Lots of people asking about the 1911 and AKM: They are airsoft replicas. Fully automatic rifles are not possible to own in the UK unless you are a fully qualified armourer or suchlike (but they are possible to own in those and a few other circumstances). Equally, modern pistols are very difficult to own, though not impossible. You could however get deactivated real versions of either of these in the UK and you can get semi-automatic versions of the AK in .22 and semi-auto .22 rifle shooting is a popular sport in the UK. We generally have more access to more types of firearm than some people realise.
In the movies, as well as the more recent comics, he DOES wear body armor and a helmet. Also remember, WW2 to modern era soldiers are taught to aim for center of mass. So having the shield (the best protection offered by all his armor) protecting the torso and lower face makes alot of sense. Also keep in mind, he has a healing factor, so bullet wounds in the limbs would almost never be fatal. A leg wound would impede him for no more than a matter of hours, a day at most.
The shield is circular because a scientist who was trying to fuse vibranium with metal fell asleep during the experiment and when he had awoken the alloy had set hard in a tank hatch mold and he was unable to reproduce any more of the indestructible metal. The slab of tank hatch shaped metal was painted and turned into a shield. So body armour made from this metal was not an option as nobody could reproduce the effects of this experiment. This circular shield appears in issue #2 after Timely comics was taken to court over Captain America using the original triangular shield which was claimed to resemble far too much the shield used by the superhero called the Shield.
The real reason the Shield is round was because when Cap first appeared he was a complete copy of Archie's The Shield. When they were threatened with a lawsuit, Marvel quickly changed his shield to a round one from the original heater shape.
So, what was the deal with the original heater shield? I mean, was it also indestructible or was it just, like, a regular shield? Do they have different origin stories?
Ballistic shield and pistol are a very popular weapon set for a forced entry point man today in the US. You actually look over the top of the shield while instinct or laser sight shooting from around the side (modern ballistic Shields are rectangular). The second man in the stack will be equipped with an offensive weapon (pistols are defensive weapons) such as an M4, MP5 etc and do so more freely because he get to use the point man for cover LITERALLY. CHEERS
Literally using the guy in front as a shield while he uses his shield as a shield. Team work makes the dream work. I've looked into getting on of those shields, but oh lord are they expensive. A level 4 is at least $1,500 for what I will basically use as a toy. That's a new gun or a lot of ammo. Or a new guns, lots of ammo, and another set of AR500 plates.
Caps suit in comics is actually a layered scale mail with a duraluminum mesh under it. So he actually has more armor on that it appears. Interestingly enough,classic story, Cap uses a kite shield for WWII, it was a copy right issue that brought about the change. Either way, love the technical analysis.
In the old Golden Age comics from WWII, he clearly had scales on his costume. Now, they could have been decorative, but I would assume they were made from sort of advanced material and were actually functional armor. After all, fish or reptiles aren't part of his motif, so decorative scales would be an odd choice.
@BadPeople1100 You are right. Cap is a complete copy of the Shield, right down to his military background and supersoldier serum. In fact Timely, now Marvel, were threatened with legal action over the similarity, so they changed Cap's shield to the now familiar round one. Interestingly Jack Kirby must have really liked the Shield as he copied him 3 times, with Captain America, the Guardian and the Fighting American.
* *pushes up glasses* * Cap is regularly depicted with nylon/kevlar/metal scale armor, even in the movies. It's also worth noting that in the comics, ALL of the material that existed (true Adamantium, in the comics) was used up making his shield, so it's not like he could have a full suit of the same material, because more of the material doesn't exist, and it couldn't be reproduced. Of course he could have other metal armor, and he is regularly depicted with such armor, even in the movies. In Civil War and Infinity War metal scales can be seen under the outer layer of his uniform, and it's a safe assumption that in Winder Soldier/ maybe the original Avengers onward, he had kevlar/ballistic nylon or an equivalent in addition to the shield. He has had larger shields in the past, but the round shield was the last of the metal, so he can't exactly go back to one and have the same properties. Also, the round shield probably bounces a lot better than an angular/larger shield would, so there's that.
at least in the comics, his shield's not made solely of vibranium, but a vibranium-steel alloy that could never be replicated again, thus why he couldn't have armor or other shields made of the same metal
In "The First Avenger" I believe Rogers asks why the material in the shield isn't more widely used. Howard Stark says the Vibranium in the shield is "All we've got."
If I remember right in the First Avenger they do state that his uniform is armored but make it clear it's not bullet proof at the same time. I think the line was something to effect of "should stop a bayonet. All the sci-fi magic metal was used on the sheild leaving only coventional material for his body protection and they presumably made that light enough for him to be able to move fast. I suppose it might have give him some protection from shrapnel.
Form fitting as it is, that Kevlar isn't doing much. And that adamantium isn't going to absorb the concussive force. What's more, the scales on his armor in the comics only cover his rib cage.
@@alexanderhowarth6460 oh yeah, I believe it will go through Cap's armour. But again, I doubt anyone actually used 5.7×28mm during WW2 (I don't think it was even invented at that point) so it's all good. Let's just say we're both wrong and right
As others have stated Cap's uniform is a composite of maille chain and scale and during WWII it also had silk and nylon which could slow small projectiles such as fragments/handgun bullets. His more modern uniform still has maille but of more modern materials and the fabric in the movies is supposed to be an even more advanced version of Kevlar/Spectra bullet resistant cloth. His helmet is supposed to be a special plastic metal ceramic laminate with built in radio and in one comic I seem to recall he had low light/night vision in
You assume he's shattering bodies. He is not. V sauce worked out the impact of a shield toss or bash to be about the same as a punch from a professional boxer. When when he tosses someone like a ragdoll it like getting hit by a car at low speeds (you get tossed at ~15 G or ~10 KN, You start to break bones ~12 KN) so injury, 80% you broke something like a rib, but low chance of death. Shooting someone is far more damaging due to smaller surface area. Helps the censors consider smashing someone in the face with a metal disc or punching them as less violent then shooting someone to death even in the 1950's as the Comics Code came into being. Why do you think everyone in cartoons used lasers and robots for decades?
Maybe his shield should have been a giant boomerang like Sango's Hiraikotsu from Inuyasha. This would let him protect his entire body, shoot his pistol around the inner bend of the boomerang, and of course throw it too. Being superhuman he's strong enough such a large metal object, and a boomerang is actually designed to be a striking weapon in the first place. The only downside is that this would make him Captain Australia, so he'd accordingly have to change his costume and nationality.
How does an AK47 match up to a rapier in a duel? Assuming the AK user has a lot of experience taking on rapiers, and the rapier user has a lot of experience fighting people with AK47s. What if the AK user half swords?
If I remember correctly, they didn't give him armor, cause they didn't have enough vibranium, thing that his shield is made of. They could at best made him breastplate with it, and probably only in front. Cause Vibranium is super rare, unless you live in Wakanda.
at least in the comics, his shield's not made solely of vibranium, but a vibranium-steel alloy that could never be replicated again, thus why he couldn't have armor made of the same metal
Matt you know you have to do a video about bulletproof shields now. sounds terribly interesting (and bing historical makes it more relevant for your channel, not that we dont enjoy these more "fun" videos). cheers
The most fantastical element about captain americas shield is that its supposed to cancel out even soundwaves i was really disappointed when thor hits the shield with his hammer and this huge boom happened it would have been much more fantastical if absolutely no sound came out of it.
I would argue that the shield returning when thrown is the largest leap in logic required. Half the time, the shield lodges after it penetrates, half the time, it ricochets... that's some clever physics.
Apparently the shield returns to him because of the sonic properties of the vibranium it's made of combined with some sort of sonic devices Cap has in his gloves.
Muzzle discipline. One of the primary rules for firearm safety: Always treat a gun as if it's loaded. It has nothing to do with his nationality...well I guess it could, since he is not used to handling firearms she would not be well versed in their safety. But it really just boils down to muzzle discipline
@rascalMatt17 it's a channel about swords, historical European martial arts, and historical events surrounding those items. I could care less he's English. I have no idea how you inferred that from my comment.
He *is* treating it like it's loaded. He's not got his finger on the trigger, and I would assume that he double checked that they were unloaded before recording.
I feel that Cap ideally should have a powerful handgun in his right hand. Trying to control a rifle or SMG one-handed would be... difficult. Given the era, I think a 1911 makes good sense. It's readily available and had decent stopping power. The shield can't be made any larger because that's all the material that existed. Plus the asymmetry of a kiteshield would make it harder to throw reliably. We also have to consider that the bigger a shield gets, the more unwieldy. Trying to cram in a helicopter or an APC with a full sized kiteshield or hoplon could get quite awkward. This is the reason people like tank crews get smaller firearms. Lastly, I thought Cap already WAS wearing a helmet and kevlar body armour.
I just have to add (and I'm sure since I'm a bit late because of work, several others already have)... You can indeed brace a semi-auto handgun against something and it not affect the slide moving back and forth. That's something we trained to in days past; and so long as you aren't pressing your firearm into the cover (or shield in this case), then the weapon will function as designed. Outside of that, I agree totally as usual. Cheers pal!
the cap does wear armour, the fish scales pattern on the torso is mail and the suit is kevlar, at least in recent years, the mail underneath however has always been there. cheers, love your channel
Hey Matt, do you think firearms saved the sword as far as being an effective battlefield weapon? As plate armor was advancing and becoming more common it seems like the sword was slowly (maybe not completely) becoming obsolete on the battlefield. While still arguably the best weapon for self defense it seems like maces and warhammers may have taken over as the main backup weapon on the battlefield. But as firearms advanced they quickly made plate armor obsolete over time to the point where they wore less armor and later no armor at all which seems to have made the sword more effective on the battlefield again as a result. At least until repeating firearms came around of course. Great video as always and thanks for doing what you do
It helps to keep in mind that swords were almost never primary weapons, generally that'd be some kind of spear or polearm, missile weapon, etc., so even with the advent of pistols (as Matt has discussed in a number of videos), until reliable revolver / magazine technology has developed, swords were still reliable side arms in the pitch of a battle, boarding action, etc.
@@cliffclark2285 Well, while those developments were going on, you had the cuirasseurs, wearing cuirass, specifically for heavy calvary engaging with other calvary or pike/bayonet infantry, so even then, armour played some function among those wielding sabres or backswords from horseback. It's an interesting question to see how this is all interrelated and what possibilities may have been.
@@StudyofSwords again I agree, armor did not completely leave the battlefield just because firearms became the primary weapon of war. But wearing a just a cuirass clearly means that full plate armor was being phased out which made swords more effective because fewer parts of the body were being protected. And we see in the Napoleonic wars swords being issued even to enlisted personnel on a wide basis. I'm not saying the sword suddenly became the most effective weapon on the battlefield, nor did it become a primary weapon with everyone. It was still a backup weapon in most units except for a few select cavalry units. All I'm saying is that I believe that there is a small period in time where the sword became more effective on the battlefield than it had been in previous decades because armor was slowly becoming obsolete due to firearms making it obsolete. Again, not that the sword became the best weapon, just that it became better than it had been (not better than other weapons) during the age of muzzle loaders
The problem with giving him the body armor is that it would have made him too much the character The Shield from Archie Comic who debut more than a year before Cap and also was a flag wearing character. In his case , he had and indestructible armored costume. In the MCU they did give cap a uniform that was a defense against knives and shrapnel.
You are correct but it never really comes into play except for the chain mail around his neck this only helped when Baron Blood was in the story and those were retro stories done much later than during the war.
The problem with your opinion is when Captain America first picks his round shield that was all the vibranium they had accuses to. So realistically there might be a small amount left so definitely not enough for a full suit of armor. So the question you should have answered (if you only had about that much of metal material, what would you use it for armour?)
Biggest issue with the bladed, or duelist style shooting stance is not only with aiming. Not using your offhand to help stabilize the firearm, but also with what happens if you get hit. With modern body armour ( I suspect it's the same for medieval and Renaissance armour as well) the front face is most protective. It's harder to armour up the sides. With that being said that would be the side you would want to present. Also if you do have penetration of the armour, if you are square to your opponent it's more survivable. If you have the same penetration while standing sideways it has the potential to traverse all the vital organs, both lungs and heart. Standing squared in the same situation you may only have one lung pierced for example. Other than the survivability of being squared (wearing armour) it also facilitates aiming. If you have your hips, feet shoulders, etc all facing the target more than half the work of aiming is done for you.
Hi Matt a bit off topic, recently I watched one of your videos about modern edged weapons (Bayonets). I have since seen a review on a book called Battle on 42nd Street by Peter Monteath. Where he writes about a last stand by ANZAC troops on Crete during WW2 where the ANZACS counter attacked the German Paratroopers with fixed bayonet causing terrible damage to them. Cheers Matt and keep up the great work.🇦🇺
If we go by the MCU his first costume was just that, A patriotic themed costume jumpsuit but the second outfit he wears for the rest of the war (and for latter half of Winter Soldier) is body armor designed by Howard Stark like a full body flak jacket with a helmet, padding and ballistic nylon (chest, shoulders, and knees). New versions upgraded it to modern materials and some made up ones like Vibranium. Comic wise, his vital bits are covered in a made-up aluminum alloy scale body armor (Duralumin I think) that acts like a flak jacket and also makes him harder to cut and stab. That outfit been upgraded multiple times to reflect RL tech advances.
This video is completely unexpected and I love it! I didn't realize how much I love Captain America until I saw the first MCU movie. He reminded me of Superman. Being a kind hearted do gooder/boy scout is sorely underrated in the 21st century. I'm glad Cap doesn't use a gun. But maybe someday in the MCU they'll bring a Captain America foil who uses a shield and shoots people. Closest thing right now is Crossbone.
Whats funny is there's actually a comic where that comes up. Somebody asks Tony why Cap doesn't wear a power suit like Iron man, and hell, why don't all the Avengers? Turns out that Tony also had that obvious idea, and so did the other Avengers. He did indeed make suits for the other Avengers (sans Hulk) to try out, and none of them really took to it, Cap and Hawkeye especially. It limited their mobility and agility too much, and simply was too uncomfortable to fight in. Steve did keep his in storage however, because he felt it was better to have it and not need it than otherwise.
The torso of the comic-book uniform is often drawn to resemble a sort of high-tech scale-mail, with the mask also often being rendered as a helmet (most notably in the Ultimate universe). Also, it is worth noting that in the modern day (ie- when he's not on the battlefields of WW2), Cap is generally acting in a law-enforcement/counter-terrorism role rather than purely military. In this context, non-lethal tactics are preferable (generally speaking). If he's trying not to kill people, using his shield to close distance and use his martial arts training (his comics-canon fighting style is a mix of boxing, judo and aikido) to disable opponents makes some degree of sense. A real world counterpart might be a riot cop, who also uses a shield to protect against projectiles whilst closing distance to non-lethally subdue opponents (albeit, using a baton/nightstick generally in conjunction with the shield, but most riot cops aren't pushed to the limits of human potential by super-science...)
Matt, excellent video. This reminded me of the Cerberus Guardians from the Mass Effect games, who use a shield & sidearm like the way you demonstrated.
It's hard to tell in still frames but the finish on the would-be metal components of the AK do look properly matte like their typical baked finish looks. I think raw black plastic would be slightly more reflective though of course it could be painted. The plastic sound could just be coming from it's plastic furniture, but on the other hand UK gun laws are extremely strict so even if it's metal it's either deactivated or a replica, and I'm not even sure you can get those in the UK.
In some story lines the shield is formed using the mold for a tank hatch, which is where the shape comes from (though this is probably more retcon than anything else).
Against hand grenades, protecting groin is very important. Remember that shrapnel comes from downwards direction and is going up - to your groin. And groin bleeds a lot, hits there can easily be fatal. British army in fact is experimenting with some kind of shorts to protect groin area. No doubt only reason why groin is not protected more is because of how difficult it is to protect without impeding yourself. Same applies to neck, face and eyes, not sure if there are some other spots.
Good video and thumbs up. I am sure previous comments have asked this question. How the hell does his shield absorb huge forceful blows, but when thrown it bounces???
How about a video focusing on the targe? I have seen historians and historical reenactors(not SCA or roleplayers) show how they were used, but I am more curious on why the highlanders chose a heavy shield/buckler hybrid. I know the Spanish had a steel version as well. Was there any connection between the two? Thanks
In a previous life, James Bond was a Spaniard in Scotland. But, of course, he used a Katana sans shield. As his tattoo read: 'Scotland Forever'!!! And for the Scots! "Strike Forward!".
In a serious note, I do think having the shield i nthe "defensive" hand for the style of fighting presented in comics and movies. For one, his right hand is a weapon, specially in the movies in which he has some level of super strength. The other is what he does with the shield. It is both a bigger and colorful target to bait the general panicked attacker into shooting it (most people, even when those trained, will more intuitively target the largest/most visible part of a target, the thing you're more likely to hit whether or not it is more likely to cause damage), as well as a sidearm/sidegear, not his main gear/weapon. Those would be his battle tactics and strategies, and his peak human/super human body (comics/movies). For example, in a shoot out, he will hide behind a wall and plan a course of action like anyone else. When he does move in, he already accounted for lines of fire, who is his team, who is doing what and where they are and will be, etc. Like any good side weapon, it is usually there and is nice and easy to carry. The main weapon, that will be picked for the occasion (could be stealth in an infiltration mission, could be a regular gun in an open assault, etc.). And last, but not least, the shield as a throwing weapon, his signature move (which is still a reliable side weapon option). It is much better to have it in the off hand. He can grab and throw it in a single motion that way. Having it on the dominant hand require more steps, take it off with off hand, grab from off hand and throw. And as others pointed, his clown costume... I mean his costume is usually shown to also be bullet resistant. All in all, for the actual purpose of being a prestigious side equipment for his regular fighting, and as a powerful tool to close the gap when some crazy superpowered threat shows up, the design and size makes a lot of sense. Of course, if you mistake it for a main weapon, you will conclude different things that would be right if that were the case, but it really isn't most of the time. Now, media/artists/authors don't always portray his fighting as described above. But that is a specific depiction, and it can be judged for its merits (or lack of them) individually. If we are talking about the general design and idea behind it, then we are looking at the concept, at the "what it is SUPPOSED to be", not whether the execution generally lives up to the concept.
In the movies he usually has a helmet. Also there is probably no need to hold a pistol in both hands/brace the gun against something because he is a super soldier.
as I noted, he always does wear armor, but he prefers mail (sometimes scale) over plate, undoubtedly for the flexibility...he is often doing acrobatics, gymnastics & so forth...at a level of ability beyond any human athlete (as he is in every regard)
Makes me wonder about the efficacy of a boss-held vibranium shield. The biggest issue I can think of first would be taking bullets to the shield when it's not braced. But maybe vibranium can absorb all the energy of an offending round, so it's not necessary for bracing.
Resting the wrist against the rim of the shield would give an element of stabilization. Also, if you're in a Weaver-style stance, having a shield on your left arm provides substantial protection for the body while you shoot a handgun. Legs are still SOL...
Gotta remember that Captain America has ridiculously good reactions. He's able to react to bullets after they've been fired and stick the shield in the way, making it only a grenade or sneak attack that he has to watch out for.
Even in the original comics, Cap's tunic was chainmail, and he wore a helmet under his mask. Yes, I know, that would have to be a really small helmet. Today, the entire costume is usually shown to be some type of body armor, kevlar or better. And the biggest difference between Captain America using the smaller round shield and anyone else doing it is that Steve Rogers is a super soldier. He is capable of moving faster, hitting harder, and being more precise with that shield than any normal human would.
I'm not a Marvel fan and never read the comics, so correct me if I'm wrong. The reason, I think, why he uses the shield as a weapon most of the time is that the shield is made from Vibranium and as such is much stronger and effective against enemies than normal bullets. I mean the enemies he faces not the normal humans. I don't think he has a dominant side like most people. I think the thing that change him would have changed this as well to be effective with both hands and legs and such. Somewhat like Astartes from Warhammer 40K Personally the first thing I'd do were I in his place is get them to make me a Vibranium great sword, hopefully that can ignite, and medieval style full plate armor. Even a regular soldier should see the sense in a Vibranium weapon of any kind. Of course nothing excuses the armor part. Maybe back in the day they could not get a full breast plate, or bullet proof type armor, but later in the movies, with shield and Stark ind and all that, they could have had made a bunch of Vibranium stuff and upgraded his equipment. Especially after how easily it was for that black market guy, Klaw?, to get his hands on tons of it. So typical Marvel stuff really. Actually, typical Hollywood stupidity.
You did great. I think you could have incorporated his advanced physical attributes. Who says a center mass shot from a rifle would kill him anyway? Also his skill at shield throwing is pretty impressive.
If I remember correctly, Captain America's shield is supposed to have some special properties in addition to being extraordinarily durable. Specifically it can absorb impacts/energy and deflect the force outwards (which is how the Captain can block Thor's hammer or a punch from the Hulk without getting flattened). This is partly due to the rare, fictional metal if was made from, and partly due to it's shape.
heh, WW2 era cap is pictured using a revolver & know I might know why...odd as it might seem, the comics sometimes have more thought/detail than movies do...on the shield shape, again, he actually started with a norman/kite shaped shield (you showed a glimpse of a 1940-ish cover with that) that was simply heavy steel (good thing he is strong), though it was perhaps a bit undersized. The Targe or disk one he is far better known for, though...well, it is what it is because it can;t be anythign else. It cannot be altered or shaped now, and there is only that much of the blend of iron, vibranium(fantasy) & adamantium(fantasy), plus? in the world (or universe). It's unique/a fluke of flukes, take it or leave it.
As a person that reloads for hobby and sport I understand trajectory, accuracy, and terminal effect. The AK, 30 carbine and AR are all weaker in terminal effect beyond 300 meters than the standard battle rifles of WWII. Even up close they have less penetration of body armor than WWII battle rifles. They are however more powerful than most handguns.
I've seen many of these videos. This time I thumbs up at about 90 seconds, when I realized you don't just have brigandines and spadroons on hand, but 1911's and AK''s LMAO. Fuckin love you, Matt.
Remember that that vibranium was the only amount that the had, all the other shields that Howard Stark designed were akin to a scutum or police shield.
Bigger (shield) is better, but I consider the smaller round shield adequate. Is not as cumbersome and can protect the vital parts. And in WWII context Caps' enemies would most probably be "conscripts" with minimal training who would naturally shoot for center of mass. Even if he protects only torso, he'd be fine.
I was expecting this video to be 6 seconds long: the scholagladatoria logo, followed by, "No. For obvious reasons, no. Thank you for watching and I will see you in the next video!"
If the material was fully indestructible you could just have a really thin sheet of it and make a battle umbrella! Or the old sharpen it to a super edge that will never chip or dull and go all tank katana....
What is the best modern built sword with current metallurgy and design knowlegde and correcting the defects of historical swords? We know that today's bows are far more superior ... but what about swords?
Would almost have to look at Captain America shield as two separate parts. One that absorbed and hold kinetic energy and another part that allow the control release of energy.
Random observation (although I don't enough about guns or physics to be sure): if you were using the shield high around head height (see about 6.13mins in) I would suspect the sound of the gun would echo nicely along the concave shape of the shield into your eardrum and rupture it.
Heh, shields are great offensive weapons, within their context. In fact, the reason why the vast majority of people don't think they are so great is because taking a bash from the front (potentially causing an uncontrolled knockdown) or an edge punch (potentially causing multiple blunt force trauma issues, especially to the head *even if wearing a helmet*) are simply too freaking dangerous for any kind of sporting event. I've seen accidental edge punches strike when someone screws up a shield hook (that is, forgetting to "hook" and impacting the face), using nothing more than the force of stepping forward with the leading foot about a half dozen times, including being on the receiving end of one. Every time, without fail, the target suffers getting their "bell rung", a mild or subconcusive blow caused by brain slosh. No big deal, right? In the context of HEMA (which should never allow such a tactic at an event because no level of protective gear can protect against this kind of injury), the effects of a "bell rung" strike would give a decisive advantage to the opponent as the momentary loss of focus (at a minimum) would allow a strike in. A similar case can be made for disallowing pommel strikes (although those can be better controlled by experience) for similar reasons, especially with two handed weapons.
They were forced to change it as Timely aka Marvel were threatened with a lawsuit because Captain America was almost identical to the Patriotically themed supersoldier who got his powers from a serum, called the Shield, who wore an identically shaped shield on his chest.
4:39 "This" is Icoscolese Stance. We don't do that any more. Neither do English soldiers. We use Weaver Stance, which is across the opposite shoulder, presents less frontal chest, brings the sites closer to the eye for aiming accurately, better retention, and more stable.
I don't know who you mean by "we" because literally every modern American soldier, Marine, police officer, and civilian competition shooter uses isosceles. Weaver was a great stopgap measure before most of those people had body armor, but when you have armor, frontal chest is exactly what you want to present. If you shoot Weaver with armor, you're exposing the less protected parts.
I'd argue that the shield is actually perfect in the context of captain America's situation. Sure, if we were to use it in the same situations as cap, we wouldn't last very long but, I think there's fun to be had in analyzing a weapon outside of our capabilities. Obviously a bullet proof shield isn't exactly a bad idea when on a battlefield field full of guns and you need something to protect the one successful billion dollar super soldier you have. Given that captain America specializes in H2H combat, it has an added benefit of allowing him to move in closer to enemy lines where he can better utilize his skills. The shield he has allows for full use of all of his limbs and wouldn't not impede his maneuverability in tight spaces. You could argue that as a draw back of this added maneuverability that he's more exposed. Especially in the legs but I'd argue that in an open environment where captain America would be far enough away from you to take the time in order to aim for the legs that it would be far harder than you'd realize. Bolt action rifles would most likely be used at those distances instead of sub machine guns. Historical accounts of soldiers in ww1-2 talk about how difficult it is to hit a moving target with a bolt action rifle. Most people miss their first shots then adjust accordingly when the second one comes. There's too much time in between shots with a bolt action rifle that often times a target will be gone by the time they've cycled their second round. Now try hitting the legs of a man that is ten times faster than any human on earth while he's in motion. Possibly doing impossible acrobatics while he's closing the distance. In close quarters like a building where sub machine guns would be more of a threat, I doubt most people would have the time to even think about shooting him in the legs. Even if cap couldn't physically close the distance in time before his enemy can fire on him, he can reach out with a shield throw. It's super aero dynamic and if he has the skill to use it effectively as such then I see no problem in him doing so. Plus, he can dodge bullets anyways. I doubt they could hit him even without his shield. The shield helps tho Yes, the shield isn't exactly the best tool as a weapon but given captain America's strength that's really all be needs. A single punch from the dude could spin your head completely around so adding a more narrow focal point at the end of his fist is honestly a bit over kill. Not to mention that in trench raids, shorter weapons were more of a prefrence over things like bayonets. Longer weapons became a hindrance in combat when in cramped trenches. The shield could easily defend against those weapons and the shield itself follows suit with them as it is quite compact.
What bothers me in the movies is when it just bounces off screen, and then... He kicks a little butt, and then... It bounces back. In every single movie. I understand that he "Thinks faster" so he can calculate rebounds, or whatever, but how does it just stop. Careening for a good 3 seconds, waits for him to take out 2 guys in hand to hand (Lemurian Star in The Winter Soldier) then goes back to bouncing where he can catch it? That doesn't make sense, and it kind of pisses me off when they do that.
I respectfully disagree. The shield you show in 7:42 is just to big. They don't have that much vibranium. Captain Americas shield is all they have. So it's a good idea to make it round, because every other design would require more material. Furthermore, Captain america is basically bulletproof himself. In "The Avengers" he is hit by a Chitauri-Weapon and just shrugges it off. So a bullet would not damage him to badly, as you can see in "The Winter soldier" when he actually get's shot. So I would argue, his shield is more of an offensive tool than a defensive one.
Oddly enough, even the plastic Cold Steel buckler has been shown to stop (well, technically deflect off the rounded edges of the boss) bullets. Well, 9mm and buckshot anyway as .308 went right through, lol
It seems to be a pretty effective weapon if you can bounce it off two walls and still hit the target with enough force to knock them off their feet. LOL
Do plot armor is a very powerful device. Seeing as Matt is not wholeheartedly a fan of Marvel and coming at it at an angle of believing that he only has a leotard. Which in most Generations is incorrect most people are also going for the one that is in the Marvel movies which does not have that either. That is correct because of Captain America's inability to absorb bullets through his skin, having body armor and a helmet would be advisable luckily enough in each form of him for the most part has a form of body protection under his suit and his mask is actually generally made to be a stylized helmet. One sad fact that Matt did not take into consideration is the fact that Captain America has far more increase strength and reflexes allowing Captain America to use Shield even more effectively. along with its comic book metal that makes it. Absorb kinetic energy and have some interesting properties though I don't expect Matt to dive into these. I feel his General observations about having more expensive knowledge on the character is quite accurate. I appreciate his observations.
Something I feal compelled to point out is that Caps shield works on a similar principal to Batmans logo on his chest. In most media depictions of batman where his logo is eat seen on his chest it is the most heavily armored part of the suit, and because it catches the eye most it's what we would aim for. The same principle apples to the shield, its a big round thing with consentric rings and a star in the middle. Thinking about it this same logic aplies to Captain America as a whole, a big noticae target that has a boat load of armor, compared to your standard GI who now has free range to shoot Nazis with impunity cause Caps takeing all the fire.
Trigger discipline has been observed.... the Bald Eagle is pleased ❤️ I was thinking he’d be like those cross bowmen, bring a pavaise and have your mobile cover. 😄
Hello Matt I have a question - could you recommend to me a dealer who has swords from the american revolution? I'm not too particular what kind of sword, it would be a gift. I assume some sort of sabre or spadroon. Also, do you think one can be had for say, 300 GBP? I'm interested in american swords I should specify. It need not be in pristine condition.
I still think the smaller shield would be less clumsy to run with, now the Kite shield is not that clumsy but I couldn't imagine running full speed with it, which I imagine in ww2 you had to be able to do.
Actually in World War 1 armies tried to use shield to protect soldiers, but they were too heavy, so if it's sci fi light metal. They were using it in charges at enemy trenches, so it could work, potentially.
Buzdygan actually as far as i know they used it on sentries and machinegunners to protect them from shrapnel and theoretically (not really), a sniper's shot. the armor was so heavy that you couldnt really run with it. there is a video on Forgotten Weapons that explains this kind of armor
He doesn't have a gun because it's not feasible to have enough bullets for any situation he would need to fight in. Capt America is a ninja, who should literally only run in, do something that doesn't involve the enemy being around, then run out without encountering anyone if the mission goes to plan. If it fails, he can't possibly have enough ammunition to justify bringing his own weapon, and will need to rely on the resources around him. The only thing he can justify carrying, is the shield, because if the mission fails, he will be hit many many times without a doubt, and there would be no imaginable survival unless bullet-proof.
Lots of people asking about the 1911 and AKM: They are airsoft replicas. Fully automatic rifles are not possible to own in the UK unless you are a fully qualified armourer or suchlike (but they are possible to own in those and a few other circumstances). Equally, modern pistols are very difficult to own, though not impossible. You could however get deactivated real versions of either of these in the UK and you can get semi-automatic versions of the AK in .22 and semi-auto .22 rifle shooting is a popular sport in the UK. We generally have more access to more types of firearm than some people realise.
what about some of those larger caliber air rifles? I know theres a legal restriction on muzzle velocity, but on caliber too?
really in 22? cant you get a semi automatic AKM? after like shooting club for 3 years or so
We only have semi-autos in .22 and for shotguns. Airguns are not regulated up to 12ft/lbs and after that they have to go onto a firearms certificate.
@@scholagladiatoria but you can get lee enfields? I assume its the same laws for a garand?
+King Leonidas Nope because the Garand is semi automatic and it has a bigger calibre than .22
Plot armor protects the head and torso already so the shield can be used to look cool.
Captain America vs Captain Context, who would win? of course it depends on the context...
Obviously it would be Captain Obvious.
Captain Am-er-ica, Fuck Yeah! He can do this all mutha-fuckn-day!
In the movies, as well as the more recent comics, he DOES wear body armor and a helmet.
Also remember, WW2 to modern era soldiers are taught to aim for center of mass. So having the shield (the best protection offered by all his armor) protecting the torso and lower face makes alot of sense. Also keep in mind, he has a healing factor, so bullet wounds in the limbs would almost never be fatal. A leg wound would impede him for no more than a matter of hours, a day at most.
The shield is circular because a scientist who was trying to fuse vibranium with metal fell asleep during the experiment and when he had awoken the alloy had set hard in a tank hatch mold and he was unable to reproduce any more of the indestructible metal. The slab of tank hatch shaped metal was painted and turned into a shield. So body armour made from this metal was not an option as nobody could reproduce the effects of this experiment. This circular shield appears in issue #2 after Timely comics was taken to court over Captain America using the original triangular shield which was claimed to resemble far too much the shield used by the superhero called the Shield.
The real reason the Shield is round was because when Cap first appeared he was a complete copy of Archie's The Shield. When they were threatened with a lawsuit, Marvel quickly changed his shield to a round one from the original heater shape.
That's comics for you, only in comics is the most valuable, rarest metal worked on by an over worked single narcoleptic scientist. LOL
@sbcontt YT Superhero glue
IIRC, it had attachment points for the test equipment to hold it, and these were adapted for the straps.
So, what was the deal with the original heater shield? I mean, was it also indestructible or was it just, like, a regular shield? Do they have different origin stories?
Ballistic shield and pistol are a very popular weapon set for a forced entry point man today in the US. You actually look over the top of the shield while instinct or laser sight shooting from around the side (modern ballistic Shields are rectangular). The second man in the stack will be equipped with an offensive weapon (pistols are defensive weapons) such as an M4, MP5 etc and do so more freely because he get to use the point man for cover LITERALLY. CHEERS
and they make shields that can stop most common rifle rounds.
Literally using the guy in front as a shield while he uses his shield as a shield.
Team work makes the dream work. I've looked into getting on of those shields, but oh lord are they expensive. A level 4 is at least $1,500 for what I will basically use as a toy. That's a new gun or a lot of ammo. Or a new guns, lots of ammo, and another set of AR500 plates.
Caps suit in comics is actually a layered scale mail with a duraluminum mesh under it. So he actually has more armor on that it appears. Interestingly enough,classic story, Cap uses a kite shield for WWII, it was a copy right issue that brought about the change.
Either way, love the technical analysis.
In the comics not too long ago you used to be able to see that his uniform included some kind of mail or scale in the shirt.
In the Infinity War Costume, where it's ripped, you can see metallic scales underneath the outer layer.
He does wear mail. And I'd guess his movie costume includes some armor
Oh, and he has a helmet in the film during the war... and a gun.
In the old Golden Age comics from WWII, he clearly had scales on his costume. Now, they could have been decorative, but I would assume they were made from sort of advanced material and were actually functional armor. After all, fish or reptiles aren't part of his motif, so decorative scales would be an odd choice.
@BadPeople1100 You are right. Cap is a complete copy of the Shield, right down to his military background and supersoldier serum. In fact Timely, now Marvel, were threatened with legal action over the similarity, so they changed Cap's shield to the now familiar round one. Interestingly Jack Kirby must have really liked the Shield as he copied him 3 times, with Captain America, the Guardian and the Fighting American.
* *pushes up glasses* *
Cap is regularly depicted with nylon/kevlar/metal scale armor, even in the movies. It's also worth noting that in the comics, ALL of the material that existed (true Adamantium, in the comics) was used up making his shield, so it's not like he could have a full suit of the same material, because more of the material doesn't exist, and it couldn't be reproduced. Of course he could have other metal armor, and he is regularly depicted with such armor, even in the movies. In Civil War and Infinity War metal scales can be seen under the outer layer of his uniform, and it's a safe assumption that in Winder Soldier/ maybe the original Avengers onward, he had kevlar/ballistic nylon or an equivalent in addition to the shield.
He has had larger shields in the past, but the round shield was the last of the metal, so he can't exactly go back to one and have the same properties. Also, the round shield probably bounces a lot better than an angular/larger shield would, so there's that.
at least in the comics, his shield's not made solely of vibranium, but a vibranium-steel alloy that could never be replicated again, thus why he couldn't have armor or other shields made of the same metal
In "The First Avenger" I believe Rogers asks why the material in the shield isn't more widely used. Howard Stark says the Vibranium in the shield is "All we've got."
Anyone else read this in comic book guys voice from the simpsons??
If I remember right in the First Avenger they do state that his uniform is armored but make it clear it's not bullet proof at the same time. I think the line was something to effect of "should stop a bayonet. All the sci-fi magic metal was used on the sheild leaving only coventional material for his body protection and they presumably made that light enough for him to be able to move fast. I suppose it might have give him some protection from shrapnel.
Form fitting as it is, that Kevlar isn't doing much. And that adamantium isn't going to absorb the concussive force.
What's more, the scales on his armor in the comics only cover his rib cage.
"Ve shot him in ze legs because his shield is ze size of a dinner plate"
Oi, you got a license for that shield?
*loicense
As he has a rifle and handgun, "put down that shield. That's an offense weapon that is."
Sonny, I was carrying this shield when your grandad was in diapers!
In the movie, Howard Stark did make Cap's uniform out of kevlar-like material which could stop handgun rounds
Well, yes. I think even howard said "your most common handgun rounds" so probably around 45 acp, 44 mag at best. I could have worded that better.
@@alexanderhowarth6460 oh yeah, I believe it will go through Cap's armour. But again, I doubt anyone actually used 5.7×28mm during WW2 (I don't think it was even invented at that point) so it's all good. Let's just say we're both wrong and right
Well only a few versions of 5.7 will go threw 3a body armor. Most rounds will not.
As others have stated Cap's uniform is a composite of maille chain and scale and during WWII it also had silk and nylon which could slow small projectiles such as fragments/handgun bullets. His more modern uniform still has maille but of more modern materials and the fabric in the movies is supposed to be an even more advanced version of Kevlar/Spectra bullet resistant cloth. His helmet is supposed to be a special plastic metal ceramic laminate with built in radio and in one comic I seem to recall he had low light/night vision in
I have always been amused by the idea that shattering someone’s whole body with a blow from a giant metal disc is more humane than shooting them
it's comic book logic: blunt impact doesn't inflict permanent damage unless your name is bane.
A peaceful man doesn't needlessly draw blood because the sight of it makes him feel faint!
In which case it's extremely painful.
You assume he's shattering bodies. He is not. V sauce worked out the impact of a shield toss or bash to be about the same as a punch from a professional boxer. When when he tosses someone like a ragdoll it like getting hit by a car at low speeds (you get tossed at ~15 G or ~10 KN, You start to break bones ~12 KN) so injury, 80% you broke something like a rib, but low chance of death. Shooting someone is far more damaging due to smaller surface area.
Helps the censors consider smashing someone in the face with a metal disc or punching them as less violent then shooting someone to death even in the 1950's as the Comics Code came into being. Why do you think everyone in cartoons used lasers and robots for decades?
well citrakite i have to point out professional boxers have killed people several times with a single blow to the skull.
Maybe his shield should have been a giant boomerang like Sango's Hiraikotsu from Inuyasha. This would let him protect his entire body, shoot his pistol around the inner bend of the boomerang, and of course throw it too. Being superhuman he's strong enough such a large metal object, and a boomerang is actually designed to be a striking weapon in the first place.
The only downside is that this would make him Captain Australia, so he'd accordingly have to change his costume and nationality.
Captain Australia. Corkscrew hat. Meat pie weapon.
How does an AK47 match up to a rapier in a duel? Assuming the AK user has a lot of experience taking on rapiers, and the rapier user has a lot of experience fighting people with AK47s. What if the AK user half swords?
If I remember correctly, they didn't give him armor, cause they didn't have enough vibranium, thing that his shield is made of. They could at best made him breastplate with it, and probably only in front. Cause Vibranium is super rare, unless you live in Wakanda.
at least in the comics, his shield's not made solely of vibranium, but a vibranium-steel alloy that could never be replicated again, thus why he couldn't have armor made of the same metal
Then they shouldnt made the shield in favor of armor
In the movie they said that shield was basically "all they had" for vibranium at the time.
But you could still give the guy a steel breastplate.
Steel breastplate would at best block SMG and pistol rounds, but I doubt it would affect rifle rounds.
Matt you know you have to do a video about bulletproof shields now. sounds terribly interesting (and bing historical makes it more relevant for your channel, not that we dont enjoy these more "fun" videos). cheers
The most fantastical element about captain americas shield is that its supposed to cancel out even soundwaves i was really disappointed when thor hits the shield with his hammer and this huge boom happened it would have been much more fantastical if absolutely no sound came out of it.
Thor's hammer is magical metal so you're going to have a bad time unless you suspend disbelief.
The boom comes from air being forced out from between the hammer and the shield, not from the shield booming.
Actually the boom came from Tony dropping his mic :-)
I would argue that the shield returning when thrown is the largest leap in logic required. Half the time, the shield lodges after it penetrates, half the time, it ricochets... that's some clever physics.
Apparently the shield returns to him because of the sonic properties of the vibranium it's made of combined with some sort of sonic devices Cap has in his gloves.
Matt casually waving firearms around seems-- odd.
I'm pretty sure that's a airsoft pistol...
Muzzle discipline. One of the primary rules for firearm safety: Always treat a gun as if it's loaded. It has nothing to do with his nationality...well I guess it could, since he is not used to handling firearms she would not be well versed in their safety. But it really just boils down to muzzle discipline
@rascalMatt17 it's a channel about swords, historical European martial arts, and historical events surrounding those items. I could care less he's English. I have no idea how you inferred that from my comment.
He *is* treating it like it's loaded. He's not got his finger on the trigger, and I would assume that he double checked that they were unloaded before recording.
83 GT MATT WAVING GUNS AROUND LOOKS REALLY REFRESHING!!!
🎵 "When captain America throws his mighty shield!"🎵
Coltyn Becker "All those who choose to oppose his shield must yield! Unless...."
I love how I come to this channel for medieval swords and armor type stuff and then Matt reaches off camara and produces an AK...it warms my heart 😍😍😍
In the Joe Simon/Jack Kirby original run he did wear a flak jacket with scale armor over the flak jacket.
This week Matt brings a gun to a sword fight.
I feel that Cap ideally should have a powerful handgun in his right hand. Trying to control a rifle or SMG one-handed would be... difficult. Given the era, I think a 1911 makes good sense. It's readily available and had decent stopping power. The shield can't be made any larger because that's all the material that existed. Plus the asymmetry of a kiteshield would make it harder to throw reliably. We also have to consider that the bigger a shield gets, the more unwieldy. Trying to cram in a helicopter or an APC with a full sized kiteshield or hoplon could get quite awkward. This is the reason people like tank crews get smaller firearms. Lastly, I thought Cap already WAS wearing a helmet and kevlar body armour.
I just have to add (and I'm sure since I'm a bit late because of work, several others already have)... You can indeed brace a semi-auto handgun against something and it not affect the slide moving back and forth. That's something we trained to in days past; and so long as you aren't pressing your firearm into the cover (or shield in this case), then the weapon will function as designed. Outside of that, I agree totally as usual. Cheers pal!
Captain America does use armor. Even the older versions in the comics used scale armor...
the cap does wear armour, the fish scales pattern on the torso is mail and the suit is kevlar, at least in recent years, the mail underneath however has always been there.
cheers, love your channel
Hey Matt, do you think firearms saved the sword as far as being an effective battlefield weapon?
As plate armor was advancing and becoming more common it seems like the sword was slowly (maybe not completely) becoming obsolete on the battlefield. While still arguably the best weapon for self defense it seems like maces and warhammers may have taken over as the main backup weapon on the battlefield.
But as firearms advanced they quickly made plate armor obsolete over time to the point where they wore less armor and later no armor at all which seems to have made the sword more effective on the battlefield again as a result. At least until repeating firearms came around of course.
Great video as always and thanks for doing what you do
It helps to keep in mind that swords were almost never primary weapons, generally that'd be some kind of spear or polearm, missile weapon, etc., so even with the advent of pistols (as Matt has discussed in a number of videos), until reliable revolver / magazine technology has developed, swords were still reliable side arms in the pitch of a battle, boarding action, etc.
@@cliffclark2285 Well, while those developments were going on, you had the cuirasseurs, wearing cuirass, specifically for heavy calvary engaging with other calvary or pike/bayonet infantry, so even then, armour played some function among those wielding sabres or backswords from horseback. It's an interesting question to see how this is all interrelated and what possibilities may have been.
@@StudyofSwords again I agree, armor did not completely leave the battlefield just because firearms became the primary weapon of war. But wearing a just a cuirass clearly means that full plate armor was being phased out which made swords more effective because fewer parts of the body were being protected. And we see in the Napoleonic wars swords being issued even to enlisted personnel on a wide basis.
I'm not saying the sword suddenly became the most effective weapon on the battlefield, nor did it become a primary weapon with everyone. It was still a backup weapon in most units except for a few select cavalry units. All I'm saying is that I believe that there is a small period in time where the sword became more effective on the battlefield than it had been in previous decades because armor was slowly becoming obsolete due to firearms making it obsolete.
Again, not that the sword became the best weapon, just that it became better than it had been (not better than other weapons) during the age of muzzle loaders
The problem with giving him the body armor is that it would have made him too much the character The Shield from Archie Comic who debut more than a year before Cap and also was a flag wearing character. In his case , he had and indestructible armored costume.
In the MCU they did give cap a uniform that was a defense against knives and shrapnel.
Whilst you are mainly correct, Cap did have armour which is why you can see scales under his top even in the Golden Age.
You are correct but it never really comes into play except for the chain mail around his neck this only helped when Baron Blood was in the story and those were retro stories done much later than during the war.
The problem with your opinion is when Captain America first picks his round shield that was all the vibranium they had accuses to. So realistically there might be a small amount left so definitely not enough for a full suit of armor. So the question you should have answered (if you only had about that much of metal material, what would you use it for armour?)
Biggest issue with the bladed, or duelist style shooting stance is not only with aiming. Not using your offhand to help stabilize the firearm, but also with what happens if you get hit. With modern body armour ( I suspect it's the same for medieval and Renaissance armour as well) the front face is most protective. It's harder to armour up the sides. With that being said that would be the side you would want to present.
Also if you do have penetration of the armour, if you are square to your opponent it's more survivable. If you have the same penetration while standing sideways it has the potential to traverse all the vital organs, both lungs and heart. Standing squared in the same situation you may only have one lung pierced for example.
Other than the survivability of being squared (wearing armour) it also facilitates aiming. If you have your hips, feet shoulders, etc all facing the target more than half the work of aiming is done for you.
Hi Matt a bit off topic, recently I watched one of your videos about modern edged weapons (Bayonets). I have since seen a review on a book called Battle on 42nd Street by Peter Monteath. Where he writes about a last stand by ANZAC troops on Crete during WW2 where the ANZACS counter attacked the German Paratroopers with fixed bayonet causing terrible damage to them. Cheers Matt and keep up the great work.🇦🇺
If we go by the MCU his first costume was just that, A patriotic themed costume jumpsuit but the second outfit he wears for the rest of the war (and for latter half of Winter Soldier) is body armor designed by Howard Stark like a full body flak jacket with a helmet, padding and ballistic nylon (chest, shoulders, and knees). New versions upgraded it to modern materials and some made up ones like Vibranium.
Comic wise, his vital bits are covered in a made-up aluminum alloy scale body armor (Duralumin I think) that acts like a flak jacket and also makes him harder to cut and stab. That outfit been upgraded multiple times to reflect RL tech advances.
So... a hoplite with a pistol would do well in ww2.
Not if he tried to cut and thrust with it...
"What am I supposed to do with this thing?!" BANG! "RUN!@# I HAVE ANGERED ZEUS! HE SHOOTS LIGHTNING BETWIXT MY FINGERS!"
Tolis Mortadelas as long as your packing super steroids.
Marvel, everywhere. Only Skall and Metatron is left to make an obligatory video on Marvel Comics.
Skall did a video on Batman and DC heroes a few times.
True they are both comics, but have their own style in some regards.
This video is completely unexpected and I love it! I didn't realize how much I love Captain America until I saw the first MCU movie. He reminded me of Superman. Being a kind hearted do gooder/boy scout is sorely underrated in the 21st century.
I'm glad Cap doesn't use a gun. But maybe someday in the MCU they'll bring a Captain America foil who uses a shield and shoots people. Closest thing right now is Crossbone.
"You cant see them, but i assure you i have legs down there" I fell for that once, that's how i acquired a bf... You are not tricking me again!
so ... really ... you think captain america should actually be iron man with a shield )))
Interesting, so should Batman...
@@GonzoTehGreat Well Tony Stark is basically Bruce Wayne wearing Metalo's armour...
Just an fyi cap does get a stark suit
@@kainthegamer7909 i know
Whats funny is there's actually a comic where that comes up. Somebody asks Tony why Cap doesn't wear a power suit like Iron man, and hell, why don't all the Avengers?
Turns out that Tony also had that obvious idea, and so did the other Avengers. He did indeed make suits for the other Avengers (sans Hulk) to try out, and none of them really took to it, Cap and Hawkeye especially. It limited their mobility and agility too much, and simply was too uncomfortable to fight in. Steve did keep his in storage however, because he felt it was better to have it and not need it than otherwise.
The torso of the comic-book uniform is often drawn to resemble a sort of high-tech scale-mail, with the mask also often being rendered as a helmet (most notably in the Ultimate universe). Also, it is worth noting that in the modern day (ie- when he's not on the battlefields of WW2), Cap is generally acting in a law-enforcement/counter-terrorism role rather than purely military. In this context, non-lethal tactics are preferable (generally speaking). If he's trying not to kill people, using his shield to close distance and use his martial arts training (his comics-canon fighting style is a mix of boxing, judo and aikido) to disable opponents makes some degree of sense. A real world counterpart might be a riot cop, who also uses a shield to protect against projectiles whilst closing distance to non-lethally subdue opponents (albeit, using a baton/nightstick generally in conjunction with the shield, but most riot cops aren't pushed to the limits of human potential by super-science...)
Matt, excellent video. This reminded me of the Cerberus Guardians from the Mass Effect games, who use a shield & sidearm like the way you demonstrated.
Law enforcement still uses shields today. the Tower shield made out clear plexiglass and other damage resistant materials.
Not that this makes a huge difference, but Captain America does wear a chain mail shield
oooo just let me pick up this random AK74 thats laying around here :P :D
It's hard to tell in still frames but the finish on the would-be metal components of the AK do look properly matte like their typical baked finish looks. I think raw black plastic would be slightly more reflective though of course it could be painted. The plastic sound could just be coming from it's plastic furniture, but on the other hand UK gun laws are extremely strict so even if it's metal it's either deactivated or a replica, and I'm not even sure you can get those in the UK.
of course. i was just beeing clever :P
Oh Matt responded to people's questions and they are airsoft replicas. Pretty good looking imo.
Nice you didn't say AK-47
In some story lines the shield is formed using the mold for a tank hatch, which is where the shape comes from (though this is probably more retcon than anything else).
7:36 Matt raises a KITE shield and on the other side of the world, Shad cheers for joy!
Against hand grenades, protecting groin is very important. Remember that shrapnel comes from downwards direction and is going up - to your groin. And groin bleeds a lot, hits there can easily be fatal. British army in fact is experimenting with some kind of shorts to protect groin area.
No doubt only reason why groin is not protected more is because of how difficult it is to protect without impeding yourself. Same applies to neck, face and eyes, not sure if there are some other spots.
Good video and thumbs up. I am sure previous comments have asked this question. How the hell does his shield absorb huge forceful blows, but when thrown it bounces???
How about a video focusing on the targe? I have seen historians and historical reenactors(not SCA or roleplayers) show how they were used, but I am more curious on why the highlanders chose a heavy shield/buckler hybrid.
I know the Spanish had a steel version as well. Was there any connection between the two?
Thanks
In a previous life, James Bond was a Spaniard in Scotland. But, of course, he used a Katana sans shield. As his tattoo read: 'Scotland Forever'!!! And for the Scots! "Strike Forward!".
In a serious note, I do think having the shield i nthe "defensive" hand for the style of fighting presented in comics and movies. For one, his right hand is a weapon, specially in the movies in which he has some level of super strength. The other is what he does with the shield. It is both a bigger and colorful target to bait the general panicked attacker into shooting it (most people, even when those trained, will more intuitively target the largest/most visible part of a target, the thing you're more likely to hit whether or not it is more likely to cause damage), as well as a sidearm/sidegear, not his main gear/weapon. Those would be his battle tactics and strategies, and his peak human/super human body (comics/movies). For example, in a shoot out, he will hide behind a wall and plan a course of action like anyone else. When he does move in, he already accounted for lines of fire, who is his team, who is doing what and where they are and will be, etc. Like any good side weapon, it is usually there and is nice and easy to carry. The main weapon, that will be picked for the occasion (could be stealth in an infiltration mission, could be a regular gun in an open assault, etc.). And last, but not least, the shield as a throwing weapon, his signature move (which is still a reliable side weapon option). It is much better to have it in the off hand. He can grab and throw it in a single motion that way. Having it on the dominant hand require more steps, take it off with off hand, grab from off hand and throw. And as others pointed, his clown costume... I mean his costume is usually shown to also be bullet resistant.
All in all, for the actual purpose of being a prestigious side equipment for his regular fighting, and as a powerful tool to close the gap when some crazy superpowered threat shows up, the design and size makes a lot of sense. Of course, if you mistake it for a main weapon, you will conclude different things that would be right if that were the case, but it really isn't most of the time. Now, media/artists/authors don't always portray his fighting as described above. But that is a specific depiction, and it can be judged for its merits (or lack of them) individually. If we are talking about the general design and idea behind it, then we are looking at the concept, at the "what it is SUPPOSED to be", not whether the execution generally lives up to the concept.
In the movies he usually has a helmet.
Also there is probably no need to hold a pistol in both hands/brace the gun against something because he is a super soldier.
as I noted, he always does wear armor, but he prefers mail (sometimes scale) over plate, undoubtedly for the flexibility...he is often doing acrobatics, gymnastics & so forth...at a level of ability beyond any human athlete (as he is in every regard)
Makes me wonder about the efficacy of a boss-held vibranium shield.
The biggest issue I can think of first would be taking bullets to the shield when it's not braced. But maybe vibranium can absorb all the energy of an offending round, so it's not necessary for bracing.
Captain America's shield is one of the few things that can stop shots from the mythical pommel machine gun.
Resting the wrist against the rim of the shield would give an element of stabilization.
Also, if you're in a Weaver-style stance, having a shield on your left arm provides substantial protection for the body while you shoot a handgun.
Legs are still SOL...
This video was good, I'd like to see you do a video on Zandor and the Herculoids.
Gotta remember that Captain America has ridiculously good reactions. He's able to react to bullets after they've been fired and stick the shield in the way, making it only a grenade or sneak attack that he has to watch out for.
Even in the original comics, Cap's tunic was chainmail, and he wore a helmet under his mask. Yes, I know, that would have to be a really small helmet. Today, the entire costume is usually shown to be some type of body armor, kevlar or better. And the biggest difference between Captain America using the smaller round shield and anyone else doing it is that Steve Rogers is a super soldier. He is capable of moving faster, hitting harder, and being more precise with that shield than any normal human would.
As an American, ME holding a 1911 and talking about Captain America was the highlight of my day.
I'm not a Marvel fan and never read the comics, so correct me if I'm wrong.
The reason, I think, why he uses the shield as a weapon most of the time is that the shield is made from Vibranium and as such is much stronger and effective against enemies than normal bullets. I mean the enemies he faces not the normal humans.
I don't think he has a dominant side like most people. I think the thing that change him would have changed this as well to be effective with both hands and legs and such. Somewhat like Astartes from Warhammer 40K
Personally the first thing I'd do were I in his place is get them to make me a Vibranium great sword, hopefully that can ignite, and medieval style full plate armor. Even a regular soldier should see the sense in a Vibranium weapon of any kind.
Of course nothing excuses the armor part. Maybe back in the day they could not get a full breast plate, or bullet proof type armor, but later in the movies, with shield and Stark ind and all that, they could have had made a bunch of Vibranium stuff and upgraded his equipment. Especially after how easily it was for that black market guy, Klaw?, to get his hands on tons of it.
So typical Marvel stuff really. Actually, typical Hollywood stupidity.
You did great.
I think you could have incorporated his advanced physical attributes. Who says a center mass shot from a rifle would kill him anyway?
Also his skill at shield throwing is pretty impressive.
If I remember correctly, Captain America's shield is supposed to have some special properties in addition to being extraordinarily durable. Specifically it can absorb impacts/energy and deflect the force outwards (which is how the Captain can block Thor's hammer or a punch from the Hulk without getting flattened). This is partly due to the rare, fictional metal if was made from, and partly due to it's shape.
2:56 Don't pull that trigger! You still have so much to live for!
Big captain America fan, really dig your video :)
about the fullarmour or a larger shield:
the shield is made from Vibranium. they only had so much of that stuff.
Hey Matt, could you review the fights from the 1950's Rashomon, or at least the final one? I think it would be great fun to hear your take on it!
heh, WW2 era cap is pictured using a revolver & know I might know why...odd as it might seem, the comics sometimes have more thought/detail than movies do...on the shield shape, again, he actually started with a norman/kite shaped shield (you showed a glimpse of a 1940-ish cover with that) that was simply heavy steel (good thing he is strong), though it was perhaps a bit undersized. The Targe or disk one he is far better known for, though...well, it is what it is because it can;t be anythign else. It cannot be altered or shaped now, and there is only that much of the blend of iron, vibranium(fantasy) & adamantium(fantasy), plus? in the world (or universe). It's unique/a fluke of flukes, take it or leave it.
As a person that reloads for hobby and sport I understand trajectory, accuracy, and terminal effect. The AK, 30 carbine and AR are all weaker in terminal effect beyond 300 meters than the standard battle rifles of WWII. Even up close they have less penetration of body armor than WWII battle rifles. They are however more powerful than most handguns.
I've seen many of these videos. This time I thumbs up at about 90 seconds, when I realized you don't just have brigandines and spadroons on hand, but 1911's and AK''s LMAO. Fuckin love you, Matt.
Remember that that vibranium was the only amount that the had, all the other shields that Howard Stark designed were akin to a scutum or police shield.
Bigger (shield) is better, but I consider the smaller round shield adequate. Is not as cumbersome and can protect the vital parts.
And in WWII context Caps' enemies would most probably be "conscripts" with minimal training who would naturally shoot for center of mass. Even if he protects only torso, he'd be fine.
I was expecting this video to be 6 seconds long: the scholagladatoria logo, followed by, "No. For obvious reasons, no. Thank you for watching and I will see you in the next video!"
If the material was fully indestructible you could just have a really thin sheet of it and make a battle umbrella! Or the old sharpen it to a super edge that will never chip or dull and go all tank katana....
What is the best modern built sword with current metallurgy and design knowlegde and correcting the defects of historical swords? We know that today's bows are far more superior ... but what about swords?
Would almost have to look at Captain America shield as two separate parts. One that absorbed and hold kinetic energy and another part that allow the control release of energy.
Can we get a commentary on modern tower vs round shields in SWAT and related scenarios?
Random observation (although I don't enough about guns or physics to be sure): if you were using the shield high around head height (see about 6.13mins in) I would suspect the sound of the gun would echo nicely along the concave shape of the shield into your eardrum and rupture it.
Heh, shields are great offensive weapons, within their context. In fact, the reason why the vast majority of people don't think they are so great is because taking a bash from the front (potentially causing an uncontrolled knockdown) or an edge punch (potentially causing multiple blunt force trauma issues, especially to the head *even if wearing a helmet*) are simply too freaking dangerous for any kind of sporting event.
I've seen accidental edge punches strike when someone screws up a shield hook (that is, forgetting to "hook" and impacting the face), using nothing more than the force of stepping forward with the leading foot about a half dozen times, including being on the receiving end of one. Every time, without fail, the target suffers getting their "bell rung", a mild or subconcusive blow caused by brain slosh. No big deal, right? In the context of HEMA (which should never allow such a tactic at an event because no level of protective gear can protect against this kind of injury), the effects of a "bell rung" strike would give a decisive advantage to the opponent as the momentary loss of focus (at a minimum) would allow a strike in.
A similar case can be made for disallowing pommel strikes (although those can be better controlled by experience) for similar reasons, especially with two handed weapons.
Actually, his original shield was more in line with a heater shield. But that makes a lousy frisbee, so they went with the rotella.
They were forced to change it as Timely aka Marvel were threatened with a lawsuit because Captain America was almost identical to the Patriotically themed supersoldier who got his powers from a serum, called the Shield, who wore an identically shaped shield on his chest.
4:39 "This" is Icoscolese Stance. We don't do that any more. Neither do English soldiers. We use Weaver Stance, which is across the opposite shoulder, presents less frontal chest, brings the sites closer to the eye for aiming accurately, better retention, and more stable.
I don't know who you mean by "we" because literally every modern American soldier, Marine, police officer, and civilian competition shooter uses isosceles. Weaver was a great stopgap measure before most of those people had body armor, but when you have armor, frontal chest is exactly what you want to present.
If you shoot Weaver with armor, you're exposing the less protected parts.
I'd argue that the shield is actually perfect in the context of captain America's situation. Sure, if we were to use it in the same situations as cap, we wouldn't last very long but, I think there's fun to be had in analyzing a weapon outside of our capabilities.
Obviously a bullet proof shield isn't exactly a bad idea when on a battlefield field full of guns and you need something to protect the one successful billion dollar super soldier you have. Given that captain America specializes in H2H combat, it has an added benefit of allowing him to move in closer to enemy lines where he can better utilize his skills. The shield he has allows for full use of all of his limbs and wouldn't not impede his maneuverability in tight spaces.
You could argue that as a draw back of this added maneuverability that he's more exposed. Especially in the legs but I'd argue that in an open environment where captain America would be far enough away from you to take the time in order to aim for the legs that it would be far harder than you'd realize. Bolt action rifles would most likely be used at those distances instead of sub machine guns. Historical accounts of soldiers in ww1-2 talk about how difficult it is to hit a moving target with a bolt action rifle. Most people miss their first shots then adjust accordingly when the second one comes. There's too much time in between shots with a bolt action rifle that often times a target will be gone by the time they've cycled their second round. Now try hitting the legs of a man that is ten times faster than any human on earth while he's in motion. Possibly doing impossible acrobatics while he's closing the distance. In close quarters like a building where sub machine guns would be more of a threat, I doubt most people would have the time to even think about shooting him in the legs. Even if cap couldn't physically close the distance in time before his enemy can fire on him, he can reach out with a shield throw. It's super aero dynamic and if he has the skill to use it effectively as such then I see no problem in him doing so. Plus, he can dodge bullets anyways. I doubt they could hit him even without his shield. The shield helps tho
Yes, the shield isn't exactly the best tool as a weapon but given captain America's strength that's really all be needs. A single punch from the dude could spin your head completely around so adding a more narrow focal point at the end of his fist is honestly a bit over kill. Not to mention that in trench raids, shorter weapons were more of a prefrence over things like bayonets. Longer weapons became a hindrance in combat when in cramped trenches. The shield could easily defend against those weapons and the shield itself follows suit with them as it is quite compact.
Yea the reason his "scale" like texturing is it is supposed to be, (what I remember) is a Flack jacket covered by mail
A better question is: Do Captain Britain's knee high boots make sense?
What bothers me in the movies is when it just bounces off screen, and then... He kicks a little butt, and then... It bounces back. In every single movie. I understand that he "Thinks faster" so he can calculate rebounds, or whatever, but how does it just stop. Careening for a good 3 seconds, waits for him to take out 2 guys in hand to hand (Lemurian Star in The Winter Soldier) then goes back to bouncing where he can catch it? That doesn't make sense, and it kind of pisses me off when they do that.
I respectfully disagree. The shield you show in 7:42 is just to big. They don't have that much vibranium. Captain Americas shield is all they have. So it's a good idea to make it round, because every other design would require more material.
Furthermore, Captain america is basically bulletproof himself. In "The Avengers" he is hit by a Chitauri-Weapon and just shrugges it off. So a bullet would not damage him to badly, as you can see in "The Winter soldier" when he actually get's shot. So I would argue, his shield is more of an offensive tool than a defensive one.
Oddly enough, even the plastic Cold Steel buckler has been shown to stop (well, technically deflect off the rounded edges of the boss) bullets. Well, 9mm and buckshot anyway as .308 went right through, lol
It seems to be a pretty effective weapon if you can bounce it off two walls and still hit the target with enough force to knock them off their feet. LOL
Do plot armor is a very powerful device. Seeing as Matt is not wholeheartedly a fan of Marvel and coming at it at an angle of believing that he only has a leotard. Which in most Generations is incorrect most people are also going for the one that is in the Marvel movies which does not have that either. That is correct because of Captain America's inability to absorb bullets through his skin, having body armor and a helmet would be advisable luckily enough in each form of him for the most part has a form of body protection under his suit and his mask is actually generally made to be a stylized helmet. One sad fact that Matt did not take into consideration is the fact that Captain America has far more increase strength and reflexes allowing Captain America to use Shield even more effectively. along with its comic book metal that makes it. Absorb kinetic energy and have some interesting properties though I don't expect Matt to dive into these. I feel his General observations about having more expensive knowledge on the character is quite accurate. I appreciate his observations.
Something I feal compelled to point out is that Caps shield works on a similar principal to Batmans logo on his chest. In most media depictions of batman where his logo is eat seen on his chest it is the most heavily armored part of the suit, and because it catches the eye most it's what we would aim for. The same principle apples to the shield, its a big round thing with consentric rings and a star in the middle. Thinking about it this same logic aplies to Captain America as a whole, a big noticae target that has a boat load of armor, compared to your standard GI who now has free range to shoot Nazis with impunity cause Caps takeing all the fire.
I'm surprised ya didn't mention some countries do use round style shields. But I can agree that a kite shield makes more sense.
Trigger discipline has been observed.... the Bald Eagle is pleased ❤️ I was thinking he’d be like those cross bowmen, bring a pavaise and have your mobile cover. 😄
Hello Matt I have a question - could you recommend to me a dealer who has swords from the american revolution? I'm not too particular what kind of sword, it would be a gift. I assume some sort of sabre or spadroon. Also, do you think one can be had for say, 300 GBP? I'm interested in american swords I should specify. It need not be in pristine condition.
Shield and handgun is a common police (mostly SWAT types) technique.
I still think the smaller shield would be less clumsy to run with, now the Kite shield is not that clumsy but I couldn't imagine running full speed with it, which I imagine in ww2 you had to be able to do.
Wait! Hold on a minute! Matt Easton also had a colt 1911 and AKs just lying around too?
Everything is fun and games until Matt gets his guns out
Actually in World War 1 armies tried to use shield to protect soldiers, but they were too heavy, so if it's sci fi light metal. They were using it in charges at enemy trenches, so it could work, potentially.
Buzdygan actually as far as i know they used it on sentries and machinegunners to protect them from shrapnel and theoretically (not really), a sniper's shot. the armor was so heavy that you couldnt really run with it. there is a video on Forgotten Weapons that explains this kind of armor
Hawkmoon von Ko:ln wants his shield (& helm) back. Caps shield is round so he can throw it.
Woah Matt's got the straps! 😮😮😮
Holy shit, Mr. Easton is packin' more heat than most American militias!
He doesn't have a gun because it's not feasible to have enough bullets for any situation he would need to fight in. Capt America is a ninja, who should literally only run in, do something that doesn't involve the enemy being around, then run out without encountering anyone if the mission goes to plan. If it fails, he can't possibly have enough ammunition to justify bringing his own weapon, and will need to rely on the resources around him. The only thing he can justify carrying, is the shield, because if the mission fails, he will be hit many many times without a doubt, and there would be no imaginable survival unless bullet-proof.