Armament

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Chaos of Battle - Tomaz Jedruszek — A knight in the midst of battle lands a heavy blow with his morningstar while also wielding a bloodied sword - by Tomasz Jedruszek; ©Fantasy Flight Games

A variety of armament is used throughout the known world.

Weapons[]

The weapons carried generally reflect those of the prototype armies and by far the most common is the sword. This is to a very real extent the mark of a soldier and so carried by all, although it may not necessarily be the soldier's primary weapon.

Castle-forged weapons are of high quality, generally better than those produced by smiths in the cities. However, usually only knights and nobles can afford them. The rarest and most desired swords are those of Ayleid steel, forged in the Ayleid Empire. These swords are stronger, lighter, and sharper than all others. The secrets of forging them have been lost and there are perhaps only a couple hundred of them left in Tamriel, mostly as prised heirlooms by noble Houses.

Other weapons are also common. Almost everyone carries a knife or dagger, as they are useful and practical in many circumstances. Effective spears and mauls are relatively cheap to make and are thus popular weapons for men-at-arms. A cheap spear can still be a good weapon; the same cannot be said of a cheap sword.

Lances[]

A war lance is a weapon of heavy cavalry, such as mounted knights. They are often eight feet long, made of turned ash, and banded to prevent splitting. The lance is tipped with a steel point sharpened to drive through plate, and is normally used for a single charge before becoming too unwieldy in close combat.
Tourney lances are longer and more fragile than their battlefield cousins. Their tips are blunted to better unhorse an opponent without causing serious harm, and they are unbanded, meaning that they will often break upon impact. A tourney lance is normally twelve feet long.

Polearms[]

The halberd has a heavy, cleaver-like blade at the top of a long shaft. It usually has a spike at the top of the shaft and a thorn or a hook opposite to the blade.
The poleaxe has an axehead opposite to a hammer or a spike, mounted on a shaft. The shaft usually has a spike on both ends.

Axes[]

The battle-axe is a broad-headed axe used to cleave through armour and shields. It can be wielded in one hand, and some battle-axes are double-bladed.
The hand axe is a warrior’s version of a hatchet, smaller than a battle-axe and balanced to be thrown.
The longaxe is a long-hafted version of the battle-axe. The longaxe is light enough to be wielded by one hand. A longaxe may have a double-bladed axe head or it may have a spike on one side. It is likely that some longaxes are large enough to require two hands.
The woodsman's axe, a tool for chopping and splitting wood, can turn into a deadly weapon. Normally used by commoners and brigands, it is single-bladed and smaller than its martial cousin, the battle-axe.

Swords[]

The longsword is a common weapon of knights throughout Tamriel. These one-handed blades are also known as broadswords or simply "swords". The blades are about three feet in length, double-edged, and mounted on a hilt with a heavy pommel and a sizable crossguard.
A greatsword requires two hands to use. It is the largest type of sword.
A bastard sword is longer than a longsword but shorter than a greatsword. It is more of a hand-and-a-half weapon than a two-handed sword.
The shortsword is shorter than a longsword but longer and heavier than a dagger. The shortsword is a one-handed blade generally meant for thrusting.
The falchion is a short, cleaver-like sword used for hacking.
Imperial Legions favour slender swords, edged and balanced for the thrust.

Knives[]

A dagger is a knife used to stab and pierce, often carried as a tool as much as a weapon.
A dirk is a dagger designed for combat with a straight, narrow blade, often used in the off-hand to complement a primary weapon.
A stiletto is a long, slender dagger used for stabbing.

Clubs[]

Clubs and cudgels are short weapons fashioned of hard wood or sometimes metal.
The mace, a blunt crushing weapon designed to smash armour, consists of a heavy head of stone or metal set upon a wooden or metal shaft. Many warriors wield spiked maces, and blunted maces can be used in tourneys.

Flails[]

A flail is a military cousin to the farmer's tool. A warrior's flail is a length of chain attached to a rod. At the end of the chain is a heavy metal head.
A morningstar is a spiked ball swung on a chain. In real life, a morning star is a weapon with a spiked ball atop a shaft, without the chain.

Spears[]

The spear is a simple weapon used for hunting and combat, comprising a wooden shaft up to ten feet long tipped with a relatively small head of iron or steel.
A pike is a longer spear, normally ten to fifteen feet long. This weapon is used by large bodies of infantry operating together either to push through or over opposing infantry or hold off cavalry.
A boar spear is a spear used in the hunting of boar. While real life boar spears are shorter than standard spears.
A trident is a three-pronged spear.

Projectiles[]

Bows and Arrows[]

Bows in most of Tamriel are made from wood, though bows from certain lands may be made from laminated horn or bone. Bows are difficult to use while mounted and cannot normally be used with any accuracy if the mount is moving.
The longbow is a tall bow from seasoned wood. Longbows are used by most armies, and they can be fired more frequently than crossbows.
Short bows of horn and wood are also used, but they are outdistanced by longbows.
A recurve bow or double-curved bow is usually smaller than a longbow, although double-curved bows of dragonbone can be tall. Redguards are skilled with using double-curved bows on horseback.
Crossbows are shorter bows that shoot bolts or quarrels. There is a stock attached to the bow with a mechanical assist to draw the bowstring. Due to its shorter draw, the crossbow requires a higher draw weight to give the same amount of energy as a conventional bow. The drawing mechanism can be a stirrup with a winch or a crank. Since crossbows require less training than bows, some consider it to be a coward's weapon. The Dawnguard were known for using crossbows to fight against vampires in Skyrim.
Arrowheads are normally available both as broadheads with a sharp cutting edge and barbs at the rear for less protected targets and bodkins which will penetrate plate.

Other Projectiles[]

Throwing knives can be used.
Redguards utilise throwing spears.

Slings are used to throw projectiles at enemies.

Magical Staff — A mage's staff; ©ZeniMax Online Studios

Staves[]

Enchanted staves can only be used to cast a single kind of spell, and are generally very limiting. They deplete in power with use and must be magically replenished in some way. New spellcasters may prefer using enchanted staves as they require less skill to use than an imbued stave. Some army commanders may also prefer for their spellcasters to bear enchanted staves so they only perform their function, and do not accidentally create chaos while casting spells they shouldn't be.
Imbued staves are much more common among skilled spellcasters. Rather than carrying in them a single spell, imbued staves amplify the spells of the wielder, allowing their magic to reach new heights. Some imbued staves are more powerful than others, and a spellcaster not used to the increase in power may inadvertently cause much destruction. Such staves also deplete with use, though powerful spellcasters may find ways of slowing down the depletion to near unnoticeable levels, greatly increasing the time before they have to replenish their staff.
Quarterstaves are a non-magical alternative to enchanted or imbued staves. Quarterstaves are effectively a large pole or wooden stick used to melee combat. They are favoured among commoners for how relatively easy they are to craft given the meagre resources available to them.

Other Weapons[]

The warhammer is usually about the same length as a mace, though they can be much longer. The head is made of hardened steel that has a long spike to one side and a small mace-like counterweight on the other. Warhammers are good for piercing armour, or hooking the enemies' reins or shields.
Whips are used as weapons by some Redguards.
Caltrops are sharp items which are placed on the ground to slow an enemy's infantry or cavalry.

Special Items[]

Dragonbone bows are highly sought after as they can fire arrows over a much farther range than normal wooden bows.
Things made of Ayleid steel are light and nigh indestructible. Blades of Ayleid steel are deadly sharp, but the spell-forged steel has become rare after the fall of the Ayleid Empire. Some claim to still know the spells that must be used to rework Ayleid steel, and some master armourers have revealed their ability to properly reforge it.
Coldfire is a volatile and flammable liquid.

Siege Weapons[]

Scaling ladders are used by attackers against walls or ramparts.
Wooden battering rams are used to break through gates. Turtles can be used to protect rams from defenders.
A siege tower is a tall wheeled siege engine which can be protected with rawhide.
Catapults are ballistic weapons which launch projectiles like stones. They can be used by besiegers to attack fortifications or by defenders on walls. They can be placed on the decks of ships.
Trebuchets are catapults with throwing arms. Mangonels are a type of trebuchet.
Scorpions are wood-and-iron weapons which can launch heavy stones, yard-long iron-headed shafts, and fire spears.Scorpions can be used from ships. They can also be called 'ballistas'.
Spitfires are devices which expel flame.
Mantlets are large portable shields used for protection against projectiles.
Barges can be used to transport armies on rivers.

Armour[]

Brigandine and Plate - Riusma — Brigandine and plate armour

Armour in Tamriel is commonly forged from iron and steel. The style of armour is most reminiscent of the Hundred Years' War, the Crusades, and even older periods of history. Occasionally one may find an ancient piece of armour forged from bronze, but that is a great rarity today. Advanced full plate and scale armour, made of relatively light weight steel, is also available to those with the proper funds.

Additional ornamentation can be quite elaborate. Common methods involve paints, enamels, or bluing the steel. A truly skilled blacksmith, however, can work colour into the metal itself to ensure that it does not chip or flake off. Such work is expensive and can be afforded only by the nobility.

The most effective, and expensive, armour is plate armour, which consists of a number of shaped plates of steel fitted to the body. Plate is normally worn over chainmail and an undercoat padded leather. Those who cannot afford plate may wear chainmail and leather, and this coverage still provides good protection. It is also common to wear only partial plate; a plate helm, for example, is common, as are breastplates and gorgets. Scale armour is also known but considerably less common. Armour made of boiled leather is sometimes worn by itself, particularly by scouts and levied men-at-arms. While better than nothing, it cannot stop an on-target sword blow, whereas plate armour can.

Plate armour is more common in central/western regions like Cyrodiil, High Rock, and the Summerset Archipelago, while mail is more the rule in Skyrim. The Bosmer who live in Valenwood are more primitively armoured. Redguards use a lot of copper armour for ornamental purposes, as it shines in the sun. A new hauberk of mail, gorget, greaves, and greathelm made by a good smith can cost eight hundred silver pieces. Sailors clad themselves lightly in armour to avoid drowning.

Armour Types[]

Padded armour is made of leather or canvas which has been stuffed with cloth. This can be worn by itself, often called a gambeson, but is essential when wearing mail in order to absorb blows more readily.
Boiled leather is a thick leather, boiled in water, and usually worn under mail. Such leather is dressed with oil to retain its flexibility. Boiled leather set very hard and can be moulded into rounded pieces to protect shoulders, elbows and knees. Most freeriders use boiled leather.
A brigandine or jack is a cloth garment, generally canvas or leather, lined with small oblong steel plates riveted to the fabric.
A hauberk is a chainmail shirt which includes sleeves and can extend as low as the knees. The hauberk is typically constructed of interlocking whoops of metal sewn into a shirt or a tunic. The sleeves of a hauberk often reach the elbow, though the sleeve length varies. The hauberk tends to be made of iron rings, and is generally worn over a padded undercoat, or boiled leather.
A byrnie is also made of chainmail. Byrnies are generally distinguished from hauberks by their sleeve length, as a byrnie has only short sleeves. There are doubts about the exact definition (and length) of a historical byrnie, but both in Westeros and in history byrnies are some variety of armour jacket or a shirt. While the Nedes of antiquity wore byrnies of bronze scales, modern armies wear mail byrnies.
Scale armour is a garment with hundreds of small plates stitched and riveted onto it.
Plate armour is worn over mail and a padded surcoat. Large rondels protect the juncture of arm and breast. The vulnerable points are at the less protected joints, places at elbows, knees, and beneath the arms.

Headwear[]

A greathelm is a cylindrical helm which protects the warrior's head. It has small slits for eyes and breathing and ventilation, but they can impede sight and breathing. Greathelms can have flat tops or be rounded to better deflect blows. Some nobles decorate the crests of their greathelms.
A halfhelm is a round helm covering the top of the head, often incorporating a nasal guard.
A kettle helmor pothelm is made of metal in the shape of a brimmed hat, resembling a cooking pot.
A bascinet is an open-faced helm.
Steel caps are often worn by guardsmen. Some men-at-arms wear conical steel caps.
A mail coif is a hood of chainmail.
Redguards wear scarfs around their helmets to prevent sunstroke.
Some warriors wear fantastical helms, which bear the likeness of great beasts such as lions or dragons.

Types of Helms

Other Armour Components[]

The breastplate protects the torso from injury. Nobles sometimes decorate their breastplates.
Rondels are circular pieces of metal used for the protection of vulnerable points. They typically cover the junctures of arm and breast.
Gloves are protective coverings for hands. They are often made of leather or mail to offer additional protection, and iron discs can be sewn into the fingers.
Gauntlets are large metal gloves that cover the hand from fingers to forearm. They are generally made of steel plate.
Metal skirts are designed to protect the upper legs and lower torso. They generally cover the body from waist to mid thigh.
Greaves cover the lower legs.
Boots are generally made of leather, but the ones worn by knights are made of metal to provide protection. Some leather boots can have steel shinguards. Spurs are worn on the heel of boots to direct a horse.
Spaulders and pauldrons protect the wearer's shoulders.
Vambraces are tubular protection for the forearm.
Couters and poleyns are worn over elbows and knees, respectively.
The codpiece protects the wearer's groin.
A doublet is a close-fitting jacket often worn under other attire, such as hauberks or jerkins. Padded doublets can provide some protection. Nobles often have their arms embroidered on their doublets.
Jerkins are another type of jacket which can be worn over doublets. Leather jerkins are often worn by archers. Jerkins can be studded with iron, silver, bronze, or have overlapping iron discs. Less protective jerkins might be made from doeskin or sheepskin. Jerkins can be sleeveless.
A surcoat is a coat worn over armour or other clothes. Nobles also often have their arms depicted on their surcoats.

Robes are light, often elegant cloth garments made for spellcasters. Robes are not typically worn directly into combat, and might be combined with leathers and plate to add extra protection when a spellcaster does enter the battlefield.
Hoods are pieces of cloth, typically connected to a cloak or robe, that covers the head. Hoods are not typically worn directly into combat unless the person in question is a practiced sorcerer who can make up for the lack of physical protection in another way. However, even sorceres have been known to wear leather or plate helmets into battle, even if they are worn beneath a hood.

Shields[]

The typical Tamrielic shield is a heater shield, though both Nords and Redguards are known to use round shields. Although in real life knights rarely used shields alongside full plate armour, Tamrielic knights are known to use them. Coats of arms are typically depicted on shields.

Shields made of pine and linden are inexpensive and lightweight, and an enemy's weapon can catch in pine. Wooden shields can be used for practice.
Shields of wood banded with iron are more durable. Oak shields offer significant protection if the wielder is strong. Tall triangular shields of heavy oak dotted with iron studs offer a great deal of protection, but they can be taxing to use.
Heavy oaken shields are also used, and spearmen sometimes wield tall oaken shields in their shield walls.
Leather shields are more likely to be used by rabble.
Round leathern shields are used by Nords.
Nords also use shields of black boiled leather with bronze rims and bosses.
Redguards carry round shields of metal, like steel or steel and copper.

Mounts[]

Horses[]

The destrier is the most valuable type of horse, being well bred and highly trained.
A courser is a warhorse lighter than a destrier and built for speed.
Garrons are the only reasonable choice of horse in northern Skyrim. Nords use them in considerable numbers, both for riding and carrying cargo. Among horses, garrons are notable for their capability to deal with irregular terrain and cold temperatures.
The rouncey is a steed of no particular breeding. Although rounceys are perfectly capable war horses, they are relegated to hedge knights, squires, and non-knightly men-at-arms. Rounsey are common riding horses and may also be used as pack animals.

Other Steeds[]

Camels are used by the camelry of Hammerfell.
War elephants have armour and towers on their backs.
Mammoths living in northern Tamriel serve as mounts for giants.
Gryphons were ridden by gryphonriders of the Ayleid Empire, and by House Arana and the Welkynar until the secret of taming them was lost.
Lizard-lions are ridden by the Argonians of Black Marsh, according to song.
Senche-lions are ridden by the Khajiit of Elsweyr, though they are not found anywhere else in Tamriel and are not acclimated to any other region other than Elsweyr, and thus not used outside of its borders.

Other Animals[]

A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Used for light transport, they can have a capability for dealing with irregular terrain.
Oxen are hardy pack animals used for heavy transport.