Armor Question(s)

[Major B]

I did not find this in the current errata after doing a keyword search so I am asking for some feedback.

In the T5.09 ACS rules, armor AV is equal to producing TL. Plate is available at TL8 where AV=8.

Armor can have TLSE applied at TLs above that where a type of armor is available as standard. The mods listed seem to be moot given that AV goes up as TL advances. For example, Improved Plate armor is available at TL9 but AV is already 9 so the mod seems to be baked in.

Ultimate Plate armor is available at TL12. AV for this installation is TL12. The mod listed is superfluous though there is a volume bonus allowing installation of three layers in the space normally taken up by one standard layer (for layers in addition to layer 1 which takes no internal volume.

My question is about what to list as AV at TLs above 12 for plate armor. If I build a ship at TL14, is the AV for plate armor 14 or does it cap out at 12? T5.09 does not specifically say so what is your interpretation of the existing rules?

 

[agorski]

I used the example under the Stage Effects table on page 293 to clarify this. The AV for a layer is the TL of the ship, modified by the Mod column of the Stage Effects table. So on a TL15 ship with a single Ultimate stage armor layer, the AV is 19.

 

[Major B]

I used the example under the Stage Effects table on page 293 to clarify this. The AV for a layer is the TL of the ship, modified by the Mod column of the Stage Effects table. So on a TL15 ship with a single Ultimate stage armor layer, the AV is 19.

Thanks Art. Your email has caused me a bunch of work so I appreciate your response here.

Okay, so here are the implications:

A single layer of TL14 Ultimate Plate has AV = 18. A single layer of TL14 Standard Charged has AV = 28. If the ship has only one layer of armor, no volume penalty is imposed and Charged is your better choice other than the cost for Charged armor (MCr 1 per 100 tons).

But if you have multiple layers you can fit three layers of Ultimate Plate (AV = 3x18 = 54) into the same volume as one layer of Standard Charged (AV = 28) so you save money and get better armor.

I need to do some work if that's right.

 

[agorski]

But if you have multiple layers you can fit three layers of Ultimate Plate (AV = 3x18 = 54) into the same volume as one layer of Standard Charged (AV = 28) so you save money and get better armor.

Well, remember that the first layer has no volume.

A single layer of Standard Charged after the first layer uses 4 tons.

3 layers of Ultimate Plate uses 2.66 tons, AV=54
2 layers of Standard Charged uses 4 tons, AV=56

4 layers of Ultimate Plate uses 4 tons, AV=72

I think we agree.

 

[Major B]

Well, remember that the first layer has no volume.

A single layer of Standard Charged after the first layer uses 4 tons.

3 layers of Ultimate Plate uses 2.66 tons, AV=54
2 layers of Standard Charged uses 4 tons, AV=56

4 layers of Ultimate Plate uses 4 tons, AV=72

I think we agree.

Check. I was calculating interior layers, not layer one. Should have been more clear.

One last question then; how do you figure the mod into the damage-specific armor values?

If the answer is (TL+mod)*10 rather than TL*10 then I think I need to draft an errata entry and post it in the T5.09 errata thread.

Again using TL14 Ultimate Plate, an example comparison of the subline calculations follow:

BF = TL*10 = 14*10 = 140 or BF = (TL+mod)*10 = (14+4)*10 = 180

If it was TL14 Ultimate Shell

BF = TL*5 = 14*5 = 70 or BF = (TL+mod)*5 = (14+4)*5 = 90

 

[agorski]

AFAIK, mod only applies to AV, so I get 140 and 70.

 

[Major B]

Okay, thanks very much for the help.

Mike