<div dir="ltr"><div><div><div>By an odd coincidence I was just at the truly amazing Higgins Armory in Worcester, Massachusetts this weekend. It's a museum of medieval armor and weapons (which tragically is going to close forever at the end of 2013). And this very question came up at a demonstration.<br>
<br></div>Chainmail under plate was not practical due to weight considerations and bulk. Patches of chain were used at certain strategic locations in many suits of armor, where plate wasn't used for reasons such as mobility.<br>
<br>I learned a lot there. For example, I didn't know that a full suit of combat plate could weigh as little as 30 pounds, and that a fully-armored knight once did a triple somersault in midair! The suits that took forever to put on and weighed a ridiculous amount were specifically for jousting - which was, of course, a very limited activity with strict rules.<br>
<br></div>If you can possibly get to the Armory before they close, it's well worth seeing. My son and his friend LOVED the place; they're both eleven. My wife and I found it fascinating, too! Here's a link to a photosphere I took of the third and fourth floors: <br>
<br><a href="https://plus.google.com/101089108381539470202/posts/duCMmqjRZEt">https://plus.google.com/101089108381539470202/posts/duCMmqjRZEt</a><br><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">
On Mon, Apr 8, 2013 at 8:16 AM, Styopa <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:styopa1@gmail.com" target="_blank">styopa1@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="ltr">I spent a lot of time kludging house rules as to what could be layered, and what couldn't, and finally ultimately agreed with how it's written (I'm pretty sure) in the RQ6 rules: you simply can't.<div>
<br><div>Armor is actually a fairly complex system, that has to be flexible in some places and inflexible in others for it to work. I'm going to go with the idea that armorers knew their business, and designed the armor for the best level of protection possible while not inordinately hindering the wearer at a given level of protection.</div>
<div><br></div><div>If someone INSISTS on wearing a 'heavy leather poncho' over their plate armor or something, or trying to stuff a layer of chain/whatever under plate armor, sure, give them another 1-2 points of protection but I'd probably penalize physical activities - ie combat - a level of difficulty per extra point of protection. Sure, you can mummify yourself in bubble wrap if you want, and you'll be safer...of course, you won't be able to move, but you will on the simplest level resist blows better.</div>
</div></div><div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5"><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Apr 8, 2013 at 3:15 AM, Steve Perrin <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:steve.perrin@gmail.com" target="_blank">steve.perrin@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<div>You keep layering armor and you are
going to look like the Michelin Man. I don't think I would give a
plate and chain combination more than 1 extra point of armor. I
would also be watching fatigue penalties very closely.<br>
<br>
Actually, since I hate keeping track of that kind of stuff, I just
would not allow it.<br>
<br>
Steve Perrin<div><div><br>
<br>
On 4/7/2013 10:01 PM, Asher Royce Yaffee wrote:<br>
</div></div></div>
<blockquote type="cite"><div><div>
<div dir="ltr">Hi, All,
<div> Cheapskate that I am (and given pay cuts and
how much more my kids eat every passing year....), I still
haven't bought RQ6 yet -- though I want to. In the meantime,
my beat up old RQ3 books still soldier on. Hopefully the
books'll survive one more summer of gaming with my kids. :-)</div>
<div> Wait! There's a point to this email.</div>
<div> The RQ3 rule that allows flexible armor under
rigid armor. It makes obvious sense for cases of cloth or
leather under plate. But was it intended to include chain
mail under plate mail?</div>
<div> If so, then that's a lot of armor points. So,
I wanted to ask if the game designers originally intended rich
characters to have 15 armor points (in addition to any magical
protection).</div>
<div> Also, I am very interested in the opinions of
people who have fought in armor. What do you think makes the
most sense?</div>
<div> Wisdom and experience and guidance are warmly
welcome.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div> Sincerely,</div>
<div>Asher</div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
<br>
<fieldset></fieldset>
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