Warrior in armor chopping wood.

VI. Armor Penetration & Tactics

January 2, 2026 1 min read

What Defeats What:

Mail:

  • Defeated by: Heavy thrusts (spear, sword point), maces, war hammers
  • Resists: Slashes, arrows (at distance)

Plate:

  • Defeated by: Poleaxes, war hammers (denting/crushing), lucky thrusts at gaps
  • Resists: Almost everything else

The Reality: Most combat = exhaustion + incapacitation, not clean kills:

  • Beat enemy down with weight of blows
  • Break bones through armor
  • Wrestle to ground, dagger through visor/armpit