The category Magic Armour includes armour (ie magic forms of breastplates, mail coats and the like) and shields, as well as complete suits which include both armour and shields. These can be worn instead of the ordinary equivalent.
In most cases magic armour offers an improved armour saving throw compared to ordinary armour. In other cases it offers ordinary armour saving throws but confers other abilities too.
Combining Magic/Ordinary Armour
Unless specified to the contrary an amour save from magic armour may be combined with armour saves from a mount or ordinary armour. For example a magic breast plate with an armour save of 6+ can be combined with an ordinary shield save of 6+ and a mount's save of 6+ to give an armour save of 4+.
Although magic armour can be combined with other saves from mounts and ordinary shields where appropriate, a model may never have a better basic armour saving throw than 1+. 1+ is the best armour save you can get, offering immunity from hits of strength 3 or less (higher strengths will increase the roll required to save of course.)
Move Penalties
Characters wearing magic amour suffer no movement penalty on account of their armour. This is because a) it is magic armour and unbelievably lightweight, and b) they are heroic individuals who are used to such things.
Wizards and Armour
Wizards cannot wear any armour, magic or otherwise, without compromising their ability to cast spells, with the exception of Chaos Armour worn by Chaos Sorcerers and Skaven Warpstone Armour.
Armour Saves
The most common effect of magic armour is to confer an extraordinarily effective armor saving throw. Except where noted in the description of the item, this works exactly like normal armour saves: it is therefore modified by the enemy's strength as normal, and in the case of weapons which normally dispense with armour saves your magic armour will do you no good at all. For example, Armour of Meteoric Iron confers a 2 + armour save, but would still be useless against a cannon shot because cannons ignore armor saves altogether.
Special Saves
Some rare and expensive types of magic armour confer what are referred to as special saves. A special save is not an armour save: it is not modified by the strength of a hit against it, and it is not negated by weapons or attacks which disallow armor saves. Special saves represent a magical property of the armour rather than armour which is merely magically toughened or hardened.
If a model has both armour saves and special saves, take any armour saves first. Take special saves only for those wounds not saved by armour.
Special saves cannot save in situations where a target is automatically killed - for example, a weapon which automatically kills if it hits, or a spell which automatically kills, or where fleers are run into the ground by pursuers, and so on. A special save can only save wounds - not automatic death.
The difference between armour saves and special saves is not always explained on the cards where space is limited, so it is important to understand the difference. If in doubt the following broad rule will help to remind you: armour saves are modified, special saves are always a fixed value.
Armour save of 6+. Any spell cast against the bearer or unit he is with is dispelled on a roll of 3 or more on a D6. If enemy spell is dispelled, roll a D6. On a 4+ the spell is destroyed and must be discarded. A spell from a magic item is destroyed on a 6.
Includes a shield, and gives armour save of 3+. Foes suffer -2 to hit.
Bretonnia only
Armour save of 5+. If wearer fails his armour save, he may make a further special save of 4+.
Armour save of 6+. Magic weapons carried by enemy models in base contact with bearer do not work. A Chaos Runeshield can be combined with Chaos Armour in which case it counts as one magic item.
Chaos only
Amour save of 5+. Bearer may move through difficult/very difficult terrain and cross obstacles with no penalty. Hits from non-magic weapons suffer a -1 Strength penalty.
Armour save of 6+. Any spell cast at bearer or unit he is with will be dispelled on 4+. If enemy spell deflected, roll a D6. On 4+, the magical energy bounces back to caster causing 1 SD6 hit for each power card used to cast the spell. No armour saves allowed against rebounded hits. A bound spell causes no damage if rebounded.
Confers special save of 4+. For every wound saved armour inflicts S3 hit against the attacker. May be worn by Skaven wizards without compromising their ability to cast spells.
Skaven only
Includes shield. Armour save of 2+.
Armour save of 6+. When bearer saves against enemy in close combat, shield unleashes 1 S4 lightning bolt against that enemy.
High Elves only
Armour save of 4+. In order to attack, enemy model must first pass Leadership test.
Armour save of 5+. If wearer fails to save, he may make a further special save of 5+ against the wound.
Armour save of 4+. A Wizard may wear Chaos Armour and still cast spells.
Chaos only
Special save of 2+ against fire attacks.
Armour save of 6+/1+ vs missile attacks.
Armour save of 5+. If wearer fails to save, he may make a further special save of 6+ against the wound.
Armour save of 6+. First hit inflicted upon bearer is automatically discounted. Works once only.
Amour save of 5+.
Armour save of 3+ for shooting/5+ for hand-to-hand. A Wizard may have Magic War Paint without compromising his ability to cast spells. War Paint cannot be combined with armour, but it can be combined with a shield.
Savage Orcs, Skaven, Forest Goblins & Wood Elves only