/r/ArmsandArmor

Photograph via snooOG

For enthusiasts, collectors, and connoisseurs of historical arms and armor.

Posting news of events and activities relating to Arms and Armor is greatly encouraged.

If your post doesn't show, simply send an informal message to the moderators so it can be restored from the automatic filters. :)

If your post doesn't show, simply send an informal message to the moderators so it can be restored from the automatic filters. :)

For enthusiasts, collectors, and connoisseurs of historical and fantasy arms.

Posting news of events and activities relating to Arms and Armor is greatly encouraged.

Useful links.

The wiki still a work in progress , if you have anything to add please do so.

Related subreddits:

/r/Fantasy

/r/sca

/r/WMA (Western Martial Arts)

r/SteelFighting A Sub Reddit is for all things steel fighting. Events, Photos, Video, Training advice, Travel Tips, etc etc)

/r/HistoricalCostuming

/r/RenFaire Renaissance Faire

/r/reenactors

/r/swords

/r/modifiedweapons [modern]

/r/blacksmith

We would be happy to trade traffic with any related subreddits!

Just send a message :)

/r/ArmsandArmor

25,780 Subscribers

2

Cavalry blades

Are cut focused blades as effective than thrust focused blades on horseback? Say you’re running down a fleeing infantry line, what sort of blade would you prefer? The infantry is lightly armored.

3 Comments
2025/02/02
23:55 UTC

29

Any recommendations on where to get a custom baldric made? Picture for reference (late 15th c. Spain)

4 Comments
2025/02/02
18:33 UTC

22

Do you guys know the name of the relief where you could see a montefortino helmet with feathers like this?

I remember that I used to have a photo of the relief where we could see a montefortino helmet with the three feathers being put on top of the crest holder, along the small feathers which look like a bird nest. Does anyone know the name of that relief and where it was found? Because I completely forgot about it's name and all I have is this modern reconstruction. And no, I am not refering to the Entella relief nor the reliefs of the ram heads from the Battle of the Aegates.

8 Comments
2025/02/02
17:41 UTC

24

V&A Museum War of Troy tapestry - Interesting armour combo

I was in the Victoria and Albert museum and came across this beautiful tapestry of the War of Troy, from the 15th century. https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-war-of-troy-tapestry?srsltid=AfmBOoqnTP-pn-lb-VnH4DvF4Nn9KMekXhHoSlubqjzQq14iHiYywYFC

On one of the figures (in the lower right hand corner, where Pyrrhus is receiving his father's armour), I noticed an odd combo for a harness - what looked like a chain shirt and a plackart. (Or potentially a dagged chain 'crop top', each time i look at the photo, it seems to flip between the two possibilities in how they were 'stacked')

I imagine this was likely just the tapestry weavers dreaming up pure fantasy, rather than a representation of a real harness setup, but i was just wondering if anyone knew of this combination being included in any other art?

2 Comments
2025/02/02
17:34 UTC

0

Removing the Jousting pieces - remix

0 Comments
2025/02/02
13:04 UTC

45

Is this an accurate positioning of the mail chausses?

5 Comments
2025/02/02
08:35 UTC

3

Does anyone have some images of what the armies of Ivan the Terrible looked like?

1 Comment
2025/02/02
03:51 UTC

8

Putting together a kit of a Frankish Cavalryman from the 10th Century (specifically from the 2nd half, circa 950 to 1000), would this oval shield be a historically/region appropriate choice?

I've been looking into it a bit and a round shield seems like the obvious choice because it was basically everywhere, but.... personally with my kit I'm trying my best to actually look distinctively Frankish and not like someone from Scandinavia or the British Isles (which for this specific period is very VERY hard lol), so I'm kind of playing around with the idea of not doing a round shield but an Oval shield with enarmes instead just to be different. Also besides just trying to be different I think that a center grip shield would probably not handle well on horseback while having to handle the reins of a horse which imo further adds to the choice of going with a design that features enarmes (unless there also were round shields with enarmes in that time period aswell - which I'm not sure of).
I know that these oval shields were for example present on the Aachen Situla which dates to around circa 1000 AD (Ottonian era HRE), so I don't think it'd be completely off to have a cavalrymen in a similar time frame from an at the time very similar military background/cultural sphere of influence sporting a shield like this.

Would something like what is pictured below be historical for what I'm trying to do? Please let me know what you think.

https://preview.redd.it/jfnq7anunmge1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=14230579770995c6ee0a47682df206f24f07f98b

https://preview.redd.it/4zk4qkvvnmge1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a6226c0a376c8a53915f2f0238c378266b3ec0e0

5 Comments
2025/02/02
01:41 UTC

2

Funding for Spanish Armor in the Granada War

Hi! I am looking for some good sources on Spanish armor being utilized by the Royal Spanish Army in the War against Granada. I’ve read that Ferdinand and Isabelle established some royal foundries. I can’t find much information about them online. I’m wondering if the large numbers of infantry were equipped with standard armor, would that also have come from royal foundries? Would that have been funded by the Spanish Monarchy? Anything that would point me in the correct direction would be appreciated!

0 Comments
2025/02/01
23:54 UTC

15

Greenwich Armour Project - The Jousting Pieces

1 Comment
2025/02/01
23:46 UTC

7

What weapons should I add next?

Most of these weapons are dated from 500 to the 1600s

4 Comments
2025/02/01
23:18 UTC

2

16th century arming garments

Hey there, I recently figured out what kind of armour-kit im striving vor (1535 - 1545 North german) and have pretty much figured out all the details.

Now i know under garments are the first things to buy, but im kinda lost on this topic. My knowledge about garments to be worn under armour in the mid 16th ct is very slim.. did people still commonly wear dedicated clothes underneath? Does anyone have some good references or even recommendations in europe/germany?

2 Comments
2025/02/01
17:35 UTC

8

I want to design armor for female fantasy characters and I need some advice

Hello,

as the title says. I have an OC and I want to design armor for her. I'd like this outfit to be grounded in realism. It doesn't need to be strictly historical because it's a fantasy character so the design can be totally eclectic, but I'd like it to be realistic enough to really work as a protection.

Some details to consider:

  1. The armor would be worn by a woman who wasn't trained in battle nor she's a knight and her armor would be mostly torn off some corpses with some small adjusts. I need something that's easy to wear and fit without any help. Also something that could be worn in a journey. She needs armor for survival to protect herself from bandits etc, but she wouldn't take part in big battles, she's not a soldier or mercenary. She's quite tall and athletic for a woman, but she's not of extraordinary strength so there would be many enemies stronger than her, even just an average man would be stronger. Considering that, I need something to maximize her survival strategy (including the possibility of quick retreat).

  2. The main fighting style would be shield (preferably some bigger one, like kite shield maybe) and short spear - after some brainstorm I thought that this combo could be something that would work best for someone untrained for battle. I personally would like to hold a spear to keep my distance from enemies, and some good shield would always be great for protection. Swords and axes are fine, but I think that someone who just wants to survive wouldn't like to engage in closer combat if it's not necessary.

  3. I'd like to keep the armor in medieval Europe (in vast period, it's a fantasy setting so it doesn't need to be strict, it can be X age but it can be XIV too, or even a mix of various ages).

  4. I still want something that would look cool - so just average infantry gambeson may be easy to wear and it works just fine, I'm totally not against gambesons, but it's not exactly a good fit for a main character. I'd like something that could still be fashionable. It's a design anyway. :D

What would work in this case? Would a plate armor or some plate elements make sense in such setting? Maybe just a hauberk and mail collar would be enough? What about scale armor? I know it's super popular in fantasy, but was it really used in Medieval period? What about wearing leather over chainmail? It's also popular in fantasy, but does it make sense? There are many things to consider, and I'd like to know you opinions.

22 Comments
2025/02/01
15:42 UTC

4

Does anyone have medieval Bulgarian and Serbian Armor knowledge?

I’m currently trying to find references of Bulgarian and Serbian arms and armor to do some research. I’m looking but I can’t really find much, any help or resources would be appreciated

2 Comments
2025/02/01
03:27 UTC

3

ARROWS VS HOMEMADE ARMOUR

0 Comments
2025/02/01
02:49 UTC

10

Arabian armor

Hello! I thought this would be the right place to ask.. what is the most accurate depiction of medieval arabian armor? like, around 600 AD? is there enough information to tell what they would have looked like? im more specifically asking anout helmets, but I would appreciate people who are more informed to maybe also give me some ideas on the weapons used by arab armies at the time! :)

5 Comments
2025/01/31
21:06 UTC

2

Arabian armor

Hello! I thought this would be the right place to ask.. what is the most accurate depiction of medieval arabian armor? like, around 600 AD? is there enough information to tell what they would have looked like? im more specifically asking anout helmets, but I would appreciate people who are more informed to maybe also give me some ideas on the weapons used by arab armies at the time! :)

1 Comment
2025/01/31
21:06 UTC

68

Low fantasy Huntsman

If I’m not wrong the lil manuscript on the bottom left is from late 15th or around 15th century. I added my own creative ideas to it GUNS 🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅

0 Comments
2025/01/31
19:31 UTC

0

So me and the armorer I go through have been having ideas.

Yall think we can feasibly reskin European gear to look eastern?

This will have to pass AC visual checks for Buhurt.

1 Comment
2025/01/31
17:08 UTC

76

How you even call this visor for the sallet?

11 Comments
2025/01/31
00:14 UTC

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