Armor Types

There are a variety of different kinds of armor worn during this period but it should be noted that the two most iconic types of knightly armor actually come from later periods. Plate Mail (plates of armor attached to a chainmail backing) and Full Plate Armor (armor plates attached to each other and designed to overlap) were designed to cover the entire body and came centuries AFTER this time. Likewise, gauntlets (armored gloves to protect the hands) and greaves (armored shinguards) were not worn during the Early Middle Ages but started being used after 1000 A.D. Armor is generally not as heavy as modern people think and its weight was distributed across the entire body making it less restrictive than commonly thought. (Yes, armor did restrict movement SOMEWHAT, but people in full plate armor could still run, do front rolls, and even cartwheels.) .

by Lestat

Gambeson was a padded armor that was made from treated linen and was surprisingly durable. It was resistant to puncture wounds like arrows but prone to slashing attacks such as swords. Fairly cheap to make and easy to repair, it was the basic armor for the common man, and was the most common armor used during this time. (Leather armor did exist but was less common than generally believed and was usually more expensive to make and harder to repair than Gambeson while providing the same basic protection). Centurion-made gambeson had silk woven into the linen to make it even more resistant to arrow penetration. Since metal armor can be very uncomfortable to wear, a thinner Gambeson coat was usually worn underneath chainmail or plate armor for comfort and as an extra layer of protection.

Chainmail is armor made of metal rings welded together. At this time, chainmail was generally worn as a shirt called a Hauberk that covered the arms most of the way down the forearms and the legs to mid thigh. It was split below the waist to allow the wearer to straddle a horse but this split could leave the wearer's inner thigh (a dangerous spot with lots of large blood vessels) open to attack. Later designs covered the entire body, including the legs, to help protect from these kinds of injuries (chainmail pants!), such full-body designs were worn beginning about 200 years after this time. A hauberk was typically worn with a thin gambeson or some other form of padding underneath. Centurions made their hauberks out of Durum steel (see Centurion Technology) which is considerably stronger than the standard, low-grade steels available to other peoples in the world at this time.

Lamellar Armor is made from small plates or armor that are attached directly to each other either with leather straps or with metal rings. Not common in western Europe, it is a style popular among the Hungarians and other eastern Europeans, including the Russians and even into the far east. Lamellar armor usually only covered the body and not the arms or legs. It offered slightly better protection than normal chainmail but it was slightly more restrictive of movement which is why it often did not cover the arms or legs (this example is from Tibet and was meant to be worn by a foot soldier, Hungarians, being horsemen, did not wear lamellar on their legs). Made from low grade, low carbon steel that was supperior to iron and bronze but not equal to Durum steel.

Mail and Plate (NOT Plate Mail) is the cutting edge of Centurion technology with steel plates attached to a chainmail backing providing chainmail armor with an extra thickness of steel plate protection. The forerunner of plate mail, Centurion Mail and Plate often provided additional plates protecting the shoulders, thighs, and forearms. Usually made of Altum steel, it is the best armor in the world. It is VERY expensive and time-consuming to make and so was usually only made for high ranking Centurions and passed down from father to son and mother to daughter.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

Due to the stronger, harder, anti-corrosive nature of Altum steel (see Centurion Technology). It is expensive and hard to work with but it can be made thinner and still be stronger and lighter than traditional low-grade steel armors. Due to the expense of Altum steel, most other items are made with Durum steel which is an extremely pure, high carbon steel that is of a much higher quality than the typical low carbon steels used by most of the other peoples in the world. It lacks the anti-corrosive properties of Altum steel so it requires more maintenance but it is still able to hold a sharper edge, is stronger, more durable, and slightly lighter than other steels.

Significance

Centurion armor is considered to be one of their most important military advantages and is an important part of their identity. Both the Durum steel technology and the Altum Steel technology are considered to be important military secrets (See Centurion Technology). They are closely guarded and not shared with anyone.

This kind of armor will NOT exist for another 500 years.

Item type

Armor

Rarity

Gambeson is common - worn by men-at-arms;
Leather armor exists but is less common than people realize as it is more difficult and more expensive to make and more difficult to repair, but only provides the same basic protection as Gambeson.
Chainmail hauberks are uncommon - worn by most knights and shieldmaidens but not the rank and file; later in the Middle Ages (after 1200 A.D.) chainmail hauberks become common among the infantry as more knights begin wearing more plate armors.
Mail and Plate is rare - worn only by high ranking Centurion knights and shieldmaidens and is usually made from Altum steel.
Plate armor - does not exist during this time. It starts being used after 1200 A.D. by elite knights and eventually becomes so common that even infantry are wearing partial plate armors by the end of the Middle Ages (1500 A.D.)

Base Price

Gambeson - cheap; Chainmail hauberk - expensive; Mail and plate - very expensive