Ask me about Medieval History & Combat.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Ask me about Medieval History & Combat.

Nothingtoseehere: Nov 11, 2010

Mr Enderby posted:

Yeah, but that doesn't seem very plausible to me because why would you just borrow some random guy's gun and start firing it off. Who was carrying a loaded gun in a theater?

Although apparently some chucklefuck turned up to your reenactment with a sharp sword so maybe...

Isn't this still a time period where most city-dwellers would carry a sword/long dagger with them most times? I assume the same thing could apply to guns.

# ? Feb 19, 2016 02:22

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# ? May 9, 2024 11:08

Xiahou Dun: Jul 16, 2009; We shall dive down through black abysses... and in that lair of the Deep Ones we shall dwell amidst wonder and glory forever.

I am not a historian, but I think you are massively over-estimating the caution of even modern people, let alone people who had no conception of firearm safety and thought it was legit to drink in the morning.

People are loving dumb as hell.

# ? Feb 19, 2016 02:24

HEY GUNS: Oct 11, 2012; FOPTIMUS PRIME

Xiahou Dun posted:

people who had no conception of firearm safety and thought it was legit to drink in the morning.

People are loving dumb as hell.

day drinking owns tho, like everything else these guys do--black magic, long hair on dudes, codpieces. i could go on

# ? Feb 19, 2016 03:00

Ainsley McTree: Feb 19, 2004

Xiahou Dun posted:

I am not a historian, but I think you are massively over-estimating the caution of even modern people, let alone people who had no conception of firearm safety and thought it was legit to drink in the morning.

People are loving dumb as hell.

Accidents happen

It's also worth noting that up until relatively recently (you know, taking the long view), it was in many (at least some) places actually safer to drink beer than water so when you keep that fact in mind, a lot of history makes a lot more sense. It's kind of a wonder that science ever happened at all, really.

Ainsley McTree fucked around with this message at 03:09 on Feb 19, 2016

# ? Feb 19, 2016 03:07

Hypha: Sep 13, 2008

Ainsley McTree posted:

Accidents happen

It's also worth noting that up until relatively recently (you know, taking the long view), it was in many (at least some) places actually safer to drink beer than water so when you keep that fact in mind, a lot of history makes a lot more sense. It's kind of a wonder that science ever happened at all, really.

Nah, drunk science is best science. If you don't have thesis whiskey, you are doing it wrong.

# ? Feb 19, 2016 03:35

Rockopolis: Dec 21, 2012; I MAKE FUN OF QUEER STORYGAMES BECAUSE I HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO WITH MY LIFE THAN MAKE OTHER PEOPLE CRY

I can't understand these kinds of games, and not getting it bugs me almost as much as me being weird

If it's a whiskey cocktail, does that make it a synthesis whiskey?

This is when coffee and tea start getting big in the West, right? Did people end up drinking both, like a medieval Four Loko, or was it more of a one or the other thing?

# ? Feb 19, 2016 03:50

Rodrigo Diaz: Apr 16, 2007; Knights who are at the wars eat their bread in sorrow;
their ease is weariness and sweat;
they have one good day after many bad

Ainsley McTree posted:

Accidents happen

It's also worth noting that up until relatively recently (you know, taking the long view), it was in many (at least some) places actually safer to drink beer than water so when you keep that fact in mind, a lot of history makes a lot more sense. It's kind of a wonder that science ever happened at all, really.

I'm gonna kick you're rear end

Loomer posted:

Hostel 4: Renfair Swordsmiths.

I've never seen a swordsmith at a renn fair but there is a blacksmith at the one i go to who sucks. All his poo poo is overpriced, his technique is bad and he only knows how to make like 5 things. That's my story.

Rockopolis posted:

If it's a whiskey cocktail, does that make it a synthesis whiskey?

This is when coffee and tea start getting big in the West, right? Did people end up drinking both, like a medieval Four Loko, or was it more of a one or the other thing?

Coffee and tea are both post-medieval as far as Europe is concerned

# ? Feb 19, 2016 03:56

HEY GUNS: Oct 11, 2012; FOPTIMUS PRIME

nothing to seehere posted:

Isn't this still a time period where most city-dwellers would carry a sword/long dagger with them most times? I assume the same thing could apply to guns.

possibly not in england, i've read a secondary source on their civil war where some officer is ordering a fuckton of swords to supply his dudes and i've never seen anything like that for germany, the implication there being they brought their own

# ? Feb 19, 2016 04:03

HEY GUNS: Oct 11, 2012; FOPTIMUS PRIME

Rodrigo Diaz posted:

I've never seen a swordsmith at a renn fair but there is a blacksmith at the one i go to who sucks. All his poo poo is overpriced, his technique is bad and he only knows how to make like 5 things. That's my story.

renfair everything is terrible

# ? Feb 19, 2016 04:06

Loomer: Dec 19, 2007; A Very Special Hell

If you want legit, you want viking reenactors. Admittedly, half the groups are absolutely dreadful, but the local are actually decent. Blacksmith actually makes useful things and makes knives for a living, and his swordsmithing is on point. Top-notch accuracy on clothing as far as can be had (which, let me just tell you, sucks in the Aussie summer...) down to the silk undershirts, accurate cooking as far as can be had within reasonable limits, accurate camp design, the lot. They're even getting a lawspeaker who speaks old norse just because they don't have one yet and think they should. It's always a shock when one of the other ones visit and they'll have dudes with like, fantasy swords they bought in a collectible shop rather than a proper nordic style sword or seax.

# ? Feb 19, 2016 05:12

Rodrigo Diaz: Apr 16, 2007; Knights who are at the wars eat their bread in sorrow;
their ease is weariness and sweat;
they have one good day after many bad

Loomer posted:

If you want legit, you want viking reenactors. Admittedly, half the groups are absolutely dreadful, but the local are actually decent. Blacksmith actually makes useful things and makes knives for a living, and his swordsmithing is on point. Top-notch accuracy on clothing as far as can be had (which, let me just tell you, sucks in the Aussie summer...) down to the silk undershirts, accurate cooking as far as can be had within reasonable limits, accurate camp design, the lot. They're even getting a lawspeaker who speaks old norse just because they don't have one yet and think they should. It's always a shock when one of the other ones visit and they'll have dudes with like, fantasy swords they bought in a collectible shop rather than a proper nordic style sword or seax.

In my experience there are two big problems with viking reenactors, even good ones: Lots of white supremacists, waaaaaaay too much lamellar. Really, too much armour in general.

edit: does the group have a website?

Rodrigo Diaz fucked around with this message at 05:31 on Feb 19, 2016

# ? Feb 19, 2016 05:29

Loomer: Dec 19, 2007; A Very Special Hell

It does not, but it also has no lamellar and no neo-nazis! There's a few guys with chain, a few guys with some thicker coats they wear for the battles, but most of them just go it in their usual viking clothes, maybe a helmet.

# ? Feb 19, 2016 07:33

Kemper Boyd: Aug 6, 2007; no kings, no gods, no masters but a comfy chair and no socks

My hometown has a medieval fair thing every year and I got drunk there once and bought a spatha for a hideous amount of money off the best swordsmith in Finland. That is my medieval fair story.

# ? Feb 19, 2016 10:25

Power Khan: Aug 20, 2011; by Fritz the Horse

What is a hideous amount of money? Are people actually going there with the prospect of spending 1-2k �?

# ? Feb 19, 2016 10:43

feedmegin: Jul 30, 2008

HEY GAL posted:

renfair everything is terrible

The turkey legs can be quite nice.

(Ren faires per se seem to be an American thing, though, I can't think of a direct British equivalent)

# ? Feb 19, 2016 11:05

feedmegin: Jul 30, 2008

Rockopolis posted:

If it's a whiskey cocktail, does that make it a synthesis whiskey?

This is when coffee and tea start getting big in the West, right? Did people end up drinking both, like a medieval Four Loko, or was it more of a one or the other thing?

Tea, specifically, is more of a 18th-19th century thing. Coffee was the fashionable thing in 17th century England same as it was elsewhere on the continent, then we ended up owning India and turns out that's a boffo place to grow tea.

# ? Feb 19, 2016 11:09

Hogge Wild: Aug 21, 2012; by FactsAreUseless; Pillbug

feedmegin posted:

The turkey legs can be quite nice.

(Ren faires per se seem to be an American thing, though, I can't think of a direct British equivalent)

I'd be willing to bet that you have "Medieval Festivals" or something like that.

# ? Feb 19, 2016 12:38

Verisimilidude: Dec 20, 2006; Strike quick and hurry at him,
not caring to hit or miss.
So that you dishonor him before the judges

Rodrigo Diaz posted:

I've never seen a swordsmith at a renn fair but there is a blacksmith at the one i go to who sucks. All his poo poo is overpriced, his technique is bad and he only knows how to make like 5 things. That's my story.

I know one of the guys from that YouTube show Man At Arms where they make weapons from video games and movies. He comes to a bunch of HEMA events with some of his work and everything he makes is hot garbage. Every sword feels like twice its weight, and since he doesn't base his work on historical examples everything looks like it's from a video game or a kid's drawing. Big thick cross guards, oversized pommels, weird cross sections, etc. That's my story.

# ? Feb 19, 2016 14:13

feedmegin: Jul 30, 2008

Hogge Wild posted:

I'd be willing to bet that you have "Medieval Festivals" or something like that.

Ehh, kind of, often held at an actual castle, but it tends to be more of a specifically kids' thing and less of a sort of semi-LARP/random-stuff-market if that makes sense.

# ? Feb 19, 2016 14:52

Mr Enderby: Mar 28, 2015

nothing to seehere posted:

Isn't this still a time period where most city-dwellers would carry a sword/long dagger with them most times? I assume the same thing could apply to guns.

Well, not "most" city-dwellers, but yeah, plenty of swords around. Theoretically not to be worn by non-gentleman, but that doesn't seem to be enforced. Also have to be below a certain length, and that is enforced. If you kill someone in a brawl, your sword will be measured (ooh matron).

But guns are much more restricted. I've never come across guns being carried in civilian life. They're illegal unless you have a certain income, and extra restrictions on wheel-locks and pistols start to come in after 1584, when Prince William the silent was assassinated.

HEY GAL posted:

day drinking owns tho, like everything else these guys do--black magic, long hair on dudes, codpieces. i could go on

When Ben Johnson converted back from Catholicism, he demonstrated his Protestantism by going to Church and drinking off the whole communion cup in one. He's a oval office, in the main, but that owns.

# ? Feb 19, 2016 15:18

Armyman25: Sep 6, 2005

Man Whore posted:

Reminds me of a thing in US WWII re-enactment a couple years ago where a guy brought LIVE ROUNDS. 4 people injured.

Made for some fun pictures though:

# ? Feb 19, 2016 15:49

Cyrano4747: Sep 25, 2006; Yes, I know I'm old, get off my fucking lawn so I can yell at these clouds.

ACW reeenactors are also a bit notorious for hurting and killing people. I know a lot of the local ones don't allow rifles to have their ramrods (no I don't know how they load) because of people forgetting it was in there and shooting it at the other line.

# ? Feb 19, 2016 21:38

HEY GUNS: Oct 11, 2012; FOPTIMUS PRIME

Cyrano4747 posted:

ACW reeenactors are also a bit notorious for hurting and killing people. I know a lot of the local ones don't allow rifles to have their ramrods (no I don't know how they load) because of people forgetting it was in there and shooting it at the other line.

the worst thing i ever heard happened at an ECW reenactment: it was a hot day and some cuirassier, in full harness, filled his helmet with water, poured it over himself, and promptly walked into an electric fence

and you can load fine without a ramrod if you're firing blanks, simply pour the powder down the barrel and tap the butt of your weapon on the ground a few times to settle it

# ? Feb 19, 2016 22:42

Bum the Sad: Aug 25, 2002; Hell Gem

HEY GAL posted:

the worst thing i ever heard happened at an ECW reenactment: it was a hot day and some cuirassier, in full harness, filled his helmet with water, poured it over himself, and promptly walked into an electric fence

Was this some kind of a weird cage match?

# ? Feb 19, 2016 23:21

WoodrowSkillson: Feb 24, 2005; *Gestures at 60 years of Lions history*

HEY GAL posted:

the worst thing i ever heard happened at an ECW reenactment: it was a hot day and some cuirassier, in full harness, filled his helmet with water, poured it over himself, and promptly walked into an electric fence

and you can load fine without a ramrod if you're firing blanks, simply pour the powder down the barrel and tap the butt of your weapon on the ground a few times to settle it

well at least he missed the barbed wire and stack of tables

# ? Feb 19, 2016 23:27

Rockopolis: Dec 21, 2012; I MAKE FUN OF QUEER STORYGAMES BECAUSE I HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO WITH MY LIFE THAN MAKE OTHER PEOPLE CRY

I can't understand these kinds of games, and not getting it bugs me almost as much as me being weird

Bum the Sad posted:

Was this some kind of a weird cage match?

"What's this? Cromwell with the steel axe taking Charles down!" :vince:

# ? Feb 19, 2016 23:29

WoodrowSkillson: Feb 24, 2005; *Gestures at 60 years of Lions history*

live video from the 30yw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxldOEOnzPA

# ? Feb 19, 2016 23:33

HEY GUNS: Oct 11, 2012; FOPTIMUS PRIME

oops lol

# ? Feb 19, 2016 23:36

Vincent Van Goatse: Nov 8, 2006; Enjoy every sandwich.; Smellrose

HEY GAL posted:

the worst thing i ever heard happened at an ECW reenactment: it was a hot day and some cuirassier, in full harness, filled his helmet with water, poured it over himself, and promptly walked into an electric fence

Poor Corporal Ren Hoek.

# ? Feb 20, 2016 04:32

Kemper Boyd: Aug 6, 2007; no kings, no gods, no masters but a comfy chair and no socks

JaucheCharly posted:

What is a hideous amount of money? Are people actually going there with the prospect of spending 1-2k �?

A grand in euros.

# ? Feb 20, 2016 14:50

Hazzard: Mar 16, 2013

HEY GAL posted:

and you can load fine without a ramrod if you're firing blanks, simply pour the powder down the barrel and tap the butt of your weapon on the ground a few times to settle it

That works? I saw it in Sharpe and assumed that was made up, since if it does work, why issue ramrods at all?

# ? Feb 20, 2016 17:53

Robindaybird: Aug 21, 2007; Neat. Sweet. Petite.

Hazzard posted:

That works? I saw it in Sharpe and assumed that was made up, since if it does work, why issue ramrods at all?

I assume because ramrods make it faster and more consistent than butt-tapping

# ? Feb 20, 2016 17:55

HEY GUNS: Oct 11, 2012; FOPTIMUS PRIME

Hazzard posted:

That works? I saw it in Sharpe and assumed that was made up, since if it does work, why issue ramrods at all?

if you are firing blanks. if you've got a bullet you need the ramrod.

# ? Feb 20, 2016 18:28

Hogge Wild: Aug 21, 2012; by FactsAreUseless; Pillbug

mods: Ask me about Medieval History & Combat: more consistent than butt-tapping

# ? Feb 21, 2016 00:06

Hypha: Sep 13, 2008

Hogge Wild posted:

mods: Ask me about Medieval History & Combat: more consistent than butt-tapping

Ramrods only, no butt stuff.

# ? Feb 21, 2016 00:50

P-Mack: Nov 10, 2007

There's also a trade-off in that tap loading works better with greater windage and consequently lower accuracy.

# ? Feb 21, 2016 00:52

Loomer: Dec 19, 2007; A Very Special Hell

Robindaybird posted:

I assume because ramrods make it faster and more consistent than butt-tapping

Slower, but more consistent and less liable to leave you with a squib, a misfire, or accidentally shooting yourself in the head, all of which are generally recognized as A Bad Thing(tm).

# ? Feb 21, 2016 11:36

Rodrigo Diaz: Apr 16, 2007; Knights who are at the wars eat their bread in sorrow;
their ease is weariness and sweat;
they have one good day after many bad

Verisimilidude posted:

I know one of the guys from that YouTube show Man At Arms where they make weapons from video games and movies. He comes to a bunch of HEMA events with some of his work and everything he makes is hot garbage. Every sword feels like twice its weight, and since he doesn't base his work on historical examples everything looks like it's from a video game or a kid's drawing. Big thick cross guards, oversized pommels, weird cross sections, etc. That's my story.

Lol that rules. I think everything Baltimore knife and sword makes looks like poo poo and the smiths I know that idolize them are lames.

# ? Feb 21, 2016 15:05