The use of textile based architectures and the dry compaction of preform layers prior to resin infusion creates the potential for highly tailored resin transfer-moulded composites that have significantly different response to impact than traditional prepreg-based composites. The response of a number of resin transfer moulding (RTM) composites is characterized using both traditional and new metrics of performance. Impact performance maps are used to differentiate between materials response at a fundamental level and key differences are traced to differences in preform fabric architecture. Global and local differences in response based on architecture are elucidated through the determination of damage and energy absorbance, and are related to materials’ specific characteristics in an attempt to allow comparison of impact response of composites on a more quantitative basis.