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Scything videos for study:

Normal Use:










"War" Use (amateur attempts at fighting with Scythes):

Looking at those videos I find myself thinking how easily I could defeat them with a sword (and as an amateur LARPG player, I know how to use a sword).

I suppose a professional could do better with them, but then again they would still be no match for a professional swordsman.

p_gray99 wrote:(and as an amateur LARPG player, I know how to use a sword).

No, you know how to use a wooden/latex object that resembles a sword. Unless you do actual training with the real thing to practice.

Also, those videos: That's kind of sad, actually. I see a guy slowly swinging around what barely resembles a 'scythe' and looks more like a staff with a curvy bit at the end.

infinite_array wrote:

p_gray99 wrote:(and as an amateur LARPG player, I know how to use a sword).

No, you know how to use a wooden/latex object that resembles a sword against other untrained people also using wooden/latex objects resembling different weapons

Fixed.

^Well, we could give him the benefit of the doubt that he practices WMA, and does actually know how to handle a sword.

And before it sounds like I'm talking out of my own ass, I do have experience in martial arts - 12 years and a Black Belt in Shotokan Karate, and a year and 3rd Kyu in Kendo.

p_gray99 wrote:Looking at those videos I find myself thinking how easily I could defeat them with a sword (and as an amateur LARPG player, I know how to use a sword).

I suppose a professional could do better with them, but then again they would still be no match for a professional swordsman.

Or a spear I'd imagine.

They don't weigh all that much, they are just bulky and a bit awkward. My dad purchased a German/Bavarian one to clear some acreage, and I was able to get a couple hours in with it. It's not that fun.

p_gray99 wrote:
I suppose a professional could do better with them, but then again they would still be no match for a professional swordsman.

Or anyone that knows how to fight unarmed.

What's that you say? You can only swing in one direction, and, if you miss, I can trap the weapon against your body?

Well dont get too carried away with the guy being into LARP and that equating to no sword skills. My oldest brother used to practice with wooden swords and did some LARPs as well, mostly for practice, and while in the Marines, was stationed in Japan. So he took some Kendo classes with a master swordsmen as the teacher, and with only previously mentioned know how, he could and did , beat nearly half the class before learning how to actually sword fight. They were so impressed with him, that when his tour there was done, the whole class signed a Kendo stick and presented it to him as a sign of respect for his prowess with a sword. So yea, youd be surprised how much skill you can learn from beating fake Orcs in the face with duct taped sticks.


I can say, I never play with my swords, so Id bet anyone that LARPs would beat the gak out of me. Then again, Id just fething shoot emtm

KingCracker wrote:I can say, I never play with my swords, so Id bet anyone that LARPs would beat the gak out of me. Then again, Id just fething shoot emtm

Isn't that cheating?

Castiel wrote:

KingCracker wrote:I can say, I never play with my swords, so Id bet anyone that LARPs would beat the gak out of me. Then again, Id just fething shoot emtm

Isn't that cheating?

Not if there's no one left to call you a cheater.

Frazzled wrote:

Castiel wrote:

KingCracker wrote:I can say, I never play with my swords, so Id bet anyone that LARPs would beat the gak out of me. Then again, Id just fething shoot emtm

Isn't that cheating?

Not if there's no one left to call you a cheater.

I like this thinking!

Tl;dr: just thought i'd add this, hopefully no-one else has.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_scythe

Let me just say this. Anything can be plausibly be used as a weapon. Just that some things are good dedicated weapons and some things are not.

Those videos of *scythes* being used in battle, would not even remotely approximate the real thing. The metal blade would add so much momentum onto that, and weight that you'd probably not be able to use it for parrying/agile work unless you were a space marine.

Essentially, the sort of people who'd wield a scythe would be a peasant, and they wouldn't get any formal military training in medieval times. Yes, maybe it'd be good against unarmoured men, but with a good armoured shoe, or even just a boot....you could avoid a lot of damage.

Why doesn't someone ask Ray Park on twitter? Then we'd have an answer.

By amateur LARPer, I didn't mean swinging a wooden sword at imagionary orcs as much as someone who does fencing to a low level and has friends to spend hours duelling with.

Anyway, what I'm saying is that I know how quickly a sword moves from one point to another and that it's far quicker that those scythes can move. Unless in tight blocks, I doubt that they would be able to do anything in battle.

I think that I'll try a long wooden pole to represent a scythe in my next LARPing to see how terrible it is. I'm not expecting much.

Castiel wrote:

Frazzled wrote:

Castiel wrote:

KingCracker wrote:I can say, I never play with my swords, so Id bet anyone that LARPs would beat the gak out of me. Then again, Id just fething shoot emtm

Isn't that cheating?

Not if there's no one left to call you a cheater.

I like this thinking!

Its my self defense technique, I mention it on DAKKA every now and then, to try and garner some interest in my classes