Matthew Amt over on Bronze Age Center posted some pictures of his Bronze Age scale armour project back in 2007. The plan was to have alternating rows of (ridged) bronze scales and rawhide scales. The rawyhide is dyed a dull red, giving a rich effect when interlaid with the bronze scales. Of interest to hobbyists around here:
A similar style was used by medieval Russians both for infantry and as horse armour. It was a good excuse to throw in a little colour when I did my Russian army a while ago.
Old style Russia, the Bronze Age and ancient Assyria goes pretty well hand in hand as reference points for big hat Chaos Dwarfs. Archaic, ostentatious, bearded and over the top.