I didn't say it woný help, but I just think it doesn't help much.
If someone with decent STR (say a +2 bonus, +3 two-handed) hits with a Bardiche, that's an average of about 13, true. However, that's also an AP of 7, so armor is more than likely going to get it's DR halved (all light armor is DR6 or less).
The thing is, it doesn't take players long to connect attribute bonus increases (1 every 4lvls and all every 6thlvl) to see that a base rance like CImmerian with thier inherent +2STR, above average die rolls generating good attribute levels at Char-Gen, and a character of at least 6th level can garner a STR20(+5). At that point feats can "override" a lot of the drawbacks, not to mention the two-handed bonus. It makes that same Bardiche do an average of 17pts now at an AP of 12, enough to halve the DR of any armore around.
I guess what I'm saying, and that argo may be saying too, is that not getting hit in the first place is really the better defense rather than relying on DR. DR can help, but it's not a sure bet if players (or nastily crafty GMs) start looking for brutal damage combos. It also doesn't take a 17th level character to be capable of really pounding out the damage, either - forget even mentioning Critical Hits.
MDT is the way things get killed fast in Conan because of the low value (it's 20 in Conan but 40 in D&D). All an attacker need do is roll damage that is 20pts higher than his DR can protect against, and even the best armor in the list, Plate, has only a DR of 10, 5 if the AP is 10 or more (like the Bardiche example I mentioned above).
Now, if you look at the DR values, that AP12 reduces a Brigandine Coat from 6 to 3, but 10 to 5 is much more of a jump, and that's the key to what I'm talking about. It doesn't take much after about 5th level to find easy ways around big DR, reducing it's effectiveness, and that starts making such armor more of a hinderance, IMO. It doesn't make it a bad idea, just more of a "minus" than a "plus", AFAIC. The armor check penalty and the reduced speed become something to really consider if you're going to be taking considerable damage anyway.
But then again, this is why fighters can Parry better and Thieves can Dodge better.