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[NullForceOmega]

I'm with Erkki on this one GUNIN, the intent wasn't 'you shouldn't be fighting these guys' (that is a topic for a different thread I think), the intent was, 'don't treat fighting these guys as the be all end all of war, or when the real thing shows up you'll get wrecked'.

[Parsely]

Oh well of course. But it's not like the US doesn't anticipate or plan for other conflicts while they're involved in another one. They've been playing global war games since 1986, and the scenario is never "coalition forces versus insurgency in Afghanistan", it's World War 3. My point is that the US doesn't become completely blind to all threats simply because they're involved in a shooting war with someone.

[mainiac]

Is this still related to assault rifles?

[Erkki]

Is this still related to assault rifles?

I'm not sure. It was supposed to be about modern day vs. medieval body armor usefulness I guess. 

[Tack]

Yep. Ceramic plates vs. AKs and Kevlar vs Carbines, Cast-Iron plate vs Longbows and Steel plate vs Crossbows.

Speaking of which, how hardcore were the bolts on crossbows? Would they penetrate a wooden shield and still injure the knight behind it?

[NullForceOmega]

A heavy crossbow quarrel would stand a decent chance of doing so I believe, it had about the force of a .30 cal and around the same contact area.

Edit: not likely to retain enough velocity to penetrate heavy plate armor tho'.  Chain?  Possibly.

[Urist McScoopbeard]

I'm pretty sure most missile weapons of the medieval era could penetrate shields. At least to the extent of wounding. Towards the late medieval and early renaissance periods, less so, but still shields were, maybe surprisingly, not the best defense against period ranged weaponry. They were designed to slow strikes though, which is big positive.

Interms of pure penetration, yes, crossbows and bows could probably fully penetrate shields close to 100% of the time head-on, not taking in to account deflections, but unless the bolt/arrow went through your forearm, it was also probably unlikely to seriously harm you if you were a soldier during the medieval time period.

Of course, that's the ideal, I imagine there was also a fair chance of the bolt/arrow just missing the shield and hitting you in the leg or neck, and earlier shields were kind of floppy pieces of balsa wood.

[Loud Whispers]

If armor couldn't protect against arrow fire why did they wear armor?

The high quality armour could most of the time, check the article - in battles where the French were not hindered by terrain, their frontline infantry (consisting of noblemen best able to afford the best steel and best armour) were essentially physically unaffected by longbow arrows. Also there's a minor note alongside all the caveats that isn't mentioned but I saw somewhere else, a Knight wearing wrought iron armour or hit at a weak point charging on horseback is a fast moving object colliding with a fast moving object, which would certainly help things (assuming the horse isn't killed, horses weren't as well armoured).

Yep. Ceramic plates vs. AKs and Kevlar vs Carbines, Cast-Iron plate vs Longbows and Steel plate vs Crossbows.

Cast iron would not be used for plate armour, it is too brittle

[Tack]

Right, Wrought. Thanks.

Also you'd also wear armor for the deflection chance.
Better to shave a few links off your maile than shave a few inches off your thigh.

Probably the only reason for the kettle helmets- the 'just in case' factor.

[Arx]

I was about to say. Cast would suck. Wrought is only a little better, cause it's pretty soft. Kettle hats have the merit that if you tuck your head, arrows are likely to glance.

[Parsely]

Sallets and kettle helmets were always worn with a bevor if possible. You're begging to be shot in the throat if you're not wearing one.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Edit: Actually I think bevors with kettle hats is ahistorical.

Here's a really cool helmet chart as well:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Arx]

Bevor with kettle hat strikes me as certainly not a thing. The helmet is completely the wrong shape.

[Tack]

Also, if it's one thing we've learned from the kevlar/ceramic debate, rank-and-file infantrymen will usually prefer comfort to protection.

[Rolepgeek]

You don't always need protection. You always need comfort.

[mainiac]

You don't always need protection. You always need comfort.

Probably the least successful slogan Trojan ever tried.