Sectional Body Armor and Hit Location

[Rhino]

I previously posted a similiar query in the Dark Champions forum. I posted it here in a modified and extended form for better visibility.

I am preparing to start a Dark Champions game and want to use sectional body armor. The Dark Champions book references the Activation roll, but does not reference the specific locations covered.

The main rulebook references specific locations covered associated with certain Activation rolls. 11- equates to a helmet without a face plate and a vest that does not cover the shoulders. 14- equates to a helmet with a face plate, jacket with sleeves (but no gloves), pants and armored boots (that somehow leave part of the leg exposed). Am I reading this right?

However, there appears to be a conflict between the main rulebook and the Dark Champions book, in that the main rulebook indicates hit location 3 is the face because a helmet without a face plate covers locations 4 and 5 and a full helmet covers locations 3, 4 and 5. In the Dark Champions book the gear indicates that a faceplate covers location 4 and a helmet covers locations 3 and 5.

Does anyone have a listing of sectional Dark Champions body armor by pieces with the locations covered and the mass of each piece, like was done for sectional armor in FH?

Thanks.

[prestidigitator]

Hmm. I don't know about those source books, but I don't put a strict interpretation on the actual numbers.

For example, I don't use any of 3, 4, or 5 as always representing the face. Instead, I keep in mind the weights of each value on the 3d6 roll for Hit Location (1/216, 3/216, and 6/216 for 3, 4, and 5 respectively) and use these to assign values to a helmet based on how much of the head that helmet covers. One helmet may protect locations 4 and 5 because it comes down low to cover the neck but leaves a wide eye-slit; another helmet might protect locations 4 and 5 because it covers the whole head but leaves a small opening at the neck.

This isn't much of an issue because: 1.) if you succeed at a targetted shot you can decide what part of the targetted location to hit (which number), and 2.) the major game effects (StunX, BodyX, etc.) will be treated identically for any part of the head. YMMV.

[archermoo]

You are confusing two seperate but related things. The activation roll type armour is just a straight "Did the bad guy hit you where you have armour or not", it doesn't take hit locations into account. If you want to purchase armour for specific hit locations, what you want is the Armour Coverage Table on p488 of 5ER. It shows the limitation each section of armour is worth.

[Mister E]

There might be something in The HERO System Combat Handbook... don't really know.

[MorpheousXO]

I don't know about the current version, but 4th edition Ultimate Martial Artist has a list of which numbers mean which location (off the top of my head I think that 4 was the face, 5 the neck). It also had some other stuff having to do with weight.