[Konstantin Tsvetkov]

Wonderful, this thread is alive since March. Think about it!

I like longswords, I like rapiers even better, but in such a situation I would take along a cavalry sabre or a cutlass, one of Cold Steel or original, a kukri and 1851 patent Adams revolver together with bullet mould, 100 bullets, 1000 percussion caps and a kilo of blackpowder. Cars are out of question - in a couple of days after disaster you will find fuel nowhere. Horses are better, and we have a lot of good horses around here. Though it will be hard to find forage in winter, I would trade one or two from a neighbour for a sack of rice or some 100 liter of fuel.

But most likely I would not leave my home and village.

[Robert T.]

A.and A Town guard sword. Looks to me like it could get the job done in larger areas, while my secondary weapon would be:



Elizabethan Dagger, just like any other dagger really, but i thought it looked cool.

[Max von Bargen]

Both swords I might use are swords I own (or are being delivered as I speak!), so here goes:

Either:
Albion Talhoffer-Versatile weapon useful in almost any scenario, excellent thrusting capability, and, so I am told, very good cutting capability as well. Good blade agility as well.

Albion Hospitaller: Extremely powerful cutter that can deal with any non-armoured threat (and some armoured ones!). Here's were I apply something I don't own and request a Mercenary's Tailor kite shield to use along with it.

And I'd definitely get some good mail, a gambeson, and use my sugar loaf great helm (forgot who made it), regardless of which weapon I chose.

[Robin Smith]

Sorry, but I'm gonna against the grain and say a machete. Its short, fast, and will split skulls just as good as any sword. Thrusting is pretty useless against a zombie, since the soft tissue damage won't disable them quickly enough. Anyway, engaging zombies in hand to hand should be the absolute last thing you should do, considering their blood is as infectious as their bite.
I'd take my Albions, and put them in a time capsule, so when the alien archeologists study the now extinct earth, the Albions will be there as a testament to the artistic skills of mankind, as they deserve to be (as opposed to being rusty nicked pieces of junk found cluched in the hands of a corpse).
Though I own maille, I wouldn't wear it. It's just uneccessary weight that isn't gonna do you a lick of good. Any metal armour is too loud, and would interfere with prime directive 1:avoidance. And assuming I have to engage a latterday knight using the apocalypse to play out his swordsman fantasies, I'm gonna engage with my mini14, smoke his plate bound butt long before he'd ever bring a sword to bare, and then add whatever nice swords or armour he had to my time capsule....

[Sid Williams]

1.This is a great thing to ponder.I often visit such corridors.I would think something that could really clear a room or lonely stretch of highway with mighty sweeps and cuts like a Talhoffer or similar two handed sword from Albion.Or ofcourse a good katana.

2.I have in my collection a Narsil from United Cutlery that would volunteer for the task but I don't feel close to it.It looks better hanging on my wall with cinematic honor.I would have to choose my swept hilt Bright Knight rapier from Angelsword.It is heavy enough for some hacking and nimble enough for well executed thrusts and cuts into the zombie buggers or desperate highwaymen.[/b]

[Bram Verbeek]

I'd take an arming sword, viking sword or spatha (preferably something with a pommel, but I would make do with any longish dedicated one handed sword) with a medium sized center gripped shield and an axe as backup or for use in corridors and other cramped spaces. The shield would be somewhat cumbersome, but I recently found myself quite unable to be useful with a longsword, I guess the luxury of a shield is something easily found, but the step back to longsword was not so easy (I trained in ken-juitsu first, longsword thereafter and now sword or axe and shield).

[Gary A. Chelette]

[Jessen Klaus]

I think I would take my Svante with me as a backup/close combat option for my M4 carbine.

[Bram Verbeek]

I really found out in a longsword duel that the shield has become my second nature, I tended to have a left hand just floating about if I didn't pay attention...

For armor, I think I would go with leather lamelles, easily replaced and not entirely useless

[Shayan G]

That's my ideal survival sword--the Persian Qaddare, photographed my Manouchehr Khorasani. Good for cutting, capable of devastating stabs, and suited to utility work if need be. This design's worked for hundreds of years in Persia and the Caucuses as a weapon and tool in the most adverse conditions! Plus it has an intimidating look, which may deter would-be attackers (unless they are zombies apparently). Gunwise, I'd stick to my 12 gauge with #1 shot and some Federal Truball slugs.

Another consideration for the qaddare is the ease of replacement of the grips should one crack. Furthermore, its tang is exactly the size of the grip, making it a truly durable hack 'n slash weapon.

[C.O. Butcher]

I would take a basket hilt of the type used by the Scots during the Jacobite Uprising under Bonny Prince Charlie preferably with a brass basket to lower the amount of time spent on sword upkeep. I just think that it would be useful to cut and thrust AND bash in noses, teeth, and possibly even cheek bones. It's hard to fight if your face looks like smashed in hamburger. I would take a round center boss shield too.
As a secondary weapon a good sturdy knife or dagger would be ideal. I'm thinking bowie knife or viking seax. Another thing that I would take along with me is a tomahawk. It can be used for basic camp tasks and throwing with a high degree of accuracy. Even if I didn't stick the 'hawk in someone I'm pretty sure that the enemy would be highly distracted. There are only two things that I can think of that are better then a distracted enemy - a stupid enemy or (preferably) a dead enemy.
As much as I would love to take a firearm or bow with me I realize that I'm not the greatest shot and so I wouldn't weigh myself down with firearms or bows.
For armour I would use the stuff that I fought with in SCA. Hardened leather with metal cops and a coat of plates with a kevlar vest underneath. I would love to use a spangen helm with a slat back if I could find one or take one from a corpse of approximately the right size.
I wonder why more people didn't think to bring a shield. A piece of 5 ply wood with leather over the top of it might actually protect you to a small degree from lower caliber weapons especially at their max range. I would take that chance at protection without blinking.

[Matthew D G]

1. Either Albion-swords Poiters or the Albion-swords Mercenary

2.maby my katana (but its not very good )

[Paul Southren]

A machete would actually be a pretty good choice. Fast, durable and good at frenzied chopping of undead body parts.

A Ko Katana would also be on my list, two hands to avoid losing grip in the heat of the moment and small enough to be used in a confined space.

[Ian Hutchison]

Hmm... mounted I'd go with my 1796 LC. On foot I'd probably take a baskethilt or my vietnam 'hawk, maybe even my dha or just a machete.

[R D Moore]

I'd want to back up my firearms with a Type XVI. Albion's Prince or Squire. They offer the best size and weight for me, and the ability to cut as well as thrust. Although I have LOTS of ammunition. Where's the kill zone on a Zombie?

[Gary A. Chelette]

[Peter G.]

my napoleonic french officers cavalry saber.

Very light (700gr), very agile, -wunderful damascus blade-still sharp after 200y-i´d like to see it freshly sharpened(i´ll never will-no fear ;-) )

Great for cutting, great for thrusts-a dream to handle

[Nick B.]

My Albion Crecy on my back, my Albion Vinland on my side and my Grozer Middle Ages Bow in my hand. Don't need no noisy guns. Have some noisy guns but don't need them. Silent and Lethal.

[Bob Burns]

I don't own either of these "yet", but they Are on my "To Get" list, the Arms & Armor 12th Century Sword and the
Arms & Armor Katzbalger. Get the idea I like to cut? These two just popped into my head when I read the thread title and I thought, "Hey this would indeed be an interesting combo, one for battling longsword and the other for close quarters melee!
The other combo that would be an interesting combo for battle would be the Albion Knecht and the Albion Yeoman, I'd of picked the Sovereign but it is 5 oz heavier, i want something that is short, yet lot's of blade presence and light, so that it is fast.
I've already discussed the Vassal in close quarters in a previous post, so I wanted to come up with a new combo.
I am not even sure why, but this is a very interesting thread. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that we all Love our toys a whole lot? I know I sure do
Now, if I were allowed only one sword to take into battle, I think I would have to go with my Arms & Armor
Edward III Sword. A whole lot of blade presence, a powerful sword at 3 lbs 10 oz. yet due to incredible balance this is an easy sword to wield, a thust will open up a wide cut and a cut could amputate an arm. In fact, this is the particular sword I have with me while at the computer. I always have at least one sword with me at the computer, sometimes with another sword or a polearm.
Another plus with the A & A Edward III Sword is that the overall length is only 41 5/8 inches with the blade being
33 1/2 inches long and nearly 2 1/2 inches wide at the crossguard, which is 8 3/4 inches, plus I love the disc shaped pommel which is of a 2 5/8 diameter will pack a real nice whallop on a hammerfist strike and the crossguard being nearly 9 inches wide can do a lot of damage to the neck and deep penetration to the eye socket.

This is Truly a Very Fun Thread!

Bob

[Steven M. Willis]

What I would want and what I have are two different things.....

Of what I own, I would take my MRL Landshnecht War Sword, my Indian War vintage U.S. Cavalry saber and both my Maritime Bowie and my Coffin Hilt Bowie from Windlass.

I know that MRL doesn't have the best rep, but I've no complaints with the War Sword or the Bowies. They've held up well to field use (the knives) and cutting practice (the War Sword).

And of course my Uberti replica of the 1847 Colt's Walker revolver....