Topic: Maneuvering in Soft Leather - why?

[Shottglazz]

Just curious if other groups EVER use this skill...I can honestly say that not one of my players in about 21 years of running Rolemaster has ever used this skill...

[yammahoper]

What if your Plate encumbers as AT 8?

[Ecthelion]

But other than such special armors there is hardly ever a reason to use AT 5-8.

[Shottglazz]

8? We count Soft Leather as AT's 1-5, Rigid as 6-10, Chain as 13-16 and Plate as 17+.

So for us (as we take it from Arms Law), Soft Leather ends at AT5. AT5 has no penalties, thus no reason to build up skill in maneuvering.

[Cormac Doyle]

Soft leather is AT 5, 6, 7 & 8 (with 7 & 8 being restricted to animals or magical armors)

AT 5 has no maneuver penalties; AT 6 requires no more than 4 ranks to negate (note that no matter how many ranks developed, you cannot eliminate the "minimum" penalties)

Rigid leather is AT 9, 10, 11 & 12 (with 11 & 12 being restricted to animals or magical armors)

Chain mail is AT 13, 14, 15 & 16

Plate Mail is AT 17, 18, 19 & 20

[Ecthelion]

RM2 Arms Law defines, on pg. 10, "Soft Leather Base" to encompass AT5-8. RMSS does the same, e.g. on pg. 142 of the RMSS Standard Rules book. So it might be that your assignment of ATs to the armor categories lead to Soft Leather armor never being used. Perhaps try using the rules as written...

[Shottglazz]

Whoops, my bad...thx for the correction Cormac...(teach me to spout off on what we use without looking at my material)...we still use types above 5 as rigid, as we have changed some of the armours:

AT6 = Leather Coat (Reinforced leather coat to mid-thigh and full arms)
AT7 = Studded Leather Coat (Reinforced leather and metal studs to mid-thigh and full arms)
AT8 = Ring Mail Coat (Reinforced leather coat with metal rings to mid-thigh and full arms)

We use the penalties listed in the book for the armour types, just the type of armour is changed...

[yammahoper]

AT 7 and * are not limited to animals or magic armors, but 11 and 12 are.

I have seen magic suits of wyvern or dragon hide with AT 11 and 12.  Always a solid AT to have.

[markc]

 Also IIRC fitted armor can remove some of the min penalties of the lower AT #'s.


MDC

[Old Man]

I have seen magic suits of wyvern or dragon hide with AT 11 and 12.  Always a solid AT to have.

Also demon hide and that of other really unusual mythic beasts (Fell Beasts, Demon Whales, etc.). But yes, good AT for Paladins and Rangers in particular.

[Grinnen Baeritt]

ahh.. the much maligned AT5-8 "problem" raises it's head once again. 

Using the rules it does seem a rather pointless AT providing very little (if any) advantage over not wearing any or taking a higher AT instead.. BUT... because the base costs are so cheap, it should be quite easy to acquire non-magical versions (and/or add superior design/fitted to reduce the penalties associated with them and greaves).

However, having said this, the leather armour types still rather too easy to hit..so perhaps assigning a house rule them a shift on the tables of 5-10 points of the table might alliveate this..?

Learning to wear it however is fine... because they are SO easy to learn DP wise and cancel the majority penalties associated with them.

[yammahoper]

in a world were leather is mastered by MANY craftsman, soft leather AT's are +20 in most mannish realms (+0 x1 cost, +5 x2 cost, +10 x3 cost, +15 x5 cost and +20 x10 cost listed in book).  In my world no one walks into a armorer and buys body armor off the shelf; fitting, measurements then production, though most leather armors only take 1-3 days to produce.

[markc]

Plus a magician can enchant them with shield mastery spell list.


MDC