And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
The zweihanders must have been useful, the French paid lots of money to the German and Swiss mercenaries who used them. They were prominent on battlefields until the first firearms appeared. Al_in_Ottawa
They used them, like those giant claymores, because everyone had heavy armor, that and the advent of the pike too kept it going that way, seems, and this is strange, nobody had figured out putting a true point on their swords and stabbing each-other were armor has to be weak is very effective, except the Romans had it figured long before with their excellent gladius, but it also was how and what style of tactics was used. Sabre style swords altered a lot of things, a very effective edged weapon.
The very large swords such as shown, because of their weight rely on momentum as part of their use. In order to get swing speeds up fast enough to be most effective. As opposed to smaller, lighter weapons that can be deadly from a ready "en garde" position.
This is actually an exercise for generating speed and control while also creating a larger defensive space in close combat. Without creating space, this weapon is at a major disadvantage.
It had very much use in battle. The German Landsknecht used zweihanders to open the line. These swordsman were the best of the best.
ReplyDeleteA two handed sword swung the way a hand and a half sword in video game combat was useless. This was how it was actually used
BANG. Gurgle gurgle.
ReplyDeleteThe zweihanders must have been useful, the French paid lots of money to the German and Swiss mercenaries who used them. They were prominent on battlefields until the first firearms appeared.
ReplyDeleteAl_in_Ottawa
They used them, like those giant claymores, because everyone had heavy armor, that and the advent of the pike too kept it going that way, seems, and this is strange, nobody had figured out putting a true point on their swords and stabbing each-other were armor has to be weak is very effective, except the Romans had it figured long before with their excellent gladius, but it also was how and what style of tactics was used. Sabre style swords altered a lot of things, a very effective edged weapon.
ReplyDeleteu get tired fast with those, specially when you're swinging away in actual combat conditions.
ReplyDeleteThat reminds me of the Indiana Jones scene, where a swordsman twirled his blade menacingly before Jones calmly shot him.
ReplyDeleteThe very large swords such as shown, because of their weight rely on momentum as part of their use. In order to get swing speeds up fast enough to be most effective. As opposed to smaller, lighter weapons that can be deadly from a ready "en garde" position.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually an exercise for generating speed and control while also creating a larger defensive space in close combat. Without creating space, this weapon is at a major disadvantage.
ReplyDelete