Could a tiger kill a person in plate mail?

[Rain Man]

I was pondering this during a run this morning. Assume the following:

• An average-sized adult male tiger (440 pounds)
• The tiger is hungry but not starving. It's healthy.
• The human is an average-sized adult male of 5-9 height and 198 pounds of weight.
• The armor is full 16th-century plate mail that looks like the picture below.
• The guy in armor has no weaponry at all and is on foot. He's playing defense only.
• Assume that the encounter is happening in a natural setting with no other people, tigers, or prey around.

What would happen? Would the tiger immediately rip off the armor or some limbs and kill the guy? Would the tiger work on the armor and get it off after 15 minutes of hard work? Would the tiger give up quickly after breaking a fang or two? Would the tiger gnaw on the armor for 20 minutes before eventually giving up?

Edit: sorry for the typo in the poll. I know how to spell 'armor'.

Poll coming.

[Zebedee DuBois]

The Romans might have some useful data from the Coliseum days on this question. The armour was not as robust then, but the did have some. Did armored christians last longer than unarmored ones?

[notorious]

The crotch region is exposed.

You'll be castrated and want to die.

[srvy]

Tiger always goes for the neck that's the armor's most vulnerable spot. Tiger breaks the knight's neck. It quickly loses interest in taste and abandons the kill.

[Bump]

the Tiger is the biggest cat I believe and the true king of the jungle. There is no way someone in plate mail is not going to die.

[4th and Long]

I'd say it's 50/50. The tiger could rip off his helmet and then it's over. On the other hand, the knight could probably pound on the tiger with those metal gauntlets and the tiger would most likely retreat.

Caveat: If the armor was made of mithral, the knight wins, no question about it. Frodo took a cave troll's sword/spear to the chest and he was wearing mithral and he lived. It wasn't even plate mail. It was chainmail.

[Valiant]

1v1, no weapons. The tiger is mauling you. 1000lb bite force is crushing your arms and legs..

[suzzer99]

Here's some leopards (4th largest cat) vs. a honey badger.

[Pablo]

And that was a successful tiger encounter

[suzzer99]

That dude lost his arm.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by Pablo

And that was a successful tiger encounter

Lol, love that the guy actually swung the little bit of bamboo at the tiger right before it jumped into his lap. Wonder if he had to train for that.

[JohnnyHammersticks]

Let's AskAI;

While plate mail armor provides significant protection against various types of attacks, including slashing and piercing weapons, it is not designed to withstand the immense force and power of a tiger's attack. Tigers are one of the largest and most powerful big cats, known for their strength, agility, and sharp claws.

Plate mail armor consists of interlocking metal plates that cover the wearer's body, providing excellent protection against weapons such as swords, arrows, and spears. It is designed to distribute the force of an attack over a larger area, reducing the impact on any single point. However, it is not specifically designed to protect against the crushing force and bite strength of large predators like tigers.

Tigers have incredibly strong jaws and sharp teeth that can easily puncture through the gaps in plate mail armor or exert enough pressure to cause severe damage even through the metal plates. Additionally, tigers are known for their ability to deliver powerful swipes with their claws, which can easily tear through fabric or leather padding underneath the armor.

Furthermore, tigers are highly agile and possess remarkable speed and reflexes. They can quickly maneuver around an opponent and target vulnerable areas such as the neck or joints where the armor offers less protection. Tigers also have a keen sense of observation and can exploit any weaknesses in an opponent's defense.

It is important to note that plate mail armor was primarily designed for combat against human opponents wielding conventional weapons rather than large predatory animals. While it may provide some level of protection against a tiger's attack, it cannot guarantee complete safety.

In conclusion, while plate mail armor offers substantial protection against many forms of attack, it is not specifically designed to withstand the force and power of a tiger's attack. A tiger's bite strength, combined with its agility and sharp claws, can potentially overcome the defenses provided by plate mail armor.

[DenverChief]

I feel like chain mail would do better since it can be worn as a suit instead of in pieces

[Pepe Silvia]

The Tiger would press the suit onto your body/skull and crush you to death.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

My initial hunch was that the human could survive as long as the armor was all joined well. I don't think a tiger could bite through armor.

But tigers are really strong. My initial concern was that the tiger might get a grip on the helmet and yank it off. But the more I think about, I think the tiger would win a different way, albeit in a way that's unsatisfying to either party.

I think the tiger would flounder about for a while, but eventually it would get a good grip on an arm or leg and rip the whole thing off at once, both armor and flesh. That would kill the person, but I also think the tiger would have a hard time getting the arm out of the sleeve to eat it. It would be like eating crab legs without pliers.

[lawrenceRaider]

Tiger would peel that armor right off and get to the meat inside. Tiger wins.