Question about brigandine vs munitions plate
Nov 12, 2020 12:50:53 GMT
Post by Veerdin on Nov 12, 2020 12:50:53 GMT
So, I'm currently writing a low-fantasy war story novel and I have some questions for any historical buffs out there about the usage of brigandine and munitions plate. The story is set in a fictional world, but it is analagous in technology and culture to late 15th/early 16th century Europe, with a large focus of the story being on group of infantry arquebusiers.
My question is this: Would it make more sense for footsoldiers in this time period to wear brigandine, or munitions grade plate armour? I also currently have it so that most of the soldier's kit (excluding the bare basics like uniforms and field equipment) needs to be purchased by the soldiers themselves, with most of the soldiers outfitting themselves in somewhat old but still servicable brigandine.
These soldiers are mainly pikemen and arquebusiers, but every image I can find of historical artwork depicting such soldiers shows them not in brigandine but in munitions plate, while brigandine seems to be more used as a preference by men-at-arms and knights.
Does it make sense for regular footmen to wear brigandine armour in this kind of time period and setting? Or would it be more beliavable to have it changed out for plate? I know that plate armour production ramped up considerably in the late 15th and early 16th centuries in Europe, but I also know that brigandine remained popular until around the middle of the 16th century.
I might be overthinking this but I'd appreciate any insight that people can offer.
If you're curious about the story, you can find my current draft of it here:
docs.google.com/document/d/11lXGCn9hzk26pJsqUt58g5eHWt1I-ySZFh-kCJDT25k/edit?usp=sharing
My question is this: Would it make more sense for footsoldiers in this time period to wear brigandine, or munitions grade plate armour? I also currently have it so that most of the soldier's kit (excluding the bare basics like uniforms and field equipment) needs to be purchased by the soldiers themselves, with most of the soldiers outfitting themselves in somewhat old but still servicable brigandine.
These soldiers are mainly pikemen and arquebusiers, but every image I can find of historical artwork depicting such soldiers shows them not in brigandine but in munitions plate, while brigandine seems to be more used as a preference by men-at-arms and knights.
Does it make sense for regular footmen to wear brigandine armour in this kind of time period and setting? Or would it be more beliavable to have it changed out for plate? I know that plate armour production ramped up considerably in the late 15th and early 16th centuries in Europe, but I also know that brigandine remained popular until around the middle of the 16th century.
I might be overthinking this but I'd appreciate any insight that people can offer.
If you're curious about the story, you can find my current draft of it here:
docs.google.com/document/d/11lXGCn9hzk26pJsqUt58g5eHWt1I-ySZFh-kCJDT25k/edit?usp=sharing
