07-30-2006, 05:19 PM
Folks,
now I know what some of you must be thinking in regards to this topic.; besides the obvious fact that armor was designed to protect the soldier, I am curious as to what extent.
For example, we know that the Lorica Hamata was designed to stop slashing and piercing weapons to an extent , and that with some sort of subarmalis, this was a pretty effect armor system that would also absorb some blunt force trauma..but not all of it.
A lot of that blunt force trauma would not be displaced and still be capable of breaking collar bones, shoulders, ribs, etc.., especially if an opponent was capable of getting in a solid, well cranked in in shot.
While adrenaline could play a factor in keeping a trooper in the fight, as well as learning how to roll with a blow, was the basic idea of the armor to keep the soldier in the fight or designed to stop a killing blow/life threatening blow, that might disable him for the battle, but with healing would get him back into the campaign.
Another example would be in a modern context of what I am trying to articulate. Level III body armor is designed to stop a pistol shot as well as a rifle shot as long as armor piercing ammunition is not used. That said, a person wearing a level III vest, getting shot at short range or medium range will definitely get knocked off there feet, have the wind knocked out of them, and have good bruising, along with perhaps some cracked ribs, which might effectively take the wearer out of the fight, but allow them to live and fight another day very quickly.
I am sure any good Centurion would say the real intent is to not get hit at all ...but life does happen on the battlefield.
I have read this page for a year and have not seen this discussed before and Cheesman, Connolly, Barker, Fields, Cowan, Simpkins, Goldsworthy, Watson, Sumner and Peterson do not seem to discuss it either in the works that they have written.
Thoughts?/Ideas?,
V/r
Mike
now I know what some of you must be thinking in regards to this topic.; besides the obvious fact that armor was designed to protect the soldier, I am curious as to what extent.
For example, we know that the Lorica Hamata was designed to stop slashing and piercing weapons to an extent , and that with some sort of subarmalis, this was a pretty effect armor system that would also absorb some blunt force trauma..but not all of it.
A lot of that blunt force trauma would not be displaced and still be capable of breaking collar bones, shoulders, ribs, etc.., especially if an opponent was capable of getting in a solid, well cranked in in shot.
While adrenaline could play a factor in keeping a trooper in the fight, as well as learning how to roll with a blow, was the basic idea of the armor to keep the soldier in the fight or designed to stop a killing blow/life threatening blow, that might disable him for the battle, but with healing would get him back into the campaign.
Another example would be in a modern context of what I am trying to articulate. Level III body armor is designed to stop a pistol shot as well as a rifle shot as long as armor piercing ammunition is not used. That said, a person wearing a level III vest, getting shot at short range or medium range will definitely get knocked off there feet, have the wind knocked out of them, and have good bruising, along with perhaps some cracked ribs, which might effectively take the wearer out of the fight, but allow them to live and fight another day very quickly.
I am sure any good Centurion would say the real intent is to not get hit at all ...but life does happen on the battlefield.
I have read this page for a year and have not seen this discussed before and Cheesman, Connolly, Barker, Fields, Cowan, Simpkins, Goldsworthy, Watson, Sumner and Peterson do not seem to discuss it either in the works that they have written.
Thoughts?/Ideas?,
V/r
Mike
Mike Daniels
a.k.a
Titus Minicius Parthicus
Legio VI FFC.
If not me...who?
If not now...when?
:wink: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt=":wink:" title="Wink" />:wink:
a.k.a
Titus Minicius Parthicus
Legio VI FFC.
If not me...who?
If not now...when?
:wink: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt=":wink:" title="Wink" />:wink: