Armour and Shields

The Dark Ages do not feature a huge range of armour-types. Instead, you might like to think of this list as a range of protective clothing. At the low end, travellers and rogues might simply favour a thicker and harder-wearing weave of the standard woolen tunic. At the higher end, true warriors will wear a mailcoat of some kind - the best armour available. Jackets or jerkins also fit conveniently into the medium slot - perhaps they’re a borrowed fashion from far away (as they may have been in the real world at this time). Boiled leather is also harder and stronger, but stiff and difficult to move in, whereas buff leather is more easily pierced, but remains supple. Shields are the most common form of true martial protection. Alongside armour, consider leggings, trousers and most importantly the cloak, belt and brooch - all important parts of presentation. Are your clothes of wool or linen - or perhaps you can even afford silk?

Hard Wearing Tunics (Light Armour)

A tunic is the standard item of clothing worn by both men and women. Many different styles are worn, from waist-length to ankle-length, and they can incorporate close-fitting trousers or a looser trouser tha tucks into lower leggings. The tunic is usually worn with a belt and also a cape, which can be opened either at the front or at the sword-arm shoulder (typically right) and clasped with a brooch. Hats and hoods are also commonly worn.

Warrior Jackets (Medium Armour)

Although not strictly speaking armour, the jacket is a new fashion that offers some advantages to a warrior not wearing mail. No-one is quite sure where this fashion came from, but it is more costly than a tunic and thus also higher-status. Cheaper examples are made of thick linen, but many are leather, possibly incorporating plates of boiled leather - hard and thick, but also brittle. Jackets are waist-length with sleeves and tend to have a broad collar.

Mailcoats (Heavy Armour)

The main type of true body armour is mail - a shirt composed of interlocking iron or copper rings. Shirts of mail offer much protection during conflict, lessening the impact of any blow received and thus give a significant advantage to those wearing it against opponents who are not. They add much weight to the warrior, making mobility more difficult, disadvantaging the warrior during skirmishing situations. Early examples - a byrnie - are shorter than later ones.

Shields

A shield is made from wood or metal and is carried in one hand. You can benefit from only one shield at a time. A shield is typically a circular wooden board with an iron boss in the centre. The shield is covered in leather and decorated with bronze or iron fittings and possibly also painted. The shield is the only piece of defensive equipment available to many warriors.

Light Armour

Armour	Cost	DR	Max Dex	Properties	Strength	Weight
Silk Tunic	2,400 d	+1	—	Clothing, soak , splendour 4	5	4 lb.
Thick Woolen Tunic	5 d	+1	+8	Clothing, soak	7	8 lb.
Rawhide Tunic	10 d	+2	+6	Clothing, soak	7	10 lb.
Mastercrafted Woolen Tunic	25 d	+3	+5	Clothing, coverage 14-16, soak	9	13 lb.
Fur Cloak	5 d	—	+4	+1 DR vs , bulky, clothing	9	5 lb.
Overcoat	5 d	—	+4	+1 DR vs , bulky, clothing	9	5 lb.
Hide Cloak	5 d	—	+4	+1 DR vs , bulky, clothing	9	5 lb.
Buckler	5 d	—	+5	Bashing (1), finesse, light, non-lethal, parry, worn	9	5 lb.

Medium Armour

Armour	Cost	DR	Max Dex	Properties	Strength	Weight
Padded Warrior Jacket	10 d	+4	+4	Clothing, coverage 2 14-16, soak	9	12 lb.
Leathern Warrior Jacket	50 d	+4	+4	Clothing, coverage 2 11-16, soak	9	20 lb.
Mastercrafted Leathern Jacket	200 d	+5	+3	Clothing, coverage 2 11-16, soak	9	20 lb.
Boiled-Leather Warrior Jacket	50 d	+5	+3	Bulky, coverage 2 11-16, hard, soak	11	30 lb.
Mastercrafted Boiled-Leather Jacket	150 d	+6	+2	Bulky, coverage 2 11-16, hard, soak	11	30 lb.
Spangenhelm	240 d	—	—	Coverage 4, splendour 2	11	5 lb.
Shield, wooden	3 d	—	+4	Bashing (1d4 ), non-lethal, shield 2	11	5 lb.
Shield, steel	9 d	—	+4	Bashing (1d4 ), non-lethal, shield 2	11	6 lb.

Heavy Armour

Armour	Cost	DR	Max Dex	Properties	Strength	Weight
Short Mail Byrnie	75 d	+6	+2	Bulky, coverage 2 8-16, noisy	13	40 lb.
Old Well-Maintained Mailcoat	200 d	+7	+0	Bulky, coverage 1-2 5-16, noisy	15	50 lb.
Full Mailcoat	600 d	+8	+0	Bulky, coverage 1-2 5-16, noisy	15	50 lb.
Mastercrafted Full Mailcoat	1500 d	+9	+1	Bulky, coverage 1-2 5-16, noisy	15	45 lb.
Shield, wooden	7 d	—	+3	Bashing (1d6 ), bulky, non-lethal, shield 3	13	10 lb.
Shield, steel	20 d	—	+3	Bashing (1d6 ), bulky, non-lethal, shield 3	13	15 lb.
Shield, tower	30 d	—	+2	Bulky, cover, shield 4	15	45 lb.