Question about Ulm/Armor

[littlemute]

I'm still trying the demo waiting for the full to arrive in the mail and I chose iron dominion Ulm to have some fun with forging.

So I forge up some suits of black armor, a helmet and various weapons, but then when I slap them on say a Lord Guardian or Black Knight lord, his defense/protection goes DOWN from his normal equipment? Does this mean I need to just put that stuff on other, lesser troops or amy I missing something?

Thanks