On 23Dec2020 0555, xxxxxx@quibell.org.uk wrote:
>> I'd actually prefer to raise the penetration of slugthrowers, though it's more work. In MT they are close
>> to worthless against all combat armour and battlesuits, to the point where there only use would be
>> bullying lightly armoured militias and low-tech armies.
> I'm kind of happy with that. I mean bullet proof should be bullet proof. I can design starship armour grade battle dress, and if that (starship grade armour) is supposed to deal with micrometeors travelling at 1,000s km per second then stopping a bullet should not be an issue.
>
> Also dropping the amour value of cloth should not be an issue either. Ballistic cloth is not perfect so if it's too high in MT then drop it. Dropping it to AV 4 would open it up to 9mm Rifles and Assault Rocket Launchers, and bring those with penetration 4 into significantly more damage (Gauss Pistol, Hunting Rifle, 9mm ACR, 7mm ACR DS ammo, and Laser Pistol) through low penetration results with up lift on damage due to spectacular success most likely to make someone unconscious on the first hit. Would that be fair?
My issue is that standard military small arms of the TL later should not
be stopped dead by body armour of the previous TL. Why build the assault
rifle of today to be stopped by the armour of yesterday? TL7 military
rifles (and most machineguns - why small calibre MGs have a different
calibre and less penetration than small calibre rifles is a mystery to
me) have penetration 3/2, and thus are stopped by any armour except
jack, mesh, and flak jackets.

Another reason to raise penetrations is that some could be raised and
not others - it's nuts that a TL5 SMG (firing 9x19mm or .45ACP) has the
same penetration as a TL7 assault rifle (firing 5.56x45mm or 7.62x39mm).

As for starship-grade battledress - that's fine, but that's AV40+ in MT,
and that's way outside the range we're talking. It's also enough armour
that it takes vehicle weapons to penetrate, or if 'only' AV40 a 10cm
recoilless rifle.

--
Rupert Boleyn <xxxxxx@gmail.com>