How to equip a TL3 knight?

[gilbertocarlos]

I'm talking about a knight like a crusader. When you go buy the equipment, there isn't enough for all the equipment that he normally carries.
A knight normally carries a thrusting broad or bastard sword, a mail suit, a lance, and rides on a warhorse.
the bastard sword costs $750.
A fine mail suit, assuming it covers legs, arms and torso, $2250
The warhorse $4k
Riding Equipment about $240
the lance $60
Total=7,3k

Starting money for a rich person at TL3=$5k

So, how do you do with the 2,3k that the knight doesn't have?
Even if he trades the bastard sword for a cheap broadsword($240), the fine mail suit for a cheap heavy mail suit($1200) he still would have to spend 5,8k.

[ULFGARD]

Generally, I'd say Patron (possibly offset with a Duty). All that gear isn't cheap, and it's rarely within the means of an individual.

You can also trade points for cash.

[tg_ambro]

You could also trade some points for cash, or buy some of those items as Sig Gear.

[Gudiomen]

I'll have to do some math, but it might be worse than you realize... first of all, none would go knightin' without head protection. Second, you're not a wonderer... a knight would have lands, and possesions that would eat up some of his starting wealth.

Edit:
- buy a cheaper horse, for riding to battle, not in battle.
- lances are for jousting, for real battle use a spear, on foot use a sword
- a bastard-sword is just bad, a longsword would be better, a thrusting broadsword+shield even better, and cheaper... a shield and an axe/mace would be even cheaper if you're on a budget, and since the prevalent armor is mail, it's effective

[PseudoFenton]

Originally Posted by gilbertocarlos

I'm talking about a knight like a crusader

Well a crusader wouldn't have a lance, and you could probably do away with the mail leggings in favour of leather there, but you are missing a helmet. Some knight's would also just be noblemen by birth who would've inherited the sword most likely.

The rest? Well that you'd need to pay for still, but starting wealth can be bought up with cp which increases the amount available for spending on this sort of things. An old retired knight or city dwelling one may not have a horse and riding gear anymore for instance, while a new one might not have fine armour yet, both could easily have smaller swords and a shield (rather than a bastard sword, which slightly reduces cost) - there are lots of factors involved which can massively alter the overall costs.

[Anthony]

You go with Very Wealthy or greater, or you have only partial gear (including a lesser grade of steed). It may be worth considering whether the price of horses in Basic is reasonable, checking around I find Verbruggen; if we assume a mail byrny is heavy mail, that says 1 solidi = $100, and a warhorse should cost $1,200. Of course, that's an 8th century warhorse (actually, read that section anyway; it discusses who was expected to have what level of gear).

[Novembermike]

You just aren't setting your sights high enough. The average wealth at TL 3 describes a peasant farmer or low-skill laborer. Your Knight probably isn't 5x as wealthy as that, you're probably looking at 20-100x as wealthy. A Wealthy Knight would probably be some unimportant guy who has some tiny fiefdom in the middle of nowhere.

Men at Arms are generally going to be equipped by a patron.

Also, one thing to remember is that GURPS wealth generally describes something closer to monthly income at low TLs. A knight might not be able to afford armor and a horse all at once, but a lot of it is going to be accumulated over time or paid by taking on a debt.

[Gudiomen]

On a budget...

- Medium scale armor (torso, arms, legs and neck): $1,403
- Flat-top, light segmented plate helmet* + padding: $159
- Medium shield, heavy: $60
- Morningstar: $80
- Boots: $80

* barrel helm

That get's you suited up on $1,782.

A ride without war training will cost you $2,000, you'll use it as transportation to get to battle, but won't ride it in battle.

Total is $3,782... so you still have $1,218 to work with, you can get different weapons, some gloves or spend a few points for money and get your mount trained up. Realistically though, you'll need money for other stuff... like supplies.

It's not a wonderful build, but it'll get you started...

[Langy]

If you find that he doesn't have enough money for what you want to give him, well, you've identified the problem and the solution all at once: he doesn't have enough money. Give him more.

[gilbertocarlos]

Originally Posted by tg_ambro

You could also trade some points for cash, or buy some of those items as Sig Gear.

Both buying cash with points and signature gear are solutions to a player problem, but when you think about the game per se, it's very different, a knight with signature gear? yeah, of course, 100 knights, all of them have the sword as signature gear? kinda strange...

Originally Posted by Gudiomen

I'll have to do some math, but it might be worse than you realize... first of all, none would go knightin' without head protection. Second, you're not a wonderer... a knight would have lands, and possesions that would eat up some of his starting wealth.

Edit:
- buy a cheaper horse, for riding to battle, not in battle.
- lances are for jousting, for real battle use a spear, on foot use a sword
- a bastard-sword is just bad, a longsword would be better, a thrusting broadsword+shield even better, and cheaper... a shield and an axe/mace would be even cheaper if you're on a budget, and since the prevalent armor is mail, it's effective

A knight riding to the holy land is probably a secondborn, without any lands.
Lances are for battle as well, just read the description, for jousts, you just change damage to crushing.

Originally Posted by Novembermike

You just aren't setting your sights high enough. The average wealth at TL 3 describes a peasant farmer or low-skill laborer. Your Knight probably isn't 5x as wealthy as that, you're probably looking at 20-100x as wealthy. A Wealthy Knight would probably be some unimportant guy who has some tiny fiefdom in the middle of nowhere.

Men at Arms are generally going to be equipped by a patron.

Also, one thing to remember is that GURPS wealth generally describes something closer to monthly income at low TLs. A knight might not be able to afford armor and a horse all at once, but a lot of it is going to be accumulated over time or paid by taking on a debt.

According to banestorm, a unlanded knight is status 2.
The cost of living is almost equal to wealth also, so, no gain in there.

Originally Posted by Gudiomen

On a budget...

- Medium scale armor (torso, arms, legs and neck): $1,403
- Flat-top, light segmented plate helmet* + padding: $159
- Medium shield, heavy: $60
- Morningstar: $80
- Boots: $80

* barrel helm

That get's you suited up on $1,782.

A ride without war training will cost you $2,000, you'll use it as transportation to get to battle, but won't ride it in battle.

Total is $3,782... so you still have $1,218 to work with, you can get different weapons, some gloves or spend a few points for money and get your mount trained up. Realistically though, you'll need money for other stuff... like supplies.

It's not a wonderful build, but it'll get you started...

A barrel helm is plate, not segmented, and most knights wear mail, not scale.

Originally Posted by Langy

If you find that he doesn't have enough money for what you want to give him, well, you've identified the problem and the solution all at once: he doesn't have enough money. Give him more.

Then you don't have a knight anymore, but a Baron at least.