Reading Galton and Carpenter (2016), which got me doing some stegosaur maths and... sweet jeebus these things were *war machines*.

It's not even nice what they could do. Everything from the shoulders to the dorsals to the tail. It's all weaponized.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Skeletal-reconstructions-of-A-B-E-F-Alcovasaurus-longispinus-with-most-of-the-known_fig9_293328275

I note (and I'm sure others have too) that their specific mode of wrecking s**** is pretty much indifferent to the exact size, shape, and number of the blades and spikes. So long as there are sharp nasty bits, it'll work.

This explains why other selection factors can just go nuts with the armor morphology. The weapon performance isn't sensitive to those shape values. Reminds me of ornament and shape variations in maces and morningstars. Can personalize it, cause it'll all kill stuff.