Medieval Battlefield Sword Fighting Vs Regular HEMA Sparring
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2019
- In HEMA we primarily focus on sword fighting in regular clothes, but we have to recognise that this mostly applies to civilian duels. Not to say that the skills are not fundamentally related, but armor changes so much about combat.
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You get one piece of armor, what is it?
Historical person: Helmet.
Hollywood character: Anything but a helmet, unless I'm the villain.
hollywood characters:
protagonist? wear anything you got plot armour anyway
villain? wear anything the good guys can cut through your breastplate like butter anyway
Does it count as more than one piece if it's all bolted and wired to a powered exoskeleton with integrated neural control interface?
I'd be interested in more armour focused vids for sure!
also about fighting in groups please
abadonael Yep - Agree with both
Especially combined!
Judo-like throws in brigandine are already impressive (generally armoured combat tends to be really flashy and kinda brutal, unless we're speaking about buhurt and other bs like that) but never seen them in a 10v10, make it happen please! :D
@@abadonael I can't even wrap my mind around this. How different it must be. How weird and awkward it probably looked.
"Oh look, Matt Easton posted a new video..."
*sees thumbnail*
CONTEXT INTENSIFIES
But what about the BUTT?
@@tedarcher9120 Nah, it's all about controlling that sliding shaft action.
I think when many people view armor “openings”, they don’t account for the fact that the armored guy isn’t just standing there. They are 1) actively trying to stay alive, and 2) they’re trying to kill you back.
I'd say if you found yourself fighting against a dude armed like Matt you should use a pike, be drunk before battle to numb fear, and have your buddies help you with spears and such.
@@kenken8765 or wielding a cannon battery loaded with grapeshot...
Its the equivalent of saying i can knock mike tyson out,just have to kick him in the balls or hit his chin........yeah buddy easier said than done.....
and 3 youre a tard armor openings were in easily defendable locations for a reason ffs and this dipshit wouldnt know medieval combat it if walked up and stuck a broad axe in his ass.
@@kenken8765 Being drunk is a TERRIBLE idea. Sure, you'll feel less fear, but you'll also be sluggish, off-balance, slower to react and unable to think tactically. If you go into a duel against a sober opponent while drunk, you've almost guaranteed your death. You may manage to kill your opponent with a suicidally bold charge, but you'll likely be skewered in the process and die as well (as occasionally happened according to historical sources).
you should talk about how fighting in tight formations and things like shield walls change the way you engage your opponent aswell
Not to forget tatics...
+
I can't even imagine how you engage opponents in that situation.
I think he did when he looked at the Gladius?
Shield wall, pike block or most any type of Western heavy shock infantry formation (and you only find heavy shock infantry in the West), the primary duties of the soldier are... Don't Die. Keep Formation. Push Forward (or Hold Fast). The purpose is to stand on your own two feet on the ground that the commander wishes to possess. It doesn't matter that today we don't stand shoulder to shoulder to do so, that is a function of the reach and rate of action of our weaponry allowing effective support at almost always at more than arm's reach. Western infantry still has that heavy shock core to it.
"You may fly over a land forever; you may bomb it, atomize it, and wipe it clean of life - but if you desire to defend it, protect it,and keep it for civilization, you must do this on the ground, the way the Roman Legions did - by putting your soldiers in the mud." TR Fehrenback "This Kind of War".
When you show up doing blossfechten in a harnischfechten fight. :)
Everybody gangsta till Ludwig pulls out the pollaxe.
@@Tepid24 *Hans gets the flammenwerfer
Gotta capitalize the nouns
@@muffincutting6020
IT WERFS FLAMMEN.
Sound like kingdom come deliverance
Your getting a slot in my mordhau character list!
Im gonna do one right now.
WHAT?! 🤣 AH NO WAY! HAHAHA
I can understand how D&D came up with studded leather seeing the design of brigandine. It's also nice to be able to compare the thickness of Matt's arming doublet vs Shad's gambeson.
It would be easy for fantasy to simply adjust a tad and mean brigantine or alternatively cuir bouilli. The big upside of brigandine armor is how fashionable you can make it and it would be half plausible for a fantasy setting that something lighter of that is good for adventurers for traveling and mobility.
It's very interesting in general to compare what was worn under armour historically with what re-enactors wear. The Sleeve of St. Martin, for instance, is only 8mm thick at the thickest point (upper arm and shoulder), and 14th century records from England consistently record that only 2-3 pounds of cotton were used for arming garments. There seems to have been a change in the 15th century to around 5 or 6 layers of linen, plus occasionally a single thickness of blanket, but I think that would have been 6-8mm thick anyway.
neither one is either im sure itsw a shitty cosplay edition of the same item.....and youre impressed.....joke of a man.
Yes but what is splin armour designed after? When my character got a splint armour and i wanted to draw a picture of it I decided to have it look like a brigandine since the AC was good and the brigandine is made out of bands of metal. So close enough.
@@WickedNPC Splint armour comes in two forms: leg and arm armour made from strips of metal, wood or bone that originated in Central Asia and then spread to Europe in the late 6th/early 7th century, and body armour that is entirely fictional.
You look well in armour, Matt. You need to do all videos dressed like this. Combined with barn doors, it gives the video a very "medieval" look.
D Yeah it’s a great look. I think he would get more viewers if he always wore armour.
May be a bit toasty even as winter's approaching now
I do think it was smart to go with the "SWAT tactical black", instead of the lavender and pink colors the traditional paintings seemed to have their soldiers in. They look like they're ready for a really intense Easter ceremony or something
@@dosran5786 tf you on about. I would try to understand what you're saying if you at least put some effort in your grammar.
@@pranakhan Eh, it's a matter of taste. I personnally wouldn't mind having an emerald green brigandine, for example. The black one doesn't look bad at all either, of course, and I definitely wouldn't want a pink one.
Matt: *Visor up*
Judge Matt: *Visor down* I AM THE LAW
Monikan Cultist ROBO-MATT
I'm glad Matt can lift his spear without worrying about space now.
That probably came out wrong.
Only if you take the statement out of CONTEXT.
Yes.
Yes it did.
I like it.
5:26 the edit to that grotesque image was just brilliant, absolutely perfect comedic timing.
This is a fantastic practical description of arms and armour from that period and the impact that has on offensive and defensive modalities. Thank you very much. You have clarified a lot for me here about how historic battles played out.
It occurs to me as well that if you are a common foot soldier with a great long pike or halberd, leg and arm armor are probably not as important. It's going to be harder to hit your limbs at the distance you fight at and the trade off in mobility so that you can fight in formation is well worth it. Open helmets would also be a must so that you can hear commands and move at the same time as the other soldiers in your unit. Of course, if the enemy breaks your formation and fully armored knights or men-at-arms can get in to striking distance you are going to be in trouble.
Raimond de Fourquevaux wanted three-quarters harness plus mail hose of his ideal pikers, specifying a helmet with the sight almost closed. Sir John Smythe decried the trend of soldiers discarding pieces of armor, such as gauntlets. Obviously captains & soldiers had different interests, but at least a number of historical pikers & halberdiers did wear full arm harnesses with gauntlets.
no significant reduced mobility from armour, thats a myth. only increased costs and heat (meaning uncomfortable for long periods).
@Tihon Annenkov use of shields disappeared long before use of halberds
Finally armor videos. I've been waiting a long time for this
Loved you talking about fighting in armor. This was a very interesting video. More please.
My favorite new video from you. I love this practical information and would love to learn more about armor and how weapons were developed alongside (or in response to) one another in an old-school arms race.
YES YES YES MORE ARMOR MORE ARMOR!
I really need to know how armored combat works. Everything I've learned seems to always be about non-armored combat.
What factors determined who won in plate vs plate combat? Is this an example where skill is less relevant?
How did non-armored soldiers fight full plate knights? Did they just end up having to bumrush them, a few die, and tackle them to the ground?
You say polearms like spears are more effective, but how much more? I don't get how a spear would kill a full plate knight if a sword or half-sword couldn't either without wrestling them to the ground, immobilizing, and jamming a dagger into the face?
Is armored combat just alot of wrestling but with half-swording/daggers?
How effective were maces and warhammer? If so, then why didnt they become the most prominent sidearm? Why not replace arming swords with maces? Also why, if warhammers were used, would full plate knights not use shields to defend against them? Why was there not tons of Warhammer+Shield+Full Plate vs Full Plate combat? Wouldn't the shield negate the poleaxe, and then the warhammer lay the smackdown in close quarters?
The skill aspect is the most confusing part, since I read one story of a knight in a tournament who used his poleaxe to just jab perfectly at the opponent's face, winning through skill rather than through being larger/stronger/better wrestler. So is skill still #1 just like with unarmored combat? Or does strength have a much more significant advantage in armored combat? The Mountain vs normal sized person, both in full plate, for example. Or a male vs female, both in full plate. Or are the poleaxe/warhammer/wrestling "the great equalizer" like how swords are in unarmored combat?
How exhausting is full plate vs some plate vs chainmail vs no plate?
If we were D&D adventurers, travel would be really important right? Full plate would require a squire or horse or servants to carry, but what about just the plate helmet and chest? Would knights be easily exhausted just wearing the lighter armor you showed? Brigandine/platechest, helmet, gambeson? Is chainmail better bc of the sweat factor?
I've seen your other videos on travel & logistics, like how polearms and big shields are a PITA to travel with, and to some extent even axe/maces, so it makes sense adventurers would only have swords.
I just have SO MANY QUESTIONS about armor and how it relates to combat & adventuring.
Look at Buhurt to get an idea how armored looks like.
You get exhausted faster, except you train properly.
Biggest Problem is overheating.
A padded Jacket with a Brigandine or a Breatsplate in combination with a Helmet of some sort and Hand protection is a good go-to for an adventurer.
Mail isnt that good, as it is heavier, less protective and less comfortable to wear than plate.
ok well you stood next to someone in a shieldwall and shite yourself for all 9 hours of the battle congratulations you now know about armored medieval combat.... youb had to stay in formations becauswe your visibility in a helmet was none existent and they dont have zippers on ancient armor.
Adventuring in FPA is no fun at all. First of all, you can't get into or out of FPA on your own, or at least not in a tolerable time frame, and sleeping in it is not my idea of restful - chain isn't too bad in that regard and the padding will keep you comfortably warm at night. The brigandine Matt is wearin in the video would however be my favorite for adventuring, though I'd always go for some hand protection, and moderate leg protection. Mostly around the knee. I don't want to be that guard who used to be an adventurer until a stray projectile pierced their knee
@@nicolaiveliki1409 mail would Ruin your back.
And i had often put my plate on and off alone, what kind of plate are you using?
I'm going to try and answer your questions based on what I know from having worn armor and practiced a few different kinds of medieval combat.
What factors determined who won aren't all that different from unarmored fighting: Skill, experience and physical conditioning. Skill is not less relevant, it's just a different skill.
Unarmored soldiers versus armored knights would be in a bad position, because they'd have to use armored fighting techniques without the protection armor offers - A bad position to be in indeed, but they generally outnumbered the knights and had polearms, so not completely hopeless.
How much more effective a polearm would be than a sword depends on the polearm and the armor in question. For example, a spear wouldn't have any chance of stabbing through a hardened breastplate, but two-handed spear thrusts through mail have been recorded in history. Also, a thrust delivered with more power is more likely to find and force its way through a gap. On the other hand, an impact weapon like the blunt end of a poleaxe could cause fractures even through plate if the blow lands well, and a solid hit to the helmet from such a weapon is likely to cause a concussion even if the skull doesn't break.
Armored combat, if what you have is a sword and a dagger, is essentially a wrestling match with half-swording, yes. But if you have an appropriate anti-armor weapon, like a polearm, it's likely that several blows will be traded until one fighter closes the distance, and if your opponent is bigger and stronger, well, you'll want to keep your distance and keep swinging your polearm instead.
Maces and warhammers were effective weapons. As to why they didn't become the most prominent sidearm we can only speculate, but several factors may have contributed. First, ease of carrying and drawing the weapon: a sword in its scabbard is not very obstrusive to carry around, doesn't impede running much and can be drawn quickly and easily. A mace or warhammer would have to have been secured in a way that makes them more awkward to draw, and the thick, heavy head is more of a hassle to deal with as you walk. Second, they would only be carried if the warrior was expecting to face armored opponents himself; in day to day life, that is unlikely, so a sword was preferable. On the battlefield, you'd have to be in a frontline role to benefit from having a mace, but then you'd most likely have a polearm, so having a more versatile and easy-to-carry weapon as a sidearm (a sword) would be preferred by most as their primary weapon is already more suited to fighting armored foes.
As for shields, armored knights DID use them, sometimes. The ''heater'' shield, which appeared in the 12th century, was used for this purpose. It was smaller than a kite shield but thicker, as it was meant to stop warhammers and halberds. But, as always with shields, there's a trade-off: you're down to a single hand on your weapon, so less power, and power was important when trying to hurt an armored man. Furthermore, if it became a wrestling match, the shield would get in the way. So, I suppose it would have been down to the warrior's preference.
The skill aspect, finally. First of all, when considering the strength vs. speed debate, one must know that strength IS speed, in real life. A stronger arm can swing a weapon faster, and stronger legs will move you faster. There does come a point when the mass becomes so great that speed is impeded, due to the square-cube law, but until you reach that point, being stronger makes you faster. As for skill, as stated above, it is always important. If strength alone decided the fight, martial arts would not exist. An unskilled but stronger opponent would most likely lose to a more skilled and less strong fighter, but at equal skill, the stronger man will win most often. For fighting in armor, skill in wrestling is important (and yes, there is skill involved in wrestling). As for your tournament guy, I'd have to know the rules of the tournament; could he score points with a light tap to the armored visor? Because that might win a tournament, but not a fight for your life.
Is strength more important than skill in armored combat? That is debatable. Being stronger and bigger is always an advantage. I've defeated bigger men by being more skilled, but I've also been laid low by big guys I considered less skilled with their weapons than me. The laws of physics are unflinching.
How exhausting is armor? In my experience, so long as you've trained properly, full plate armor is not very exhausting to just wear if you're not doing much. I can wear mine for hours on end at festivals and the like, though my shoulders complain the next day. But fighting? Oh boy, do you ever tire quickly. Moving fast in armor is very exhausting. Full plate is, I would say, less taxing to wear than mail, because the weight is distributed more evenly across the body, and it's easier to move in for the same reason. However, full plate gets INSANELY hot. It does not breathe AT ALL. In summer, even staying completely still, your arming garments will get drenched in sweat. Mail is also very hot to wear, but to a lesser degree. At the other extreme, in cold weather, any metal armor gets FREEZING cold, especially if you've sweated into your gambeson.
Furthermore, on a long journey (like, say, an adventure), you couldn't wear your armor all day while traveling. But your proposition of just a breastplate and helmet sounds manageable to me. Modern soldiers do walk for very long distances with backpacks far heavier than that, after all. The armor worn in this video is another option, but then the brigandine is essentially a cheaper version of a breastplate, so it'd be almost the same anyways.
I hope I've answered your questions. If you have more, I'll gladly answer them as well to the best of my ability.
I adore the holistic, historic analysis that Mr. Easton shares in each of these videos. He consistently dispels myths and assumptions with observations that are grounded in both practicum and a study of history. I catch myself saying, "YES! THANK YOU!" every time. I have not yet found another academic or amateur source, whether written or multimedia, that conveys the same lessons as effectively. I say this as someone who studied medieval history at the University level, who worked as a professional archaeologist, and who has pursued medieval recreation and combat arts as a hobby for close to 20 years. Thank you for these videos!
Great info, thanks a lot Matt! Would love to see a video of you doing either some armored (or partly armored) sparring, or maybe some of that targeted sparring you talked about. Anyway, keep up the good work, you're killing it!
Excellent!
Most people totally forget this common sense factor of HEMA. Most practitioners never make it past the dueling component.
Until the advent of widely available firearms for the soldiers.
Every battle meant facing an armored opponent.
I enjoy your videos, but more than just being entertaining the info is almost always immediately applicable. Thank you. Cheers!
And that part of HEMA is sadly affect popular view of medieval fighting and this weird notion that swords are best weapons etc
@@swietoslaw But swords like rapiers are very easy to train with without significant protection. Heavier swords and especially pole arms and anti armor weapons even when they are blunt (or maybe even coated with some shock absorber) could be very devastating. Huge startup investment in protective gear would turn off a lot of people. That may not be a problem for richer countries, but in poorer it would mostly eliminate beginners and they are, just in other sports, most numerous. It is easy to be "okay, I am with this last 5-10 years, I'll start to save money and slowly buy armor".
And even worse, you have essentially "real life LARPers" aka "knights who use real armor, but their technique is in often (in most cases?) abysmal, even with swords. Yes, strength and stamina are important, but medieval fighting wasn't just who can hit harder.
I think history in school should give it at least quick overview of that, without details like "early XV century in Italy, by late XV it was in England" or Oakeshott typology (except picture with few key comments). I think it has a bit more with our world than Old Greece or Old Egypt. And one of the most important myth busting: swords (and other weapons) weren't heavy 5-10-20kg. Sure, HEMA people can help with selection of materials, provide accurate sources (too often mixing war and tournament plate armor even in not hard core books), but still, it is essentially job of school, not small group of enthusiasts.
@@radivojevasiljevic3145 But is not just about cost is about what is cool and popular. And if by knight larpers you meant thing like buhurts then oh boy you are one of those
@@swietoslawthank you, you made clear who you are.
@@radivojevasiljevic3145 In what way? im just super allergic to hema people bashing on buhurts people.
Love this video. More talking about the realities of medieval combat, warfare, tactics, logistics I love!
I'd love to watch more videos about armored fighting such as how polearms deal with armor and what an armored fight looks like (what blows are generally aimed for, all of that).
Cheers!
as always, very interesting! thanks you for making these!
I am so glad that I subscribed years ago! I’ve learned so much!
Thinking about this, I suddenly understand the effect of guns on war a lot more.
In an earlier vid on this channel, you mention somebody being unimpressed by the effectiveness of a colt revolver on a japanese swordsman, and talked about the possibility of shooting a guy (fatal wound) but getting killed in return before they bleed out.
But in war, a gun is hecking effective against armor, so when both fighters are armored the advantage of a gun over a sword is far more obvious. No wonder guns were good.
Especially 25mm anti tank guns aka muskets. Can't run after that
then again, there was bulletproof armour (usually only torso armor tho), and guns were inaccurate (meaning mainly torso hits). guns also only get 1 go and if you miss...
@@matthiuskoenig3378 That's quite true. As always, everything has both pros and cons... in fact maybe this is why cannons ended up seeing use against infantry. Still, an improvement is an improvement and there's no going around that.
@@matthiuskoenig3378 Except when you had 150 muskets pointed at you by a formation of infantry. (most muskets were rather accurate up to ~50 yards away, which with well drilled loading skills, is more than enough distance for two volleys.)
Excellent stuff in this one Matt. Thanks.
"If you just consider you're fighting me now"
Hmmm no thanks, I enjoy being alive.
Good Video.
Yes, more on armor, and more on battlefield tactics used by various types of military units in the 15th.
You look smashing Mr. Easton👌
The barnsetting suits your esteemed channel. Best of luck from Denmark 😊
Damn, that armor looks sweet! Like some others have already said, would really like seeing more of your vids in period clothing.
Very interesting vid, very thorough. It really adds perspective. Thanks
I've been writing a fantasy novel for the past 4 years, set in a medieval fantasy version of my own country Sweden, and this type of videos are a goldmine for research. Even though I've trained Korean sword art for some years, there's so much to learn and these kind videos have really helped me with that.
Very helpful video. Light armor is so often underestimated. Keep up the armor content!
Love it whenever you break out that brigantine. Beautiful piece.
Great video as always, but just a quick note on "Blossfechten/Bloßfechten"
It would be more accurate to translate it as "bare" or even "naked" fighting as the word "bloß" (meaning "bare"; pronounced like "loss" but with an elongated "O" as in "door" and a "b" in front) has nothing to do with the word "Bluse" (meaning "blouse"; pronounced like "lose", but with a pronounced "e" as in "eh" and a "b" in front).
i was wondering the whole video: which meaning for bloß was the intention: bare or just/only.
i was looking for this comment. blouse fencing seems like a weird translation.
Im triggered how he spells "Fechten", it is a soft sh sound...Not a ck
@@steffenebener7332 It's more like the "h" from "hate" or "hobby" tbh.
@@dosran5786 I think you need a chill pill, or, if you are trolling, give up, you are no good at it.
This is the best video you have posted in a long time. Not sure why but keep it up.
What a great video! Please continue talking on these topics.
"Trust in your armor", or how to fight by letting some blows hit while your slash your way home. There is a psychological factor to consider between Bloßfechten and armored fighting. If you would flinch during a fight parring a blow that would be blocked by your armor, you are not using it as you should as that was an open in the attack that you could have sliced through. Also this reminds me of the Langmesser and the hacking at your unarmored subjects while they have a tank in front of them.
That's actually a really cool look. The armour goes really well with the barn door background and everything. I think it would be really characterful if you could wear that armour more often when talking about medieval stuff.
I know you're not quite that guy, but a little theming like this to match the subject bumps up presentation values really nicely; it's fun and more visually interesting.
Oh yeah, more armor videos please! And I'd also like to learn more about the specific weapons and techniques for dealing with heavy armor. I have sometimes heard the two-handed warhammer refered to as a knightly can-opener.
Way cool to see some videos about armor!
I don't always fight armored but when I do I use an anti-armor weapon.
The class that counters itself you hate to see it folks
Would love to see more vids about how battlefield combat works~ Feels like a deep topic I don't see half as much about as dueling
This was very interesting and informative! Thanks!
Great video Matt!
YES! more armour videos please, maybe do all of the major periods explaining how armour developed to combat weapon development which was necessary to combat armour development ad infinitum.
I remember one time doing a multi-bash and a dark age'r came up and slashed at my torso then looked confused when I didn't react, I just stabbed my hit with my sword and he understood I was wearing armour so ran away ;)
Interesting video, I didn't realise Robocop had a youtube channel
I'd love to see more discussion of armoured fighting. Thanks for the vid!
Definitely would like to see more videos about armour and armoured fighting!
If people fought with their visors up that much, I think there's a case for blossfechten to be far more practical than people give it credit for. Stabbing to the face is pretty damn common. Most of Liechtenauer's cuts can be adjusted slightly to throw the point into their face.
i love you youtube experts on fencing you spout words you dont understand and watch some hema dipshit practice" real european fencing" and youre so impressed as he flails around its honestly a bad joke.
@@dosran5786 wut
"If you can only afford one piece of armor, it's gonna be some form of helmet."
I think that goes the same as well for most countries in the current (first quarter of the 21st century) era. Bicycle helmets, Motorcycle helmets, you name it.
This is so cool! You look like a medieval Robocop with that salet on :D :D it's the coolest medieval helmet imho.
I must say that specific armor set up fits you so well. Just the over all look and style just matches your body shape.
Great video. Totally interesting as usual.
Would be interesting to look closer at Armour. Also how it fits in with sheild an formation fighting.
I find the talks about when armour is involved to be very interesting. Please do more with armour.
Another excellent video. Of course, the other difference between sparring without armour, and fighting in armour in a battle is that in sparring, you are not exhausted from campaigning, wracked with dysentery, in a state of mortal fear of excruciating pain, life changing injuries or death, and filled with hatred of your opponent and a determination to destroy him. I suspect that in real life, however much you learned clever techniques before going on campaign, an actual battle situation was just a complete and terrifying brawl. Fortunately, in most battles and every war, most soldiers on both sides normally never get very near to actually killing or being killed.
This was a really good video on a very interesting topic.
As always, a very enjoyable video.
Love it, please do similar videos!
@2:37 Far right, climbing the ladder: "There goes creepy Larry again, deliberately scaling the walls with no pants and giving the man behind an eyeful."
This is actually how Matt dresses day to day. The superdry clothes are his costume.
Love it when you do videos with armor! Just two little nit picks though, first even when half swording there’s no way your blowing through a hardened steel breastplate. We should look at half swording as a way to turn your sword into a big, gap hunting, pry bar. Second is the visor thing, now this is a big one for context, because outside of combat visors up, helmets off, I’m not riding or marching or setting up camp with a visor down. However once were on an assault, once we have our orders/directions visor down all the way! If you think about it a lot of sieges and even pitched battles (which were rarer) are about taking a position. “Up that ladder clear that wall” “take the bridge” “move down this hall or that street”. Once we’ve established a location yah visors up wait for the next order catch your breath. Even if it’s more of a skirmish were its a handful of you vs. a handful of them in an open courtyard, I’m visor down. It’s way to easy to put a mace or spike into the whole of an open visor, especially in a chaotic skirmish were he might not see you coming. Ever wonder why mace heads generally don’t get bigger then the opening of a visor? Mace to the face, will ruin your day real fast! Love to talk more about this, really enjoyed the video, keep up the great work!
Some things I love the most on this beautiful channel:
*Period sources demonstrating various points about swords/weapons (like the ones of VC recipients you've made)
*Armour, yes. It SUITS you nicely.
*Swords. Have you ever done a video talking about swords?
*Context, and how it matters.
*Exploring how many sexual innuendos you can make whilst not visibly reacting (I still cherish the rifle and bayonet videos from a few years ago)
*Everything else
Absolutely...
Armour changes everything. Most HEMA clubs overlook the aspects of typical armour. Cuts/slashes to mail... thrusting to plate...and just the simple points that varying your armour (layers) amplifies your protection, at a cost of heat/comfort and weight/mobility.
Excellent video! Definitely more on the topics of armour.
I would really enjoy seeing a sparring match between both armoured and unarmored opponents. I think that seeing the differences in targeting and how you have to change your tactics in the fight based on armoured vs. unarmoured combat would be interesting.
Man, that jacket looks great. Please just do whatever you want to do. Everything is appreciated.
It'd be lovely to see an updated video dedicated to all aspects of halfswording, mordstreich, et cetera. I think Matt's only mentioned in in passing for quite some time now.
You should consider doing some instructional videos on accurate 1400s and 1500s arming sword/broad sword techniques with an opponent when using arnor... brigidine or breastplate and pauldrons and helmet. Along with a buff coat or arming coat.
Great video, thanks!!
I have never seen Matt so dapper 😂. Great video
More videos on armour would be great! Perhaps you could discuss the various types of mail clothing (byrnie, hauberk, etc) and their respective merits and disadvantages?
I know it's not your period, but I'd love to see your take on the Byzantine Bambakion/Lorikion/Klibanion/Epilorikion combination [quilted/padded, mail, lamellar, quilted/padded].
Awesome video, very much agree, and also the sallet suits you, it's a badass look.
DEFINITELY would like more armour vids!
Outstanding explanation of what medieval combat entailed. My research as a medieval historian has discovered that the sword was more of a prestige or sociataly significant weapon as opposed to a weapon regularly used in combat given the expense in creating them.
Great video! There are not nearly enough videos on armored fighting.
I'd love to see more videos on armor and anti-armor!
Great vid!!!
Great video!
Good vid :) Maybe more on how to beat armor in a future vid. You have any pike axes or axes you can show us? If a sword cant bear armor how good is a mace in comparison? Keep em coming Matt :)
For 3 seconds when Matt had his helmet down at the beginning , the only context I understood was fear
well cant fix being a pussy son.
Please don't tell me you lost your rolling pin during the relocation. Utterly astonishing thumbnail by the way!
How can you properly show the resilience of a helmet without bashing it about with a rolling pin?
Yes! More videos about armor!
This is great! Thanks. :)
Being ex army most of this is common sense and your spot on about soldiering on campaign. Good video mate.
Speaking from personal experience with combat in Afghanistan. Situational awareness, communication, and mobility is paramount to success. Know times have changed dramatically but im sure that at least hasn't changed. Mobility to a lesser extent because a men at arms wouldn't worry about having to rush through a lda before a gunner lines up a shot but they still have to be able to effectively coordinate with their team. All the equipment we were issued that inhibited any of those points we would immediately discard. Additional armor plates, kevlar, hearing protection, dukes, etc. So I believe you are 100% correct in that bit.
Please do more videos on fighting in armor and how we can use sparring to simulate it :)
In XIII-century Castille, it was quite common for "light" armored soldiers to protect their legs and/or arms with calcillas - basically long wrappings of _thick_ felted wool. ("Like the ones used by Vikings but on steroids", to quote the very technically precise description I usually give to kids when I show them at events). They can give padded jack levels of protection to the legs (and arms - there are miniatures of soldiers wearing those alongside sleeveless torso armor) while being less restrictive to movement than thick hose. I've found no info whether they were still a common thing 200 years later, though.
Let me just say, thank you for fixing the heater shield. That was aggravating me to no end.
Some more videos about armor would be very welcomed
More armored talks please Matt, by the way where do you by your reenactment swords shields and pole arms from. What might be a foot in the hobby to start with. I like renaissance weapons and Napoleonic French cavalry swords and Lance's
I made a mock armor about 2 years ago made of 4mm polypropylene for hema spear fighting to wear it over my thin fencing jacket. It consisted of breast and backplate without faulds, a gorget and vambraces. My fencing buddies sometimes played that the armor was real, and hits on the plastic plates didnt count. I was amazed that so little armor gave so much advantage, that I almost could walk in carelessly to hit them, shurgging off incoming blows.
Matt "What I have here is an arming doublet, a brigandine, and a sallay" *phone chime*
Me "and a smartphone too."
Suggestion: I would very much like to see a video on late Sassanid Persian weapons, specifically the weird looking maces with the flared-out shaft and the awesome very long and slender knife-like swords. Good info about these appears to be really hard to come by.
"Soldiers have a job to do..."
It would be interesting to see a comparison of the same swordfighting techniques in armoured combat vs unarmoured combat
So my background is in koryu (battlefield) style Japanese martial arts. I have a passing familiarity with Western martial arts mainly through fechtbucher and HEMA videos. There have been a few observations I had through training, practical application, and how these things might typically play out. In fact, one of my fascinations with HEMA has been applying Japanese jujutsu techniques in armor and how similar they are to their Western counterparts
One of the emphasis of koryu-styled Jujutsu is in what’s called koppojutsu, which is essentially a lot of joint-locking and leveraged attacks used in standing grappling. And obviously people are familiar with the judo-like jujutsu. In systems of koryu-style martial arts there usually aren’t hard distinctions between jujutsu, koppojutsu, or dakentaijutsu (striking) techniques since all may be used in the same attack to attack an opponent. The emphasis being to get to a person to throw them down or control them. Presumably, the opponent is in armor. Old styles of koryu jujutsu are less about dueling than trying to down an armored opponent.
Downing an opponent in armor is important, I think for both Japanese and Western medieval battlefield techniques. From looking at fechtbucher and recreating their movements and then my own practical experience with koryu Japanese martial arts and dealing with opponents in armor, you start to realize that fighting in armor is more about getting close enough to the person and throwing them down, usually to shiv the person with your dagger (or tanto). Or in the western tradition, shiv the downed opponent with a half-sworded blade (I’m not familiar with a similar technique in Japanese swordsmanship but presumably something similar could be done with a shorter sword).
I’m assuming that in this fight of two armored opponents that one hasn’t already dispatched the other with their polearm or whatever and both opponents have to get close within trapping or grappling distance to finish the other person.
I would really like to see a sparring session simulation armed fighting, or even better armed fighting in units.
Would love to be able to buy at least that much armor that Matt has on.
he made it from scrap metal why are you impressed this is why stupid people shouldnt watch videos.
@@dosran5786 whut...
@@ecthelionalfa you're a living example of what my comment means.