@Kryptid  
I’ve certainly never encountered any mention of it serving any particular function only being mentioned as lacquered bronze in the painting guides (though, yes, Nachtana did extrapolate the effect a bit).
 
On the other hoof, the runes carved into the wolds are the the thing that animates them… no runes and they would be just a bunch of wood and stone blocks held together by blood soaked ropes.
 
Imo, if you really wanted to argue about the practicality of it all, the boob plates would be the biggest offenders, anyway.
 
Oh, and it’s ‘Hordes’ though it and Warmachine are happening in the same world/place and can play against each other, hence why the online community took up to call the game itself Warmahordes. ;)

@Background Pony #1B9D  
I do admit that I don’t know anything about this particular thing (Warmahordes, or whatever it is?). So the patterns are functional?

@Kryptid  
These guys don’t really have access to artisans who could make fancy clothing.
 
On the other hand, animal hides and armor carved the same way they create the wolds are readily available and easily replaceable.

@Background Pony #2BB6  
Then why even bother having any armor at all?

@Kryptid  
I fully agree such armor tends to be ridiculous but these are Circle Orboros (Everfree Ponies) we’re talking about. Getting hit is not a part of the equation with all that teleportation and denial (they can and will make a solid forest errupt between your forces and their unfortunate victim).
 
Plus, it’s still armor vs bullets/cannonballs, magic or robot punches… the armor won’t save them anyway.

More armor open to a good stomach-stabbing.