Old armor vs. New

[Baron Opal]

What are the ancient types of armor compared to new?

I would like about 6-8 types of armor for my campaign. There's the cheap list (lt., md., hvy.) and the expensive (lt., md., hvy.) and maybe two exotic (lt., hvy.).

The cheap ones would be those whose construction is primitive or unsophisticated. You would be likely to see undead troops from an ancient empire in this armor. The expensive one would be the near Renissance mail shirts and plate armors.

Note: After I get the style, then I will massage the numbers to match.

At the moment, here are my lists.

Cheap / Ancient

Light: Leather
Medium: Scale
Heavy: Banded

Expensive / Modern

Light: Studded Leather
Medium: Chain Hauberk
Heavy: Plate mail

Exotic / High Craft

Light: ?
Medium: ?
Heavy: ?

 

[Moon-Lancer]

A simple solution that is used alot, but I think is really good are


Dwarven Plate/stone

Elven chain/silk/wood

and i read in magic of fearun i think,
spider silk armor

gear armor/mecha

These are more materials, but they could also be a prominent style if you wish.

 

[Arkhandus]

Umm...

Light: Bone, Cord, Wicker, or Leather Scale, maybe?
Medium: Lamellar (either expensive or exotic)
Heavy: Chitin or Dwarven Stone armor, maybe? (exotic)

 

[RFisher]

I don't think "type" changed anywhere nearly as much as "quality". Mail has been around for a really long time, but there's a big difference between the 4th century BC mail, 11th century AD mail, & 14th century AD mail.

(If you find BC/AD offensive, feel free to read those as BCE/CE. Though I don't understand why that's any less offensive when it is still based on the birth of Christ modulo Dennis the Short's mistake. (^_^))

 

[mmadsen]

The cheap ones would be those whose construction is primitive or unsophisticated. You would be likely to see undead troops from an ancient empire in this armor.

The problem is that cheap armor is typically quilted fabric and would rot away before a skeletal army could put it to use.

Also, the difference between heavy and light armor is generally an issue of coverage. How many pieces of bronze or iron do you have covering your body?

 

[Huw]

I don't think "type" changed anywhere nearly as much as "quality". Mail has been around for a really long time, but there's a big difference between the 4th century BC mail, 11th century AD mail, & 14th century AD mail.

There's also a difference in weapons and tactics. If your ancient undead army fought against spear wielding infantry when they were alive, their armour will be different from an army which expects to fight cavalry supported by bowmen.

(If you find BC/AD offensive, feel free to read those as BCE/CE. Though I don't understand why that's any less offensive when it is still based on the birth of Christ modulo Dennis the Short's mistake. (^_^))

The acronym is the objectionable bit, not the reference point. More people complain about CE/BCE anyway. Interestingly, those people don't complain about the days of the week and months of the year which contain pagan god names, or about that 4000 year old pagan festival, Easter.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Yep, I'd focus on materials rather than technique. Old armor could still be plate, it'd just be bronze plate.

 

[Warren Okuma]

Exotic / High Craft

Light: ?
Medium: ?
Heavy: ?

Light: Jack (a type of leather armor)
Medium: Cloth (Ballistic cloth)
Heavy: Combat Armor (Articulated Plate with exotic metals)

 

[Wik]

In regards to the "Common Era" stuff - it wasn't really because people were getting offended by it, or anything. The way I understand it, it was done by historians, amongst themselves, because they had decided that the study of *world* history should not be dependant on dates based around Christian events. Hence, the switch to "Common Era" and "Before Common Era", even if the dates are exactly the same.

I'd also like to note that writing "A.D." on a paper (even my modern history papers!) will cost you marks, since it is no longer "right".

 

[Darklone]

Common Era stuff?

Glad I live in Europe.

Back to topic:
Ancient armors: Most soldiers in ancient empires didn't wear armor, it was too expensive.