Metal plate beneath Linothorakes or Spolades

[PMBardunias]

The suggested construction is impractical and counterproductive. Real armour was riveted directly to the foundation to improve articulation

While this is true for the abdominal section, it is not true for the upper chest, where this plate would cover. See an example of the same area of coverage in solid plate in a coat of plates below- even has nice lines of iron rivets for the fabric. In almost every coat of plates I have seen the upper chest is made of vertically oriented plates, which adds no mobility in a forward bend, though it could help in bringing the arms together. Mobility is not the main concern with the upper chest. As to why it is riveted, the answer is obvious, reguardless of what it was used for, somebody wanted a large plate when they had two smaller sections. I never claimed that this was an articulated section.