Armor for Animals, Barding in Shadowrun? Options

[Tyro]

If I'm going to bring a pet into combat - even something as tough as a Fenris Wolf - I'm going to want to protect it. How would you handle animal armor?

[Summerstorm]

Hm, never thought much about it. But all the Changelings, Shapeshifters, Pixies, Nagas, Drakes and Warformes-somethings of course get armor. I would just say: allow anything but military armor. NEver load an unintelligent creature up with too much armor (so that it won't get encumbered too much) and pay maybe double to quadruple the price for custom works. Maybe even at a bit higher availability (even if that doesn't do much)

So overall: just keeep using the same stats. Should work fine.

[Karoline]

Handle it the same way you would armor for a sapient critter (Pixie, Naga, whatever else). Think it is something like double price for custom fitting, but otherwise operates like normal.

It is interesting that they don't do this for police dogs or anything. I suppose in order to (in the real world) get enough armor on a dog to stop a bullet, the armor would be so heavy that the dog couldn't move properly. I mean, after all, a dog doesn't require any less thickness of Kevlar or whatever to stop a bullet than a human does, but dogs are going to notice the 10 kilo (or however heavy) armor alot more than a human will.

Still, that said, this is SR, so yeah, just do double price for custom fitting and have fun with it. Now I really want a pack of Fenrir Wolves with Chameleon Armor and FFBA.

[Ed_209a]

If I'm going to bring a pet into combat - even something as tough as a Fenris Wolf - I'm going to want to protect it. How would you handle animal armor?

Like This

In rough SR4 terms, Level II-2A is "enough" to protect from light pistol rounds, Level II is good against heavy pistol, and Level III-A is good against SMGs and magnum handguns.

On second thought, I doubt you need that level of granularity, so call it a specially tailored armor vest (which it essential is) and roll with it

[Tyro]

<snip>
Now I really want a pack of Fenrir Wolves with Chameleon Armor and FFBA.

Don't forget to make them Warform with enhanced stats, and maybe bone lacing on top of that ^_^

[Karoline]

Don't forget to make them Warform with enhanced stats, and maybe bone lacing on top of that ^_^

And don't forget to strap a freakin' laser to their heads.

[AngelisStorm]

Police dogs often do have bullet proof vests. They just don't wear them often, for the same reason(s) that human police offers often don't wear theirs.

[Draco18s]

Quick google:
http://blogs.kansascity.com/photos/uncateg...ed/k9armor1.jpg

[Rasumichin]

Don't forget to make them Warform with enhanced stats, and maybe bone lacing on top of that ^_^

Can Awakened critters become warforms? I thought this is only possible with mundane critters.

Now, toxic critters, on the other hand...a toxic mage would be scary enough, but a toxic mystad beastmaster with a pack of mutated parawolves...

[Tellos]

Hmmm actualy tyro my figuring is that the armor would be basicly similar to a dwarf modded set up for cost and stuff. They are just scaling down. far as war forms well um if your war form critter needs armor [eg: assumign this forms is larger than a average fit human male] you have a problem beyound it's defense of armor. if your relying on this thing to be a main combat supliment you may wish to invest more in higher endurance and maybe special mods like dermal armor wares.

[Manunancy]

the more money you pour into the critter, the more spitting a few thousands of nuyen for some external hardware make sense if the critter can use it. External armor is cheap compared to cyberware. Even better, it can be stacked atop the ware. You can also fit some things into it without the bother of implanted hardware (signal booster for sommunications, some sort of medpack, extra sensors... plenty of useful things)

[Dr.Rockso]

Hm, never thought much about it. But all the Changelings, Shapeshifters, Pixies, Nagas, Drakes and Warformes-somethings of course get armor. I would just say: allow anything but military armor. NEver load an unintelligent creature up with too much armor (so that it won't get encumbered too much) and pay maybe double to quadruple the price for custom works. Maybe even at a bit higher availability (even if that doesn't do much)

So overall: just keeep using the same stats. Should work fine.

I don't know why but now I have this image stuck in my head of a warform grizzly with a lined coat, cowboy hat and a bandolier with super warhawks....

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Police dogs often do have bullet proof vests. They just don't wear them often, for the same reason(s) that human police offers often don't wear theirs.

Which is odd in my opinion... they may be a little hot in the summer, but they will save your life if they are needed (when you need them, you really need them)... I always wore my Bulletproof vests... Always... and they were not all that heavy... maybe 4-5 kilos, if I am remembering correctly, and maybe not even that...

Keep the Faith

[Manunancy]

Which is odd in my opinion... they may be a little hot in the summer, but they will save your life if they are needed (when you need them, you really need them)... I always wore my Bulletproof vests... Always... and they were not all that heavy... maybe 4-5 kilos, if I am remembering correctly, and maybe not even that...

Keep the Faith

It might be odd, but it's also very common that peoples don't use individual safety gear (which is the reason safety laws in France push for collective protections when possible - as in railing rather than safety lines). It's a tradeoff between a guaranted lack of comfort compared to the possibility of harm coming from the lack of protective gear. Which means that you vaule the 'might save my skin someday' mor than than 'i"m at ease right now' part, but not everyone thinks the same. If you thinks the more dangerous things you're going to face is some granny's ill-tempered poodle, wearing armor all the time doesn't sound attractive.

[Karoline]

It might be odd, but it's also very common that peoples don't use individual safety gear (which is the reason safety laws in France push for collective protections when possible - as in railing rather than safety lines). It's a tradeoff between a guaranted lack of comfort compared to the possibility of harm coming from the lack of protective gear. Which means that you vaule the 'might save my skin someday' mor than than 'i"m at ease right now' part, but not everyone thinks the same. If you thinks the more dangerous things you're going to face is some granny's ill-tempered poodle, wearing armor all the time doesn't sound attractive.

Agreed, look at the massive numbers of people that don't wear seatbelts. It got so bad in the states that they started making it a law that you had to wear your seatbelt. That's right, they had to make a law to protect people from their own 'I'd rather be a tiny bit more comfortable than save my life'.

Personally I've always worn a seatbelt and never had a real problem with it and have never needed it. If I ever became a cop, I'd likely be the kind that always wore the bulletproof vest, even though on average a cop fires their gun once every 20 years, and thus on average gets shot at less than once every 20 years, I'd much rather go through the extra few seconds to put on and take off the vest and suffer through a bit of extra discomfort than catch the bullet with nothing but my shirt when my once in 20 years comes up.

[I Hate All Life]

It's perfectly appropriate to fit valuable animals with armor. But it's absolutely imperative that some form knitting, cloth or felt be fitted over the armor, which makes the armor look like an argyle sweater or a costume of another animal (like a pink bunny rabbit). The animal must be given nicknames like "Snookums" and "Mommy's Little Darling", and be fawned over and reminded how pretty it is.

It's pretty well mandatory, you know.

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Yes, I know. I have no morals.