Light armour encompasses a wide variety of materials from hardened leather tunics to chain shirts forged from steel. It does not offer complete protection against arrows or swords, but it is better than having nothing at all. Light armour does not inhibit movement.

Save: A warrior who is wearing light armour has a basic D6 saving throw of 6.

Typical heavy armour is made from metal links and is called chain mail. Forging chain mail is a laborious and time consuming process, as the blacksmith must put together hundreds, sometimes thousands, of metal links. This makes chain mail expensive, but this type of armour provides excellent protection for anyone who can afford it.

There are other types of heavy armour as well, of which the best known are the steel breastplates and greaves worn by the foot knights of the Templar orders.

Save: A warrior that is wearing heavy armour has a basic D6 saving throw of 5 + .

Movement: A warrior that is armed with both heavy armour and a shield suffers a -1 Movement penalty.

There are two types of shield common to the warriors of Mordheim: the first is made of wood, occasionally reinforced with metal plates. This basic type of shield, although strong, does tend to splinter, but this can sometimes save the user's life as his enemy's weapon can get trapped allowing him to strike back whilst his enemy struggles to free his weapon.

Metal shields are heavy and cumbersome, but last much longer and can take a battering. A typical Empire shield is either round or triangular, and carries the emblem of the province or city of its owner.

Save: A model with a shield has a basic save of 6 on a D6.

Bucklers are small, round shields designed for parrying or deflecting blows. They are usually made of steel for they need to be tremendously durable to survive the brutal blows of hand-to-hand combat. Using a buckler requires great skill, but a nimble warrior can protect himself from blows which would otherwise cripple him.

Parry: A model equipped with a buckler may parry the first blow in each round of hand-to-hand combat. When his opponent scores a hit, a model with a buckler may roll 1D6. If the score is greater than the highest to hit score of his opponent, the model has parried the blow, and that attack is discarded. A model may not parry attacks made with double or more its own Strength - they are simply too powerful to be stopped.

From the shining steel helmets of Bretonnian knights to the leather caps of the Skaven, all sensible warriors try to protect the most vulnerable part of their body - their head. Even the most vain fighters still use a helmet, as it can be festooned with plumes, horns and other decorations.

Helmets come in varying shapes and sizes, but their basic function remains the same.

Avoid stun: A model that is equipped with a helmet has a special 4+ save on a D6 against being stunned. If the save is made, treat the stunned result as knocked down instead. This save is not modified by the opponent's Strength.

Ithilmar is a silvery metal which is as light as silk and stronger than steel. Elves are experts at fashioning weapons and armour from ithilmar, and the Elven kingdom of Caledor is the only place in the world where this metal can be found.

Ithilmar armour gives the wearer a 5+ basic save, and does not slow him down if he is also armed with a shield.

Gromril is the rarest and strongest metal known of in the Old World. Only a very few Dwarf smiths know the secret of forging gromril, and a suit of armour made from it fetches a huge price.

Gromril armour gives the wearer a 4+ basic save, and does not slow him down if he is also armed with a shield.