Armor and Protection
Armor in Ashen Sky does what you'd expect from it - protects you from harm. It comes in many types and variations: light bodysuits, armor vests, helmets, coats, etc. Many armor pieces can be combined. In this article we're going to look at most common types of protection.
There are two kinds of vests in the game: light and heavy. Both have their pros and cons:
Light armor vests are made from lightweight and flexible materials, such as kevlar and aramid. They usually provide ballistic protection ranging from class II (can stop buckshot and weak pistol rounds such as 9x18 and .45 ACP) to class IV (can stop weaker intermediate rifle rounds and armor-piercing pistol rounds).
Keep in mind that the Russian GOST for body armor is being used for reference here, which is different from the western classification for armor.
This type of armor has the following qualities:
- Much lighter weight compared to heavy armor
- Affordable price
- Almost no additional protection from non-ballistic and non-cutting damage (shrapnel, knives)
- Rounds that don't penetrate this armor can still apply blunt damage to the wearer (depending on cartridge)
- It will take much longer for this type of armor to wear out
Another thing to note about light armor is your character's ability to wear other coats and jackets over it, while heavy armor will cover both of your uniform slots, leaving no place to put additional clothing on.
Heavy armor vests come equipped with solid armor plates covering the back and the chest of your character. This allows such vests to protect the wearer from various rifle rounds. (V-VI armor class according to GOST) Without the plates installed, such vests can only be compared to their lighter counterparts. This type of armor has the following qualities:
- They cost a fortune
- They're considerably more heavy
- Provide good protection from most rifle and pistol calibers in the game, the most expensive ones allowing you to withstand armor-piercing sniper rounds (if the plates weren't previously damaged)
- Good all-round protection from all types of physical damage, not just ballistic and cutting damage
- Almost no additional blunt damage received by wearer, even from the most powerful cartridges
- Armor plates are quick to break apart, it takes about 20-30 successful hits with a rifle to completely destroy one
- Plates offer no protection from bullets hitting from the sides, which makes the wearer more vulnerable to flanking. There's still a kevlar vest covering the body, but it will not save you from an AK burst.
All armor provides the wearer with additional storage space. To access it, simply click on the vest.
There are two types of headgear: protective (helmets, hoods) and cosmetic (caps, berets, etc.) Here we will just look at the protective headgear:
Hoods are integral parts of some protective suits.
- They offer almost no protection from physical damage, but allow you to withstand some harmful effects produced by the Zone (burns, toxins, psi-emissions).
- They don't cover your face which allows your character to wear masks and glasses with the hood.
- Their weight is almost unnoticeable
Open Helmets are designed to protect the skull of the wearer from all sides, and their face area from the back as well.
- An average open helmet is capable of stopping shrapnel and most pistol cartridges with ease
- The face is left uncovered, which allows you to wear masks and glasses with the helmet
- They are lightweight
- Prices range from very low to considerable, open helmets are usually included in armor sets (for example, the Cossack armor set includes an open helmet, an armor vest, ballistic leg guards and arm guards).
Full Helmet covers your character's face and head entirely, but it has its own downsides.
- Very high protection from all physical damage, but high chance of receiving a blunt trauma from hits
- Restricted field of view due to full face cover
- Can't wear any masks or glasses with this helmet on
- Considerable weight which can affect your character's agility in the long run
- High price
Your arms and legs can be protected with either full protective suits that cover legs and arms by default or using additional armor pieces - arm guards and leg guards.
Even less all-rounded than heavy vests, these armor pieces leave you vulnerable for flanking (50% chance to absorb damage from the sides) and leave you completely defenseless from the back.
Most arm guards and leg guards are bulletproof, and can be compared to light armor vests in damage resistance. There are also police arm guards and leg guards available, specially designed for deflecting various melee attacks but completely ineffective against firearms. They're cheaper than ballistic armor and are perfect for fighting in melee and against mutants.
Here you can see the police versions of arm guards and leg guards.
LMG MOUNTED AND LOADED
