The World Of Khoras - Civilization - Merchandise

Armor Descriptions

Medieval armor is a vast and complex historical subject. A game system of medieval armor which attempted to include all possible styles, materials, types, combinations, layers and pieces would be extremely complex and far too unwieldy for game play. Therefore, in the interest of balancing realism and playability, some simplification of medieval armor is necessary.

The following are the basic types of body armor that can be purchased and worn. Multiple layers of armor can be worn, as noted below. Typically, a base layer (or two) are worn on the upper and lower body and then various additional components (cuirass, pauldrons, cuisses and bracers) are worn on top of the base layers.

The Layering of Armor

Armor often involves layers of different types. The heavier sets of armor (hardened leather, scale, brigandine, plate and full plate) are typically worn over base layers: mail, scale mail and/or padded. Mail is always worn over a base layer, often padded armor, but sometimes a simple cloth layer.

Cloth

Cost: 1-3 silver pieces

Weight: 0.5 kg

Clothing of wool or flax is common, but cloth by itself offers no armor protection.

Leather

Cost: 30 silver pieces

Weight: 4 kg

Leather armor consists of a single layer of thick, soft, flexible leather taken from the back of a cow or oxen. Various pieces are sewn together and can be cut into a variety of shapes and styles. Leather is often worn with normal clothing. Soft leather makes poor armor and provides very little actual protection. Leather is also noisier than padded armor as it tends to creak.

Padded Armor

Light Padded Armor - Cost: 25 silver pieces, Weight: 2 kg

Medium Padded Armor - Cost: 50 silver pieces, Weight: 4 kg

Heavy Padded Armor - Cost: 100 silver pieces, Weight: 6 kg

Padded armor comes in different forms and goes by different names. There is no universally accepted terminology. Furthermore, terms of the past were used arbitrarily and interchangeably. So, for our purposes, this category of armor will simply be called “padded armor”. This includes such things as the gambeson, aketon, vambasium, the padded jack, pourpoint and countless others. To simplify matters, padded armor will be assumed to include both upper body padding and leggings. Padded armor is typically made of quilted linen or wool and stuffed with cloth or horsehair. Some forms consist of many layers of linen rather than being stuffed. Padded armor can be made cheaply or costly, thus it is a common armor for everyone, from peasants (who may have only the padded armor) to knights (for whom it is only the first layer). The price listed above is the minimum cost for padded armor. Padded armor can be made at varying thicknesses, providing different amounts of protection and comfort. Therefore, three categories: light, medium and heavy. The heavier varieties also provide good protection against fire and cold because it is very insulated. However, this insulation makes heavy padded armor very hot. Because of this, light padded armor is more popular in warmer climates.

Hide Armor

Cost: 40 silver pieces

Weight: 10 kg

Hide armor consists of multiple layers of thick furs and pelts sewn and belted together. It is commonly worn by barbarian tribes, orcs and other wild races that lack access to the tools and materials needed to craft superior armor. Hide armor is bulky and awkward compared to padded. It is, however, inexpensive and easy to manufacture. Hide armor does not require a base layer and can be worn over bare skin. Due to the bulkiness of hide armor, rigid sets can not be worn over it.

Scale Armor

Cost: 1,000 silver pieces

Weight: 18 kg

Scale armor a semi-flexible armor that consists of a backing of soft leather and a series of overlapping metal plates sewn to the leather. For the purposes of this game, splint armor, lamellar and laminar armor are all considered types of scale armor. Like mail, it is often fashioned as a long coat and leggings. Scale armor does not require a base layer and can be worn against bare skin. However, it can be worn over padded armor. Rigid sets may be worn over scale armor.

Mail

Coast: 1,200 silver pieces

Weight: 16 kg

Mail is a type of armor consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh. This armor consists of a hauberk (a long coat of mail) and mail leggings (which include foot armor that connects to a leather sole. Mail is very uncomfortable to wear directly against bare skin due to pinching and chafing, so it is always worn with something else beneath it. The layer beneath is usually padded armor, but may be a simple cloth tunic of linen or wool. Wearing mail without a base layer doubles the armor penalty and spellcraft modifier. Mail is time consuming to manufacture and expensive. Rigid sets may be worn over mail.

Heavy Mail

Cost: 1,800 silver pieces

Weight: 32 kg

Sometimes called "double mail", heavy mail is a variant of standard mail. It uses more rings, thicker rings, a denser weaving of rings (6-in-1 rather than 4-in-1) or some combination of all three. It is less flexible, much heavier and more expensive, but offers better protection.

Hardened Leather

Cost: 700 silver pieces

Weight: 10 kg

Historically known as cuir bouilli (from the French), this is leather (often the thickest leather taken from the back hide of an ox) which was then boiled in water or oil and shaped into a mold. Leather treated in this way becomes rigid, inflexible and tough. It is, essentially, “poor man’s plate armor”. It is relatively lightweight and comfortable to wear. It does not require a base layer, but is often worn over mail and/or padded armor.

Brigandine

Cost: 2,000 silver pieces

Weight: 20 kg

Brigandine armor is typically made of thick layers of wool or canvas with small internal steel plates riveted to the fabric. It is a thick and heavy material that provides very good protection, but does have some flex to it and allows freedom of movement. Brigandine does not require a base layer.

Plate

Wrought Iron Plate - Cost: 3,000 silver pieces, Weight: 25 kg

Hardened Steel Plate - Cost: 5,000 silver pieces, Weight: 25 kg

Plate armor is metal plates that have been shaped to the desire body part. Plate armor may be fashioned from wrought iron (which is comparatively cheaper) or hardened steel (which is stronger, but more expensive). Plate armor provides excellent protection while also providing some mobility. A complete set of plates, including the mail hauberk and gambeson, is often referred to as “plate mail armor”. It is the most common type of “heavy armor” that one would encounter on the battlefield. Plate armor tends to be heavy and uncomfortable. Despite this, it can be worn without a base layer.

Full Plate Armor

Cost: 50,000 silver pieces

Weight: 30 kg

Full plate armor is a complete set of articulating pieces of plate armor that form a full body suit of steel. It is similar to plate armor, but also includes a gorget (neck), plackart (belly), faulds (hips), culet (lower back and buttocks), couters (elbows), poleyns (knees), sabatons (feet) and full gauntlets (hands and fingers). The individual pieces are belted on with straps and buckles. This creates a full body suit of interlocking plates. Full plate armor is usually worn over an arming doublet (a cloth shirt with ties to secure the armor) or light padded armor. The weight is evenly distributed and the armor is surprisingly easy to move in. Full plate armor is extremely expensive and only the wealthiest individuals can afford it. It also must be fitted for a specific wearer. The cost, expertise in manufacture and fitting requirements make this type of armor very rare, typically only worn by kings, noble lords and the greatest of knights. Originally developed in Kalimura, the design has spread. Even so, full plate armor is produced only in major cities. Full plate armor provides excellent protection and, because many areas involve overlapping plates, the protection is even better than plate armor.

Jupon

Cost: 125 silver pieces

Weight: 3 kg

Sometimes called a surcoat. A padded coat designed to be worn over all other layers of armor. It provides additional protection and also stops arrows from glancing off and striking comrades. A jupon will completely stop ricochets from missile weapons. It also protects armor from sun and rain.

War Coat

Cost: 1,000 silver pieces

Weight: 30 kg

The “war coat” is a type of “coat of plates”. It is an oversized long coat that covers from the neck to the shins. It consists of several integrated layers. The base layer is a type of thick padding over which is mail. Over the mail are rows of iron plates wired into position with thin gaps between. The war coat provides good overall protection, but is bulky, heavy, restrictive and uncomfortable. Furthermore, the war coat is favored by orcs and ogres for whom comfort and freedom of movement are less important. Ogres, especially, who are less agile on the battle field will rely on their war coat to protect them. The war coat is so strongly assocated with the ogres that it is looked down upon as a “lower class” armor in many kingdoms and civilized lands. It is sometimes worn by bandits and mercenaries for whom social standing is unimportant.

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This website was last updated February 1, 2026. Copyright 1990-2025 David M. Roomes.

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