new estoc and half-swording

[keru_90]

so, the new sentry hero class brought estocs, dedicated thrusting swords, that come with a new stabbing animation that looks like an overhead stab with a pike. It's seen the hero grabbing the blade in the middle while performing the thrusting motion, and at that point someone asked me "he must hurt himself gripping a sword with a hand", and then i explained the historical technique of half-swording. In real medieval combat cutting weapons were useless against metal armour (even "just" chainmail) so if you had a sword as your only option ti fight an armored opponent you had to thrust into the weak spots, and directing the point of the sword if much easier when you grab it with your free hand, while also gaining a much greater power since you're using your both arms delivering the blow. Here's a video explaining the concept, maybe some historical medieval fanatic like me can find it intresting:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwuQPfvSSlo

[Bobo]

No idea why but the video won't play for me... :/

[keru_90]

No idea why but the video won't play for me... :/

edited, should be fixed now

[Bobo]

Interesting, the channel of that guy. Does he play NI?

[keru_90]

Interesting, the channel of that guy. Does he play NI?

A little bit, but his channel is not about gaming, mostly. If you're into that sort of stuff check out also metatron (medieval mythbusting, linguist, armor evaluations) , schola gladiatoria (HEMA), shadiversity (fantasy evaluations and castles) and knight errand (armours)

[Kriegstofu]

you can also grab the blade with both hands and use the pommel as a mace. as the blade is bendable it can really pack a punch into a helmet or plate armor of the enemy.

[keru_90]

you can also grab the blade with both hands and use the pommel as a mace. as the blade is bendable it can really pack a punch into a helmet or plate armor of the enemy.

yep, that is a murder stroke. You can strike with the pommel but also the quillons of the crossguard

[Winter]

I like this thread and everything it stands for. Thank you for bringing this up, Keru.

Here is a neat example:

Two people in armor hitting each other with swords: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7mXRvy2XEQ

Two people skillfully battling (technically just a demonstration) while in armor using the halfsword technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcjSZ3EmjBE

Which one looks like it would realistically be more effective?

[Kriegstofu]

troops in native should really use the mordhau/murder stroke if you command them to use blunt weapons instead of using fists if they have no blunt weapons.

another interesting weapon is the billhook halberd

[Image: latest?cb=20121218103754]

While it could be thrusted like any other halberd it also had this hook that could be used to swing onto a (heavy armored) opponents leg and then be pulled to make the opponent fall or lose balance. a knight on the ground is a way weaker target

[Bobo]

I do think different kind of hooks were primarily designed to get the knight on ground.