Given our discussions over the years, you using BRP doesn't surprise me.
I will say that, in armor, I've taken hits that have damaged the armor, but not me inside it. ANd hits that did damage me but not as much as they should. Case in point (intentional pun), I did a hand parry that took a chop and converted it into a slash while fencing (rapier) - the nicks from the days fencing resulted in a serration, which opened a slice through the 8oz leather glove, but not into the webbing of the thumb, tho' it did leave a small surface scratch. Likewise, fighting SCA Heavy, I took a hit to the arm which bent the brass rings of the ring-on-leather¹ I was wearing, but didn't break my arm; instead, it left a 4" × 2" bruise in the pattern of the rings.
1: ring on leather is rings sewn to leather, not mail over leather.