RE: [DL] keeping players alive (armor)

[frempath2@netscape.net]

The answer is that armor was effective in sufficient thickness.  That thickness was such that armor was no longer man portable.  Armor was very effectivly used on ships up to and through today.

Versus the large caliber lead projectiles of the civil war though, there still is no man portable defense.  A few years ago a gun magazine, I am thinking guns and ammo but dont quote me, ran a test of modern body armor vs civil war rifle muskets.  The body armor lost, badly.  The large, heavy, soft projectiles sliced though the front and back of kevlar body armor with little more effect on the bullet than normal wool cloth.  When the 1/4 inch thick armored trauma plates were inserted the bullets no longer would penetrate the body armor.  The medical determination was that the person would still probably die though.  The armor plates were folded over the bullet and penetrated enough to shatter enough ribs to do irreprable harm to internal organs.

Short answer, no, armor could not, and can not stop a .57 calibler Burton ball.

g'day
Kevin Jameson

"T." <sydb@telerama.com> wrote:

>
>New to the list, new to the game, but I love the whole idea of it and have
>really enjoyed the sourcebooks immensely.
>
>However, what the books do not address and I havent seen on any Deadlands
>websites is suggestions on how a Marshal can keep his or her players alive!
> I'm not a killer GM, nor do I coddle my players, but I forsee problems
>with practically no armor in the game and a lot of flying lead.  I had
>similar problems running Cyberpunk, and that game even had armor.
>
>Speaking of armor...I've always wondered why armor disappeared with the
>general introduction of firearms.  Surely the older firearms, even up until
>the Civil War couldnt penetrate metal?  Ignore for a moment the
>difficulties of wearing metal armor, especially in a western setting--does
>anyone on the list know enough about ballistics to answer the question?
>Because this game is going to be new to my players as well, and being used
>to d&d someone is gonna ask me why cant they just west plate or chainmail
>and sweat it out?
>
>
>Thanks,
>
>
>--Tim
>
>
>
>To unsubscribe, send a message to esquire@gamerz.net with
>    unsubscribe deadlands@gamerz.net
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>
>


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