Ik haven't noticed any changes. I've just taken out Garios' 800 man army with my 350 men and there was not one good piece of armor to be had. I have only one piece of t6 armor and that's "Rough Tied Bracer" you'll find anywhere. Oh and I have a decent helmet from a tourney. Managed to buy some sturgian lamellar (the one the shock troops wear, not the plate one worn by the heavy infantry) in a sturgian city, but that's it and I own three cities and have over a million now.