Sword and Axe

The Anarea Combat System

E. Armoury

Index to this Section

1. Weapons
2. Armour
3. Shields
4. Horse Armour

1. Weapons

1.1 Weapon Tables

The following Weapons are generally available.  In addition there are certain Restricted Weapons, the availability of which is Restricted to certain cultures.

1.1.1    Melee Weapons

1.1.1.1    Melee Weapons require one or 2 hands to wield, as indicated by "Used" "1/H" or "2/H" above.  Where marked "+b", a Buckler may be used on the same arm as the Weapon is wielded, but the Buckler may not be used to make a Shielding attempt in the same sec as an attack or parry is Specifically Plotted with that Weapon.

1.1.1.2    Combinations of Weapons (e.g. Sword and Dagger) wielded in two (or more) hands no longer count as a separate Weapon for Weapon Specialisation purposes.  The training in each is assumed to include use with the other.  (Two Weapons are no longer such an advantage following the change in the Hd/AMR systems so they no longer give additional AMR, and this rule had therefore become an unnecessary complication, making combinations worse than the separate weapons.  It is abolished with effect from 26 Oscow / Day 177 2503.)

1.1.1.3    Melee Weapons for which "Max Dis dice" are specified may be constructed to do up to the specified number of the specified sort of dice of Disembowelling damage.  Each die of Dis which the Weapon is constructed to do adds 1 to its StN.

1.1.2    Ranged Weapons

(Italicised figures for Longbow and Composite Bow are a systems change in play from 7 Weven 2504, but to be used retrospectively for historical runs.)

For 1/H pulls of Crossbows see section C.7.2.

1.1.3    Thrown Weapons

1.1.4    Effective Range for Ranged or Thrown Weapons is the maximum range at which they may attack with any systems effect.  The Effective Range is divided into three equal brackets, as follows:

• Short Range (e.g. 0-150ft for a Longbow)
• Medium Range (e.g. 0-150ft for a Longbow), giving -5% to A and -1 to DAM
• Long Range (e.g. 0-150ft for a Longbow), giving -10% to A and -3 to DAM

1.2 Encumbrance

Weapons are classified as follows for Encumbrance purposes:

Category V (150 wt pts)

• Pole Arms
• Lance / Pike
• Halberd
• Great Axe
• Great Sword
• War Hammer

Category IV (100 wt pts)

• Spear
• Flail / Whip
• Morning Star
• Broad Axe
• Bastard Sword

Category III (75 wt pts)

• Javelin / Short Spear
• Military Pick
• Heavy Hammer / Mace
• Taper Axe
• Broad Sword
• Heavy Crossbow
• Long Bow
• Composite Bow

Category II (50 wt pts)

• Quarterstaff
• Light Hammer / Mace
• Hand Axe
• Short Sword / Scimitar
• Light Crossbow
• Horse Bow
• Short Bow
• Staff Sling & stones
• Throwing Axe

Category I (20 wt pts)

• Dagger
• Stiletto
• Throwing Knife
• Sling & stones

The weight of bows includes a quiver or case and 20 arrows or quarrels.

1.3 Magic Weapons

Weapons may be enchanted separately to give bonuses (or even minuses) to A, P and DAM.  Some enchantments are limited to use against specified opponents.

Other specialised enchantments are possible, e.g Flaming, which gives d6s of additional Fire Damage (no saving throw).

Weapons may also be manufactured out of mithril for bonuses without being Magical.  Mithril typically gives +1 to DAM, and reduces minuses vs Armour by 1.

2. Armour

2.1 Armour Damage Subtraction

The effect of armour is to subtract a certain number of HP ("ADS") from the Dam caused when a hit is scored. The ADS depends upon the Armour Type covering the Hit Location where the hit is scored and the final digit of that Hit Location, as follows:

Reinforced plate only applies on the shield arm and the same side of the chest as the shield arm. The upper figures apply on the shield arm, the lower figures on the chest. Elsewhere it counts as normal plate.

Multiple layers of armour may be worn, but their ADS is not cumulative (e.g. plate worn over leather still only gives max ADS 5). This is because armour often includes lesser armour types as padding or at joints already, so extra layers are already deemed to be taken into account.

2.2 Encumbrance

Different pieces of armour may be specified for each HitLoc Area. The encumbrance (in weight points) of generic pieces of armour is as follows.

The table assumes Sz 10 armour, but the encumbrance is the same irrespective of Sz. Armour is made to individual sizes, but pieces of up to 1 Sz difference either way may be worn. This is of particular relevance if magic armour is found.

The encumbrances specified assume full coverage of the HitLoc area. In some cases such a piece of armour may not be normally available: see 2.5 below.

2.3 Dx minus

Each full 300 wt pts of encumbrance from armour worn gives Dx(Ph) -1 (FRD).

Armour may give additional penalties to Thievish Activities, depending on Armour Type and HitLoc Area: see the Thief System.

2.4 Cost

The cost (in silver pieces) of generic pieces of armour is as follows. Note that the costs specified are typical costs in the Overworld, and that not all pieces of armour will be available everywhere. A good armourer will make armour to order, but each piece of armour must cover a whole HitLoc Area, subject to the exceptions appearing in 2.5 below.

Cost will vary by size, particularly for metal armour. However, average sizes will be cheaper, even than smaller ones, due to economies of scale. For simplicity, only Sz 10 prices are given above.

2.5 Specific pieces

2.5.1 Head

Helmets and hoods give normal ADS for their respective Armour Types against attacks from behind or the sides (except for the steel 'pot' helmet). Against attacks from the front (or from any angle against 'pot' helmets) the ADS depends upon the type of helmet or hood:

Note that the above are the only pieces of armour available for the head. The "generic" pieces indicated in the tables above do not in fact exist, except as duplicated in this table.

Full suits of non-plate armour are based on hauberks or byrnies. Hauberks include hoods. Byrnies do not.

2.5.2 Arms

Gauntlets cover final digits 1, 2 and 3 of the Arm HitLoc Areas. They weigh and cost 30% of the generic figures for the arms (FRU). Plate gauntlets therefore weigh 87 wt pts and cost 87SP (per pair), and leather gauntlets weigh 22 wt pts and cost 22SP (per pair). Reinforced plate gauntlets exist, but may only be specified as part of reinforced plate for the whole non-weapon arm.

Full suits of plate armour come with arm pieces to cover the rest of the arms.

Hauberks cover final digits 4 to 0 inclusive of the Arm HitLoc Areas. Byrnies cover final digits 8, 9 and 0 of the Arm HitLoc Areas. However full-sleeved byrnies are also available, with the same arm coverage as hauberks. Such armour is commonly worn with gauntlets.

2.5.3 Chest

Plate breastplates cover the whole of the chest, and are as per the generic plate armour above. Reinforced plate breastplates may only be specified together with reinforced plate for the whole non-weapon arm.

Plate breastplates (non-reinforced) are available for the front of the chest and final digits 1 to 4 inclusive of the side. They weigh 100 wt. pts. and cost 100SP. However, if worn over other armour to protect the rest of the chest the full encumbrance and cost must be taken and paid for that other armour, with no additional ADS beyond that provided by the breastplate (see 2.1 above).

Hauberks and byrnies cover the whole of the chest.

2.5.4 Abdomen

Hauberks and byrnies cover the whole of the abdomen.

Full hose covers the whole of the abdomen and legs. It is available in ring and chainmail. It is sometimes combined with plate upper body armour.

Leather skirts are available. These are leather armour for the abdomen only, and are intended to be worn with full plate breastplates.

2.5.5 Legs

The same armour must be worn on both legs.

Leather leg swathings cover such final digits of the Leg HitLoc Areas as they may be wrapped around. The rest of the legs are normally protected by leather footwear, which is available in a variety of lengths, from thigh boots (cover final digits 3 to 0 inclusive) to shoes (cover final digits 9 and 0).

It can normally be assumed that generic leg armour applies, except where just boots or shoes are worn.

2.5.6 Combat Suits

These are only available to Men of Heaven. Following the Fall of Heaven they are only made in the House of Karma. Combat Suits give ADS 2 all over, but do not cover the front of the head or the hands. They are one piece items, and may not be combined with other armour. They come in a range of attractive, dark colours. Their encumbrance is 200 wt. pts., so they give no Dx minus, even when combined with a helmet.

2.6 Typical armour

Here are some common armour combinations, with their encumbrance, Dx minus and typical cost. Sz 10 is assumed throughout.

• Knight: full plate with visored helm: enc 1005, Dx -3, cost 1030SP.
• Orc: chainmail with steel helmet (nasal) and leather leg swathings: enc 600 + 15 - 50 - 50 = 515, Dx -1, cost 140 + 65 - 17 - 17 = 171SP. The chainmail consists of a full-sleeved chain byrnie and gauntlets. Orc helmets with nasals are special designs to fit their snouts, and do not fit other races.
• Fighter / Thief: open faced steel helmet, full plate breastplate and leather skirt, enc 47 + 215 + 35 = 297, Dx -0, cost 50 + 215 + 3 = 268SP
• Pure Thief: leather full-sleeved byrnie, gauntlets, leg swathings and boots, enc 250 for full leather - 20 for head = 230, Dx -0, cost 24SP.

3. Shields

The following standard types of Shield are available:

No bonuses are gained for having St > StN to wield a Shield.  If the wielder's St is < StN for the Shield he takes a StN minus to S of StN - St.

4. Horse Armour

Horse armour (Barding) protects the Head and Chest of a warhorse with the ADS of platemail and its Abdomen with the ADS of leather armour.  The legs and tail are unprotected.

Plate Barding is made up of the following pieces:

• Chaffron (steel faceplate): protects front of head (cost 10GP / 100 wt pts)
• Chimiere (plate for mane): protects side of head (cost 10GP / 100 wt pts)
• Skirt (plate for front & sides of chest) (cost 40GP / 500 wt pts)
• Leather housing: to secure above & cover abdomen (cost 2GP / 50 wt pts)

The total encumbrance of Plate Barding is therefore 750 wt pts.  A full set can be purchased for 60GP.

Scale Barding is also available (with the ADS of scale armour), as follows:

• Chaffron (scale faceplate): protects front of head (cost 5SP / 40 wt pts)
• Chimiere (scale for mane): protects side of head (cost 5SP / 40 wt pts)
• Skirt (scale for front & sides of chest) (cost 2GP / 200 wt pts)
• Scale housing: to secure above & cover abdomen (cost 5GP / 80 wt pts)

Plate, scale and leather pieces of barding may be mixed.

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