The 15th century saw plate armour production expand well beyond the wealthy knightly class, as improved manufacturing techniques and armouring centres made partial plate defences more widely accessible to ordinary infantry. A foot soldier’s half armour typically combined a breastplate with basic shoulder and upper-body protection, giving genuine defensive value without the cost, weight, or fitting complexity of a full articulated harness. This reproduction recreates that practical standard in 18-gauge steel.
Foot Soldier Half Armour, 18-Gauge Steel
As armour technology advanced through the 15th century, body protection became increasingly essential even for ordinary foot soldiers, not just the mounted knight. This half armour, worked in 18-gauge steel, offers that practical standard of torso protection without the weight or expense of a complete knightly harness. It reflects the genuine spread of plate armour down through the ranks of the medieval infantry as the technology matured and production scaled up.
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