Coat of Plates is one of strongest pieces of armor in the game, along with Khergit Elite Armor, Mamluke Mail and Plate Armor. It comes in either black or red, but both have the same stats.
In the Kingdom of Swadia, Swadian Sergeants wear the black Coat of Plates, whereas Swadian Knights wear the red Coat of Plates. Both are the highest-tier troops in their respective trees. Swadian lords Count Haringoth and Count Ryis both also wear the black version, along with Nordic lords Jarl Gerlad and Jarl Turegor.
History[]
Historically, the coat of plates was the precursor to knightly plate armor. Most extant examples are from 14th century Scandinavia, consisting of between 10-100 plates sewn into cloth or leather. It worked in the same way as Lamellar armor did, protecting the wearer from being slashed, but still somewhat vulnerable to piercing. Blacksmiths from Italy later forged these into one solid case, creating plate armor. This armor was originally only worn by kings, but eventually became standard equipment for knights of all ranks.
The style of coat of plates as depicted in Mount & Blade is based on the armor that St. Maurice is depicted wearing on the XIII-century statue in the Magdeburg Cathedral (this style is often informally called "the St. Maurice coat of plates").