# Pics of female fighters/knights in realistic armor?



## NewJeffCT

When doing a google image search on female warriors, most pictures are of women that are in the typical chainmail or brass bikini.  While I love cheesecake as much as the next guy, it's not what I want.  (after the chainmail bikini/red sonja, you get a few of Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman and then several of Xena.)

What I'm looking for is a a picture or three of a strong looking woman in realistic medium to heavy armor - chainmail, splint, plate, etc.  (I like to find pictures that I use when introducing a potential major NPC)

Xena wears leather armor, I think, and Lucy Lawless is a bit thinner than I'm looking for.  This is for a culture where women are raised from birth to be warriors.

This picture would be perfect if the woman's upper thighs weren't bare.  Her arms and chest are covered and the arm makes sure her arms don't look too scrawny.







Thanks


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## ExploderWizard

Check out the gallery here:

Fantasy on #Real-Armored-Women - deviantART

There might be something you can use.


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## IronWolf

How about:

Women Fighters in Reasonable Armor


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## Dausuul

If you want it to look _truly_ realistic, just take the image of a man in full plate with the visor closed and use that. With real plate, it's next to impossible to tell the difference. (The correct way to accommodate breasts is "bind them down and make the breastplate a little roomier," not "add two big bulges." The shape of a breastplate is dictated by the need to deflect swords and maces and such; you don't sacrifice that protective function just to show off the wearer's endowments.)


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## NewJeffCT

Thanks - great choices so far!


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## NewJeffCT

Dausuul said:


> If you want it to look _truly_ realistic, just take the image of a man in full plate with the visor closed and use that. With real plate, it's next to impossible to tell the difference. (The correct way to accommodate breasts is "bind them down and make the breastplate a little roomier," not "add two big bulges." The shape of a breastplate is dictated by the need to deflect swords and maces and such; you don't sacrifice that protective function just to show off the wearer's endowments.)




I know you're right, but every fantasy female also has enormous DD or bigger breasts, thus necessitating armor with two big bulges on the front.





In all seriousness, I was looking for something that also showed the face.


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## RangerWickett

I had a female friend who was going to transgender to male, and she would use bras and wrappings to get from being a D-cup to passably flat-chested. She complained about the heat, though, which would just be worse in plate armor.


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## David Howery

I think 'unrealistic armor' is what turned me off of the 3E version more than anything else.  I could handle artists' depictions of weird armor, but making 'spiked armor' as an actual rule in the game?  Urgh...


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## Balesir

If you don't mind B&W drawings (of good quality) you could look here:

Series: Friends, Foes & Followers  : Lýthia.com

This is a collection of 144 "fantasy realistic" NPCs and it includes several female warriors in maille armour or similar, as well as several in leather and such like. I'm thinking Grimhilda Forsetha might be what you're looking for, more or less.


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## Quickleaf

Check out the Artesia comics; the armor in those is very well done, functional but with a slightly different feel for women warriors. If only Mark Smylie could differentiate his characters better (at least it's not the fault of the armor!).

Here's a link to the author's blog site: artesiaonline.com


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## nedjer

Came across pictures of medieval armour kits last week - had no idea they sometimes had to wear a padded coat, chainmail and hard armour. The heat would be bad in the UK, but must have been unbelievable on a crusade.


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## jbear

Google  Joan of Arc or Jeanne D'Arc. You might find something you can use. This one looks alright: Fondos de Escritorio > Entretenimiento > Juegos > Joan of Arc, Wars and Warriors, 2004 | Descargar Fondo, papel tapiz 1024x768


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## Elf Witch

I nearly snorted Coke Zero when I saw the picture you posted. As a woman who has worn garters to hold up stockings I can tell you that those thin straps would never hold armor leggings they would break from the weight or hang loosely and be droopy.


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## NewJeffCT

Elf Witch said:


> I nearly snorted Coke Zero when I saw the picture you posted. As a woman who has worn garters to hold up stockings I can tell you that those thin straps would never hold armor leggings they would break from the weight or hang loosely and be droopy.




Those garters are of elven make, though.  Much stronger than they look.  

(no comments about magic underwear, please)

But, that pic is what I was going for other than the naked thighs and garters.


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## Elf Witch

NewJeffCT said:


> Those garters are of elven make, though.  Much stronger than they look.
> 
> (no comments about magic underwear, please)
> 
> But, that pic is what I was going for other than the naked thighs and garters.




Ahh well that is different those are mithral garters.

It was just a weird picture to me it was like seeing a woman on the top dressed in a business jacket and blouse and the bottom is a bikini.  My roommate's comment was what it's laundry day and her pants are still in the wash.

One of my frustrations over the years has been finding decent minis and pictures of female adventurers.


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## NewJeffCT

true, there are not a lot of decent female warrior miniatures (wizards and clerics aplenty, though)

and, there are some muscular warrior women pictures - but, almost all of them are barbarian types without a lot of armor.


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## NewJeffCT

This one isn't bad:


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## Elf Witch

NewJeffCT said:


> true, there are not a lot of decent female warrior miniatures (wizards and clerics aplenty, though)
> 
> and, there are some muscular warrior women pictures - but, almost all of them are barbarian types without a lot of armor.




It is better now then it used to be. I remember back in the early 80s going nuts  trying to find a female wizard who was not half dressed or topless.


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## Elf Witch

NewJeffCT said:


> This one isn't bad:




This is better. I just wish they would stop drawing them with metal bras it looks dumb to me. Talk about having to fit the armor just to that woman. Woman sometimes wore armor back in the middle ages and they just took a cloth and bound their breasts. 

I would like to see pictures more like that.  

But at least she is fully covered which is the point of heavy armor.


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## NewJeffCT

Elf Witch said:


> This is better. I just wish they would stop drawing them with metal bras it looks dumb to me. Talk about having to fit the armor just to that woman. Woman sometimes wore armor back in the middle ages and they just took a cloth and bound their breasts.
> 
> I would like to see pictures more like that.
> 
> But at least she is fully covered which is the point of heavy armor.




True - she's fully covered and she doesn't seem to have waif-like arms that would tire after swinging anything heavier than a wand.  If Linda Hamilton can be muscular in Terminator 2, I don't see why a strong woman warrior in D&D can't have muscles, too.  (I'm anxious to see how they do Brienne in A Game of Thrones on HBO)


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## aurance

Metal boobies would do a particularly good job of guiding glancing attacks straight to the heart. That's probably more of a bugaboo for me than random pieces being missing.


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## Balesir

Elf Witch said:


> I nearly snorted Coke Zero when I saw the picture you posted. As a woman who has worn garters to hold up stockings I can tell you that those thin straps would never hold armor leggings they would break from the weight or hang loosely and be droopy.



Heh - not to mention they would chafe like you wouldn't believe! 

IRL later plate leg armour was fitted using padded hose (like tights, but much stronger and padded) that the armour pieces were laced onto as well as strapped around and as well as being strapped to the breastplate. Properly fitted, it should be firmly enough attached that you can do tumbling tricks in it.

Having said that, it's not like cuisses (or other plate armour) is going to "fall down" - it's quite rigid!


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## Hussar

Thanks for the links all.  There's some great stuff here.  Finding decent token pics for people is a challenge.  Way, way too much fantasy beefcake out there.

It gets even worse when you try to do SF games.  Gack!  

I'd suggest www.conceptart.org as well.  You might have to google site search it though.  Wading through things can be a bore.  Or, in my case, a three hour time sink where I just HAVE to click that next link.


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## scruffygrognard

I did a quick bit of photoshopping to try to get rid of the boobage in the armor...


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## Hussar

Cperkins, that's pretty darn good actually.  Hrm, I wonder if just doing a bit of a smudge job on a lot of the chainmail bikini pin-ups would work?


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## Quickleaf

Sorry, I got distracted by the use of snorting coke and garters in the same sentence 

Here's a picture from Artesia by Mark Smylie (a *great* graphic novel) that depicts some functional aesthetically pleasing armor worn by the heroine:






One of Artesian horseback:






And one more from the most recent comic in the series:


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## NewJeffCT

cperkins said:


> I did a quick bit of photoshopping to try to get rid of the boobage in the armor...




OK - I think I need to use this one just because you took the time to photoshop it for the thread!

Thanks


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## scruffygrognard

Cool!  Glad to be of service.

I'll leave you with a picture that I touched up for my wife's use.  She wanted a female barbarian... but didn't want the character to have the Great Cleavage feat.


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## TheAuldGrump

Look up St. Joan of Arc. 





(Illo. Ca. 1485)





(Statue.)





(Statue.)
Both photos above from the St. Joan of Arc Center - N.M.

The Auld Grump


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## TheAuldGrump

Elf Witch said:


> Ahh well that is different those are mithral garters.
> 
> It was just a weird picture to me it was like seeing a woman on the top dressed in a business jacket and blouse and the bottom is a bikini.  My roommate's comment was what it's laundry day and her pants are still in the wash.
> 
> One of my frustrations over the years has been finding decent minis and pictures of female adventurers.



A tin bikini at that.... ow.  That _cannot_ be comfortable.



Elf Witch said:


> It is better now then it used to be. I remember back in the early 80s going nuts  trying to find a female wizard who was not half dressed or topless.



 Sandra Garrity does a decent job of covering the body. 




Not perfect, but at least you can't see her belly button. :/ (_Why_ is the belly exposed on so many miniatures? That's the softest place on the body, you can open up the intestines and belly....)

On the flip side are the Libby miniatures by Hasslefree Miniatures-




The armor isn't perfect, but her body has some mass to it! (By some odd coincidence, I believe that the person who makes those sculpts is married to a woman named Libby.  You gotta love a sculptor that does a model of his wife as a Jedi....) 

The Auld Grump


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## NewJeffCT

Some good pics I found on the deviant art website mentioned above...









Hmm, not sure why the thumbnails aren't coming up - I know I've done it before.
oh well


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## TheAuldGrump

Whoops, meant to post this with the other -




'Mystic Warrior' (definitely _not_ a Jedi) Libby.

More disturbing is Dominatrix Libby.... 

The Auld Grump


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## NewJeffCT

TheAuldGrump said:


> Whoops, meant to post this with the other -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 'Mystic Warrior' (definitely _not_ a Jedi) Libby.
> 
> More disturbing is Dominatrix Libby....
> 
> The Auld Grump




well, the sword does kind of look like a light saber.

No comment on dominatrix libby.


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## TheAuldGrump

NewJeffCT said:


> well, the sword does kind of look like a light saber.
> 
> No comment on dominatrix libby.



Heh, it was _painted_ as a light saber on their site, until they switched back to showing original sculpts and unpainted minis.

They also have a not Scooby, a not Shaggy, a not Mal, a not Kaley.... It is possible that there is a pattern here.... 





Jinkies!

The Auld Grump


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## Kaodi

If you really wanted realism in armour (as opposed to just coverage) you would probably begin by demanding female warriors wear helmets. Deflections to the heart are of secondary concern when someone is trying to bash in or bisect your head.


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## Dausuul

Kaodi said:


> If you really wanted realism in armour (as opposed to just coverage) you would probably begin by demanding female warriors wear helmets. Deflections to the heart are of secondary concern when someone is trying to bash in or bisect your head.




Agreed. If you armor nothing else, you armor the head. Helmet is top priority. Once you've got that, you cover neck, chest and belly. Everything else is of substantially lesser importance.

(I always kind of wonder why artists who want to portray sexy female warriors don't go with Roman legionary armor. It's practical combat gear that also shows a fair bit of skin. But then, I guess the point of cheesecake is to emphasize that the character considers looking sexy to be more important than survival.)


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## TheAuldGrump

Dausuul said:


> Agreed. If you armor nothing else, you armor the head. Helmet is top priority. Once you've got that, you cover neck, chest and belly. Everything else is of substantially lesser importance.
> 
> (I always kind of wonder why artists who want to portray sexy female warriors don't go with Roman legionary armor. It's practical combat gear that also shows a fair bit of skin. But then, I guess the point of cheesecake is to emphasize that the character considers looking sexy to be more important than survival.)



Or at least have the helmet _ready_ - tucked under the arm, sitting on the ground while the model is in a relaxed pose....

But the gut is an even better target than the head- less likely to get out of the way. One slice, and then it's the onion test....

The Auld Grump, feed the victim onions, wait a bit, then sniff the wound. If you smell onions then the person is going to die.

*EDIT* Yep, just checked, both models I linked to are wearing helmets, though one has horns and the other has hair just waiting to be grabbed....


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## Dausuul

TheAuldGrump said:


> Or at least have the helmet _ready_ - tucked under the arm, sitting on the ground while the model is in a relaxed pose....
> 
> But the gut is an even better target than the head- less likely to get out of the way. One slice, and then it's the onion test....




If you've been slashed across the belly, you can still act to defend yourself and even fight back, albeit feebly; slashed-open abdominal muscles is a crippling injury but not paralyzing. A good hard knock on the head, however, and it's lights out. You cease to be a threat and the enemy can finish you off at her leisure.

Like I said, neck/chest/belly are the next things you protect after the head. But the head comes first. To the best of my knowledge, in all of history there has never been an army that gave its soldiers armor but not helmets.


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## NewJeffCT

Kaodi said:


> If you really wanted realism in armour (as opposed to just coverage) you would probably begin by demanding female warriors wear helmets. Deflections to the heart are of secondary concern when someone is trying to bash in or bisect your head.




While true, the picture I was looking for needed to be clearly female, so the face would need to be showing unless the picture had cleavage baring armor and/or boob plating.


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## ValhallaGH

This site seems to have some good shots: Full suit of armor | Armor suits :: ArmStreet

Of particular relevance: Fantasy Stainless Full Women's Lady-Warrior Armor Set :: ArmStreet

And a two-fer: http://www.varmouries.com/cgallery/gothbaba.jpg

I find it interesting that the best "woman in actual armor" pictures are from sites trying to sell actual armor.  There's obviously a market for such things.


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## NewJeffCT

ValhallaGH said:


> This site seems to have some good shots: Full suit of armor | Armor suits :: ArmStreet
> 
> Of particular relevance: Fantasy Stainless Full Women's Lady-Warrior Armor Set :: ArmStreet
> 
> And a two-fer: http://www.varmouries.com/cgallery/gothbaba.jpg
> 
> I find it interesting that the best "woman in actual armor" pictures are from sites trying to sell actual armor.  There's obviously a market for such things.




Good point on actual armor.


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## Hand of Evil

some of my poser stuff


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## TheAuldGrump

Dausuul said:


> If you've been slashed across the belly, you can still act to defend yourself and even fight back, albeit feebly; slashed-open abdominal muscles is a crippling injury but not paralyzing. A good hard knock on the head, however, and it's lights out. You cease to be a threat and the enemy can finish you off at her leisure.
> 
> Like I said, neck/chest/belly are the next things you protect after the head. But the head comes first. To the best of my knowledge, in all of history there has never been an army that gave its soldiers armor but not helmets.



North America, Central America, and Great Zimbabwe, off hand.

But I will cede your point - aboriginal armors in the Americas were little more than slats of wood strung together and worn like a rigid apron. They did not have helmets.

So, I will agree - once the helmet has been introduced covering the head comes first.

The Auld Grump


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## jonesy

The biggest problem with breast shaped armour isn't that it deflects hits to your heart. It's that any good hit is going to direct the cleavage part of the armor itself into your sternum which then cracks. It's the same physics as walking on ice versus crawling on ice. You want the hit to land on a wide area, not a narrow little corridor that directs the entire force of the impact into your chest. Good luck breathing at all after that.


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## steeldragons

reported


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## Hand of Evil

NewJeffCT said:


> When doing a google image search on female warriors, most pictures are of women that are in the typical chainmail or brass bikini.  While I love cheesecake as much as the next guy, it's not what I want.  (after the chainmail bikini/red sonja, you get a few of Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman and then several of Xena.)
> 
> What I'm looking for is a a picture or three of a strong looking woman in realistic medium to heavy armor - chainmail, splint, plate, etc.  (I like to find pictures that I use when introducing a potential major NPC)
> 
> Xena wears leather armor, I think, and Lucy Lawless is a bit thinner than I'm looking for.  This is for a culture where women are raised from birth to be warriors.
> 
> This picture would be perfect if the woman's upper thighs weren't bare.  Her arms and chest are covered and the arm makes sure her arms don't look too scrawny.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks




I have something that may work for you...will post it later tonight.


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## NewJeffCT

Hand of Evil said:


> I have something that may work for you...will post it later tonight.




Thanks - looking forward to it.  

If I had photoshop and was competent with it, I'd take a stab at touching up that picture to give that pic at least chainmail covering her upper thighs instead of two magical straps.


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## Hand of Evil

NewJeffCT said:


> Thanks - looking forward to it.
> 
> If I had photoshop and was competent with it, I'd take a stab at touching up that picture to give that pic at least chainmail covering her upper thighs instead of two magical straps.




is this along the lines of what you were looking for


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## Hand of Evil

different armor


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## NewJeffCT

Hand of Evil said:


> different armor




Thanks - good pics!


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## gyor

Count me in favour of chain mail and plate bikinis. I'll take cleavage over realism any day of the week. Not pc, but honest.

The way I figure it, the bikini armour has a 
lode stone enchantment on it, that attracts weapons to it and away from exposed flesh.


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## gyor

It reminds me of my superheroine theory. Most superheroine's have huge breasts in comics so the reason I came up for that is that they use thier breasts as battery storage for thier powers. The bigger the boob, the more power it stores. See explains the phenomeona perfectly.


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## Alaxk Knight of Galt

I grabbed the example image for my DnD pics collection


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## Shadus

Found a pretty epic picture a few minutes ago.


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## jonesy

Shadus said:


> Found a pretty epic picture a few minutes ago.



I just realized. All heroes with long free flowing hair must have the Fighting In Downwind feat. Except the ones who use their hair as a weapon.


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## NewJeffCT

gyor said:


> Count me in favour of chain mail and plate bikinis. I'll take cleavage over realism any day of the week. Not pc, but honest.
> 
> The way I figure it, the bikini armour has a
> lode stone enchantment on it, that attracts weapons to it and away from exposed flesh.




while I love looking at female barbarians in cleavage baring outfits (all of whom seem to be amply endowed), for a regular fighter, I was looking for something that fit in with a fairly serious campaign.


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## Hussar

Shadus - who is that by?


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## NewJeffCT

Found some other good ones from deviant art...


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## PapersAndPaychecks

"Realistic", the man said.


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## Shadus

Hussar said:


> Shadus - who is that by?




Found here, Piya Studios: The Art of Piya Wannachaiwong


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## NewJeffCT

Shadus said:


> Found here, Piya Studios: The Art of Piya Wannachaiwong




cool stuff at the links.

Thanks


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## jonesy

Should have a thicker abdomen, but other than that it's excellent armor.

Edit: I wonder where she keeps her helmet. =)

I mean, now that we're nitpicking, that's still supposed to be standard power armor with environmental protection and an air supply. I'm not up to date on the latest rules, but I'm pretty sure they're still immune to stuff like smoke grenades.


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## jonesy

Oi! Regarding the last, check this out:
Otakon 2011 - Sister of Battle from Warhammer 40K | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

And here's a couple of flashy ones, but the armor isn't bad (although, are those platform shoes on the second one?):
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xeOzo0Axg...aATL9lKc/s1600/img-female_samurai_warrior.jpg
http://www4.osk.3web.ne.jp/~hasinaka/chaosette.jpg


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## NewJeffCT

jonesy said:


> Should have a thicker abdomen, but other than that it's excellent armor.
> 
> Edit: I wonder where she keeps her helmet. =)
> 
> I mean, now that we're nitpicking, that's still supposed to be standard power armor with environmental protection and an air supply. I'm not up to date on the latest rules, but I'm pretty sure they're still immune to stuff like smoke grenades.




Obviously, the helmet is automatic and hidden inside whatever that is on her back.  So, it comes off when she's safe, but goes back on when needed, like a convertible car.


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## jonesy

NewJeffCT said:


> ..whatever that is on her back.



It's a..umm.. fusion power plant/waste recycler/life support system for the armor.


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## NewJeffCT

jonesy said:


> It's a..umm.. fusion power plant/waste recycler/life support system for the armor.




then it should be able to easily accommodate a helmet that folds into the back that automatically goes up & down...


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## weiknarf




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## Elf Witch

gyor said:


> Count me in favour of chain mail and plate bikinis. I'll take cleavage over realism any day of the week. Not pc, but honest.
> 
> The way I figure it, the bikini armour has a
> lode stone enchantment on it, that attracts weapons to it and away from exposed flesh.




I have heard a lot of guys say this and while I understand it I wonder if they realize that hey woman have infiltrated the game.

And maybe we would be more comfortable at the table if we don't have to have cheesecake as representative of our PCs or the major NPCs.


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## NewJeffCT

Elf Witch said:


> I have heard a lot of guys say this and while I understand it I wonder if they realize that hey woman have infiltrated the game.
> 
> And maybe we would be more comfortable at the table if we don't have to have cheesecake as representative of our PCs or the major NPCs.




True - a few years back when there was one of those threads on getting more women involved in gaming, I had posted on a non-gaming forum where I post frequently and asked the women there about their perception of D&D, and there were certainly some women on there that had the "chainmail bikini/cheesecake" image of women in gaming (not to mention the image of gamers being socially "awkward" pasty-faced guys who live in their parents' basements)

Most women didn't have that image of D&D/gamers, but a good percentage did (maybe 1/4 or so?)


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## ExploderWizard

Elf Witch said:


> I have heard a lot of guys say this and while I understand it I wonder if they realize that hey woman have infiltrated the game.
> 
> And maybe we would be more comfortable at the table if we don't have to have cheesecake as representative of our PCs or the major NPCs.




I enjoy a variety of fantasy art. All of one kind or the other would get boring after a while. The cheesecake pics of both males and females are a staple of the genre and a reminder that we can't take this stuff too seriously. The pics of musclebound oafs in leather jock straps are just about as common as the female cheesecake but I have yet to see an oversensitive guy make a fuss about it. 

It is all simply fantasy art. We can appreciate art for different reasons. The silly and the serious can coexist without the world coming to an end.


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## MoxieFu

After reading all the complaints about plate mail with metal bras, long hair, not wearing a helmet. It sounds to me like all you need for a miniature is just

a dude in armor. 

When you change or get rid of all the differences between the sexes, what difference does it make?

(Edit to add: as long as it doesn't have a big, honking metal codpiece!)


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## Elf Witch

ExploderWizard said:


> I enjoy a variety of fantasy art. All of one kind or the other would get boring after a while. The cheesecake pics of both males and females are a staple of the genre and a reminder that we can't take this stuff too seriously. The pics of musclebound oafs in leather jock straps are just about as common as the female cheesecake but I have yet to see an oversensitive guy make a fuss about it.
> 
> It is all simply fantasy art. We can appreciate art for different reasons. The silly and the serious can coexist without the world coming to an end.




I really can't go into this because of the rules of EnWorld and real world politics but I am going to say that it is is different.

 I have seen some art like you describe Conan style art for example. But you will rarely see a man portrayed in armor like the one the OP posted with him covered in the top and then having what is basically some kind of metal underwear with leggings held up by garters.  

I have seen art with female barbarians where they have  what is basically a mini skirt made out of skin and a bra style top ala Conan style that does not bother me. What bugs me is a fighter or a paladin in some stupid armor that's only purpose is to show off her figure and boobs. Or how in the 3E books the elf wizard wears a gown slit all over the place exposing a great deal of skin. Sure she can cast mage armor to protect from weapons but how about sunburn or hypothermia. It is just a stupid look. 

As for woman being oversensitive about basically what is sex being used to portray woman to sell a game,  well I wonder why some of us feel this way. Could it be that in real life woman are often judged for how they look instead of how good they are at something. 

You are not a woman so maybe you see it just as a sign of being over sensitive. Which is a tactic often used by the majority when a minority complains about something. 

As I said before if you want to use cheesecake use it to portray the succubus or the evil priestess who uses her beauty and sex appeal as a weapon. But show female adventurers dressed in a manner that makes sense.

Nobody is trying to tske your cheesecake away from you.


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## Elf Witch

MoxieFu said:


> After reading all the complaints about plate mail with metal bras, long hair, not wearing a helmet. It sounds to me like all you need for a miniature is just
> 
> a dude in armor.
> 
> When you change or get rid of all the differences between the sexes, what difference does it make?
> 
> (Edit to add: as long as it doesn't have a big, honking metal codpiece!)




I often have used male minis for my female fighters if they have a full helm on because there is no way of telling what sex they are. 

But if the helm is off then it is different. 

The long hair thing is another stupid look when it flowing free like that what if the wind blows it in her face and blinds her in a fight or if the enemy grabs it. I used to wear my hair down to my butt as a kid and it really hurts when your brother grabs you by it and yanks. It brings tears to your eyes. 

The smart thing to do is show it worn in a braid which keeps it out of the face. Woman who are in the military, cops, firefighters don't all have short hair but if it is long they wear it in some kind of braid, pony tail or some other way to constrain it. 

I would say the same thing if it was a male character with long hair flying free like that. 

I have had female players tell me that their character has woven barbs in their braid so that if someone grabs it they stand a chance of getting their hands cut.


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## jonesy

Burberry Prorsum Dress actually made of Armor

That is hot. I mean, she's going to get pretty hot wearing that. Hottier.


And here is something ridiculous from the real world that men in armor used to wear. Not in battle, one hopes:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VkCdV2VSIcg/TYw85RJM9SI/AAAAAAAAAfo/qnxqPmONe-I/s1600/arrmour-codpiece.jpg


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## Elf Witch

jonesy said:


> Burberry Prorsum Dress actually made of Armor
> 
> That is hot. I mean, she's going to get pretty hot wearing that. Hottier.
> 
> 
> And here is something ridiculous from the real world that men in armor used to wear. Not in battle, one hopes:
> http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VkCdV2VSIcg/TYw85RJM9SI/AAAAAAAAAfo/qnxqPmONe-I/s1600/arrmour-codpiece.jpg




That is an awesome dress and it would make a good armor for fighting because everything important is covered. 

I have seen codpieces similar to that in pictures of armor and even on some real ones at a museum. Even in the middle ages size matters.


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## jonesy




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## NewJeffCT

nice pics, Jonesy, though I must spread XP around before I can award more to you.


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## Greg K

Spike's Deadliest Warrior had an episode about Joan of Arc. The woman portraying Joan wore Joan's original armor.  You might be able to find some photos of it on the site.


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## Dausuul

ExploderWizard said:


> The pics of musclebound oafs in leather jock straps are just about as common as the female cheesecake...




No they're not. I haven't got a D&D rulebook handy this moment, but I invite anyone who believes this to open one up and start counting. In a typical book, you'll find a couple of barbarian men in loincloths--and a couple of women who _aren't_ baring cleavage, midriff, or legs up to the thigh. Numbers-wise, there's no comparison.

Furthermore, as Elf Witch pointed out, there's a huge difference between the "barbarian in loincloth" look and the "pornified armor" look. There are people in the real world who wear loincloths as practical everyday garb. Chainmail bikinis are only practical everyday garb if you make a living as a stripper at a medieval-themed bar.

I fail to see why we need cheesecake. I don't think anyone in the digital age can claim to be porn-deprived. How about we let porn be porn, and D&D books be about D&D characters?


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## NewJeffCT

Greg K said:


> Spike's Deadliest Warrior had an episode about Joan of Arc. The woman portraying Joan wore Joan's original armor.  You might be able to find some photos of it on the site.




Good memory - and, her armor was the difference between 15th century Joan of Arc defeating 11th century William the Conqueror in that episode.


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## MoxieFu

jonesy said:


> Burberry Prorsum Dress actually made of Armor
> 
> That is hot. I mean, she's going to get pretty hot wearing that. Hottier.
> 
> 
> And here is something ridiculous from the real world that men in armor used to wear. Not in battle, one hopes:
> http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VkCdV2VSIcg/TYw85RJM9SI/AAAAAAAAAfo/qnxqPmONe-I/s1600/arrmour-codpiece.jpg




That's no codpiece, that's an Engorget!


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## haakon1

Elf Witch said:


> I have heard a lot of guys say this and while I understand it I wonder if they realize that hey woman have infiltrated the game.
> 
> And maybe we would be more comfortable at the table if we don't have to have cheesecake as representative of our PCs or the major NPCs.




I'd XP you, but apparently I've too much to you already.  So, in that one way at least, you are just like Colonel Playdoh.


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## TheAuldGrump

Elf Witch said:


> I have heard a lot of guys say this and while I understand it I wonder if they realize that hey woman have infiltrated the game.
> 
> And maybe we would be more comfortable at the table if we don't have to have cheesecake as representative of our PCs or the major NPCs.



Infiltrate nuthin'! It's an _invasion!_ Two of the four games that I participate in have more female players than male - including the teens game.  We're outnumbered men! Fall back!



Dausuul said:


> No they're not. I haven't got a D&D rulebook handy this moment, but I invite anyone who believes this to open one up and start counting. In a typical book, you'll find a couple of barbarian men in loincloths--and a couple of women who _aren't_ baring cleavage, midriff, or legs up to the thigh. Numbers-wise, there's no comparison.
> 
> Furthermore, as Elf Witch pointed out, there's a huge difference between the "barbarian in loincloth" look and the "pornified armor" look. There are people in the real world who wear loincloths as practical everyday garb. Chainmail bikinis are only practical everyday garb if you make a living as a stripper at a medieval-themed bar.
> 
> I fail to see why we need cheesecake. I don't think any male in the digital age can claim to be porn-deprived. How about we let porn be porn, and D&D books be about D&D characters?



Also, both the muscle bound oaf and the chainmail bikini are _male_ fantasies. Like comic books, the aim of RPGs seem stuck at the 14-17 year old male demographic....

As for the stripper at a medieaval themed bar... I can see someone's teeth getting knocked out when she tosses the top into the audience....

The Auld Grump


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## NewJeffCT

TheAuldGrump said:


> As for the stripper at a medieaval themed bar... I can see someone's teeth getting knocked out when she tosses the top into the audience....
> 
> The Auld Grump




I can see the guilty guy coming home, "Sorry honey, I got in a bar fight and got my tooth knocked out..."

and, there are definitely more women in gaming than there were 20-30 years ago.  However, it is still a male dominated hobby, hence the appeal to the teenage boy demographic.


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## Klaus

Here are a few from Expedition to Castle Ravenloft:

Ashlyn the Lightbringer, by Eva Wiedermann






Ireena Kolyana, by William O'Connor





Knight of the Raven, by William O'Connor


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## Relique du Madde

jonesy said:


> Should have a thicker abdomen, but other than that it's excellent armor.
> 
> Edit: I wonder where she keeps her helmet. =)




Hmm... do they have force fields in WH40k?  If so then she gotta be using an invisible force field.


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## jonesy

Relique du Madde said:


> Hmm... do they have force fields in WH40k?  If so then she gotta be using an invisible force field.



They do, but in my experience the opposition usually has some type of weapon active on the battlefield that will bypass it. Marine power armor is more reliable with its fixed 3+ saving throw (so it basically shrugs away 66% of all incoming fire like it's nothing). And stacking better gear on one single unit tends to attract assassin units. I think all of the forcefields are highly visible too.

But then again, I've never seen anyone make the claim that because the model isn't wearing a helmet it could be headshotted like it wasn't wearing one.


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## NewJeffCT

Reviving this dead thread - Brienne of Tarth:


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## Ysgarran

A second recommendation here for the Artesia comics.  Warning:  the comics are currently stalled...


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## anest1s

Proof that the chainmail bikini works best.


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## El Mahdi

Klaus said:


> Here are a few from Expedition to Castle Ravenloft:...
> 
> Knight of the Raven, by William O'Connor




Is it just me, or did anyone else notice she's wearing her sword on the wrong hip...?


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## Relique du Madde

El Mahdi said:


> Is it just me, or did anyone else notice she's wearing her sword on the wrong hip...?




Don't worry, her crow is trained to lift it out of the scabbard for her.


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## Wiseblood

Here's what I came up with. Elmore gets flak for the cheesecake stuff but he isn't a slave to it.

Dang where'd they go?


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## Wiseblood

I fail. Larry Elmore did two that come to mind. One called Death of Sturm and one called Dragon Slayers.


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## Relique du Madde

Wiseblood said:


> I fail. Larry Elmore did two that come to mind. One called Death of Sturm and one called Dragon Slayers.




You actually linked the search result rather then the image itself.


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## Knightfall

This one from the DeviantArt link is my favorite so far...


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## Knightfall

Another excellent image...


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## jonesy

Since I've already polluted this thread with sci-fi, here's one of the greatest science fiction heroes, Halo Jones.

Yes, her:





Here to show you all how to wear proper armor:


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