By removing upkeep you basically give everyone the green light to wear full milanese plate all day and use only the high end weapons.
Remind me again how this benefits new players?
Hey aren't you people Americans?
Have you never heard of trickle down?
Me in full plate scaring the peasants for life as I one shot them with a horse bump is inspirational. With out people like me in the... 85%??? I don't know, what ever. They would have no reason to ever doing anything but roll around in the mud, they just don't have the culture needed to grow by themselves, they need to be inspired and get trickled on.
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I had my new favorite moment in c-rpg the other day. I ran around a corner in full plate and there was a peasant with a long spear, I just ran at him with out blocking and his pock wiffed off the armour, I kept running he poked again and it wiffed so he threw the long spear on the ground and ran for it. Funniest moment ever.