Swords in Randland

[aznprince001]

DANG IT!!!! SWORDS IN RANDLAND NOT 'Weapons of the 21st Century'

[RobertAlexWillis]

LOL ... you did bring the guns up, your Highness ...

 

Actually, since the original question of this thread was the design of Callandor, and we have that pretty well nailed down, the rest just seems to be a testosterone bath.

[aznprince001]

Fine...That sounds good. i announce this thread to become: "Weapons that are cool and what we can do with them"

 

or the optional:

 

"Your weapon of expertise and tell us what you have done"

 

 

Is everybody cool with that? good. Hoah!

[Narg]

you can actualy buy heron mark swords off the internet. i cant remeber the companyor the site but you can buy heron marked swords, and the ashaman pins and all sorts of stuff im gonna get a credit card for.

[aznprince001]

yup

 

http://www.armsofvalour.com/miva/merchant.mv?Session_ID=01C6FCA808F1097C000004F800000000&Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AOVL&Product_Code=1340&Category_Code=F

 

There it is

[RobertAlexWillis]

I think I said this before, but unless you're hanging it on your wall, that thing is a certifiable piece of crap.

[SinisterDeath]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to go to japan, find someone who still practices blacksmithing and making katanas, and just have em put a heron mark on it? :P

[RobertAlexWillis]

LOL ... not cheaper, but you'd probably get better quality.

[SinisterDeath]

In the Price/Quality issue it would be 'cheaper' in one extent.. Afterall you know the real price isn't the sword being made, its the export fees. NOT to mention trying to ship it across seas, not to mention the airplane trips back and forth... Let alone trying to have it go with you back home. :P

 

Though, I do hear in japan you can buy a katana for only $20.... Probably not great quality, but probably better then the blade they are offering! :P

[aznprince001]

The handle is made of brass, which is quite bendy i heard

[SinisterDeath]

If its hollow then yea.

 

Solid brass is anything but 'bendy'. At least not against 'our' hands. If your chopping wood with the handel then yea it'll probably bend.. specilly if its 'ornate'.

Though, with heat from your hand it could possibly get warm enough to become 'bendy'...

If your talking about the sword from that link, I don't doubt its bendy.. They were probably being cheap and made it some type of hollowed handle or something.. Or 100% brass...

 

Btw, isn't brass handels bad idea anyways? I mean brass is more of an object for ornate uses. Its meant to be looked at, not touched. The oils from your hand tarnish the brass, so you would have to polish it like.. 8x more often then normal....

[aznprince001]

agreed.

 

Also continuing the katana and rapier subject: I'm wondering about the Saraceans and the Mamelukes. They both used scimitars as the main sword and even made scimitars good enough to be throwable. The picture below is a copy of a scimitar used during Saladin's time.

 

http://www.georgehernandez.com/h/xMartialArts/media/swords/scimitar.jpg

 

So how about this, instead of the European knight, we use a mameluke (mounted slave Saracean warrior) and let him take on a katana waving samurai. Both are well equipped with their curved swords, though the Saracean has weaker armor. Who knows, the Arab kicked European butt in the Crusades, will it be possible for him to beat the samurai?

 

I've though about this alot and i can't put a finger on it. Yes, Robert will say samurai are better trained in Bushido, but Arabs are part of Jihad which make them fight with a little more enthusium.

 

What if both were mounted?

 

What if they fought in the dessert?

 

In Japan?

 

Other variables make this post awesome!

[RobertAlexWillis]

Alot of those matchups would depend on where they were and how they were mounted. If he gets a camel, the Mameluke wins. Period. They could do things with their camels that would have made even a horse mounted Samurai drop his jaw into his lap. On foot, on solid ground, the Samurai probably wins. On foot, in the desert ... well, most of the desert is solid, rocky, but if they get into it in the dunes, the Saracen is probably going to be able to keep his feet better.

 

So, mounted, usually the Saracen. Afoot, usually the Samurai. Thats how I see it anyway.

[SinisterDeath]

A ninja could obviously take them both, hiding in the only shadow in a desert with out a tree within a mile radius.... Killing them both before they knew anything was the wiser. :P

[RobertAlexWillis]

Hopefully a pirate-ninja, right?

[SinisterDeath]

Hopefully a pirate-ninja, right?

Only for the obvious water advantage as well as the parrot!

[aznprince001]

RobertAlexWillis:

Alot of those matchups would depend on where they were and how they were mounted. If he gets a camel, the Mameluke wins. Period. They could do things with their camels that would have made even a horse mounted Samurai drop his jaw into his lap. On foot, on solid ground, the Samurai probably wins. On foot, in the desert ... well, most of the desert is solid, rocky, but if they get into it in the dunes, the Saracen is probably going to be able to keep his feet better.

 

So, mounted, usually the Saracen. Afoot, usually the Samurai. Thats how I see it anyway.

 

 

Well i disagree on the Samurai on the ground. I know lots of movies are very stupid about swordplay but i keep thinking about one stance on the movie Kingdom of heaven. It was the seen where Balian had to fight an Arab for the return of his horse. If i remember correctly, the Arab's stance: was the sword was resting on both shoulders behind his neck with a horse stance.

 

The Samurai have no experience with European, let alone, Arab fighting ideals. Also, i refuse to believe that all samurai with katanas used more swordplay in battle. When in true battle, you forget all venial knowledge and just do what has been burned into you through training. Hack and slash.

[RobertAlexWillis]

Also, i refuse to believe that all samurai with katanas used more swordplay in battle. When in true battle, you forget all venial knowledge and just do what has been burned into you through training. Hack and slash.

 

OK. You're entitled to your opinion.

 

I still disagree ... what do you think was burned into the Samurai through constant training? Swordplay.

 

And frankly, if you're drawing on "Kingdom of Heaven" for your knowledge ... well, we all know that movies are always so accurate.

[caraieil]

hey with RobertAlexWillis on this one, never used a sword in mylife but if someone throws a punch at me when I'm unaware I throw them or wrist lock an takedown. Thats inprinted as a reflex through training, the natural course is to duck or simply block or be hit :D . Martial arts are about awareness and altering your reflexes to maximise survival; originally. Like when Ingtar says (I Think) dont practice that move (can't remember name) because you likely get skewed and one day in battle before you think, you will use it in a reflex and die when you don't want to.

 

I beeive the Arab was probably fitter/tougher but not to sure and would fight dirty, a winning combinatin, samurai superior training etc would enable them to adjust more easily.

 

Quote

The Samurai have no experience with European, let alone, Arab fighting ideals.

Surely this works both ways and the quicker thinker will adjust more rapidly so will depend on induvidual. Eastern cultures do have scimitar like blades as well I believe one of the arts does, either Kung Fu or Tai Chi although that has a straightish sword so, help someone. :lol:

 

 

[/b]

[aznprince001]

RobertAlexWillis:

And frankly, if you're drawing on "Kingdom of Heaven" for your knowledge ... well, we all know that movies are always so accurate.

 

I've never met a true Samurai. The Daiymo and the Shogun have died out, and other than those who are Bushi, mostly only ceremonial. I've not yet encountered an Arab with a sword as his main and prefered weapon. They prefer AK's and AKM's now.

 

Yeah, its pathetic, Using a movie... But I'll read up upon it. :D

 

I'm revising my stance. Instead of Samurai's swordplay, Samurai reflex. Thus, 'Block, Hack, and Slash" Useful if the katana is sharp and gravity helps it a bit. Stab if necessary...

[RobertAlexWillis]

I've never met a true Samurai. The Daiymo and the Shogun have died out, and other than those who are Bushi, mostly only ceremonial. I've not yet encountered an Arab with a sword as his main and prefered weapon. They prefer AK's and AKM's now.

 

That is actually the most cogent point made in this forum for a while.

 

Anyway, what this would really boil down to, in most cases, is not equipment, but who is the most skilled fighter. Since that would vary in every matchup, its sort of pointless to generalize, so I will stop.

[aznprince001]

Ah so true...The end of this thread is near, or at least to be wiped away from dragonmount memory...Twas' a fun time, arguing with Robert and agreeing with strider. But at least now i understand the katana more now. A great info dig for anyone who would read this thread again.

 

azn prince