dispelling Myths about medieval Combat

[Tartar Horde]

(23 May 2013, 03:08)Mortblanc Wrote: Yea, right!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DzcOCyHDqc

That video clip is a well used example of why you should never bring a sword to a gunfight, however I would suggest it is slightly skewed with a North American view. The prevelance of firearms in North America neutralises the effectiveness of bladed weapons because far more people own and use firearms there, than do here. Anyone relying on a sword for defence in the USA, I think is frankly mental given the universal availability of Firearms. The chances of me ever meeting anyone carrying a gun in the UK are very small, even less of me coming into conflict with such a person. Even in our cities with the availability of illegal firearms the vast majority of the population are unarmed, untrained and unfamiliar with weapons and their use. The main choice for weapons in the uk for the majority of people are assorted kitchen knives, machete's, various military styled single handed blades, baseball bats and cheap Asian Katana like swords. There are always exceptions and variables that you can't forsee or prepare for, but that's just life. Anyone in the UK with training in bladed weapons has the advantage over the vast majority of the population who haven't the faintest idea how to use such weapons in combat, nor of their effectiveness. Effectively the only weapons technology the population of the UK has easy access to is Medieval! ie bladed weapons, Bows and Crossbows. There are of course Air Rifles, but even buying these, has started to be controlled and monitored. Your reply and video link makes a powerful statement Mortblanc, and I will be honest here and say "if I had to throw my treasured swords into a ditch SHTF, to get a firearm of choice I would do so in an instant with no regret, well perhaps a little", because I am a realist and realise the gun is King. If you could imagine the population of the USA disarmed as we are Mortblanc with only the same availability of weapons as we have, can you appreciate how being able to use a sword would give you a massive edge, when most people are using knives, machetes and baseball bats.