Editing Cataphract armor

{{Royalty}}{{infobox main
| name = Cataphract armor
| image = CataphractArmor.png|Cataphract armor
| description = 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.
| type = Gear
| type2 = Armor
| tech level = Spacer
| hp = 400
| production facility 1 = Fabrication bench
| research = Cataphract armor
| work to make = 75000
| resource 1 = Plasteel
| resource 1 amount = 150
| resource 2 = Uranium
| resource 2 amount = 50
| resource 3 = Advanced component
| resource 3 amount = 6
| skill 1 = Crafting
| skill 1 level = 8
| marketvalue  = 3120
| armorblunt  = 50
| armorsharp  = 120
| armorheat  = 60
| insulationcold = 36
| insulationheat = 12
| coverage = Torso, Neck, Left Shoulder, Left Arm, Right Shoulder, Right Arm, Left Leg, Right Leg
| layer = Middle, Outer
| mass base = 15
| thingCategories = ApparelArmor
| tradeTags = HiTechArmor
| defaultOutfitTags = Soldier
| thingSetMakerTags = RewardStandardHighFreq
}}

'''Cataphract armor''' is a type of advanced [[apparel]] ([[armor]]) introduced by the [[Royalty DLC]] that can effectively block gunshots, cuts, blunt trauma, or burns. It forms a full set of armor along with the [[Cataphract helmet]].

When equipped, it slows its wearer's [[move speed]] by {{--|0.80}} {{CS}}.

== Acquisition == 
Cataphract armor can be crafted at a [[{{P|Production Facility 1}}]] once the [[Research#{{P|Required Research}}|{{P|Required Research}}]] research project has been completed. The required [[techprint]]s can be obtained either by [[trade]] or completing [[quests]] for the [[Empire]]. Each set requires {{Required Resources}}, {{Ticks|{{P|Work To Make}}}} of work, and a [[{{P|Skill 1}}]] skill of {{P|Skill 1 Level}}.

Alternatively, the armor can be received as a quest reward, purchased from traders, or found on [[Empire#Cataphract|Imperial Cataphracts]]. Acquiring it through fighting the Empire is difficult due to their ubiquitious [[Death acidifier]] implants and the general difficulty of killing the pawns wearing this armor and carrying the empire's best weapons.

== Analysis == 
Cataphract armor is the strongest [[power armor]] in the game - but as expected, one of the most expensive. Like [[recon armor]] and [[marine armor]], it covers the limbs and torso, for great overall protection. It provides roughly the same protection as a marine armor of one quality level above its own (e.g., a normal set of cataphract armor is roughly equal to a good set of marine armor), or of recon armor two quality levels above its own. Cataphract armor also allows a pawn to reach the cap of 200% sharp protection at Legendary quality, and offers the highest blunt armor available in the game. 

The armor provides a significant [[Move Speed]] debuff of {{--|0.80}} c\s, double that of [[Marine armor]] and over six times that of a flak vest, making the armor impractical for every day wear by some pawns. A [[moving]] factor of {{+|125%}} is needed to counter this penalty. This can be achieved by installing 2 [[bionic leg]]s or 1 [[archotech leg]] on the pawn.

===Compared to flak vests===
Compared to a [[flak vest]] and [[duster]], Cataphract armor offers strictly superior protection to all body parts when all items are the same [[quality]], regardless of duster material. Cataphract armor, like all power armors, covers all limbs, unlike flak vests, which only cover the torso, neck, and shoulders. 

However, the high protective value of cataphract armor is offset by its extreme cost, length of time to craft, and the substantial move speed penalty of {{--|.80}} c/s. Flak vests and dusters are, by comparison, significantly cheaper and only incur a move speed penalty of {{--|.12}} c/s. The cataphract armor research project also requires 2 [[techprint]]s to be purchased and applied before it can be unlocked.

===Compared to phoenix armor===
[[Phoenix armor]]{{RoyaltyIcon}} is a sidegrade to cataphract armor, unlocked from the same research. Phoenix armor has {{--|5%}} Sharp and {{--|5%}} Blunt armor, but {{+|15%}} Heat armor, before [[quality]]. This discrepancy increases at higher quality. However, at legendary quality, both phoenix and cataphract armor offer the maximum of 200% Sharp protection, the most common form of protection. Phoenix armor costs {{icon small|Steel}} 75 [[steel]], {{icon small|Component}} 4 [[component]]s, and {{icon small|Chemfuel}} 75 more than marine. Steel, components, and chemfuel are likely easy to produce for a colony producing power armor, so the material cost is not terribly significant.

Phoenix armor's main defensive advantage is that it reduces a human's [[flammability]] to 2%. [[Fire]] is a large threat to colonists - not because of its damage, but because it causes them to run around wildly. Phoenix armor reduces the chance of ignition from 70% to 2% - a massive benefit. Enemies with flame damage aren't terribly common (especially without the [[Biotech DLC]]). But 5% armor doesn't make a big difference, either. An extra 5% armor would translate to 2.5% chance to halve damage, and 2.5% chance to prevent all damage. Phoenix armor, by comparison, nearly eliminates a dangerous type of threat.

Phoenix armor also has an integrated flame launcher. It explodes into a 5x5 blast of fire, with each bolt costing {{icon small|Chemfuel}} 40 [[chemfuel]].

Overall, the difference comes down to if you want to (nearly) prevent fire, or if you want some extra protection. This comparison should favor phoenix armor, especially at higher qualities. At excellent or better, phoenix armor reaches the (100% + weapon {{AP}}%) Sharp threshold for all ranged weapons. This is enough to always halve incoming sharp damage. In turn, this prevents all one-shots that could be prevented by any amount of armor. Past this threshold, armor has a reduced impact on protection: it only reduces ''chance to prevent damage'' rather than both ''chance to halve damage'' and ''chance to prevent damage''. See [[Apparel#Protection|Apparel]] for more details.

At legendary quality, phoenix armor reaches the cap of 200% Sharp armor, making phoenix armor a no-brainer. While it still has less Blunt armor, blunt damage is comparatively rare. Blunt armor is never checked by any ranged weapon, only Sharp or Heat. Phoenix armor also has better Heat protection.

{{Apparel Quality Table}}

== Trivia ==
Cataphracts were heavy armored cavalry used in ancient warfare by people in Eurasia, including the Byzantines that inspired the Empire.

Every set of cataphract armor found on an [[Empire#Cataphract|Imperial Cataphract]] will be white.

== Version history ==
*[[Royalty DLC]] release - Added.
*[[Version/1.1.2647|1.1.2647]] - No longer meets the clothing requirement of nobles, replaced in that role by [[Prestige cataphract armor]]. Stellic Wardens and Defenders no longer spawn with a regular cataphract armor, and instead spawn with the prestige version.

== See Also ==
*[[Phoenix armor]] - a variant of cataphract armor that is slightly more protective against heat and temperature but less protective otherwise, with an integrated incendiary launcher.
*[[Prestige cataphract armor]] - a variant of cataphract armor that both pleases nobles and improves psychic ability.

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[[Category:Armor]]
[[Category:Royalty]]