What have people's experiences been with either the Milanese or Cherbourgh plate armor offered by Get Dressed For Battle? How well do they fit and function? How's the build quality and durability? Also, what vendors out there are producing good plate?

I have GDFB's European Breastplate. I got it to replace a total fantasy breastplate I have, but once I bought it I immediately started looking again. It is certainly wearable, but the fit was very awkward, and it looked even less well-fitting than it actually was. Structurally it's solid, and fit is the only complaint I had, but it was a major one. Just not very pleasant to wear, all in all.

Jean, how do you like the Mercenary's Taylor bits?

Thanks for the input guys, I was afraid that the GDFB stuff would be one size fits few. I do like their helms though, having examined them up close. Who makes good plate at prices not too far above GDFB?

The option isn't listed on the MT site, but Allan is making me a single-piece breast with fauld for just under $200, shipped. Hard to go wrong there, I think. : )

I have the gauntlets from the GDFB "Churburg harness".
Mine are quite constrictive and wouldn't allow you to grip a sword. They would have to be modified if they were to be used in any sort of live-sparring. (I use mine for display.)

Thanks folks. Yes, I'm looking for usable armour that doesn't have to be highly finished. I just need it to fit well and not bite me when I'm moving at full chat. Just like during the middle ages, true custom fitted armour made to order was frightfully expensive and took armorers years to construct. I can do without some of the frills and don't mind if modern production methods are used. The sword I have is an Albion 15th cent type XVa, the sharp of which is called the Mercenary, so it would follow that I should look to the Mercenary's Taylor for armour. I'd like to put together a reasonable kit that would have been seen at Agincourt but without having to expend Henry V's royal budget.

On that subject, I'm torn as far as helmets go. I've always wanted a hundsgugel visored bascinet but I'm concerned they would have been a bit passe' by 1415. Of course i could always remove the visor and go open faced with a gorget instead of the aventail, and just use the visor when I'm home late at night (chuckle). I could also go with that good 'ole standby the chapel de fer over a maille coif. What say all of you? I'm sure that many of the men at Agincourt were not necessarily dressed in the latest Milanese war fashions, so I think a bit of back dating might be reasonable.

Yeah, a houndskull is totally feasable at Agincourt. Outdated armour (even by agincourt a houndskull wouldn't go in that category) didn't simply vanish off the face of the earth ;)
Especially if you are sporting MercTailor plate, that would be a nice look. MercTailor plate wouldn't work for anyone portraying a Duke or Earl or rich knight, but it's perfect for those portraying lower gentry, wealthy(er) commoners, well-equipped mercenaries, those in a retinue. and that's exactly the sort that would be likely seen with a houndskull at this time.
It also just has a good fighting "look" to it. You know? :cool:

yea, I have to agree with nathan. Houndskulls would still have been worn, possibly even by the knights who weren't necesarily poor.

"This helmet suited me good 20 years ago and there's nothing wrong with it!"

In Christopher Gravetts book "Knight, Noble warrior of england 1200 - 1600" theres a spotlight on agincourt, and 2 of the 4 main figures in the illustration wear the houndskull, ones a dead french knight and the other an englishman wearing a brigandine.

Yes, I'm working my way through that very book currently and the Agincourt side bar does have those illustrated. I am leaning toward the aforementioned bascinet, a brig with jupon, plate arms and legs over a short hauberk and arming jacket. Arms will probably be my type XVa, a war hammer, misericord, and a yet to be decided pole arm.

I've noticed that some 14th cent illustrations depict axes that are still very close to the venerable Dane axe, although I know that the poleaxe in various guises was becoming widespread by 1415. I've hefted the A&A "Knightly Poleaxe" and I wasn't all that impressed. It was quite heavy and cumbersome, did not fit in my hand very well (too thick and square), and the little vamplate or hand guard was annoying and prevented me from sliding the haft easily in my hands from guard to guard. Whereas the A&A Dane axe was light, well balanced and lent itself very well to the Japanese pole arms techniques that I have been trained in. So the question would be; would the Dane axe be totally out of line in an Agincourt scenario?

An English bill or a glaive would work for that era as well, but I think they were probably more for the yeoman conscript or specialist trooper than most of the nobility. Although a merc could have whatever he had managed to pick up on campaign. Plus I just don't think that either of those have the groovy factor of the Dane or poleaxe.

If you want a pole axe without the rondel guard, windlass sells one, you can find it on KoA for $119

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=...e=Pole+Axe

It has more of a crescent shaped axe head rather than A&A's flat edge, and a back spike instead of a hammer.

Yeah,
I looked at the Windlass one too and wasn't impressed with the metal bits, in particular I found the top spike a bit flimsy looking and didn't have much confidence in it surviving a full weight thrust in something that pushes back like plate or a brig. While I haven't personally played with the A&A Burgundian poleaxe, if it's like most of A&A's stuff it's probably pretty robust and it's lighter and cheaper than the (Kira)"Knightly" one.

Still wonder what everyone's opinion is on the Dane axe looking out of place with an Agincourt kit.

The long-hafted axe of the "Dane Axe" type continued in use up to about 1600, albeit in a pretty isolated cultural context (Irish Gallowglass) so it's certainly feasible for the early 15th. Cultural/geographic feasibility for Agincourt is a different consideration and I can't help much there. Bear in mind that the halberd "evolved" from the long axe due to the axe's weakness below the socket. First you got an extended lower end pinned to the haft (think bardiche), then that pinned end turned into a second socket. Then you reconfigured the top of the blade to allow more efficient thrusting. Back spikes were added between the sockets and finally the sockets and back spike merged to form a single socket and langets help strengthen the part of the haft that was the Dane axe's weakenss. To carry a long axe at Agincourt is to be behind the times, technologically, but I personally would make it a point not to stand opposite you. :-) I have read that some special U.S. units in Iraq favor the Colt 1911 design and cartridge although they could have anything they want, from slingshots to laser-guided vampire bats.

The more I've thought about it, the more I see the Dane as a bit of stretch for this scenario. I'm still going to get one for my own amusement, but I think the Agincourt rig will probably have the Burgundian poleaxe. Although the long axe could do for a Cr'ecy kit.

An aside; many operators in USSOCOM went back to the M1911 in .45 ACP in the early '90's after their less than heart warming experiences with the M9 in 9X19mm. The trend continues today with other makes of .45's now in use as well, particularly the H&K USP and Glock 21sf. I'm afraid we Yankee infidels just haven't tired of the idea of one large slug dropping the Tango instead of needing to empty 15 rounds into the poor schmuck. PS, we also are not using the Geneva friendly full metal jacket loads for said pistols anymore either; the tactical situation in the sand box simply demands the stopping power of a decent hollow point munition, sorry UN.

"We can rest easy in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm."
George Orwell

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