Re: (TFT) Stewing in Your Own Juices

["Neil Gilmore" <raito@raito.com>]

> Well, having worn full chain on a sunny summer day in Maryland, I can say
without any doubt that it would be near impossible to wear metal armor for
any extended period of time around the equator.  It is

Yet I have sucessfully worn armour for an entire day (and my helmet is
black, yet), in tempetatures regularly getting over 100 (Texas). I think
Rolemaster had it right: wearing armour is it's own skill.

> Moreover, people forget that english platemail was worn over padded cloth,
over hard leather pads, over chain.  Imagine how hot that would be.  Disney
characters, like Poohbear, have icepacks and air conditioning systems inside
their suits to keep them alive in the summer.  They're just wearing
something similar to padded leather.

Ain't no such thing as platemail, except in Gygax's mind, but I digress.
Transitional armour, which is what you appear to be describing, was usually,
for the torso, shirt, padding (usually linen, tow [kinda like cotton balls,
only not cotton], more linen or hemp), rivetted mail, plate.

> I think I read somewhere that the Knights Tempar didn't wear full armor
while protecting the pilgrim's trail to Jerulalem.  I'd love to be able to
remember where I saw that.  I've never tried to ride a horse in armor, but
I've spoken with those who have and from what i understand it's not
something you would do while traveling.  Full armor jousting required a
knight to have a staff of squires and other servants to get him armored and
up on the horse in time for the event. They didn't ride from their castle
fully armored and wait around all day for their turn.

That much is true. One doesn't generaly wear armour unless one expects
trouble rather immediately.

> 1. Survive midday heat

Entirely possible. I have done so.

> 2. Get on a horse, unassisted

The only armours that kept a man from mounting a horse were the jousting
harnesses of the late 1500's, which were used in recreation of the earlier
period jousts, pretty much after armour was passe, except for some
breastplates on cavalry and such.

> 3. Sleep in his armor

Can be done, but most likely wasn't.

> 4. Stand up if he is knocked down

This one is crazy. You're really trying to say that someone whould choose to
wear equipment that, if he fell in the middle of a battle, would render him
comepltely helpless? I think not.

> 5. Choose to get wet

Not a problem. The servants are responsible for maintenance.

> 6. Swim

I have swum sucessfully in my armour. It's really not that hard. Fight while
swimming? No.

> 7. Use a Rapier or Speedy weapon

A rapier is a civilian weapon. But the use of daggers is well documented,
and speed is more in the technique anyway.

> 8. Use a Bow (range of motion is compromised)

Umm, not correct. As the Europeans draw to the chin or ear, you're saying
that an armoured man would not be able to open his own visor.

> 9. Run

Perhaps not as far as without, but he could run.

I have done each of these while encumbered with about 80 pounds of armour.

> And, all of that being said, I think I recall that Saladin did have
knights, but I'd be willing to bet that they didn't wear anything metal as
armor.  That doesn't rule out armor, though.  I imagine they would have had
access to thick woven armor (aka wearable rugs), and perhaps bone armor.
Personally, I might have tried making something out of wood if I had to be
in combat in the hot sun against european steel.  The far eastern bamboo
armor actually seems like it would be the least susceptible to heat, and
it's very hard when it has been prepared correctly.  But the closest bamboo
was many thousands of miles away.

Then you'd be wrong. Mail was de rigeur in the Islamic world, to the point
of having religious sayings stamped on every ring. And the Japanese never
had bamboo armour. Trust me. Oh, and the closest bamboo was likely on or
near the subcontinent, which traded a lot with the west.

And your wood armour would be worse than steel in the hot sun. First off, it
would have to be thicker. And it would insulate more than the metal.

Neil Gilmore
raito@raito.com
=====
Post to the entire list by writing to tft@brainiac.com.
Unsubscribe by mailing to majordomo@brainiac.com with the message body
"unsubscribe tft"