Professional grappling?

[Bushi]

I have been wondering that it might be feasible to wear no armor, and just bring a huge shield and a dagger. Take the first hit and jump on them, pinning their weapon arm with your shield arm, and stabbing at their torso. It only takes two quick hits if they are wearing armor, or it could only take one. worst case is against archers and florentine/shortswordsman in my opinion.

[Kyrian]

Ummm...not quite. Only two-handed stabs penetrate armor. Armor is immune to single-handed stabs and draw no cumulative damage from multiple single-handed stabs. You could single-hand stab armor all day and it wouldn't count...

Here's the relevant rule:

3.2.2.3. Class 3 (thrusting) Weapons wielded one-handed cause one hit of damage to an unarmored Target Area. Class 3 Weapons also cause two hits of damage when wielded two-handed against a Target Area, ignoring any Armor the Target Area may have. If the Target Area is armored, the Weapon must be wielded two-handed to cause damage to the Target Area. A one-handed strike causes no injury to an Armored Target Area.

Go for the gaps in the armor...the armpit is usually a good spot. There's also the groin if the person is wearing chain or some other type of armor skirt--Stab underneath the armor. It's not nice but it is valid under the rules. If you're not wearing a cup, that's your own fault.

Kyrian

[Bushi]

Is a dagger a Class 3 or Class 1 weapon?

[Kyrian]

A dagger is considered a Class 3 weapon.

Kyrian

[William MacGregor]

I have 2 daggers

1. a 12" blade slash only 18" total

2. a 12" total stab only

for case 1 it would be a class 1 for case 2 it would be a class 3

right? Kyrian

I mean no disrespect just a question

[Kyrian]

William,

Technically, weapon 1 would be a "short sword" according to this:

1.4.1.5. The minimum overall length of a Class 1 is 12 inches plus the length of the handle and pommel.

Basically, your striking surface must be at least 12" long for the weapon to be considered as Class 1 and a 12" Class 3 cannot have more than 8" of handle:

1.4.3.2. The maximum handle length for Class 3 Weapons is 2/3 of its overall length.

Kyrian

[Oisin]

I have done this before (albeit I do it in my chainmail and don't actually grapple them--just shield bash and reach over to stab their back), and it works quite well. Florentiners can be a problem if they're good, but archers aren't too much.

[Bushi]

The main worry with the archers is that you may easily get shot and killed before you can engage. With other styles, you usually have a shield or some large weapon to aid this, versus just a dagger, and maybe very light armor.

[Spike]

The main worry with the archers is...

Honestly, my main concerns about jumping on and pinning archers don't have anything to do with winning the battle.

-Bows are not padded. Land on one wrong and you can hurt yourself

-Arrow can snap easily, which can and probably will hurt you or the archer


This is, in my opinion, not a very well thought out tactic/tip. I would recommend tweaking tactics like these a little more before attempting them on field.

[Oisin]

If an archer doesn't get his bow out of the way when I smash into him, then I know how to protect myself, and if he gets hurt, well, he should have gotten the bow out of the way in time. I'm all in favor of safety, but the safety of an archer's equipment must be absolutely and totally HIS priority and responsibility, and in fact, his absolute first priority, not mine. If that means he has to call himself dead before I hit him, fine, and if I ever arch, I will operate under the same standard of arching safety being MY responsibility not someone else's.

[Galant]

isnt there a rule about bashing archers?

[Oisin]

Nope. They cannot be involved in a grapple, but shieldbashing them is not against the rules.

[Galant]

ok well even at that i wouldnt want to have a bow shuved into and mabye threw my shield, but thats just me.

[Oisin]

I don't see that happening . . . assuming that I managed to correctly ungarble the absolute atrocity that occasionally passes for grammer and spelling on this board.

[Kage]

Bashing an archer may be legal, but I would highly discourage doing it. Also if the archer knows what he is doing you may be shoulder bashed back. In either case it is really dangerous to bash an archer, and it should probably be avoided. Rush the archer by all means but try not to knock him over with your shield. Also you have to beware of the fact that the archer can spin around so that you cannot hit him. That forces you to stop your bash giving him or her a chance to get away.