Re: Compiled Armor

["dbarrass_2000" <david.barrass@ed.ac.uk>]

> > Bridandine is metal plates sandwiched between layers of cloth/leather
> > and riveted to both of these layers.  A fine example in the Royal
> > Armouries at Leeds has a facing of red velvet with the heads of the
> > rivets gilded where they go through this layer.  Some excellent
> > examples were dug up at Visby in Denmark, the weather was hot so the
> > bodies were buried before the armour was stripped.  This site has also
> > provided insights to the Medieval styles of combat by the marks left
> > on their skeletons and Armour (well worth reading).
> 
> I don't think my description of brigandine was that much off, was it?

OK I've re-read it, yes they are compattable

> > Lamellar.  The metal plates were wired together and did not need a
> > backing (it still needed padding).  This made a defense stronger than
> > scale (there was no direction from which penetration was easy), but
> > less flexible, but still more flexible than plate
> 
> I'll check the description and amend it. I used the Palladium Books
Compendium of Weapons, Armor and Castles as a source for armor (has
some very good illustrations), so it might have some errors.

I have it also, and I've spotted things I disagree with

> > What are your rules on alternative materials for the construction of
> > these armours?
> 
> I didn't really think about that very much when writing up the list.
I think assumed base material is iron or low quality steel. Obviously
softer stuff like bronze would give 1 less protection and weigh less.
How much is debatable, maybe 0.5 to 1 weight factor less, depending on
material.

If a material isn't as strong you can make it thicker, so I would say
either extra weight or less protection for things like bronze (its
simpler), if its bone, horn etc you could increase wieght and reduce
protection.  

I have seen (in a book) lammellar armour made of leather, and cuir
bouli (leather bioled in wax) could be seen as plate made of hardened
leather (is this leather what you mean by leather)?

> Using better materials (such as high quality steel) would give one
more prot and also weigh a bit less (0.25 to 0.5), and when you bring
in mithril and stuff like that, it's up to the GM to decide.

Similarly I'd do one, not both

> For leather & hide armors, I think taking the basic NA rating of
whatever beast (e.g. chimaera) would be a good default starting point
and figuring it from there.  

I once worked out it looses 50% of its streangth, based on the natural
armour of a cow for someone who wanted dragonskin armour
> 
> Edi

David