|
|
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | = STUDDED LEATHER ARMOR =
| |
| − | <pre>Studded leather armor has little in common with normal leather armor. While
| |
| − | leather armor is a hardened shell, studded leather armor is soft and supple
| |
| − | with hundreds of metal rivets affixed. The rivets are so close together
| |
| − | that they form a flexible coating of hard metal that turns aside slashing
| |
| − | and cutting attacks. The soft leather backing is little more than a means
| |
| − | of securing the rivets in place.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Studded leather armor is known as "poor man's mail" because of its metallic
| |
| − | components and low price. It is more common among the general population
| |
| − | than most people would first believe because, unlike other types of mail
| |
| − | armor, studded leather is relatively easy to make.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | While a soft leather backing is the most durable and comfortable, any stout
| |
| − | cloth can be used as a backing for the rivets. The rivets themselves are
| |
| − | also easy to acquire, as everything from nails to pebbles have been
| |
| − | substituted at one time or another in times of desperation. In general,
| |
| − | as long as the backing is secure and the rivets are hard enough to
| |
| − | withstand a glancing blow, the armor so comprised should be considered
| |
| − | studded leather for purposes of weight and protection.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Studded leather, like brigandine (described later), is commonly worn by
| |
| − | pirates and other seafarers. The protection afforded is better than normal
| |
| − | leather armor, which is an important point during sea combat when a shield
| |
| − | may not be practical (a shield is useless when climbing or fighting in a
| |
| − | ship's rigging).
| |
| − |
| |
| − | With regard to swimming, the weight of studded leather is significantly
| |
| − | less than metal armor, and the flexibility of the soft leather backing is
| |
| − | better for such demanding activity. Indeed, for short times in the water,
| |
| − | it is as easy to maneuver in studded leather as it is to move in a normal
| |
| − | leather breastplate. Therefore, most sea-going mercenaries and pirates
| |
| − | prefer to wear studded leather as their all-purpose armor. Trained marine
| |
| − | contingents, however, whose main function is boarding, usually wear normal
| |
| − | leather and carry a shield.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Miserly merchants, who shave pieces of gold more than they like to admit,
| |
| − | will often buy studded leather to outfit their hired guards. However, these
| |
| − | gold-pinchers pay for the protection one way or another, as studded
| |
| − | leather tends to wear out rather quickly. Not only does the soft backing
| |
| − | wear out as quickly as thick clothing, but the metal studs can be affixed
| |
| − | only by driving them through the leather, considerably weakening the
| |
| − | overall strength of the backing. Eventually, the holes open up and the
| |
| − | rivets drop out. Studded leather is also prone to the same problems of
| |
| − | sweat, grime, and insects as padded armor (q.v.).
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Slot(s): head, neck, torso, legs, feet,
| |
| − | arms, hands
| |
| − | Size: large
| |
| − |
| |
| − | Protection against:
| |
| − | cut very good
| |
| − | stab very good
| |
| − | bash superb
| |
| − | other excellent</pre>
| |
| | '''List by type:''' [[:category:banded plate|banded plate]], [[:category:battlesuit|battlesuit]], [[:category:chain mail|chain mail]], [[:category:elfin chain mail|elfin chain mail]], [[:category:field plate|field plate]], [[:category:full plate|full plate]], [[:category:mail coat|mail coat]], [[:category:mail shirt|mail shirt]], [[:category:o-yoroi|o-yoroi]], [[:category:padded armour|padded armour]], [[:category:robe|robe]], [[:category:robes|robes]], [[:category:scale mail|scale mail]], [[:category:shirt|shirt]], [[:category:sleeved coat|sleeved coat]], [[:category:sleeved mail coat|sleeved mail coat]], [[:category:splint mail|splint mail]] and [[:category:studded armour|studded armour]]. | | '''List by type:''' [[:category:banded plate|banded plate]], [[:category:battlesuit|battlesuit]], [[:category:chain mail|chain mail]], [[:category:elfin chain mail|elfin chain mail]], [[:category:field plate|field plate]], [[:category:full plate|full plate]], [[:category:mail coat|mail coat]], [[:category:mail shirt|mail shirt]], [[:category:o-yoroi|o-yoroi]], [[:category:padded armour|padded armour]], [[:category:robe|robe]], [[:category:robes|robes]], [[:category:scale mail|scale mail]], [[:category:shirt|shirt]], [[:category:sleeved coat|sleeved coat]], [[:category:sleeved mail coat|sleeved mail coat]], [[:category:splint mail|splint mail]] and [[:category:studded armour|studded armour]]. |
| | + | [[Category:Armour]] |
