Misconceptions on Equipment Effectiveness

authored by Centurion Gaius Atrades; Officer in Command, 3rd Century, 10th Cohort, 7th Legion

It has become a common misconception among many in this day and age that the effectiveness of armor and weaponry is simplistically linear, increasing with the introduction of more advanced or sophisticated materials in the making. However, as any blacksmith worth the title or soldier who has tasted battle can tell you, this assumption is blatantly false. If the quality and effectiveness of equipment were based solely on the material rather than the make, then indeed why would there even be different forms of arms and armor? While superior materials may offer increased durability, a slightly sharper edge, or a lesser chance of penetration, the manner in which weapons and armor are designed and fashioned hold far more importance than what they are made of. Indeed, would you expect a dagger of ebony to be of more use on the battlefield than a sturdy iron spear? Or an orichalc hauberk to offer more protection than full steel plate?

It is more often than not the case that weapons and armor fashioned from such "greater" materials as ebony or malachite are more ornamental than practical, fashioned by blacksmiths who have never had to expect that their works might be used in battle, for noblemen who seek little more than symbols of status and wealth. There is a reason that the blacksmiths of the Legion, and indeed most major military organizations in Tamriel, rely on reliable steel rather than spending inordinate amounts of coin on other materials: fashioned properly, it will prove just as effective, if not moreso, than the flashy and often scarcely used arms and armor worn by the wealthy. Have faith in your equipment, Legionnaire, as the quality of its make is unquestionable, and has saved the lives of more men and women than you can care to count.