tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post146031524597670456..comments2024-03-28T07:57:49.338+00:00Comments on Poul Anderson Appreciation: Percheron EtcKetlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08588156788583883454noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post-70468921141974054072017-01-27T15:45:06.750+00:002017-01-27T15:45:06.750+00:00Dear Mr. Stirling,
Granted that a strong, trained...Dear Mr. Stirling,<br /><br />Granted that a strong, trained, and experienced knight or man at arms could wear 60 lbs. of armor for hours, we do see mention in your own books that armor could still be WEARING. That is, hours of use and/or fighting in armor would wear any soldier down. To say nothing of how hot such men soon would be if the weather was warm!<br /><br />But, of course you know that! And, for that matter, armor has been making something of a comeback, made from materials like Kevlon (or Kevlar?). Designed to give soldiers SOME protection from small arms and even explosives.<br /><br />SeanSean M. Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13973738112230622557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post-31140044403566793412017-01-27T09:41:11.155+00:002017-01-27T09:41:11.155+00:00Mr Stirling,
Both the Martian surface as presented...Mr Stirling,<br />Both the Martian surface as presented in science fiction and the past as presented in historical fiction change as knowledge increases.<br />Paul.Paul Shackleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04180596532266581425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3538502828554372917.post-81555023613492411522017-01-27T07:51:47.253+00:002017-01-27T07:51:47.253+00:00It's a common misperception that knight's ...It's a common misperception that knight's horses were gigantic. Horses specifically bred to carry men-at-arms were usually big, but not huge, and their conformation was more or less like an Irish Hunter or Hanoverian Warmblood today -- they needed to be fast, and reasonably agile. By contrast the draught breeds are designed for pulling power. At the (early 1950's) date Poul was writing THREE HEARTS AND THREE LIONS (which is a masterpiece), the details weren't commonly known.<br /><br />Also, armor wasn't that heavy. A complete suit of 15th-century plate weighed about 60lbs (say 30kg); a mail hauberk of the type Holger finds with his horse and gear would be a bit lighter. A Norman-style kite shield would weigh around 10-15 pounds (7kg). Swords were two pounds or a bit less. Modern soldiers carry more weight, and it isn't as well distributed; you could do acrobatics in armor.S.M. Stirlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18091131550027851275noreply@blogger.com