Clodhopper, Delta and I had a brief discussion about armor during a recent session of Terrorist Hunts that I thought would be best finished on the forums. First, there are actual levels of armor that provide a certain amount of protection, which are represented by bars in a character’s outfitting menu. The more protection a character uses, however, the less agile they are upon the field of battle. The levels are as follows:

• None - Zero bars, offers no protection, swiftest mobility
• Light - One to three bars, offers minimal protection (10%), slight decrease in mobility
• Medium - Four to six bars, offers moderate protection (25%), modest decrease in mobility
• Heavy - Seven to ten bars, offers substantial protection (40%), significant decrease in mobility

There is a slight difference within each level. For example, a character with two bars will be able to withstand more than someone with one. However, the variance is probably not enough to warrant either going up or down a level.

Second, armor is cumulative over a character’s body. Whether it is a vest, shoulder pads, or shin guards, the only thing that really matters is the total level of protection. The game does not differentiate between parts of the body.

Which brings us to the third aspect, headgear. Helmets do not offer increased protection, nor do they prevent headshots. They are merely aesthetic in nature, so there is no real need to worry about sporting a bandana over a lightweight helmet. Well, other than personal preference and style.

So, what’s everyone tend to use and do you find yourself changing it up for certain situations?