Saxons and Jutes get awesome second level infantry (Kotsetla) who usually get axes, which is the weapon that completely destroys any kind of armor in Brytenwalda. If you've noticed, Theows, some archers, and other basic level troops who get axes are strangely dangerous against heavily armored opponents (ie: my companions with wolf armor, elite infantry...), because the ai is dumb and a naked troop with a hand axe can possibly take out a mailed opponent, or at least get in a hit or two, which with an axe will take away a substantial portion of health even with 80+ body armor. Basically for infantry you want as many axes (AP: armor penetration) as possible because swords, seaxes, short swords and etc are pretty much useless except against units with light armor. Axe damage is way less mitigated by armor as compared to swords, which only cut (c) and don't penetrate (p).