Partial Armor

Partial Armor were medium armor which allowed heavy protection of the torso, legs, and skull but virtually no protection elsewhere. It had a powerful combination between flexibility and strong protection.

Origin
It was invented almost by accident during a skirmish with a Lion force a Shiba Bushi refused to retreat from guarding his charge even when he was bereft of weapons. The Shiba fought with his yari, katana, and wakizashi, breaking or losing the weapons while killing his opponents. Unarmed, the yojimbo began pulling pieces of his armor away and flailing at his foes with them. The partial armor allowed him to deflect the blows of his enemies while moving with ease. He drew his tanto and kill two more of his enemies before finally being overcome. Such a spectacular story quickly made its way to both the Lion and Phoenix, until a Lion armorsmith attempted to reconstruct the seemingly advantageous armor design.