Strength and size are not the issue, it's bulk, as I am about to explain:
Weight is actually a minor factor, it's the bulk and restrictive nature of the armour that is primarily at fault.
In 2020 helmets applied similar penalties due to the reduction in field of vision and hearing.
Yep. Weight only comes in in terms of fatigue.
-2 to REF, the typically worst penalty, isn't -that- big a deal for accuracy. You can get -3 for a Door Gunner's Vest, but it has the same protection as MetalGear and is bulkier - poor choice. MetalGear is clamshell armour, it's not fully enclosed.
You can offset the REF penalty by smartlinking your gun, getting a better than average smartlink to an existing gun, (COT), using a more accurate weapon, any of the above. If you are a pro, you're cruising in the 20+ skill range before luck is a factor. So -2 isn't the end of the world.
Where it will kill you is the -2 to initiative and -2 to follow-up moves. Lessay you and John Solo come across each other on a stalk. You both have wired-up reflexes of 11, ( shaddup Wisdom, we're pretending they aren't utterly maxed here, 11 is fine), Combat Sense 6 (Pros, but not elite) for a total of 17 added to a D10 roll. Average is a total of 22 on init. On a D10, that's not a lot of leeway.
If you give up 2 points of that 22 total, you're looking at losing on an average roll. You'd have to roll 3 better than your opponent on a D10 to beat him now. If he beats you, he'll have a wider gap between initiatives, which means most Refs will allow more moves before the second guy gets to go. Messy.
If you are elite, every point becomes precious against other players.
Now, against non-Solos, who cares? You'll beat them - you're a Solo, after all.
