[Runequest] Runequest Digest, Vol 27, Issue 9

[Sven Lugar]

Bjorn is quite correct (your English is quite fine btw - better than my 
Swedish by a long shot) and with some good source material as well. Also 
there is no reason a 1 handed spear can't be used 2 handed actually. 
It's just a shorter lighter spear that is primarily used with a shield 
in the offhand. Sometimes it is best to go with a substitute as I 
suggested /(This very argument btw was discussed during the original 
writing of Runequest after my incident and several similar episodes from 
a variety of folks)/ because a GM may need to explain what is going on 
or at the very least understand the fighting style enough to describe 
and run situations plausibly.
Skol,
Sven

On 7/22/2010 10:14 AM, Bjørn Are Stølen wrote:
> For a yelmalio, shields are perhaps valid, and by all means, it's your 
> game and you do what you find is best for your game but I hope you 
> trust us when we say that spear-parries are just as valid and logical 
> as spear-attacks. Don't let your (asumed) ignorance in historical 
> combat-logic be why you drop the 1h-spear-parry-skill! If you choose 
> to drop it for a shield-parry-skill, let it be because you think 
> it will be the coolest consept, the thing for a yelmalio, or 
> whatever. I myself have studied the medieval martial manual from Fiore 
> di Liberi for some 8 years now, in addition to knowing a thing or two 
> on I-33, Talhoffer, Ringeck and Döbringer. It's hard to explain combat 
> with text (especially when english is not your native thounge), but 
> I'll give it a try anyway.
>
> Say someone wants to chop you with a sword, and you have a 1h spear. 
> You don't parry in this case, as you strike first (reflected in rq3 
> rules with strike-ranks). If he happens to be so quick that he gets 
> first strike, or if he have succeeded in closing in on you, you 
> then parry.
> There are two main ways of parrying with a 1h.spear:
>
> You can do as shown in this authentic medieval picture: 
> http://www.thearma.org/Manuals/Gladiatoria/12.jpg (place the base of 
> the spear in the ground in front of you, keeping the spear vertical; 
> in this way you get a strong-if static-defence that you can follow up 
> by stepping in to grapple or to attack with another weapon)
>
> Or you can do as shown here: http://www.thearma.org/pdf/dlr1.jpg (what 
> the dude do in the lower-right corner with a 1h-sword is just as 
> plausible with a 1h spear; you offset the attackers blade and thrust 
> him in the face)
>
> PS, I'm not trying to be rude or sound angry, blame it on my medicore 
> english-skill, and passion on this topic :)
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
...snip...
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