Quote Originally Posted by Slowburn View Post
I may be off on time period at what was custom at the time but kilted highland wariors often disrobed for combat and left their kilts behind for battle and charged wearing only their liens in most earlier accounts of battles that i have read.
Having witnessed one of the members here (Mark E.) doing some one on one, two on one, and three on one fighting with blades and polearms (they were doing it just to see if there was any great advanatage, or benefit). I can say with pretty much good authority that there are only two benefits to fighting in just a shirt-It greatly disguises the muscle play in the upper torso, therefore making predicting immediate action tricky, as well as allowing a lot of freedom fighting on the ground. The unfortunate side effects are that you give up your pistol ammunition (if the conflict is in the late 16th thru 18th centuries), you expose pretty much your entire leg to horizontal slashing (we tested the resistance of a free-hanging pleated kilt material section against slashing at a different point). Heat...You are likely in a full blown adrenaline rush, and it's always hot on the field-staying cool is a misnomer on the battlefield, unlike modern sports clothing that addresses such annoyances.