Medieval Weapons

ttaskmaster said:
More difficult, as everyone is the same distance from you and there's no clear 'safe place' to aim for, safe place being the position you'd need to be in to obstruct the others with your first target. It puts the responsibility for creating that position on the staffman, which is one more thing he's got to think about and deal with.


Yes and that would be a pretty good strategy, but it'd take a lot of practice as a team and the right circumstances to even get into that position. If nothing else, the three blokes on the far side have to get round there, which takes ages and leaves an opening until they do. No defender is going to just let that happen... unless they're unaware. Then you're into the whole surprise attack side of things and a lot changes at that point.
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true, i suppose at this point we're getting into the prerequisites for the fight, after all as you say being surrounded in an ambush isn't the same as finding yourself surrounded in a melee (where the staff man won't be alone for a start). and of course if it was a surprise attack, one would assume an assasination in which case there are much better ways of killing people.
 
adolf hamster said:
true, i suppose at this point we're getting into the prerequisites for the fight, after all as you say being surrounded in an ambush isn't the same as finding yourself surrounded in a melee (where the staff man won't be alone for a start).
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He ought not to be alone, but obviously it can happen.
But as often mentioned, there are many other variables that can change things quite dramatically.

adolf hamster said:
and of course if it was a surprise attack, one would assume an assasination in which case there are much better ways of killing people.
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Well yeah. Smart ambushers would have billhooks or something, for starters. Maybe bows, if they're really smart!
 
ttaskmaster said:
Well yeah. Smart ambushers would have billhooks or something, for starters. Maybe bows, if they're really smart!
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Personally i'd opt for a crossbow ( if we're sticking with a 6man ambush team then 6 crossbows) and try to go for an alley or balcony as close to his route, or alternately dont bother trying to cut them down in the street but get him while he's drunk/sleeping.

Of course at this point its not really a combat debate any more, more how to take a pot shot at someone then leg it
 
adolf hamster said:
Personally i'd opt for a crossbow ( if we're sticking with a 6man ambush team then 6 crossbows) and try to go for an alley or balcony as close to his route, or alternately dont bother trying to cut them down in the street but get him while he's drunk/sleeping.
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Ah, that kind of assassination.
I was imagining more a bunch of guys randomly jumping a passer-by, mayby someone travelling the roads late at night or something.
 
adolf hamster said:
Ahh i get you, like highwaymen, although tbf i doubt theyd try preying on someone who looks like they could defend themselves
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Carrying a staff is not, in itself, evidence of ability, especially when so many people carried them anyway and you have X blokes with surprise on their side. Things were pretty harsh in ye olde dayes. Kinda why they all went armed.
 
ttaskmaster said:
Carrying a staff is not, in itself, evidence of ability, especially when so many people carried them anyway and you have X blokes with surprise on their side. Things were pretty harsh in ye olde dayes. Kinda why they all went armed.
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suppose thats true, although again in an ambush scenario on the roads you're right that the smart highwayman has at least one or two bowmen, just in case.
 
The IPB said:
Is there any video footage of you sparring with a staff ttaskmaster?
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I'd be interested in seeing this too. There's a lot of bold claims being made in here and only backed up with words and quotes which, let's be honest, are pointless. Video evidence would be greatly appreciated.
 
ubersonic said:
[..]
Believe it or not, in medieval times trees were actually in plentiful in supply compared to swords, but people who could afford swords used swords because they were better.
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As far as I know, bladed long weapons were more common than swords in a battlefield scenario in medieval times. Not staffs, but spears and polearms. And not just because of cost, although that would have been a factor. Swords are just the job for highly trained and well disciplined infantry fighting in units in a campaign or even a single battle against other infantry or one on one combat. Outside of that, being able to stab or cut an enemy at a greater distance is arguably better. For infantry facing cavalry, swords are rather less than ideal. For anyone facing well armoured enemies, swords are rather less than ideal. Cutting is useless and thrusting is only useful in gaps in the armour and swords aren't very good for blunt force. Late medieval plate armour was close to being impervious to swords. You'd have a hell of a job thrusting a sword through gaps in it and anything else would be useless. You'd be better off reversing the sword and using it as a mace...but you'd be better off with a proper mace.

Swords are, I think, somewhat over-emphasised in modern depictions of medieval western Europe.
 
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Angilion said:
That's very well choreographed staff dancing.
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[like button] :)

While I've not trained with medieval weapons I've certainly trained in martial arts and the obvious LARP'ing is obvious in that clip :D

I'd strongly recommend anyone considering any martial arts to watch this clip as there certainly is a lot of bullshido out there:

 
ttaskmaster said:
Carrying a staff is not, in itself, evidence of ability, especially when so many people carried them anyway and you have X blokes with surprise on their side. Things were pretty harsh in ye olde dayes. Kinda why they all went armed.
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There are accounts of gangs of attackers avoiding killing people they were robbing. It was a sensible thing in the circumstances because a gang killing people was more likely to attract a major response. Policing was rather sparse outside of towns, but a gang of killers had to be dealt with. By soldiers, preferably, and with the rules of engagement being "kill them all".
 
rubberduck said:
Seriously, have the poeple posting in this thread (over the last few days) had a straight face when they clicked the 'post reply' button'?
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I've been much too seriously engaged in the serious business of creating the ultimate weapon by duct-taping a katana to a quarterstaff.
 
Angilion said:
That's very well choreographed staff dancing.
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Sorry didn't realise I needed /s on that post. :p

dowie said:
[like button] :)

While I've not trained with medieval weapons I've certainly trained in martial arts and the obvious LARP'ing is obvious in that clip :D

I'd strongly recommend anyone considering any martial arts to watch this clip as there certainly is a lot of bullshido out there:
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Good post good vid.
 
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