The problem with plate is that it isn't quantity/quality, if it was all battles would be in medium/light armor as there is no way in hell a guy in plate is worth as much as 2+ of the same guy in regular gear, currently it is however spendlesstimetradingbeforedoinganything/quality, which is totally fucked up, if troops were purchased with silver somehow (would ofc require an economy that doesn't suck, and a hardcap on how much shit you can carry relative to the amount of troops you have) there'd be an actual reason to not just hold off doing shit until you can support full plate for all your troops.