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I am not sure about plate over chain, but some sort of plated armour over mail makes a lot more sense. You can easily have nice polished vambraces and so forth without going all high medieval plate armour. So, far as I can tell, the Imrahil recently released is perfect.

All we need now is a foot model of him.

Gavin

Barliman wrote:

Yes, I'd forgotten about the Imrahil/Eowyn vambrace moment - which is odd, since I've pointed it out to other people on many an occasion (memory like a lumber room, etc...). But I agree with Gavin re this incident not being an excuse to go full-frontal Gothic on us. Early medieval - maybe c.1220-1240 in this instance  in 'real' world terms - seems more appropriate, when the most plate armour that tended to be seen generally consisted of pieces to protect the outside of the arms, the front of the legs and sometimes (but way less often, and frequently made up of quite small plates attached to a foundation) the breast; and even these pieces were often hardened leather rather than metal.

All in all, though, I suspect it's the overall 'feel' of a Mithril figure's appearance that dictates whether or not it gets away with wearing 'heavy' armour. For instance, I dislike the armoured LR Ringwraiths intensely, but feel the mounted Elrond and Gil-galad figures somehow get away with wearing pretty much the same kit. Odd, that.

Dear Barliman,

1220-1240 are not the early Middle Ages but the High Middle Ages. But I think you are perfectly right about the armoury of the knights, which tended to be a little bit more plate at that time. Must have been the improved bows and crossbows and the development of the pike used by the peasantry used in the many wars which forced the smiths to create heavier armour for their lords.

I also agree to your second note, that it is the overall 'feel' of a Mithril figure's appearance which leads to give it armour this or that way. For Manwes sake Chris has done mostly what I expected :-) which is a fine thing. Concerning dwarves, I hope to see some day the 13 dwarves without armour, more in a ranger or traveller look (even dwarves would not travel with mail if they do not got to war).

What do the members her think about the look of the Royal Gondorian soldiery, I mean the usual soldier of MT? When I was a boy I found them ridiculous but having grown old I love these figure-designs very much. I do not think the MT warrior in the field should wear much armour, as this would hinder his marching speed on the field and I always had the idea from Tolkiens descriptions, that Gondor has won his battles by large and highly disciplined infantry (and not by TIN-MEN!!).

NAMARIE
estel

Last edited by ESTEL (Fri, May30 2008 7:33am)

Oh yes, I hope that many more fiefdom soldiers will be released in future. This was only done by one bad company and I definitly do not like the look of the other company's designs. :mad:The article in the TENGWAR magazine was fabulous and made me dream about Gondor's fiefdoms.
Let's see what the future brings, we will see at last the knights of D.A. and that is more I expected to come, not to say that great Imrahil figure.
Maybe it would be a challenge for Chris to design some more civilians of the fiefdoms?


P.S.: In Germany the historians do mostly agree, that from the fall of western Rome (500 to 900/1000 the period is called Early Middle Ages, from 11th to 13th/14th century (1100-1300)period is called High Middle Ages, from 1300 to 1500 (sometimes 1492) it is the Late Middle Ages. From 1500 it is called "Neuzeit" modern times with the early period (to 1600).....
Not my personal view

Last edited by ESTEL (Fri, May30 2008 7:49am)

erchamion wrote:

Interesting question! Only one point, friends.

While it is true what say Mr. Barliman about it is difficult to put dates to the division of History, it seems the widespread idea that the Middle Ages (European, not global) begins with the Fall of Rome (476) until the Conquest of Constantinople (1453).
The Early Middle Ages cover until the year 1000, the High Middle Ages was the period in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries and the Late Middle Ages which by convention end around 1500 (some extend this period until the discovery of America)

The question is to know that each culture had a distinct evolution. We are talking about the Middle Ages in EUROPE.

Yes Europe, is there anything else out there?

Oh yes, Harad, Rhun and so on
ups or is it called öhm????

Barliman wrote:

As I said earlier, and I repeat, naming historical periods is a game in which no real rules apply. The idea of calling everything post-Roman the 'Middle Ages' is in reality neither helpful nor accurate - middle of what, for instance? And where have the 'Dark Ages' suddenly gone? - they were certainly still there when I was at school...

As far as I'm concerned, the Dark Ages end in 1066 (yes, an Anglo-centric viewpoint I confess - almost as bad as looking at the whole of history from an entirely Euro-centric viewpoint); the early Middle Ages then ensue until about the mid/late 13th century. After that come the so-called High Middle Ages (a particularly silly name when you stop and think about it), which last until circa 1450, followed by the late Middle Ages. This is, of course, all entirely subjective, and entirely my own opinion (which means being 'wrong' doesn't worry me). It would be more accurate anyway to describe the Middle Ages as consisting of Feudal and post-Feudal periods.

Of course, since history comprises one continuous stream of events all such labels have no special relevance anyway, beyond compartmentalising it into bite-sized chunks for the purposes of research and education.

Yes Barliman,

it is a silly idea to divide a continuous stream and give these "periods" names. It is also strange to view these historical periods as parallel to Tolkiens universe- it is still Fantasy!

So come up friends and let's have some ale in your Barli's tabroom! It is hot outside and I need something refreshing.

P.S.: Maybe 'middle' means in the middle of Endor??

Last edited by ESTEL (Fri, May30 2008 9:05am)

And on another entirely different issue, does anyone know how theFellowship vote is going? I have to access Mithril via ProBoards (does everyone, or is it just those of us with iMacs?), and ProBoards has currently got problems (technically referred to as 'aaaargh, the site has burned down...'). Ergo I can't get in at all at the moment to see how things are going. Last I saw was that the Shield-maiden and King Brand were still level pegging on 15 votes.

seems to be a general problem, no access to any board not to say that I can see anything other than "error".

Water I've certainly got plenty of, because it's been raining cats and dogs here for the past week, so you're welcome to as much of it as you can imbibe.

I must be in the wrong place...mind you, it always seems to rain in Bree (that scene in the movie was no exaggeration... except for the guy with the carrot - never seen him).

Yay! I'm with you on that one, so that drink is on me. But of course, there's still a lot of time still to run before the king can be sure of victory, so we must remember the old adage - many a slip, etc (and believe me, I see plenty of slips between cups and lips in my line of work).

Yes indeedy. And be careful what you say about boards, Master Theobald. Remember that they're made out of (gasp...) trees. And I don't know about haste, but it seems to me that you should be able to make up your mind regarding what to vote for easily, King Brand being the most - the only - meritorious contender, as he's the only one of the three finalists who's never yet appeared in the Mithril (or, indeed, any other) range in any  shape or form.

A valid point!

My guess is CT will get the money (Newline have, after all, gone belly-up and been bought out along with their debts), since the first three franchise movies have achieved a turnover of - reputedly - a billion dollars EACH, and I can't see a Hollywood movie company worrying themselves about parting with piddling small change when there are such massive profits at stake.

But what still fascinates me most is what Third Age info he thinks is going to be in the second film that could possibly only be found in the Silmarillion. It will be interesting to find out in due course. Or maybe he's simply putting up a target to see if anything hits it...