but also isn't something DF has rules to cover.

mburr0003 · 04-24-2023, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anders

Would you allow this?

Sure, half cost and weight of front piece + half cost and weight of the back. Easy peasy.

tbone · 04-24-2023, 07:29 PM

I pondered the same here, coming to the conclusion "sure, create a breastplate but call it a backplate".

And it makes sense that you could mix Breastplate Type A with Backplate Type B, though I can see a fussy GM demanding you buy these as a set, or spend some $ (or make an Armory roll) to retrofit the two pieces so they attach nicely.

Not sure who'd want it. Maybe a player looking to cut armor weight just this much to meet an encumbrance level. Or a GM looking to equip an NPC force with distinctive armor ("Try to get the hobgoblins from behind; their armor's weaker there!"). More amusing would be a character wanting to armor up like a turtle, with heavier armor on back...

Got anything interesting going on in-game that prompts the question?

Anders · 04-25-2023, 02:43 AM

I'm creating a loadouts file and need to save money to stay beneath a reasonable amount of dollars.

DanHoward · 05-20-2023, 02:05 AM

If you wear a backpack, you don't need a backplate.

Anders · 05-20-2023, 03:34 AM

Good point. I assume a backpack would give DR 1 or 2.

04-24-2023, 07:03 AM	#1
Anders Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden	Backplates If you can make a plate breastplate to protect only from the front then you ought to be able to make a plate 'backplate' to protect from the back, right? This would allow for something like Plate (DR 6) from the front and Segmented Plate (DR 4) from the back. Would you allow this? __________________ “When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius Author of Winged Folk. The GURPS Discord. Drop by and say hi!

04-24-2023, 07:23 AM	#2
Turhan's Bey Company Aluminated Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: East of the moon, west of the stars, close to buses and shopping	Re: Backplates If a player asked for this, I'd probably tell them to buy a corselet rather than making me figure out and keep track of stats for a special case. __________________ I've been making pointlessly shiny things, and I've got some gaming-related stuff as well as 3d printing designs. Buy my Warehouse 23 stuff, dammit!

04-24-2023, 08:03 AM	#3
Anders Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden	Re: Backplates A plate corselet costs $860 more. That is not insignificant when equipping a starting character. __________________ “When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius Author of Winged Folk. The GURPS Discord. Drop by and say hi!

04-24-2023, 01:35 PM	#5
Anthony Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Berkeley, CA	Re: Backplates The conventional solution to this is probably layering light plate over mail, but DFRPG doesn't have light plate and the armor layering rules make that inconvenient. I suspect a backplate is possible, but you wouldn't normally be able to wear it at the same time as a breastplate (because the attachment points overlap), which kinda defeats the purpose; what you really need is custom armor that's just thicker on the front than on the back. Which isn't exactly rare historically but also isn't something DF has rules to cover. __________________ My GURPS site and Blog. Last edited by Anthony; 04-24-2023 at 01:52 PM.

04-24-2023, 07:29 PM	#7
tbone Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Backplates I pondered the same here, coming to the conclusion "sure, create a breastplate but call it a backplate". And it makes sense that you could mix Breastplate Type A with Backplate Type B, though I can see a fussy GM demanding you buy these as a set, or spend some $ (or make an Armory roll) to retrofit the two pieces so they attach nicely. Not sure who'd want it. Maybe a player looking to cut armor weight just this much to meet an encumbrance level. Or a GM looking to equip an NPC force with distinctive armor ("Try to get the hobgoblins from behind; their armor's weaker there!"). More amusing would be a character wanting to armor up like a turtle, with heavier armor on back... Got anything interesting going on in-game that prompts the question? __________________ T Bone GURPS stuff and more at the Games Diner: http://www.gamesdiner.com RSS feed \| Site updates thread \| Twitter/X: @Gamesdiner (dormant until the platform is well again) (Latest goods on site: No Big New Content of late, but the blogroll has returned to the sidebar, this page collects content edits/updates, and this page hosts minor notices and side thoughts of the sort that used to go to Twitter/X.)

04-25-2023, 02:43 AM	#8
Anders Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden	Re: Backplates I'm creating a loadouts file and need to save money to stay beneath a reasonable amount of dollars. __________________ “When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius Author of Winged Folk. The GURPS Discord. Drop by and say hi!

05-20-2023, 02:05 AM	#9
DanHoward Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Maitland, NSW, Australia	Re: Backplates If you wear a backpack, you don't need a backplate. __________________ Compact Castles gives the gamer an instant portfolio of genuine, real-world castle floorplans to use in any historical, low-tech, or fantasy game setting.

05-20-2023, 03:34 AM	#10
Anders Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden	Re: Backplates Good point. I assume a backpack would give DR 1 or 2. __________________ “When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius Author of Winged Folk. The GURPS Discord. Drop by and say hi!

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