Armor

Gear

Armor is a type of apparel that generally offers good protection from damage, but poor insulation and (in some cases) movement speed penalties.

If left exposed with no roof, armor will deteriorate until it disintegrates. Like clothing, armor also slowly degrades while worn on colonists or when the wearer gets hit.

Colonists wearing armor have a chance of outright avoiding all damage from an attack, as the reinforced plates can sometimes utterly deflect a bullet or a melee strike. This will be represented by a "tink" sound and a spark. They may also receive a mitigated blow, for only half of the damage.

The Gear tab shows aggregate stats about armor once worn, including total protection and mass.

Armor rating

There are several types of armor ratings;

Name	Label	Description
Blunt	Armor - Blunt	Protection against blunt damage like club attacks, rock falls, and explosions.
Piercing	Armor - Piercing	Protection against piercing damage like bullets, knife stabs, and animal bites.
Heat	Armor - Heat	Protection against temperature-related damage like burns.

Each effective point of armor gives 0.5% to harmlessly deflect damage, and another 0.5% chance to mitigate it, instead receiving half the damage as blunt damage. Each effective armor point below 100% results in a net 0.75% reduction in damage, while each point above results in a 0.25% reduction. This means that at 200% effective armor rating, colonists will be completely immune to damage; this currently works only on heat damage which lacks armor penetration, and can be seen on mechanoids.
Cataphract armor at Legendary quality comes at a close second, reaching 200% sharp rating, though all sharp attacks have armor penetration meaning that even a pawn hit too many times will fall.

In-game this is calculated as follows:

The armor rating is reduced by the armor penetration value, dependent on the weapon.
The remaining armor rating is then compared against a random number from 0 to 100:
- If the random number is under half the armor rating, the damage deflects harmlessly.
- If the random number is over half the armor rating, but not higher than the armor rating, the damage is mitigated.
- If the random number is greater than the armor rating, the armor has no effect.

Maximum armor rating is at 200%.

Armor is calculated per piece of apparel, from the outside in. Armor mitigation does stack multiplicatively, e.g. 2 pieces of clothing or armor will mitigate damage twice for 25% damage.

Note that armor does not stop weapons with sufficient stopping power from staggering colonists, even if the damage is deflected.

Durability

Apparel, including armor, take damage over time and when it gets hit and blocks damage for the wearer. It takes a constant fraction of incoming damage instead of absorbing all prevented damage, so high-quality armor lasts about the same time as low-quality armor.

Clothing Layers

Main articles: Apparel layers and Table of Human Body Part Groups

Each item of apparel or utility gear is worn on a specific location of the wearer's body. That location is determined by two things:

The body part groups it covers.
The layer or layers it occupies.

Apparel combinations are limited by layer and coverage - an item cannot be worn with another item that covers the same body parts and on the same layer. Thus, items covering the same parts but on different layers are compatible, as are items on the same layer but with no overlap in coverage. Items that cover multiple layers conflict with items on all layers.

Layers are also used to determine the order in which armor calculations are performed, with the outermost layer's armor applying first, and progressing through the layers until the attack is stopped or there are no more layers.

The layers, from innermost to outermost, are:

Skin: The closest layer to the body, and mostly used for apparel below the head.
Middle: The second closest layer to the body, and mostly used for apparel below the head.
Outer: The third layer from the body, and mostly used for apparel below the head. Note that it will be displayed on the pawn's sprite above all other layers, even though it is considered below the following layers for actual mechanical effects.
Belt: Technically the fourth layer. A distinct layer for utility items to allow them to be worn alongside any other apparel but not with each other.
Headgear: The fifth layer, and used for headwear. There are several items that cover body parts typically covered by the other layers however, in which case this will be above them.
Eyes: The outermost layer. A distinct layer only used for the blindfold to allow it to be worn alongside headwear.

Which body parts currently have items that occupy each of the layers is shown in the table on the below; layers and body parts which are not currently used by gear were omitted. As such, the hands and feet which are not covered by any apparel or any layer, are omitted.

Body Part Group	Coverage	Skin	Middle	Outer	Headgear	Eyes	Belt
Full Head	Head, Ears, Nose, Jaw, Eyes				×
Upper Head	Head, Ears				×
Eyes	Eyes					×
Shoulders	Left & Right Shoulders	×	×	×
Arms	Left & Right Arm	×	×	×
Torso	Torso	×	×	×
Waist	Waist						×
Neck	Neck	×	×	×	×
Legs	Left & Right Leg	×	×	×

Examples

You can't wear pants as well as tribalwear, since both cover the "skin" layer and cover the legs.
You can wear pants and a button-down shirt, since while they both use the "skin" layer they don't cover the same parts.
You can wear pants and a duster, since while they both cover the legs pants use the "skin" layer while a duster uses the "outer" layer.

Middle Layer

Flak vest

Main article: Flak vest

A vest with armor plates inserted on the chest and back. While quite effective at deflecting gunshots and stabbing attacks against the chest, it does nothing to protect the limbs.

Middle and On skin layer

Flak pants

Main article: Flak pants

A pair of pants with armor plates sewn in. While it's not as good as solid armor, it offers effective protection against all manner of attacks while remaining quite comfortable.

Middle and Outer Layers

Plate armor

Main article: Plate armor

Overlapping solid plates of armor covering the entire body from neck to feet.

Very heavy armor. Not advised for 24/7 wearing on colonists due to the significant -0.8c/s movement speed penalty.

Flak jacket

Main article: Flak jacket

A tough fabric jacket with armor plates sewn in. While it's not as good as solid armor, it offers effective protection against all manner of attacks while remaining quite comfortable.

Decent protection with only a small -0.12c/s movement speed penalty. Strictly worse than a devilstrand duster though.

Recon armor

Main article: Recon armor

A suit of light partially-powered armor, designed to permit quick movement. Lightweight plasteel-weave plates block attacks without compromising mobility, and neuro-memetic assistors in the lower body allow a human to wear the armor and still move easily. Armor like this is often used by imperial scout troops and glitterworld police forces.

Better protection than plate armor or a duster and only a -0.12c/s movement speed penalty.

Marine armor

Main article: Marine armor

A suit of powered armor. Layered plasteel-weave plates are very effective at stopping attacks, with few vulnerable joint sections. Neuro-memetic assistors allow a human to wear the armor and still move easily.
Armor like this is often used by rapid-incursion space marines.

Durable but heavy armor. Not advised for 24/7 wearing on colonists due to the -0.4c/s movement speed penalty.

Cataphract armor

Main article: Cataphract armor

A suit of heavy powered armor, built for maximum protection at the cost of mobility. Heavy layered plasteel-weave plates with solid ablative coatings stop all but the most well-aimed or powerful attacks. Neuro-memetic assistors prevent the suit's massive weight from immobilizing the wearer entirely, but the suit is still quite cumbersome. Armor like this is used by imperial cataphracts to break heavily fortified positions in frontal assaults when no other option is available.

The strongest armor in game. Not advised for 24/7 wearing on colonists due to the -0.4c/s movement speed penalty.

Headgear

Simple helmet

Main article: Simple helmet

A simple helmet which gives moderate protection against sharp attacks. Not effective against blunt attacks.

Cheap, but bulky protection for one's noggin. Can be made out of various materials to potentially improve durability and therefore lifetime. Less protective than a Flak Helmet.

Flak helmet

Main article: Flak helmet

A lightweight combat helmet with a complex design, reinforced with plasteel. Not effective against blunt attacks.

Mid-tier headgear that provides better protection than the simple helmet. Companion to the Flak vest.

Recon helmet

Main article: Recon helmet

A high-tech armored helmet with a built-in status computer and a protective plasteel-weave plate. Armor like this is often used by imperial scout troops or glitterworld police forces.

Marine helmet

Main article: Marine helmet

A marine armor helmet, with a built-in status computer and layered plasteel-weave plates. Armor like this is often used by rapid-incursion space marines.

Advanced, but uncomfortable. It is currently the only helmet that covers the entire face.

Cataphract helmet

Main article: Cataphract helmet

A heavily-armored high-tech helmet, with a solid plasteel-weave shell and indirect visual system for non-frontal view angles. It protects against all but the most powerful or luckily-aimed shots. Armor like this is used by imperial cataphracts to break heavily fortified positions in frontal assaults when no other option is available.

Psychic foil helmet

Main article: Psychic foil helmet

A thin helmet containing finely-tuned sheets of psychically-absorptive foil. Reduces the impact of psychic waves.

Great protection against mind-reading lizard men. Not so great at stopping bullets.

Psyfocus helmet

Main article: Psyfocus helmet

An ultratech staff threaded with psychic focusing materials. While it is a solid melee weapon, its main purpose is to enhance the wielder's psychic sensitivity and neural heat dissipation, allowing more use of psychic powers.

Waist Layer

Shield belt

Main article: Shield belt

A projectile-repulsion device. It will attempt to stop incoming projectiles or shrapnel, but does nothing against melee attacks or heat. It prevents the wearer from firing out, and shuts down instantly if hit by EMP.

A shield belt is most effective for melee combatants to allow them to close ground on a ranged attacker with little risk of taking weapons fire. Shields block attacks from Spike traps as if they were ranged attacks.

Smokepop belt

Main article: Smokepop belt

A defensive smokescreen. When activated, it will release a cloud of smoke, obscuring incoming shots and preventing turrets from locking on.

Once hit, releases a cloud which reduces the hit chance of any projectile passing through it by 70%. Affects friend and foe. Does not affect melee.

Version History

In Beta 18 or earlier each point of armor from 1 - 50% reduced damage by 1%, each point of armor between 51 - 100% provided a 1% chance to not take damage, each point of armor beyond 100% reduced damage by 0.25% and gives a 0.25% chance to not take damage. Total protection capped at 90% damage reduction and 90% deflect chance (i.e. 260% armor rating).

Apparel

Torso | Clothing: Button-down shirt • T-shirt (Kid ) • Tribalwear (Kid )
: Corset • Eltex shirt • Eltex vest • Formal vest • Formal shirt
: Slave collar
: Sash • Kid romper
Armor: Flak vest
Legs | Clothing: Pants (Kid )
Armor: Flak pants
Shell | Clothing: Duster • Jacket • Parka (Kid )
: Cape • Eltex robe • Prestige robe
: Burka • Robe • Slave body strap
: Heavy bandolier
Armor: Flak jacket • Marine armor (Prestige , Grenadier ) • Plate armor • Recon armor (Prestige , Locust , Mechlord ) • Cataphract armor (Prestige , Phoenix )
Head | Clothing: Bowler hat • Cowboy hat • Hood • Psychic foil helmet • Tuque • Tribal headdress • Veil • War mask
: Beret • Coronet • Crown • Eltex helmet • Eltex skullcap • Ladies hat • Stellic crown • Top hat
: Authority cap • Blindfold • Broadwrap • Flophat • Headwrap • Shadecone • Slicecap • Tailcap • Torture crown • Visage mask
: Airwire headset • Array headset • Gas mask • Face mask
: Ceremonial hood
Armor: Flak helmet • Marine helmet (Prestige/Samurai helmet ) • Recon helmet (Prestige , Mechlord ) • Simple helmet (Kid ) • Cataphract helmet (Prestige ) • Gunlink • Integrator headset • Mechcommander helmet