Rus/Byzantine cataphract armor build

[bronze mortar]

So ive started patterning this armor to make a set in leather so far by my math it should take an entire half hide of 8-10oz vegtan. There are 38 lames and 428 lamellar plates and 16 buckle straps in this build

[bronze mortar]

I will be doing a full head to toe armor build for this project as it wull be my new rattan/cut and thrust armor for EMP (Empire for Medieval Pursuits) with a leather helmet cover, the cataphract torso armor itself, gorget, bazubands with gauntlets, knee cops, greaves, and sabatons. I will aslo post the reference photos of the pieces i build forbthis kit as well.

[worldly gulch]

That’s going to be sweet! Reminds me of a sino-mongal armored warrior illustration I have long admired.

[bronze mortar]

Not my work but one i plan to make eventually! Mongol/chinese mountain pattern armor

Some more reference photos im using for the build

[buoyant wasp]

A very stupid question: why are the slats sewn and riveted? The seam looks very fragile when I imagine cutting with a sword. So they don't do much for attachment or protection.

[bronze mortar]

Its not so much "sewn" as it is "woven" as this is originally a late roman design it combines both lamellar and laminar designs. Think of roman lorica segmentata with extra plates woven to it. In this case it is a way to cut corners instead of a full suit containing 1000 plates overlapping you get the same full suit with 400 plates side by side with a thick backing material. The cataphract armor was also a cavalry armor and its wearers were on horseback so cutting down the number of plates also reduced its weight making it both easier on the horse as well as its rider

It also cut down the time it took to produce as well

[buoyant wasp]

Ahhh got it. The strings are for the movable parts of the armor. That the backings can move slightly.