Could Snakemen Wear Full Armor?
Snakemen are absolute beasts in combat when you factor in all of their snake qualities. One of the ways they would be practically unstoppable is if they fought using constriction (credit goes to Shadiversity for this idea). Or even just in general combat if they were to wield polearms and use their height advantage against humans. And if they fought this way they would angle forward and upwards to make the person they are fighting unable to get at them. Add that to the fact that snakes are able to use the full strength of their muscles for about 1/2 an hour at a time, meaning their bow shots would be more accurate, and they could hold up heavy polearms for an extended period of time, they would be very hard to beat.
But the thing is they have to wear full armor along the length of their snake body. Otherwise, they would be incredibly vulnerable in a battlefield setting where there are many opponents that would come at them from all sides. Or if they were to use their constriction ability, they would need protection so that they could get up close and personal without getting stabbed and hacked to bits.
And the type of armor it would have to be is chainmail with gambeson underneath. 358
It would provide the most protection you could get (which is a good bit of protection.) and still have the flexibility needed for the snake person to move.
But there is a problem, wear and tear. Unlike humans, they have to move by slithering on their belly. And the armor has to cover their belly. So it will be repeatedly be exposed to mud, grime, water, etc, and get rusted and broken, therefore reducing its integrity and weakening it. And the chain links would rub up against the gambeson constantly. This would fray away at it and reduce its thickness and protection.
Is there a way to minimize/eliminate this problem? Perhaps with alternate types of armor that I missed? Or different materials? Or is this problem not as bad as I think it is?
Edit: This is snake people against humans. Not S vs S. 477