A Knight of the Blazing Sun in the full plate armour of the style favoured in the Empire.
Plate armour, also sometimes called full plate armour, is a heavy and extremely durable form of personal protection carefully crafted from large, often ornate metallic plates that can protect almost the entire body from blows. It is often worn by the most elite warriors of Tilea, the Empire and Bretonnia.[1][10a]
The secrets of forging the stronger steel used in plate armour are held exclusively by Dwarfs and Men. It was the Dwarfs that were the mortal world's first true metalworkers, but thanks to centuries of alliances with Men they shared some, if not all, secrets of the process with the nascent Empire. Soon, Human smiths were superheating iron and adding charcoal to create stronger, more pliant steel -- the perfect material for making full plate armour.[1]
Plate Armour in Tilea and the Empire[]
A member of the Tilean mercenary unit known as Braganza's Besiegers; the plate armour they wear is in the exotic Miraglianese style.[10]
The greatest and most honoured warriors of the Empire go to battle wearing sturdy harnesses of Dwarf-forged plate-and-mail. It is the best armour available to them, protecting generals, Elector Counts, Empire Greatswords and the warriors of the knightly orders alike.[2][2a]
But those armours are rare and Imperial smiths rely mainly on Miraglianese Armours to meet the high demand. These are plate armours produced in Miragliano in the land of Tilea and known for their peculiar design popular even in the Empire, where local smiths prefer to embellish on their designs rather than put in the labour and fatigue required to forge their own.[10a]
There are many variations of plate armour in the Empire. The Knights of the White Wolf incorporate heavy wolf pelts and headdresses to enhance their sinister reputation. Empire Greatswords, the best foot soldiers in the Imperial State Armies, do away with helmet visors; instead they utilise open-faced helmets to expand their field of vision.[5]
Knights of the Blazing Sun have laurels on their shoulder plates and great black-and-yellow plumes on their helmets, while the Reiksguard have large red-and-white feathered wings branching out from their helms. Perhaps more than anywhere in the Old World, plate armour in the Empire allows a warrior to mark his house, service to an Elector, and the order to which they vow allegiance.[5]
The Tileans, for their part, can afford to equip even the infantry of their regiments of renown with this expensive armour, an example of which are the notorious Braganza's Besiegers.[10]
Plate Armour in Bretonnia[]
A plate-armoured Knight of the Realm
Compared to the Empire, Bretonnia has not completely adopted full plate armour, as fewer Dwarfs live in that land to share the techniques of forging and shaping the best steel. Instead, Bretonnian knights mostly rely on foreign armourers and mighty furnaces taken from Nuln. Copying techniques and forge designs from their Imperial neighbours further improves Bretonnian metalworking.[5][7]
Talented blacksmiths are highly sought after in Bretonnia, being one of the few peasant trades that knights do not look down upon on. Of course, this is probably because the nobility need their horses shoed, their lances in ready supply, their swords sharp and the dents in their armour knocked out. As such, all Bretonnian castles have their own resident blacksmith.[7][8]
While they are not yet as capable at mass-producing suits of full plate armour, it cannot be denied that the individual products of Bretonnia tend to be superior to those produced in the Empire. This is because a Bretonnian craftsman lives to make the best items they can, not to make as much money as possible.[3][5]
The noble Knights of the Realm of Bretonnia ride into battle donning both plate armour and chainmail underneath their heraldic tabards. In contrast, heavy full plate armour is forbidden to Bretonnian peasants under all circumstances, as are the weapons of chivalry: the lance and the longsword. Only the Foot Squires are equipped in a similar fashion to knights.[1][3a][7]
The suits of armour worn by Grail Knights are works of inspired artistry, often thicker-set than those of the Empire and reverently treated as holy artefacts. They commonly bear the religious imagery of the Holy Grail -- a warning to opponents -- and the divine Lady of the Lake, the favoured goddess of Bretonnia.[4][5][6]
Plate Armour in Kislev[]
Amongst the warriors of icy Kislev, only the Winged Lancers have plate armour fine enough to rival those panoplies worn by elite soldiers in other lands of the Old World. They typically go to war donning spiked helmets with combined mail and plate armour.[5]
Plate Armour in Araby[]
In Araby, heavy plate armour is considered impractical given the unforgiving heat of the desert climate. Instead, to shield themselves from the oppressive heat of the sun, Arabyan warriors wear voluminous robes and body coverings that also make them harder to hit. However, elite Arabyan warriors such as Arabyan Knights and Arabyan Guards are known to be lavishly equipped with glittering steel mail and plate armour.[9]
Plate Armour Helmet Designs[]
Various plate armour helmet designs; from left to right a bascinet, sallet and armet.
There are a great many designs of helmet used in conjunction with plate armour, and Tilean, Bretonnian, and Imperial armourers all have their preferred styles. There is little practical difference between these designs, as they are all strong, fully enclosed helms with visors which weigh much the same and provide the same sort of protection. However, in some circumstances particular designs may afford extra protection.[11a]
Great Helm[]
The great helm is the archetypal form of a fully enclosed metal helmet. The design is considered old-fashioned in Tilea and the Empire but is still common in Bretonnia. Early examples of these helmets had a square top. Later designs tend to have a conical top which lessens the impact of warhammers and swords.[11a]
Bascinet[]
The bascinet typically incorporates a conical visor, leading it to be known as a "pigs-snout" helmet by many soldiers. This design provides additional protection against missile fire, as slingshots and arrows are deflected by the conical visor.[11a]
Armet[]
The armet is a Tilean design which fits closely on the head, being narrower around the neck. To facilitate the snug fit the helmet has an integral mechanism that must be worked to open and close it.[11a]
The exacting design of the armet means that it can withstand blows that might damage other helmets.[11a]
Sallet[]
The sallet is typified by having heavy plates projecting over the neck to the back, and being combined with separate pieces, either a gorget or bevor, to provide protection to the throat, chin, and face.[11a]
Sources[]
- 1: Total War: Warhammer (PC Game)
- 2: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition)
- 2a: pg. 31
- 3: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Knights of the Grail (RPG)
- 3a: "Sumptuary Laws"
- 4: Duty and Honour (Short Story) by Chris Wraight
- 5: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Old World Armoury (RPG)
- 6: Knight Errant (Novel) by Anthony Reynolds
- 7: Total War: Warhammer II (PC Game)
- 8: Warhammer: Siege (5th Edition)
- 9: Warmaster: Armies (Specialty Game)
- 10: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Up in Arms (RPG)
- 10a: pp. 38-39
- 11: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Archives of The Empire Vol. III (RPG)
- 11a: pg. 38
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