Quote:
Originally Posted by DanHoward
Today, the primary cost of an item is the labour. In the past, the cost of materials made up the majority of the price.
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Even assuming that this generalization holds true for this particular working (which, from what you have said earlier, requires considerable amounts of skilled labor), I would point out that a majority isn't a totality- if the price were 70% parts and 30% labor, a fourfold increase in the cost of materials would lead to only a three (point one) fold increase in final price. (If it were 99% parts and 1% labor, the difficulties you bring up about personally fitting greaves would have been irrelevant- just use your grandfather's greaves as the source of the bronze, and have a new pair made cheaply).
Quote:
Originally Posted by DanHoward
Mail required the highest grade of iron. Plate can be made from less refined iron. Iron plate was always possible. We have examples dating to the Hellenistic period. Anyone who can make a one-piece iron helmet can easily make a breastplate. Mail was a far superior armour until fully articulated plate suits were developed.
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So, bringing this back to GURPS, should iron plate cuirasses, greaves, etc. be considered TL 2 rather than TL4 as
Low Tech states (it explicitly calls out such parts as being available earlier when made of bronze)?