Board Thread:Suggestions forum/@comment-32765490-20180430162859/@comment-34435400-20180501164612

Many factors go into forging, you cannot say without doubt that one material is better than another. First off what type of armor? What type of blade? If it's chainmail the bronze would break upon impact because of it's weakness, the links would snap, whereas Iron would remain strong in Chainmail through repetitive pounding. On Breastplates, bronze is better and worse for breastplates, bronze can be shaped easier than iron because of it's weakness but this same weakness can also prove devastating in battle. If your enemy hits a bronze breastplate with an axe it will cave in, if it does cave in it can sometimes restrict breathing killing you. But when facing a soldier who's fighting style relies upon swift gliding strokes then bronze is better.

On swords, each blade uses a different style. Longsowrds and leaf blades are for hacking and chopping so bronze sucks because you put your full body behind blows so bronze would simply bend backwards because of the weakness of the spine whereas iron would remain strong through the pounding. For scimitars and certain blades with curves or blades that rely on flexibility bronze is better since it bends easier and with good smithing can form right back true after being bent.

Another is skill of the smith. If a skilled smith forges a curved bronze blade he knows he needs to forge the spine softer but the blade hard so the force goes to the spine and allows for flexibility. Whereas for iron leaf blades the smith needs the spine strong and the edge soft so the force goes to the spine and does not snap. The quench is the most consequential part of smithing, you have to decide whether to do an edge quench for flexibility or the inverse for strength it also determines if your blade snaps or makes it.