Don't sleep on Bronze Lamellar armor!

[SeaWarriorSon]

While you get your leather/iron forge up and running, this stuff will keep you safe through most caves and allow you to travel and fight off even brown bears!

(disclaimer, with a shield raised)

Not a single plate need be forged! Takes less than a day, if you have the bronze and molds

Take 5 pelts lying around and stay relatively safe today!

 

[Vexxvididu]

Thanks for the tip!  This inspired me to look more into this.... My last game I stayed on improvised armor until I could make iron chain.  I mostly minimized combat till then.  It actually does look like this is likely a good early game armor if you have some extra bronze.

My first choice of an early game armor if tailored gambeson but find it's usually better to save the flax until a windmill can be made.

[SeaWarriorSon]

12 minutes ago, Vexxvididu said:

My first choice of an early game armor if tailored gambeson but find it's usually better to save the flax until a windmill can be made.

Gambeson is my go-to as well!
Yes, that's why I posted; I always wait until iron to go caving.

But with the new heavy windmill sails the flax harvest wasn't enough for armor + sails

I feel like I would've waited a whole season to explore with confidence, without this armor.
Happy trails!

[Lithembia]

Sleep in linen pajamas. Bronze lamellar is uncomfortable and will leave those weird lines on your skin. 

[LadyWYT]

3 hours ago, SeaWarriorSon said:

While you get your leather/iron forge up and running, this stuff will keep you safe through most caves and allow you to travel and fight off even brown bears!

Not just that, but it's tough enough to hold up in the light temporal storms of the early game. The autoloot feature of the falx is incredibly useful here as well. The best loot the storms have to offer at this time, I think, is the rusty gears, since getting a handful of those early can be a huge advantage. Lack a source of lime? Buy some! Haven't found halite? Buy it! 

Lamellar is also lightweight enough that it won't slow you down that much or impose much of a hunger penalty. It also works quite well for ranged combat too.

I will note in times past that I just skipped armor entirely until iron, since there wasn't really anything I needed to go fight. However, since there's now more stuff to do in the early game, and ironworking takes a bit more effort, I've started playing around with the earlier equipment. While it's still possible to rush to iron, the more relaxed approach has been a lot more fun.

[Maelstrom]

On 3/29/2026 at 11:23 AM, Lithembia said:

Sleep in linen pajamas.

Great!   Just great.   That reminds me of another silly thing to write up into a story.   Thankyouverymuch!  

[Stefano Colla]

So I'm not the only one that uses bronze lamellar over Gambeson. In my case not (Only) because of how usefull or chep may be, but I like the look of it better too. Also pairs very well with a bronze shield!

[DUCATISLO]

fair point