Mail (also known as Maille, chainmail, ringmail or chain armor in modern times) is a variety of armor composed of a series of small interlocking metal (usually wrought iron or steel) rings. Though who invented it is not yet known in full, first instances of mail armor came up in Europe around 300BCE, used by both the Etruscans and the Celts. Either by learning of it from others, or by developing it on their own independently, chainmail would become one of the most common types of armor across Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia and the more developed parts of Africa.
Information about mail
Mail is a labor intensive form of armor to make. Even a mail vest will have thousands of individual rings, each of which need to be hand made one at a time. This is offset by several points. First of all, mail was a form of metallic armor which was made of Iron, which was far more common than the alternative of bronze, which involved getting both copper and tin. Secondly, despite the fact that it was labour intensive to do so, making individual rings (or Links) was not a particularly difficult thing to do. Though eventually you did see specialized linkmakers, the job could be done by your average generalized village smith if he had some appropriate gear and a little practice. Thirdly, a suit of mail can easily be patched if damaged.
Mail is very good armor against slashing attacks.
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