Board Thread:Fun and Games/@comment-26065088-20170428203828/@comment-25931200-20170504130735

Recneps wrote:

Samoja1 wrote:

Ram6 I wrote: Dextrositylight wrote: High King Ithilion wrote: LordDainTheAwsome wrote: Ithilion, I just find it impossible to believe that a kindom that has existed for over 5000 years and that wax filled to the brim with expert metal-workers (Khazad Dum) would not have brought up the grand idea of: "Hey, what about instead of hundreds of rings, instead have big plates of metal!". Like what in real life they discoved in about 1000 years after inventing chain-mail. The warriors of the Iron Hills and the King Under the Mountain both used mail. Wouldn't they use plate if they had it? We would have heard of it at some point. But we didn't and so Khazad-dum clearly did not invent it.

@Ram6 It may seem somewhat logical to think plate was invented at some point. But it clearly and demonstrably wasn't. There is no record of it at any point, not even in all the races who would have used it. The same logic would point to guns and cannons being inve nted, but I don't see you suggesting those. I would also let you know that mail is very protective, as good as plate in many cases.

Ithilion, Discussions Moderator (Auta i lómë) 11:28, May 1, 2017 (UTC) No, a dwarf wouldn't prefer plate given their dimensions, they would barely be able to move. I would surmise that people not usimng plate in the books would not mean it didn't exist at all. What I would suggest is that it simply isn't the preference of the people. If you can make ringmail out of mithril, why bother with plate? If the quality of mail is significantly better than that of later ages because crafts have been taught by magical beings from Valinor and that has influenced the wider world, what need is there for thicker protection? Given that it's entirely possible to make as well as downright easy, plate completely makes sense to exist, but you'd just be a nob to wear it given there are unusually high quality lighter more flexible options in the somewhat larger than life world of Tolkien. Sorry for the late comment, BUT PLATE DOESN'T MAKE YOU ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE! You can even roll around and stand up, and it's not super heavy or anything, as heavy as modern soldiers wear in their backpack, you can just move around very easily is plate so this arguement is bullcrap. Put 40 pounds on your shoulders and see how long you can run, sure enough you can run for awhile, but eventually you will get tired, and after a few hours you will definitely feel thos extra pounds. Battles in middle ages sometimes took whole day, in bad weather, or summer heat, sometimes in the desert sun, not to mention all the marching to actually get you to battle (which was just as important since you could choose favorable position if you came first), it may not be as heavy as they show in the movies but it definitely affects you.

The weight was much better distributed than just plopping it down on your shoulders..

I know, i was just exxagerating a bit, but the point stands, it is still extra weight you have to carry, it is worth it if you need protection but not worth it if lighter armor will do the job just as well.