Armor in Battle Brothers is one of the most important systems that determines how long your brothers survive in a fight. In this guide, we’ll cover the two types of armor (helmets and body), their effectiveness, fatigue impact, how to manage repairs, and what to watch out for when outfitting your warband.

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1. The Basics of Armor

Armor comes in two parts:

• Helmets
• Body Armor (chest pieces)

Each piece has a durability value. When you get hit, a percentage of that damage is absorbed by armor before your hit points are affected.

How Damage Works:

If a Cleaver hits for 40–60 damage and deals 90% armor damage and 25% armor ignore:

• 90% of the damage hits your armor
• 25% of the hit will also bypass armor and deal direct HP damage

This makes armor critical for mitigating most of the incoming damage. Helmets tend to be weaker than chest armor, but they protect against headshots, which function almost like critical hits.

“Armor is your buffer—it’s what lets your brothers walk away from a fight.”

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2. Armor Tiers and Progression

Armor improves as you progress in the game:

Early Tier

• Straw Hat, Hood (30 AR)
• Thick Tunic (~35 AR)

Mid Tier

• Padded Leather
• Lamellar Armor
• Patched Mail Shirt (~95–130 AR)

Late Tier

• Mail Hauberk (150 AR)
• Coat of Plates or Scale Armor (200+ AR)

As you climb the armor ladder, you’ll see increases in protection but also heavier fatigue penalties.

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3. Fatigue Costs and Management

Every armor piece comes with a fatigue penalty, which reduces your maximum stamina. This means the heavier your gear, the fewer actions you can take.

Example:

• Torsen without armor: 100 fatigue
• With 8 fatigue armor: 92 fatigue
• With a scale armor (26 fatigue): 74 fatigue

You’ll need to balance protection with stamina. If a brother can’t move or attack due to fatigue, they become a liability.

Perks that Help:

• Brawny: Reduces fatigue penalty by 30%.
• Battle Forged: Reduces damage to armor based on its total value.

“Brawny and Battle Forged let you wear heavier armor without turning into a statue.”

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4. Vision and Helmets

Some helmets reduce vision, which is important for:

• Archers: Need full vision to shoot at maximum range
• Lookouts / Spotters: Keep light helmets on them

A kettle helmet with mail may offer 215 protection but could reduce vision by 2 or more points.

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5. Repairing and Maintenance

Damaged armor requires tools and time to fix.

• Use your Tools & Supplies to auto-repair gear over time.
• On the world map, hover over the armor to see repair time and tool cost.
• Try to repair outside of combat whenever possible.

You don’t want to start a fight with half-broken gear—one hit and you’re in danger.

“A brother in tattered armor is a walking funeral bill.”

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6. Buying and Selling Armor

• Marketplace armor early on is often damaged or low-tier
• Expect to repair or upgrade regularly
• Later in the game, you’ll be buying armor worth more than the brothers wearing it

Example:

• Scale Armor (240 AR, 26 fatigue): Costs 4600 crowns
• Some helmets (like the Bassinet or Mail Kettle Helm) offer 115–215 head protection at a heavy cost in fatigue and gold

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7. Efficient Upgrades and Priorities

When upgrading:

• Look for best protection per fatigue point
• Avoid heavy armor on fragile or high-stamina-usage units like archers or fencers
• Prioritize tanks and frontline brothers for best gear

Some of the best finds are slight upgrades with no extra fatigue cost—like moving from 80 AR to 90 AR at the same fatigue.

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Final Thoughts

Armor is an investment:

• Early on, make do with patched gear and leather
• Midgame, loot from brigands and mercenaries becomes valuable
• Lategame, elite armor can keep your team alive—but it’s heavy and expensive

Balance your budget, your fatigue, and your tactics, and you’ll walk away from most battles in one piece.

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