Anarea > Systems > Ft System > Armoury

Sword and Axe

The Anarea Combat System

4th edition, 2021-2

E. Armoury

Index to this Section

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

1. Weapons

1.1 Weapon Tables

The Weapon Tables in Section E1 list the available Weapons and their respective specifications.

Restricted Weapons are not generally available, and may only be used by the specified classes of Fts.

1.2 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).

Permanent Enchantments may only be achieved by Demon Summoning, but temporary Enchantments may be achieved by Spells or Magical Effects.  Spells or Magical Effects which give Bonuses to A or DAM do not make the Weapon count as Magical vs Invulnerability Effects except to the extent specifically stated in the specification for such Spell or Effect.

1.3 Mithril Weapons

Some Melee or Thrown Weapons may be edged or tipped with Ml instead of or in addition to being Enchanted as Magical.  See Ml in the Definitions Section for details.

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:

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 Reinforced Platemail

Reinforced Platemail is commonly available for wielders of 2/H Weapons, with reinforcing (Max ADS 6) on the Shield Arm and that side of the Chest only.  Elsewhere it counts as normal Platemail.  It may only be worn if a Shield (other than itself), is not carried.  It only applies on the Shield Arm and the same side of the Chest as the Shield Arm.  The Shield Arm may be interposed by a Reinforced Platemail wearer as if it were a Shield when wielding a Weapon 2/H (provided they do not also Attack or Parry with that Weapon in that second).

Hardened Platemail is the Dwarvish or Orcish equivalent of Reinforced Platemail (being a more accurate translation of the equivalent phrase in Khuzdul or Orcish).

Dwarvish Armourers of Gabilkhazâd-Dûm and Taramkhazâd-Dûm developed suits and Helms of Hardened Platemail that give Max ADS 6 on the front of the Chest and Head (and on the Arms for users of 2/H Weapons).  Elsewhere they count as normal Platemail.  These suits are Restricted to Mountain and Hill Dwarves with connections to the Royal Armourers of Gabilkhazâd-Dûm and Taramkhazâd-Dûm or who are members or veterans of the Royal Guard.

During the Dwarf-Orc War in the Dungeons of 2501-4 the Dwarves encountered Orcs of Hell wearing Hardened Plate, Breastplates and Helms with Max ADS 6 on the front of the Chest and Head (and on the Arms for users of 2/H Weapons).  Elsewhere these count as normal Platemail.  The Dwarves claim this was reverse-engineered from their own suits of Hardened Platemail looted from their heroes fallen in battle.  However the Orcs say it is produced by an old method developed by the (Lesser) Orcish Empire years ago in their long War against the Men of Hulmo and then adopted by the Forces of Hell.  Orcish Reinforced Plate is Restricted to Orcs of Hell and the elite forces of the Lesser Orcish Empire.

Dwarvish and Orcish Reinforced Platemail is made with secret forging techniques known only to their specialist Armourers.  The generally-available Human Reinforced Platemail is more crudely made by welding extra plates onto the relevant areas.  Both weigh more than regular Platemail, because the Hardened Platemail is denser and slightly thicker.

Human Reinforced Platemail is only worn when wielding 2/H Weapons, but Dwarven or Orcish Hardened Platemail may be used with 1/H weapons.

Reinforced or Hardened Platemail count as Platemail for the purrposes of ADS pluses or minuses vs Armour.

2.3 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 2.6 below.

2.4 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.

2.5 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 2.6 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.

2.6 Specific pieces

2.6.1 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.

2.6.2 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.

2.6.3 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.

2.6.4 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.

2.6.6 Combat Suits

These are only available to Men (or Elves) of Heaven. Following the Fall of Heaven they were only made in the House of Karma, but after Heaven was retaken production resumed in Heaven. 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 and cost 1,000GP. Their encumbrance is 200 wt. pts., so they give no Dx minus, even when combined with a helmet.

2. 7 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 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.

See W/H in the Definitions Section for when Bucklers or Reinforced Plate may be used with Weapons.  (Note that Reinforced Platemail is usually used with 2/H Weapons, so this only applies if it is used with a second Weapon held in the Shield hand.)

* A Shield Arm with Reinforced or Hardened Platemail may be interposed as if it is a Shield and will Shield with its max. ADS of 6 (plus any Magical bonuses, but subject to any Shattering effects previously suffered) if successful.  Any DAM that is not ADS'd is taken in that Arm.  No other Shield of any type may be used with Reinforced Platemail (or wioth Hardened Platemail on that arm).  A Ft who has trained in the use of Reinforced/Hardened Platemail to Shield in this way may also Shield with their Shield Arm without wearing Reinforced/Hardened Platemail and not holding a Weapon (though this may be inadvisable).

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.

Equivalent Armour is available for other mounts, e.g. War Elephants of the Jungle or Giant Goats of the Dwarves.  Wargs are usually unarmoured, but some may have Chaffrons.

Go to Section F. Monsters and Others

Back to Fighter System index

Back to main Systems index