Armor can be light
But if your character doesn't want it its fine.It is your character after all. Kneepads shouldn't be too much trouble to make.
I have more drawings of different classes of soldiers that I made. I have a heavy armor, which is what Garsin will change too, his current armor (flag barer), an infantry (mostly cloth with armor at vitals-, an engineer (has greaves and protection for the shoulders up so that he can move around his vehicle and work on it effectively. has a small plate of armor over the heart), and a sniper (mostly cloth and minimal armor where necessary), and a heavy gunner (good armor coverage and a shield). I still have to draw the medic and the scout classes. So if anyone wants to preview any of the classes, I can put them up.