Best weapon against Lorica Segmentata?

[Cerco 21]

42 :grin:

[Dan Howard]

This is just as valid a response as the halberd since the Romans faced neither on the battlefield.

Then ask the proper question.

M.VIB.M.

I was agreeing with you. If the OP isn't limiting his question to weapons that the Romans might have faced then a cannon and a 0.50 cal are both much more effective against segmentata than a halberd. If the OP is only interested in weapons that the Romans faced then the halberd still isn't a valid answer.

[ruski94]

Dan, it doesn't matter to me if the weapon is from the era in which the segmentata was in use or not, all I want to know is what type of non-gunpowder weapon would most effectively damage a lorica segmentata

[Dan Howard]

Trebuchet. Should squish that puppy like a pancake. 8)

[kazeryu]

Molotovus Cocktailis. You know, with... pitch. Or something.

[Sean Manning]

Dan, it doesn't matter to me if the weapon is from the era in which the segmentata was in use or not, all I want to know is what type of non-gunpowder weapon would most effectively damage a lorica segmentata

Could you tell us why you are asking this? If its to chose what outfit a neighboring culture uses for war, pretty much anything used by a culture which often faced metal armour will do; if its what a character picks to fight one of these soldiers, the best choice for them might have more to do with their training and available weapons than some theoretical measure of effectiveness.

[Cerco 21]

Trebuchet. Should squish that puppy like a pancake. 8)

If you have 2 extra Segmentatas I can provide both a Scorpius and an 200kgs Draw Onager (although aiming the Onager is a bit tricky).

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Fire same projectile 10 - 20 times with same pull, and then park the segs in the center of the grouping... :wink: bound to hit it eventually after that! 8)

[MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS]

Ah okay, sorry Dan, red it the wrong way.

The best non gunpowder weapon against a segmentata, though it would take quite a while, is acid rain and oxygen. If you leave a segmentata in your garden for 2 years it should do the trick...



M.VIB.M.

[Dan Howard]

I just don't see the point of the question. Anybody who knows how to fight won't be stupid enough to aim at the armour in the first place. They would not pick a weapon based on its ability to punch through armour - the chances of succeeding are too low to take the risk. They might have a backup weapon like a pick or rondel that could do this, but not a primary weapon, unless it is an artificial situation with rules and limitations, such as a judicial duel.

As has already been said, there are plenty of places to hit that are not covered with armour at all. Any weapon an experienced fighter selected would be based primarily on its ability to help him hit these other areas.

[Crispvs]

As this debate has little to do with either history or archaeology, I think it is high time it was moved by one of the moderators to the 'off topic' section, which is where it probably should have been in the first place.

Crispvs

[ruski94]

Ok so the situation is this guy's underground base has been swarmed with soldiers with similar armor to that of the lorcia segmentata he only has soldiers that are armed and armored in a hoplite fashion, he is armored with a thick linen tunic, a breastplate and a medium-sized shield, what kind of non-gunpowder weapon could he use that would be most effective against the enemy soldiers?

[Robert Vermaat]

As this debate has little to do with either history or archaeology, I think it is high time it was moved by one of the moderators to the 'off topic' section, which is where it probably should have been in the first place.

Gladly Crispvs.

I vote for a nuclear device, btw.

[Baiuware]

Ok so the situation is this guy's underground base has been swarmed with soldiers with similar armor to that of the lorcia segmentata he only has soldiers that are armed and armored in a hoplite fashion, he is armored with a thick linen tunic, a breastplate and a medium-sized shield, what kind of non-gunpowder weapon could he use that would be most effective against the enemy soldiers?

As he is the hero of an fantasy novel, I would say that any weapon should do the trick (we see that in every fantasy novel/film/comic book). But for the sake of argument I would suggest something that is either extremely crudely made and heavy (e.g. the sword of Conan) or something that has magical properties (like a griffins toenail mounted on a magic wand). But either way, it should be spiky and pointy.

[ruski94]

He isn't the main character of the novel but he is relatively important, i'm gonna go with a Bec de Corbin - type weapon