this post was submitted on 04 Dec 2024
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Illustrations of history
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Grabbing the sword at the middle point was a commonly used technique, as was striking with the pommel or crossbar. Real sword fights looked very different than what we see in movies. There's a video out there that displays a lot of the actual techniques used by medieval knights, but unfortunately I can't find it now. It was much more physical, brutal, and effective than the flashy techniques we've come to associate with swordfighting.
You are literally saying the exact moves I mentioned in my comment. I practiced HEMA, I know.
Well you said "you're not getting through armor with a sword unless you do these things", and I was saying "yes, those are things they commonly did". So they are getting through armor with a sword because they did do those things.
They did those things only if they had to and there was no other way, as a "backup". They used different weapons for that - maces, warhammers and such. Also, it was worth more to isolate the knight and capture them - so they could ransom them back or use their kit - the armor, weapons etc.
They absolutely aren't a counter to heavily armoured opponents. Maces and hammers are.
True. Some of those hammers were ingenuous too, with edges that looked like can opener blades.