Medium Armour (Melee)

Mail Armour is one of the most basic of all armours. Mail is essentially a tunic of metal rings that makes it a very flexible piece of armour, and generally provides a great defense against chopping and "slash" based attacks, though is usually very weak against lunges, also known as "stabbing" and "thrusting" attacks. Mail is generally worn with something under it, usually a cloth tunic, but it can be a full leather gambeson.

Normal Mail
Mail armour, incorrectly known as "chain-mail", is a series of interlocked rings that are formed to resemble a tunic-like cloak that would go over some sort of clothing. The result is a great armour against most chop/slash attacks, but one with a weakness to lunges and projectiles. Mail is fairly light and flexible, and can be used as a secondary to plate armour, or alone as one piece. Though is very hard to make, and can be costly, it could be bought be a well-off farmer or peasent.

Riveted Mail
Riveted mail armour, also known as "riveted mail", is a series of interlocked rivets that are formed to resemble a tunic-like cloak that is significantly tighter "woven" than normal mail. The rings themselves are flattened, and usually wedged, for added protection. This design provides for better protection against chops/slashes and lunges/stabs. Sadly, riveted mail is a very slow, painful armour to make, and has a very appropriate price to match the amount of work that goes into it. Therefore, not everyone might be able to afford it.

Plated Mail
Plated mail is either normal or riveted mail, or even a combination of both, interlocked with a series of plates in specific places to make a lighter and more flexible plate armour. Generally, they are strips of metal "plates" that resemble xylophone bars that the mail is ran through tightly to make a coat of plates. It provides very good protection against all sorts of weaponry, provided that no one tries to stab up through the plates. This is even more difficult to make, for both the arts of making plate armour and mail armour are needed in making this armour. Expect this to be used by any sort of nobility, and rarely city guard.