Viewing Weapons & Equipment
Weapon & Equipment Information
General Details
Name:  Impact-Resistant
Type (Category):  Armor (Core)
Reference:  Interstellar Operations: Alternate Eras (p. 81)

Description:
As new armor types go, impact-resistant armor is arguably among the strangest. Developed originally for use in the arenas of Solaris VII and other gladiatorial venues, this armor reduces the effectiveness of physical attack damage caused primarily by ’Mech-grade melee weapons like hatchets and swords.

To accomplish this, its underlayment uses a far more flexible sealant formula and interlocking rings that are designed to yield under pressure and allow the armor “give” beneath broad-impact strikes. In addition, a thick, flexible shell—similar to combat vehicle tire and track treads—is layered over the armor along the broader surfaces. While this all renders the armor more effective against physical attacks, it also makes it more susceptible to breaches in hostile environments, or when struck by special armor-defeating munitions.

Game Rules:
As long as the location struck still has at least 1 point of armor remaining, impact-resistant armor reduces the damage effects from collisions, falls, and physical attacks of all types (including punches, kicks, charges, Death from Above, and the like) by 1 point for every 3 points delivered (or fraction thereof), to a minimum of 1 damage point. The armor has no effect against damage from other sources, and—due to its deliberately flexible under-layers—applies a +1 modifier to any rolls made when checking for hull breach in hostile environments, including underwater and vacuum.

Furthermore, if a location protected by armor is struck by weapons with armor-piercing capabilities—including armor-piercing autocannon ammo, armor-piercing mortars, tandem-charge missiles, and tasers of all kinds—all rolls for critical hits required for such munitions will receive an additional +1 modifier. This reflects the armor’s added susceptibility to such attacks.
Unit Type Availability
BattleMechsIndustrialMechs
Inner Sphere Data (BattleMechs)
Prototype Date:  ~3092
Production Date:  3103
Extinction Date:  
Recovery Date:  

BattleMech Specific Construction Rules
May be mounted on Inner Sphere units in accordance with the following construction rules:
 Requires a total of ten critical slots to be allocated across all locations
 If used as patchwork armor, two critical slots must be allocated in each location designated

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Heat
Damage (Aero)
Range (Aero)
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Criticals
Battle Value
Direct-Fire
Explosive
– (–)
– (–)
E
X-X-X-E
20,000xAT
*
10*
x1.0
* See rules for this equipment
AT = Armor Tonnage

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
Start Year
End Year
Rules Level
~3092
3102
Experimental
3103
Advanced

ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Heat
Short
Medium
Long
Extreme
Special Abilities
Impact-Resistant Armor

Special Unit Abilities
The special unit abilities described here are intended for use with the Alpha Strike rule system:
 Impact-Resistant Armor (IRA)
Originally developed for use in dueling arenas, where melee attacks are often as common as weapons fire, impact-resistant armor provides increased protection in physical combat. When a unit with this special sustains damage as a result of a physical attack (including those delivered using a MEL special, or self-inflicted damage from a Death from Above attack), the damage sustained by the unit is reduced by 1 point, to a minimum of 1 point.

In addition to this, all critical hit rolls and hull breach checks made against this unit apply a +1 modifier to the roll result. For critical hits, treat any modified result over 12 as an Engine Hit critical.

MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  IS Impact-Resistant
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Impact-Resistant
Record Sheet Output → Armor Diagram:  IR