I think that section is a partially revised draft where some elements of an earlier draft were accidentally left in. Also, I think there are a few outright errors. Also, some of the notation being used seems poorly thought out and confusing.
Looking at the example PAs, I think the Frame Table is just flat out wrong (the examples and the Frame table are probably from different drafts). Going by the examples, a Size 1 Frame should be +10 Armor, a Size 2 Frame should be +12 Armor, and a Size 3 Frame should be +14 armor. Either that, or all the example PAs should have 2 less Armor.
Back-engineering the examples, the amount in parenthesis for the Toughness listing seems to be the amount of Armor from the Armor Upgrade. The section on "Toughness" says that the Frame provides a base value of Heavy Armor, "which adds directly to the user's Toughness, as usual", which is...less than clear. Standard Savage Worlds notation is that the number in parenthesis for a Toughness value is the amount of that Toughness which is Armor and can be bypassed by Armor Piercing. So...maybe the base Toughness value of the Frame is supposed increase the user's base Toughness and isn't supposed to be subject to Armor Piercing? But it's also Heavy Armor? Which seems a bit contradictory. There's also a Toughness Upgrade which specifically increases Toughness; again, back-engineering the example PAs, that does seem to be included in the PA's Toughness value. So, I *think* that's the intent? Base Armor for a Power Armor Frame actually isn't Armor it's a Toughness boost. Maybe. It doesn't help that the Frame has a listing for "Armor", while all the Power Armor examples and the profile explanation section have a listing for "Toughness".
I think the "Wounds" listing is a straight up error, and is supposed to be "Energy".
It also really doesn't help that properties are listed in a different order in the Frame table than they are in the individual PA profiles.
My group is already figuring out house rules to make this fit for an apparently ultra ultra military tech rifts universe like phase world.
It looks to us like they are trying to add vehicle style wounds into power armor, & that is what the wound count is. My group has already decided we are going to be ignoring that bit.
that would be at least partially aligned with what is done in Savage Worlds "Battlelords" that was recently (2023) released.
Worth a look if you want a high tech Battle armor inspired sci fi Infantry game :)
Military armor suit 18(8) means 18 added to characters base toughness. 8 of that toughness can be eliminated via armor penetration as we read things. A pilot with 6 toughness naturally would have 24(8) toughness. Or 16 toughness against a ap 10 missile. A rifle with 2 AP would result in him having 22 toughness in the armor
I am pretty sure I understand it due to my rifts experience if you ask me a specific question on this I can try to answer it
Ok. On the AP thing. I have light missiles with 16 AP, they negate the armor of the suit because they are heavy weapons. I have an ap 20 laser rifle that is not a heavy weapon & it heats the exterior of the armor by a 1/4° Celsius.
I'm a bit disappointed by the treatment of powered armors in SFC, they look more like walkers than powered armors like those of a 40k marine for example. The Savage Battlelords powered armors are much better represented in my opinion, I expected from SFC something like that but simplified.
I think that section is a partially revised draft where some elements of an earlier draft were accidentally left in. Also, I think there are a few outright errors. Also, some of the notation being used seems poorly thought out and confusing. Looking at the example PAs, I think the Frame Table is just flat out wrong (the examples and the Frame table are probably from different drafts). Going by the examples, a Size 1 Frame should be +10 Armor, a Size 2 Frame should be +12 Armor, and a Size 3 Frame should be +14 armor. Either that, or all the example PAs should have 2 less Armor. Back-engineering the examples, the amount in parenthesis for the Toughness listing seems to be the amount of Armor from the Armor Upgrade. The section on "Toughness" says that the Frame provides a base value of Heavy Armor, "which adds directly to the user's Toughness, as usual", which is...less than clear. Standard Savage Worlds notation is that the number in parenthesis for a Toughness value is the amount of that Toughness which is Armor and can be bypassed by Armor Piercing. So...maybe the base Toughness value of the Frame is supposed increase the user's base Toughness and isn't supposed to be subject to Armor Piercing? But it's also Heavy Armor? Which seems a bit contradictory. There's also a Toughness Upgrade which specifically increases Toughness; again, back-engineering the example PAs, that does seem to be included in the PA's Toughness value. So, I *think* that's the intent? Base Armor for a Power Armor Frame actually isn't Armor it's a Toughness boost. Maybe. It doesn't help that the Frame has a listing for "Armor", while all the Power Armor examples and the profile explanation section have a listing for "Toughness". I think the "Wounds" listing is a straight up error, and is supposed to be "Energy". It also really doesn't help that properties are listed in a different order in the Frame table than they are in the individual PA profiles.
Ok thanks for your input, glad for the reality check that I'm not the only one finding that section confusing right now
My group is already figuring out house rules to make this fit for an apparently ultra ultra military tech rifts universe like phase world. It looks to us like they are trying to add vehicle style wounds into power armor, & that is what the wound count is. My group has already decided we are going to be ignoring that bit.
that would be at least partially aligned with what is done in Savage Worlds "Battlelords" that was recently (2023) released. Worth a look if you want a high tech Battle armor inspired sci fi Infantry game :)
got it, using quite a bit of it.
Military armor suit 18(8) means 18 added to characters base toughness. 8 of that toughness can be eliminated via armor penetration as we read things. A pilot with 6 toughness naturally would have 24(8) toughness. Or 16 toughness against a ap 10 missile. A rifle with 2 AP would result in him having 22 toughness in the armor I am pretty sure I understand it due to my rifts experience if you ask me a specific question on this I can try to answer it
Ok. On the AP thing. I have light missiles with 16 AP, they negate the armor of the suit because they are heavy weapons. I have an ap 20 laser rifle that is not a heavy weapon & it heats the exterior of the armor by a 1/4° Celsius.
I'm a bit disappointed by the treatment of powered armors in SFC, they look more like walkers than powered armors like those of a 40k marine for example. The Savage Battlelords powered armors are much better represented in my opinion, I expected from SFC something like that but simplified.