Greetin's all, RTG here.
Well, this is an MTS system I really wish I'd thought to put in Zeta Plus at the time, but I didn't. However, enough people have requested such a thing that I figger, why not? SO here you are: use it as you will.
There are two categories of attack, for Armor purposes: Energy and Phyiscal. Energy Attacks are Beam Weapons and EMWs, while Physical Attacks are Projectile Weapons, Missiles and Melee Weapons. Armor may be "optimized" for one attack type or the other, or may be particularly protective or vulnerable against one specific type of attack.
At the most basic level, Armor may trade effectiveness versus one category for vulnerability to the other category. The bonus to SP must be balanced; i.e., if the Armor's SP is x1.5 versus Energy attacks, then it's SP versus Physical attacks should be x0.5 (an easy way to determine SP balance is that the two SP ratings should add up to 2.0). If there is any imbalance, the deficit must be made up for by paying double the percentage in CP.
For example: Due to ablative conductor-fibres laced through it's surface, the Zenith's Armor is highly resistant to beam weapons (SP x1.8 vs Energy). However, the network of ablative fibers reduces the armor's structural integrity, making the Zentih somewhat vulnerable to kinetic impacts (SP x0.6 vs Physical). In terms of balanced SP effectiveness, the Zentih's Armor has a deficit of 0.4; SP x1.8 vs Energy would normally be balanced by SP x0.2 vs Physical (1.8 + 0.2 = 2.0), but the Zenith's Armor is 0.4 over (1.8 + 0.6 = 2.4). Thus, the Cost of the Armor must be increased; 0.4 x2 = 0.8, or an 80% increase in the Armor's Cost. Thus, the Cost of the Zenith's Armor is multiplied by 1.8.
Formulae:
- Add Armor's SP multiple vs Energy to Armor's SP multiple vs Physical.
- Subtract 2.0 from the result of Step One.
- If the result of of Step Two is positive, multiply by x2.0; if the result of Step Two is negative, multiply by x0.5.
- Add (or subtract) the result of Step Three to 1.0.
- The result of Step Four is the Cost Multiplier for the Armor.
It should be clear that Optimized Armor is only cost-effective if you intend to either: 1) balance an increased effectiveness with a vulnerability, or 2) give the Armor an inherent vulnerability without granting any increased protective capabilities. Using Optimized Armor to increase overall SP is highly inefficient, unless you are increasing SP above the maximum of 11 Kills; in that case, the Cost Multiple to the Armor is x5.0 (the same multiplier as for Scaled Armor). Hmmm...
Highly Specialized Optimization: Armor may also be optimized (or rendered more vulnerable) to more specific attacks than simply "Physical" or "Energy." Perhaps your Armor is highly proterctive against Lasers, but Plasma, Particle Beams and other Energy attacks are fully effective. In such a case, all the normal Armor Optimization rules apply, but Step Three's multipliers are x1.0 if postive, x0.25 if negative.
For example:
The Zeus's Armor is fully effective against all attacks, but it is
vulnerable to Maser weapons. In this case, it's SP is x1.0 versus all
attacks, but it's SP is x0.5 versus Masers only. 1.0 + 0.5 = 1.5; 2.0 -
1.5 = -x0.5; -x0.5 x0.25 = -0.125; 1.0 - 0.125 = 0.875. Thus, the Zeus's
Armor Costs x0.875 normal.
Note: Highly Specialized Optimization only applies if the attack you are specializing against is actually available in the game; no vulnerability against Fairy Dust Blasts if you're playing a hardcore military game! A vulnerability that is not a vulnerability grants no points.
Original Source: Mekton Bastion Text Archives
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