Baroque Armor and Weapons
Hey,
Can anyone recommend a reasonable resource for what armor and weapons were in use in the Baroque period? I'm looking specifically for late 1600s, Europe. An RPG resource (d20 book or what have you) would be best, because it would already be in game-friendly format, but a historical resource would do in a pinch.
My feeble Google-fu doesn't really turn up anything directly relevant.
Thanks for any help,
Geoff
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_armour
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small-sword
The 17th century was a transitional period - armor was on the way out and some pieces were more ornamental than useful, dueling was a fad, guns were on the way in.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small-sword
The 17th century was a transitional period - armor was on the way out and some pieces were more ornamental than useful, dueling was a fad, guns were on the way in.
Quote:Original post by gdunbar
Hey,
Can anyone recommend a reasonable resource for what armor and weapons were in use in the Baroque period? I'm looking specifically for late 1600s, Europe. An RPG resource (d20 book or what have you) would be best, because it would already be in game-friendly format, but a historical resource would do in a pinch.
My feeble Google-fu doesn't really turn up anything directly relevant.
Thanks for any help,
Geoff
Buff coats....
Try English civil war....
Plate armor was somewhat 'proof' against musket fire at a distance (why the leaders on horseback still wore plate armor....)
1600 snaphaunce muskets (smoothbores/early flintlock) and rifles were sporting weapons. Wheellocks (expensive not mass produced)
gdunbar:
If you're looking to base a game off the Baroque period, I might suggest you base it on an "alternate timeline", where guns were deemed inaccurate and clumsy; while swords remained trump. Something like that. I think that would be cool. :)
(but that's just my opinion o.o )
If you're looking to base a game off the Baroque period, I might suggest you base it on an "alternate timeline", where guns were deemed inaccurate and clumsy; while swords remained trump. Something like that. I think that would be cool. :)
(but that's just my opinion o.o )
http://www.livinghistorylibrary.org/main.php
Copy, paste, sign up, ask, read.
You will get far better results from this than a D&D manual. Also lots of people there would be willing to help you sketch art, and even provide you with photos of original and reproduction items for the period you seek.
Copy, paste, sign up, ask, read.
You will get far better results from this than a D&D manual. Also lots of people there would be willing to help you sketch art, and even provide you with photos of original and reproduction items for the period you seek.
Thanks for the suggestions all. (More welcome, as well!)
I am in fact planning to play a bit fast and loose with the historical details, as I'll be including magic in the game. So I can be a bit off with the weapons and armor if it suits my fancy. I would like to know the reality though, so I can claim any inaccuracies were intentional. :-)
My hope with D&D was that someone smart had already gone to the trouble of writing a historically accurate supplement. The core D&D stuff is only mildly helpful.
Geoff
I am in fact planning to play a bit fast and loose with the historical details, as I'll be including magic in the game. So I can be a bit off with the weapons and armor if it suits my fancy. I would like to know the reality though, so I can claim any inaccuracies were intentional. :-)
My hope with D&D was that someone smart had already gone to the trouble of writing a historically accurate supplement. The core D&D stuff is only mildly helpful.
Geoff
Quote:Original post by gdunbar
My hope with D&D was that someone smart had already gone to the trouble of writing a historically accurate supplement.
Geoff
Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT use anything you find relating to D&D for anything you want to relate to 'history'.
It is just based on really, really bad research, and has far too much wrong with it. Things like, Chainmail, platemail, and other 'mails' are really bad and confusing. Mail doesn't mean armour, it is a word meaning net/mesh. Maille is a good spelling for a word meaning an armour made from interlinked metal rings, also makes searching databases easier.
And please, please remember swords don't weigh much. A 'heavy' sword is 6 pounds, most are under 4 pounds of steel.
to echo Talroth: I have studied costume history and I can tell you that anything AD&D related is like pulling the info right out of your rear end.
Quote:Original post by destron
gdunbar:
If you're looking to base a game off the Baroque period, I might suggest you base it on an "alternate timeline", where guns were deemed inaccurate and clumsy; while swords remained trump. Something like that. I think that would be cool. :)
(but that's just my opinion o.o )
Gustavus Adolphus might say otherwise. Massed guns (muskets) trumped swords and cavalry carrying pistols was becoming a key battle tactic. This was the time of effective (and mass produced) flintlocks and armor (breast plates anyway) being 'proofed' against gunfire.
[Edited by - wodinoneeye on April 14, 2007 1:20:31 AM]
Quote:Original post by Qitsune
to echo Talroth: I have studied costume history and I can tell you that anything AD&D related is like pulling the info right out of your rear end.
Funny story, apparently a few years ago, someone wrote an essay on the history of weapons and the effect of the sword on Europe for some history class here at my university. One of their main sources was an AD&D handbook.
He was last heard of as being fired from some fast food place for being bad at flipping burgers.
But back on topic, what classes are you looking at? High or low class? All classes? What style of game are you going for?
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