Well, yeah, in a later military context spikes on helmets for officers are fine. Visual cue for the troops, and usually the person is on a horse. Weapon use had changed as well by then, with a musket and bayonet combo, and so on and I could go on but, I agree with you so leave it there right? Right. :)

The spiked helmet is another thing I don't like. Can be grasped, or allow the blow to deliver it's force instead of sliding off. All that energy has to go somewhere. It's along the same reasoning as the boob armour issue. Of course, protrusions such as a shield boss or shield spike are good, because arms are better at…

It's more than a handle, it's a catch point that allows the force of a blow to end up tweaking the neck inthe wrong direction. But yes, very good stuff about the Romans there.

You should rant. The moe we rant, the greater the chance that somone will realise the silliness of such things, like the horned helmet. Somthing ceremonial is never good for the battlefield.

Yes, you are quite right. I meant it about small crossbows like a hand-held one. I should have been more clear. Modern crossbows can store a lot of energy. Something small, and older, not so much. Thus the goats-foot levers and cranquines for Medieval and Renaissance crossbows, to try and store more energy on a…

Diablo 3, double hand crossbow power, yes. I think Torchlight had that option as well, but you could get double pistol type items. Real life, guns do trump most things, but a modern crossbow can be quiet. Medieval ones are noisy for the reloading process. But that's for another time.

Do you mean in real life or a video game? In real life, hand crossbows lack power to do much. In a video game, they give you a good rate of fire because of magical reloading skills and if you have some stun or slow effect, you can hold out quite well.

As a swordswoman, I will say that in a fight with swords, yes, rolling will get you killed. Turning one's back is always bad. There's only one rapier move I know with a turned back, but the rapier is driven into the opponent at the same time. It is more complex than that because it's avoidance, and shaming, and so on.…

HEMA is meant to be done for real. Neal may enjoy it, but he'll have to know it doesn't translate well to a game after all of this. It's not time for it. Better to go out and promote the martial art in the real world. :) That's where the fun is.

It's boring for a video game. It's amazing in real life. io9 article on longsword fighting from two days ago will give you the details. :) Not so dead after all.

Hey, that works! Yes, something like that. My first encounter with the weapon style I have in mind is this (though Madmartigan did not lose a hand). But I might like that Aquaman harpoon hand better.

Well, you have to pay the instructor for the time spent instructing. Bronn knows that. You do things for free, you starve.

Most fencing and HEMA/WMA clubs should let you start out without the need to buy gear. If not, I'd be suspicious of that group. Always worth asking if there's someone around teaching some cool martial arts.

Kendo is pretty good but too loud for me. I do enjoy the Historical European side of things. HEMA is far cooler than nerf swords and flailing about. Plus, no one makes me yell. There are many good groups that teach sword skills, from fencing to Kendo to HEMA, most let you try it without buying gear, all based on…

When I hear or see the word combustion, I always think about car engines. Probably my history side leaping to ponder the impact of the internal combustion engine. As for the files, The point is fairly dead now since that career has faded from view. Ah well.

That's an old post of mine, wow , yes, hoses. Horse+water=need to pee in a big horse way, so it must have been some sort of sub-conscious choice. Yep. ;)

Below the neck? Awww, no fun. If you invest in fencing masks, everything above the waist is fair. Also add below the knee because taking out a leg is a clever tactic. :) Strange as it seems, there is a level of feeling alive that you get when someone swings for your head that is hard to find elsewhere. You know you…

We shall be glad they were not using practice steel! That could have been bad. Very bad.

Using the technology to make this a spectator sport would work and those of us who have studied the real swordplay wouldn't mind taking a bit of battering. We watch people play video games, let's watch a version of fighting that doesn't have to put in too many rules. No lying about hits, no off limit areas, just all…

I understand that some of these are takes on perceived american culture, because seriously, chili cheese bites have NOTHING to do with Denmark. Being a half Dane, I would expect that something cultural would be, oh, hakkebøf sandwich with crispy onions and Remoulade. Call it the Big Hak. There we go, that would be…