N18 Heavy Carapace Armour and how that effects Ash Waste Nomads Arthromite Duneskuttlers

[Tensounder54]

In the Book of the Outlands, Ash Waste Nomads Arthromite Duneskuttlers come with Heavy Carapace Armour by default. The RAW states that:

However, due to the extra weight of this armour, the
fighter’s Initiative is reduced by -1 and their movement
by 1" when making a Charge action

I see two versions of the RAI here. Please help me decide which interpretation is correct.

1) "Wearing the armour permenatnly reduces the fighters inititive characteristic by -1 at all times and then reduces their movement characteristic by 1" when charging." - This is the intepretation I've seen online in some places. If this is the case, does Arthromite Duneskuttler come with this reduced inititive as part of their sheet or should it be applied manually?

2) "Wearing the armour reduces the fighters inititive characteristic by -1 and their movement characteristic by 1" only when the fighter charges. I.E. the inititive characteristic is only reduced when charging." - this is how I would read the RAW here. I'm not really sure what reduced initive does for charge actions but the way it's worded would lead me to beleve that this is the intention behind it.

 

[TopsyKretts]

I always assumed 1), Initiative is always reduced, move is only reduced when charging.

For stats that come with this armour, it's impossible to say. And it affects a lot more than the duneskuttler: Servant of the Silent Ones, Vandoth the Fallen, Ajex Gorgoth,

Arguably it does apply, otherwise why not give it a 3+ save? But then, that might be too punishing and why not bake it into the stats anyway? Looking at one particular similar case, Vorgen Mortz comes with servo harness and has a second profile to reflect that. However that's one example in a very flaky time of rules writing.

Perhaps if going by your second interpretation (I & M stat reduction only happens during charge), it makes more sense to have the single profile? But then it certainly would apply during charge.

 

[Beebopalulla]

It's a natural armor for the brute. It can't change it and remove it. So i think it's already have impacted his profile. So i believe no change at all for his M even if it's apply only to his charge.