Low-Tech Armour Loadouts. - Page 5

Sam Baughn · 10-19-2010, 07:43 AM

I've been playing around with the armour creation system in Low-Tech this morning and trying to come up with some historically accurate loadouts.

Please bear in mind that I'm not an expert on historical armour by any means and that this is the first time I've tried using the system, so there is a good chance that there are some mistakes...

High Medieval Knight (around 1200 AD)

Hauberk - covers Torso, Arms and Thighs with Heavy Mail (DR 5/3*), $2,340, 35.1 lbs.
Mail Coif of Fine Mail (DR 4/2*), $270, 4.5 lbs.
Arming Cap - Coif of Padded Cloth (DR 1*), $15, 1.8 lbs.
Flat-Topped Full Helm of Light Plate (DR 3), $240, 2.9 lbs.
Mittons - cover Hands with Fine Mail (DR 4/2*), $90, 1.5 lbs.
Chausses - cover Legs and Feet with Light Mail (DR 3/1*), $550, 13.2 lbs.

TOTAL: $3,505, 59 lbs.

This is the classic 'crusader knight' look - head-to-toe mail topped off with a simple barrel helm. The weight and cost seem to be in the right ballpark for a heavy cavalryman and the entire body is reasonably protected against arrows, spears and swords. I'm not sure about the helm; I don't know what thickness of plate would really be appropriate or if it should be considered fluted.

The coif was also a bit confusing; from my brief research, it seems that a hauberk of this era would frequently include the hood built in to the coat and possibly also have a vantail. I'm also not sure if it would be historically accurate to vary the type of mail in different areas of the hauberk; it seems logical that you would need less protection from the skirt, since it overlaps with the chausses. I understand that the chausses usually included a leather sole rather than covering the entire foot, but I priced them as all-over mail.

Later Medieval Knight (around 1350 AD)

Haubergeon - covers Torso, Shoulders and Upper Arms with Light Mail (DR 3/1*), $600, 14.4 lbs.
Coat of Plates - covers Torso with Medium Segmented Plate (DR 4), $900, 24 lbs.
Single Piece Bascinet of Medium Plate (DR 6), $6,250, 3.8 lbs.
Visor of Light Plate (DR 3), $250, 2 lbs.
Aventail of Fine Mail (DR 4/2*), $45, 0.8 lbs.
Arming Cap - Coif of Padded Cloth (DR 1*), $15, 1.8 lbs.
Chausses - cover Legs and Feet (10%) with Light Mail (DR 3/1*), $550, 13.2 lbs.
Gamboised Cuisses - cover Thighs with Padded Cloth (DR 1*), $22.50, 2.7 lbs.
Poleyns - cover Knees with Medium Segmented Plate (DR 4), $45, 1.2 lbs.
Schynbalds - cover front of Shins with Light Plate (DR 3), $250, 2 lbs.
Spaulders, Couters and Vambraces - cover the Arms with Medium Segmented Plate (DR 4), $450, 12 lbs.
Gauntlets - cover the Hands with Light Segmented Plate (DR 3), $60, 1.6 lbs.

TOTAL: $9,437.50, 79.5 lbs.

This is the 'transitional armour' of the 14th century, consisting of various types of plate over mail.

Again, I had a lot of issues with the head protection. Single-piece helmets seem to be really expensive for the limited weight savings they offer, but I'm fairly sure that bascinets of this era should be single-piece, although the visors often seem to have been made from several smaller plates.

The terminology and placement of the plates covering the arms was a bit confusing to me. As far as I can tell, the vambraces cover the forearm, the couters cover the elbow and tuck under the edge of the haubergeon's sleeves and the spaulders go over the top of the haubergeon covering the upper arm and shoulder. I was also a bit uncertain if metal plates or hardened and/or reinforced leather were more appropriate.

I wasn't sure if the cuisses were appropriate, or even exactly what they are or how they are worn (as far as I can tell, they were heavily padded crotchless shorts worn over the chausses), but the thighs seemed to be a bit weakly protected without anything overlapping them, so I added them.

Overall, the weight and cost seem rather high (the cost mostly as a consequence of the hugely expensive single-piece helmet) and the -1 DX for layering armour is pretty nasty, but I guess that's why people changed to less cumbersome plate as soon as it was available.

I'd appreciate any feedback on these and if anyone else has any armour sets they have made, please feel free to post them too...

10-19-2010, 07:43 AM	#1
Sam Baughn Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and some other bits.	Low-Tech Armour Loadouts. I've been playing around with the armour creation system in Low-Tech this morning and trying to come up with some historically accurate loadouts. Please bear in mind that I'm not an expert on historical armour by any means and that this is the first time I've tried using the system, so there is a good chance that there are some mistakes... High Medieval Knight (around 1200 AD) Hauberk - covers Torso, Arms and Thighs with Heavy Mail (DR 5/3), $2,340, 35.1 lbs. Mail Coif of Fine Mail (DR 4/2), $270, 4.5 lbs. Arming Cap - Coif of Padded Cloth (DR 1), $15, 1.8 lbs. Flat-Topped Full Helm of Light Plate (DR 3), $240, 2.9 lbs. Mittons - cover Hands with Fine Mail (DR 4/2), $90, 1.5 lbs. Chausses - cover Legs and Feet with Light Mail (DR 3/1), $550, 13.2 lbs. TOTAL: $3,505, 59 lbs. This is the classic 'crusader knight' look - head-to-toe mail topped off with a simple barrel helm. The weight and cost seem to be in the right ballpark for a heavy cavalryman and the entire body is reasonably protected against arrows, spears and swords. I'm not sure about the helm; I don't know what thickness of plate would really be appropriate or if it should be considered fluted. The coif was also a bit confusing; from my brief research, it seems that a hauberk of this era would frequently include the hood built in to the coat and possibly also* have a vantail. I'm also not sure if it would be historically accurate to vary the type of mail in different areas of the hauberk; it seems logical that you would need less protection from the skirt, since it overlaps with the chausses. I understand that the chausses usually included a leather sole rather than covering the entire foot, but I priced them as all-over mail. Later Medieval Knight (around 1350 AD) Haubergeon - covers Torso, Shoulders and Upper Arms with Light Mail (DR 3/1), $600, 14.4 lbs. Coat of Plates - covers Torso with Medium Segmented Plate (DR 4), $900, 24 lbs. Single Piece Bascinet of Medium Plate (DR 6), $6,250, 3.8 lbs. Visor of Light Plate (DR 3), $250, 2 lbs. Aventail of Fine Mail (DR 4/2), $45, 0.8 lbs. Arming Cap - Coif of Padded Cloth (DR 1), $15, 1.8 lbs. Chausses - cover Legs and Feet (10%) with Light Mail (DR 3/1), $550, 13.2 lbs. Gamboised Cuisses - cover Thighs with Padded Cloth (DR 1*), $22.50, 2.7 lbs. Poleyns - cover Knees with Medium Segmented Plate (DR 4), $45, 1.2 lbs. Schynbalds - cover front of Shins with Light Plate (DR 3), $250, 2 lbs. Spaulders, Couters and Vambraces - cover the Arms with Medium Segmented Plate (DR 4), $450, 12 lbs. Gauntlets - cover the Hands with Light Segmented Plate (DR 3), $60, 1.6 lbs. TOTAL: $9,437.50, 79.5 lbs. This is the 'transitional armour' of the 14th century, consisting of various types of plate over mail. Again, I had a lot of issues with the head protection. Single-piece helmets seem to be really expensive for the limited weight savings they offer, but I'm fairly sure that bascinets of this era should be single-piece, although the visors often seem to have been made from several smaller plates. The terminology and placement of the plates covering the arms was a bit confusing to me. As far as I can tell, the vambraces cover the forearm, the couters cover the elbow and tuck under the edge of the haubergeon's sleeves and the spaulders go over the top of the haubergeon covering the upper arm and shoulder. I was also a bit uncertain if metal plates or hardened and/or reinforced leather were more appropriate. I wasn't sure if the cuisses were appropriate, or even exactly what they are or how they are worn (as far as I can tell, they were heavily padded crotchless shorts worn over the chausses), but the thighs seemed to be a bit weakly protected without anything overlapping them, so I added them. Overall, the weight and cost seem rather high (the cost mostly as a consequence of the hugely expensive single-piece helmet) and the -1 DX for layering armour is pretty nasty, but I guess that's why people changed to less cumbersome plate as soon as it was available. I'd appreciate any feedback on these and if anyone else has any armour sets they have made, please feel free to post them too...