Armor & Shields

Armor protection dice, helmets, clumsy weight penalties, shield types, and quality rules.

Armor Protection Dice

+1D to torso/chest location for all armor types

Gambeson

Cloth, padded armor and thin, boiled leather.

Reinforced Leather

Boiled and reinforced with metal rings, small plates or lamellar.

Light Mail

Light chain shirt or heavy gambeson with metal plates sewn in. Light, flexible and concealable.

Heavy Mail

Interlocking rings forming a shirt, hood, sleeves, skirt and leggings over leather or cloth padding.

Plated Mail

Heavy mail reinforced with hard metal plates on breast, back, arms and legs.

Full Plate

Complete plate armor. The Cadillac and armored tank of the Middle Ages.

Helmets

Helmet	Dice	Perception/Observation Penalty
Skull Cap or Leather Hood	1D	—
Light Helmet, Pot Helm	2D	+1 Ob
Spangenhelm	3D	+1 Ob
Open-faced Bascinet	4D	+1 Ob
Barbute	4D	+2 Ob
Sallet, Closed Bascinet	5D	+2 Ob
Great Helm	6D	+3 Ob

Armor Test

Base obstacle: 1

Versus Armor: Weapon VA adds to armor test obstacle. Ob = 1 + VA.

Shade: Mundane (black) armor is difficulty 4. Gray shade armor is difficulty 3. White shade armor is difficulty 2.

Armor Quality

Poor Quality

All 1s count on every roll. Armor literally falls apart.

Run of the Mill

Only one 1 counts per roll (can only lose one die at a time).

Superior Quality

Only one 1 counts per roll, and that 1 may be re-rolled. If 2-6, armor is undamaged. If 1 again, reduced by one die.

Clumsy Weight

Untrained Penalties

Light Mail: +1 Ob to Health and Forte for fatigue or athletics

Heavy Mail: +1 Ob to all tests

Plated Mail / Full Plate: +2 Ob to all tests

Trained Clumsy Weight

Armor	Agi	Spd	Climb	Hth/Ft	Throw	Stealth	Swim
Gambeson	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Reinforced Leather	+1 Ob	—	—	+1 Ob	—	—	+1 Ob
Light Mail	+1 Ob	-1D	—	+1 Ob	+1 Ob	+1 Ob	+1 Ob
Heavy Mail	+2 Ob	-1D	+1 Ob	+1 Ob	+2 Ob	+1 Ob	+2 Ob
Plated Mail	+2 Ob	-1D	+1 Ob	+2 Ob	+2 Ob	+2 Ob	+2 Ob
Full Plate	+1 Ob	-1D	+1 Ob	+2 Ob	+1 Ob	+1 Ob	+3 Ob

Shields

Shield	Dice
Parrying Blade Does not provide bonus dice for defense, but allows Block & Strike action. +1D to Block portion if sword is heavier weapon.	0D
Buckler	1D
Target	2D
Heater May use Push and Charge at short weapon length.	3D
Great Shield May use Push and Charge at short weapon length.	4D

Shield Training: Shield Training skill required to add shield dice to Block/Counterstrike and access Block & Strike.

Without Training: Without Shield Training, shields only augment Block actions. No access to Block & Strike.

VA vs Shields: Weapon's VA reduces shield dice rolled, to a minimum of 1D. Remaining dice go to Block or defensive portion of Block & Strike / Counterstrike.