FANGS: Appendix A - Equipment

File:FANGS-Basic Fangs Logo (small original).gifWelcome to FANGS, the Fantasy Adventure Networked Gaming System. The goal of this roleplaying system is to offer rules that allow for fun, dramatic play without losing too much realism, simple and yet elegant rules, and balanced for different styles of players who wish to game together.

Equipment

This appendix details equipment and pricing from the fantasy world of "Alvatia", and is suited for a fantasy/medieval oriented FANGS campaign.

Coinage

Most prices are in quoted in silver sovereigns (ss). The silver sovereign is about the size of an American nickel. The largest coin is the gold crown (gc) which is the same size as a silver sovereign, and is worth 25 silver sovereigns. The smallest coin is the copper bits (cb) -- about the size of an American penny -- 100 copper bits is worth 1 sovereign.

Note that a silver sovereign represents the average daily wage of most workmen, or will bring one a night at a good inn, including a couple of simple meals and perhaps a pint or two of hard cider. Living frugally, 7 to 10 silver sovereigns will keep one for a month! Thus, 100 silver sovereigns represents a small fortune, the equivalent of 1/4 to 1/3 of a year's income for most people in the medieval world.

Starting Funds

Unless modified by an Advantage or Disadvantage, characters start with 100 silver sovereigns (ss). This is equal to 10,000 copper bits (cb) or 4 gold crowns (gc). These can be used to purchase the possessions the character starts with.

Only the following items can be purchased before play begins, and note that these items may not be available or may be more expensive in the game.

Armor (complete suits)

Item	Description	SP	Cost
Leathers	Soft leather armor	1	18 ss
Jack	Reinforced leather armor	2	30 ss
Leather Armor	Heavy leather hauberk	3	45 ss
Ring Armor	Rings sewn into leather hauberk	4	175 ss
Scale Armor	Scales sewn on a leather hauberk	5	350 ss
Mail Armor	All metal chain hauberk	6	550 ss
Light Chain	The fine chain armor of nobility	7	750 ss
Plate Mail	Combination of chain and plate	8	1000 ss

Each point of Stun Protection (SP) in armor causes a one point penalty against your character's Dodge Roll and the AG related skills of Climb, Jump, Hide, Run and Sneak.

Leathers -- Leathers are the simplest form of armor, as they are basically clothes made from soft leather rather than cloth. They normally consists of a leather shirt tied in the front, a leather cap, and leather trousers tied with a drawstring. Once broken in leathers can be quite comfortable. They are the only armor that can reasonably be slept in.

Jack -- The jack is probably the most popular form of armor, as it is legal to wear it in most towns. It consists of a reinforced leather jacket with hood worn over a cloth tunic, and leather trews worn over trousers. They are reasonably comfortable to wear, but are uncomfortable to sleep in.

Hauberk (Leather, Ring, Scale, or Mail) -- This is a pullover tunic worn over specially made padded clothing. It covers the shoulders, chest, stomach, upper arms and legs down to the knees. It can be made of leather, ring, scale, or mail, and includes a coif (hood that covers head and throat) and leather trews to cover the legs. This type of armor is normally available only to the constabulary and the military. It is against the law in most towns and cities to wear a hauberk unless one is on duty. A hauberk is also quite uncomfortable and encumbering.

Light Chain -- The armor of knights and higher nobility. It consists of a chain mail byrnie (tunic), a separate mail coif, a plate helm, and mail trews. It is worn over leather tunic over a padded cotton undertunic, and over leather trews. Typically the links of light chain are much finer and tighter than is common with other chain armors. In addition, it must be custom 'fitted' to the owner. It provides just a little more protection than a mail hauberk, but is much more comfortable. Although made for war, light chain is also required during many of the ceremonies of the nobility, thus is often decorated and even fanciful. A surcoat is usually worn over light chain, but is not included with the chain price.

Plate Mail -- The same as Light Chain, but with additional steel plates protecting torso, joints, shoulders, and neck. It is never worn except during war, and is quite uncomfortable and encumbering.

Variable Armor

In real life, armor was frequently not uniform all over the wearer’s body. Mercenaries and troops gathered to be cannon fodder were often lucky to have a cuirass on their torso and a helmet. Armor is also fatiguing and hot, particularly in close quarters with no air circulation. Roman soldiers of the later periods could often be tracked by the discarded pieces of armor they left behind.

Rather than track what piece of armor is on what part of the body, players can adjust for this method of armor wearing by using a randomizing element. Determine the minimum protection a character is wearing, such as 2 points for tough leather, and add a die roll to see what thickness of armor is covering the leather at any point a character is hit.

Example: Gru is uncomfortable with armor on his arms and legs, and decides that he has no armor there at all. Elsewhere he may be wearing anything from simple clothes (1 point) to some ring armor (4 points). The character’s armor roll is 1d6-1. If a blow lands there might be as much as 5 points of protection (6-1) because some clothing is under the ringmail. Or there might be no protection at all (1-1).

Saul, who has a greater regard for the integrity of his skin, has a leather hauberk covering almost all of him, and some heavy chain (or equivalent) protecting the particularly vital spots. His roll is 1d4 2, giving a range from 3 (the heavy leather) to 6 (the chain hauberk).

The cost of variable armor like this is half that given in the price list for a complete set of armor. If combining sets like Saul in the above sample, both the leather hauberk and the chain mail are half price (a leather hauberk is actually part of the chain mail, so there is no add to damage protection for having one over the other – it would be there regardless.).

Melee Weapons (Weaponcrafter)

Weapons made by a guild weaponcrafter are of very high quality hardwood and steel, thus their high prices. Common weapons are usually made of more ordinary wood and iron.

Item	Type	Skill	Damage	SP	Cost	Notes
Axe, Battle	Melee	Axe	1d8 2	8	150 ss