[TL] Iron/Steel Bracers, Greaves TL?

[Phantasm]

As the topic asks, what is the TL of iron or steel bracers and greaves? Would they be a TL2/Iron Age tech, TL3/Medieval tech, or TL4/Renaissance tech?

Building them using the armor rules in Low-Tech suggest that they'd be TL4, but for smaller pieces like these, which could be strapped to mail sleeves/leggings for additional protection, I can plausibly see them earlier than TL4. I just don't know if they were used at all at earlier TLs without being bronze (Greek hoplomachoi were known to use bronze greaves, IIRC.)

In a related question, with greaves and bracers worn over mail on the extremities, would they limit DX at all? If so, localized or overall?

[DanHoward]

"Smaller pieces of iron plate, such as helmets and greaves, are available starting at TL2" p. 108.

"However, DX penalties don’t apply if the total odds of partial armor protecting a hit location are 3 in 6 or less (see the Armor Locations Table, p. 100), or for armor that covers only the head." p. 103.

[Landwalker]

Originally Posted by DanHoward

"However, DX penalties don’t apply if the total odds of partial armor protecting a hit location are 3 in 6 or less (see the Armor Locations Table, p. 100), or for armor that covers only the head." p. 103.

I've been meaning to ask about this for some time, but never got around to it:

What about armor that provides 6/6 protection, but only from the front? The simple example is someone wearing, say, a layered cloth or light mail vest with a breastplate or some other similar protection on the front, but not on the back? Or perhaps someone wearing medium leather leggings with segmented plate over the front of the thighs, knees, and shins.

Is this considered sufficient to confer a -1 DX penalty, or can the rule on page 103 be extrapolated to "Must cover more than half (whatever that half may be) of a hit location"?

[DanHoward]

If it was a breastplate then I would apply a penalty.

[Phantasm]

Thanks, Dan.

I really need to stop glossing over the fine print for such things! :)

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by DanHoward

"Smaller pieces of iron plate, such as helmets and greaves, are available starting at TL2" p. 108.

That doesn't mean they were historically common though.

Historical armorers seem to have operated on a priority basis and iron plate defenses for the lower arm and lower leg were the last parts of full plate to appear more or less at the end of TL3.

Then halfway through TL4 they were the first bits of plate to disappear too.

That was after the threat of mass arrow barrages had disappeaed though. The Greek and Roman preference for bronze greaves may have been because the lower legs were the only part not protected from arrow barrages by the large shields.

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

That doesn't mean they were historically common though.

They were common enough to be classified as TL2. It is a "mature" technology. The Romans used iron helmets and greaves extensively. If you want to be fussy then add +1 TL to hardened steel items.

Historical armorers seem to have operated on a priority basis and iron plate defenses for the lower arm and lower leg were the last parts of full plate to appear more or less at the end of TL3.

Greaves were one of the earliest to be strapped over mail - starting in the middle of the 13th century. Elbows and knees are around the same time.

That was after the threat of mass arrow barrages had disappeaed though. The Greek and Roman preference for bronze greaves may have been because the lower legs were the only part not protected from arrow barrages by the large shields.

That was likely why they wore greaves but they wouldn't have cared whether they were iron or bronze. Both were worn and provided good protection from arrows.

[Verjigorm]

IT's not likely the roman greaves were worn for protection from arrows: the romans had a habit of only wearing the left greave.

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by Verjigorm

IT's not likely the roman greaves were worn for protection from arrows: the romans had a habit of only wearing the left greave.

Polybius says that some of the hastati wore only one greave. He implies that these men were too poor to be able to afford two of them. If this is the case then the threat is irrelevant since they wore all the armour they could afford. The principes and triarii wore two greaves.

[Verjigorm]

Originally Posted by DanHoward

Polybius says that some of the hastati wore only one greave. He implies that these men were too poor to be able to afford two of them. If this is the case then the threat is irrelevant. They wore all the armour they could afford.

That may be the case, and it could just be that my secondary source was taking liberties with Polybius. Be that as it may, I don't think arrow fire was a prime motive for greaves amongst the Romans or Greeks, but especially the greeks: as hoplite warfare evolves and light troops play bigger roles, you see less greaves.