I can’t decide what kind of armor to give dark elves

[Lynea]

I think the original question is about the material, not the shape.

It would be useful to know a little about the elves. Where do they live, and what types of resources would be available to them? As Dems said, if they had access to iron, they would probably have iron armor.

Well, I will say I am more focused on material, but if I don't clearly know how it looks, then I don't know how to make other people fight against them.

Iron is very accessible in the dark elf realm. They're diligent in crafting weapons with it, which is why I figured why not armor as well? And they are supernaturally strong, which would make carrying 40+ pounds of extra weight not much of a feat for them. But...I also think it would be too much of an expense to outfit every single soldier like that.

 

[pmmg]

If cost is the issue, they would likely have gambesons.

Gambeson - Wikipedia

 

[pmmg]

I forget where, but somewhere on the site is a good post about the cost of supplying armor, to an army.

Giving them all iron plate is expensive, and time consuming, for obvious reasons.

Dropping down to leather, is also expensive when you consider how many cow you have to kill to make armor for the army.

Gambeson, made of linen, or something similar....not so expensive, and about as effective as most armor against most weapons.

So when looking at cost benefit, it does not make sense to move much past it. It costs less, and protects well enough.

 

[Lynea]

Thanks for the input everybody I'm feeling more confident. Feel free to keep discussing.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

In my setting, dark elves don't have innate magic abilities. They can, however, manipulate blood and dark magic to some degree. So I imagine they would need more durable equipment to give them a better chance against powerful magic casters.

If they can manipulate blood, maybe their magic and their military capabilities derive from that? Maybe even to the extent that their armor is biological in nature, like a symbiont. It doesn't need a precise shape because each set is unique to its partner. This could work with weapons, too. And the material itself is all yours to play with, so leather, metal, blood... it doesn't matter. You can have anything you want.

 

[The Dark One]

Surely they wear cardboard boxes with saucepans on their heads.

 

[simpsonkeith9]

i like the exotic dragon scale that gets my vote

 

[Finchbearer]

I’m still imagining dark smelty iron chain mail - could they not be round in shape? Oblong or hexagonal instead? Hexagonal would reflect nature more.

 

[pmmg]

If they are supernaturally storing, might they be supernaturally hard as well....thus, not needing armor to achieve the same result.

 

[Nighty_Knight]

Also, don’t forget brigandine armor and scale mail armors as well.

I have tons of sources on current produced replica armor of you would like. There are some great ideas and a wide variety of armor styles over different years and cultures.

I own a brigandine made from this maker, surprisingly light, effective, and I have good mobility.

Ultralight armour by Pavel Burlakov

Medieval armor for historical reenactment, buhurt, LARP or SCA buhurt armor to buy USA

armours.pro

I know a few people who own this makers armor. Great wide variety to give you some more ideas.

BODY ARMOR

All types of armor for body and back.

master-uley.com

 

[Nighty_Knight]

I also agree with a few others, elite professional soldiers and shock troops will be in full plate. Most of the “semi-professional” soldiers, foot soldiers, and archers/crossbow men/gunners will be in lighter armor that is still protective but also much more affordable. Conscripts, and volunteer militia will have armor that doesn’t match and is based mainly off the individual and what they bring/money they have. Slave soldiers (if the dark elves have any) prisoner soldiers fighting for freedom, poor volunteers, will likely be fitted with the most affordable and accessible armor possible, probably just gambeson and kettle hats if they are lucky.

 

[Lynea]

Also, don’t forget brigandine armor and scale mail armors as well.

I have tons of sources on current produced replica armor of you would like. There are some great ideas and a wide variety of armor styles over different years and cultures.

I own a brigandine made from this maker, surprisingly light, effective, and I have good mobility.

Ultralight armour by Pavel Burlakov

Medieval armor for historical reenactment, buhurt, LARP or SCA buhurt armor to buy USA

armours.pro

I know a few people who own this makers armor. Great wide variety to give you some more ideas.

BODY ARMOR

All types of armor for body and back.

master-uley.com

This is very helpful, thank you

 

[Devor]

If you're shooting for any kind of realism, they would use about the same armor as anyone else. Falling behind on weapons tech is a good way to get conquered, and then you'd have that conqueror's tech.

The idea that one army is going to wear brigandine and the next is going to wear chain is very D&D, and it's done to create another level of balancing classes. Different armors come from different time periods. You would never go backwards. Newer armors aren't just more protective, but they're also lighter and easier to make. That's how tech works. No blacksmith who works with steel is going, "Ohh I miss working with thousands of little links of iron chain." If they've seen the latest armor, they're doing their best to copy it. That's reality.

Of course, being dark elves, maybe they have magic that they infuse with their blacksmithing. That's a different kind of question.

 

[Lynea]

If you're shooting for any kind of realism, they would use about the same armor as anyone else. Falling behind on weapons tech is a good way to get conquered, and then you'd have that conqueror's tech.

The idea that one army is going to wear brigandine and the next is going to wear chain is very D&D, and it's done to create another level of balancing classes. Different armors come from different time periods. You would never go backwards. Newer armors aren't just more protective, but they're also lighter and easier to make. That's how tech works. No blacksmith who works with steel is going, "Ohh I miss working with thousands of little links of iron chain." If they've seen the latest armor, they're doing their best to copy it. That's reality.

Of course, being dark elves, maybe they have magic that they infuse with their blacksmithing. That's a different kind of question.

Makes sense. I will say, I have clocked many hours of fantasy role playing games, and so my original inspiration draws from elves and rogues having 'medium armor' i.e. leather, boots, gloves, etc. For the most part, it works with the main cast, but it's not feasible with every aspect of the story.

 

[Queshire]

To play off of the idea that Dark Elves in Norse mythology could very well just be a different name for Dwarves I have my Dark Elves as skilled crafters. When the Empire wants massed produced industrial machinery they turn to the Goblins, but when they want to outfit elites complete with the magical equivalent of cybernetic augmentations then they turn to the Dark Elves.

 

[ShadeZ]

Black and spiked Alternatively bioluminescent.