>
>Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2001 09:51:42 +0200
>From: Mikko Rintasaari <rintasaa_at_mail.student.oulu.fi>
>Subject: 1h spear & shield and the moonsicle subcult
>> In HW, Spear & Shield is said to be a common Heortling fighting style. But
>> how do people fight with 1H-spear? I'm sure it must work but i can't picture
>> this. How do you hold your spear? I've even tried with a wood shaft but it
>> seems quite clumsy (note that i'm a poor fighter...)
>
>I agree with you. A spear held in one hand is a terribly poor weapon. The
>reach is very short because you have to hold it from the middle (or even a
>bit towards the pointy end because it's heavier). You definitely can't
>parry with it (no matter what RQ said), and attacks are very simple and
>fairly easy to parry.
Actually, you hold it a bit toward the back, since you don't have to rush to parry with spear AND shield. ANY technique with a shield is better defensively than one without, especially for beginners (HW doesn't give the shield sufficient importance I'd say). And you CAN parry even without a shield, you just 'couch' the spear in your armpit - - you lose some flexibility, but it works. Undoubtedly, without a shield, two-handed is far better. As far as attacks being 'simple and easy to parry', nope, attacks are rapid stabs, partly concealed by the spearman's shield. Overhand stabs are even more effective (and are banned in re-enactment), as the angle is far higher than any sword blow, you block your own vision while defending. Parry a stab, and it's real easy to withdraw the spear & immediately stab again while the parrying weapon is still swinging (you need more weight behind a parry than an attack, if you want to stop the attack, so it's harder to stop the movement). Swords are superior (personally I prefer the Axe, but it's heavier & harder to control), but the spear is cheap & effective - a stabbing wound is generally more effective than a cutting wound anyway.
Wulf
End of The Glorantha Digest V8 #218
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