Dothraki Weaponcraft

[Lord Reaver]

Ring mail is not the same as chain mail. Ringmail is the name of armour made by sewing individual rings onto a backing, whether they existed in medieval Europe isn't relevant, as they exist here, as GRRM specifically states ringmail.

I suppose if you want to assume that GRRM uses the incorrect term then that is your prerogative, but don't expect me to take it as evidence that the average soldier was wearing the much more tedious and expensive to make chain mail.

As I tried to explain, the term for armor made from sewing rings onto a backing is ring armor. Ringmail isn't a specific term at all, since it's been used about all sorts of armor, most commonly what most scholars today call chainmail, and what was simply termed "mail" in the period.

Chainmail may be slightly (and I do stress slightly) more expensive and work-heavy (keep in mind, though, that work was dirt cheap in a medieval economy, resources is where the cost lies, unlike in a modern economy).

If you want to assume that GRRM is alluding to some victorian misconcieved armor rather than armor which was actually used, that is your right, but don't expect me to take it as evidence the average soldier was wearing the much less effective and comparatively unheard of ring armor.

[Lord of Dragonstone]

As I tried to explain, the term for armor made from sewing rings onto a backing is ring armor. Ringmail isn't a specific term at all, since it's been used about all sorts of armor, most commonly what most scholars today call chainmail, and what was simply termed "mail" in the period.

Chainmail may be slightly (and I do stress slightly) more expensive and work-heavy (keep in mind, though, that work was dirt cheap in a medieval economy, resources is where the cost lies, unlike in a modern economy).

If you want to assume that GRRM is alluding to some victorian misconcieved armor rather than armor which was actually used, that is your right, but don't expect me to take it as evidence the average soldier was wearing the much less effective and comparatively unheard of ring armor.

Well I suppose we can simply agree to disagree as to what the term means.

Menial labour may have been dirt cheap, but blacksmiths were few and far between, and the amount of work it takes to weld each individual ring together is much more intensive and time consuming than it would be to simply sew rings on. Only a blacksmith could forge chainmail, but anyone who could sew could help piece together ringmail.

Also, I'm not saying the average Westerosi soldier wore ringmail - I think padded/leather armour is a much more logical choice given it's relative cost. In E-Ro's thread discussing how well trained Westerosi armies were, in the quote from when Stannis comes to the aid of the wall it actually mentions the men-at-arms wearing jacks as opposed to mail. "More and more men were pouring from the trees, not only knights now but freeriders and mounted bowmen and men at arms in jacks and kettle helms, dozens, hundreds of men." Also, it's a fantasy book, not historical fiction. If GRRM likes the idea of ringmail being worn by some Frey soldiers mentioned in passing, then there's nothing stopping him from putting it in.

[Bright Blue Eyes]

Anyway, it doesn't matter what you think, or what I think, or what anyone else thinks...it doesn't matter what historical battles in this world have taken place. If there is a battle between the Dothraki and Westerosi armies, it will turn out how GRRM wants it to turn out! Agree?

Of course, but picking up the hints GRRM put into the books helps to predict the likely outcome of that battle. And GRRM left a lot of hints of the Dothraki being an utter joke. If he didn't do that intentionally, I'll eat my hat.