Bronze tools, weapons, and armor

[Teggs 55]

Greetings.  I see that the idea has been around, though not discussed recently, but I would like to suggest and request that bronze be made a base metal choice for all metal tools, weapons, and armor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze

That entry provides a good explanation of the qualities of bronze.  Compared to Iron, Bronze is:

-  slightly harder

-  a bit less brittle

-  much less prone to oxidation (also resists corrosion and metal fatigue better than steel)

Why add this into Wurm? 

Iron is considered a requirement for most settlements, simply because one cannot make or maintain tools without it.  Many otherwise nice areas are passed over for lack of iron.  Enabling bronze would bring a few of these areas back into consideration. Also, existing settlements near the metals may find increased (or any) demand for their metal, creating a tradegood. Finally, metallurgists would find increased demand for their services. 

What properties should bronze have? While it is a bit harder than iron, steel already fills that role.  I suggest that bronze should share iron's damage-on-use, leaving steel paramount.  But bronze should have less decay over time, not only a reflection of real life, but also a compensation for gathering and combining two metals ingame.

Iron - standard

Steel (requires metallurgy) - resistant to damage from use

Bronze (requires metallurgy) - resistant to damage from decay

- Teggs

[Ord 1]

I gotta +1 this

Bronze shortsword Bronze large metal shield Bronze chainset + pvp = Spartans

Just make it take more damage on use

[Rhodes 6]

Seems cool and would make bronze actually useful and would look sweet when you can actually see armor and whatnot, because as it stands now bronze is completely useless as it has no special properties, difficult to make, and anything that could be made from bronze could be replaced with another metal very easily. Making it have a reduced decay property like cedar is to carpentry items would be great and actually make it useful.

[Waffles 0]

I feel like you should be able to make tools out of anything, regardless of how silly or impractical it would be.

Yes I would like my gold pickaxe that breaks after one use. What of it?

[Guest Docterchese]

A tin sword? Now you're talking!! Would be fun for the lols....

As Wurm is very much about the player making things there should be no reason why you can't make anything out of anything. You can make a boat out of lemons so why not make a hammer out of zinc?

+1 from me

[Ord 1]

Bump cuz i want Bronze Longswords and halberds  8)

[Darkren 15]

Yes! Give Bronze some use. +1

[Ord 1]

Oh yea...

Bronze plate

2/3 strength of steel plate ( walk same speed though )

Bronze weapons

Same as iron

Takes more damage

[Klaa 4,872]

The variety would be nice. Not to mention various metals and alloys having differing properties. Steel changes are a step in the right direction.