What is the point of non Cloth armor?

[Stingray_tm]

Maybe I am missing something, but when looking at non-military armor, Cloth seems to be a no-brainer choice for PCs and makes everything else obsolete..
It offers better protection than other options at the same tech level while being more concealable and not really more expensive.
Can anybody explain this to me?

 

[Reisender]

I think the TL7-variant is ok, as it is quite heavy, bulky and does not offer that much more protection. But the amount of protection, weight and concealment at TL10+ seems to be kind of wrong. I think some form of house-ruling might be required here.

 

[Garran]

Most of the other stuff is lower-TL, so it's no surprise that it's weaker. It'll usually only show up on lower TL worlds, or when someone from a higher-TL setting is forced to improvise.

The two that are competitive - ceramic and poly carapace - are of similar TLs and nowhere near as subtle. (The Diplo Vest and Protec Suit, while offering less armor, are also likely to be much more acceptable in social situations.)

 

[Condottiere]

I think the idea is that it's a form of jump suit with super bullet proof material, at least, it's my impression of the Classic variant, with the updated version more in line with what modern troops are equipped with.

The higher the technological level, the closer it would get to Cyberpunk.

As I understand it, a lot of politicians who look fatter than they should in heavy jackets, are wearing ballistic protection.

 

[Stingray_tm]

I am not questioning the lore behind it but game balance. Why should a player ever use something else but TL10 cloth armor? This should be available at every A or B class starport.

 

[Being]

Game balance? Not sure how that applies in a game with differing TLs? Where mass produced higher TL items could be considerably cheaper than lower TL items which are inferior.
Its like saying why use a better cheaper weapon. Or a higher TL vehicle.
The Central Supply Catalogue has TL12 +4 Cloth can be worn under other armour, my characters often don a TL 10 suit with a TL12 undersuit. Giving AP12. quite feasible with the advances made in recent times in ballistic cloth, who knows where it will be by TL12.

There is a lot in Traveller thats not balanced.

 

[Stingray_tm]

Since it is a game, I still would expect some kind of game balance. There is no need for Flack Jackets for players, if Cloth Armor is better, lighter, more concealable and easily available. The Imperium has an average TL of 12. A TL10 item is really not that hard to come by even on a TL7/8 world, that has a class A or B starport. Why have anything else available in the first place unless for very specific situations like the Traveller... well... not travelling but being stuck on a Tl6 world?

I mean, even the TL8 version of cloth armor is superior to most other armor options on TL 6-8.

 

[Old School]

Cloth does make every other soft armor obsolete. I don't see an issue with that. A diplo vest still has a place, as it's completely concealable. Cloth, even TL12 worn under other clothes, is easily detectible and will raise questions. PCs aren't often going to be buying flak jackets, or jack, or mesh, but when operating in low tech backwaters that may be all the locals have access to.

Players also aren't often going to use a club, a mace, or a revolver, but that doesn't mean they won't get attacked by someone with one.

 

[TrippyHippy]

Cloth Armour is generally the best armour for general use, or beginning characters, especially if you can get the High Tech variant which allows you to wear it along with other armour types, like Flak jackets etc. I see it more as an underlying armour in that respect.

That said, Battle Armour is what combatant players really want, and that costs a bomb.

 

[Condottiere]

Ad hoc composite (body) armour (layers).

In general, if you can protect your head and chest, Traveller medical technology will likely be able to regenerate (or replace) everything else.