Half Plate
“‘Tell me, Gaal, why is this called half plate? It doesn’t weigh half as much as full plate.’
‘Well, Haal, because it protects only half of your body. To kill you, all I’d have to do is step behind you. And that reminds me… Here, I bought you a gift. It’s a suit of half plate.’”
— From the comedy act of Haal and Gaal, modern
Half plate is the most common form of plate armor. It is comparably inexpensive because it is not tailored for a specific owner. Instead it consists of two adjustable plates that protect the torso. Most half plate also protects the shoulders and the lower abdomen.
Half plate offers good protection against sharp weapons, but can be easily dented by impact weapons. Its weak spots include the joints and other sites that skilled fighters can easily bypass.
Half plate is primarily worn by elite soldiers, regimental guards, and other heavily armed warriors. It is primarily worn in the Middenrealm and the Horasian Empire but sometimes also by troops in Andergast, Nostria, and by affluent warriors of the north. Meridian questadores have recently taken to wearing half plate and morion helmets.
When combined with a helmet, vambraces, and greaves, half plate offers exceptional protection that outweighs its weaknesses. It is nearly impervious to daggers and other piercing weapons, and people rarely get the opportunity to stab enemies in the back during melee combat.
“I’ve worn half plate before. It’s quite comfortable, but it leaves much to be desired.”
— Geron Bladebreaker, mercenary
“Humans! Why do you make armor that leaves you exposed?”
— Arbosh son of Angrax, forge dwarf master smith
“I may not be a specialist but I think it has something to do with the needs of the cavalry.”
— Brother Hilbert of Auen, Blessed One of Peraine
“Well, that explains it. Cavalry! Another crazy human idea!”
— Arbosh son of Angrax, forge dwarf master smith
“Plate works well against blades, and some plate is better than none, I suppose. But unless you can afford custom-tailored armor, wrapping yourself in hunks of metal makes you clumsy.”
— Geron Bladebreaker, mercenary