Amongst the litany of questions I receive on the subject of weapons, a very common one is: "What size red should I use?" The simple answer: Whatever the hell you want. You just have to learn how make it work for you.
I highly encourage everyone, and require my apprentices, to train and learn with a minimum length red weapon (48 inches total length). I personally prefer the use of a max length handle, which allows for wide stable defensive grips. Fighting min-red puts you at an inherent position of weakness, as your greatest advantage, range, is almost a non-factor. When swinging red, top hand and forward foot dictate maximum range. With stabs, range is dictated by bottom hand and same-side foot. Assuming your sword and board opponent has a 34" weapon that they've got in a low grip, you may only have inch or two of additional kill range, if any edge at all.
Thus, if you want to stay alive past the opening of a fight, min-red forces you to have sharp timing, immaculate range control and solid defensive structure. Making a mistake with a min-red often simply results in death. Being able to maintain the far edge of your maximum kill range for any period of time gives you safe kill potential, while reducing your enemy's. In my experience, almost every skill and every nuance of min-red translates almost directly into longer reds. If you can be truly deadly and feared in both 1v1 situations, skirmishes, and large-scale field engagements with only a 4ft stick, chances are that you'll be an absolute terror with anything longer.
Select Your Weapon:
In Dagorhir, as in anything else, there are different tools for different jobs, but just because a tool isn't ideal for the application, doesn't mean it's useless for it either. It might be ill-advised to cut a cooked steak at the table with a butcher's knife, but if you're a master with a butcher's knife, it'll probably be cut beautifully regardless. It is much of the same for Dagorhir. A short red sword is ideal for close and tight work, as well as a common dueling weapon. It requires greater patience in open field, but a short greatsword is highly effective in exploiting a line-gap. You shred through armor like paper, and the maneuverability of the smaller weapon means that you can swing more rapidly while defending any counterattack.
Moving up to the 5ft length of greatswords means you're playing with considerably more range. Every couple of inches you add alter what a weapons capabilities and limitations are. The mid-length style of greatsword has many more options offensively, but less overall defensive strength and a reduction in close-range capabilities. Stabbing becomes much more effective at this point, as you can safely single-handed stab most sword and board opponents from outside their maximum kill range. Wide sweeping chops can be thrown from just outside that range as well, giving a new dynamic to your purpose in line battles. You can either snipe if you're fast enough, or beat opponents straight up, utilizing the extra swing your weapon's range gives you.
At 6ft you're pretty solidly in the scope of field weapons. In my opinion, this is also the longest red weapon that can be effectively wielded in a 1v1 situation. When played by a smart, quick fighter to the weapon's maximum efficiency, it can be nearly impossible to beat as a SnB. During field engagements you've got a very large threat radius, and with range shifts in footwork, can kill enemies 4-5 slots down the line. If you've been spending 90% of your time training with a min-red, playing with the six foot and up range feels like having been touched by the hands of the gods. Very difficult size to manage in extreme close-quarters.
Glaives and their ilk above six are incredibly strong field tools, and though they can be effectively dueled with by a few top level fighters, they're far less than ideal for the purpose. However, in a line battle, they can dictate the pace of a fight with their massive threat range (second only to long spears) and intimidation factor, combined with the sheer knockback potential of a mass weapon. They have a long attack windup (minus stabs), are vulnerable between attacks. Plus, having a haft means your minimum kill range is quite far out. Haft can be useful to get certain grips, but creates dead space in your kill range.
Begin your path at the shortest weapons, as they are the most demanding, and most rewarding and slowly work your way up. Earn your power and control, train your hands and mind to strike true. It is at that point, that you can properly become a well-rounded red fighter.
-The Golden Lion
Select Your Weapon:
In Dagorhir, as in anything else, there are different tools for different jobs, but just because a tool isn't ideal for the application, doesn't mean it's useless for it either. It might be ill-advised to cut a cooked steak at the table with a butcher's knife, but if you're a master with a butcher's knife, it'll probably be cut beautifully regardless. It is much of the same for Dagorhir. A short red sword is ideal for close and tight work, as well as a common dueling weapon. It requires greater patience in open field, but a short greatsword is highly effective in exploiting a line-gap. You shred through armor like paper, and the maneuverability of the smaller weapon means that you can swing more rapidly while defending any counterattack.
Moving up to the 5ft length of greatswords means you're playing with considerably more range. Every couple of inches you add alter what a weapons capabilities and limitations are. The mid-length style of greatsword has many more options offensively, but less overall defensive strength and a reduction in close-range capabilities. Stabbing becomes much more effective at this point, as you can safely single-handed stab most sword and board opponents from outside their maximum kill range. Wide sweeping chops can be thrown from just outside that range as well, giving a new dynamic to your purpose in line battles. You can either snipe if you're fast enough, or beat opponents straight up, utilizing the extra swing your weapon's range gives you.
At 6ft you're pretty solidly in the scope of field weapons. In my opinion, this is also the longest red weapon that can be effectively wielded in a 1v1 situation. When played by a smart, quick fighter to the weapon's maximum efficiency, it can be nearly impossible to beat as a SnB. During field engagements you've got a very large threat radius, and with range shifts in footwork, can kill enemies 4-5 slots down the line. If you've been spending 90% of your time training with a min-red, playing with the six foot and up range feels like having been touched by the hands of the gods. Very difficult size to manage in extreme close-quarters.
Glaives and their ilk above six are incredibly strong field tools, and though they can be effectively dueled with by a few top level fighters, they're far less than ideal for the purpose. However, in a line battle, they can dictate the pace of a fight with their massive threat range (second only to long spears) and intimidation factor, combined with the sheer knockback potential of a mass weapon. They have a long attack windup (minus stabs), are vulnerable between attacks. Plus, having a haft means your minimum kill range is quite far out. Haft can be useful to get certain grips, but creates dead space in your kill range.
Begin your path at the shortest weapons, as they are the most demanding, and most rewarding and slowly work your way up. Earn your power and control, train your hands and mind to strike true. It is at that point, that you can properly become a well-rounded red fighter.
-The Golden Lion
No comments:
Post a Comment