I'm playing a couple of games right now one with my wife and one solo. My wife and I went troll armor and so I decided to be different and go bronze in the solo game. For me bronze armor made the first forays into the swamp easier. Not by a lot mind you and it could have seemed easier as I had been there before in my co-op game.

I wouldn't let the movement penalty deter you from going bronze because you get movement penalties once you upgrade to one of the other metal based armors.