I assume it's closer to a flexible polymer armour. That seems to make the most sense to me.

Explain?

It says vague, contradictory, and possibly unscientific things like "Ballistic armor protects against projectiles that deliver large amounts of kinetic energy to a small area in short amounts of time, such as bullets, bolts, and arrows", but "Impact armor protects against projectiles with lesser kinetic transfer: blunt projectile weapons, explosives, melee weapons, and stun ammunition." Bullets can be blunt without being stun, a melee weapon can include a powerful stabbing point, etc.

Your last sentence notwithstanding, It Seems pretty straight forward to me...

Blunt Arrow:
http://www.bows-arrows.net/BOWS-ARROWS.net...mages/40097.jpg

Ballistic or Impact?

That's because you're crazy, TJ. How much kinetic energy is 'a large amount'? Weak bow vs. being stabbed with a spear? What if now you throw that spear? What if now you're throwing a blunt-tip spear (a big stick)? Why are explosives *not* 'a large amount' of kinetic energy?

What is 'a small area'? Why is a hollowpoint bullet not a large area, but grenade frag or bomb shrapnel isn't a small area?

Only one solution, folks: Put this to the Box O' Truth people.

I'm not too concerned about what's true or realistic, etc. I'm just saying that the fluff on p160 makes no sense. Just use the crunch, or house rule alterations to the crunch. Game balance can be achieved either way.

Rules aren't realistic. Their are not intented to suit the reality, they are intended to be easy to play, and if we are lucky, balanced. (And i think that we are not lucky with SR).

Related question: Now that arrows are basically just funny-looking bullets, is there a reason to go for Archery in SR4?

Stated above: troll-bow abuse, and TJ says it's silenter (and it is, a little).

It depends on what 'a reason' is. If you're basing your character decisions on metagame logic of DPS, etc., that alters the answer (and probably makes you bad person ).

Some characters may prefer it. You can have the same damage as a gun, in a package that is inherently more silent (though not as useful at as great a Range on the high end). Flavor more than anything.



heh... Maybe. The system says that the Arrow goes against Ballistic Armor. So there is no argument from me. I may not agree with it, but again, that is irrelevant. I quit arguing about Firearms/Projectiles, and Combat realism as a whole, a long time ago. It only pissed me off. I am much less stressed now.

The realities of the situation are that an Arrow should likely go against Impact, but, this isn't reality.

That's the crunch part, TJ, not the fluff. That's my whole point.

Yep...