Spear teambuilding exercise

[Thomas MacFinn]

What do you guys think about this exercise?

Fighter #1 is armed with a long spear. Fighter #2 has a shield but no weapon at all. They fight, 2 on 1, against an aggressive fighter armed with a single blue or short red (#3).

They don't work together, #3 munches them. If they look out for each other, #3 has a much harder time of it.

I've only tried this one day and found that when we gave #2 a weapon, their teamwork suffered and they appeared easier to pick off one at a time.

[Elohssa Y'trid]

If all the shieldman has is a shield, wouldn't it be easy to just cut over on the side of the spear that he's not on?

[jacknife]

If all the shieldman has is a shield, wouldn't it be easy to just cut over on the side of the spear that he's not on?

Teh spearman has to just turn whereas the swords guy has to run in a circle.
The shield has to make a tight circle, which is easier.
Besides. the shieldman can reach over the spear to block.
BTW, Tom,I think I figured out why we fumbled with the weapon.
I always carry my sword in the active hand (my right) and I tend to use it more. That puts me on offense instead of defense

[Elohssa Y'trid]

Still seems a bit clunky. I'll try it with you guys when I visit Dun Abhon.

[Thomas MacFinn]

If all the shieldman has is a shield, wouldn't it be easy to just cut over on the side of the spear that he's not on?

Unless both spearman and shieldman react to that maneuver, it is pitifully easy to kill them both with the maneuver you suggested. When I played the blue sword, I not only moved in that way, but made an effort to knock the spear into the shieldman's way.

When I was shieldman, I ducked under the spear to check the blue sword's charge. I couldn't be just a speed bump because if he got past me, we were both dead.

When I was spearman, I made an effort to attack as soon as the blue sword was within range. Since I was he only one who could attack of the pair, I couldn't let any maneuver from the blue sword go unanswered. In addition, I tried to keep the pommel of my spear up and the haft out of the shieldman's way and tried to keep absolute control over where the thrusting tip was at all times (usually pointed right at the blue swordsman).

[Thomas MacFinn]

A few other details we learned from this exercise.

1) Keep moving. Anybody who stopped became either just a speed bump for the others to maneuver right around or a target to be picked off at leisure. (All three of us are chunky guys and we were breathing pretty hard doing this.) When I was blue sword, legging the shieldman was highly effective.

2) Range, range, range - With a shield in front of you, the spearman has the luxury of a fairly long lunge. Use every inch of the range you have available to you.

3) If you are blue sword and get past the tip of the spear, stop blocking it and attack people. One of our people kept a sword on the spear haft long after he had to.

4) Knock it aside but, don't slash at the spear tip. If you are spearman and the blue sword slashes at your tip, draw back a bit so he connects with only air then immediately stab him in the chest before he can pull his sword back the other way to block you.

5) When you don't have a sword, it is not enough to just hold a shield. Check the blue swordsman with it, stick it on his swordarm shoulder. Be proactive and annoying.

[Thomas MacFinn]

Besides. the shieldman can reach over the spear to block.

Yeah, I did that once, but I wouldn't recommend it. I was pretty exposed to a wrap shot and could have tangled up the spear if I wasn't careful. Consider that an "oh ****" only maneuver.

[Thomas MacFinn]

Last Saturday, I tried this same exercise with Kelmar Bloodstone and Angel.

Kelmar realized right away that mobility was a big part of this and grabbed a narrow shield about as long as his arm instead of his big door.

The difference in skill and finess levels was obvious: at one point Kelmar commented, "As a shieldman, my job is easy!"