02-10-2014, 08:06 PM
In reply to Dan. Harness was used in Middle English for non-military horse-gear from about 1300 and was in common use a century later, it was still being used for armour in the early 1600s so the dual use of the word for both armour and strapping was a fairly long one.
Mail offers no resistance to a the blunt trauma effect of a blow as it is flexible and will be deformed. Therefore a sword or spear will break bones and cause internal bleeding and organ damage. With a more rigid armour the focus of the blow is spread, so a percussive weapon is of more use. A heavy piece of iron on the end of a haft will produce a lot of momentum when used to deliver a blow, it will be able push a whole section of a semi-rigid armour into the body of the wearer, whereas an edged weapon will waste energy in deforming the individual elements of such an armour.
In nature. Mantis shrimp species that specialise in prey with softer bodies have spiked raptorial claws, but the ones specialising in heavily armoured prey have club-like claws- which have been known to break the thick plate glass of aquaria.
Mail offers no resistance to a the blunt trauma effect of a blow as it is flexible and will be deformed. Therefore a sword or spear will break bones and cause internal bleeding and organ damage. With a more rigid armour the focus of the blow is spread, so a percussive weapon is of more use. A heavy piece of iron on the end of a haft will produce a lot of momentum when used to deliver a blow, it will be able push a whole section of a semi-rigid armour into the body of the wearer, whereas an edged weapon will waste energy in deforming the individual elements of such an armour.
In nature. Mantis shrimp species that specialise in prey with softer bodies have spiked raptorial claws, but the ones specialising in heavily armoured prey have club-like claws- which have been known to break the thick plate glass of aquaria.
Martin
Fac me cocleario vomere!
Fac me cocleario vomere!
