06-13-2014, 09:19 PM
All kinds of armour perform the task that they were designed for. If they didn't then they would be augmented till they did or they would be discarded. We can be pretty sure that anyone who wore body armour in battle regardless of whether it was mail, or scale, or plate expected it to protect him adequately - even against the much-hyped Dacian falx. If you want to learn why soldiers chose the types of armour they did then protection is not the issue. You need to look at other aspects such as cost, weight, manufacturing limitations, availability of raw materials, comfort, transportability, ease of repair, longevity, fashion, tradition, etc.
The main problem with scale/lamellar armour is not its protective capacity but its longevity. It deteriorates quickly on campaign, and is a hassle to repair and keep clean. Here are a couple of sources talking about the problems with this kind of armour:
This is from The Nihayat al-Su’l
"If, during the winter, the armour gets wet or damp from rain, he must examine its leather straps and its connections carefully and wipe off any dampness or mud from its individual pieces and any wetness from its laces. If he fails to do this, the inside of it will rot and it will become out of shape. Such rotting shows negligence and carelessness."
This is from Chukokatchu Seisakuben
"When soaked with water the armour becomes very heavy and cannot be quickly dried; so that in summer it is oppressive and in winter liable to freeze. Moreover, no amount of washing will completely free the lacing from any mud or blood which may have penetrated it, and on long and distant campaigns it becomes evil-smelling and overrun by ants and lice, with consequent ill effects on the health of the wearer."
The main problem with scale/lamellar armour is not its protective capacity but its longevity. It deteriorates quickly on campaign, and is a hassle to repair and keep clean. Here are a couple of sources talking about the problems with this kind of armour:
This is from The Nihayat al-Su’l
"If, during the winter, the armour gets wet or damp from rain, he must examine its leather straps and its connections carefully and wipe off any dampness or mud from its individual pieces and any wetness from its laces. If he fails to do this, the inside of it will rot and it will become out of shape. Such rotting shows negligence and carelessness."
This is from Chukokatchu Seisakuben
"When soaked with water the armour becomes very heavy and cannot be quickly dried; so that in summer it is oppressive and in winter liable to freeze. Moreover, no amount of washing will completely free the lacing from any mud or blood which may have penetrated it, and on long and distant campaigns it becomes evil-smelling and overrun by ants and lice, with consequent ill effects on the health of the wearer."
Author: Bronze Age Military Equipment, Pen & Sword Books
