Ballistic Protection standards reference

[Blink_Dog]

Here is a chart that lists a whole bunch of different ballistic protection levels and standards.

http://www.nationwidestructures.com/ballistic-key.html

Keep in mind the 1st and 2nd editions did not include hard armour plate vests. PASGT is roughly equivalent to NIJ IIIa (most pistol rounds).

[Silent Hunter UK]

When was hard plate armour first fielded?

[Rockwolf66]

Originally Posted by Silent Hunter UK

When was hard plate armour first fielded?

I've heard of a Hard Corps body armor from back in the 90's that was supposedly level 4. Alas I cannot find anything on the Net About it.

[Legbreaker]

Originally Posted by Silent Hunter UK

When was hard plate armour first fielded?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armour#History
A few millennia ago.

[swaghauler]

There were three hard body armors available to US forces in the 1990's.

1. Ranger Body Armor: This body armor became available in 1993 and was made in TWO distinct versions. The first version is available with a plate made of 80% Aluminum Oxide and a special ceramic coating. This plate was 12" high by 10" wide and 3/8" thick providing an effective 70% (1-14 or less on 1D20) coverage of the chest (but no abdominal coverage). There is NO BACK PROTECTION IN FIRST GENERATION RANGER BODY ARMOR. This first version weighed 7.5 kilograms and 2000 were made.
The second version came out a year later and had BOTH front AND back plates providing the same general protection as the first generation had. The weight of this newer armor was 11.4 kilograms and about 4000 were made. Both generations of plate were rated at NIJ Level3 (rifle)/SAPI protection.

2. Interim Small Arms Protective Over-Vest: This protective overlay became available in 1996. This armor consisted of two Ceramic plates (NIJ Level 3 rifle/SAPI) which were designed to overlay either the PASGT vest or Ranger Body Armor. The plates provided 70% coverage (just like the Ranger Plates) to front and back and weighed 7.5 Kilograms (in addition to the PASGT or Ranger Armor). There were 4000 of these vests ordered by the Army as a "stop-gap measure" until better armors could be developed.

3. Interceptor Body Armor: This vest was developed in 1998 and originally came with two distinct sets of panels. The first set of panels are THREE (two front and one back) NIJ Level 3A (pistol) and provided better coverage of the vital organs (80% or 16 or less on 1D20). The vest weighs 3.8 kilograms with this basic protection in place. There are also TWO SAPI (NIJ Level 3 rifle) plates providing an improved 75% coverage (15 or less on 1D20) over the previous Ranger Plates. These plates fit into front and back pockets and provide added coverage to the basic NIJ Level 3A plates for just 1.8 kilograms per plate.

For those who are interested, the NIJ Armor Standards Are:

NIJ Level 1 is proof against 95gr .380 ACP at a Velocity of 1055 ft/sec.
NIJ Level 2A is proof against all previous threats and 124gr 9mmP at a velocity of 1225 ft/sec. This armor will also protect against 230gr .45ACP at 900 ft/sec, and 180gr .40 S&W at 1155 ft/sec.
NIJ Level 2 is proof against all prior threats plus; 124gr 9mmP at 1305 ft/sec and 158gr .357 Magnum at 1430 ft/sec. It will stop 12 gauge 00 Buck as well
NIJ Level 3A is proof against all of the prior threats plus; 125gr .357SIG at 1470 ft/sec and 240gr .44 Magnum at 1430 ft/sec. It will also stop 12 gauge slugs too.
NIJ Level 3 (rifle) will stop everything up to 147gr 7.62mm NATO FMJ at 2780 ft/sec. This is comparable to the Army's SAPI Standard. However, it has been penetrated by rounds exceeding 3000 feet per second, though.
NIJ Level 4 (rifle) This will stop everything up to THREE ROUNDS of 166gr .30-06 M2 AP at 2780 ft/sec. This armor is roughly equal to the Army's ESAPI plates.

The other standards that should be looked at are the new Russian GOST-R 50744-95 Standards, SchutzKlasse 2008 Standards, and HOSD Standards.

[swaghauler]

The primary armor for soldiers in the Twilight2000 era would have been the PASGT Armor with surplus Vietnam-era US Army M69 Flak Vests (3.5kg AV 1/2?) and the occasional M1955 USMC Vest (4.5kg AV 1/2?) as well.

PASGT Armor: This vest was introduced in 1985. It is NIJ Level 3A protection covering the chest (80%, 16 or less on 1D20) and the Abdomen (60%, 12 or less on 1D20) weighing 4kg for a medium size. It soldiered on into the 21st Century.

The only other "hard" armor that might be available in the Twilight2000 timeline would be surplus versions of the US Army's "Chicken Plate" Ballistic Armor for Helicopter Crews.

Aircrew Personal Body Armor: Made in 1968, it was the predecessor of the Army's Ranger Body Armor plates. Made primarily from 80% Aluminum Oxide and Ceramic, the plates came in two configurations. A single plate version for pilots (who had armored seats, such as they were) and a two plate versions for gunners/crew chiefs. Coverage was 70% of chest and weight was 6.8kg for 1 plate version and 13.6 kg for 2 plate version. They were supposedly proof against .30 caliber (Level 3 rifle?).

Police Vests:
Most police use concealable vests ranging in NIJ Level from 2A to 3A during the 90's. The Level 2A/2 vest would have been the most common vests for police. Level 3A concealable vests were rare but did exist (there are the remnants of an RBR Level 3a bought in 1997 sitting on my workbench right now...the victim of ballistic testing by your's truly). By the 90's, Level 1 material was limited to making "Ballistic Clothing" such as umbrellas and suit coats.
There were generally THREE coverage levels for concealable vests which are still available today;

Full Coverage Vest: This vest covers 80% of the chest and 60% of the abdomen for "Over-Vests" (worn outside of a shirt) and 80% of the chest and 40% of the abdomen for concealable vests (worn under a shirt).

Contour Coverage Vest: This vest is generally a concealable type that allows more flexibility/agility than full coverage vests without reducing protection too much. Contour vests cover 70% of the chest and 20% (or less) of the abdomen.

MiniWrap Coverage: This vest is always a concealable type and is usually worn by those concerned with hiding the fact that they are wearing armor. As a result, MiniWrap covers just 50% of the wear's chest. There is no abdominal coverage.

Trauma Plate Pockets: These special pockets are sewn on the outside of soft body armor and allow the placement of an additional soft panel or hard trauma plate to protect the chest (in the heart area). Some body armors may also have a trauma plate pocket over the spine as well. MiniWrap body armors generally don't have trauma plate pockets.
There are two sizes of trauma pocket, small and large.
Small pockets allow 20% coverage of the chest with the added panel/plate.
Large pockets allow 40% coverage of the chest with the added panel/plate.

[swaghauler]

Armor in Twilight2000 is compared to armor plate to determine Armor Value. Standard Armor Plate has a Brinell Hardness Rating of 500. It is stated in the Rules that 5mm of armor plate equals 1 Armor Value. Here is the Brinell Hardness Rating of other materials that you may need to determine the Armor Rating of;

Soft Wood (Pine): BH 1.6
Hard Wood (Oak to Mahogany): BH 2.6 to BH 7
Lead (Pure): BH 5
Lead (Alloyed): BH 22
Aluminum (Pure): BH 15
Aluminum (AW6060): BH 75
Mild Steel: BH 120
Stainless Steel Annealed (18-8/304): BH 200
AR500 Plate Steel/Armored Plate: BH 500
Hardened Tool Steel (Treated, Annealed): BH 600 to BH 900
Titanium: BH 700 to BH 2900
Titanium (6a1-7nb used in Aircraft/Bike Frames): BH 1600
Titanium (Enhanced/Armored): BH 2900
Synthetic Diamond: BH 4600

I hope these help you decide what protection a given material should provide.

[ArmySGT.]

Originally Posted by Silent Hunter UK

When was hard plate armour first fielded?

American Revolution..... U.S. Navy..... some thought to helmets and breast plates for boarding party actions....... because who doesn't want 40+pounds of metal strapped to their torso while crossing a rope or ladder to an enemy vessel.

American Civil War....... Breast plates available by mail order catalog..... briefly considered, but not widely purchased for Cavalry.

WW1 Trench armor....... Breast plates........ fashionable and as effective as fog.

WW2 bomber waist gunners got something with metal plates...... since they didn't have to walk about......... I know of no anecdotal evidence or another kind.

Viet Nam..... Door gunners had a vest with overlapping plates. Again no evidence I am aware of..... Except that it was more effective sat on ........ to catch rounds coming up through the floor..... (more likely). Ummmmm "Chickenhawk" the autobiography may be where I am referencing this.

Mogadishu...... 1993...... 75th Ranger elements deployed with hard armor...... "Ranger Armor" because anything associated with Rangers must have Ranger in the title...... cannot reduce the cool factor by carelessly leaving that out.

Balkans...... 1998. ....... rumor mill is certain some units given Class IV police style SWAT vests........ no one of course had a camera.

Operation Clusterfu......... Iraqi Freedom......... Lottery.... some units have Interceptor body armor with plates......Some have Interceptor Body Armor (IBA)........... priority to Combat Arms in direct contact..... Most units.... including yours truly deployed with PASGT and received used and turned in IBAs with plates after eight months in country in counter ambush/counter IED patrolling or convoy escorts.

Ironically, U.S. National Guard.... funded differently and deployed differently were more likely to have IBAs with plates, PVS-14s instead of PVS-7bs, and next gen (smaller by half) SINCGARS.

[ArmySGT.]

Originally Posted by Blink_Dog

PASGT is roughly equivalent to NIJ IIIa (most pistol rounds).

Less...... NIJ II....... an anemic 9mm or .38.

These are fragmentation vests, not bullet resistant. IBAs have a higher rating.

[.45cultist]

Originally Posted by ArmySGT.

Less...... NIJ II....... an anemic 9mm or .38.

These are fragmentation vests, not bullet resistant. IBAs have a higher rating.

Yes, newer helmets are IIIA, supposedly a few of the later PAGSTs for LE use until the newer designs won out.

[swaghauler]

Originally Posted by .45cultist

Yes, newer helmets are IIIA, supposedly a few of the later PAGSTs for LE use until the newer designs won out.

I have seen several tests on Youtube of the PASGT helmets and they stop all of the threats that an NIJ Level 3A vest would. This is everything up to mid-velocity .44 Magnum or 12 gauge slugs. They might "ring your bell," but the PASGT would let you keep your brains inside your skull.

[swaghauler]

I needed to find a way to take into account the fact that Armor can fail during play. Initially, I just used the Wear Value system but this only gave 10 hits or less. I KNOW (from my own testing) that even soft body armor can take much more than this. The RBR Level 3A Spectra Vest I referenced in my earlier post withstood 26 rounds of .40 S&W 165gr Jacketed Flat Points before letting one through and it is nearly 20 YEARS old with 6 years of daily wear under its belt. I have also seen Demolition Ranch's test of green tip 5.56mm against AR500 armor plate. That plate took 27 hits before a 5.56mm round got through it.

The new system I came up with involves reducing the vest's protection very gradually. I give the vest a "Coverage Rating" based on its actual "Real World" coverage. If a vest covers 80% of your body then its coverage rating is 16 or less on a 1D20 roll. EACH HIT THAT PENETRATES THE ARMOR (resisted hits don't count) REDUCES THIS RATING BY ONE. Thus, a vest with a Coverage Rating of 16 that had 3 rounds penetrate, now only covers the wearer on a roll of 13 or less. When the Coverage Rating reaches 0, the vest is ruined.

For those who want vests to provide 100% coverage to a location (like they do in the basic game), just start with a Coverage Rating of 20 (on 1D20).

Ceramic Vests:

Most ESAPI ceramic plates are NOT "multi-strike" rated. This means that one hit can compromise a plate. There are several instances where single strike plates have stopped multiple rounds. To reconcile this during play, I simply subtract the number of DICE OF DAMAGE OF A GIVEN ROUND from the plate's Coverage Rating for every round that penetrates. This balances out the plate's superior AV without requiring the player to put on new body armor after every hit.

This should add a little life to your player's body armor during play. As always, use what you will and ignore the rest.

Swag.

[Milano]

Umm it has been pointed out to me that the range calculation on the Excel file that I donated earlier is broken. Here is an updated fixed version...

[CDAT]

Originally Posted by swaghauler

I needed to find a way to take into account the fact that Armor can fail during play. Initially, I just used the Wear Value system but this only gave 10 hits or less. I KNOW (from my own testing) that even soft body armor can take much more than this. The RBR Level 3A Spectra Vest I referenced in my earlier post withstood 26 rounds of .40 S&W 165gr Jacketed Flat Points before letting one through and it is nearly 20 YEARS old with 6 years of daily wear under its belt. I have also seen Demolition Ranch's test of green tip 5.56mm against AR500 armor plate. That plate took 27 hits before a 5.56mm round got through it.

The new system I came up with involves reducing the vest's protection very gradually. I give the vest a "Coverage Rating" based on its actual "Real World" coverage. If a vest covers 80% of your body then its coverage rating is 16 or less on a 1D20 roll. EACH HIT THAT PENETRATES THE ARMOR (resisted hits don't count) REDUCES THIS RATING BY ONE. Thus, a vest with a Coverage Rating of 16 that had 3 rounds penetrate, now only covers the wearer on a roll of 13 or less. When the Coverage Rating reaches 0, the vest is ruined.

For those who want vests to provide 100% coverage to a location (like they do in the basic game), just start with a Coverage Rating of 20 (on 1D20).

Ceramic Vests:

Most ESAPI ceramic plates are NOT "multi-strike" rated. This means that one hit can compromise a plate. There are several instances where single strike plates have stopped multiple rounds. To reconcile this during play, I simply subtract the number of DICE OF DAMAGE OF A GIVEN ROUND from the plate's Coverage Rating for every round that penetrates. This balances out the plate's superior AV without requiring the player to put on new body armor after every hit.

This should add a little life to your player's body armor during play. As always, use what you will and ignore the rest.

Swag.

Several years ago I went to a body armor shoot, the industry professional told us that to be rated as a level three plate it had to be able to take six shots (not in the same place), but that a level four plate was only rated for a single shot. He went on how just because that is what is required for the rating that does not mean that is the max it would take. They did not have any level four plates there and we wanted to try out our custom tungsten AP .30-06 rounds, so we sent a couple of rounds back with the rep, and they shot the plate (it stopped it) and sent the plate to us, we shot it tell we got one to penetrate (to about six rounds all in the same place). This was all mostly in regards to the ceramic plates, the steel plates were rated the same, but we better able to take the multi-strikes, but were much heavier. We also talk briefly about the polyethlene plates, that at the time could only be made into level III, but doing some looking today they can now be made in level four.