Crossbow. A range weapon that doesn’t require the strength of other bows. I’m probably toast but if I keep calm and let the range get real short I might just have a chance…
I went for the dagger, since he’d be unarmored. Light, concealable, and relatively easy to use (compared to swords, polearms, bows, etc.). If he’s going to ring my neck, I could hopefully conceal the dagger until he’s within striking distance, and even if he does get hold of me, I could hopefully still stick him with it and have a chance.
I thought of the Godendag, but I sincerely doubt my ability to wield it.
Honestly, I think the question would be more interesting if he was armored. Then, we’d then need to balance ability to circumvent or pierce armor against our ability to use weapons we’ve probably never touched before. Then again, if he was armored, there’s probably a decent chance that we could simply run away.
Thrusting spear, to keep him at a distance. Plus I just watched that fight scene in Crouching Tiger and have an unreasonable confidence of pulling off some of those moves
True-ish. I’ve never used Wii Fit Boxing, so I don’t know how much exercise that gives you. The guys wielding SCA weapons are getting exercise and developing habits of movement that other modern folks just don’t have. I’d expect them to pick a weapon like the ones they’re used to using and I’d expect them to be better using it than an average desk jockey.
Could they take out an armed knight? Probably not. Could they take out an unarmed and overconfident knight? Maybe. Going for the familiar weapon would increase their chances, though, and I’d expect them to mention that familiarity when explaining their choice.
The SCA people do have the advantage over the more indolent of a greater-than-zero degree of familiarity with melee weapons. However, what is missing from SCA (and all “for fun and exercise” combat) is an opponent who is really, genuinely intent on harming and killing you. He doesn’t hold back, even a little, he will press every advantage, and doesn’t let up until you are dead. There are no rules, no weight classes, no concepts of fairness.
In fact, the crossbow was built to require less training than the bow, and the bolt was designed to be able to penetrate boiled leather or find the gaps in chain mail or even pierce plate.
Read the OP again, though and you’ll note that Lord Cuckold is “Unarmed, unarmored, and has dismounted.”
So now you just have to match your combat skill(s) against his, with a weapon of choice. :eek:
–G!
Umm…note that such was not the Y-shaped elastic-based sling of our youth. And it certainly wasn’t the surgical-tubing based upgrade that became the Wrist-Rocket fad.
Think more of David & Goliath legend: Long ribbon with a pouch in the middle; stick the load in the pouch; whirl it around your head a couple times; release one end of the ribbon at just the right moment…
–G!:dubious:
I.E. You just need time to practice…
SCA Heavy fighter here. The goal is not to kill each other however there is no “pulling” your shots, we swing for the proverbial fences. We very much depend on our armor to protect us from serious injury.
pic of a lovely bruise I picked up
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2064879/2013-10-13%2007.39.03.jpg
There are no weight classes and most of the few rules involve intentional attempts to do damage, no pounding on the guy who is already down or moves designed to injure joints either with a direct strike or grappling to lock/hyper-extend a joint.
A trained experienced medieval knight would splatterkill most of us in a real fight but we would last longer than someone who does not understand basic sword play. The top 5-10% or so of fighters in any given SCA kingdom could probably hold their own in a real sword fight against and experienced opponent if they had to.
Ouch. Looks like you were mauled by Jesus!
I went with the Bearded Axe, because it sounds cool, and I’ve used an axe before.
I tried to stay away from anything that would stick in the knight’s flesh, because I’ll probably need to swing more than once.
With an axe I’m just hoping to keep my distance and lop off enough bits to discourage him.
In reality, he would probably grab the axe away from me and insert it somewhere uncomfortable.
Better hope it’s not a black knight. That won’t discourage him! You lop, and he hops.
(Because the Sir Robin references were getting lonely)
Mr. K? How come you and Quadgop keep postulating that we’re caught *en flagrante delicto *in the historical past? Doesn’t the temporal archaeology department have some kind of regulation against polluting the gene pool with anachronistic seeds? And, besides, I think I’d be very unwilling to pollute my groin with ancient STDs.:eek:
Anyway…
I’m gonna play (Mr. K’s game) fair and assume that, even though they are from the same time/period, my katana won’t be allowed (though I could probably kill him while he points at it and laughs at the puny bent toy sword) and my sai are prohibited as well (though I could probably womp him after flipping them around for a while, just because he’d be going “Wow! What the hell are you doing with those…those things?”) because they are basically from the wrong part of the world and there’s some administrative concern about leaving them behind or having a witness embroider their likeness on something like the Bayeux Tapestry.*:smack:
So if it must be a weapon, I’d ask for a short spear – provided I’m allowed to use jo-staff techniques with it. If it must be European and medieval, then I’d think a thresher’s flail wouldn’t be unreasonable to find in this barn – and hopefully I’ve got time to break the staff near the top so it’s about the same length as the swiple.# But even if I don’t have time to break it, it’s a staff-weapon with a free-swinging end and my competencies with staff, long staff, and nunchaku should combine well enough to let me quickly analogize technical competency (e.g. strike with the end of the staff and let the swiple do it’s thing if he blocks).
Or, if I may wander off-script a bit, a wooden cane (complete with the curved handle) or a relatively short and thin cripple’s staff, about 51" long and 1.5" thick (hexagonal or octagonal cross-section if at all possible).
I’ll struggle to my feet and lean on my wooden accessory as I explain that yon maiden was not tasting me, as it probably appeared from his great distance when he first saw us, but she had bumped into me and knocked me over and was merely massaging my injured already-damaged leg – my pants were off so she could press into my leg muscles more efficiently than if cloth was in the way. And if Sir Go On, the green-with-jealousy knight, doesn’t believe me (He||, I wouldn’t believe such a bull$#!+ story!) then I’ll defend myself with cane or jo-staff techniques while praising his wife’s amazing ability to heal my formerly-crippled leg.
And Yog, if you’re gonna imitate Crouching Tiger, then just go bounding off over the tree tops and leave the cuckold & mistress behind.
–G!
*Otherwise I’d absolutely swear I’d be able to bring it back and ask for an 18v (double-9volt) Police Stun-baton or similar electrical shock “personal safety” device. In fact, I think his reaction to the arc from the doohickey in my hand to his gauntlet would be hilarious to watch.
#Then I’ll put him through the “What the hell are you doing? Ouch!” routine like with the sai (see above).
I chose the staff, simply because I am quite proficient in its usage.
(post shortened)
That sounds more like Crouching Tigger. Boing, boing, boing… 
Longbow, preferably recurve. Or short bow, depending on what pound draw weight we’re using to distinguish the two.
I’ve used 85 pound peak draw bows before when deer hunting, and I’ve shot 70 pound recurves before. I’m not going to have to hold my draw for any long period of time; it’s going to be pull and shoot. I’ve shot instinctive before, and did surprisingly well. I’m more confident I can hit a torso at 20 yards with this, than I am of my chances with a sword or spear vs a knight.
The biggest factor is going to be what sort of arrow head am I allowed to use? Since he’s unarmored, I want a broadhead, and I want it sharp. Let me stick him with a one to one and a half inch broadhead in his chest or guts and he’s going to have a really bad day. In fact, I’d rather have this weapon than a modern pistol (like a 9mm or .45; not a cut-down rifle like a .480 Ruger) with one bullet or slow firearm of the period.
I’m pretty sure I can out run him while he bleeds out.
Edit: Oh, and the reason I’m picking longbow instead of crossbow is because I want a big broadhead. I don’t know if quarrels came with the kind of huge cutting heads that regular arrows, even back then, could have. If I’m limited to bodkin arrows, then the crossbow.
I do agree that this is an advantage that the knight would have, and that most people wouldn’t give it enough weight. But we’re not betting on who would win, just picking weapons to give use the best chance. We have no control over the knight’s experience.
So it’s a good thing to remember, but probably doesn’t affect weapon choice much. Or do you think that folks reasonably used to a (blunt or model) blade should still choose a long range weapon?
This is my thinking as well. I’ve handled knives a lot more than bows or crossbows. And a knife is quick. I might be able to get in a few quick stabs in his side or belly. THEN I run. I can keep going long enough for him to bleed out.
Although it occurs to me that a Holy Hand Grenade might be just the thing. Just pull the pin, count to 5, and lobbeth…
I’d say that for the majority of board members, the choice of weapon is immaterial. Barring some shitass luck, they are going to get killed. Those who have some familiarity with some type of weapon should go ahead and choose it. They are also most likely going to get killed, too. I chose the crossbow for myself because it is a type of weapon with which I am familiar and with which I practice. If you are familiar with swords, you should pick one.
3 sir.