(10-15-2014, 03:38 PM)Jariana Wrote:(10-15-2014, 02:53 PM)Hiro Wrote: Just putting this out there,
While like pentrating force or technological differences in terms of various cartridge types, percussion pistols (specifically dueling pistols) could be as leathal as a .45 ACP (M1911 Colt's, a semi automatic pistol fires these). Coupling the fact that it's just sheer compact trauma from a lead ball, getting shot is no joke, nt even something you would find easy to deflect or block with a sword/weapon as... ludicrous as the concept would be in general.
While historically this is very very true, and is one of the primary reasons that even early guns rather quickly made heavy late Middle Ages armor obsolete, I'm not certain if plays out in the game itself. Â It seems that guns are an area in the game where the writers have swapped out the 'Laws of Physics' with the 'Rule of Cool'.
Case in point is the final test in the Armorer's questline. Â If guns are as lethal as they are in the real world, Merlwyb's method of testing a pair of chain armors is certifiably insane. Â Regardless of any mystical properties of the cobalt the haubergeons are made of, the sheer concussive force of blasting a pair of soldiers at close range like that would have likely caused more trauma than just one of them being 'slightly' wounded.
Of course there are a slew of possible explanations for this, each that doesn't necessarily keep firearms from being much different from their real world counterparts (cobalt really is that strong, Roegadyn can simply take more punishment than humans can, some aetheric combination of the shards the armor was crafted with makes them deflect bullets, Merlwyb is secretly a terrible shot and only hit one of them, etc.)Â
Regardless, it makes for a very entertaining scene and tells a fun story. Â Which is the important part of all of this.
EDIT: And of course Otto beat me to it...
This is also why Merlwybs test is a... exaggerated but not a terribly bad test for "quality"... That said, it is correct that the trauma from the force of impact would be harsh, quality chainmail could lessen a blow better than a bullet proof vest, modern technology changes this, however if the armors used for her test did survive and the soldiers only experienced the blunt force, they'd be quite bruised but alive depending on the power of her pistols and range.
Armor experienced a varying degree of technical advancements as projectiles advanced in warfare. The Japanese combination of chain and "loose" plate toward the end was effective even against crossbows and prior to metal cartridges. Armor that can deflect bullets is a very real and possible thing, but they're not something to shrug off that easily even then.
