How much do you value saved volume vs the extra Encumbrance incurred, generally?
Specifically, to give an example, would you accept +4 Enc. if it saves you 0.5 L (an holster e.g.). I know it is very situational, but say you have decent Enc. with 16 L capacity. Would you accept the trade off in this case?
Do you have any pointers, guidelines you apply there? What is your approach?
Clearly, I’m dubious saving 0.5L is worth gaining 4 Enc. For me the trade off would probably be to accept +2 Enc. for 0.5L gained. It depends of the situation obviously. Let say chances of fighting are reasonable expected with medium intensity.
As CKD explained above. The holsters especially let me draw my “Oh shit!” Shotgun faster. The sheath lets me pull my melee weapon if I didn’t already have it out much quicker, thereby preventing the enemy from getting more free hits. The saved volume is just a bonus.
Same deal with mag pouches, quivers, and bandoliers. Faster reloads so you can send more attacks down range before the enemy closes the distance.
In a practical sense, this thing: http://cdda-trunk.chezzo.com/survivor_rucksack
Gives all the space you need in combat for very modest encumbrance.
When more space is required, add duffel bags.
My experience is eyes should be as unencumbered as physically possible, then feet and legs, then arms and torso. The latter pair are often very encumbered during various looting phases where you do not care about dodge or accuracy because you are extremely careful and plan several escape routes if possible.
As for sheaths and holsters, besides the feature others have already mentioned (and its importance can hardly be overemphasised), another important advantage is those things tend to be made of more durable materials. So if your character happens to, say, catch fire they are less likely to drop to the floor after your MOLLE packs, rucksucks and the like burn to a crisp. The only thing worse than losing those precious backpacks to flames and possibly watching the items they held slowly roast a few tiles away is having nothing but bare hands for defence.
I roll with a suit that never impedes over 10 in any appendage. I would do the same in real life, even at the cost of the limited amount of gear I could carry. So anything 0-5 encumbrance with locked carry volume are the only garments I have my toon wear.
Usually stuff that would be pretty light in regard to encumbrance anyway. Holsters and anything to carry tools/weapons are good.
Unless someone changed everything. You can have equipment that is well under 10. You have to check the layer so you don’t double up the same layer and then find parts to do what you need. Even if the encumbrance was changed. No shirt and belt I’ve ever worn would impede me at all. So either you are mismatching garments or somebody borked the items.
My actor can normally wear a kevlar vest, lab coat and I think a survivor harness(its been a while since I’ve played). But I cannot play latest experimental version at this time to check if anyones made changes.
In real life though that combination wouldn’t impede me at all. Kinda pointless to the user if it did impede. Anything an average cop could wear should not impede any movement short of cartwheels.
