The Town of Larsen

I could never understand why the costs for cyborg armour in the Rifts Main Book were so low and out of line with costs for environmental body armour and for repairs to armour. I've priced borg armour in my campaign to suit what I think is appropriate.

In my campaign, armour with 50 MD or more is heavy and encumbering enough to reduce normal humans' speed by half. Borgs and characters with supernatural strength are not affected.

Remember, my campaign is set in the Union of Australian Races (UAR). The armour types listed below are either made there, sold there on the black market, or occasionally found there.

All-Armour Borg Assault Armour. MDC 420, cost $200,000. When this armour is worn, prowl is not possible and a -2 to strike, parry and dodge is incurred, along with a 20% decrease in speed. This armour is a collection of heavy MDC plates designed to provide additional protection for combat cyborgs. They do not form a suit per se, instead each plate is screwed into place over part of the 'borg's anatomy. There are no additional systems (i.e. gas filters, radio), but the plates cover the entire cyborg. Weighs 250 kilos.

All-Armour Borg Infantry Armour. MDC 270, cost $120,000, reduces prowl by 40%. A collection of heavy MDC plates designed to provide additional protection for combat cyborgs. They do not form a suit per se, instead each plate is screwed into place over part of the 'borg's anatomy. There are no additional systems (i.e. gas filters, radio), but the plates cover the entire cyborg. Weighs 150 kilos.

All-Armour Street Coat. AR 16, SDC 1000, cost $1,500. A stylish full-length coat made of shiny, stiff armour fabric. Wide lapels and a high collar provide limited neck and head protection. Designed to be worn ankle-length. Weighs 6 kilos.

All-Armour Survivor Armour. MDC 70, cost $50,000, reduces prowl by 5%. A full suit of rigid MDC plates including articulated joints and a helmet. The helmet is styled like a featureless globe; the front half is transparent from inside, but not outside. The suit features a sealed environment, gas filters, climate control with one of the few really effective cooling systems available, and a short-range two-way radio. Weighs 18 kilos.

All-Armour Universal Military Armour. MDC 50, cost $40,000, reduces prowl by 10%. A full suit of rigid MDC plates including articulated joints and a helmet styled like Boba Fett. Mass produced in Green, Desert and Night disruptive-pattern camouflage. The suit is a sealed environment, with climate control (though this often fails in the Australian heat), gas filters, and a short-range two-way radio. Weighs 16 kilos. This armour appears identical to a type manufactured before the time of Rifts, though those antiques can easily be identified by the absence of the climate control system. This is the standard infantry armour of the Union of Australian Races (UAR).

CEC Class 100 Body Armour. MDC 45, cost $30,000. The list price is when sold in the Java Company; elsewhere it may be 50% higher. A full suit of rigid light MDC plates including articulated joints and a helmet, it is a sealed environment, with climate control (though this often fails in the Australian heat), gas filters, and a short-range two-way radio. Designed for maximum mobility. Weighs 12 kilos. MDC 45, $30K.

CEC Class 200 Body Armour. MDC 60, cost $50,000, reduces prowl by 10%. The list price is when sold in the Java Company; elsewhere it may be 20% higher. A full suit of rigid MDC plates including articulated joints and a helmet, it is a sealed environment, with climate control (though this often fails in the Australian heat), gas filters, and a short-range two-way radio. Weighs 16 kilos.

CEC Class 300 Body Armour. MDC 90, cost $70,000, reduces prowl by 25%. The list price is when sold in the Java Company; elsewhere it may be 50% higher. A full suit of rigid MDC plates including articulated joints and a helmet, it is a sealed environment, with climate control (though this often fails in the Australian heat), gas filters, and a short-range two-way radio. Weighs 20 kilos. Designed for hazardous duty and assault work.

RA Assault Armour. MDC 80, cost $55,000, reduces prowl by 25%. A full suit of rigid heavy MDC plates including articulated joints and a helmet, it is a sealed environment, with climate control (though this often fails in the Australian heat), gas filters, and a short-range two-way radio. Weighs 20 kilos. The list price is when sold in the Republic of Australia (RA); elsewhere it may be 100% higher.

RA Covert Armour. AR 12, MDC 30, cost $15,000. Difficult to obtain outside the RA. Comprising a vest of stiff armour fabric, with a single rigid plate in the centre of the chest and back, this armour can be worn inconspicuously under a coat or jacket. Weighs 6 kilos. The list price is when sold in the RA; elsewhere it may be 100% higher.

RA Max-Hazard Borg Armour. MDC 420, cost $36,000, prevents prowling and imposes a -2 to strike, parry and dodge, and reduces speed by 20%. The list price is when sold in the RA; elsewhere it may be 50% higher. This armour is a collection of heavy MDC plates designed to provide additional protection for combat cyborgs. They do not form a suit per se, instead each plate is screwed into place over part of the 'borg's anatomy. There are no additional systems (i.e. gas filters, radio), but the plates cover the entire cyborg. Weighs 250 kilos.

RA Personal Armour. MDC 50, cost $35,000, reduces prowl by 10%. The standard infantry armour in the RA, and regularly found on the black market elsewhere. A full suit of rigid MDC plates including articulated joints and a helmet, it is a sealed environment, with climate control (though this often fails in the Australian heat), gas filters, and a short-range two-way radio. Weighs 16 kilos. The helmet is a featureless globe, the front half transparent from inside. Mass-produced in Green, Desert and Night disruptive-pattern camouflage. Strangely, apart from the helmet styling, this is essentially identical to the All-Armour Universal Military armour. The list price is when sold in the RA; elsewhere it may be 50% higher.

RA Standard Borg Armour. MDC 270, cost $32,000, reduces prowl by 40%. The list price is when sold in the RA; elsewhere it may be 50% higher. A collection of heavy MDC plates designed to provide additional protection for combat cyborgs. They do not form a suit per se, instead each plate is screwed into place over part of the 'borg's anatomy. There are no additional systems (i.e. gas filters, radio), but the plates cover the entire cyborg. Weighs 150 kilos.

RA Stealth Borg Armour. MDC 135, cost $18,000. The list price is when sold in the RA; elsewhere it may be 100% higher. This armour is a collection of MDC plates designed to provide additional protection for cyborgs. They do not form a suit per se, instead each plate is screwed into place over part of the 'borg's anatomy. There are no additional systems (i.e. gas filters, radio), but the plates cover the entire cyborg. Weighs 60 kilos.

Safety Unlimited Budget Enclosed Suit. MDC 35, cost $18,000, reduces prowl by 10%. A full suit of rigid light MDC plates including articulated joints and a helmet. The suit is airtight, and is equipped with gas filters, but not climate control or radio. Masses about 12 kilos.

Safety Unlimited Budget Full Suit. AR 18, MDC 35, cost $15,000. A full suit of rigid light MDC plates including articulated joints and a helmet. It's not airtight, more like plastic plate mail. There are no frills like sealed environment, climate control, gas filters or a radio. Masses about 10 kilos.

Safety Unlimited Budget Half Suit. AR 14, MDC 30, cost $10,000. A suit of rigid light MDC plates covering the torso and a helmet. There are no frills like sealed environment, climate control, gas filters or a radio. Extremely popular, despite its low protective value, because of its lightness (about 6 kilos), cheapness, and being not as hot to wear as a full suit.

Safety Unlimited Juicer Armour. AR 14, MDC 45, cost $28,000, reduces prowl by 5%. The classic torso and partial limb armour and distinctive helmet worn by Juicers the world over. The armour does not provide a sealed environment, climate control, gas filters or a radio, but the helmet includes a low light imaging system. Light and cool to wear (about 8 kilos).

Safety Unlimited Safety Shirt. AR 12, SDC 80, cost $100. Long or short sleeved t-shirt with a ribbed texture, capable of stopping non-armour-piercing SDC bullets up to 5.56mm. The standard colour is black. It's long enough to cover the buttocks and groin. Negligible weight.

Style Protector Body Glove Armour. MDC 50, cost $40,000. A full suit of rigid MDC plates including articulated joints and a helmet. The armour is a particularly close fit (normally only underwear, or nothing, is worn under it), and styled on the outside to accentuate the natural shape of the body, for example showing muscular ripples or sensual curves. A model much favoured by vain individuals. Usually painted in bright, non-camouflage colours. The suit is a sealed environment, with climate control (though this often fails in the Australian heat), gas filters, and a short-range two-way radio. Weighs 14 kilos.

Style Protector Ironman Armour. MDC 135, cost $80,000. This armour is a collection of MDC plates designed to provide additional protection for cyborgs. They do not form a suit per se, instead each plate is screwed into place over part of the 'borg's anatomy. There are no additional systems (i.e. gas filters, radio), but the plates cover the entire cyborg. Weighs 60 kilos. This, the lightest of the available 'borg armours, is much in demand for its relative stealth.

Style Protector Max Jacket. AR 12, MDC 20, cost $5,000. A ribbed, plated, and buckle-laden jacket with a high collar, it's considered very chic by motorcycle-riding, wasteland-wandering, gun-toting rogues, and by many adventurers. Weighs 8 kilos.

Style Protector Ned Kelly Armour. MDC 55, $46,000. A full suit of rigid MDC plates including articulated joints and a helmet shaped like that worn by some Teutonic Knights, with an apparent actual vision slit cut in the front. Fake rivets form lines on the outside. This is a styling illusion; there's no hole in the helmet, and the entire front of it is transparent from inside. The suit is a sealed environment, with climate control (though this often fails in the Australian heat), gas filters, and a short-range two-way radio. Weighs 14 kilos. Normally seen in camouflage colours, or painted to look like rusted steel. Despite it's tank-like appearance, the weight of Ned Kelly armour is remarkably well-distributed and the armour is very quiet (no prowl penalty!), and combined with its heavy MDC value this makes it very popular with experienced adventurers.

Style Protector Stormtrooper Armour. MDC 80, cost $60,000, reduces prowl by 25%. A full suit of rigid MDC plates including articulated joints and a helmet. The suit is styled to resemble a costume from a pre-Rifts space opera and has proved a long-time favourite, despite the narrow field of view which incurs a penalty of -3 on initiative. Often seen in the original black-and-white colour scheme. The suit is a sealed environment, with climate control (though this often fails in the Australian heat), gas filters, and a short-range two-way radio. Weighs 20 kilos. A popular choice with rich, inexperienced individuals, or fearful types.

TCS Noyd Armour. AR 16, MD 50, cost $80,000. Hard to find outside the Tekagi Colonial State (TCS), this is an armour manufactured for wear by their Noyd gene-marines. It can, however, be worn by any small-to-medium humanoid. It's a partial suit of rigid torso plates and helmet, with no toxin filters or climate control, but including a short-range two-way radio. It is also made from a composite material, including multiple layers of a sufficiently good reflector to reduce laser damage by half. The reflector layers show silver when the armour is damaged, but otherwise the armour is painted in appropriate camouflage colours. There are fittings on the back for attaching a TCS Mobility Pack. Weighs 10 kilos.

TCS Tekagi Personal Armour. MD 75, cost $100,000, reduces prowl by 10%. Hard to find outside the TCS, this is an armour manufactured for wear by Tekagi soldiers and adventurers. However, it can be worn by any humanoid. A suit of rigid MDC plates including articulated joints and a helmet, it is a sealed environment, with climate control including an excellent air conditioning system, gas filters, and a short-range two-way radio. The helmet has a distinctive "cat-eared" appearance. Weighs 14 kilos. It is made from a composite material which reduces laser damage by half. There are fittings on the back for attaching a TCS Mobility Pack.

Blockade Armour. SDC 400, cost $1,000. An obsolete pre-Rifts design still occasionally unearthed in ruins and wastelands. A full suit of rigid plates including articulated joints and a helmet, it is airtight with gas filters, and a short-range two-way radio. Weighs 22 kilos.

Clamshell Armour. MD 10, cost $2,000. An obsolete pre-Rifts design still occasionally unearthed in ruins and wastelands. Comprises rigid plates covering the torso and a helmet, with no gas filters or other systems included. Weighs 12 kilos.