Sword swings at heavy armor should kill in 2-3 hits from blunt trauma
Sorry but totally BS. Have you ever seen REAL armor from close? Have you ever been hit with anything IRL while wearing solid armor?
Heavy armors are well designed.
1, If you git a plate, the force will be mostly evenly distributed by the plate on the surface of body part under it, makes it less N/cm2
2, They used to wear padded cloth, lather, etc. under it to further help the absorption and distribution of force from hits taken (and also help the distribution of armor weight).
In real life, there is only two way to damage someone wearing a full plate (not counting in throwing him down from a high place.
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1, Attack unarmored spots - this was the main technique back then. In the base stance they held the sword with two hand, one on the handle and one holding the blade about at its half, using the sword like a short spear, trying to pierce and targeting spots not covered by plates (like armpit) or where armor parts join and not overlap properly (ex.: between breastplate and helm if there is no neck guard). There were also special swords designed directly for this.
2, Crushing through armor. This was the hard way, mostly preferred by those not skilled enough for the first, aka common soldiers. This is what war hammers, war picks, morning stars and axes were mainly used for. Heavy crossbows (those that used a mechanism to be drawn) were also strong enough to crush a bolt through most armor. Later when firearms appeared, after a while better or stronger hand cannons, pole cannons, later pistols, arquebuses etc. were also breaking through armor, that's why the use of armor disappeared. Though, in the early firearm stages strong, high quality armor were ABLE to stop a bullet from a pistol or a common carbine. At those times high quality armor were often tested by being shot at with a gun. If the bullet did leave a mark but not crushing through, the armor passed the test. Then often the mark of the test shot was surrounded by ornaments as a proof of quality.
So actually, heavy armor in M&B is still MUCH WEAKER than it would be realistic. But if it were realistic not too many could ever kill the players wearing it, right?