Board Thread:Suggestions forum/@comment-25981649-20180430112325/@comment-168.216.131.98-20180430180038

Kickratgames1101 wrote: Steel is different from Iron, steel is stronger than Iron in many ways. But bronze is definetly not better than iron in sharpness, durability, endurance, or strength. Bronze is better for making pots and pans but not better than iron at making armor or weapons.

Bronze armor caves in upon being smacked by axes or longswords. You see, the greeks were really the only ones who used bronze extensively. But when they made it for armor they designed it to protect against cutting flesh not the force of the blow. Since the major fighting style was spear against spear the main worry was that the skin would be cut since the Greeks didn't put the full force behind there blows.

So that means that while bronze armor is great for phalanx fighting combat against a celt or German would prove drastically different. the Celts and Germans put there entire bodies behind there blows so it would rend bronze in half if the Greeks ever fought them.

Iron was used as opposed to bronze because it was so much stronger that it didn't bend or snap as much in battle. It was too weak to use against fighters like Germans or Celts so they had to get stronger gear. Bronze is easier too work as a result making the Breastplates of the Greeks possible but it was too weak to be good. Kick, I think you've confused Copper & Bronze.

Copper is in the same chemical group as Silver & Gold, thus having simular qualities (soft, bendable, malable). Then you have Bronze, an alloy of Copper & Tin. Depending on the proportions, you could get a vast range of Hardness & Brittleness. High-Tin Bronze is harder, but more brittle. However, Iron is even harder & more brittle. Standard Bronze is easyer to bend/cut, yes, but only when compared to Steel.

Would you rather have your blade shatter in the middle of a fight, or only bend? You can fight with a bent blade, but a shattered one? No. True it does take more to shatter Iron than it does to bend Bronze, but still.

Edge retention:   Iron > Bronze

Durability:   Bronze > Iron