Histoical accuracy regarding chainmail

[PrisonPhish]

Okay, I searched the forums and couldn't find an answer to this question (obviously couldn't find it on Google either). I was wondering this, "Is chainmail under a tabard accurate dress for a 14th or 15th century English Longbowman." I know that I have seen longbowmen with chainmail in representations by Hollywood and video game industries, but I was wondering if longbowmen would actually wear chainmail.

Ahead of time, Thanks
Mitchell

[Teej]

Gambesons, maybe leather accessories here and there at best. Anything greater than leather would seem to be an unnecessary hindrance and expense for those not meant for melee conventions.

In Bel, you'd want to shoot for a leather kit IMHO and you will generally find yourself in melee combat a lot more than your historical counterparts.

[PrisonPhish]

Hmmm... Thanks, I guess. But leather isn't armor by Belegarth rules is it? Then maybe a skirmisher might be better than an archer and wear chain after all.

[Derian]

Leather of at least 3/16" thick is indeed armor.

[PrisonPhish]

Ah... Thanks again! Just read the rulebook again.

[Ragefire]

Honestly, the only reason to wear metal in this game is for looks. Leather gives the same benefit and is way better to fight in if it's made right. Metal does offer real world protection, but they ARE foam weapons.

[warwell]

As Teej said, longbowmen would typically wear a padded jack (gambeson). However, I have read some secondary sources that note that during the 100 Years War, English archers would scavenge armor from dead French knights. I just pulled out Osprey's "Henry V and the Conquest of France, 1416-53" and it shows an English archer wearing a padded jack over mail with plate leg armor. So chain mail is a possibility.

Again, to echo Teej, leather is your best bet in Bel. Archers in Bel generally do not seem to form en masse as the English longbowmen did. Instead Bel archers are skirmishers, and mobility is important for successful skirmishing.

YIS,
Rufus of Dragon Coast

[PrisonPhish]

Thanks for all of the responses guys! I think that while mobility is indeed important, having a piece of armor that looks bloody cool and also doubles as zombie bite protection is going to be my best bet... :-) .

[Black Cat]

I think that while mobility is indeed important, having a piece of armor that looks bloody cool and also doubles as zombie bite protection is going to be my best bet... :-) .