Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - Questions about fencing and two-weapons skills

larsdangly · 09-10-2020, 05:13 PM

I don't think the cartoon of shields someone posted a link to is a particularly useful guide here. The round and heater shields that were shown are similar to each other in area and weight - much as you'll notice the Rottellas and a heaters in museum collections are broadly similar in size. If you were going to assign any shield to the category of 'large', these would be it. They are similar to each other, both are clearly a step below the largest shields (kites, roman infantry shields, medieval footmen's tower shields, etc.) and clearly a step above the smaller shields (bucklers, the small heater-shaped shields used in late 15th century once plate was well developed). Basically, if you don't think bucklers were small shields, than I don't know what you think was a small shield, or where bucklers fit in the game.

Also, the buckler in Henry's video is clearly one kind of buckler (I used to spar with an SCA heavy weapons guy who used one slightly smaller!). But it is clearly an extreme; most bucklers are 1' or more in diameter, and 1.5 to even 2' is not extraordinary. Check out this image from the I.33 fencing manual (ca. 1300), which shows two guys sparring, one with a tiny fist-sized buckler and one with a giant buckler the size and shape of a huge salad bowl:

https://grauenwolf.wordpress.com/201...-from-ms-i-33/

09-10-2020, 05:13 PM	#24
larsdangly Join Date: Dec 2017	Re: Questions about fencing and two-weapons skills I don't think the cartoon of shields someone posted a link to is a particularly useful guide here. The round and heater shields that were shown are similar to each other in area and weight - much as you'll notice the Rottellas and a heaters in museum collections are broadly similar in size. If you were going to assign any shield to the category of 'large', these would be it. They are similar to each other, both are clearly a step below the largest shields (kites, roman infantry shields, medieval footmen's tower shields, etc.) and clearly a step above the smaller shields (bucklers, the small heater-shaped shields used in late 15th century once plate was well developed). Basically, if you don't think bucklers were small shields, than I don't know what you think was a small shield, or where bucklers fit in the game. Also, the buckler in Henry's video is clearly one kind of buckler (I used to spar with an SCA heavy weapons guy who used one slightly smaller!). But it is clearly an extreme; most bucklers are 1' or more in diameter, and 1.5 to even 2' is not extraordinary. Check out this image from the I.33 fencing manual (ca. 1300), which shows two guys sparring, one with a tiny fist-sized buckler and one with a giant buckler the size and shape of a huge salad bowl: https://grauenwolf.wordpress.com/201...-from-ms-i-33/ Last edited by larsdangly; 09-10-2020 at 05:19 PM.