Electronics Suite

[Jeff Hopper]

I question the logic behind giving every armor suit of TL 8 or higher an integral electronics suite. I think that the devices in the electronic suite should be handled as add-ons for the armor instead, mainly because not every situation for which you need personal protection will require all of those electronic goodies. A bodyguard of a noble would have little use for a Geiger counter unless a radiological threat was expected, for example.

 

[grauenwolf]

In space radiation is always a concern.

 

[Jeff Hopper]

In space radiation is always a concern.

This is obviously true. A Geiger counter makes sense on a vacc suit, it doesn't make sense on a flak jacket or ablat armor or a TL 8 mail hauberk (none of which protect a character from space).

Also, in several cases, the price of the electronics suite goodies exceeds the price of the armor itself.

 

[-Daniel-]

This is obviously true. A Geiger counter makes sense on a vacc suit, it doesn't make sense on a flak jacket or ablat armor or a TL 8 mail hauberk (none of which protect a character from space).

Also, in several cases, the price of the electronics suite goodies exceeds the price of the armor itself.

Jeff, I must have missed something, where does it say they add this to the Flak Jackets or Ablat Amour?

 

[Jeff Hopper]

This is obviously true. A Geiger counter makes sense on a vacc suit, it doesn't make sense on a flak jacket or ablat armor or a TL 8 mail hauberk (none of which protect a character from space).

Also, in several cases, the price of the electronics suite goodies exceeds the price of the armor itself.

Jeff, I must have missed something, where does it say they add this to the Flak Jackets or Ablat Amour?

Page 5 of 12 in the Personal Protection chapter under Non-powered Suits. "Unless otherwise stated, non-powered suits come equipped with the following electronics suite, appropriate to their Tech Level." Flak jackets are TL 8 and ablat armor is TL 9, so each would have its own electronics suite according to the rules as written. A mail hauberk or jack armor, while introduced at a lower tech level, when built at a tech level of 8 or higher would have their own electronics suite

 

[Old timer]

Reading that section, it does not apply to flak jackets etc as they are not suits. Non powered suits are the armours listed after that chart, the boarding vacc suit and combat armour and so on. That section of text may need a little clarifying.

 

[-Daniel-]

Page 5 of 12 in the Personal Protection chapter under Non-powered Suits. "Unless otherwise stated, non-powered suits come equipped with the following electronics suite, appropriate to their Tech Level." Flak jackets are TL 8 and ablat armor is TL 9, so each would have its own electronics suite according to the rules as written. A mail hauberk or jack armor, while introduced at a lower tech level, when built at a tech level of 8 or higher would have their own electronics suite

Interesting, I read that but I understood that as it fell under the Heading "Non-powered Suits" and that a list of Non-Powered Suits came right after the list of Electronic Suites that it only applied to the Suits in that section. I would have expected that is that applied to all armour it would have said "Unless otherwise stated, all armour come equipped..." but it doesn't, it says non-powered suits.

So in my reading of both the placement of that paragraph and the fact it falls in the section the electronic suites only are included in the specific suits listed. Those being; Boarding Vacc Suit, Ceramic Combat Suit, Combat Armour, Combat Environment Suit, Emergency Hostile Environment Suit, Emergency Softsuit, Explosive Ordinance Disposal Suit, Hostile Environment Vacc Suit, Pressure Sleeve, Psi-Enhanced Combat Armour, Rescue Suit, and Vacc Suit.

I would also note that the same statement is found under the Heading "Powered Armour" except it now says "Unless otherwise stated, Powered Armour..." and referring back to the table on page 5. Again leading me to believe it only applies to the suits found under that heading.

Bottom line for me, I would imagine if they had meant all armour then it would have been at the start and stated all armour. For now, I think I will stick to it applying to only the non-powered suits the statement addresses. Makes much more sense to me.

 

[Jeff Hopper]

That section of text may need a little clarifying.

I agree.

 

[-Daniel-]

That section of text may need a little clarifying.

I agree.

So I am curious, if I am right about what it means, what would you have it say to make it clearer that it only means the items in the section it falls in and calls out?

On the other hand, if it meant to be all armour like you suggested, then I think moving it to the optional add-ons is the way to go.

 

[Jeff Hopper]

That section of text may need a little clarifying.

I agree.

So I am curious, if I am right about what it means, what would you have it say to make it clearer that it only means the items in the section it falls in and calls out?

On the other hand, if it meant to be all armour like you suggested, then I think moving it to the optional add-ons is the way to go.

Well, it isn't my book. I'm just a loud-mouthed mook here.

However, I think that it should be moved into a section of optional add-ons for the armor. Some manufacturers will want their armor to be sold with all of the options while others will just sell the basic unit with options. Some equipment should be standard with some types of armor, vacc suits require a radio transceiver (with the range of that radio transceiver given) otherwise communication would be nigh impossible.