Judge Dredd - Helmets?

[Arabin]

From looking through my graphic novels, I notice that a lot of times, Judges do not wear helmets. At first, it seemed logical to me that some Judges (PSI, Tek, Med) do not wear helmets as it interferes with their work, but Street Judges rarely keep there helmets on for long other than Judge Dredd himself.

I am making a ruling in my own campaign that a Judge all Street Judges are expected to wear their helmets at all times while in the public eye. If, for some reason, they take off their helmet, they will be repremanded by their sector chief.

Why am I doing this? Well, it seems to me that a lot of the initial fear that can make perps cower before you, comes from the uniform. It's very similar in a way to Stormtroopers. As far as outsiders are concerned, almost all Stormtroopers looks alike and seem robotic, fearless, and almost invincible. If a Judge or Stormtrooper takes off his helmet, then he is suddenly seen as human and is vulnerable.

I just wondered how others have dealt with the subject of helmets and whether they are required or not.

Arabin

 

[Mayhem]

Why bother with rules and regulations? If a PC Judge keeps taking his helmet off, have a perp who happens to be a good shot go for a called shot to his head...

I wager the helmet will never be removed again...

 

[LoneStranger]

Actually a little of both could be used, I can see that the helmet is part of the uniform and should not be taken off except for very noteworthy circumstances. However the sector chief should yell at the person not only for taking it off but being out of communication with the rest of the sector (I seem to remember reading that the com-link is in the helmet too). As for the other angle yeah people aren't stupid and they'll start sniping at Judges first chance they get.

 

[hassanisabbah]

Reduce the Judges DR by 2, but increase their spot and listen by +5.... (its always easier to hear and see without a helmet than with one).

 

[redlaco]

Maybe, but I'm sure the R&D department would try to improve their helmet design if it gave such a huge penalty to skill as crucial to a judge... I mean, spot and listen are some of the most useful skills for judges when they're looking for running perps.

 

[hassanisabbah]

Its not a penality, just a bonus for not wearing the armoured helmet. No matter how good the tech could be, its still a helmet on the head restriction thing. Also that techs going to be shook up a lot by repeated blows!

And it might explain why Anderson never wears hers....

 

[redlaco]

Yeah, but when you first create a judge and buy some spot and listen skills, the score you get does not account for the helmet. I mean, the judge isn't born with a helmet glued on his head (his poor mother... ouch!). So it would be as if by removing his helmet he gains superior senses than his normal attributes would allow ?

I think it should be the other way around, the helmet impairs your senses.

Just my 2 $CAN

 

[hassanisabbah]

I see where you are coming for... however a judge is taken in a 5 and trains for 15 years in the accademy.

Its a half full/empty point, but I see it the other way, that judges are trained to compensate for wearing a helmet, so when sans helmet, they are actually much better at such things as spotting and listening...

Until some one takes a pot shot, and they find out they are in padded armour (DR 4) without the helmet...

 

[Arabin]

Nice ideas. I like the -2 to DR but I don't agree with increasing spot and listen checks. I hadn't thought of them being incommunicado without their helmets on. Of course, if they are near their lawmasters then they can still communicate, but it's a good point for them to be reprimanded.

I think the helmets are enhanced and the Judges are highly trained in using them so they would not gain better vision or hearing without them. If anything, removing the helmet would make them less machine and more human, and thus have lowered perceptions.

Arabin