armor rule question

[Jake Norwood]

Chain is heavy, and it'll slow you down and cause over-commitment to moves unless effort is expended to prevent that. Effort is represented in CP.

Jake

[Caz]

Seeing as how mail wouldn't hinder someone who trained in it, I think the effort is better represented in fatigue.

[Mike Holmes]

The point of debate, Caz, is whether or not one actually can overcome that weight. Jakes side looks like this:

There's only so much effort that you can expend at one time. This is represented as CP. If some is going towards countering the weight of mail, then you have less CP.

I sorta support this argument, because I'm an advocate for CP as effort.

What I proposed once, when debating this same thing earlier (is this the second or third time we've hit this?), is allowing a player to burn through an extra "turn" of endurance if he wants to eliminate his CP penalty for weightly armor. Representing even more effort than normal. This effectively halves the time a person can fight at absolutely full effectiveness in armor as a trade-off for getting those dice back.

That said, I understand Jake's point, and agree that to a small extent, there's no getting around the fact that you'd be slowed slightly. And Jake's waaay more an expert than I am on the practicality of it. In any case, we're quibbling over one die. Not a big deal.

Mike

[Caz]

I agree it's no big deal, the rules are fine as is.  House rules happen.  
   But I have my house rules from my personal experience.  Mail is heavy, and it will burn you out quicker, but if you've trained in it, it does not EFFECTIVELY slow you down, slow your techniques, or hinder you in combat.  You can cut just as fast, and sprint just as fast in it (you'll just drop a lot quicker from the effort).  Same with plate arm/leg armour.
   Here's some of my view on particular armour types and why they have different penalties:
(assumed it's fitted)
For helms/helmets- a "kettle" helmet, or war hat- no penalties (it doesn't get in your way, and doesn't hinder vision or hearing)

A barbute- no cp penalties (it doesn't get in the way, and you can see just fine) but -1 per due to muffled hearing.

A close helmet, with the visor down- -1 cp and -2 per (if it has narrow sights, -1 cp for limited vision, -2 per for vision and hearing)
etc. etc.

most body armour wouldn't hinder movement, but the only type that would give a -1 cp is a rigid, 1 piece plate cuirass, that might keep you from ducking as well, or fully bringing your arms inward.
Like I said, just my house rules, not really arguing, but this is really from my experience, not conjecture.