Reflective Armor
Don't listen to the advertisers, kid. This isn't going to make you invincible. Just means you have a few tries before your chest turns into molten sludge.
When the Light Musket first entered the battlefield, it ushered in a new age of brutality. Soon, the race was on to find something that could counter this terrifying new weapon. Unknown to most, the counter already existed. Armour able to reflect and absorb even the most violent pulses of light.
Another Principle
Reflective armour follows a simple but effective principle. Rather than try to stop the oncoming blast head-on, it instead attempts to break it apart and absorb it. The suit of armour acts like a giant mirror. Its outermost layer is made of an aluminium alloy that "breaks" the oncoming bolt of light and allows it to disperse harmlessly across the surface. Beneath this mirror, there are several layers made of ceramic plates and a synthetic fibre known as Kevlar that protect the body from the force of the impact. This system turns an otherwise crippling hit into something manageable. It is not perfect, however. Heat and force from repeated impacts will cause the alloy to twist and contort, causing the effectiveness of the armour to diminish. While somewhat expensive to produce, the characteristic grey or white armour has become a staple in most modern armies. Most being the keyword here, as smaller states are usually unable to afford the cost of equipping their entire army with reflective armour.
People of the Upper Sky
The underlying principle, known to the "civilised world" as Edison Reflection, is far older than its counterpart behind the light musket, however. Great was the shock of Albian expeditions into the Ice Belt when they discovered that the people there, generally known as Juneau, already possessed some variant of reflective armour. It caused quite a stir within the international community, as various powers accused each other of supplying these in order to foil Albian plans for expansion. By 1751 IE, the work of scientists like Alexander von Ganden had proven that these "primitives" had, in fact been able to produce such armour since the 1300s at the very least.Primitive, my ass. Five minutes in combat with these bastards will tell you that they are anything but. And if you don't learn it fast enough? Well, one more grave to fill.
Item type
Armor
Related Technologies
Related ethnicities
Weight
12-15kg
What makes reflective armour such an important invention is the fact that a bolt of light is far deadlier than a regular bullet. A direct hit anywhere on either body or head is a guaranteed death sentence, and a blow to the arm or leg will result in the loss of that extremity. Reflective armour prevents this, but repeated strikes will eventually result in damage. As the armour contorts, the severity of injuries suffered by the wearer increases.
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments