Re: [HOE] armour trick?

[Darrin Bright <darrin@neobright.net>]

Mikko Vasko wrote:
> 
> > >can anyone remember the way to take armour off  of a damage roll without
> > >the
> > >players knowing the target is armoured.

The quick and dirty formula is thus:

Multiply the number of dice being rolled for damage by the AP level.
Subtract this amount from the damage.

For example, a PC is firing a Winchester 76 at an automaton with 2
levels of AP. Damage is 4d8. 4 x 2 = 8, so subtract 8 points of damage
from the damage roll.

I can go into the math if you want. Also, please note that this system
does not account for aces on the damage roll. If you want, consider aces
as extra damage dice and use that to calculate how much damage the armor
absorbs. If you didn't see the roll, the PCs might get suspiscious if
you keep asking them how many times they aced. Or you could consider
aces as shots that bypass or circumvent the armor, and thus do more
damage. Considering that some damage rolls are going to roll under the
armor reduction, it sort of balances out.

Another system was suggested a while back of rolling a number of dice
equal to the AP level and subtracting that from the damage, but I forget
how that was determined. 

> How about this idea: you multiply the damage by (reduced die/original die)
> What I'm trying to say is that
> when damage drops from d20 to d10 halve (10/20=1/2) the total
> when it drops from d10 to d6 take 6/10=60% of the damage.
> from d12 to d4 means 4/12=1/3 of damage.
> And so on.
> 
> That shouldn't be too difficult, all you need is a calculator (in most
> casesnot even that), and it gives almost same results as the original
> system.

Hmm, that works but the PCs will know something is up every time you
whip out a calculator. I'd prefer something I can work out in my head or
on the fly, anyway.