Muscle Armor effectiveness

[Dan Howard]

Depends on how you define "effective". Solid plate armour provides better protection than any other alternative - it doesn't matter whether it is iron or bronze. If you want similiar protection from another type of armour, it has to be a lot heavier. Bronze in particular was very expensive, however, so armour made from iron, leather, and linen would be cheaper to make. The problem with plate is that it isn't flexible so it leaves a lot of gaps. Mail and scale can cover more of the body. Even though they are heavier than plate, they seem to be more comfortable to wear.