[Anthony Riopel]

Yep, not everyone is so into this stuff that when someone swings a hockey stick at them they parry, go into ox guard and swing at the thigh.... My bad. I sword fight to much. Trying to use good technique anyways.


Everyonce in a while though, I find someone at school or one of my friends when i'm outside of school who's willing to listen and learn to what I have to say about the Romans. I always REALLY enjoy those moments, and sometimes they'll ask a question that I don't know the answer to, and it'll drive me to look up something I never would of otherwise. I love it

[Ben Sweet]

I just watch the show as entertainment, but I do enjoy seeing what MRL & Paul Chen items do to the ballistic jell dummies, I think I need a bunch of those...

[J.D. Crawford]

My favorite part of last night's episode was when the narrator said they would answer the classic locker room question - who would win in a fight, a Spartan or a Ninja? The writer must be hanging out in different locker rooms than the ones I remember.

Nevertheless, whatever level they use to pitch this show (which I suspect is the right level for the Spike audience) and however skilled and knowledgeable their participants are (which seems rather variable so far), I think one can learn something just from watching how those weapons are impacting / penetrating / deflecting off various solid media. If one treats this as data, and takes it in context, then one is only limited by one's own skills of observation and analysis (not that mine are exceptionally great, I'm just saying...).

[Brian K.]

I'm still trying to understand why they are using a steel rod in the spine of the ballistic dummy. Twice now it has damaged the items used for testing, and it technically does not allow for accurate demonstration.

Boooooooo.....

[Chris Arrington]

I saw the Spartan vs Ninja episode last night, and I must say that even though it was not any more historically correct, I enjoyed it much more than the Gladiator vs Apache episode.

The difference? Much less to none of the stupid WWF trash talk in the show. And the so called "experts" seemed at least a little more eloquent, if not more informed than the other episode.

Even though it is not perfect, I still really like the weapons testing with the force meters, super slow motion cameras, and the ballistic gel dummies.

And again, the got one thing very right. The Spartan breast plate completely stopped the ninja sickle weapon (japanese name is just escaping right now). Armor works.

[Michael Pikula]

[Gary Teuscher]

My favorite part was when the Mail deflected the Katana with little damage. I would have liked to see the arrows test against the armour too, but undoubtedley it would have been flawed testing

What I thought was rather stupid was the shield vs Spike Club. It's not shield vs. anything - It's Shield and _______ vs Spiked club. Pairing off perhaps shield and sword against the club would have been far more interesting.

I'm fine with the byrnie on the viking - actually a longer sleeved one like that used bu Huscarls at Hastings would have been a bit closer in time period.

It should not have been "Samurai vs. VIking", but "Samurai vs. Huscarl", the elite units of both cultures. And the Huscarl would have been far more of a professional type than the weekend warrior way the vikings were assessed at.

[Jeff A. Arbogast]

Jeff -

You are absolutely right, and herein lies the fatal flaw with this program; they assume that all samuri or all vikings were the same (skills, weapons, etc.), and they ignore the fact that each one was an INDIVIDUAL. Their age, their skill, their weapons and their armour were as individual as they were. Could a samurai defeat a viking? Possibly, but the next two who met each other would provide a different outcome. Not all samurai used a naganata, and not all vikings carried a spear (or two spears). Not all vikings wore a byrnie; actually only the most wealthy could afford them. That would change the dynamic of a fight considerably. Not all samurai could afford full armour either, so the entire premise of this show is moot.

Could a samurai defeat a viking? Who knows for sure? And really, since they never would meet historically, who cares?

It's the age-old "My dad can beat your dad."[/quote]

Hi Peter,
My scabbard-maker from years past. I hope you are well.
Regarding your last comment- You are right, who cares about these silly matchups? I think it would be waaay more interesting and informative if they matched up period-contemporary rivals, such as a Viking/Norman duel or a Norman/Saxon Housecarl Hastings/style deathmatch. Or a Viking/ Housecarl match, like at Stamford Bridge.These would be very close matches with no clear winner. There would be countless others too, like a Mongol vs. a Hungarian knight. Or a Roman vs. a Greek. On and on. This would not only make far more sense but would be much more educational than the Pirate/Knight nonsense, and would provide some accurate historical content that would actually be useful. There are plenty of cool matches that would be historically correct if they wanted to do it right. But this stuff is utter nonsense.

[JE Sarge]

I liked last night as well. The Spartan vs. Ninja was about the most entertaining eposide to date. Though marginally educational, it was a fun match up. I literally cheered aloud when the Spartan won.

[Nathan M Wuorio]

I MUST see this now, after hearing all of this. Is there a way to watch past episodes on the internet? I think it would be great humor. Though I must agree, these shows spread this and people take it as truth, and I have encountered so many people who think that all knights used 7 foot swords and that the katana is indestructible, and that western swords were little more than mildly sharp steel clubs, with no form used. A shame. I do try to correct that when I see it, but a lot of times people tell me I'm wrong or that I'm showing off.
On another topic, has anyone seen the show "Warriors" on the History channel? I watched an episode the other night about the Siege of Malta by the Ottomans in 1565, and it seemed pretty accurate, as far as these things go.

[Peter Fuller]

Jeff Arbogast wrote:

"Regarding your last comment- You are right, who cares about these silly matchups? I think it would be waaay more interesting and informative if they matched up period-contemporary rivals, such as a Viking/Norman duel or a Norman/Saxon Housecarl Hastings/style deathmatch. Or a Viking/ Housecarl match, like at Stamford Bridge.These would be very close matches with no clear winner. There would be countless others too, like a Mongol vs. a Hungarian knight. Or a Roman vs. a Greek. On and on. This would not only make far more sense but would be much more educational than the Pirate/Knight nonsense, and would provide some accurate historical content that would actually be useful. There are plenty of cool matches that would be historically correct if they wanted to do it right. But this stuff is utter nonsense."

Jeff -

If it was done properly, a show like that would be fantastic! What might be even more interesting would be combat situations of a more non-traditional sense, i.e., two HYW knights fighting on the deck of a ship, or combat in closed quarters such as a sappers tunnel or on castle stairs. Something that adds to the difficulty and really tests the skill of the combatants...

[Artis Aboltins]

[Sam Gordon Campbell]

Just out of interest, this guy rips into and backs up his evidence (to a degree) checkit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfT3NbjZ-JU&am...feature=iv
With regards to the Ninja vs. Spartan, I was under the impression that they differed in no way from other greek polis' other than in reputation and a preference for the pilos helmet.
Though admitly, I was yelling at the computer "ACCURATE!? THIS IS BOLLOCKS" *kicks printer*

P.S. I want a linothorax lol

Edit: Some one should do one for the Spartan

[Christopher VaughnStrever]

I have to agree with the above comment on the show warriors that comes on the history channel. They seem to become very involved with different aspects of the topic of each show. I know some parts are totally off, though for the majority of what I have seen there is a very in depth display of information. I could be wrong to how historically accurate the show is and that is why I am furthing the question on others opinions..

[Bill Tsafa]

I just saw the Spartan vs Ninja episode. I have the same thoughts as before. Good testing, but they should have expanded more the armored testing. It obvious that any sharp or pointy weapon can penetrate flesh. Of course it was stupid determining the outcome by computer, but I suppose it would appeal to Gamers.

In the end the we know for certain that the Ninjas lost to the Samurai who did not even have shields. We know they lost to the Samurai because otherwise Ninjas would have been the rulers of Japan. If they can't beat samurai, they can't beat Spartans.

Very entertaining overall and worth watching.

[Michael Edelson]

Samurai didn't have shields for the same reason 15th century men at arms didn't have shields...they didn't need them, their armor was too good and they prefered freeing their other hand for two handed weapons and grappling.

I know some people have a hard time understanding this on an intuitive level because of Hollywood or experience based on modern anachronisms, but armor worked...that's why they wore it.

Especially plate armor and the better Japanese armor. Mail armor didn't work so good. That's why they needed the shields.

[Bennison N]

Lots of "Ninja" were Samurai as well!

Case in point... The Iga Bushi. Oda-san only wiped them out because some of them were known to be Samurai with "Ninja" skills. A threat. Who wants to sleep with one eye open and have to have their food tested all the time? So he outnumbered them 10-to-1 and cleaned them out.

And Michael is right. Armour works. Who'd put themselves through the heat and weight (and expense) otherwise, right?

And one-on-one a Spartan hoplite can't use a sword, and a ninja can. Unless the Spartan's rich, in which case he could afford a Hoplomachoi (sp?)and even then he'd rather be in a phalanx.

Mismatch. Crazy retarded mismatch!!

[Nat Lamb]

I just watched the spartan vs ninja episode.
2 thoughts.

1)Final battle, does the rolling help? (Thank you Galaxy Quest)

2) Why isn't the Spartan given another "Special Weapon" namely giant, open, really deep , un safety baricaded well in the midle of town to kick people down?

[Jeff Del Vecchio]

Finally got to see the "Viking vs Samurai" episode. Actually, I became interested by reading the above posts. Not unexpectedly the "Samurai" was able to cut off the top of a skull, and sure enough, the "Viking" could destroy the torso (even with an off-angle strike). I would have liked to see the "Viking" cut off the top of a skull, since there is evidence of this actually happening (skull is in the Manx Museum).

[David Sutton]