Sword fighting timing references

The pilum was a throwing weapon for the first assault, then corp a corp was
with sword & shield. Spear is to break a first line however is weak when
troops are in direct contact. Alexander the Great used this strategy on
ennemy troops never being to much in contact and using long spears and this
is why he was so effective.




"William Black" <black_william@hotmail.com> a écrit dans le message de
news:c5p5g9$jel$1@news.freedom2surf.net...
>
> "David Neevel" <neevel@execpc.com> wrote in message
> news:107uglbpjv80u9a@corp.supernews.com...
>
> > There's one other noteworthy exception that comes immediately to mind:
> > the Romans' gladius hispaniensis.
> > This was, however, a specific type of sword especially well suited to
> > Roman formation tactics, and was also just one element of a legion's
> > overall "weapons system". But it was inarguably sucessful in its role.
>
> I think you'll find that the Romans basic weapon was the pilum (both heavy
> and light) used to break the charge of their enemies.
>
> The sword was for finishing off, if anyone actually charged home (which
is
> another debate for another day)
>
> --
> William Black
> ------------------
> Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords
> is no basis for a system of government
>
>

"Trim Plus Expert" <trimplus@bellnet.ca> wrote in message
news:dFXfc.35103$vF3.1994674@news20.bellglobal.com ...
> The pilum was a throwing weapon for the first assault, then corp a corp
was
> with sword & shield. Spear is to break a first line however is weak when
> troops are in direct contact. Alexander the Great used this strategy on
> ennemy troops never being to much in contact and using long spears and
this
> is why he was so effective.

When the Greeks fought the Romans the thrown pila (is that the plural?)
broke the line of the pike phalanx. The sword is too short to fight against
an unbroken line.

Romans carried three pila in two weights, one heavy and two light

--
William Black
------------------
Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords
is no basis for a system of government

"William Black" <black_william@hotmail.com> wrote


> I think you'll find that the Romans basic weapon was the pilum (both heavy
> and light) used to break the charge of their enemies.
>
> The sword was for finishing off, if anyone actually charged home (which is
> another debate for another day)

Yes, but I don't think that meets your initial condition: that "Nobody
uses a sword on a battlefield unless something has gone wrong." The
throwing of pila as a planned and ordinary tactic does not, I think,
mean that the sword is thereafter drawn only as an ad hoc secondary
weapon because the first has miscarried somehow. It's an integral
element of the overall battle plan.

"JDzik" <jdzik@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040419094307.05550.00000124@mb-m28.aol.com...
> >If you haven't seen it, you should!
>
> Absolutely! Arthur vs the Black Knight is one of the great cinematic
sword
> fights.

Get the latest double DVD (on special offer at Amazon) where John Cleese
talks you through how they did it on one of the commentary tracks.

It is actually Cleese and Chapman doing the fighting, except for the one
legged bit where they hired someone with one leg.

--
William Black
------------------
Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords
is no basis for a system of government