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From: drforsey@watcgl.UUCP (Dave Forsey)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: Fighting Florentine
Message-ID: <2429@watcgl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 13-Apr-84 17:41:39 EST
Article-I.D.: watcgl.2429
Posted: Fri Apr 13 17:41:39 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 14-Apr-84 04:15:24 EST
References: <6990@decwrl.UUCP>, <981@qubix.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 50
Re: Plate vs. blade

Don't be too sure of your plate armour protecting you from a
triangular blade. To be of any use at all armour has to be
articulated, leaving weak points that are usually  covered by chain mail.
The triangular blade of which you speak was purported to be
particularly effective in penetrating chain mail. A thrust to
the neck region using a broadsword might do little damage (unless
it crushed the larynx) but the triangular blade would bite deep.

The armpits are also particularly vulnerable because of the
proximity to several large viens and arteries.

Steve, for a one-on-one competition I believe I would accept your challenge
and do it essentially un-armored and use the advantage in mobility
to get to your weak points. (Your newsitem seemed to imply I get one
free stab to try and get through your plate.... hmmm what kind of helm
do you have? )

Of course in a melee the situation is drastically different, 
a row of advancing juggernauts in full plate would be a formidable 
sight and would effectively negate the mobility advantage of a 
less armoured opponent.

This is where the improvements in missle fire makes the 
difference and that probably makes it the biggest factor in 
the demise of heavy personal armour.

Armour of the Maximillian type had the fewest of these areas,
for you historians, can anyone tell me how prevalent this armour
was or how effective it could be?

This is an open question to all SCA members on the net, in the
mock fights you stage how important is mobility over armour?

It has been said that a sword fight should not last more than a
few seconds (10-20) or everyone involved doesn't know what they're doing,
personal experience has led me to believe this is true but what have
others found?

Even though this is net.games.frp I would appreciate direct 
experience accounts rather than a theoretical extrapolations of AD&D or
Runequest.


Dave Forsey
Computer Graphics Laboratory
University of Waterloo
Waterloo Ontario Canada.
{allegra,ihnp4,teklabs,watmath}!watcgl!drforsey