[Low-Tech Loadouts] Etruscan Warrior, 7th to 3rd century B.C.

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by Rasna

I know. But, in your experience, aren't shape and material of armour at least a bit influent over both heat and cold tolerance?

Not enough to have any influence over a soldier's choice of armour.

[Rasna]

My personal experience is limited almost exclusively to mail hauberks and thick aketons. Naturally, if I was a TL3 soldier and I had to choose between the two, I'd always pick the hauberk, regardless the weather. Out of real battle necessity, I prefer the mail hauberk for almost all the year and aketon in cold winter days. But this is going off-topic.

I think I'll publish other loadouts soon. Thank you very much for your suggestions, Dan!

[DanHoward]

Always good to see more historical loadouts - especially if they lead to more sales of my book :)

Don't expect me to comment too much on them though. Researching, writing, and the subsequent playtest of that book burnt me out so badly that my eyes glaze over whenenver I see a loadout these days. I have a lot of sympathy for David Pulver and his VDS project.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by DanHoward

Heat and climate have never really been a problem for any kind of armour. We know that some of the heaviest and most stifling armours ever invented were worn on summer campaigns in the Middle East. I've worn them in Australian summers with no more discomfort than heavy clothing. The main problem with heat comes from enclosed helmets.

Weren't there quite a few casualties at the Battle of Towton due to heat exhaustion, despite it taking place during a snowstorm?

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by RyanW

Weren't there quite a few casualties at the Battle of Towton due to heat exhaustion, despite it taking place during a snowstorm?

Yep. It is a good example to support the argument that climate is largely irrelevant. If you wear enclosed helmets for a prolonged battle then there will be heat issues no matter what the weather is like.

[Rasna]

Samnite Warrior, 5th to 3rd century (reconstructed from 4th century archeological findings)

ARMOUR AND CLOTHING

*) Tunic – Chitôn.
Type: Ordinary Clothing (Status 1) || Locations: Torso, shoulders (110%) || DR 0 || Holdout 0 || Don 17 || Weight: 1.76 lbs || Cost: $105.6

*) Sandals – Sandalon.
Type: Sandals || Locations: Feet (bottom) (10%) || DR 1* || Holdout -2 || Don 10 || Weight: 0.5 lbs || Cost: $25

*) Greaves – Knèmides.
Type: Plate, Light (Bronze) || Locations: Knees, shins (55%) || DR 3 || Holdout -3 || Don 24 || Weight: 4.4 lbs || Cost: $2,200 || Notes: Protects the legs on a roll of 1-4 on 1d.

*) Helmet (Horned Samnite) [Pot Helm + Brim + “Crest” (= Metal Horns)].
Type: Plate, Light (Bronze, One-Piece Helmet) || Locations: Skull, eyes (23%) || DR 3 || Holdout -8 || Don 11 || Weight: 2.13 lbs || Cost: $3,250 || Notes: Protects the face a roll of 6 on 1d. If the threat originates from above, the brim protects the face on a roll of 2-6 on 1d. Crest gives +1 SM for Intimidation. +12 CF for both Bronze and One-Piece Helmet and -25% weight for One-Piece Helmet also apply to the “Crest” (0.75 lbs, $ 260, already counted on stats).
- Helmet Padding (skull only): DR 1* || + 1.2 lbs || + $ 10
- Total: DR 4 (skull), DR 3 (face, 6 to 2-6 on 1d) || Don 11 || 3.33 lbs || $3,260

*) Pectoral (Breastplate) – Cardiophylax.
Type: Plate, DR 4 (Bronze) || Locations: Upper chest (front, partial) (13%) || DR 4 || Holdout -4 || Don 6 || Weight: 1.56 lbs || Cost: $780 || Notes: Protects the upper chest (front, including vitals) on a roll of 1-4 on 1d. An attack to the upper chest aimed at avoiding it takes -3; one targeting chinks in armor on the vitals takes -9.

*) Pectoral (Backplate) – Pneumophylax (?).
Type: Plate, DR 4 (Bronze) || Locations: Upper chest (back, partial) (13%) || DR 4 || Holdout -4 || Don 6 || Weight: 1.56 lbs || Cost: $780 || Notes: Protects the upper chest (back, including vitals) on a roll of 1-4 on 1d. An attack to the upper chest aimed at avoiding it takes -3; one targeting chinks in armor on the vitals takes -9.

TOTAL (ARMOUR AND CLOTHING): Don 74 || 13.11 lbs || $7,150.6

WEAPONS

*) Roman Scutum, Large: DB 3, $200, 20 lbs, Don 1, DR 4, HP 27, Cover DR 10.

*) Long Knife: $120, 1.5 lbs, Don 1.

*) Shortsword: $400, 2 lbs, Don 1.

*) Spear: $40, 4 lbs, Don 1.

TOTAL (WEAPONS): Don 4 || 29.5 lbs || $760

TOTAL (WEAPONS, ARMOUR AND CLOTHING): Don 78 || 42.61 lbs || $7,910.6


Based on https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...745a44ce11.jpg

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I have also found an Etruscan cuirass with a guard for the back of the neck, Greek anatomical bronze feet guards and a Samnite neck guard.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...3d39fb9823.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...505d506a81.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...8633e88c81.jpg

Bronze feet guards look very thin. In GURPS terms they may be DR 2.

[Anders]

Would such a helmet be practical on the battlefield? IIRC, horns on helmets are a very bad idea for several reasons. Maybe it's a ceremonial helmet.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Anders

Would such a helmet be practical on the battlefield? IIRC, horns on helmets are a very bad idea for several reasons. Maybe it's a ceremonial helmet.

Yeah, the horns-on-helmets thing is probably overstated because of pushback against bad Norse. Lots of warriors in lots of cultures definitely went into actual fights of various significance with decorated helmets. Bronze-age Mediterranean dudes appear to be some of them.

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by Anders

Would such a helmet be practical on the battlefield? IIRC, horns on helmets are a very bad idea for several reasons. Maybe it's a ceremonial helmet.

The word "ceremonial" is a term that archaeologists use when they can't work out the function of an item. A far as I can tell there was no such thing as ceremonial armour or helmets until the late Renaissance. Horned helmets were definitely worn in battle. Most people have seen the ones that the Japanese wore but plenty of other cultures from the Bronze Age onwards used them. Their practicality is questionable but fashion plays just as much a role in armour design as function. There is a passage in the Iliad where Menelaus raises his sword to strike Paris and his blade clips one of the horns on his helmet and breaks.

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by Rasna

Bronze feet guards look very thin. In GURPS terms they may be DR 2.

All metal armour was lined with some kind of padding or was worn over a separate padded garment. The padding wouldn't be enough to provide DR 1 by itself but combined with these thin plates the result is probably DR 3.