Sorting armor by effectiveness

[TBeholder]

he talked about how plate was suitable when you are going direct into battle, like a duel, but for day to day adventuring "full plate harness would really interfere with my ability to do travelling and day to day adventuring. So full plate harness might be great if you have got servants, at least two horses and a baggage train "

In other words, many things matter. Thus there are niches. Adaptation is everything. Armor co-evolves with weapons and tactics. All three have enough of external dependencies to ensure the balance doesn’t stay still indefinitely.
Armor can reduce mobility and endurance, but those are important more or less depending on what the wearer is supposed to do. Heavy cavalry pretty much sits still, sure. Other warriors must move more. For helmets, there’s also effect on the senses.
Reducing everything to 2 variables and therefore optimization to "the best you can afford" loses all the finer points.

 

[tomBitonti]

Is there room here for heat frustration? As an alternative to limiting mobility? As I understand it, heat dissipation, or rather, the lack thereof, is a major limiting factor in using many types of armor.

Tom Bitonti

 

[Bilharzia]

Fantastic film from the Met.

 

[Bilharzia]

Is there room here for heat frustration? As an alternative to limiting mobility? As I understand it, heat dissipation, or rather, the lack thereof, is a major limiting factor in using many types of armor.

Tom Bitonti

I think you would have to have rules for Fatigue first, then incorporate armour and weather as a factor in fatigue. Mythras has a fairly simple fatigue system and in hot climates heavy armour will escalate fatigue penalties.

 

[cavetroll]

Is there room here for heat frustration? As an alternative to limiting mobility? As I understand it, heat dissipation, or rather, the lack thereof, is a major limiting factor in using many types of armor.

Tom Bitonti

I removed the mobility limitation, I think the given the cost of the armor that will restrict it enough so that I don't have almost unhittable level 1 characters which was the main concern.

 

[aramis erak]

Is there room here for heat frustration? As an alternative to limiting mobility? As I understand it, heat dissipation, or rather, the lack thereof, is a major limiting factor in using many types of armor.

Tom Bitonti

it is a real issue - SCA heavies often fight 3-5 hours in the sun; in the same armor, they can fight 5-8 hours in the snow - muscle fatigue is the other shared limit. It's not uncommon for Oerthan Coronet tourneys to start before dawn (11am) and end well after dark (6pm), on a day that runs 12:30-3:30 (central and southcentral Alaska are 1.5-2.5 hours after sidereal. )