A kinetic energy absorptive composite article comprising: a ply (20, 40, 70) containing multiple substantially parallel fibers (22, 22a, 22b); a matrix material at least partially encapsulating the ply; multiple lower strength length portions (24, 24a, 24b, 74) distributed along each individual fiber of the multiple fibers or multiple lower modulus length portions distributed along each individual fiber of the multiple fibers; multiple higher strength length portions distributed along each individual fiber of the multiple fibers, the higher strength length portions of each individual fiber being defined by and extending between two respective lower strength length portions of the same individual fiber and the lower strength length portions having failure strains that are less than a failure strain of the higher strength length portions that is the same among the higher strength length portions, or multiple higher modulus length portions distributed along each individual fiber of the multiple fibers, the higher modulus length portions of each individual fiber being defined by and extending between two respective lower modulus length portions of the same individual fiber and the lower modulus length portions having moduli that are less than a modulus of the higher modulus length portions that is the same among the higher modulus length portions; a designated pattern of the lower strength length portions or of the lower modulus length portions distributed to selected locations identified in the ply; and a corresponding designated pattern of the higher strength length portions or of the higher modulus length portions defined by the designated pattern of the lower strength length portions or of the lower modulus length portions; wherein the ply is a backside ply and the composite article further comprises a frontside ply and a region of reduced adhesion separating the frontside ply from the backside ply, or the composite article further comprises a frontside ply having an overall failure strain lower than an overall failure strain of the backside ply, or both. a ply (20, 40, 70) containing multiple substantially parallel fibers (22, 22a, 22b); a matrix material at least partially encapsulating the ply; multiple lower strength length portions (24, 24a, 24b, 74) distributed along each individual fiber of the multiple fibers or multiple lower modulus length portions distributed along each individual fiber of the multiple fibers; multiple higher strength length portions distributed along each individual fiber of the multiple fibers, the higher strength length portions of each individual fiber being defined by and extending between two respective lower strength length portions of the same individual fiber and the lower strength length portions having failure strains that are less than a failure strain of the higher strength length portions that is the same among the higher strength length portions, or multiple higher modulus length portions distributed along each individual fiber of the multiple fibers, the higher modulus length portions of each individual fiber being defined by and extending between two respective lower modulus length portions of the same individual fiber and the lower modulus length portions having moduli that are less than a modulus of the higher modulus length portions that is the same among the higher modulus length portions; a designated pattern of the lower strength length portions or of the lower modulus length portions distributed to selected locations identified in the ply; and a corresponding designated pattern of the higher strength length portions or of the higher modulus length portions defined by the designated pattern of the lower strength length portions or of the lower modulus length portions; wherein the ply is a backside ply and the composite article further comprises a frontside ply and a region of reduced adhesion separating the frontside ply from the backside ply, or the composite article further comprises a frontside ply having an overall failure strain lower than an overall failure strain of the backside ply, or both.