Like most everything in the AD&D equipment lists, armor only included a name, a price, and if you dug deep into the rulebooks, a weight. Nothing else. This was confusing, as the list seemed contradictory. Scale mail was less protective than chain mail? Ring Mail costs more than Studded Leather Armor, but offers the same protection? And what is the difference between Splint and Banded armor anyhow?
Well, here is the dirt on defensive measures, thanks to Wikipedia and other sites, to make sense of things:
Notes on Armor: Leather armor will rarely raise any issue in most communities. The heavier the armor, the more suspicious people may become of the wearer. Yes, armor is defensive, but wearing it means the wearer is expecting trouble, or is contemplating starting some trouble... Also note that metal helmets make people nervous, especially Great Helms that cover the face. It aids in intimidation, but it may alienate the wearer from local citizenry.
Notes on Shields: Bucklers may be carried on the belt of any free citizen in most major cities. Shields may be carried 'slung' or stowed on the back when entering or leaving a city. Even then, Large Shields are almost always seen as battlefield equipment, and may make people nervous. Spikes on any shield, as useful as they may be, are often seen as barbarous, underhanded, and the provenance of violent, dirty brawlers, and will often raise suspicion.
Notes on Shields: Bucklers may be carried on the belt of any free citizen in most major cities. Shields may be carried 'slung' or stowed on the back when entering or leaving a city. Even then, Large Shields are almost always seen as battlefield equipment, and may make people nervous. Spikes on any shield, as useful as they may be, are often seen as barbarous, underhanded, and the provenance of violent, dirty brawlers, and will often raise suspicion.
Padded Armor: Thick cloth or canvas armor intended to offer cheap protection for rank-and-file troops. Counts as winter clothing, but can be miserably hot in the warmer months.
Leather Armor: Thick leather jerkin and leggings. Can sometimes pass as clothing, if extra money is spent on tailoring.
Studded Leather: Leather armor reinforced with metal, bone or hard wood studs to offer further deflection against weapons.
Ring Mail: The quality version of Studded Leather. It consists of leather or padded armor reinforced with light metal rings across the torso, often between layers of fabric. It may cost more than basic studded leather, but it lasts longer in the field. Often referred to as a Buff Coat or a Jack Coat.
Scale Mail: Leather was often boiled in a mixture of water, oil, wax and/or ammonia (from urine) to make hard plates of leather, much like wood. This was referred to as cuir boulli. These leather plates would be cut into strips, then stitched in overlapping layers like scales onto padded or leather armor. Heavier than Ring or Studded Mail, but offering superior protection. Disambiguation: In AD&D, 1st ed., scale mail offers less protection than chain mail. As such, it must refer to this form of 'scale mail' armor. Scale mail made from metal would be the equivalent of Banded Mail (see below).
Chain Mail: The lightest and most versatile of the metal armors. Made from drawing out metal wire, clipping it into short lengths, then crimping it into links of chain in the standard 4-to-1 pattern. It is worn over a cloth or light leather tunic. Flexible, but able to deflect most piercing and cutting attacks highly efficiently. Not as effective against blunt attacks, but still superior to non-metal armor in that regard.
Elfin Chain: Chain mail made using a proprietary elven process. The links are a fraction the width and circumference of standard mail, and the metal amalgam used is much lighter. The result is metal cloth offering the same protection as standard chain at a fraction of the weight and no effect on movement. Not usually available on the open market, and rarely sized for anyone other than an elf (or a slightly-built human).
Splint Mail: Chain mail reinforced over vital areas with mail splints stitched onto or woven through the links. As these plates restrict the natural mobility of chain mail, the resulting armor has a slightly greater effect on movement than Banded Mail (see below).
Banded Mail: Overlapping bands of metal, either in bar formation or scale pattern, mounted to a heavy leather or chain backing. A good compromise between the flexibility of chain and the defensive bonus of Plate.
Plate Mail: Armor consisting of a metal plate breastplate and backplate worn over padded armor, with chain armor protecting the arms and legs. Most often worn with heavy leather boots and studded leather gauntlets. Chain coif included in the price.
Field Plate Armor: Custom-fitted (and therefore, expensive) plate armor worn over a full set of chain. Limb armor resembling splint or banded mail. Most often worn with chain-and-leather gauntlets and chain-reinforced boots. Pot Helm included in the price.
Full Plate Armor: Fully articulated suit of custom-fitted metal plate armor, including full-metal gauntlets and full-metal boots (called sollerets). Great Helm included in the price.
Buckler: Tiny shield roughly 1.5' in diameter. Also referred to as a target shield. Only one handle in the back, and therefore used held in the hand rather than strapped to the forearm. Mainly used by fencers and duelists.
Small Shield: Worn on the forearm, 2' or so in diameter. Issued to rank-and file troops. Functional, if minimal, protection on the battlefield.
Normal Shield: Worn on the forearm, 3'+ in diameter. Standard shield for landed knights or officers. Largest shield which can be used on horseback.
Large Shield: A huge plank of a shield, measuring nearly 3' across the top and up to 4'+ in height. Used by troops assaulting gates to protect from objects or missiles dropped from above, or by troops in pike squares or other battlefield formations to defend against massed missile-weapon fire. Defenders kneeling behind these shields cannot attack, but they get a -4 bonus to their armor class vs. missile weapons. Its cumbersome size results in a -1 Move penalty. Cannot be used actively by Dwarves or Halflings, but they can use its passive protection as normal.
Leather Helm: A leather cap with ear flaps. Helps defend against saps, similar stunning attacks, and specific critical hit results. Destroyed on the first critical hit to the head, whether or not it helps to defend against it.
Chain Coif: A chain shroud worn over the head like a stocking cap or ski mask. Almost always open at the face, and worn over a cloth cap or leather helm. Destroyed on the first critical hit to the head it fails to defend against.
Pot Helm: A brain bucket made of solid metal lined with padding for comfort. Wearer is immune to stunning from saps. Gives attackers a -2% penalty when checking for a critical hit. Destroyed on the first critical hit to the head it fails to defend against. Rendered non-functional until repaired if it actually prevents a critical hit result.
Great Helm: Full metal helmet covering the head and neck, with articulated face plate. If face plate is up, treat as a Pot Helm. Gives complete protection from Garrotes and Saps. Gives attackers a -5% penalty when checking for a critical hit. Rendered non-functional (until repaired) if it fails to prevent a critical hit result to the head. Not damaged at all if it prevents a critical result. Wearer is at -2 to Perception when wearing a Great Helm.
-Michael Keith
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