a lot depends on the setting and locale too. Glorantha is very much an ancient setting, which means that all encompassing armour is unlikely, but not unknown.
A normal guard will propably have leather or, at best, ring armour. Cheap and inexpensive.
A group of soldiers benefits more from pikes and training, than from clanking around in armour.
Elite troops, carmanian knights and player characters with too much money on their hands ? Likely candidates for "metal gear G-style"