The Mystery of The katana

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Meh.

In a fight vs. a katana -- or perhaps a scimitar -- I would pass on the longsword, and instead choose ...

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhlHzYt4xRM[/ame]

... the revolver.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Me? I'd take a Federation Cruiser instead.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Me? I'd take a Federation Cruiser instead. The phasers & photon torpedoes are nice, but its the 400+ "redshirts" that really make the difference.

 

[Diamond Cross]

Can we please keep this on topic?

 

[ProfessorCirno]

1e AD&D makes spears and polearms most effective if you use the rules regarding setting weapons against charges and the weapon v. armor type bonuses - polearms are serious can-openers in 1e.

If you ignore those rules, then it's easy to get the impression that swords are the best weapons.

It's easier to get that "impression" once you glance at the magic items list

 

[Hussar]

Can we please keep this on topic?

Dude, six pages in, I think we've pretty much answered the question. Now we're on the silliness portion of the program that occurs in threads that haven't devolved into a couple of camps endlessly rehashing the same points over and over again.

BTW, on the topic of Damascus steel. I was under the impression that you made this by taking what was effectively several strands of rebar and twisting them together and then pounding them into a sword.

Is that in error?

 

[Wicht]

Dude, six pages in, I think we've pretty much answered the question. Now we're on the silliness portion of the program that occurs in threads that haven't devolved into a couple of camps endlessly rehashing the same points over and over again.

BTW, on the topic of Damascus steel. I was under the impression that you made this by taking what was effectively several strands of rebar and twisting them together and then pounding them into a sword.

Is that in error?

There's a little bit about making modern "damascus steel" in this article: Real Steel: The Mystery of Steel—Myth and Fact of Forge Folding « Kobold Quarterly Magazine: Monsters and Magic for D&D Gamers

also, from Wikipedia: "Several steelmaking techniques, other than the original wootz steel (such as Damascened steel and sometimes watered steel), can also result in patterned surfaces, though not for the same reasons, and have been sold as Damascus steel. Historically authentic Damascus steel is processed solely from wootz steel or equivalent. A technique currently used for producing a similar material in appearance is pattern welding, which is widely used for custom knife making. Modern materials intended to mimic the appearance of Damascus steel are usually made by pattern welding two tool steels, one with high nickel content, appearing bright, the other appearing more grey so that alternating steels produce light-dark stripes. Treating or pickling the steel with dilute acid after polishing enhances the pattern by darkening one of the steels more than the other. Folding and twisting while hammer forging the steel controls the striped pattern, and the method used is often trademarked. Experienced swordsmiths can manipulate the layered patterns to mimic the designs found in the surface of the medieval Damascus steel. The advent of steel wire rope in the 1830s provided mid-west blacksmiths a way to make corn harvester's machetes (cable knives)."

 

[Diamond Cross]

Dude, six pages in, I think we've pretty much answered the question. Now we're on the silliness portion of the program that occurs in threads that haven't devolved into a couple of camps endlessly rehashing the same points over and over again.

I don't agree.

I happen to enjoy discussions like this. I did learn a few things about swords I had not know before.

And I never realized there were weapon camps akin to the edition wars. Silly me for putting aside the tribalistic nature of the internet.

I like mauls.

Swords are great cutlery.

But mauls for the massive amounts of structural damage wins.

 

[Diamond Cross]

Dude, six pages in, I think we've pretty much answered the question. Now we're on the silliness portion of the program that occurs in threads that haven't devolved into a couple of camps endlessly rehashing the same points over and over again.

I don't agree.

I happen to enjoy discussions like this. I did learn a few things about swords I had not know before.

And I never realized there were weapon camps akin to the edition wars. Silly me for putting aside the tribalistic nature of the internet.

I like mauls.

Swords are great cutlery.

But mauls for the massive amounts of structural damage wins.

 

[Plane Sailing]

1e AD&D makes spears and polearms most effective if you use the rules regarding setting weapons against charges and the weapon v. armor type bonuses - polearms are serious can-openers in 1e.

I agree.

In 3e I houseruled spears so you didn't have to ready an action to set a spear against charge (in which case nobody charged), but rather that you automatically got the double damage benefit against anyone who charged you. After all, it was a pretty straightforward thing to do, and it gave the spear an element of usefulness which I felt was lacking.

Of course, the other place were a spear would be great in real life is if you are fighting anything huge or larger - a sword that can only threaten the shins of a giant wouldn't be so much of a threat, although that always gets glossed over - nobody ever cared about vertical reach!

Cheers