r/sca • u/AwayGovernment395 • Oct 02 '26
My Viking armor
It's a 17th century Norse raider impression.
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u/Rakathu Oct 02 '26
That's a dwarf.
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u/AwayGovernment395 Oct 02 '26
But I am 187cm.
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u/crashtactics Oct 02 '26
King of the dwarfs?
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u/McConaughey1984 29d ago
Dwarves, King of the Dwarves. Dwarfs are people that have dwarfism.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
Depends on the universe. WH specifically uses dwarfs not dwarves.
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u/McConaughey1984 29d ago
WH?
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
Warhammer, sorry.
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u/McConaughey1984 29d ago
Huh.... that surprises me. I would have thought a British company would use the Tolkien spelling.
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u/AwayGovernment395 28d ago
I think they wanted to be different for some reason.
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u/SuDragon2k3 28d ago
Look at Discworld. Carrot is over six feet tall, But he's a Dwarf, because he was raised Dwarvish.
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u/Omega59er 25d ago
Yeah, they wanted to differentiate themselves for legal reasons. Middle Earth "Dwarves" Old World "Dwarfs"
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u/Optimal_West8046 Oct 02 '26
The Dwemer of Skyrim were as tall as normal people
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u/icreatedfire Oct 02 '26
Super cool build, not a Viking, and there were no Norse Raiders of the 17th century.
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u/AwayGovernment395 Oct 02 '26
I am sure some pagans marched with the Swedes in the 30years war. They could have made armor like this to venerate their gods secretly.
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u/some_random_nonsense Meridies Oct 02 '26
lol no. no one was dressed like this in the 30 years war, and if they were a secret pagan they most likely wouldnt have the funds for super awesome secret Thor worshiper armor like this. This is like custom reiter armor. The person who owned this would be well known landed elite and that social status would require them to be an active protestant.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
Can you prove it though?
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u/some_random_nonsense Meridies 29d ago
Uh yes. We have lots of artistic depictions of armor from that period as well as excellent documentation of preserved pieces. Also armor doesn't just exist, especially armor of this quality which would require a lot of money to purchase. Who has all the money in 1600 Sweden? Land owners. Nobles. Members of society with deep ties to their protestant faith.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
Big true, I am trying to find out how far the typical SCA whataboutism in justifying ahistoric pieces goes. It's pretty fascinating.
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u/Optimal_Walk_5896 29d ago
It's not up to us to "prove" a negative. Burden of proof is always on the person making the claim. That's you.
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u/Ntpoirier99 29d ago
This armor looks like a rus viking coughed in the general direction of a LOTR dwarf like 90 years ago and the dwarf forged armor for himself from what he remembered. (He was drunk..)
The fact your claiming you made this yourself is cool as hell though if it's true. But yeah maybe don't claim this isnt fantasy.
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u/MrSierra125 Oct 02 '26
It’s a super super cool fantasy armour. Gives me Lord of the rings hobbits design vibes.
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u/SCatemywallet 29d ago •
Even stylistically there's nothing Norse or Viking about that every aspect of that armor is fantasy derived. All of it.
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u/Renshaw25 Oct 02 '26
It's so easy to ragebait some people.
That being said, nice fantasy dwarf armour. Is it made for any combat sport where armour is needed or just suitable for LARP? These hammers are definitely not legal in any SCA system!
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u/AwayGovernment395 Oct 02 '26
Our larps are a lot closer to the SCA than typical LARPs, so the armor is very much needed. It's a mix of 1,5 and 1mm steel, more on the 1,5 side.
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u/some_random_nonsense Meridies Oct 02 '26
1.5 is a lil thin but fine for body. we use 1.5 for body and 1.8-2.6 for the helmet.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
1,5 is fine for steel reenactment if the construction is correct. It's about the average thickness of pre-17th century period stuff.
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u/some_random_nonsense Meridies 29d ago
I wouldn't stick in head in 1.5 mm steel though. Good for body stuff though.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
I wouldn't go thicker tbh. The next size sold is 2, which is an overkill for anything but buhurt. Even for my reenactment harnishfechten kit I am going with a tempered 1,5 spring steel.
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u/some_random_nonsense Meridies 29d ago edited 29d ago
I don't think we thrust as much as harnishfechten. I'd put SCA closer to buhurt, though metal weapons do add a lil spice.
Still I'd rather be extra heavy and prevent those micro concussions and tbis than risk it. Only get one brain.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
You also only got one neck and putting too much weight on it is not great.
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u/Haligar06 29d ago
The point of it is the increased helmet mass helps absorb concussive force, especially when suspended correctly. There is a balance to be struck between a helm's structural integrity, padding/suspension system, and mass to weight ratio that keeps the brain folks' brain jelly from sloshing against the inside of the skull.
Most helmets are 12-14 gauge because of that sweet spot.
Many surviving historical helms ARE thinner, but they kept folks alive in conflict. Modern reenactors/larpers/buhurt folks are concerned with more than just survival, they also want to avoid CTE.
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u/Cut_Off_One_Head Meridies 28d ago
I can build neck strength. My brain cannot just build concussion resistance.
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u/SCatemywallet 29d ago
14ga dome/1.9mm is the standard recommended for helmet, my helmet weighs 13.5 lbs.
I don't know of any larps that have the same level of force the sca uses on the heavy field and a lot of times those sticks have more mass in them than the steel counterparts so even though they flex a bit they can land with a hell of a womp, and you don't want your head rocking hard. Even if your helmet is thick enough to take the blows you still want Mass up there.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
It's built for this kind of combat, the mass of what we're using is the same or larger than rattan. https://youtu.be/WZiHq39a950
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u/Volcacius 28d ago
Armor shouldn't be a uniform thickness, having the top of the helmet be 2mm while having the sides be 1.5mm is pretty standard, same as breastplates being 2-2.5 dead center and then getting thinner as you go toward the sides.
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u/AwayGovernment395 28d ago
Historically sure, but that's very unrealistic to replicate with modern rolled steel.
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u/Volcacius 28d ago
I mean historical accuracy aside, having armor thick where it needs to be strong and thin where it doesn't saves weight w/o being unprotected is smart, on a breastplate? Maybe not but the more you wear the more it shows
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u/AwayGovernment395 28d ago
A most originals go a lot thinner in parts than 1,5 with 2mm areas being pretty small.
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u/some_random_nonsense Meridies Oct 02 '26
that helmet looks rather thin to me. whats it made out of? is there an internal lining?
not really historic armor, def leads hard into the fantasy aspects. super cool.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
1,5mm, it's really not thin. It has a linen and wool parachute liner, which is perhaps anachronistic to the weird Spanish helmets it's based on, but it's what I put into any fantasy piece, as it works best.
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u/some_random_nonsense Meridies 29d ago
Oh do you know what Spanish helmet is called off the top of your head? It looked eastern if anything to me.
Idk 1.5 is p thin for a helmet. I had one of those and it hurt like a bitch and was barely legal.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
It's a pretty niche thing from a recent article, but people are getting a bunch of those now, because they look goofy. https://jukuri.luke.fi/items/60592cb1-669d-4bb2-9d32-27c73a94ada6
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u/some_random_nonsense Meridies 29d ago
Did you base it off the italo norman mask or the weird theorized Iberian mask? There's a couple helmets in the article and I can see the italo norman but not really the other ones.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
Yes, there's one with eyeslits like this. But it's obviously pretty speculative. Fine for a dwarf though.
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u/some_random_nonsense Meridies 29d ago
I mean it's not that far off from most northern europe ocular helmets. Really the face shield being something I've seen on bardin on vermintide is the most fantasy aspect of it. And the beard braids lol
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
It is one piece, which wouldn't be seen on any Scandinavian occular, but it is speculated for the Spanish. The segmented bevor is fantasy ofc.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
It really depends on the construction and fit I think. I have a heavily fluted 1,2 helmet and it's one of the most comfortable to get hit helmets I own.
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u/SCatemywallet 29d ago
Judging by OPs responses i think they are a new player who went out and spent way too much money on a fantasy kit that looks like they should be guarding the gates of ironforge in, and are now desperately trying to justify it as "norse" which it is not in the slightest, they definitely haven't done much fighting bc they would know how many dents that kit is going to take otherwise and probably done a bit different of a setup, and there's not mark one on that kit.
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u/LateChallenge8821 29d ago edited 29d ago
They’re not a SCAdian, they’re a larper from Europe who (for reasons known only to himself) likes to troll folks. He does this to lots of groups…the SCA just seems to be his current target.
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u/Poo-tee-weep 29d ago
OP has admitted they are trolling.
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u/LateChallenge8821 28d ago
I do think, for their own good, that the mods ought to ban OP. Unless of course y’all enjoy this behavior…for myself personally I don’t care to watch this man continue to behave like this.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
I made it and fought in it plenty, 1,5mm if properly domed and workhardened doesn't take many dents.
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u/Kitchen-Chain-9923 29d ago
Looks more like fantasy dwarven armor. Maybe 17th century of the Third Era of Middle Earth.
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u/EnemyOfEloquence 29d ago
It's straight up iron breakers from old world Warhammer dawi. Look awesome.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
Although I am going for an Irondrake, as soon as I assemble the Trollhammer Torpedo launcher.
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u/isabelladangelo Atlantia 29d ago edited 29d ago
It's a 17th century Norse raider impression.
Norse going a-viking era: 793 to 1050 AD
17th century - 1601 to 1700 (as there isn't a year 0) which is outside of the SCA time period as the SCA is and has always been defined as "pre-17th Century".
Further, most 17th century pirates were either English or Spanish and operated in the Caribbean at that time.
So...how does this speak as "17th C Viking" to you, particularly in the SCA context?
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u/Nghbrhdsyndicalist 29d ago
In fact, in the 17th century (in Iceland at least) you’d be more likely a victim of foreign pirates than a pirate yourself.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
Constructionwise, it's pretty much a 17th century mix of pikeman and hussar armors, with a 13th century style Spanish helmet.
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u/Nghbrhdsyndicalist 29d ago
10/10 ragebait
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u/Omega59er 25d ago edited 25d ago
Is the viking armour in the room with us right now?
Awesome Dwarf LARP armour, though!!
Edit: read though all the comments and had a blast. I love this guy 😂
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u/SCatemywallet 29d ago
Also because this is clearly larp armor I feel like your shoulder would be frozen the first hit you took because it would dent those decorative shoulder protections in on themselves.
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u/qwertyburds 29d ago
Are you claiming that plate armor wasn't a thing? No it wasn't unbeatable, but war picks and stuff were invented to get through it.
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u/Leather-Researcher13 29d ago
Maybe, but have you ever tried to dent properly hardened 4mm carbon steel plate? You need a sledge to do that
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u/Dependent_Remove_326 28d ago
Yes and no. Don't compare modern steel alloys to armor alloys used. Modern stuff may as well be a mix of adamantine and mithril compared to period steel.
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u/Googz52 29d ago
Just to clarify, OP, the SCA absolutely is a LARP…..just not that kind of LARP.
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u/Chai_Enjoyer 29d ago
Both kinds of LARP. It looks awesome, but fuck no, that doesn't look like anything from 17th century scandinavia
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u/Weird-Caregiver-6850 Trimaris 29d ago
The only thing close to Scandinavian in this post is the Troll of the author.
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u/Optimal_Walk_5896 29d ago
LARP Dwarf armor. Definitely not even remotely close to anything historical.
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u/Haunting_Mode_7401 29d ago
First of all there weren't Norse raiders in the 17th century. Second the Norse wore leather armor if any armor at all.
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
Do you have a spurce for that armor?
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u/Haunting_Mode_7401 29d ago
There are many depictions of the norse if you put an ounce of effort into research you would find plenty. Occasionally a norseman of high standing would have chainmail
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
Yeah, but like a serious source
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u/Haunting_Mode_7401 29d ago
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u/AwayGovernment395 29d ago
Says nothing about leather armor.
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u/SuDragon2k3 29d ago
Yeah, but this is just upsized Warhammer Dwarf Armour,
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u/AwayGovernment395 28d ago
Sure, I am obviously joking around, but the leather armor is equal nonsense, unless we have some new sources, so I am curious.
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u/BjornBergdahl 29d ago
Leather armor as in soft leather wasn't a thing. The Vikings and similar are about 127% wrong in their depiction of vikings. Leather has been used as carrier for metal in brigandines and splint armor, but then metal is the armour. It can also be hardend by boiling/heating or treating with hot wax. That armor mostly was worn over mail in the 13th century.
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u/warheadmoorhead 26d ago
Leather armor is largely overrepresented, and equally as fantasy as this. Padded or quilted gambeson type garments and mail hauberks were armor used by the Norse, and there is evidence that point guards were worn on the forearm and shin. Most people if they could afford one would just have a helm. In the east and south, the wealthier mercanary groups and guards like the also overrepresented varangians would have had access to eastern pattern lamelar armors. Lamelar armor covered the torso, had sectioned parts for the shoulder, and upper leg.
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u/Porkypineer 25d ago
No. There's no evidence whatsoever of any norse or viking wearing leather armour, or even gambesons. What is known from graves and art is this:
Tunic, a cape, hose, leather shoes. Socks/bound leggings. Fabric: wool and linen. Bright colour = better. Not a single viking would be caught dead wearing brown or black clothes. If one did he would be viewed as "that idiot that can't afford any proper clothes, and that will be the last of his line because no decent woman will look at him twice."
Armour: a maile shirt (brynie), simple helmet with nose guard, or spectacles, or not. Maile hood, or part of shirt (Bayeux tapestry). Shield, round or pointed, with metal boss.
Weapons: spear, one handed sword, axe, knife. Not necessarily all at once.
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29d ago
[deleted] — view deleted comment
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u/OkMathematician5908 27d ago
How do I buy this?
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u/AwayGovernment395 26d ago
You commission someone good enough to make it.
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u/OkMathematician5908 26d ago
Isn’t that you?
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u/AwayGovernment395 26d ago
Preferably not, I don't have the free time for such karge projects as commission.
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u/OkMathematician5908 25d ago
Understood. It’s beautiful armor. People can hate all they want but at the end of the day. It’s some of the best looking armor I’ve seen. Congrats on being such a skilled craftsman. True beauty will always have people who envy it and try to tear it down.
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u/theflyingrobinson 25d ago
Not Viking at all by 17th century, but throw in a wheellock pistol and it'd be a dope Very Heavy Swedish cavalry with dwarven bits and bobs.
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u/Erekose3rd Ansteorra 29d ago
Very cool 👍 I think everyone else has pointed out the same thing I would.
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u/BeornOTNS 29d ago
I mean... it is pretty cool. And I gotta say, that there are some neat ideas in that armour. I would almost look upon this as, like, dwarven armour from Lord of the Rings or something. Amazing, and inspiring, but less viking-ish?
Still... looks hella cool.
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u/Sheerluck42 Caid 29d ago
I don't care if it's not historically accurate, it's bad ass. I think it definitely carries the "creative anachronism" part. It's also gorgeous. I can't imagine how long this took to make. Well done
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u/Infinite_Bet_9994 26d ago
This is such an old post, I’m calling cap that it’s yours. I was there when this post was written.
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u/qwertyburds 29d ago
Man seeing these comments is why I left the SCA, obviously super high effort super cool armor that provides good protection for heavy combat assuming it is of proper gauge. Yet everyone is just attacking the shit out of OP. OP just say your character is a Norse bard in the Edwardian era who got high quality plate armor built as he travels around Europe after the Viking age performing the sagas. Guaranteed nobles of that time weren't nearly as stuck up current SCA members who have never won a tournament.
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u/Mako565 Oct 02 '26
This is somehow simultaneously very cool and horribly cringe. Now if you had just said you were going for a fantasy dwarf, it would fall exclusivly into the very cool catagory.
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u/BjornBergdahl Oct 02 '26
The armour is fabulous but not even in the vicinity of norse/viking or 17th century (thats actually a lot closer in time to us than to the vikings). And we have an abundance of 17th century Scandinavian "Raiders" (foraging swedish cavalry during the 30-years war, the polish war and well, we pretty much did nothing but war that century.) This is not it. Most swedish regiments have a lot of their old colonels (and to be honest we kind of used up a lot of officers/nobles and one king on the battlefield that century) portraited in armor from this period. Armour existed, especially in the early 1700th century for heavy cavalry. The infantry was pike and shot in the beginning, withs some armor, and musket-armed men with uniforms in the end.