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- From: vincent@Micor.OCUnix.on.ca (Victor W. Wong)
- Subject: Re: On the Nature of Armor ...
- Organization: M.B. Cormier INC.
- Date: Sat, 19 Dec 92 09:19:39 EST
- Message-ID: <gN01VB1w165w@Micor.OCUnix.on.ca>
- Sender: _vincent@micor.ocunix.on.ca
- Lines: 36
-
- Pondering on the musings of Thomas Ignatius Perigrinus on this subject,
- I note that his remarks on the use of non-period materials tend to ig-
- nore one of their main advantages: local availability.
-
- There ARE some areas of the Known World where steel is not readily
- available. In those areas, the use of other materials is understand-
- able--especially if one is trying to construct "safe" armor. An exam-
- ple I can think of is what is mundanely known as the Atlantic Coast
- of Canada, where traditional armor-making materials are difficult to
- get ahold of.
-
- There is also the fact that authentic armor is expensive to make--not
- just in terms of money, but in time invested in construction. This
- is why I have no problems seeing hockey or other sports equipment being
- worn by fighters; "no time, no money" is an excuse, granted, but a
- valid one nonetheless. Furthermore I gather the unwritten rule about
- such things is that since they do adequate protection, they are allowed
- --provided some attempt is made to cover them up or otherwise make them
- less noticeable, such as wrapping them in duct tape or some metallic
- substance. (I have heard rumours of a fighter somewhere completely
- covered in duct tape, but I'm sure that's an exaggeration ... )
-
- Certainly I agree that Lord Thomas's points on armor are valid, but if
- we were to insist on every fighter wearing authentic, period armor, the
- fighting strength of the SCA would be severely diminished, and it would
- especially be difficult to recruit new people to replace those retiring
- from the field, for the reasons stated above.
-
- Vincent the Calculator
- ======================================================================
- VICTOR WONG
- vincent@micor.ocunix.on.ca
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- "Closed minds lead short lives."--Anonymous
- ======================================================================
-
-