BANDED PLATE

Banded mail  armor  is made of  overlapping horizontal strips of  laminated
metal sewn over a backing  of normal  chain mail and  soft leather backing.
Lamination in this context  refers to a process in which many  thin  sheets
of metal are  hammered or  riveted together to form each  individual  metal 
strip.

This type of armor is most commonly worn by  eastern warriors and  would be
as common as plate mail in a culture based on the Turks,  for example, late
period Mongols, or the Japanese.

In a western campaign, banded mail can be considered to be the precursor of
plate armor. Since banded mail inevitably will have gaps between the  metal
strips,  however,  the total protection of vital areas is not quite as good
as heavier  plate armors.  The  result is the  slightly poorer  armor class
rating of banded mail.

The  strength and flexibility of  chain mail makes it ideal for  protecting
the jointed areas where  large metal plates are traditionally  incapable of
providing adequate protection.

One advantage of this metal-and-chain arrangement over chain mail alone  is
the fact that the construction of  banded mail naturally restricts movement
of the  metal plates across the torso.  The beneficial side effect is  that
the weight of the armor is more evenly distributed on the wearer, making it
easier to wear banded mail for longer periods of time.

In game  terms,  while  banded mail does have an  overall  higher  level of
protection   than  normal  chain  mail,  the  durability  of  banded  mail,
especially at the joints,  is about half that of a  standard suit of chain.
While a  fine set of  chain armor might last  six months or more,  a set of
banded mail rarely lasts three months, even with constant upkeep.

Much like chain mail,  ferrous  metal bands are  subject to rust. However, 
since the  metal strips found in  banded mail are  already  inflexible  and
designed to  remain  that way,  the armor class of  rusty  banded  mail  is
no different from that of a  new suit.  However,  the estimation  of  one's
peers would certainly be diminished,  as a well-tended suit of  banded mail
can gleam most beautifully if cared for properly.

Slot(s):                                neck, torso, legs, feet, arms, hands
Size:                                   large

Protection against:
 cut                                    excellent
 stab                                   excellent
 bash                                   very good
 other                                  excellent

List by type: banded plate, battlesuit, chain mail, elfin chain mail, field plate, full plate, mail coat, mail shirt, o-yoroi, padded armour, robe, robes, scale mail, shirt, sleeved coat, sleeved mail coat, splint mail and studded armour