Remember the days when the English Revolution was a phrase most common, 'Great Rebellion'. Coming from a Clubmen perspective 'a war most unnatural' maybe Will update,

I thought that was Chinese name of a war

That was basically what the german black riders did as well. Their armor was proofed against muskets. Their armor allowed them to close the gap, forcing the enemy musket men to take cover behind the pikemen. From there, they’d ride in circles in front of the enemy pikemen, aiming at their unarmored faces or legs with their several pistols. Once the ranks were worn down enough, they’d charge through with their swords.

​"but would that protect the soldiers on 🏇 horseback?" "from the primitive stone 🪨 age weapons, 🔫 of the Aztecs, Mayans, Toltecs, Mixtecs, Olmecs, and Zapotecs, of Mexico?"🇲🇽 "such as the poison ☠ tipped wooden feathery end 🔚 darts 🎯 from their blow 🌬 guns, 🔫 poison ☠ tipped obsidian rock 🪨 arrows shot from the wooden longbow, 🏹 or poison ☠ tipped obsidian rock 🪨 darts 🎯 thrown from an atlatl?" "Or hard clay balls ⚽ made of stone 🪨 thrown from a sling?"

Earlier breastplates did have tassets with articulated lames, but for pikemen in this period, large, unarticulated tassets with decoration reminescent of articulations were common. You can see the inside of an original here: www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/chiswick-auctions/catalogue-id-srchis10137/lot-dab3b9a9-0d28-48ba-8d4d-a4b500b57849?epik=0HZwREfIWH51y

Are you sure that is not a artificially aged reproduction? I can't find any document on the auction page your listed. Seems suspicious that the leathers are in such good shape and the rivets on the straps look modern. I'm going to refer this to Myarmoury. Also, if you are close enough to press a pistol againist someone, why would you shoot him in the helmet, why not shoot in the face?

Those are good questions about my link, I can't defend this specific piece's authenticity. I linked to that one because it has pictures of the inside, here's another similar one from a more reputable source: www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/22730 As far as shooting someone in the helmet, I would guess it's because if a cavalryman is close enough to shoot an infantryman point-blank in the head, he would have to shoot almost straight downward, preventing the face from being an option. But that's just my guess, it could be total bunk.

Good point and thanks for the Myarmoury post. Great points. I hadn't thought of that.

No problem! Thanks for a civil conversation on the internet :)