Demon Invasions will only be available on World of Warcraft's live servers for a few weeks before Legion's release.

The demonic invasion will affect six locations of the original game. Invasions will continue throughout the Legion pre-patch; To access them, it is not necessary to complete the quest chain on the Broken Shore:

• Invasion: Hillsbrad Foothills (Tarren Mill)
• Invasion: Westfall (Watch Hill)
• Invasion: Azshara (near the Gates of Orgrimmar)
• Invasion: Dun Morogh (Kharanos Village)
• Invasion: Northern Barrens (Crossroads)
• Invasion: Tanaris (Gadbambasque)

Achievements for the Legion Invasion (prepatch 7.0.3)

By completing missions in one location, you will receive the achievement Confronting the Legion, and by completing missions in all six zones, you will receive the achievement Defender of Azeroth: Legion Invasions.

Both achievements are in the Rituals of Power category: you only have a few weeks to earn them. These achievements will no longer be possible to complete after Legion is released.

Stages of invasion

Each Legion pre-patch invasion is a group scenario with multiple stages:

• Stage 1: Defend an invasion point, such as Kharanos in Dun Morogh or Crossroads in the Barrens.
• Stage 2: Eliminate the two lieutenants and the demon commander.
• Stage 3: Drive the Legion forces out of the location. You can open the map to see where the enemies are currently located. Progress comes from killing enemies and saving friendly NPCs.
• Stage 4: Kill the demon boss at the invasion point. The bosses are quite strong, with powerful abilities - they are not easy to defeat.

Against the demonic threat, you will fight alongside the opposing faction (Alliance and Horde) and one of the leaders may come to your aid (for example, Muradin and Moira in Dun Morogh).

In addition, in each location there will be special mounts or devices (steam tanks, for example), as well as used items that can cause great damage (in Dun Morogh these are bombs).

As the battle progresses, you can gain buffs such as Hero's Resolve and Inspiration.

Video of the demon invasion in the Legion pre-patch:

Nether Shards in WOW Legion prepatch

• Equipment Set: Fel-Infused Cloth Armor for 200 OP
• Equipment Set: Felshroud Leather Armor for 200 OP
• Equipment Set: Fel Ring Mail Armor for 200 OP
• Equipment set: plate armor from the fel forge for 200 OP

Note: The items you can get as loot from chests (Large Legion Chest and Small Legion Chest) have the same appearance as the transmog sets.

If you only need them for transmog, it will be much easier and faster to buy a set than to farm chests.

When all 9 stacks of the effect are gone, you can turn into a Doomguard for 1 minute using the ability Submit to Darkness.

Strategy: If your ability Cloak of Darkness is on cooldown, look for places away from the city guards: if you are killed, all progress and all stacks of the effect will be lost.

Gothic armor, Germany, 15th century

Plate armor has long become one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages, being the calling card of knights and personifying the power and wealth of the owner. The most incredible and ridiculous myths constantly arise around armor.

Milanese armor, Italy, 16th century

Armor of the winged hussars, Poland, 16th century

Tournament armor

Different types of armor as museum exhibits

Armor- armor made of large metal plates, anatomically repeating the male figure. Compared to other types of armor, the manufacture of such armor was the most complex and required a considerable amount of steel, and therefore the art of making armor began to actively develop only from the middle of the 14th century.

Because of these difficulties, plate armor, even in the 15th century, was not cheap and was often made to personal order. Of course, only members of the nobility could afford such luxury, which is why armor became a symbol of chivalry and high birth. So how effective is such armor and was it worth the money? Let's figure it out:

Myth 1: The armor weighed so much that a fallen knight could not get up without help.

This is wrong. The total weight of full battle armor rarely exceeded 30 kg. The figure may seem large to you, but do not forget that the weight was evenly distributed throughout the body, and besides, men-at-arms, as a rule, fought on horses. Taking this into account, we get the approximate weight of modern equipment for an army infantryman. Heavier varieties were classified as tournament armor, deliberately sacrificing mobility in favor of increasing the thickness of the armor, which reduced the risk of injury when hit by a spear or falling from a horse.

Modern reenactors have repeatedly proven that in a replica of full armor you can not only run fast, but even fencing and climbing ladders.

Myth 2: Plate armor could be easily penetrated by conventional weapons

And that's a lie. The main distinguishing feature of plate armor is its excellent resistance to all types of damage. Cutting blows do not cause him any harm, unless a knight at full gallop exposes himself to the blow of a bird. Piercing blows could pierce soft, poorly tempered steel, but later armor could withstand the blow of the sharp end of a war hammer quite well. In addition, the armor (contrary to the opinion of mass culture, which loves to decorate armor with spikes and ribs) was made as smooth and streamlined as possible in order to evenly distribute the energy from the impact and thereby increase the strength of the entire structure. The truly effective means against men-at-arms were daggers, which, due to the shortest attack distance, were the easiest to hit the joints of armor, and two-handed swords, specially created as countermeasures against heavy infantry and cavalry.

In contrast, video recordings are often provided in which the tester pierces a plate breastplate with a morning star or Lucernehammer. It should be noted here that theoretically this is indeed possible, but it is very difficult to deliver a direct blow with a wide swing at a perfectly right angle during a battle, and otherwise the man-at-arms has every chance of completely or partially avoiding damage.

Myth 3: It’s enough just to get into a weak spot, and the armored man will be defeated

That's a moot point. Yes, there are several weak points in plate armor (belt garters, gaps in joints and joints), hitting which will actually cause significant damage to the enemy. But this was not at all easy to do:

Firstly, under the armor the knights wore at least a gambeson, consisting of several layers of dense linen material. It provided good protection on its own, being surprisingly strong and light, and most knights did not hesitate to wear chain mail over it. Thus, the weapon had to overcome several layers of armor before reaching the body.

Secondly, the gunsmiths, who quickly realized the main weakness of armor in a combat encounter, tried to protect the knight as much as possible from the threat. All belts and garters were hidden deep inside the armor, special “wings” (an extension of the cast armor plate) served as a screen for the joints and joints. All parts of the armor fit together as closely as possible, which in the hustle and bustle of large battles significantly increased the chances of survival.

So what was wrong with plate armor?

The main disadvantage is the requirement for care. Due to the large area of ​​the armor itself, the metal quickly rusted and had to be protected from corrosion. Over time, gunsmiths learned to blue the armor, which made it darker and provided good protection against oxidation. In field conditions, the armor was lubricated with oil, and in peacetime it was stored in isolated conditions, usually wrapped in several layers of material. Otherwise, the armor was much more effective than any analogues - frayed straps can be quickly and easily replaced, and straightening a dent on a solid plate is much easier than repairing chain mail or replacing segments in lamellar armor.

However, it was sometimes almost impossible to put on plate armor on your own, and if you were wounded, it was just as difficult to take it off. Many knights managed to bleed to death from a trivial wound, which put them out of action for the entire battle.

The end of the golden age of armor came with the beginning of the era of firearms. When firearms appeared in the arsenal of regular armies, armor began to gradually disappear from use. A lead bullet penetrated such armor without any problems, although in the early stages, when the power of firearms was small, they could still serve as very effective protection.

Tags:

Plate armor has long become one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages, being the calling card of knights and personifying the power and wealth of the owner. The most incredible and ridiculous myths constantly arise around armor.

Plate is armor made of large metal plates, anatomically repeating the male figure. Compared to other types of armor, the manufacture of such armor was the most complex and required a considerable amount of steel, and therefore the art of making armor began to actively develop only from the middle of the 14th century.

Because of these difficulties, plate armor, even in the 15th century, was not cheap and was often made to personal order. Of course, only members of the nobility could afford such luxury, which is why armor became a symbol of chivalry and high birth. So how effective is such armor and was it worth the money? Let's figure it out:

MYTH 1: THE ARMOR WEIGHED SO MUCH THAT THE FALLEN KNIGHT COULD NOT RAISE WITHOUT OUTSIDE HELP

This is wrong. The total weight of full battle armor rarely exceeded 30 kg. The figure may seem large to you, but do not forget that the weight was evenly distributed throughout the body, and besides, men-at-arms, as a rule, fought on horses. Taking this into account, we get the approximate weight of modern equipment for an army infantryman. Heavier varieties were classified as tournament armor, deliberately sacrificing mobility in favor of increasing the thickness of the armor, which reduced the risk of injury when hit by a spear or falling from a horse.
Modern reenactors have repeatedly proven that in a replica of full armor you can not only run fast, but even fencing and climbing ladders.

MYTH 2: Plate ARMOR COULD EASILY BE pierced with conventional weapons

And that's a lie. The main distinguishing feature of plate armor is its excellent resistance to all types of damage. Cutting blows do not cause him any harm, unless a knight at full gallop exposes himself to the blow of a bird. Piercing blows could pierce soft, poorly tempered steel, but later armor could withstand the blow of the sharp end of a war hammer quite well. In addition, the armor (contrary to the opinion of mass culture, which loves to decorate armor with spikes and ribs) was made as smooth and streamlined as possible in order to evenly distribute the energy from the impact and thereby increase the strength of the entire structure. The truly effective means against men-at-arms were daggers, which, due to the shortest attack distance, were the easiest to hit the joints of armor, and two-handed swords, specially created as countermeasures against heavy infantry and cavalry.

In contrast, video recordings are often provided in which the tester pierces a plate breastplate with a morning star or Lucernehammer. It should be noted here that theoretically this is indeed possible, but it is very difficult to deliver a direct blow with a wide swing at a perfectly right angle during a battle, and otherwise the man-at-arms has every chance of completely or partially avoiding damage.

MYTH 3: IT’S ENOUGH TO SIMPLY GET INTO A VULNERABLE POINT AND THE ARCHER WILL BE DEFEATED

That's a moot point. Yes, there are several weak points in plate armor (belt garters, gaps in joints and joints), hitting which will actually cause significant damage to the enemy. But this was not at all easy to do:
Firstly, under the armor the knights wore at least a gambeson, consisting of several layers of dense linen material. It provided good protection on its own, being surprisingly strong and light, and most knights did not hesitate to wear chain mail over it. Thus, the weapon had to overcome several layers of armor before reaching the body.
Secondly, the gunsmiths, who quickly realized the main weakness of armor in a combat encounter, tried to protect the knight as much as possible from the threat. All belts and garters were hidden deep inside the armor, special “wings” (an extension of the cast armor plate) served as a screen for the joints and joints. All parts of the armor fit together as closely as possible, which in the hustle and bustle of large battles significantly increased the chances of survival.

SO WHAT WAS PATTER ARMOR BAD?

The main disadvantage is the requirement for care. Due to the large area of ​​the armor itself, the metal quickly rusted and had to be protected from corrosion. Over time, gunsmiths learned to blue the armor, which made it darker and provided good protection against oxidation. In field conditions, the armor was lubricated with oil, and in peacetime it was stored in isolated conditions, usually wrapped in several layers of material. Otherwise, the armor was much more effective than any analogues - frayed straps can be quickly and easily replaced, and straightening a dent on a solid plate is much easier than repairing chain mail or replacing segments in lamellar armor.
However, it was sometimes almost impossible to put on plate armor on your own, and if you were wounded, it was just as difficult to take it off. Many knights managed to bleed to death from a trivial wound, which put them out of action for the entire battle.

The end of the golden age of armor came with the beginning of the era of firearms. When firearms appeared in the arsenal of regular armies, armor began to gradually disappear from use. A lead bullet penetrated such armor without any problems, although in the early stages, when the power of firearms was small, they could still serve as very effective protection.

What should adventurers be equipped and armed with? At first glance, well, that’s what they are armed with in fantasy. On the second - the same as normal warriors from historical armies. And only at the third glance does something become clearer. But first things first.

Archetypal fantasy characters have different weapons depending on their class and other factors.

Warriors prefer heavy armor; if finances allow, then they wear armor exclusively. Standard weapons are a huge shield with a sword, a two-handed sword or two swords. The word "sword" can be replaced with "axe" or "mace" without significant consequences. Priests also wear heavy armor, a shield with a mace, or some kind of two-handed bludgeoning weapon. Rogues - leather, two blades, bow. Mages are practically unarmed and there is no need to consider them in this section.

Armor

What are adventurers like? Adventurers are a group of specialists who travel the world and solve certain problems, mainly using force. But you need to understand that most of the adventurers’ life is spent not on battles, but on moving between battles. The standard situation is not a multi-day battle in the city, but a trip to the swamps to save the headman’s daughter kidnapped by goblins, a journey to distant lands in order to destroy an ancient artifact, and so on. And even if we talk about the battle in the city, after it we have to go somewhere again.

So adventurers should be equipped primarily not for combat, but for marching - which, of course, can turn into combat at almost any moment. Well, when the goblins ambush you.

Now imagine what it’s like to walk 40 kilometers a day in sabatons (plate “boots”). Even better if the weather is hot, cold or wet. It is clear that the full equipment of a modern infantryman is comparable in weight to plate armor, but... in addition to armor, the adventurer also needs to carry a backpack, a tent, and so on. And the shoes, I repeat, are less comfortable. And the roads are worse.

Historically, plate armor was used primarily by wealthy cavalrymen. Sitting on a horse, you can afford armor during the march, and even then not always - most likely, on his territory, the noble don will travel light, in a minimum of armor. The armor can also be carried in a cart. It’s a similar story with chain mail - why put on an extra 12 kg of iron if you can do without it? Moreover, chain mail, unlike plate armor, can be put on quite quickly.

Adventurers can, of course, travel on foot while wearing heavy gear. But not for long - for example, from the village directly to the cave with goblins on the other side of the lake. But not to another city - for this you will need help in the form of carts and pack animals. If the situation obliges a group of adventurers to travel long distances on foot, then they will save on kilograms more than astronauts.

It is impossible to talk about the applicability of plate armor without mentioning its cost. They cost a lot. An adventurer who puts on plate armor no longer looks like a tramp, but like a baron or count. Because not every knight who owns an entire village will be able to financially match their value. Accordingly, if the adventurer has the resources to wield plate armor, why can't he hire a horse and cart to transport it? The journey of a group of such wealthy individuals is no longer the romantic trip of a few penniless vagabonds.

Types of armor in fantasy and history

Authors of fantasy and, unfortunately, often also historical works often follow the established fantasy canon regarding armor. This canon has long become familiar to most people who are addicted, “everyone knows that it’s like this.” However, a lot of this “general knowledge” is just misconceptions.

Padded/quilted armor

Quilted armor is often perceived as something very cheap, publicly available, and at the same time independent. Cheap and widely available - yes, of course, it’s just fabric sewn in several layers. But both historically and in our time, quilting was mainly used and is used as underarmor, worn under heavier metal armor. And this is a general point: it should be assumed that in most cases a quilt is worn under any armor. There were exceptions, but they didn’t do the weather.

On the other hand, independent quilts also existed and exist, but they look different. In form, it is often no longer a sleeveless vest or a sweater, but rather a robe. In modern times, the word “gambeson” is often used to designate an independent quilt, although historically both individual and under-armor variants were called gambesons. But it’s more convenient to separate by meaning, so we’ll leave it that way.

The effectiveness of quilted armor as independent protective equipment is higher than is commonly believed. This is armor, not just thick clothing. For example, tests show that the gambeson provides excellent protection against arrows and punctures from light weapons. And the effectiveness of slashing blows is reduced, because part of their energy is spent on overcoming the quilted armor itself. But in fantasy, essentially, whether there is a quilt or not, it makes no difference.

Leather armor

Leather armor, traditional for fantasy, never existed at all. What is a fantasy leather jacket? It's essentially just a leather jacket and pants made of the same material. The protection it provides is negligible. But it looks good, especially if painted black - ask any biker or, sadder, any director of fantasy or pseudo-historical films. In fact, leather armor, of course, existed. But they looked completely different.

The main thing to understand when it comes to leather as the main material in armor is what kind of leather is used. So, this is not at all the thin leather from which modern jackets are made. The armor uses thick, rough leather, similar to that used to make shoe soles. Material thinner than a few millimeters is not suitable, it simply will not protect against anything at all.

Lamellar armor was popular mainly in the east, but it was also quite famous in the west. We take leather of the correct thickness, cut it into petals, fasten these petals with an overlap and form the actual armor from the resulting canvas. Excellent equipment - especially if you wear a quilt underneath. Quite light, while dense lamellar armor quite reliably stops an arrow, especially one that goes sideways. Cutting and slashing blows are also weakened; the lamellar can be pierced either with a heavy weapon or with a very good thrust from a sword. Cutting through with a blade is unlikely.

Lamellar armor can also be made of metal. Metal lamellar is already heavy armor, which historically could be worn on chain mail, worn over quilting, of course. A fighter wearing such a sandwich can take some pretty strong blows to his chest.

Boiled leather armor (cuir boulli, sounds like “cur boulli”) is a less common, but absolutely historical version of leather armor. Raw thick skin is taken and marinated and cooked for a long time in various compositions, empirically selected for a good effect. It is believed that one of the popular ingredients in such formulations was urine. The process, in general, is not pleasant. After the skin has been boiled for several hours in this broth (the similarity of the words is obvious), it is taken out, dried and given the desired shape. After shrinking, the armor is ready. This technology was used to make not only armor, but also a variety of items. The final material resembles some kind of plastic. It is quite strong, has slight flexibility and good elasticity. If you make it just a jacket, that is, one element from the neck to the waist, then it will be impossible to bend in it. Therefore, the kur buli in its structure resembles steel cuirasses. Moreover, most likely cuirasses originated from boiled leather - this, among other evidence, is reminiscent of the spelling of the word “cuirass”.

Hide armor is often distinguished - that is, protective weapons simply made from animal skins or from their shaved version, raw leather. Here, oddly enough, the fantasy archetype completely hits the mark: if such armor was used, it was by all sorts of barbarians who did not have access to normal metallurgy and did not even know how to properly process the leather so that at least it did not stink. They protect, but there is no convenience. No sane adventurer, given at least some alternative, would wear this rubbish. Even a barbarian will change clothes.

Studded leather

Beloved by all rogues and other deprived creatures, studded leather is worthy of a separate discussion. Why beloved? Because the systems believe that this armor provides the best protection among those types of equipment that do not impose any penalties on the wearer's dexterity. Therefore, characters who rely on their dexterity all use it.

Why is it worthy of a separate discussion? Because this nonsense must stop. Riveted leather is a thin leather (jacket, not kure buli) to which many metal rivets are attached. It is believed that a blow with a sword can hit the rivet and not pierce the skin. So, this is nonsense. A sword caught on a rivet will simply slide off it and cut through the thin skin as if it were not there at all. Heavier weapons, such as a spear, will not notice the presence of rivets at all. An ax or mace will simply rip the rivets out of their surroundings and drive them directly into the body.

Riveted leather is just a few kilograms of “holes”. This meaningless cliché needs to be abandoned.

Chain mail (chain mail, mail)

The word “mail”, “maille” historically meant chain mail. The concepts of “chain mail” and “armor” were synonymous. Then armor appeared, “plate mail”, but chain mail was still called simply the word “mail”, and “chainmail” (the space, as usual, is redundant) was a remake. But everyone has gotten used to it anyway.

Chain mail appeared in the 4th century BC at the latest. Gradually, this type of armor spread throughout the entire ecumene of that time, becoming the main protective equipment in the west. In the east, all sorts of lamellae were more widely used, but chain mail was also known, although it was not the most common armor.

Everyone knows what chain mail is physically. Metal rings are fastened and intertwined, forming a “fabric”, from which the “sweater” is then formed. Obviously, such popular and widespread protective equipment was quite diverse. Chainmail can have both short and long sleeves, with separate bracers used with short-sleeved chainmail. The overall length of the chain mail can also be different - it is clear that longer chain mail covers the hips, but weighs more.

It really weighs a lot, about 10 kg. If you do not use a tight belt, then all this weight falls on the shoulders of the owner. Walking for a long time in chain mail, especially without a belt, is not very comfortable, it is exhausting - although it is better than dragging an extra ten kilograms in a backpack. An important advantage of chain mail compared to any other heavy armor is the speed of putting it on - a sweater is just a sweater. In the event of a surprise attack, it is better to put on chain mail as is, without underarmor and belt, than not to put on armor at all.

Experiments show that chain mail does not protect against arrows very well - a direct hit from a military bow will pierce it. But for this case, there is a quilted underarmor that is quite good at stopping arrows. But chain mail almost ignores chopping blows from bladed weapons - they are not life-threatening, only bruises remain. Of course, it depends on how and what you hit: for example, a falchion cleaver is still capable of at least temporarily turning off the hand it hits. Especially without an underarmor slasher. Special and heavy weapons, such as maces and spears, of course, cannot be stopped by chain mail. But, nevertheless, chain mail solves the problem of protection from swords more than satisfactorily. At the same time, it is very affordable; any knight and most professional soldiers could afford it. The spread of chain mail led to a decrease in the role of the sword on the battlefield and to the specialization of bladed weapons for delivering thrusts, with which it could still be pierced.

Scale armor (scale mail/armour)

We take metal, form scales from it, sew them onto a leather or fabric base, or simply fasten them together like a leather lamellar. We get quite primitive armor that was actually used historically - mainly before our era. However, with the invention and spread of chain mail, scales almost immediately went out of use, because chain mail turned out to be lighter and protected better, and was comparable in cost. Therefore, in fantasy there is nothing to do with chain mail, crossbows, and especially plate armor; it looks like an obvious anachronism. Unless some particularly stupid goblins can use it, but even that is doubtful - there is chain mail.

Ring armor (ring mail)

Rings sewn overlapping onto a leather or fabric base. Historically, such armor may have been seen occasionally in Asia. There is not a single archaeological evidence of their presence in Europe. Its properties are inferior to chain mail. Overall, it’s a pointless attempt by the designers to diversify the available equipment or visually highlight some characters. For example, it is found in the television series “Vikings” as the armor of Ragnar Lothbrok. Which is nonsense, since a successful Viking leader would have worn chainmail like everyone else, rather than more primitive and weaker armor.

Splint mail/armour

Strips and bars of metal located vertically along the covered part of the body. Most often, bracers and greaves were made using this technology - they provide sufficient protection from a slashing blow, like splints on polearms. In fantasy, a good niche idea has been elevated to insanity, offering to protect the torso with the same vertical sticks. Obviously, such a cuirass will deprive the unfortunate owner of the ability to bend in the stomach. Therefore, only elements for protecting arms and legs can be tires, nothing more.

Plate armor (plated mail, plate-and-mail armor)

A chain mail is taken, in some places of which metal plates are fixed. The resulting armor is broadly called ring-plate, but there is no separate “plate” armor without rings, so the name can be shortened. Armor of this type was very diverse. One or another type of plate armor was found everywhere from Eastern Europe to Korea and Japan.

There were quite a lot of varieties, but a few of the most important ones can be identified. Kalantar, the crudest version, simply involved weaving together several large plates on the chest and belly without overlapping. Yushman - also large plates, but with overlap. Bekhterets - many small plates with a large overlap.

Plate armor was not much more difficult to make than just chain mail, but it provided higher protection. It was practically useless to try to pierce the plate part of the armor, so the permissible area of ​​​​attack was reduced. Of course, no plates can help against the Lucerne hammer, but it’s still a good idea.

A variant of plate armor can be considered the brigandine, which was already mentioned earlier. A fabric base in the shape of a jacket is taken, plates are sewn onto it with or without overlap, and, roughly speaking, another jacket is sewn on top. The result is convenient, practical, inexpensive protection.

Mirror armor

A large plate is taken and secured to the chest and abdomen. Or several such plates. Or a box is made of four plates that protect the chest, abdomen, back and sides under the arms. This whole thing is put on over the chain mail. Each of the plates is called a mirror. Often this is not just a plate, but a decorated round “shield” or something similar.

This type of armor was popular in Rus', Eastern Europe and Asia. Almost never found in fantasy games because their authors know little about history outside Western Europe. But it is found in films, as a rule, on antagonists, such as orcs and Arabs. It looks beautiful and exotic, so nothing surprising.

The combination of ideas of mirror armor and kur buli led to the emergence of a full-fledged steel cuirass as the basis of full plate armor.

Laminar armor, banded mail/armour

Horizontal plates are sewn onto a fabric base. The most famous version of such armor is the Roman Lorica segmentata. It was used, of course, in antiquity, and even in the legions, not all soldiers were equipped with it - those who were simpler had to make do with chain mail.

In the Middle Ages, laminar armor was not used. They were probably considered an inconvenient compromise between the lightness and flexibility of chain mail or plate armor and the security of plate armor. During the Renaissance, they tried to produce them at one time, but with the availability of armor production technologies, there was no longer much sense in laminar armor.

Plate armor (plate, full plate mail/armour)

Everyone knows what plate armor is, but not everyone is aware of its capabilities.

Plate armor provides complete immunity to slashing blows from a knight's sword and similar weapons. If plate armor could be cut through with a sword, then no one would need it at all. Therefore, scenes from various films and, especially, screensavers of computer games, where one noble don in armor successfully chops another in the cuirass with a sword is complete nonsense. You can damage a man-at-arms by piercing him in a weak spot, like a crack in the visor of a helmet, the armpits, where there is “just” chain mail protection, in the groin under a cuirass, and so on. There are options, but they are few and difficult to access, most of them require preliminary immobilization of the armored soldier.

In the absence of special weapons to fight men-at-arms, you can try to hit the enemy with a sword using very accurate injections into these weak spots. In this case, it is better to take the weapon with your right hand where usual, and with your left hand - by the middle of the blade, in order to turn the sword into a kind of short spear, rigid and very precisely controlled. An alternative is the technique of striking with a cross and an apple, in which the sword is grasped by the blade with the hands. Objections about the sharpness of the blade are dismissed by both historical evidence and modern experiments.

The mace provides the possibility of damaging the body under the armor, but nothing more. Classic maces are no longer suitable against armor. Axes also don’t help very well against armor; their limit is chain mail. Therefore, it is more reliable to use a specialized weapon: a war hammer. Historical war hammers have nothing in common with the fantasy version of “a huge steel brick on a long thin shaft.” This kind of fantasy sledgehammer is implausible and pointless. A normal war hammer is a relatively small warhead on a fairly short one-handed shaft. Two-handed versions were also found, the so-called Lucerne hammers or crow's beaks - and they, again, did not have a particularly massive warhead. On one side of the warhead of the hammer there is the hammer itself, and on the other there is a narrow claw.

Traditional spears did not help very well against armor either, so I had to specialize. Alshpiss appeared, short spears with long and very hard tips. Alspiss, especially from a running start, can still pierce armor. At the same time, the tip, equal in length to the blade of the sword, allows the spearman to quite effectively counteract the weapons of the armored man.

It should be remembered that the armored man, as a rule, sits on a horse, which is also dressed in armor. And he is not alone. And he doesn’t like to participate in a fight, preferring to disperse the horse, hit with a lance, turn around and repeat. But, of course, he can dismount. A dismounted man-at-arms will most likely be armed with a late medieval shield, the so-called hiter. This is a relatively small triangular shield made of thick wood or metal. Heather, unlike earlier and much lighter Viking shields, is almost impossible to damage. Its task is to transform dangerous direct blows into safe sliding ones. Changing the trajectory of a blow even with the most dangerous two-handed Lucerne hammer makes it possible to take a blow to the armor, approach the enemy and calmly hit him with a knight's sword.

The foot-at-arms can also be armed with a long polearm such as a halberd or a two-handed sword. In this case, he loses the opportunity to use the hiter, although some kind of tarch screwed to the forearm is better than nothing. But the attacking capabilities increase: a man-at-arms with a two-handed sword feels quite confident even against a formation of pikemen. Of course, not alone, but with the support of the same system of comrades.

It is believed that armor is something very clumsy and heavy. Now, that's not true. Military armor, unlike tournament armor, which is discussed below, was not “too” heavy. Many people think that a man at arms who falls on his back, for example, cannot get up at all. Well what can I say: watch the video.

Let me add that experiments have been carried out - a trained person in armor can even swim. Theorists who consider armor to be something wildly heavy do not take into account the lifestyle of the people who had to wear this armor. They did not have the Internet or television then, and their livers were not rubber, so the knights devoted a significant part of their leisure time to training. It is clear that if you put armor on a modern city dweller, he will feel uncomfortable. For a knight, plate armor is a second skin.

Tournament armor is a separate topic. Unlike the military, which provided the necessary mobility, tournament armor was specialized for maximum protection at the expense of everything else. In them, yes, you can’t stand up on your own or jump on a horse on your own. But this is not military equipment, but “sports” equipment.

Armor is a personal thing. Even ordinary everyday clothes are divided into sizes. Your jacket will not fit a person larger or smaller than you. It’s the same story with armor, but if chain mail can still be imagined as more or less dimensionless, then plate armor must be made or at least customized for a specific owner. Therefore, the idea “the adventurer found armor in the dungeon and immediately changed clothes” is, to put it mildly, far-fetched.

We should also talk about spikes and other structural decorative elements that are so common in fantasy. This is the same nonsense as horned helmets. You can grab a thorn with your hand, a hit to the thorn can ruin the armor, and the thorns themselves are a significant addition to the weight of the armor, which no one needs. The later, most advanced armor of the Milanese type has rounded, streamlined shapes - this is what evolution led to.

Finally, one cannot help but recall such a “brilliant” idea of ​​all game designers as women’s plate cuirasses. Well, with two protuberances for the mammary glands. I think everyone imagines the form. So, these convexities are amazingly convenient for delivering a blow right to the center of the chest. To the sternum and heart. Hit at random - you won’t miss. Real women's cuirasses will be no different from men's. Maybe the cuirasses for especially prominent ladies will simply be a little more spacious in the upper part, but nothing more. In general, you can safely remain silent about plate bikinis, as well as chain mail ones, everything is clear here.

So what about the armor?

The main universal option for heavy armor in fantasy should be chain mail and plate armor, as well as brigandines, which can be considered an intermediate, “middle” option. A character from a more primitive culture may “boast” laminar or even scales. For less affluent adventurers - leather kure boules and lamellas. Light armor is quilted gambesons.

This is for when you go on a hike. If a battle is expected and there is an opportunity to prepare for it, then there is no reason not to put on plate armor. Ideas like “but plate armor will only slow down my super-agile character” should be put to rest. Of course, if the character is going to hang around somewhere in the distance and fire from a bow, then he does not need armor, but if he is expected to participate in close combat, then there are few options. No matter how dexterous a character is, gaining full immunity from most common weapons is expensive. And dexterity is an excellent thing, necessary also in armored combat.

You should also remember about partial protection. Even if a magician needs free hands to weave spells, he can easily wear a chainmail vest, a mirror, and a leather cuirass (kur buli) or the usual steel one on his body. Forearms, which are easy to hit, can also be protected with bracers. And magic robes in general should be made on the basis of gambesons, and not bathrobes.

In modern times, the equipment of an Azeroth resident combines many qualities, such as convenience, practicality, high combat performance, style and many others. Due to this, sometimes making your choice becomes very problematic. Today, members of the Order will share their vision of fashion trends and tell you why they chose this or that set of armor.

Cataclysm Gladiator Armor

- Form? Are you serious? – Ewing raised the leather breastplate in front of her with outstretched arms.

His sleeves were long, and the plate intended to protect his stomach was metal, although covered with thick black leather. (Ewing thought that it looked like a corset that the orc had once seen on human women. And the blood elves, it seemed, sported something similar.) But in other respects, the breastplate resembled a fishing net: interlacing lacing and impressive cutouts on the chest and back.

Trust me,” the foreman adjusted the belt on her hips. “She’s a great distraction.”

Ewing snorted, examining the next piece of armor on offer - a hood grinning with metallic spiked fangs. Yes, putting the braid into it will be a difficult task.

I can say that the story of choosing this set is a story of coincidence. When I first saw this armor on the battlefield, I thought that female orcs with their posture, muscular back, broad shoulders and expressive hips must look wonderful in it. But at the same time, I couldn’t find suitable motifs in the set. It bears the mark of the gloomy madness of the Ancient Gods - this is their purple filth flashing on either claws or tentacles that clasp the entire armor. It’s not for nothing that the arena season, for which this armor was awarded, came out along with the Time of Twilight. A modest Horde soldier - especially not a warrior, but a secretive assassin - would have suited something less provocative. But then the Siege happened, and I saw the Kor'kron assassins fighting alongside General Nazgrim. They all turned out to be women, and this particular set served as their uniform. Well, it was fate - after all, Ewing was supposed to be among these soldiers. Yes, and the Ancient Gods reminded of themselves: with the ringing of chains, trembling from the heartbeat of Y’Shaarj. Although we didn’t really know anything about it. Only I usually take off my hood - the braid is painfully beautiful, it’s a shame to hide it.

Alitushka

Ornate Armor

“So this is the last part of my plan.” It’s time to fulfill your destiny,” Alitushka knelt, and the Black Prince placed an almost weightless cloak on the hunter’s shoulders. “I have nothing more to offer you as a reward.” I did everything in my power. Now everything depends only on you.

The huntress straightened up to her full height and once again towered over Wrathion. I remember that at the first meeting she almost laughed right in his face - such a baby, and already the Prince of Dragons. But she was a sensible troll and held back her laughter with dignity. Alitushka and Wrathion went out onto the balcony of the Mogushan Palace, from where they were given a view that took the hunter’s breath away - right in the middle, above the parapet of the balcony, her translucent projection was levitating. The huntress came closer, and at that moment shining blue wings opened behind the back of the transparent Alitushka. The troll looked at her copy with wide eyes.

Blue…” she could barely say.

I will be waiting for you on the Hidden Staircase when you put an end to Garrosh’s reign,” Wrathion turned into a small, plump dragon and flew away on tiny wings.

Alitushka continued to look at her projection. She walked along the balcony, studying herself from all sides, sat down on the Enchanted Dragon to fly up and examine the balcony from the other side. Then she noticed that in addition to her image, three more heroes were levitating nearby. One of them, a tauren, had bright red wings that reminded the huntress of the wings of a phoenix.

You are my beauty! “Northgard suddenly appeared behind us, its disk, floating on a cloud, moving across the sky completely silently.

But they... are blue! “Alitushka was ready to cry.

Well, yes...” he confirmed to the warlock in bewilderment. - Fighters who wield weapons will have blue ones, fighters who use magic will have green ones, defenders will have black ones, and our Sophocles, like all healers, will have red ones. Wrathion gathers a large army to defeat Garrosh: he gives cloaks to all worthy heroes who pass his tests, which he has somehow already standardized.

Look at me more carefully,” Alitushka turned to North. — It took me so long to assemble this set, selecting all the parts. Wherever I had to climb to get this... ahem... bib. In the summer I wear armor in black, red and gold. And now I have a cloak that opens with blue wings...

My sunshine, don’t be capricious! - With these words, North flew away towards the Sanctuary, leaving Alitushka in frustration.

A week later, Alitushka and Vespilla were sorting out their closets, chests and bags. Vespi complained that she had absolutely nothing to wear and needed bigger bags because the old ones were too small and her dresses and suits wouldn’t fit in them...

In one of the chests, Alitushka found an “Exquisite Cuirass” - a light chain mail breastplate forged from thorium, thanks to which it glowed from the inside with a gentle silver-blue light, and some trim elements were made of gold.

I remember North, seeing this cuirass on me, was speechless for a couple of seconds, but it looked out of place with the rest of my armor,” Alitushka recalled.

Hmm...” Vespi thought about it. - you know, I recently saw this cuirass in Psenia Kobchak’s magazine, she did a review of chain mail sets, including telling which parts of the armor are suitable specifically for this cuirass. I'll find a magazine and bring it to you, and together we'll select a set that's perfect for your new raincoat. Otherwise, it’s painful to look at you - at first I ran for six months, completing the tasks of this black dragon, but I was not satisfied with the reward.

The kit came together pretty quickly. Alitushka already had a cuirass. She stole the belt and gloves at an auction right from under the nose of some elf. Alitushka did not like the boots that Psenia Kobchak suggested wearing with this set; in general, she trusted her own taste more than the trends of modern fashion. Therefore, the huntress earned her boots by completing a couple of simple tasks in the Netherstorm. He and Vespi chose the shoulder pads by brute force, trying on everything they came across along the way.

The greaves could only be obtained in Black Mountain, and Alitushka asked Northgard to help her with the search. He looked at her discouraged for several seconds from behind a stack of books, then his face cleared up and he called for Gribbly. Hearing the task, the knight of Acherus changed his face, but the warlock quickly calmed him down, reminding him how many beautiful and, most importantly, expensive things can be found there. Greed has already destroyed more than one goblin, and the knight of Acherus, riding his rocket, flew to the Eastern Kingdoms. Just a few days later, he solemnly handed over the leggings to Alitushka, having dug for a long time in a voluminous bag larger than himself.

Alitushka did not like helmets. For some reason, it was believed that hunters should be clad in chain mail and scale armor, as if they were warriors of the first line. "I'm a hunter, not a soldier!" - she constantly said, sorting through all kinds of helmets, hats, horned skulls and other equipment unsuitable for a hunter. At some point, she came across a strange eye patch at an auction. Instead of the usual piece of skin that should cover the empty eye socket, there was a strange translucent lens. The huntress tried on the bandage and, to her surprise, found a thin crosshair applied to the inner surface. Taking the bow out from behind her back, she saw that the sight was moving, depending on the direction of the bow. “Wonderful thing, comfortable,” thought Alitushka. At least not horns...

The only problem was with the crossbow. Alitushka was proud that all her bows and crossbows matched her clothes, as if they were created especially for her, but finding a silver-blue crossbow with gilding was not easy. Vespi threw up her hands - Psenia’s magazine did not write anything about crossbows: the socialite preferred to discuss outfits rather than weapons. Northgard also could not help - his artistic taste left much to be desired, and for himself, a warlock of destruction, he would not go further than a staff with a red-hot end. Alitushka was gloomily sorting through old files of magazines in the library of Orgrimmar, not at all hoping to find anything, when she suddenly came across an old note from the time of the opening of the Black Portal. It described a crossbow that the ghostly hunter Attumen from Karazhan sometimes carried with him. It was an ancient High Elven crossbow, usually shaped like a hawk or phoenix. Long-term exposure to the magical powers of Karazhan turned it silver - it would hardly be possible to find another like it. "Here it is!" — the huntress wondered how a crossbow would look behind her back, with open light blue wings. It seems to have worked out harmoniously. A few days later she was already flying from Kamenor to Karazhan.

Valeira

Bone Scythe Armor

Interesting armor you have! — Argental looked at Valeira with interest. - Who did you take it from?

From a corpse,” the robber responded gloomily.

The armor was quite old, but it was clear that the owner was taking care of it. It was torn in several places, but sewn up neatly. It was a black leather uniform with a golden pattern, quite simple and comfortable. The neat shoulder pads not only did not restrict movement, but also did not try to stick into your head when you raised your arms. Loops were made in the shoulder pads where throwing knives were attached, thanks to which the latter, if necessary, very quickly and very effectively scattered around the robber. The gloves were high and, judging by the thickening, additional protection was sewn into them, allowing one to parry attacks with the forearm without fear of serious injury. The elf's right eye was covered with a bandage - the eye had not yet fully recovered from the injuries received during the attack. On the bandage where the eye should have been was a skull with crossbones.

Well, it’s true, I didn’t completely remove it... Let’s put it this way. Somehow I was brought to Northrend on business... - Valeira thought for a moment. - Just on business. So, I decided to visit the ruins of Naxxramas. I heard many stories about those places from our mutual friend and wanted to see it all with my own eyes. It was restless in the ruins - not all the undead were eliminated, and no wonder - this is a whole city. It is very difficult to clear it completely... So at some point in time I had to look for a place to hide. And I came across an old warehouse with armor. Almost all of them were damaged by time and poor storage conditions, but... I was lucky to find one set that suited me perfectly. They are perfect for both covert movement behind enemy lines and in the thick of battle,” Valeira tossed the dagger in her hand and smiled. — Any more questions?

Argental nodded affirmatively and pointed his finger at the dagger in the elf’s hands.

This is an orc dagger. The work is good, but rather rough. Doesn't suit you very well, I think.

“And this dagger is dear to me as a memory,” the robber said seriously. “I received it on the day when I carried out Chiyva’s order, which became for me a kind of test for joining the Order of the Guardians. It was in Shadowmoon Valley, in Outland. If it weren’t for Chiyva and Oronok, an orc from the valley, we would hardly be talking to you now. Oronok gave me this dagger in memory of his son, who died in those events. Having already returned home, I ordered an exact copy of it for myself so that I could wear a pair of identical daggers.

Yes-ah...” Argental drawled and sighed enviously. “But my armor and weapons cannot boast of such a history.” An ordinary warlock's robe...

“You still have everything ahead,” Valeira patted him on the shoulder encouragingly. - Well, enough chatting, let's go, great things await us! — the robber pointed to a huge mechanical scorpion, frozen at the gates of Orgrimmar.

Legendary

Diving suit

The diving suit is one of the best acquisitions of the renounced Legendary. It combines sophisticated style and incredible functionality. The tight outfit not only makes swimming easier, but also serves as a frame for the decomposing body. In addition, the bathyscaphe helmet, for which Legend has mastered engineering skills, perfectly masks rotten breath. Well, it allows you to breathe underwater, of course. Among other things, this helmet creates intrigue. In fact, maybe there is something attractive hidden behind it? In general, those around them stopped shying away in different directions from the ugly undead.

Legendary's staff was originally an ordinary stick, but after a long stay in the water it changed: it turned green, grew tentacles and began to feed on plankton. There are rumors about a hidden effect of this staff... It supposedly deals 150% more damage to Pandaren schoolgirls. Unfortunately, there has not yet been an opportunity to test these guesses.

A geyser gun is an integral part of a diving suit. With its help, you can quickly cool parts of the body that have been burned in battle, usually the fifth point... Outside of battle, this unit is also useful, because it brings variety to the daily wandering of the renunciate around the capitals. Now, instead of cutting circles around the Sanctuary of Two Moons, she diligently douses passers-by with a geyser gun. At such moments, Legendarily happy, and it seems that her life is filled with the deepest meaning.

Yuvakiti

Flight uniform

The druid's adventures began at a time when Illidan was terrorizing Outland with all his might. Everything was a little slower back then: levels grew slower, gold was earned slower, heroes moved around the world slower, since personal mounts were a luxury, not transportation. And I didn’t want to run somewhere headlong: before my eyes there was an amazing world that I wanted to look at and explore, climb into every corner and discover all the blank spots on the map.

And then, after 67 levels of contemplating the world from the bottom up, the druid was able to turn into a bird and fly. Do not move from point A to point B over the heads of monsters, but fly. It's just an amazing feeling! And besides, instant transformation is a signature Druid trick (and no one and a half seconds...). It all gave a feeling of freedom, and it was wonderful. Naturally, the main goal was not “farming clothes,” but a quest for the epic bird form (which, among other things, included collecting sprouts from large mushrooms in Zangarmash and a fight with Anzu himself, who was more difficult than other raid bosses today). Flying into Outland and this epic quest are the most vivid memories of those times.

However, under the Lich King, the elf was turned into a killing machine and Druidry was forgotten in favor of the skills of the Death Knight. However, despite the fact that she can no longer fly on her own, in the form of a bird, she retains memories of flight and a wonderful sense of freedom.

Bernandine

Vanguard armor

The name of this “combat” set is Vanguard. Unfortunately or fortunately, this set does not have an interesting storyline or origin. Perhaps the only distinctive features of this armor are the long and tedious search for all parts of the suit (hence the desire to own it) and the maximum frankness of the outfit, putting everything on display. True, I will still tell you about the details of searching for some parts of clothing, as this may be useful for a new applicant.

First of all - an axe! His name is the Sharpened Ax of the Abyss. It has a unique animation that is not found anywhere else in all of Azeroth. But the most important and honorable thing is that the hunter Mordenai walks with them across the fields of the Wings of the Void. You can still find him there today. This alone is worth it! You can get this beauty by completing a series of tasks in Nagrand, under the general name – Ring of Blood.

Secondly, the bib. The peculiarity of Vanguard armor is that all its parts drop out with a negligible chance (the gold cost of the pleasure is corresponding). Often the only way to complete the puzzle is to check the auction for new items in the search bar under the name “Vanguard”. As you might guess, the bank will not give you a chance to buy everything at once. At best, you will find a couple of attributes of this equipment in your world, and the rest of its parts will be a matter of chance. Personally, I collected all the parts while traveling around two worlds (there was a shopping trip). But now let's return to our bib. I'll tell you how to get this particular part of the kit without wasting time and money on it! The whole trick is that exactly the same model of armor can be obtained for completing a task in Outland! And yes! A fair amount of time was spent searching for such a match. And here it is, on a silver platter. The name of the find is the Breastplate of the Void Defender. Even the name of this thing, in my opinion, is sweeter than the original.

Thirdly – ​​shoulder pads. Yes, they are not part of the original Vanguard armor set. The choice is mine. I didn't like the originals. The shoulders are called the pauldrons of Edward the Strange. With their search, things are not as critical as with everything else. I’ll just add that the thing has its own unique animation and looks quite nice in action.

And finally - the Crown of Foretold Destiny. Again, instead of the original headdress, which is too original. Thanks to Valeira for helping me with his weekly haul. You can get the crown from the Incarnation of Wrath, in the Black Temple. The chances of getting lucky are 19 percent every week.

Oh yes! Why is the armor set “combat” in the end? Because it is an excellent camouflage against inexperienced fighters on the battlefield. The Death Knight is very often visually confused with a paladin. More than once it played into our hands.