Samurai against knight

[Blue]

I got an idea. As I drove past the park in town tonight, I saw the usual gathering of "medieval weapon and tactics" enthusiats, "dorks" for short(no offense to anyone here who might dress up as a wizard or knight and spend sunday in the park whacking each others shield).

So maybe next sunday, I pack up my Bokken, go down to the park and see if they are interested in a little experiment? I never graduated to the sword in my time studying Aikido, so we should be at least matched. I am old, fat but experienced. They are young, just as fat but probably never experienced combat, mortal or sporting.

Whaddya'll think?

I'm still going to go with a two-handed sword technique and being able to move. A Sam wouldn't only use his swords btw. Feet and elbows are important weapons when the battle goes close-in.

I would try to blind or disorient the knight by striking the head or throwing something. Then move in put him on the ground by ramming or striking. Then I would consider a fully armored knight as vulnerable as a turtle on its back.

Regardless of all the TV shows that re-enact or movies that show sword battles lasting for minutes. Real combat is quick and decisive.

I would still opt for a good offensive weapon than defensive armor. Its always worked for me in the real world. I would rather be able to move fast and strike unless my armor was a tank!

[Officer of Engineers]

Whaddya'll think?

Youth and enthusaism is no match for experience and treachery.

[Blue]

Youth and enthusaism is no match for experience and treachery.

Roger that, Sir!!

[YellowFever]

On the other hand, youth and enthusiasm is more than a match for old and arthritis, so watch your back, snipe. ;)

[Officer of Engineers]

On the other hand, youth and enthusiasm is more than a match for old and arthritis, so watch your back, snipe. ;)

With a handle like sniper, do you actually think he would bring a knife to a sword fight? The Mrs must have been smacking your head to miss the obvious.

[YellowFever]

Well, that's where the arthritis part comes in, Colonel.

Not sure snipe can pull the trigger anymore....in more ways than one.

Edit: Umm...can someone tell me how far away snipe lives from California?

[Blue]

Well, that's where the arthritis part comes in, Colonel.

Not sure snipe can pull the trigger anymore....in more ways than one.

The trigger finger still works great! Even though the eyes are getting blurry, I can still split a playing card with the 1911 @ 50ft and put twenty rounds from the M1A into a paper plate @ 300 yds....in less than twenty seconds.;)

The knees are arthritic as hell, which means I won't chase you, but you know the old sniper saying, "don't run, you'll only die tired".

Edit: Umm...can someone tell me how far away snipe lives from California?

More than 1200yds..you're safe.;)

[YellowFever]

Like I said, youth and enthusiasm is no match for experience and treachery. Especially if their fingers work.

[astralis]

so many double entendres here.

[zraver]

I got an idea. As I drove past the park in town tonight, I saw the usual gathering of "medieval weapon and tactics" enthusiats, "dorks" for short(no offense to anyone here who might dress up as a wizard or knight and spend sunday in the park whacking each others shield).

So maybe next sunday, I pack up my Bokken, go down to the park and see if they are interested in a little experiment? I never graduated to the sword in my time studying Aikido, so we should be at least matched. I am old, fat but experienced. They are young, just as fat but probably never experienced combat, mortal or sporting.

Whaddya'll think?

I'm still going to go with a two-handed sword technique and being able to move. A Sam wouldn't only use his swords btw. Feet and elbows are important weapons when the battle goes close-in.

I would try to blind or disorient the knight by striking the head or throwing something. Then move in put him on the ground by ramming or striking. Then I would consider a fully armored knight as vulnerable as a turtle on its back.

Regardless of all the TV shows that re-enact or movies that show sword battles lasting for minutes. Real combat is quick and decisive.

I would still opt for a good offensive weapon than defensive armor. Its always worked for me in the real world. I would rather be able to move fast and strike unless my armor was a tank!

If they are SCA heavies..... go with bogger weapons, otherwise you have to sign a release and get fully kitted, they use rattan bats. If its non-SCA boffers, be prepared for how fast they are. Often they are graphite golf club shafts wrapped in foam and weigh only ounces. If it is SCA boffers, don't fight a heavy even unamroed. They practice with double weight weapons on pells and a boffer won't slow them at all. If people call them sir and they wear a white belt with the kingdom approriate markings for a knighthood won in combat... They may be dorks but the SCA combat knights are superb athletes. Even Amtguard knights are normally experts in using boffers. The SCA knights will spend all day in the various wars in full kit giving and recieving blows. If you were a hundred miles closer I could show you how to throw blows with boffer weapons. It is possible to hit a man shoulder blade with a sword while standing in front of him.

At least if you boffers, he can't sheild bash you. Also in the SCA strikes below the knees are not allowed. This is to protect the people from crippling injuries. In Amtguard (related but more DnDish) head strikes are verbotten since they do not have heavies (only boffers) and so do not wear face protection.

I've done both SCA and Amtguard and prefer amtguard for the simple fact it doesn;t take multiple years and thousands of dollars to be a certified fighter. You can make completely functional brigadine armor for Amtgaurd for just a few hundred dollars using leather sheets, cloth rivets and steel washers.

[astralis]

zraver,

you ever go with the ARMA folks?

[Blue]

I don't think these guys are any official (or athletic) org. They look like Mikey from Occ or Henchman 21(before he got buff...and Hench #24). My wife actually used to work with one of the folks that participated often in the same group. They left because mostly they would go the park, talk about how great it was in medieval europe and then smoke a bunch of pot.

I would consider that group like shootin fish in a barrel!

I have a serious question though. In japanese budo and the arts therein, have survived and can be learned today as they were for the last several hundred years. Is there a school or established format that teaches combat tactics of medieval knights? The asian martial arts obviously dominate today in the accessability of the sheer number of schools around the globe. Where would you go to learn knightly arts and how would you know it is legitimate?

[zraver]

zraver,

you ever go with the ARMA folks?

No, none locally that I know of. Plus I am not rich nor much of a fencer. I'd love to master Florentine style, I know a bit and have the blades for it but no protective gear. As a raver who does poi I am good at knowing where my hands are in relation to myself and everything around me.

7th,

The SCA does a decent job allowing for modern safety practices. I don't know enough about the Association of Renaissance martial Arts (ARMA). However, their website has this quote, "Our Renaissance fencing skills are not a chivalric fantasy sport, duelling game, or re-creational role-playing amusement but a modern combative discipline. This is no "pose and prance" approach, and no pretentious play and display attitude."

[Pak Nationalist]

Hey people, look what i found...

Its called a Kusarigama.

Throw it from a distance to role around the knight's legs then pull to put him on the ground.

[Pak Nationalist]

And samurais also had steel plate armor:

It was made from numerous steel plates tied with a leather cord. Only the chest plate was usually made from one piece of metal.

However, the tiny steel plates didn't cover the whole body, only the most vulnerable parts, because of the weight of steel.

Samurai Armor, Samurai Weapons, Samurai Helmet, Samurai Clothing