Re: Wright's Proposals

[Benjamin Austin <jedi@ecn.purdue.edu>]

On Fri, 18 Dec 1998, Wright Frazier wrote:

> > I understand that it is highly undesireable to have cold metal raked 
> > across ones body.  However, the heavy clothing that gives the appropriate 
> > DVs is not what is worn under chain mail (since when a person takes off 
> > their chain mail they have 0 DV bonus - not the 1/1/1 from clothing) and 
> > it is even called "padding" and not "heavy clothing".  
> 
> You are incorrect...it is called Gambeson...learn of what thy speakth of before
> thy speakth.  It is typically made of multiple layers of thick linen,
> wool, cotton(in warmer climates), or canvas.  For a spiffy example
> of what the stuff looks like, I recommend the movie Excalibur, its
> what Arthur is bouncing around in when he is taking the castle in
> his youth.

Well, I simply called it what you have been calling it.  If the generic 
term for it is padding, then its padding.  Regardless, it does not sound 
as though it provides the same protection as the heavy clothing worn of 
the 1/1/1 DVs.  If I'm incorrect and should be giving people the 1/1/1 
values when they remove their chain mail, then let me know because I 
certainly and not the only one of this mindset.


> 
> > 
> > No, impact damage is not deflected - it is absorbed (momentum transfer) - 
> > unless we're talking ablative armor here (wouldn't that be cool).  Hence, 
> > the strength of the metal merely means that it pushes into your skin that 
> > much better.  In so far as chain mail, what surface tension (if it indeed 
> > moves as well as you claim)?  
> > 
> 
> The mail drapes over your body, and its own weight pulling down keeps
> the surface of it fairly rigid.  So when someone smacks the armor, they
> don't move just a few rings inwards, they move a good pound or two of
> the stuff inwards against the gambeson.  This sucks off kinetic energy,
> further the stuff is very slick...it is quite good at deflecting bows
> as well. 

I thought that chain mail didn't weight very much.  Either it does or it 
doesn't.  The stuff that Kevin was wearing, that which you base most of 
your current arguements, doesn't look as though it would provide him with 
near the protection that the sweat shirt he had under it would.  Keep in 
mind that the sweat shirt is not the heavy clothing spoken of before.

> 
> Lastly as far as further armor posts go..I'm not going to make any.  Either
> you have a clue about how armor works, or you don't, I'm tired of debating
> this crap, and the vote is tomorrow.  If you don't get it by this point
> you just aren't going to.
> 

Convienent.