Now on to armour:
Indo-Persian Armour
As in most period armies the world over, if you weren’t wealthy, you couldn’t afford much in the way of armour, maybe making do with a simple shield (Dhal) if you were lucky.
Dhal/Sipar – Shield
The quintessential Indo-Persian shield was round and ranged in size from that of a buckler (Dhal) to mid-sized (Sipar), typically had four bosses, and was generally crafted of heavy animal hide such as rhinoceros and buffalo. Some examples (most frequently the smaller, buckler-sized versions) were crafted entirely from steel.
http://www.historicalarmsandarmor.com/islamic/0028/Indian_dhal_shield_painted_1.jpg
http://www.forensicfashion.com/files/1751RajputNobleShield01.jpg
http://www.nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/images/arms/large/m9.GIF
Peti – Quilted
At the lower end of protection, you have the peti, quilted armour formed from leather covered in compressed layers of fabric. Note that it wasn’t necessarily cheap or of low cost, as these images (quilted cuirass, helmet, and vambraces) can attest:
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/2143/mysorequiltedcuirass.jpg
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/2782/mysorequiltedhelmet.jpg
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/6043/mysorearmdefences.jpg
Chilta Hazar Masha – Coat of a Thousand Nails
A step up from the peti is the “coat of a thousand nails”. Basically, this is a padded coat made up of compressed fabric layers, then reinforced with metal studs. In many cases it was then further reinforced with metal plates too. Basically, you’re talking about protection in rpg-terms that’s either studded leather or brigandine.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/Nephtys/Oriental%20Warriors/MS_Indian_armour_B.jpg
http://museumnetworkuk.org/talking/images/main_imgs/wallace/rajput.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4kW3MC9H8Js/TmnAiRks6HI/AAAAAAAAAi0/ngk6YPz0WpE/s1600/450px-Armor_coat_Rajasthan01.jpg
More to come.
Colin
Next up the scale is…
Zirah – Mail Coat
Basically a simple mail hauberk, sometimes sleeved, sometimes not. Uncommonly, mail chausses, mitons, and coifs were also worn.
Really, you don’t need me to provide images for plain mail shirts, leggings, or mittens, but here’s an Indo-Persian mail coif:
http://img.antiquesreporter.com.au/080519SHSY/132.jpg
The mail was frequently reinforced with metal plates, creating…
Zirah Bagtar – Plated Mail Coat
The plate reinforcements varied. Most were large, rectangular, vertical metal plates that were attached to reinforce the wearer’s midriff. Others used smaller, overlapping laminated metal plates.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Suit_of_chain_mail_from_DHM_museum_Berlin.jpg
http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=689
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EAarFlM9SSI/TmnA0lS8cxI/AAAAAAAAAjA/LbcQZPC1F0c/s1600/Antique_Mughal_riveted_mail_and_plate_coat_zirah_bagtar..jpg
Of course, if you didn’t have a purpose-made Zirah Bagtar, you could reinforce your Zirah with…
Chahar Aina – Four Mirrors
This is a metal cuirass, sometimes highly decorated, made from four pieces, one for the midriff/chest, one for the back, and two under each arm.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Char-Aina_IrGIM.jpg
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/images/hb/hb_48.92.1.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Antique_char-aina_or_char-aina%2C_chainmail_with_mirror_plates.jpg
You could further protect your hands/arms with…
Dastana – Vambraces
Hinged metal vambraces that securely close around the forearm from elbow to wrist, sometimes with mail or padded mittens attached.
http://p2.la-img.com/1191/27125/10235174_1_l.jpg
http://qiluo.net/img/war000065.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/Nephtys/Oriental/Vambraces_India_18th_C.jpg
Of course, your head also needs protection, which brings us to the…
Kulah Khud/Top – Helmet
The typical Indo-Persian helmet (Kulah Khud in Farsi, Top in Hindi) is a domed steel bowl, sometimes fluted, with a mail aventail, top-mounted spike, elaborate nasal, and sometimes holders for several plumes. Some varieties also featured mail veils that completely covered the face.
http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/images51_gr/52162.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/Nephtys/Oriental%20Warriors/Kulah_khud_Iran.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/Nephtys/Oriental%20Warriors/KulahkhudIran.jpg
A few Persian varieties had horns and devil-like faces (the latter example is missing its mail aventail):
http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=2108
http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=1303
And now for some sets of Indian armour (pay particular attention to the third pic):
http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/images51_gr/51796.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/Nephtys/Miscellaneous/Oriental%20armour/CharAina_004.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/Nephtys/Miscellaneous/Oriental%20armour/CharAina_003.jpg
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3261/2655188908_df04fe194b_b.jpg
Of course, armour for elephants and horses was exactly the same, being quilted, studded quilt, mail, or plated mail:
http://0.tqn.com/d/gouk/1/0/E/b/-/-/compositeelephant.jpg
http://chalklands.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/scan0004.jpg
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/4509/ms29.jpg
One really cool weapon is the bladed tusk attachment for war elephants:
http://chalklands.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/elephanttuskswords.jpg
And that, ladies and gents, marks the end of my tour of Indo-Persian weapons and armour. I hope all two or three of you enjoyed it. 
Colin
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/Nephtys/Miscellaneous/Oriental%20armour/CharAina_003.jpg
So even in ancient times, female fighters had to wear sexy armor!
Thought that’d get a chuckle.
Colin
I realise this is slightly off-topic, but have any of you guys ever seen http://armstreet.com/ ?
Ukrainian (I think) armour, weapon and historical accoutrement makers. Most of their stuff is likely much much too ‘modern’ for ACKS default, but I’m particularly in love with their lamellar set and they have some nice looking mongolian / korean stuff too.
I have no idea about the historical accuracy and I merely present it for the pretty pictures…
Yeah, that lamellar set is gorgeous.
A bit more on weapons:
Khanjarli - Dagger with semicircular pommel.
http://www.caravanacollection.com/wp-content/uploads/54.jpg
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=51648&stc=1
http://www.manchestergalleries.org/the-collections/search-the-collection/mcgweb/objects/common/webmedia.php?irn=9915&size=300x127
Some interesting Katara:
One katara hidden within another:
http://www.swordforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=32018&d=1104749453
One with a heavily reinforced blade for piercing armour:
http://www.swordforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=32019&d=1104758531
One of the Seshlikaneth (“Three Blades”) variety. When you squeeze the grip it splits open into three sections. The outside blades are generally blunt, leading most folks to the assumption that it was to better parry/catch blades than cause more damage.
http://www.caravanacollection.com/wp-content/uploads/34.jpg
http://www.yaplakal.com/uploads/post-3-12104446085192.jpg
One with two blades:
http://www.oriental-arms.com/photos/items/58/000158/ph-0.jpg
One with a wavy blade:
http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/photos/items/40/002040/ph-0.jpg
Chilanum - Distinctive dagger typically forged from a single piece of iron or steel
http://www.caravanacollection.com/wp-content/uploads/52.jpg
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=62989&stc=1
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=63437&stc=1