Impact Armor

[N.I.C.E. Labs]

Since Traveller is a science-based SF RPG, I like taking items from time to time from like-minded Sci-Fi. One of these is Impact Armor from Larry Niven's Ringworld series.

Tl 13, Normal cost 5000cr
Basically it looks for all intensive purposes like a Combat Environment Suit. It has little protection against lasers (like most armor except reflec, but a reflec surface can be added for 500cr). Where it excels is against kinetic damage. The armor polarizes at the point of impact, going rigid and dispersing the KE laterally across it's surface. Any KE is affected, so not only bullets, but brawling weapons, falls, piecing blade attacks (daggers, foils, and spears, etc.). For all others it functions as cloth, but for these attacks it's treated as CBT armor-1.

 

[Specter]

An idea that's not too far off. Check it out...

http://www.nexiabiotech.com/HTML/technology/biosteel.shtml

 

[Uncle Bob]

A little more sophisticated impact armor, but I couldn't resist

from www.schlockmercenary.com

Note:Inertiics (In-ur-shiks) is not so much a science as it is an art. Simply put, it is the art of bribing Einstein to steal the shirt from Newton's back, and then sell it back to him after emptying the pockets.

 

[N.I.C.E. Labs]

Why does that seem strangely familiar

 

[vegascat]

Can't get too much from Niven. Do you really want to account for monofilament swords and General Dynamics hulls? Maybe for TL 18.

-----------------------------
In the end, Murphy will rule

 

[N.I.C.E. Labs]

True...Niven has a wide range of technology. Somethings are certainly higher than the Traveller norm. Remember though, the General Products Hulls were made by Puppeteers, who were effectively at Ancient level tech anyway. Other things like molecule chain, flashlight lasers and some of the other items could very well be feasible in the given tech ranges.

 

[gardclan]

Originally posted by N.I.C.E. Labs:
The armor polarizes at the point of impact, going rigid and dispersing the KE laterally across it's surface. Any KE is affected, so not only bullets, but brawling weapons, falls, piecing blade attacks (daggers, foils, and spears, etc.). For all others it functions as cloth, but for these attacks it's treated as CBT armor-1.

This is sort of how I always envisioned cloth armor working under CT... yours is a bit better thought out IMHO.

 

[plop101]

Two questions:

How much does the armor weigh?

What is its availability? Is it only available to Imperial Military/selected Merc Units?

 

[N.I.C.E. Labs]

It should be comparable in weight and price to the Cbt Environment Suit out of Mercenary Book 4. The extra armor protection is a trade off that it doen't have the enviromental capabilites or chameleon IR properties, though for a fee it could be (ANYTHING can be modified with enough money).
Its availablity wouldn't necessarily be limited to military, but it would be harder to find. Perhaps pick a world where it's manufactured and limit it to that particular subsector, adjusting it's cost and permits and such the closer you are to the home manufacturing world.