Hi friends,
Hello Nerds! Weirdos and other niche subculture nicknames!
I am really careful about writing this out of fear that it may be perceived in the wrong way. The idea is not to tell you that YOUR RP IS BAD, or you are doing it wrong etc.
So the disclaimer aside I say hello! I am a fairly new WoW RP-er, and would like to contribute, or at least try to contribute to improving WoW RP, especially when it comes to mele combat.
I am writing this from the view point of a HEMA(Historic European Martial Arts) instructor and would like to share some knowledge about medieval weapons/armors in the hopes that it might help you.
I am here and happy to answer any questions! Intro aside, letâs being;
First we will deal with Weapons:
Swords:
Perhaps the most misrepresented weapon in pop culture and fiction, European swords varied heavily in style and application, but were for the most part, incredibly light, quick cutting weapons, favoring precise direct cuts. Swords, while often carried where hardly ever used as primary weapons, and were often a second or even third fall back weapon a knight or man at arms would use in combat. The styles varied from culture to culture, but for the most part they were direct, cutting and slashing weapons, dexterous and light, often wielded by incredibly trained and experienced individuals
1.Longsword(Hand and a Half Sword/Bastard Sword) - The archetypal âKnightlyâ sword, was an incredibly versatile and dexterous weapon. The swords were usually around 70cm in length(Blade) while the handle varied in length. Contrary to popular belief Longswords were the lightest of swords, with their main advantage being reach, speed and leverage.
- Arming Sword - A weapon typically carried by Men at Arms, mercenaries sells words etc. Usually about half the length of a longsword, these weapons were considerably heavier than the longsword. It was almost always paired with a shield(More on that during the armor section), where the short length of the blade allowed for easier maneuverability while fighting in formation, and behind the safety of a shield. The sword was usually kept behind the shield at all times as to not expose the wielder.
3.Rapier - Believe it or not one of the heaviest swords in use, contrary to itâs appearance. Rapiers were for the most part thrusting weapons, achieving the height of popularity in an age where armor has all but vanished from everyday use. Rapier fencing emphasized quick movement and explosive lunges to deliver quick but precise and deadly blows.
4.Smallsword- Or Court sword was a cutting/thrusting weapon popularized in the 17th century, and seen during the re emergence of melee combat especially among sailors and mariners. It was a relatively heavy weapon for itâs size. Practitioners trained in both cutting and thrusting maneuvers, with itâs real strength being the cutting power afforded to it by itâs weight. Especially in an era of unarmored combat.
5.Messer/Lang Messer/ Kriegsmesser - Were a uniquely German sword, used in various forms across European history. They were single edged, knife hilted swords, usually featuring a crossguard, these weapons saw heavy usage against unarmored foes.
There are many variations to these weapons and many regional variants but this should cover the basics, if people show interest I will gladly expand on weapon sections
PIKES
Spears, Pollaxes(Note that pollaxe is the proper term pole-axe is a modernization), HalberdsâŠ
Spears - The oldest and perhaps the deadliest weapon in human history, the spear is as basic as it gets and as effective as you can imagine. It was used by humans from our earliest days. Spears were terrifyingly effective against Soldiers, Knightâs cavalry ⊠With the only real disadvantage being that they were long and therefore difficult to maneuver in confined spaces, as well as easily disarmed or broken especially by armored combatants.
Pllaxes/Polearms/Halberds - Is a wide term for a bladed/mace head spear, usually carried by late medieval knights, incredibly effective bludgeoning tools against armored foes, deadly cleavers against unarmored ones, and long reaching, high leverage pikes and hammers for fighting at longer ranges. They were the pinnacle of late medieval weaponry, and a terrifying sight to behold for many a poor peasants forced into the frontlines.
MACES :
While there are many sub categories of maces, they for the most part remain similar in purpose and differ only really in aesthetic design. Their rise came during the late medieval period , where they were introduced as a reliable way to combat armored foes. By applying direct bludgeoning force at the end of what is essentially a stick, the weapon aimed to break bones, dent armor and cause debilitating internal injuries to the target.
Flails- There is only anecdotal evidence of flails, and no historic record, recovered weapons or treatises that depict their usage, flails are a fantasy construct.
Armor-
Here we arrive at what is probably the worst crime pop culture has committed towards European military history⊠Armor.
Leather/Cured/Studded - This⊠for all we can tell, never actually existed, leather clothing is a purely modern construct, it offers no protection against cutting piercing or bludgeoning weapons.
Gambeson - The unsung hero of the Middle ages , we arrive at the gambeson, was a padded CLOTH jacket usually stuffed, it was incredibly light, offered decent protection against slashing and piercing weapons, it was cheap to manufacture and maintain, and saw extensive use throughout European Military history.
Chainmail- We are now getting into the good stuff- Fantasy has severely understated just HOW Effective chainmail was, a warrior clad in chainmail armor was nigh indestructible to most contemporary weapons. Usually worn over a Gambeson the chainmail would be fastened and tightened by a belt, this light ring like shirt or tunic provided exceptional protection against swords/spears and axes, and was the most common armor used in the mid to late middle ages.
Plate - The true hero of the battlefield. Incredibly expensive, suits of plate armor were tailor made for their wielders, only afforded to knights and wealthy nobility, these LIGHT and sturdy pieces of equipment made the wearer virtually indestructible on the battlefield. The wearer would usually don a thin gambeson, a shirt of chainmail over it and only then strap the plates over it, often given the incorrect reputation of being heavy, plate armor suits were in fact very light and dexterous, as the knights who wore them were valuable and trained warriors, with a lifetime of martial training and discipline, the sight of a Knight clad in plate armor, usually meant it was game over for you. They armor was so effective that multiple treaties by renown sword masters advise AGAINST fighting someone in plate armor, and to instead swarm, tackle and strip the armor off of the wearer⊠needless to say never alone.
Thanks for reading, these are just some quick notes about it, I understand itâs a fantasy game but I sort of wanted to create a resource where ppl can have a look! Let me know if you want more details about a certain thing, something you think is cool that I havenât mentioned, something that needs explaining etc.
See you out in the world <3
!
tongue in cheek aside, the fact remains that leather was a very common component of armour, and thereâs examples of their use as dedicated armour pieces. Hell, some words that we use now for metal armour, such as Cuirass, were originally from leather equipment.