In terms of production, how were armies outfitted and equipped

You're asking about dozens of different countries over a period of roughly 1000 years. You'll have to be a lot more specific about when and where you mean.

>>2899110
Spears.

Spears.

For much of the middle ages there were two distinct groups of fighters

>levies/milita
These were usually drafted peasants with little to zero training, used as auxiliary or garrison troops. They often used improvised tools from farming implements (this is how we got the halberd) and generally wore simple cloth/leather armor. Obviously these fighters required little blacksmithing work besides what they could do at home

>professional soldiers
These were normally the lesser percentage of fighters during the middle ages. This includes men-at-arms, knights, light cavalry, and sometimes crossbowmen (archers were often levied). These were the troops that needed lots of worked metal, but there weren't a lot of them until the late middle ages. This meant that making armor/weapons would just be a fraction of the blacksmiths work unless they were from a city that specialized in it, i.e. Toledo

This of course would change in the 15th to 16th centuries as plate armor became common and feudal lords amassed larger professional armies, leading to career soldiers

>>2899254
pretty much this, although plate armor probably wasn't all that cheap and common even in the 15th to 16th century

also from what i understand roman soldiers had to supply their own weapons and armor up until the late empire

>>2899195
Underrated.

>>2899343
>roman soldiers had to supply their own weapons and armor up until the late empire
I think it may have started when Diocletian allowed taxes to be paid in kind. Before, soldiers would be paid gold and equip themselves.

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138KB, 763x437px

>>2899343
>>2899371
Marian reforms introduced the Roman State supplying soldiers I believe, I can't find my source rn tho sadly

>>2899110
soldiers either had to provide their own arms or would be supplied with whatever the war leader had stockpiled.

In more professional forces like the romans you would be given money or a salary to buy the equipment required.

As things progressed major lords were able to employ smiths and armor makers to continually turn out utilitarian equipment, so they could outfit relatively large forces with basics like spears and breastplates

>>2899419
I can't tell if this person is being edgy for laughs or criticizing the game. I am guessing the former

>>2899254
fucking no

>also from what i understand roman soldiers had to supply their own weapons and armor up until the late empire

I don't think that's true. They were state issued from Marius onwards, and the Roman Empire literally had state owned "factories" which shat out weapons and arms hourly. Access to state armouries is half the reason that barbarian tribes wanted military ranks in the Roman army.