Quick thought on armor types.

[murquhart72]

Given Chainmail troop types, Armor Class rules, encumbrance, etc.; I was thinking that the armor listed for cost or whatever didn't have to be "leather, chain, plate", but rather "light, heavy, full". Examples:

Light Armor including gambeson, leather, battle harness, chainmail bikini, hides, etc.
Heavy Armor being not just chain mail, but scale and similar flexible armors.
Full Armor meaning anything heavier and/or ridged like plate mail, lamellar, yoroi, etc.

Kind of armor "special effect". Makes things a bit more imaginative for those times when you don't need to be necessarily "Medieval European" all the time.

[darien]

I like it, personally. Even if it is a little broad, though I think that's the intention.

I also have thought of incorporating homebrew armor rules in later campaigns myself. I may look into this concept of broad armor categories that you posted.

[Scott Anderson]

That's how I've thought about it for years. I wrote it into my Treasure Hunters game.

[Porphyre]

Also, you can use the same categories but adapt them to every setting

In a late Middle Ages campaign, light armur would be gambison, medium armor a chainmail or a brigantine and heavy armor a full plate armor; but in a Dark Ages campaign, light armor would be leather, medium armor a byrnie, heavy armor a full hauberk , and in a Bronze Age/Hyborian campaign, light armor would be leather loincloth/chainmail bikini, medium armor a linothorax and heavy armor just a bronze breastplaste with greaves

[talysman]

That's how I think of it, although I break it down as L, M, H

L = Light, any leather or cloth protection goes here
M = Medium/Metal, small hard pieces connected in any flexible manner
H = Heavy, large hard pieces

I'd be willing to allow someone to buy specially-made VH armor (AC 1) which would represent the height of full plate technology.

Most of the differences between armor, for me, has less to do with AC and more to do with other factors. Like, bone armor would count as M (AC 5) but would be more liable to breakage when struck by metal weapons. Chain would be sturdier than scale, but would cost more. That sort of thing.

[murquhart72]

Yeah, all that. I just skipped "medium" and stuck with Light, Heavy and Full because of the way troops and encumbrance were categorized. Makes Fighting-Men like Conan in loincloth, bracers and other tiddly bits get away with AC 7 instead of 9
RULE OF COOL!

[Zulgyan]

I totally dig this.

[tetramorph]

Yes, this is the way to do it. Keep it abstract.

I also allow both shields and helmets to lower AC by 1, each. It is cumulative, but can't get you lower than 2.

In light armor and with a big old horned helmet and studded shield, Conan could be AC5!