Pectorals

[DanHoward]

I've started a new thread so as not to derail an earlier, unrelated one.
http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread...=69171&page=11
It is a sample of how the rules for building armour in Low-Tech can be applied to historical examples.

Pectorals
A pectoral is a small chest plate. It is designed to protect the vitals but, depending on its size, it has a chance of protecting the upper chest (area 9) as well. Historically this type of armor usually only covered the front, not the back, and was held in place with straps. Look up the stats for the equivalent torso armor in Low-Tech and consult the following table.

1/6 chance.....5%
2/6 chance.....9%
3/6 chance.....12%

Example: DR 5 bronze plate armor for the Torso (areas 9-11) costs $8,000 and weighs 16 lbs. A pectoral of the same material that has a 2/6 chance of protecting the upper chest (area 9, front only) costs 9% of this or $720, 1.44 lbs. An equivalent plate made of iron would only cost $180.

[Stripe]

Awesome. Like everyone else, I can't wait for Low Tech to come out, and this post made it even worse. Love this system of armor construction.

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by DanHoward

Example: DR 5 bronze plate armor for the Torso (areas 9-11) costs $8,000 and weighs 16 lbs. A pectoral of the same material that has a 2/6 chance of protecting the upper chest (area 9, front only) costs 9% of this or $720, 1.44 lbs. An equivalent plate made of iron would only cost $180.

So -1 to hit the upper chest and avoid the plate?

[gilbertocarlos]

Originally Posted by Ze'Manel Cunha

So -1 to hit the upper chest and avoid the plate?

$180 and 1,5 lbs for -1 to hit the body and protected vitals seems a good exchange for a medieval warrior

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by gilbertocarlos

$180 and 1,5 lbs for -1 to hit the body and protected vitals seems a good exchange for a medieval warrior

Doesn't so much protect the vitals as make them -4 to hit on a frontal attack, with the normal -3 to hit the vitals hitting the pectoral DR.

[gilbertocarlos]

Originally Posted by Ze'Manel Cunha

Doesn't so much protect the vitals as make them -4 to hit on a frontal attack, with the normal -3 to hit the vitals hitting the pectoral DR.

Wrong, they are made to protect the vitals, so, the vitals are the protected area, if you aiming at the vitals you're aiming at the pectoral.

To illustrate better, let's say a guy is behind a wall, head, arms and half torso exposed, you have -2 for hitting the torso because half of the torso is covered, but if you wan't to hit his groin, the DR of the wall always counts, since all the groin is covered, what isn't covered is the chest and half abdomen.

[Edges]

FWIW, for my Swords and Sandals campaign last year I used pectorals with the following house rule:

"Changes targeted attack to vitals from –3 to –5 for front attacks only. Attack roll failure by 1 or 2 hits the armor (possibly penetrating). Attack roll failure by 3 hits the torso."

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by gilbertocarlos

Wrong, they are made to protect the vitals, so, the vitals are the protected area, if you aiming at the vitals you're aiming at the pectoral.

They are not made to protect the vitals at all, they only slightly protect the heart, which is only a part of the vitals, by making it harder to hit the heart with a straight on blow, which isn't much of an issue in melee attacks to the vitals anyway.

Originally Posted by DanHoward

The pectoral was specifically designed to protect the heart (some texts actually call it a "heart protector"). If a reconstruction does not do this then the reconstruction is wrong. Either the plate needs to be a little larger or it wasn't intended to be worn perfectly centred on the chest.

The heart isn't the vitals, besides, a straight on strike at the heart is mostly relevant to ranged attacks, not much of a melee issue.

Not to mention that a 2/6 protection is mechanically a -1 to hit in GURPS.

Which means you're at -4 to hit the vitals from the front if you're wearing a pectoral, since you have to strike up or down into the heart, or you just go after the lungs.