Basileus_Ioannis wrote:Might not be bronze, but red paint, perhaps to denote rank/function (an aside: the first thing I thought about when I saw the ruddy pauldron was the anime Armored Trooper VOTOMS, they had an elite unit of mechs with red painted shoulder pieces)ThatGuyThisGuy wrote:They also seem to be wearing pauldrons as well, going back to the first panel the one with mail covered arms is wearing a pauldron made from a light colored metal(presumably steel), and one of the dudes in the bottom panels is wearing a single bronze pauldron on his right shoulder which brings up the question of why their using different metals for their armor especially since bronze is expensive compared to iron and its unlikely it was looted from the Halmes since they are significantly smaller then Herms and armor fitted for them is unlikely to fit on a Herm.It's a bit dark brown for bronze (it's probably a matter of alloy ratio, but most bronze armor I've seen photos of look golden amber), and appears to be projecting out from his back, so I'd figure he's one of the few who are wearing leather backpacks (perhaps a sapper? medic? RATELO?ThatGuyThisGuy also wrote:Also in that top panel the guy to the right seems be wearing a bronze cuirass(It really doesn't seem to be a shield since he clearly has his shield held in his left arm.),)
Yeah the rear lacing is throwing me for a loop too, and would be inconvenient for the wearer, would require a buddy to lace him up or undo it so he can take off his armor (if he falls into deep water, good luck fella). And I agree, the pips look too few and small to be studs for armor, so I'd venture a guess that it's some sort of quilting, which would coincide with the vertical seams (brigandine would tend to have beau coup rivets, but it might be hidden by the outer layer of quilted cloth). In any case, these Herms look rather well equipped and organized, the Machike defenders are gonna have their hands fullThatGuyThisGuy also wrote:though I wonder if those vests their wearing are some kind of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_plates or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigandine since if you look closely at the guy at the bottom you'll notice what seems to be studs on his vest(Though not many so it probably isn't Brigandine.) and it has an irregular pattern and though it may just be me but it looks a little rigid, and looking back at the bronze pauldron guy and the dude kicking to the right their vests are held together by straps at the back which is a feature common in armor but is generally pretty rare in clothes(This was not universal and it bears mentioning Brigandine usually had straps at the front.). Also such armor was usually issued as general use armor for common soldiers so it makes sense it would universal equipment for the Herms.
That doesn't seem to likely to me since it doesn't look like anykind of color to me other then brownish, and who would paint their gear brown?
That does not look like a backpack to me, for one it seem to be perfectly flat against his back.
You misunderstand me, I said it wasn't likely Brigandine since the rivets are to few, what I meant with that was not that it isn't metal armor I intended for it to mean was that it was likely a Coat of Plates not a Brigandine since the difference between the two forms of armor is that COP uses fewer larger plates and therefore would require less rivets to hold it together which given that it seems to be general issue infantry armor cost saving measures are to be expected.The straps are likely put there to make sure that when they face their opponent head on there are not any exposed weakpoints in their torso armor for the enemy to exploit, also if they try to turn and run there exposing the straps holding their armor together and if they desert the army by themselves they will have a hard time managing their armor by themselves. Also it isn't that hard to actually swim in armor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkMLpKKkhKE. (Well at least Chainmail isn't to hard but full plate is near impossible to swim in https://vimeo.com/13634653.)
An easter egg...
My Czech quarter is embarrassed that I didn't know it, the other 3/4 is pissed that I didn't find it! 
Thanks TGTG! 
