Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I saw a posting that "rang a bell" where they said 1 inch is equal to 12" of high grade steel (convenient it is a foot) but cannot be cited to any GW fiction.
Saw another stating it is ceramic and titanium but would be very hard and light (but not "tough" in the real world).
Note: The fluff ends here, I could not find anything that could be cited in the fluff.

NOTE: Allow me to add the real world to this, the "magic" armor is closer than you think.

Toughness is typically hard brittle layers with softer impact resistant layers backing them, the idea with a katana, layers of hard and soft to prevent shattering.
Energy being absorbed overcoming a hard surface then in turn, decelerating through soft impact absorbing material.
Bullet-proof glass works this way.

I envision a ceramic (Carbyne is our more recent "super" material that fits the bill = 40X stiffer than diamond) with a titanium disulfide in a fullerene-like nanostructure (ApNano creation) for impact resistance up to 250 tons per square centimeter (It has an huge amount of give or crumple-zone). Apply all that in layers and it would be some pretty freaking insane armor.

The trick is absorbing all that kinetic energy and not pulping the occupant (which makes the genetically enhanced super soldiers all the more sensible for wearing man-portable tank armor). This is why the poor AM/IG only have flak armor: little point in wasting all that armor only for the suit to survive (wash, rinse, repeat?).

Anyone bringing up the "depleted uranium" it is ideal for slugs since it is more 1.67 times heavier than lead (more mass per volume) it can be used for armor but you need to be willing to be VERY heavy.
It's mass gives some resistance but works best in layers with harder materials.
Force = Mass X Acceleration so heavy slugs with a good means of acceleration means a whole lot of hurt at the other end (Or a VERY heavy tank at ramming speed).


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Melissia wrote:
As strong as the plot demands.

Or that too...