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Armor Diversity - New Units
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New Armor for New Era!
HDA, Heat Dissipating
25%
 25%  [ 1 ]
APA, Anti-Penetrative Ablative
25%
 25%  [ 1 ]
IRA, Impact Resistant
50%
 50%  [ 2 ]
Total Votes : 4
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magical_savior
Clan Snow Raven
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PostPosted: 03-Jul-2026 19:57    Post subject: Armor Diversity - New Units Reply to topic Reply with quote

So, the Playtest buffed a number of armors to make them deeply impressive with No Drawbacks!* But they aren't really represented in BT. These three armor types represent the most improved, yet least employed, armors in the Playtest.

What do you want to see more of, from these units representing roughly 0.4% of the canon?
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Thunder
Clan Blood Spirit
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Joined: 22-Feb-2024 01:39
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PostPosted: 03-Jul-2026 22:47    Post subject: Armor Diversity - New Units Reply to topic Reply with quote

Would need to know what their new stats are.

Im inclined towards heat resistant, but thats likely my current meta influencing me.
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magical_savior
Clan Snow Raven
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PostPosted: 05-Jul-2026 12:42    Post subject: Armor Diversity - New Units Reply to topic Reply with quote

The changed stats are the same from Equipment Playtest 3.

HDA- Absolutely no external heat (but you still need Laser Heat Sink for a hot planet). Half damage from Heat weapons (Flamer, Plasma Rifle). 10 points per ton.

APA-Negates Armor-piercing as an ability from AP ammo, TC missiles, completely. Negates TAC(!). 12 points per ton.

IRA- No penalty to Breach Checks or AP ammo. Reduces damage from melee, falls, by ~1/3. 14 points per ton.
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Thunder
Clan Blood Spirit
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PostPosted: 05-Jul-2026 17:15    Post subject: Armor Diversity - New Units Reply to topic Reply with quote

Well there is the problem. The damage types they protect against are not common enough to be worth giving up weapons tonnage for. "Make enemy dead" is a stronger general defense.

I can see these being used in specialized niche's. Heat resistant for a force that is inferno IV happy. (On my list to build someday actually.) or Impact resistant for a Solaris design.

Armor Piercing resistance is the weakest contender. Not a common enough event in my meta, and even when it is used not reliable enough to count on more then just separating parts of the target from itself with damage.
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magical_savior
Clan Snow Raven
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PostPosted: 05-Jul-2026 23:45    Post subject: Armor Diversity - New Units Reply to topic Reply with quote

It was even worse when they all had less effects or significant drawbacks. Depending on BV, it's a good tonnage sink for Clan designs. Once you hit a certain level of cost, it's an issue of putting too many eggs in one basket.

HDA is very easy to get a lot out of - it can seal in TSM so the plan never gets disrupted, which is great. Plasma heavy environment, Flamer Heat+Damage is now a standard rule, ever-present Inferno. The new Light and Heavy Plasma will certainly see play. Anything with ammo appreciates not getting Inferno'd to check for detonation.

IRA has a lot going for it, just because. The tonnage tax is low and it protects from falls, self-damage from Charge and DFA. Of course I put it on a Charger. And a Sarath. And a Talon Trebaruna with IJJ. It can stop your head from becoming a soccer ball, though Hardened Armor is better at that. Could prevent stacking PSR from damage. It's a nice-to-have.

I agree APA is a tough sell... Unless you've allowed TC SRM. In which case it's competitive with BRA, and Reactive. Except BRA is, like, way better. But nobody in their right minds should allow Tandem, so APA is a solution looking for a problem that is already solved ... Though I hate TAC, with a passion. 2.7% of the time, it happens every time. If the era for APA was significant, it might make a difference. But I don't think it is, probably.

Of these, the only one I think people won't use is APA.
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