Results 31 to 60 of 1528
-
2010-09-16, 05:40 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2010
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
That was kinda well after the Blitz, but...
Range, I suspect. And secrecy. It was still an experimental weapon, and putting it against V1s was nice and 'safe' and wouldn't result in one landing in the German's laps.
And although a lot of aircraft were moved across to Europe to operate closer to the front lines and extend their range, I suspect that things would be trickier with the meteor. You can take a Spitfire or a Mustang off from a grass strip, but you need a metalled surface for jets, and the allies were busy bombing them all, so there weren't many to capture.
Perhaps the claim that the sword was "better" than the polearm should be amended with "in single combat".
Swords are a weapon of the wealthy and a badge of rank. They're also handy to carry around and useful in a wide degree of circumstances against a wide range of threats. They are an expensive compromise in many ways. We've just been bought up to look up at swords as some kind of fantastic thing. So the 'mythology' is still working.
Would a curved blade sword, like a cutlass or a cavalry saber, be used as a side-arm?
Curved swords make great light cavalry blades, so were very popular as such in many cultures.
and see if the place is still there, and wheter the bomb is still there.
-
2010-09-16, 07:53 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2009
- Location
- Germany
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
We are not standing on the shoulders of giants, but on very tall tower of other dwarves.
Spriggan's Den Heroic Fantasy Roleplaying
-
2010-09-16, 08:08 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2010
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
Berlin still features bullet-holes in buildings.
The medieval church 50 yards from where I live was reduced to a crumbled tower by the Luftwaffe in 1941.
-
2010-09-16, 08:34 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Metro Manila, Philippines
- Gender
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
Adding a few more examples of mythologies in which the major characters didn't use swords:
1. Philippine mythology's warriors were mostly spear-wielders, as far as I can tell.
2. Hindu mythology has warriors who were excellent at many weapons, but the bow seems to be most common, since the Astras (divine weapons bestowed by the gods as special blessings on warriors of great virtue) were often channeled through ranged weapons. Heck, the Brahmastra is closer to a nuke than anything. Other weapons that appeared in the hands of heroes were the mace (Hanuman and Bhima), and the spear (Lakshmana and Indrajita). The only one I recall who actually had a named sword was Ravana, the demon king and primary villain of the Ramayana, who wielded Chandrahas (the Moon Blade). Having 20 arms, he wielded a whole bunch of other weapons too.
3. Fereydun in the Persian Shahnameh wielded a mace as well, if I'm not mistaken.
Eberron Red Hand of Doom Campaign Journal. NOW COMPLETE!
Sakuya Izayoi avatar by Mr. Saturn. Caella sig by Neoseph.
"I dunno, you just gave me the image of a nerd flying slow motion over a coffee table towards another nerd, dual wielding massive books. It was awesome." -- Marriclay
-
2010-09-16, 11:43 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2008
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
Didn't Hercules wield a club? And I think there were some early christian monks or priests who were reported to use clubs as well.
-
2010-09-16, 12:24 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2010
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
This might be of some interest:
Health, Grooming and Medicine in the Viking Age
Especially the section on "Battle injuries and first aid", near the bottom. (Emphasis mine)
In chapter 23 of Víga-Glúms saga, Þórarinn was struck by a blow that cut through his shoulder such that his lungs fell out. He was bound up, and Halldóra watched over him until the battle was over. Þórarinn was carried home where his wounds were treated, and over the summer, he recovered.
I may have to reconsider my opinion of hitpoint systems as unrealistic....Imagine if all real-world conversations were like internet D&D conversations...
Protip: DnD is an incredibly social game played by some of the most socially inept people on the planet - Lev
I read this somewhere and I stick to it: "I would rather play a bad system with my friends than a great system with nobody". - Trevlac
-
2010-09-16, 12:37 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2010
- Gender
-
2010-09-16, 01:45 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2009
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
The swath of modern-day France where the WWI Western Front was fought is still riddled with unexploded munitions. They're buried underground, but get slowly brought to the surface by freezing/thawing, just like rocks. It's so bad in places that there are national preserves that the public is not allowed to enter, and a permanent, professional group of demineurs who go around collecting the various shells, grenades, and bombs that pop up (both inside and outside of the preserves).
-
2010-09-16, 01:46 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2009
- Location
- Germany
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
We are not standing on the shoulders of giants, but on very tall tower of other dwarves.
Spriggan's Den Heroic Fantasy Roleplaying
-
2010-09-16, 01:55 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2009
- Gender
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
The problem is the rules, in most Re-enactor groups you aren't allowed to grab the haft of an opponents polearm which is probably the number one technique you use against a spear, staff or polearm as soon as you get into any kind of bind. In many re-enactor groups you aren't even allowed to attack their hands. The rules also can effect the polearm user quite a bit too because they often aren't allowed to strike with the spear 'butt' or trip or use a variety of other fundamental historical techniques which appear in the European fencing manuals and exist in the martial arts traditions in Asia.
Generally, the more armor swordman has, the easier he can handle the reach and polearm ability to counter his closing in with short stab or whatever.
But again, the more armor involved, the less useful most swords become.
So in all, as always in such broad matters, nothing can be called simply better than something else.
It's a mistake to say swords dominated the battlefields because spears and bows etc. were the primary weapons.
On the other hand it's a mistake to say that swords were not critical on the battlefield because the sidearm was so important. Armies equipped with swords and spears had a significant advantage over armies equipped with just spears or spears and knives or spears and axes.
That is why they went through the (comparatively) huge expense to make them, and put up with carrying them and maintaning them. Not fashion :)
G.Last edited by Galloglaich; 2010-09-16 at 02:06 PM.
-
2010-09-16, 02:01 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2009
- Gender
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
And yet, depending precisely where you are, the Sword has enormous prestige in the Philippines. The Kris for example, the Barong among the Moro, the Kampilan... just to name a few.
2. Hindu mythology has warriors who were excellent at many weapons, but the bow seems to be most common, since the Astras (divine weapons bestowed by the gods as special blessings on warriors of great virtue) were often channeled through ranged weapons. Heck, the Brahmastra is closer to a nuke than anything. Other weapons that appeared in the hands of heroes were the mace (Hanuman and Bhima), and the spear (Lakshmana and Indrajita). The only one I recall who actually had a named sword was Ravana, the demon king and primary villain of the Ramayana, who wielded Chandrahas (the Moon Blade). Having 20 arms, he wielded a whole bunch of other weapons too.
http://library.thinkquest.org/07aug/...ikh_Khanda.png
3. Fereydun in the Persian Shahnameh wielded a mace as well, if I'm not mistaken.
G.
-
2010-09-16, 02:04 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2009
- Gender
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
Great link... here is another good one:
http://www.gallowglass.org/jadwiga/herbs/baths.html
G.
-
2010-09-16, 03:29 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2009
- Location
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Gender
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
Just like with intestines falling out, this is actually not as dangerous as it sounds. As long as the lungs (or other organs) aren't injured and you put them back in and seal the wound quickly you should in theory be just fine. Assuming you avoid/survive the infections of course. It looks very horrifying and dramatic, but is far less dangerous than it seems.
-
2010-09-16, 03:42 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2009
- Location
- Where ever trouble brews
- Gender
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
Another consideration regarding a Sword.
In the confines of a castle (during a siege) you can't really swing a mace or axe very well. A polearm will help you hold a position such as the top of the stairs or the end of a hallway, but really isn't great for advancing in such confines. The (one handed) sword on the other hand, can still thrust, can still cut, can still be used in pretty narrow confines to excellent degree. One can still use a sword very effectively in a space the width of one human body. The axe and mace I can't say the same about, and the polearm becomes cumbersome in such confines.
Just something to think about, though I'm sure someone could elaborate further on the matter. This was just what I was told regarding old school siege tactics and I do not have a source on it.
My grandmother has all kinds of stories of the kids playing with undetonated ordinance. Eventually it did become quite common place to the point where it was ignored and left where it fell for days or even weeks, so it wouldn't surprise me if that bomb was never actually defused/disarmed properly prior to it being mounted on the wall.
Then again, my grandmother also took a short cut through a mine field once in a while to get to school. She lived near one of the landing strips. Struck me as a bit odd that they would use land mines on home turf, when the most likely attack on the airfield and landing strip would come from the air. But again, uber prepared was the name of the game I guess.Last edited by Karoht; 2010-09-16 at 03:44 PM.
~~Courage is not the lack of fear~~
"In soviet dungeon, aboleth farms you!"
"Please consult your DM before administering Steve brand Aboleth Mucus.
Ask your DM if Aboleth Mucus is right for you.
Side effects include coughing, sneezing, and other flu like symptoms, cancer, breathing water like a fish, loss of dignity, loss of balance, loss of bowel and bladder control."
-
2010-09-16, 03:50 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2010
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
My 2 cp - swords have a lot of metal in them, making them expensive. This means that only nobles, professionals and heroes could afford them, once upon a time. So they have a kinda association with the high-ups in fighting.
As for fantasy, I personally think a guy with a sword has slightly more flavour (had, before it became overused), than a guy with what is basically a sharpened gardening tool.Homebrew: Ghost Rider, a 3.5e Base Class inspired by Marvel's Comics.
So guys, the new Iron Man trailer, huh?
-
2010-09-16, 04:17 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2008
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
I'm not so certain, it really depends upon how the fortifications are laid out. The stairs in many castles were designed so that right handed people wielding swords could defend them, but the attackers' swings/thrusts would be blocked.
It is the case during sieges that pikemen were typically converted to sword and buckler for storming purposes, but I think that halberds were also distributed. (Although I can think of at least one period woodcut that shows a collection of pikes sticking out of a trench). Probably the nature of the combat meant that formed troops with pikes would be too slow to react, or simply could not be deployed in the space. If the space is truly confining, then it may even be difficult to swing swords. Trench warfare in WW1 typically involved clubs, entrenching tools, and knives being used in hand-to-hand combat in the trenches, rather than bayonets (or swords, which some officers still carried early in the war).
-
2010-09-16, 07:40 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2010
- Gender
-
2010-09-16, 08:22 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2009
- Location
- Where ever trouble brews
- Gender
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
www.darkagecreations.ca
www.museumreplicas.com
www.museumrepro.com
www.armsofvalor.com
there are others, but that is about all that really comes to mind.
Also, Museum Reproductions website might not be a functional link anymore. Due to the firewall I'm currently behind when posting, I can not check.
EDIT: One google search later, it is confirmed.Last edited by Karoht; 2010-09-16 at 08:23 PM.
~~Courage is not the lack of fear~~
"In soviet dungeon, aboleth farms you!"
"Please consult your DM before administering Steve brand Aboleth Mucus.
Ask your DM if Aboleth Mucus is right for you.
Side effects include coughing, sneezing, and other flu like symptoms, cancer, breathing water like a fish, loss of dignity, loss of balance, loss of bowel and bladder control."
-
2010-09-18, 11:04 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2010
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
I was talking with a classmate about why axes are a more useful weapon than a military pick, and why the spikes on hammers and axes are just back up, armor penetrating weapons. The conclusion was that axes produced wider wounds, making it easier to kill people with. It does seem an odd phenomena, what with the opposite being true for piercing rapiers and slashing broadswords... but then that's because of the difference. I suspect that there is either no speed difference between a pick and an axe, or that the axe gets a speed advantage. First, am I right? And second, am I missing anything?
-
2010-09-18, 11:19 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2006
- Location
- Poland
- Gender
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
Sorry, but no.... As hell.
Museum replicas and arms of valor seem to be selling cheap to not very cheap, poorly accurate to straight out fantasy stuff like Darksword and others.
Surely, one can find good stuff among it, but it's quite a search. If one doesn't know what he's searching for, he may find rubbish as well.
If there's any site to advise, there's always http://www.myarmoury.com/home.html, I guess - a lot of stuff, links to the museums and with reproductions, one usually has info about them and their level of sense.
Great site generally.
There are many good sites, but as topic is extremely broad, one will pretty much always treat about just one "piece" of it.
Such as Late roman armies of circa 400 AD.Avatar by KwarkpuddingThe subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing;
Rush in and die, dogs—I was a man before I was a king.
Whoever makes shoddy beer, shall be thrown into manure - town law from Gdańsk, XIth century.
-
2010-09-18, 11:52 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2009
- Location
- Germany
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
We are not standing on the shoulders of giants, but on very tall tower of other dwarves.
Spriggan's Den Heroic Fantasy Roleplaying
-
2010-09-18, 12:16 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2006
- Location
- Poland
- Gender
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
Just as example.
As far as I know, Darksword builds sturdy, rather overweight swords, with weird, not historical, and not really nice (IMO) look.
They perfect for cutting stuff in garden, and probably if medieval man saw them, he would at least know what it is.
By no means very "real", and yet they're probably one of the top stuff at museum replicas...
Example - weirdish, overbuilt sword, and is described as... Two handed XI Oakeshott sword, "Two handed Norman Sword".
As Normans weren't using two handed sword, and no one ever found something like "Two handed XI" sword is not historical straight from the project phase, execution could only screw things further.Avatar by KwarkpuddingThe subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing;
Rush in and die, dogs—I was a man before I was a king.
Whoever makes shoddy beer, shall be thrown into manure - town law from Gdańsk, XIth century.
-
2010-09-18, 01:03 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2005
- Gender
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
One very obvious thing is that axes were generally useful items that people had on them anyway. Picks less so. So your soldiers were more effective with an axe simply because they both had one and had more experience with one.
Also, against unarmored opponents it's easier to hit with something that has a wider blade... a swing that might have missed with a pick might still connect with the axe.
JaronK
-
2010-09-18, 07:59 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2008
- Gender
-
2010-09-18, 08:05 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
Hey guys, quick question on firearms, specifically shotguns. It recently came into my head to look into lever-action shotguns, and according to Wiki and a quick Google search, there is such a thing. They don't appear to be very popular and I'm curious why this is the case.
My theories are that either; A) the lever-action style is significantly/noticeably longer to reload than a pump, or B) the lever-action style is more complex than a pump mechanic, thereby being more easily damaged. However, either of these reasons beg the question of why lever-action rifles were created, as opposed to pump-action styles (which I am aware Remington has a new pump-action style .308).
Anyone know for certain?
Another minor question about shotguns, in the movie The Expendables one of the mercs uses a shotgun with a massive chain-style belt. Aside from the weight and potential for accumulated grime to gum up the feeding mechanisms, is there a reason why this is dumb?
-
2010-09-19, 02:39 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2007
- Gender
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
Well from my experience with the shotgun, it is much faster using a pump-action than I imagine it would be using a lever. You can fire shots quite rapidly with a shotgun, allowing the inertia from the recoil to aid in the pump means you're pretty much ready to fire another round just as soon as you're back on target.
Avatar by Aedilred
GitP Blood Bowl Manager Cup Record
Styx Rivermen, Feets Reloaded, and Selene's Seductive Strut
Record: 42-17-13
3-time Division Champ, Cup Champion
-
2010-09-19, 03:37 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Metro Manila, Philippines
- Gender
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
Eberron Red Hand of Doom Campaign Journal. NOW COMPLETE!
Sakuya Izayoi avatar by Mr. Saturn. Caella sig by Neoseph.
"I dunno, you just gave me the image of a nerd flying slow motion over a coffee table towards another nerd, dual wielding massive books. It was awesome." -- Marriclay
-
2010-09-19, 08:25 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2010
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
Several reasons, aside from the huge hurdles ever mentioned:
1) Shotgun shells are plastic, not metal. Normal brass gets hot in the breach and when ejected removes some of the heat from the mechanism, acting as kind of a heat sink. Without this, the breach is going to possibly suffer heat management issues, which could cause unreliability, cooking off, or melted ammunition in the breach [!!!!!]. Belt feeding makes it even worse: instead of the weapon firing at a reasonable rate and cooling a bit when reloaded, it's now got a belt-full of ammo, meaning even more heat accumulating at a rapid rate.
2) Shotgun shells aren't a great shape and don't feed particularly well at times. Combining this with a belt feed is just asking for more reliability issues.
3) Sheer weight of ammunition.
4) There are few problems that 200 shotgun shells can solve that 10 can't. People are just as incapacitated when you shoot them with a load of buckshot as they are when you shoot them with ten. Unless one is facing an infinite horde of natives attacking with pointy sticks at 20 feet, a conventional combat shotgun or assault weapon, or LSW/LMG has all the firepower you need.
-
2010-09-19, 08:37 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
Ah, I should have mentioned that as well. Still, why did the lever-action style become so much more common in rifles?
Funny thing, shotgun shells that the military used before the advent of plastic were brass. Civilian ones were typically paper, however those would swell when wet and wouldn't fit into the firearm.
-
2010-09-19, 09:16 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2008
Re: Got a Real-World Weapon or Armor Question? Mk. VII
I know someone who can blast through the 14-round magazine of a Henry lever action rifle, very very quickly -- he can also blast off ten rounds out of M1886 lebel bolt-action, operating the bolt left handed, with incredible celerity as well. Let's just say he's very dedicated. :-)
I suspect there is something to the nature of size of the shells and the particulars of their shape that may mean a pump action is more reliable or robust. Armies generally preferred bolt action rifles over lever-action, so there is more concerned than sheer volume of fire. This is speculation, but I was under the impression that lever actions weren't typically used with heavy loads.
As for a belt fed automatic shotgun, you really have to ask why you want something belt fed in the first place, and are you willing or even able to handle the consequences.
I would imagine that you would want a belt when you need or desire continuous firing. The consequences are probably awkward bulk, weight, and/or feed issues. A drum can be used (such as on a WW1 parabellum mount, or sometimes on Mg34/42s), but they typically don't have as many rounds as a full belt. Also, *I think* it takes more time to load a belt, than to replace a magazine. So, while you can fire for longer, when you need to reload it will take a bit longer, and might be a more clunky process. Again, it's just kind of speculation based upon some general knowledge of belt fed guns.