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[Alastar]

Did he have a helm? Only the outermost layer is mentioned if a hit fails to penetrate, regardless of what stops it.

[Hyndis]

This notion that armor won't help kinetic impacts is pure fiction.

Armor reduces penetration by spreading out the energy, but nothing can prevent the kinetic energy from hitting you. Spreading it out over a large area means the kinetic energy does less damage but you can't just make it vanish. That violates the laws of physics.

[Fredd]

Armor is the last resort. Avoid being hit in the first place, from either dodging, parrying, or shield work.

[Wyrm]

This notion that armor won't help kinetic impacts is pure fiction.

Armor reduces penetration by spreading out the energy, but nothing can prevent the kinetic energy from hitting you. Spreading it out over a large area means the kinetic energy does less damage but you can't just make it vanish. That violates the laws of physics.

Total energy is conserved. Kinetic energy is not. The excess kinetic energy goes into deforming the armor, heating it, sound, and so on.

[JmzLost]

That violates the laws of physics.

Welcome to Dwarf Fortress.  Please leave logic, physics, and your morals at the door.

JMZ

[tsen]

It may be worth noting that a lot of weapons we consider "blunt" are in fact a sort of super-piercing. For example, a real warhammer is not a giant steel rod with a 200lbs steel anvil attached to the end of it. It's a wooden (sometimes metal banded) haft with a small steel spike and tiny beveled hammer head. The intent is not to somehow get the kinetic energy through the armor, but rather to *focus* the muscle power of the wielder with a combination of lever force, tiny impact surface area, and non-deforming striking surface.

It's the same reason why being poked in the ribs is unpleasant, while being pushed with the same amount of force will only move you slightly.