Armour System
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The Armour System in ChapterMaster is a data-driven framework that defines the defensive capabilities, stat modifiers, and progression requirements for various protective gear used by units and vehicles. It encompasses infantry power armour, tactical dreadnought suits, and specialized vehicle plating. Each armour piece is defined by a set of attributes that influence combat performance, including survival stats like Hit Points (HP) and Damage Resistance, as well as offensive modifiers for melee and ranged combat.
The system integrates closely with the Chapter's technology tree, requiring specific forge upgrades to produce advanced marks of armour. It also supports quality tiers—Standard, Master-crafted, and Artifact—each providing scaling benefits to the wearer.
Infantry Armour Data Structure
Infantry armour is primarily defined in armour.json. Each entry specifies the physical protection value and various modifiers based on the item's quality.
Key Attributes
- Armour Value: The base protection rating, tiered by quality.
- Modifiers: Percentage-based or flat bonuses to
hp_mod,damage_resistance_mod,melee_mod, andranged_mod. - Tags: Categorization used for unit eligibility (e.g.,
power_armour,terminator,dreadnought). - Maintenance: A resource cost associated with keeping the suit functional.
Sources: datafiles/data/armour.json:1-15
Infantry Armour Variants
The system includes multiple marks of Power Armour and specialized suits:
| Armour Name | Primary Tag | Standard Armour Value | Standard HP Mod | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MK7 Aquila | power_armour | 18 | 0 | Most common; requires armour_1. |
| MK3 Iron Armour | power_armour | 22 | 10 | High protection; reduces ranged accuracy. |
| Terminator Armour | terminator | 30 | 10 | Heavy protection; requires terminator_1. |
| Scout Armour | N/A | 11 | 0 | Non-powered; provides ranged bonuses. |
| Artificer Armour | power_armour | 30 | 15 | Priceless; requires artificer_1. |
Sources: datafiles/data/armour.json:173-196, datafiles/data/armour.json:284-315, datafiles/data/armour.json:344-374
Vehicle and Dreadnought Armour
Vehicles and Dreadnoughts utilize a separate but parallel logic for protection. While Dreadnoughts are technically units that "wear" armour like the Contemptor Dreadnought suit, vehicles use "Vehicle Gear" to enhance their hull.
Vehicle Upgrades
Vehicle protection is modified by "packages" defined in vehicle_gear.json. These can add flat armour values or percentage-based damage resistance.
- Armoured Ceramite: Provides significant supplemental armour (Standard: 20).
- Artificer Hull: Upgrades the structural integrity and adds a 15% damage resistance mod.
- Void Shield: A high-end energy barrier providing an armour value of 40 and 30% damage resistance.
Sources: datafiles/data/vehicle_gear.json:2-30, datafiles/data/vehicle_gear.json:101-115
Technology and Forging Requirements
Advanced armour types cannot be produced until the Chapter's Forge has researched specific technologies. This progression is managed via the requires_to_forge attribute in the armour data, which maps to entries in technologies.json.
Integration with Unit Stats
Units are assigned starting armour or a pool of allowed armour types in unit_stats.json. For example, a standard marine or scout defaults to "Any Power Armour," while specialized units like the Skitarii are hard-coded to Skitarii Armour.
Defensive Modifiers Application
When a unit is equipped with armour, the system applies the following logic:
- Base Stats: Derived from
unit_stats.json(e.g.,constitution). - Armour Value: Added to base defense.
- HP Mod: Multiplies or adds to the unit's base health.
- Damage Resistance: Reduces incoming damage by the specified percentage.
Sources: datafiles/data/unit_stats.json:118-135, datafiles/data/unit_stats.json:303-315
Chapter-Specific Variations
Certain Chapters have unique interactions with the armour system. The Consecrators chapter possesses the "Ancient Armoury" advantage, granting them higher access to Heresy-era gear like MK3 Iron Armour.
Chapter Master Customization
Chapter Masters can be assigned specific armour in their chapter definition. For instance, Nakir of the Consecrators is explicitly equipped with MK3 Iron Armour instead of the default Artificer Armour.
Sources: datafiles/main/chapters/37.json:42-45, datafiles/main/chapters/37.json:173-180
Conclusion
The Armour System provides a granular approach to unit durability. By separating armour data into values, quality-based modifiers, and technological prerequisites, the project allows for a deep progression system where the Chapter's defensive capabilities evolve alongside its forge's technological sophistication. Significant wargear is balanced by maintenance costs and experience requirements, ensuring that elite suits like Terminator armour are reserved for veteran units.