destructive force of a european longsword

[alsih2o]

http://www.aemma.org/onlineResources/sharpTest.htm

caution: language, the firat film contains a harsh word not aproved of by erics grandma!

several videos of some gentlemen testing the cutting power of a longsword....neat!

 

[jgbrowning]

that would be a bastard sword... hehe using it two hands.

well, at least by the DnD rules*

joe b.
*doesn't necessarily reflect reality

 

[Xeriar]

James Burk demonstrated this in Connections where he (an aged old man) using one hand put a broadsword a full eight inches (20 cm) into a side of meat (with bones).

These things were made to kill...

 

[Dark Helmet]

That just demonstrates the ability of a longsword to hack through the average unarmored peasant. For a simulation against an armored foe, he needs to wrap sheet metal ductwork around those rolls, for a truely "realistic" test.

 

[Numion]

that would be a bastard sword... hehe using it two hands.

well, at least by the DnD rules*

joe b.
*doesn't necessarily reflect reality

But you can use any sword in two hands in D&D.. light weapons just don't get the 1.5 STR modifierr to damage.. or what where you saying?

 

[Xeriar]

That just demonstrates the ability of a longsword to hack through the average unarmored peasant. For a simulation against an armored foe, he needs to wrap sheet metal ductwork around those rolls, for a truely "realistic" test.

For what kind of armor?

Think about it, this little razor-thin piece of steel is flying at ~180 kph towards it's destination, say about 60 newtons of force for an average blade swung by an average person.

This all gets concentrated on a few square millimeters of area at the most, and if the poor sap isn't wearing full plate, there isn't going to be much armor in the way.

If you've ever stabbed a knife into a pop can, you have an idea of just how this kind of force alteration works.

Full plate is a little different, thicker, designed with curves, etc. Steel still bends, however, and broadswords were intentionally made dull to compensate - break someone's arm, and they may as well be out of the fight.

 

[alsih2o]

any way you cut it it is an impressive show.

 

[jgbrowning]

But you can use any sword in two hands in D&D.. light weapons just don't get the 1.5 STR modifierr to damage.. or what where you saying?

Well, hell. It appears like i may have yet again entirely missed a rule? that true? could you point me to it in the books?

ah well, im sure i'll still be missing stuff in 10 years..

joe b.

 

[jgbrowning]

Full plate is a little different, thicker, designed with curves, etc. Steel still bends, however, and broadswords were intentionally made dull to compensate - break someone's arm, and they may as well be out of the fight.

I've been reading a book about medieval war, from "Medieval warvare source book: warfare in western christendom" by david nicolee..

A study analyzed bone-damaging wounds on 582 skeletons from the mass graves at the battle of visby, 1361, and got this information about wounds (they said flesh wounds were impossible to determine and crushing wounds were a lot harder do to being buried for so long)

Cuts to the humerus: 6.71% of the total
Cuts to the radius: 3.35% of the total
Cuts to the ulna: 4.88% of the total
Cuts to the femur: 12.2% of the total
Cuts to the tibia: 56.4% of the total!!!
Cuts to the fibula: 16.46% of the total.

thats 85.06% of the total bone-wounding injuries to the LEGS!

makes you re-think medieval combat... well it at least made me re-think medieval combat.

joe b.

 

[Celebrim]

"makes you re-think medieval combat..."

Not if you read CS Lewis.

Anyone remember the climatic duel at the end of Prince Caspian?

Where did CS Lewis say was the principal target area of two men with broadswords?

The legs.

That's right, a grown man and a boy trying to hack each others limbs off.

And they say that they are just light hearted childrens tales.