Weapons and Armour - Fantasy vs. Reality

In today's society, we are exposed to a great variety of medieval-like weapons and armour through literature, artwork, television and movies, as well as the display and reproduction items that hang on our walls. While many of these items are real in the sense that they are made of metal and can provide either some degree of protection or cause bodily harm, people often ponder if they are realistic. Is the item in question an elaborate decoration or prop, or is it something that would actually stand up under the rigors of real combat?

Thankfully, with a bit of common sense and utilizing the following basic guidelines, most people can discern what weapons and armour would be realistic rather than fantastic.

Armour

Many of the common myths surrounding the heavily armoured knights of the Middle Ages most likely spawned from H.T. White's The Once and Future King (1939), in which the reader follows the life of King Arthur from his childhood. The young Arthur witnesses a joust between two mounted knights that is depicted as a semi-controlled train wreck, inclusive with clattering armour and knights so heavily laden in their arms, armour and gear that they could not get up after having fallen to the ground.

Much of the armour that survives today and is on display in museums unfortunately furthers this perception. Many of these suits of armour were designed for the sport of Jousting, with ultimate protection in mind and limited mobility, since the knight only needed to be able wield the lance from horseback, rather than fight with other arms, or they were ceremonial armour, designed to make an impression when worn, rather than for protection. The following is a list of guidelines on what constitutes effective armour, rather than the common misconception of the heavily armoured knight of the late Middle Ages:

General Guidelines for Armour

1). Function
2). Design
2). Mobility
3). Practicality
4). Decoration/Adornment

Function

By far, the most important guideline for armour is that if it didn't protect you in battle, it wouldn't be worn. The function of armour is to protect the wearer from the weaponry of the day. Armour made of softer precious metals, (gold, silver, etc.) while advertising the wealth and position of its owner, would offer little, if any, protection. Conversely, most modern lightweight metals, such as titanium, would be great to wear, but too brittle to offer much protection.

Design

Armour was designed to maximize the protection offered by the materials available. Most helms and plates of armour were designed with angles so that a blow might glance off rather than bite into the armour. Since most blows fell from above, articulated sections of armour typically overlapped in a downward direction, a functional design preventing the blows from sliding between the plates and causing harm to the wearer.

Mobility

While armour must protect the wearer; it must also allow him to fight, including defending himself. The armour worn was not the knight's only protection, as the weapon, and, if so equipped, shield, were also used to fend off blows. In addition to being able to fight, the wearer also had to reach and traverse the battlefield, often strewn with hazards ranging from marshland to the bodies of the fallen. Lack of mobility would make the user vulnerable, especially if he could not stand up after falling or being knocked down.

Practicality

The practicality of armour is essentially a balance between function, design and mobility, in addition to manufacturing concerns. In order to equip a unit, or army, with armour, it had to be relatively easy to create. An optimal suit of armour would protect the wearer while allowing him to fight effectively on the field of battle. Most suits of armour weighed from 30-60 pounds, depending on the style and composition of the armour (i.e., how much plate vs. chain mail,etc.). This is comparable to, if not less than, the weight of full combat gear carried by the modern soldier. The weight was also distributed evenly over the body, making it quite different from trying to carry a 50 pound bag of coal.

Decoration/Adornment

Decoration of armour was common among the elite to proclaim their status. However, these were often special suits of armour designed for ceremonial purposes, which were made of thin metal, as they were not intended to protect the wearer, but to impress others. On a combat-worthy suit of armour, decoration comes at a cost, both financially and to the effectiveness of the armour. Engraving and decorations that alter the shape and form of the armour can reduce its effectiveness by altering the ability of the armour to deflect a blow.

Fantasy Armour vs. Reality

Many of the styles of fantasy armour have rather elaborate designs, especially if worn by the "bad guys.'" The "evil" armour often has numerous spikes and other vicious-looking protrusions designed to be menacing, such as the armour warn by Sauron in the movie "The Fellowship of the Ring." While impressive and cool, armour of this type would not be very effective. The spikes would prevent a sword blow from glancing off the armour, allowing it to "bite," or cut into the armour. If a spike was struck directly by a blunt weapon such as a mace or war hammer, it might actually drive the spike through the armour and into its occupant.

Weapons

For many people, the only "real" medieval weapons they have held are display items that are not designed for combat. Most of these display items weigh significantly more than the original weapons, and are quite unwieldy, leading people to wonder how the weapons could actually have been used. The following is a list of guidelines on what constitutes combat-effective weapons, rather than display copies that hang on walls around the world:

General Guidelines for Weapons

1). Material
2). Weight
2). Balance
3). Design/Purpose
4). Decoration/Adornment

Material

Weapons were usually made of the best metal available at the time, typically high-carbon steel, of which there was often only a limited availability, compared to the iron of the day. Swords, especially, required steel that was capable of holding a good edge, yet not be so brittle as to break under the stresses of combat. Often, to conserve the high quality steel, the edges of the sword would be made of the stronger steel, while the spine, or "body" of the sword would be made from the common iron.

Weight

A weapon should be light enough that it can be used throughout day-long combat, yet heavy enough to cause significant damage to one's foes. The following is a general list of typical weights for "real" weapons:

Rapier: 2-4 lbs.
One-hand Sword: 2-4 lbs. (i.e. long swords, broad swords, etc.)
Bastard Sword: 3-5 lbs. (i.e. hand-and-a-half swords, arming swords, etc).
Two-hand Sword: 4-8 lbs.
Axes/war hammers: 1-5 lbs. (depending on size and style)
Maces/Flails: 2-4 lbs.

Balance

The balance of a weapon is critical to its function. The weapon's center of balance (CoB) will vary among different types of weapons depending on form and function. Cleaving, chopping and bludgeoning weapons, such as an axe or mace, will have the CoB closer to the striking area, allowing for more force to be applied with the blow. Thrusting weapons, such as rapiers, will have the CoB closer to the handle, which allows for better control over the tip of the blade. The easiest way to determine if a weapon has a good balance is to wield it. If it feels as if it is an extension of one's arm, and is easy to use and maneuver, it has a good balance. Poorly balanced weapons will feel awkward and difficult to control. It should also be noted that the balance will feel different from person to person, depending on their stature and fighting style.

Design/Purpose

Each type of medieval weapon was designed to suit a specific purpose or fighting style. Some weapons were designed to be used against an unarmoured or lightly-armoured opponent, while others were designed to penetrate or crush heavy armour. Of all the available weapons, swords probably display the most variance based upon their purpose and their cultures of origin, which should be taken into consideration when evaluating them.

Decoration/Adornment

Decorations on weapons used in combat are typically found on the non-striking surfaces, such as the handle or guard. Swords were often engraved or etched on the blade, but typically along the spine and close to the handle (the forte). As with armour, decorations were often an indication of the status of the owner and how much he/she could afford. Weapons that were highly and elaborately decorated were often used for ceremonial purposes only.

Fantasy Weapons vs. Reality

Often in fantasy (especially artwork) we see impressive swords, often with huge or elaborate blades. Most of these are quite obviously impractical, if not outright impossible, to wield. Weapons are also often depicted as being made of impractical materials such as silver, diamond, or even titanium, which would never withstand the rigors of combat.

If you want to comment about this article or ask Orc a question, you can e-mail him. Alternatively, you can go to our Weapons Forum and have a chat there.

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