RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes

Caspar · **03-27-2015, 12:45 PM**

(03-27-2015, 01:15 AM)Nako Wrote:
(03-27-2015, 01:12 AM)Graeham Ridgefield Wrote:
(03-27-2015, 01:09 AM)Nako Wrote:
(03-27-2015, 12:57 AM)Domri Blackblade Wrote: I find the ability to 'sneak' when you are a walking garbage can is something more falsely abused than restricted movement.
As someone who has worn a full plate harness before, it is entirely possible to do, though it is of course more difficult.

as long as you don't have anything loose hitting the armour, then you don't actually get that much of a clanging sound, and the joints (provided they are cared for properly) don't make that much noise.

The problem with that justification is it pretty much opens the doors to eliminating any and all meaningful drawbacks that exist. Especially since it's usually accompanied by 'magical enchantments that somehow make the material reflect and dampen magic as well as bullets.'

There's a certain charm to the classic approach of melee combatants being very physically powerful but not stealthy or particularly agile. Each to their own though!
Creating a drawback that does not exist is a bad way of counteracting it though. The justification is one that is one based on real life. If cared for properly, and you move correctly it is entirely possible to sneak in armour.

if you watch the video, the issue that you get is quick sudden movements (which are counterintuitive to sneaking/stalking anyway).

(03-27-2015, 01:14 AM)Klinzahr Wrote: The only thing that really confuses me, is when folks try to emoteÂ swimmingÂ in plate....
yeah... thats just idiocy...

Actually, as improbable as that sounds, you can swim in full plate, again, if it's properly fitted to you. It's just not as easy. The fact that you can move well in full plate doesn't magically make the weight of the armor disappear; it only means that you're not a slow, uncoordinated robot man while wearing it. You're still heavy, but you're not incapable of running or even jumping, provided you're bulked up enough to do it, and are used to the weight distributed across your body. If it interferes with anything, I'd guess it's probably range of movement, but most armor is designed to allow at least the most useful minimum without any real trouble, so that isn't too extreme of a disadvantage. I guess the armor is probably pretty hot too? That can sap at your endurance. Again you can train to be used to it, but I think it'd still wear you down eventually. An armor can be ventilated, but how much or how little impacts the protective value, I'd imagine. That's sort of the limit as to what I understand about it.

Swimming in mail, however, would be much harder. With plate you can at least swim a short distance, but I'd think swimming in mail would be extremely dangerous. It can be heavier and the weight is distributed on your shoulders, pulling you down. I think the idea that it was impossible to swim in plate armor came from the fact that most medieval men couldn't swim anyway. Not to mention, if you panicked and were wearing an additional 50 pounds you wanted to get out of immediately, it was nearly impossible to do so.

As for sneaking, the movies I see on youtube suggest they're a little noisy, but nothing you couldn't hide behind background noise. In areas with a high wind, it might be difficult to hear a man in armor sneaking. If you attempted to be stealthy, rushing water could easily mask your sound. The times when the armor is loudest seem to be when moving suddenly or in ranges of motion the armor is not intended to frequently cover, such as climbing, crouching or running. I guess if you want to sneak in armor, walk as normally and quietly as possible.

Yes, you can move in full Plate Harness

RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes