re: Plastic, and other (fwd)

[Eli White <eliwhite@home.com>]

Poster: Eli White <eliwhite@home.com>

>Just wondering, but what would be the advantange of such?  Did period
>shields degrade over the course of a single instance of combat?

>From what I have heard ... yes.

I have had related stories of vikings who in the course of a single combat
(similar to a tourney fight), actually went through 3 shields as their
'second' (so to speak) would keep handing them to them.

This also applies even more to our combat in a melee.  Sure on the field of
a tourney people would keep handing you shields, but not in a melee.  Your
shield breaks, and you are now fighting single sword.

Also there is the fact that just like in period times, people couldn't
necissarily afford 3 shields per fight *smile*.  Or have the time to make
that many.  And just like today, if we used shields that were not planned
to last a whole fight, how many people would actually be showing up at
tournies with a stack of 50 shields to get them through it?


On the making of such shields, I have heard of groups simulate it in an
effective, cost efficient way, of using cardboard.  Get the 'good thick'
cardboard, and make a shield by glueing 3 or 4 layers of it together.  Or
you can use two layers of it, and place blue insulation between them.

These give shields that will at first 'dent' in on the edges, sometimes
grabbing the sword if through with enough force, and that eventually will
begin to disintigrate over time, and strikes with sufficiently damaging
weapons.  (Greatswords, etc)

The only problem with these is that they still don't simulate 'thrusts'
well, as a spear should quickly work it ways at least INTO a shield, if not
through, and yet this style shield with our huge thrusting tips, makes it
last awfully well ...

Same goes for weapons such as maces, which our padded ones (even if heavy),
with thack against the side of the shield, maybe 'bending it', but not
getting the disintegration factor wanted :)

Siegfried

______________________________________________________________________
Siegfried Sebastian Faust       Web Minister, Shire of Highland Foorde
eliwhite@home.com             http://highland-foorde.cybergoyle.ml.org

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