06-28-2006, 02:26 PM
My leather manica has the plates facing upward, for reasons mentioned before...a sword thrust can more easily be parried when sliding in that direction. Generally speaking, the sword/weapon arm will be toward the opponent, and therefore, the upward facing plates will help direct the attacking blade away.
Essentially, then, this becomes more or less like a typical boxing or martial arts parry. No need to bash the intruding weapon very far: just enough to miss me suits me just fine. I'm getting older, so I'm working on economy of movement to save energy.
I've read, but not seen certain examples, that gladiators used BOTH directions of plates, depending on what type of gladiator they were facing. I'm sure it's for the reason of letting the opponent's attacks slide off. If coming mostly from above, then downward facing is better, if towards the body, then upward would work better.
AFAIK, there's no reason to want to receive all the force of the incoming attack on the arm. And I can't imagine wearing metal armor on arm or leg without some kind of padding. A piece of metal over a shin bone doesn't help with the impact, though it might prevent a cut. Take a metal plate, lay it across your shin, and hit the plate with a hammer, and you'll see what I mean. Try it a second time with an inch of padding. Nuff said.
I also think padding makes sense under leather for the same reasons.
Essentially, then, this becomes more or less like a typical boxing or martial arts parry. No need to bash the intruding weapon very far: just enough to miss me suits me just fine. I'm getting older, so I'm working on economy of movement to save energy.
I've read, but not seen certain examples, that gladiators used BOTH directions of plates, depending on what type of gladiator they were facing. I'm sure it's for the reason of letting the opponent's attacks slide off. If coming mostly from above, then downward facing is better, if towards the body, then upward would work better.
AFAIK, there's no reason to want to receive all the force of the incoming attack on the arm. And I can't imagine wearing metal armor on arm or leg without some kind of padding. A piece of metal over a shin bone doesn't help with the impact, though it might prevent a cut. Take a metal plate, lay it across your shin, and hit the plate with a hammer, and you'll see what I mean. Try it a second time with an inch of padding. Nuff said.
I also think padding makes sense under leather for the same reasons.
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
