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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DarkKestral" data-source="post: 3889900" data-attributes="member: 40100">Is the research still showing that the average modern infantryman carries more weight on gear into combat than the average medieval knight? I know the average full-plate rig weighs 70 lbs for the average human male (I don't know how the weights compare for women, though I assume they're similar to within 5 lbs) and I've heard that the average US infantryman carries upwards of 100 lbs of gear into combat, so I can't imagine the knights would be terribly more encumbered, especially when you take into account the overall more even weight distribution. If there's a mobility loss at the legs, that might account for some of it, but even that feels like a bit of a cop out.Likewise, I've done 10-15 mile hikes up 3k feet in a day with a 50-60 lbs pack on my back, and it's easily doable with sufficient training. (How much depends on your time of life, current overall fitness, steepness of grade, and overall difficulty of terrain) While I'm young, I did this without incredible levels of training, plus I'm a lowlander and this was already starting at 9 thousand feet, so i was doubly punished by the thinner air and the lack of training, and I completed it without major incident, though I certainly had to rest a few times along the way, just because my pack couldn't hold the weight in a proper distribution well, and a few times because we were in a pocket canyon with ~100% humidity on a day when it was over 100 degrees. If I could do it in those conditions, a knight who had spent much of their life in armor since their early teens or late pre-adolescent years should certainly be able to do so, in far more forgiving conditions, excepting heat issues (which are obviously still a factor) that crop of from lack of heat venting. A forced march of this style would certainly prevent combat readiness for a few days, but after a day or so, the troops would be ready.All in all, I don't really see why heavy armor should be so penalizing for such heavy benefit. I could understand special bonuses could be given to the classes most likely to use it for wearing it, but the penalties should not, on average, be so harsh, in my opinion.Kahuna: I certainly notice a hike when I have an extra 25 lbs on my back, but past the first 20 or so, it's always stopped being very noticeable once it is properly distributed up to about 80 or so...</blockquote>

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