M-Space Blast Shields

[Myrmidont]

I'm very new to the Mythras RPG system (I have some experience with BRP Call of Cthulhu and Delta Green, and plenty of other TTRPG experience) and have recently bought M-Space and its supplements.

I wanted to make a character that wears a powered exoskeleton and can use parts of its frame to shield their body against hits (like you might see in Elysium, just to give an example). There's nothing quite like that in the rules, but I thought "I'll treat them as wearing a high-grav suit and a wielding a Blast Shield". So far so good. 

However, the rules for using a shield makes reference to something called "shield size" and a "Shield Skill"? Apparently the size affects how many hit locations it guards, how much damage is absorbed on a Parry, and what size weapon it's effective against?

I'm assuming the Shield Skill must be the character's relevant Combat Style skill (In my character's case, "Panzeranzug-Kommando" encompasses powered-armour "fist" fighting). 

However I still can't find a "size" listed for the Blast Shield in M-Space - just its AP (6), and cost (300cr).
Can anyone tell me what it's size is, and number of locations it can Passively Defend?

Additional Edit 1:

Forget my fluff. Let's say I'm jumped by an alien with a spear, but I see him coming.
Mechanically, I wear a high-grav suit (0 AP) and hold a Blast shield (AP6) in one hand.

GM: "He's going to stab you." 
Me: "As my free action I'm passively blocking (warding) with my Blast Shield". 
GM: "Okay, which body locations are you warding with your shield? We need to establish that before the attack is rolled."
Me: "I don't know, it doesn't say how many hit locations my shield covers."
GM: "..."
GM: "Um, then maybe you'd better actively parry instead."
Me: "Okay I spend 1 AP to parry as a Reaction." 
GM: "Excellent. *rolls the alien's attack* "Hit, no levels of success."
Me: *rolls my parry roll* "Also a hit, no levels of success."
GM: "You've successfully parried with your blast shield, so we need to compare the weapon sizes to determine how much damage gets through. The spear is Large - if it's bigger than your shield, it'll do damage that might be reduced by your shield's AP. If your shield is also Large or larger, no damage."
Me: "I don't know my blast shield's size. It doesn't say."
GM: "..."
 

Add. Edit 2:
In Mythras Imperative there's two shields with AP 6 on the table and neither of them are Blast Shield, and they have different sizes and numbers of Locations for Passive blocking. (Buckler/M/2, Heater/L/3).

Add. Edit 3: Also, how do I get to post more than once every 24 hours? I can't reply to this thread.

Edited July 6 by Myrmidont
typo

[Joerg]

How much of that exosceleton can transform location armor (or other material) into a shield, and why would that be advantageous? Shield size would depend on how much material gets put into the way of harm.

If this is to be treated like a shield parry rather than as a passive slung shield, who does the parrying? The suit, or its pilot?

[Raleel]

Huh, looking at that entry, it is confusing, as [shield skill] is under the hit locations column, which seems odd. Shields also do have armor points, but generally you don't use them for blocking damage on an attack against you.

as m space is a derivative of Mythras imperative, I would start at Mythras imperative. https://srd.mythras.net/#/0005_Combat?id=sample-shield-table Has the full list of shields. It also explains the shield size. 

[Myrmidont]

Aight, I'll just have to have a debate with my GM about which shield profile the blast shield represents.

[g33k]

On 7/6/2024 at 2:31 AM, Myrmidont said:

...
Add. Edit 3: Also, how do I get to post more than once every 24 hours? I can't reply to this thread.

It's an anti-spam measure, new-users have a 1:24h post limit.
Prevents a spammer from signing up, and immediately advertising their crypto-viagra in every subforum ...

I think it goes away after ... 10 posts?

Edited July 7 by g33k

[g33k]

On 7/6/2024 at 2:31 AM, Myrmidont said:

...

Honestly, I'd just Rule of Cool this. Emulating the anime/mech genre, all gear is a bit oversized:  thus, it's a Large shield, covers 3 adjacent locations.

Yes, your skill with the shield is whatever the relevant Combat Style is.

Sounds like you should revise "Panzeranzug-Kommando" to explicitly list shields and any other bits & bobs of gear you include... vibro-swords?  Tungsten-Chromium Spurs?  etc (you should keep an eye on just how many such bits & bobs you include; likely limiting some gear to other "styles" of mech-warrior)

Edited July 8 by g33k

[Myrmidont]

For lack of a definitive answer, I'm declaring the Blast Shield to be a Scutum made of hyper-lightweight, science-fictionally-strong material; size Huge, AP6/HP27 (The Scutum's stats multiplied by 1.5, to get the Scutum's AP4 to the Blast Shield's value of AP6), and it protects up to 5 locations. It does 1d4 damage if you hit someone with it.

 

 

Edited July 8 by Myrmidont

[Raleel]

Seems, reasonable. The scutum's AP4 indicates it is of wood construction. AP6 is equivalent to steel, which I imagine if you were making something that large out of a science fictional material, would feel about right  

[clarence]

On 7/8/2024 at 4:30 PM, Myrmidont said:

For lack of a definitive answer, I'm declaring the Blast Shield to be a Scutum made of hyper-lightweight, science-fictionally-strong material; size Huge, AP6/HP27 (The Scutum's stats multiplied by 1.5, to get the Scutum's AP4 to the Blast Shield's value of AP6), and it protects up to 5 locations. It does 1d4 damage if you hit someone with it.

 

 

Looks good! A similar shield created with a force field would probably work as well. Turn it off and you can tuck it into a pocket. 

[Chris]

On 7/10/2024 at 1:33 PM, clarence said:

Looks good! A similar shield created with a force field would probably work as well. Turn it off and you can tuck it into a pocket. 

One of my players in my Drinax game is using a boarding shield

Boarding Shields. [Hand-Held Force Shield (TL15): This consists of a handle containing a Force Field Generator and a series of filaments in the shape of a rectangle. AP 7; Energy 50; passive block 5; lasts 7 hours. The Hand-Held Personal Force blocks damage in the normal way, by interposing it between the attacking weapon and the wielder using passive block. It just reduces damage by it's AP for each hit but fails once it's stopped damage equal to its energy supply. Think of it like a riot shield held in front as you advance into a ship.

Hope that helps

[clarence]

On 7/16/2024 at 5:21 PM, Chris said:

One of my players in my Drinax game is using a boarding shield

Boarding Shields. [Hand-Held Force Shield (TL15): This consists of a handle containing a Force Field Generator and a series of filaments in the shape of a rectangle. AP 7; Energy 50; passive block 5; lasts 7 hours. The Hand-Held Personal Force blocks damage in the normal way, by interposing it between the attacking weapon and the wielder using passive block. It just reduces damage by it's AP for each hit but fails once it's stopped damage equal to its energy supply. Think of it like a riot shield held in front as you advance into a ship.

Hope that helps

Thanks Chris! Sounds perfect.