Armour ArmourArmour absorbs damage from successful strikes and deflects those blows that would have made a glancing blow. Armour is split into 3 varieties which perform different functions. Different weapons work best against different types of armour. Chain mail if almost proof against a slashing sword blow yet provides little protection against a mace, or other bludgeon weapon, similarly war arrows are designed to pierce chainmail splitting the rings. Plate armour, the most highly sought after may be proof against arrows at long range and swords but maces transfer the shockwave to the internal organs pulverising them without touching them and the battle-axe spike backed by a heavy head pierces plate armour like butter.
Armour has a different effectiveness against each wepaon style. There are three types of weapon
Each fighting style is more or less effective against different armour. Slashing swords are easier to use and great for parrying but almost ineffective against chainmail or better armour, maces and hammers smash the force of the blow through armour without puncturing it, the shockwave causing the damage whilst piercing weapons puncture the armour.
Propelled piercing weapons puncture armour and cause half damage as wounds whilst melee piercing weapons cause the opponent to expend more stamina dodging the blows as they know that their armour won't deflect the blow. Remember that if an arrow pierces the mail much of the force of the blow will have been dissapated and it may well just get caught in the padding underneath.
Damage from slashing weapons is absorbed normally by armour.
Damage from bludgeon weapons ignores half the absorbtion of the armour (round in defender's favour).
Melee piercing weapons ignore half the absorbtion of the armour (round in attacker's favour).
Ranged piercing weapons ignore half the absorbtion of the armour (round in attacker's favour). However half of anything that gets through is treated as wounds (round wounds down).
Armour will cover different areas of the body depending upon the type. All armour cover the major critical areas i.e. the torso, but as you move up in quality it will cover additional areas such as upper arms, hands, upper legs, and eventually the whole body. Helms are included of the appropriate type but are often supplemented with greater protection.
Most towns do not permit the wearing of armour within the walls. It must be packed up before entering the gates.
Wearing armour helps you absorb damage, the amount absorbed depends upon the weapon type, bludgeon, slashing or piercing. Any but the lightest will affect your athletics ability.
Most places only stock armour for typical humans off the shelf, anything else will have to be made specially or altered from existing stock.
Flexible armour such as leather or chain helps against slashing weapons as it spreads and distorts with the force without penetration. Against bludgeon weapons it is less effective as much of the impact shock will penetrate and pulverise internal organs.
Hard armour such as boiled leather or metal chestpieces are more effective against bludgeon weapons as the impact is spread over the whole body.
| Location |
Roll |
|---|---|
| Head |
10 |
| Chest |
5-9 |
| Thighs |
3-4 |
| Arms |
2 |
| Lower leg |
1 |
This is a supple thick leather
Padded or quilted Padded armour is constructed of an outer fabric, 2 layers of padding fabric and a lining fabric, stitched together with either horizontal, vertical, checked or diamond patterning.
This is multiple smaller harder pieces of leather sewn or rivited together providing protection to the upper half of the body. Triangular or half diamond studs may be present turning it into studded leather.
This is light chain mail which either was worn as a hauberk covering the torso, upper legs and upper arms or as a full suit. Although heavy it is flexible allowing and the weight is well distributed (shoulders, arms and waist if a belt is worn) causing only minimal restriction to movement. It is designed to deflect the glancing blows of swords and is an excellent defence.
Mail may be bought off the shelf, it causes a -1 dexterity modifier but is 10% cheaper. Mail made to measure has no modifier.
Scale armour comprises many small scales (often of iron but varied according to the material available from cuir bouilli to horn ) attached to a backing material of either leather or cloth.
Scale armour offers the same protection from blunt attacks as mail. It is also cheaper to produce but it isn't as flexible and doesn't offer the same amount of coverage.
A coat of plates is a hauberk over which is a leather coat which has solid plates riveted in to provide protection against bludgeon weapons, longbows and crossbows. It is solid yet more flexible than a single piece breastplate so doesn't hamper movement as much
Plate mail is a suit of full chain with a solid breast plate and limited plate on the front of the arms and legs. It requires a squire to help you put it on.
This is a fully interlocking made to measure suit of armour plates providing complete protection to the whole body. Only master armourers can make plate armour, even then it can take up to 6 months with several fittings required. Be careful not to put on any weight or the armour will no longer fit. It requires a squire to help you put it on.
Helms are worn to protect the vulnerable head area. The absorption of the helm is only considered when a wound is done directly to the head. With the covering of the head the perception of the person wearing the helm is reduced.
Small Helm |
Medium Helm |
Great Helm |
Bascinet |
Helms are so thick that they convert all wound points that would pass through to stamina points, however if any points do pass through the character is dazed and loses their next full action (plus any remaining actions of multi-actions).
Helms only cover a portion of the head dependant upon the type of helm. When a strike to the head occurs you must determine whether it hit the helm or your open face. If the strike was to the open face then the helm offers no absorbtion.
Breast Plates are worn to protect the vulnerable chest and abdomen area. The absorption of the plate is only considered when a wound is done directly to the chest. They only add to the protection of light leather, padded and mail body armour, other armour types already include a solid chest plate or equivalent.
Leg and arm protection was sometimes added seperately which may be of a different type to the main armour. Typically it is plate armour covering only the front vulnerable part of the limbs.
Shields make it harder to hit somebody. By training in their use it is possible to increase their effectiveness.
Although shields provide coverage they can be large, bulky and unwieldy which makes it harder to do other tasks, medium and bigger shields reduce a character's dexterity whilst large ones also reduce their attack skill as it is harder to reach the opponent.
Large shields are unwieldy and can only be used with spears, or other stabbing weapons such as short swords. They are not suitable for use with knightly swords, axes, maces...
| Type | Description |  |
|---|---|---|
| Scutum | The Roman Scutum served the purpose to deflect missiles targeted at the soldiers, as well as protect them from the impact of hand held weapons wielded at them. The shields large size allowed the soldiers to form a shield wall that could protect them during an advance. | |
| Pavise | The Pavise was the shield used by Crossbow men. This type of tall shield provided protection when reloading his crossbow |
| Type | Description |  
|
|---|---|---|
| Kite | Rounded at the top of the shield and tapered at the bottom providing body cover. | |
| Heater | Strongly associated with jousting knights. These are smaller as they compliment full suits of armor and are suited to horseback | |
| Targe | The traditional Scottish / Viking round shield |
The arming sword and buckler was the most common combination for much of the middle ages in open battle as the speed and agility it gave outweighed the advantages of the greater covereage of a medium shield.
The buckler was a a small round, usually metal shield which could be hung from a belt. This type of shield was reserved for hand-to-hand combat. The shields normally measured between 8 and 13 inches in diameter. They were held in a fist grip rather than strapped on like shields Many bucklers were pointed with a central tip or several smaller “teeth”. These points could be used offensively to great effect as well as aided in binding and deflecting an opponent’s weapon. |
  |
Shield construction started with the type of materials that would be required for a particular type of shield. These were chosen according to the style of combat and armor worn by the owner to determine the weight and style of the shields. Medieval shield construction used the following materials:
A Medieval shield construction might also include a strap called a guige that allowed it to be slung over the knight's back when not in use or on horseback
Armour unfortunately has the habit of falling apart just when you need it most. The better the class of armour the longer it will last but eventually all armour falls apart or at the least straps break, holes appear, rings split....
The level of craftsman determines how likely it is to fail. At the end of each battle / adventure (or when the GM feels necessary) an easy saving throw is made (3)
| Armour | Save adjustment |
|---|---|
| Master | 0 |
| Journeyman | -1 |
| Apprentice | -2 |
Note that only master craftsmen may make plate armour
| Armour | Cost |
|---|---|
| Master | 0 |
| Journeyman | 2/3 |
| Apprentice | 1/2 |
The encumbrance of armour that is worn doesn't depend upon the size of the person. A hobbit is just as encumbered by hobbit chain as a human by human chain, though the human chain will weigh more and be bulkier.
To calculate the weight and bulk of armour that is worn divide the total bulk that can be carried by the figures below. If it is carried double all weight and bulk figures.
| Armour | Weight |
Bulk |
|---|---|---|
| Leather | ||
| Padded | ||
| Mail hauberk | ||
| Scale | ||
| Coat of Plates | ||
| Plate armour |
There are various different metals used for armour throughout the world some more effective and inevitably more expensive than others. The main metals are bronze, iron and steel. Bronze is not used much anymore, no new armour is built using it and the only available armour is that made many years ago (typically scale or brigandine) bronze armour incurs an additional -1 Dexterity modifier. Iron is the most prevalent metal with all but Dwarfen smiths using it who prefer steel.
Steel is stronger than iron and is able to absorb an additional point of damage (of all types) for the same weight.
It is rumoured that the Dwarfs top smiths can forge adamantite into chain mail which is so light it does not affect movement in any way. It absorbs an additional 2 points of damage.
