[Ushio Kawana]

Hi

I watched "Conquest-Weird Weapons of the Middle Ages (part 3)" on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWbAUVxS2Ig

He shows how to kill the fully armoured men-at-arms.
...stub the eyeslit/armpit/groin with dagger...
Of course we know these techniques...
------------------
1st technique: stubs through the eyeslit... (We knowl)
2nd technique: stubs through the armpit... (We knowl)
3rd technique: stubs through the gaps of breastplate...
4th technique: stubs the groin (We know) ummmm... What he saying?
------------------

But I don't understand the 3rd technique displayed at 1:11/6:02.
I have very simple question.
He slides the dagger into the gaps of breastplate...
My English-hearing is very poooor
So I do not understand what he says...
I think that he cannot kill a enemy men-at-arms by this way...



Thanks ^^

[Yuri Serebemnick]

I think like you, it wouldn't kill the man.

[James Head]

Hello Ushio.

I am sorry, but the show "Conquest" is terrible. Virtually everything on it is wrong. Please don't use it to learn about Medieval weapons and armor.

As an example. Look at 0:15 in the video you posted. The producers don't even know how a farming flail works. They are swinging the flails in the bushes like a scythe. I go crazy every time I see that part. The rest of the show is just as bad.

[Colt Reeves]

*Dry tone* I think their use of the flail is the least of their problems. Take a look at the "godendag" they show in one of the "Weird Weapons of the Middle Ages." (For that matter, I wasn't aware crossbows, maces, and clubs were "weird weapons.")


Anyway, if you want something a little more accurate and in my opinion more entertaining as well, I would try "The Weapons That Made Britain," with Mike Loades as narrator and presenter: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=W...n&aq=f

While there are a few points here and there some would take issue with, Mike Loades actually practices the arts he talks about, largely focusing on Talhoffer. He seems to be a jack-of-all trades, master of none sort of fellow, with at least passing familiarity with all manner of medieval weapons and equipment.

Each episode of the show revolves around a central weapon, be it Lance, Shield, Sword, etc. Loades generally gives a brief overview first, then discusses an important battle in English history featuring the weapon, tests it out on a piece of armour, and gives a group of students a crash course in its use. In short, the show is all over the place. One second Loades is talking to an historian, the next he's throwing himself off a horse to disprove the myth knights couldn't get up in armour.

My only concern would be that his mannerisms and excited speech might be hard for you to understand. If all you can get is the video itself I think it would lose a lot...




Edit: And concerning the OP, I agree. If he's very very lucky and the guy is sort of doubled over he might be able to do some damage, but more likely than not he's gonna do no damage at all or only prick him. I imagine if the guy struggled, such a thing might also be likely to snap the dagger or take it out of Woodward's hand.

Now, if he had shown it going up under the bevor toward the throat, I might buy that. Depending on what else the guy had as neck defense that might work fine. On the other hand, if that's the case, why not go sideways around the bevor? It'd be easier...

Bah, Conquest is a joke, good for laughs when you're really bored...

[T. Arndt]

[Jean Thibodeau]

[William P]

yeah, agreeing about conquest,
but one thing in the episodes favour is that right in the beginning, when the knight approaches the group he points out a few things reletively obvious to us, but not to the average laymen, he quickly mentions reasons against most ranged weapons i.e when using a bow on him was suggested, that only at close range with a really powerful bow, (and probably a hardened, heavy head for good measure) would you be able to kill the knight outright,
they also quickly dispensed with the ideas of (a) pushing the knight over or B trying to actually puncture the breastplate itself with a sword, saying "ok, with a very sharp sword usinng all your strength and both hands (the guy attempted to do something resembling halfswording) youve managed to penetrate about.. *looks to the other side of the plate* an inch, and in the meantime he has probably hit you several times so i dont think that is going to work"
or just whalloping him with a greatsword, the trainee takes a swing with one, and the knight simply blocks it,
he points out that to defeat an armoured man,woodward remarks 'you can either crush it, crack it open with an axe (ok maybe not that) or puncter it with a spike. or you could go for the gaps, trouble is knowing where they are, and making sure your opponent doesnt use them on YOU.

his show is definately hit and miss, somethings he gets KINDA right, others he completely misses the mark. using butted mail consistantly for one thing, however, im wondering where he managed to get all those plate harnesses.

mike loades is definately the one to go for. if nothing else he does his weapon and armour tests using the royal military college of science's facilities, and uses ballistic media and testing equipment. and his armour is made by reputable people. for example in the longbow episode, he has someone shoot his bow and records the muzzle velocity using high speed camera, and apparently when testing the arrowhead on the breastplate (he is testing crecy, not agincourt) he tests three distances by changing the amount of energy put into the arrows which are shot out of an air cannon. and also places an aketon under the armour, (20, 30 and i think 50 metres away,) ONLY at the 20 metre mark did the arrow have enough force to penetrate enough to pierce the aketon and potentially injure the man underneath it,
naturally, being a show, he doesnt state the exact materials of either the arrowhead or the breastplate

interestingly on the episode on armour, he does the same test on a heat treated milanese style breastplate made by the armourer emrys (known also as master M), and the results are markedly different. while the arrow penetrated the breastpleate it was stopped before reaching the aketon and was, according to loades, completely blunted.

[Ian S LaSpina]

This gentleman has all of the 'Weapons that made Britain' series available if you're interested

http://www.youtube.com/user/Kisk79

[Michael Curl]

In the armour episode he discusses the battle of Verneuil. Does anyone know any good books about that battle?

[Ushio Kawana]

Hi

Thanks lots replies!

James Head wrote: