Helmets

[eclipse]

I was explaining combat enviroments suits to to a player and noticed that there is no mention of helmets in the armor section of the PHB.

Was this intentional?

 

[notagoodusername]

D20 doesn't break armour effectiveness down by part. Helmets are assumed to be part of armours and suits where applicable with no further (or less) game effect except common sense (the combat environment suit without a helmet is as much use as a chocolate fireguard, for example).

Hope this helps,

Shane

 

[eclipse]

Originally posted by Shane Mclean:
D20 doesn't break armour effectiveness down by part. Helmets are assumed to be part of armours and suits where applicable with no further (or less) game effect except common sense (the combat environment suit without a helmet is as much use as a chocolate fireguard, for example).

Hope this helps,

Shane

I agree that this isn't a problem for long time Traveller players, but for some one coming into the game, it could be a bit more clear.
The text on page 209 talks about the "clear flexible plastic head bag".

I'll dig up some detail on CBEs I wrote for another game and mention the custom helmets which can be sealed to the suit and work with various chameleon systems.

 

[snrdg082102]

Hello eclipise,

Anything with the word combat as in combat enviroments suits tells me that a helmet is included. Now, if the trooper/mariane was not fully buttoned up when an attack came then maybe the helment didn't get put back on.

 

[endwarde]

I actually use a hit location system with maximum lifeblood done to limbs in one attack limited to a percentage of their total LB. For me, every area needs info on what kind of armor is there. For those wearing flak jackets, it doesn't protect the legs or head. Anyone else use anything similar?

 

[druidog]

Hello Eric. I have found that critical hits (multiply damage, bypassing armour, & hitting lifeblood) are harsh and tend to result in dead players. I have therefore been applying damage reduction unless the hit was specifically targeted at an area uncovered by armour. So yes, I also find it useful to define body parts covered by armour. I also tend to limit life threatening lifeblood loss in an arbitrary fashion, assuming that a hit that may otherwise kill a character has instead passed though and blown away a limb or some organs on its way through, but leaving the character alive. Not only does this reduce random character death, but it enables the use of those lovely organ replacement and cybernetics rules. Allocating a percentage of lifeblood to different body parts is a more formal version of this i guess. I will have to try it.