Editing Armament (section)

==Armor==
Armor in [[Seven Kingdoms]] is commonly forged from iron and steel. The style of armor is most reminiscent of the [[w:Hundred Years' War|Hundred Years' War]], but [[George R. R. Martin]] also looked back to the [[w:Crusades|Crusades]].<ref name=YMQ>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/1250/ Yet More Questions], July 22, 2001</ref> Occasionally one may find an ancient piece of armor forged from bronze, but that is a great rarity today. Advanced full plate and scale armor, made of relatively light weight steel, is also available to those with the proper funds. 

Additional ornamentation can be quite elaborate. Common methods involve paints, enamels, or bluing the steel. A truly skilled blacksmith, however, can work color into the metal itself to ensure that it does not chip or flake off. Such work is expensive and can be afforded only by the nobility. 

The most effective, and expensive, armor is plate armor, which consists of a number of shaped plates of steel fitted to the body. Plate is normally worn over chainmail and an undercoat padded leather. Mails can be single-chain or double-chain.{{Ref|THK}} Those who cannot afford plate may wear chainmail and leather, and this coverage still provides good protection. It is also common to wear only partial plate; a plate helm, for example, is common, as are breastplates and gorgets. Scale armor is also known but considerably less common. Armor made of boiled leather is sometimes worn by itself, particularly by scouts and levied men-at-arms. While better than nothing, it cannot stop an on-target sword blow, whereas plate armor can.

Plate armor is more common in southern regions like the [[Reach]], while mail is more the rule in the [[north]]. The [[free folk]] who live [[beyond the Wall]] are more primitively armored.<ref name=YMQ/> [[Dornishmen]] use a lot of [[copper]] armor for ornamental purposes, as it shines in the [[sun]].<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/1226 Ibben and Armor], November 09, 2002</ref> A new hauberk of mail, gorget, greaves, and greathelm made by a good smith can cost eight hundred [[currency|silver stags]].{{Ref|THK}} Sailors clad themselves lightly in armor to avoid drowning.{{ref|AFFC|29}}

[[File:Plate armor.png|thumb|Plate armor schematic]]

===Armor Types===
* Padded armor is made of leather or canvas which has been stuffed with cloth. This can be worn by itself, often called a [[w:gambeson|gambeson]], but is essential when wearing mail in order to absorb blows more readily.{{Ref|aGoT|26}}
* [[w:boiled leather|Boiled leather]] is a thick leather, boiled in water, and usually worn under mail. Such leather is dressed with oil to retain its flexibility. Boiled leather set very hard and can be moulded into rounded pieces to protect shoulders, elbows and knees.{{Ref|aCoK|31}} Most freeriders use boiled leather.{{ref|ACOK|31}}
* A [[w:brigandine|brigandine]] or jack is a cloth garment, generally canvas or leather, lined with small oblong steel plates riveted to the fabric.
* A [[w:hauberk|hauberk]] is a [[w:chain mail|chainmail]] shirt which includes sleeves and can extend as low as the knees. The hauberk is typically constructed of interlocking whoops of metal sewn into a shirt or a tunic. The sleeves of a hauberk often reach the elbow, though the sleeve length varies. The hauberk tends to be made of iron rings, and is generally worn over a padded undercoat, or boiled leather.{{Ref|aGoT|15}}
* A byrnie is also made of chainmail. Byrnies are generally distinguished from hauberks by their sleeve length, as a byrnie has only short sleeves. There are doubts about the exact definition (and length) of a historical byrnie, but both in Westeros and in history byrnies are some variety of armor jacket or a shirt. While the [[First Men]] of antiquity wore byrnies of bronze scales,{{ref|TWOIAF|The Vale}} modern Westerosi wear mail byrnies.{{ref|ASOS|70}}{{ref|ADWD|12}}
* [[w:scale armour|Scale armor]] is a garment with hundreds of small plates stitched and riveted onto it.{{Ref|aGoT|15}}
* [[w:plate armour|Plate armor]] is worn over mail and a padded surcoat. Large rondels protect the juncture of arm and breast.{{Ref|aGoT|40}} The vulnerable points are at the less protected joints, places at elbows, knees, and beneath the arms.{{Ref|aSoS|70}}

===Headwear===
* A [[w:great helm|greathelm]] is a cylindrical helm which protects the warrior's head. It has small slits for eyes and breathing and ventilation,{{Ref|aGoT|31}}, but they can impede sight and breathing. Greathelms can have flat tops{{ref|ACOK|61}} or be rounded to better deflect blows.{{Ref|THK}} Some nobles decorate the crests of their greathelms.{{ref|AGOT|62}}{{ref|ACOK|45}}
* A [[w:nasal helmet|halfhelm]] is a round helm covering the top of the head, often incorporating a nasal guard.{{Ref|aGoT|40}}<ref name=YMQ/>
* A [[w:kettle hat|kettle helm]]{{Ref|aSoS|73}} or pothelm{{ref|ACOK|11}} is made of metal in the shape of a brimmed hat, resembling a cooking pot.
* A [[w:bascinet|bascinet]] is an open-faced helm.{{ref|TMK}}
* [[w:Cervelliere|Steel caps]] are often worn by guardsmen.{{ref|AGOT|27}}{{ref|AGOT|50}}{{ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Overthrown}} Some men-at-arms wear [[w:Spangenhelm|conical steel caps]].{{ref|AGOT|31}} The [[Unsullied]] wear spiked caps.{{ref|ASOS|23}}
* [[w:mail coif|Mail coif]] is a hood of chainmail.{{ref|AGOT|40}}
* [[Dornishmen]] wind scarfs around their helmets to prevent sunstroke.{{ref|ASOS|38}}
* Some warriors wear fantastical helms,<ref name=YMQ/> such as the [[lion]] helmet of [[Jaime Lannister]],{{ref|AGOT|30}} the [[hound]] helm of [[Sandor Clegane]],{{ref|AGOT|9}} and the [[unicorn|horsehead]] helm of Ser [[Flement Brax]].{{ref|AGOT|56}}

<gallery caption="Types of Helms" mode="packed" style="border: 1px solid #c8ccd1; background-color: #f8f9fa;">
File:Steel_cap.png | Halfhelm
File:Bassinet without visor.png | A visorless helmet
File:Greathelm_Pot_helm.png | A relatively primitive type of greathelm
File:Greathelm Visor.png | Greathelm
File:Greathelm.png | A flat-topped greathelm
</gallery>

===Other Armor Components===
[[File:Northmen reading for battle.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Northmen]] readying for battle, from ''[[Game of Thrones]]'' Blu-ray]]
* The [[w:breastplate|breastplate]] protects the torso from injury. Nobles sometimes decorate their breastplates.{{ref|AGOT|4}}{{ref|AGOT|34}}{{ref|AGOT|39}}
* A [[w:gorget|gorget]] is a steel collar that protects the neck.{{Ref|aGoT|40}}
* [[w:rondel (armour)|Rondels]] are circular pieces of metal used for the protection of vulnerable points. They typically cover the junctures of arm and breast.{{Ref|aGoT|40}}
* [[w:glove|Gloves]] are protective coverings for hands.{{Ref|aGoT|35}} They are often made of leather or mail to offer additional protection,{{Ref|aGoT|63}} and iron discs can be sewn into the fingers.{{ref|AGOT|40}}
* [[w:gauntlet (glove)|Gauntlets]] are large metal gloves that cover the hand from fingers to forearm. They are generally made of steel plate.
* Metal skirts are designed to protect the upper legs and lower torso. They generally cover the body from waist to mid thigh.{{Ref|aGoT|40}}
* [[w:greave|Greaves]] cover the lower legs.{{Ref|aGoT|35}}
* [[w:boot|Boots]] are generally made of leather, but the ones worn by knights are made of metal to provide protection.{{Ref|aGoT|62}} Some leather boots can have steel shinguards.{{ref|AGOT|40}} [[w:spur|Spurs]] are worn on the heel of boots to direct a [[horse]].
* [[w:Spaulder|Spaulders]] and [[w:pauldron|pauldrons]] protect the wearer's shoulders.{{ref|ASOS|70}}{{ref|AFFC|38}}
* [[w:vambrace|Vambraces]] are tubular protection for the forearm.{{ref|ACOK|47}}
* [[w:Couter|Couters]] and [[w:poleyn|poleyns]] are worn over elbows{{ref|TMK}} and knees,{{ref|ASOS|38}} respectively.
* The [[w:codpiece|codpiece]] protects the wearer's groin.{{ref|AGOT|50}}{{ref|ASOS|70}}{{ref|THK}}
* A [[w:doublet (clothing)|doublet]] is a close-fitting man's jacket often worn under other attire, such as hauberks or jerkins. Padded doublets can provide some protection.{{ref|AGOT|26}} Nobles often have their [[heraldry|arms]] embroidered on their doublets.{{ref|AGOT|7}}{{ref|AGOT|20}}{{ref|AFFC|27}}
* [[w:Jerkins|Jerkins]] are another type of jacket which can be worn over doublets. Leather jerkins are often worn by archers.{{ref|AGOT|62}}{{ref|ACOK|38}} Jerkins can be studded with iron,{{ref|ACOK|31}}{{ref|ACOK|50}} silver,{{ref|ASOS|66}} bronze,{{ref|ADWD|31}} or have overlapping iron discs.{{ref|ACOK|46}} [[Crannogmen]] might wear jerkins with bronze scales.{{ref|ACOK|1}} Less protective jerkins might be made from doeskin{{ref|ASOS|22}}{{ref|ASOS|32}} or sheepskin.{{ref|ASOS|33}} Jerkins can be sleeveless.{{ref|AGOT|70}}{{ref|AFFC|18}}
* A [[w:surcoat|surcoat]] is a coat worn over armor or other clothes. Nobles also often have their [[heraldry|arms]] depicted on their surcoats.{{ref|AGOT|7}}{{ref|AGOT|26}}{{ref|ACOK|63}}{{ref|AFFC|14}}

===Shields===
[[File:Bannermen sketch i by tribemun.jpg|thumb|300px|[[House Stark|Stark]] and [[House Greyjoy|Greyjoy]] bannermen sketches by Tribemun ©]]
Since [[w:round shield|round shields]] are specifically observed by some [[POV characters]], the typical [[Westeros]]i shield would appear to be a [[w:heater shield|heater shield]]. Although in real life knights rarely used shields alongside full plate armor, Martin has Westerosi knights utilize shields for aesthetic purposes.<ref name=YMQ/> [[Heraldry|Coats of arms]] are typically depicted on shields.
* Shields made of pine and linden are inexpensive and lightweight, and an enemy's weapon can catch in pine.{{ref|AFFC|9}}{{ref|AFFC|29}} Wooden shields can be used for practice.{{ref|ACOK|30}} The [[Summer Isles|Summer Islanders]] use wooden shields.{{ref|TWOIAF|Beyond the Free Cities: The Summer Isle}}
* Shields of wood banded with iron are more durable.{{ref|AGOT|26}}{{ref|AGOT|53}} [[Oak]] shields offer significant protection if the wielder is strong.{{ref|AFFC|9}} Tall triangular shields of heavy oak dotted with iron studs offer a great deal of protection, but they can be taxing to use.{{ref|AGOT|40}}
* The [[Kingsguard]] use heavy oaken shields,{{ref|AFFC|21}} and spearmen sometimes wield tall oaken shields in their [[w:shield wall|shield walls]].{{ref|AGOT|62}} The [[lockstep legions]] of the [[Old Empire of Ghis]] used tall shields and three spears.{{ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Rise of Valyria}}
* Leather shields are more likely to be used by rabble.{{ref|AFFC|25}}
* Round leathern shields are used by [[free folk]]{{ref|ASOS|55}} and [[crannogmen]].{{ref|ACOK|21}} Free folk stretch leather over wicker.{{ref|ACOK|68}}
* [[Thenns]] use shields of black boiled leather with bronze rims and bosses.{{ref|ASOS|55}}
* [[Dornishmen]] carry round shields{{ref|ASOS|38}} of metal, like steel{{ref|ASOS|70}} or steel and copper.{{ref|AFFC|2}}
* [[w:Kite shield|Kite shields]] are a style considered old-fashioned since [[Aegon's Conquest]],{{ref|AFFC|36}} although they are used on occasion,{{ref|TSS}}{{ref|TMK}} particularly by the [[Warrior's Sons]].{{ref|AFFC|36}}
* [[Ibbenese]] use shaggy brown shields.{{ref|ASOS|39}}
* The [[Rhoynar]] of old used [[turtle]]-shell shields.{{ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: Ten Thousand Ships}}