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How are weapons carried when not in use?
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<blockquote data-quote="Steverooo" data-source="post: 2965584" data-attributes="member: 9410"><p>This gets asked, so much around here, that you really should search for other threads on this same topic! It has been discussed many, mnay times! I will reiterate, again, what I know something about...</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>These were usually carried in-hand, by footmen. They can be carried two-handed, held losely in one by gripping them about the center-point (and thus unready for use, but freeing one hand, although short spears can be wielded, thataway), or held against the shoulder, with one hand. Many had small "blade covers", made of oiled leather, tied to the shafts behind the heads, to protect them from rain (and eventual rust).</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Besides sheaths, the typical methods for carrying weapons were frogs, and rings. Frogs were pieces of leather which were worn on the belt, and which wrapped around a part of the weapon. A ring was a simple ring (like you put keys on, today) of sufficient diameter, attached to a belt, through which the handle of a weapon was passed, allowing the head to hold it in place. A Mace could be held by either, or (as someone else already pointed out), simply by passing the handle through the belt (or, again, carrying it in-hand).</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>There is no general agreement, on this one. "Spiky-things" are kinda problematical, as they tend to poke you... A simple Morningstar was probably carried in-hand, or one-handed over one shoulder, like the polearms. It could also be thrust through a ring, belt frog, or belt, although the spikes would tend to poke you... You could also attach a quiver-like device to the back/side of a pack, and insert the spiked end into it, handle up.</p><p></p><p>More controversial is how to carry the Morningstar-Flail. A Sturdy leather pouch seems the best bet, and some have even suggested a box! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin :D" data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> In-hand would be my guess. Historically, I have never seen/read anything else.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Axes, unless in-hand, are almost always sheathed. The sheath for an axe is generally worn on the belt, at the side, and has a hole in the bottom through which the handle passes. A flap goes over the top, protecting you from the blade, and the blade from the rain. The flap is secured by a button, or loop and peg. Alternately, an axe sheath could be thonged on, as with polearms, and the axe carried in the pack (as many woodsmen did).</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Obviously, this was not a historical weapon. Besides the obvious pouch solutions, the one in the PHB has a big ring right in the middle, which screams to me that it could be attached by thonging it to a ring (of maille, perhaps?) at the center of the chest. The ends would dangle & rattle, unless carried in-hand, or tucked into pouches, etc. I have no really good answer for this non-historical weapon.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Any bladed weapon was sheathed. The sheaths for axes may look different, but they were still sheaths. Anything with a head attached to a short (one-handed) handle could be frogged/ringed to a belt. Anything short and slim (like arrows & javelins) could be carried in a quiver (non-historical wands, too). Historically, quivers were ALWAYS worn on the belt. It wasn't until the Amerindians were met that wearing quivers on the back was adopted (and that's post-Medieval).</p><p></p><p>Two-handers were, as previously mentioned, carried on a baldric (a wide leather strap worn diagonally across the back, over one shoulder, usually the right), usually attached to a belt, which was well-nigh, if not totally, impossible to draw from, and which was removed and discarded before battle, to be retrieved later (if one survived). This was the most typical solution, and the best protection against rain.</p><p></p><p>Another, less rain-proof, solution was a "sheath" that covered about one foot of the bottom of the blade, attached to the bottom of the baldric, which had a couple of "hooks" at the top, to secire the two-hander's cross-piece. This allowed the sword to be drawn, but offered little rain protection.</p><p></p><p>The third method is the most complicated, and least-used, and then usually by horsemen. It involved the two-handed (or bastard) sword sheath, on a baldric, with or without a belt (but most usually with), but incorporating a series of rings and straps or thongs. When on horseback, or otherwise wanting the sword out of the way, a ring on the shoulder was pulled down, pulling the sheath (and sword with it) up to the shoulder, and the ring was then attached to the belt. When the sword was needed, the ring was detached (usually by pulling a pin), and the sheathed sword dropped down, hanging at the side of the belt, where it could be drawn cross-handed. (Unless, of course, you roll a 1!) <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":]" title="Devious :]" data-shortname=":]" /> </p><p></p><p>Incidentally, Roman soldiers typically carried a gladius (shortsword) on a sheath at their belt, but their main weapons were spears and javelins. These were usually carried on their mules, in the baggage, unless they were going to an expected battle. I'm not sure how they carried them during combat. Perhaps in-hand, but I am suspecting a wicker-basket (as quiver), as I know of no source that survives to tell us (and wicker wouldn't have)... but that's just a guess.</p><p></p><p>Also, for the longer gear, lances were often carried in a leather "weapons boot" slung along the horse's side, similar to the ones the US Cavalry carried their carbines in. Any relatively long-handled weapon could be inserted, handle-first, and carried that way, although the weapon's head would be pointed at the rider's leg, and might bother the horse (a morningstar, as the primary example).</p><p></p><p>Bows were most often carried in hand, although bow cases did exist. These were mainly to store and protect the wooden bows from rain and dust, when not in use. They were (almost) never used to carry a bow into combat.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Steverooo, post: 2965584, member: 9410"] This gets asked, so much around here, that you really should search for other threads on this same topic! It has been discussed many, mnay times! I will reiterate, again, what I know something about... These were usually carried in-hand, by footmen. They can be carried two-handed, held losely in one by gripping them about the center-point (and thus unready for use, but freeing one hand, although short spears can be wielded, thataway), or held against the shoulder, with one hand. Many had small "blade covers", made of oiled leather, tied to the shafts behind the heads, to protect them from rain (and eventual rust). Besides sheaths, the typical methods for carrying weapons were frogs, and rings. Frogs were pieces of leather which were worn on the belt, and which wrapped around a part of the weapon. A ring was a simple ring (like you put keys on, today) of sufficient diameter, attached to a belt, through which the handle of a weapon was passed, allowing the head to hold it in place. A Mace could be held by either, or (as someone else already pointed out), simply by passing the handle through the belt (or, again, carrying it in-hand). There is no general agreement, on this one. "Spiky-things" are kinda problematical, as they tend to poke you... A simple Morningstar was probably carried in-hand, or one-handed over one shoulder, like the polearms. It could also be thrust through a ring, belt frog, or belt, although the spikes would tend to poke you... You could also attach a quiver-like device to the back/side of a pack, and insert the spiked end into it, handle up. More controversial is how to carry the Morningstar-Flail. A Sturdy leather pouch seems the best bet, and some have even suggested a box! :D In-hand would be my guess. Historically, I have never seen/read anything else. Axes, unless in-hand, are almost always sheathed. The sheath for an axe is generally worn on the belt, at the side, and has a hole in the bottom through which the handle passes. A flap goes over the top, protecting you from the blade, and the blade from the rain. The flap is secured by a button, or loop and peg. Alternately, an axe sheath could be thonged on, as with polearms, and the axe carried in the pack (as many woodsmen did). Obviously, this was not a historical weapon. Besides the obvious pouch solutions, the one in the PHB has a big ring right in the middle, which screams to me that it could be attached by thonging it to a ring (of maille, perhaps?) at the center of the chest. The ends would dangle & rattle, unless carried in-hand, or tucked into pouches, etc. I have no really good answer for this non-historical weapon. Any bladed weapon was sheathed. The sheaths for axes may look different, but they were still sheaths. Anything with a head attached to a short (one-handed) handle could be frogged/ringed to a belt. Anything short and slim (like arrows & javelins) could be carried in a quiver (non-historical wands, too). Historically, quivers were ALWAYS worn on the belt. It wasn't until the Amerindians were met that wearing quivers on the back was adopted (and that's post-Medieval). Two-handers were, as previously mentioned, carried on a baldric (a wide leather strap worn diagonally across the back, over one shoulder, usually the right), usually attached to a belt, which was well-nigh, if not totally, impossible to draw from, and which was removed and discarded before battle, to be retrieved later (if one survived). This was the most typical solution, and the best protection against rain. Another, less rain-proof, solution was a "sheath" that covered about one foot of the bottom of the blade, attached to the bottom of the baldric, which had a couple of "hooks" at the top, to secire the two-hander's cross-piece. This allowed the sword to be drawn, but offered little rain protection. The third method is the most complicated, and least-used, and then usually by horsemen. It involved the two-handed (or bastard) sword sheath, on a baldric, with or without a belt (but most usually with), but incorporating a series of rings and straps or thongs. When on horseback, or otherwise wanting the sword out of the way, a ring on the shoulder was pulled down, pulling the sheath (and sword with it) up to the shoulder, and the ring was then attached to the belt. When the sword was needed, the ring was detached (usually by pulling a pin), and the sheathed sword dropped down, hanging at the side of the belt, where it could be drawn cross-handed. (Unless, of course, you roll a 1!) :] Incidentally, Roman soldiers typically carried a gladius (shortsword) on a sheath at their belt, but their main weapons were spears and javelins. These were usually carried on their mules, in the baggage, unless they were going to an expected battle. I'm not sure how they carried them during combat. Perhaps in-hand, but I am suspecting a wicker-basket (as quiver), as I know of no source that survives to tell us (and wicker wouldn't have)... but that's just a guess. Also, for the longer gear, lances were often carried in a leather "weapons boot" slung along the horse's side, similar to the ones the US Cavalry carried their carbines in. Any relatively long-handled weapon could be inserted, handle-first, and carried that way, although the weapon's head would be pointed at the rider's leg, and might bother the horse (a morningstar, as the primary example). Bows were most often carried in hand, although bow cases did exist. These were mainly to store and protect the wooden bows from rain and dust, when not in use. They were (almost) never used to carry a bow into combat. [/QUOTE]
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