If you can name some specific shields, throwing axes, or spears/pikes that you think need specific targeted changes, I can change the thread.
For me the aim of this thread was to show TW the big problems that people want to see attention for. If you can agree these are issues, then we're on the same page.
I think this is bad from a gameplay perspective, and not true from a realism perspective either.
Gameplay: it isn't fun to have to pay peace to someone who I am defeating.
Realism: in real life they would fear for their lives if they are losing this heavily. They would be tired of losing prisoners, losing their castles and towns, being executed, spending lots of money, and scared of maybe even losing their kingdom. This is why in real life losers paid tribute, not the other way around!!!!!
Armour is strong against melee but not ranged damage. Late game you can survive 4 arrows to the chest or 1 arrow to the head. That's absurdly
low.
Warband had armour that was more than 2x more effective against arrows than Bannerlord, and that was a fun game.
As for realism, it is realistic for padded mail or lamellar armour to provide good protection against arrows.
http://myarmoury.com/feature_mail.html
Beefier armour would also make AI parties harder to fight when the player doesn't have a fully leveled party, so it would even out.
Right now the game is very easy to cheese by spamming ranged troops. It would become harder to cheese if armour worked properly against arrows.