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Old 07-15-2018, 11:44 PM   #21
David Bofinger
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Sydney, Australia
Default Re: Main-Gauche

The advantage of a main-gauche is that there are social situations and environments where you can carry a main-gauche but can't carry a shield. But yes, it would make sense to make it better.

I don't see why a main-gauche can't parry, say, a spear. Parrying with a weapon is done using the forte, the half or so closest to the hand, with the bit furthest from your hand used offensively. So the main-gauche is more or less as good at parrying as a sword.

It would be reasonable to give a parrying bonus, whether to hit or hits stopped, to one-handed swords, daggers, main-gauches and shields. This would help to differentiate the different kinds of melee weapons: axes do more damage but swords are better defensively.
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Old 07-16-2018, 08:07 AM   #22
larsdangly
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Default Re: Main-Gauche

My HEMA club often goofs around with mixed-weapon sparring, and I'm pretty sure it is ridiculous to imagine parrying any pole arm or two handed sword with a main gauche, other than the rare lucky deflection.
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Old 07-16-2018, 10:57 AM   #23
Skarg
 
Join Date: May 2015
Default Re: Main-Gauche

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Originally Posted by larsdangly View Post
My HEMA club often goofs around with mixed-weapon sparring, and I'm pretty sure it is ridiculous to imagine parrying any pole arm or two handed sword with a main gauche, other than the rare lucky deflection.
If so, comparing to the rule change Steve put up for discussion, how about a one-handed spear? Would you say it's actually the two-handedness that should be the deciding factor? If a one-handed spear seems un-main-gauche-parry-able to you, how about a javelin?

Realists might also quibble about the morningstar (assuming it means a spiked ball & chain flail), which is a one-handed weapon.
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Old 07-16-2018, 10:59 AM   #24
Steve Jackson
President and EIC
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Default Re: Main-Gauche

A thrusting polearm might be deflectable. The leveraged sweep of a big two-hander - that is scarier.

What is HEMA?
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Old 07-16-2018, 11:05 AM   #25
Steve Jackson
President and EIC
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Default Re: Main-Gauche

Sounds as though, to clean it up wile remaining compatible with existing shield rules, the MG should just be treated like a small shield except (advantage) you have a dagger in hand (disad) it does not protect in any way against missile attacks or the attack of a two-handed weapon.
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Old 07-16-2018, 11:09 AM   #26
Skarg
 
Join Date: May 2015
Default Re: Main-Gauche

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Originally Posted by Steve Jackson View Post
What is HEMA?
Historical European Martial Arts - reenactment sports, which have lately become more popularly visible/known lately thanks to spectacular videos (some using blunt but full metal weapons including polearms and maces and full metal armor - also popularizing the idea/knowledge that armor actually mostly stops most/all damage from medieval weapons) that have been shared around.

Wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histor...n_martial_arts

Videos:
https://youtu.be/xYxQR5haqTs
https://youtu.be/3mQfaog_JPE
https://youtu.be/LyFOZMWJ6Es
https://youtu.be/GSJgPVQJGyk

Oh, and I would also say, raising awareness that full plate armor doesn't really give a -6 DX penalty (nor even -4DX) to hit people.

Last edited by Skarg; 07-16-2018 at 11:16 AM.
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Old 07-16-2018, 11:42 AM   #27
larsdangly
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Default Re: Main-Gauche

To fill in the 'side bar' on HEMA, armored combat is not a central activity; 99 % of HEMA is focused on sport fencing using weapons, training manuals and rules that are similar to those handed down to us from 15th to early 19th century european sources. The longsword-like 'federschwert' is arguably the main weapon system used in competition, but there is also lots of fencing done with arming sword and buckler, rapier, military saber, messer, and a fair amount of european folk wrestling. Also cutting competitions. Most of the competitive fencing uses protective gear including a normal looking fencing mask, a heavy jacket, some kind of rigid cover on hands, elbows and knees. Lots of clubs play around with spears and other pole weapons, though these are not heavily represented at tournaments.

And, in answer to the question above about spears, it is true that a two handed spear is super difficult to parry using a light hand weapon or buckler, because of the combination of tremendous agility with the point, extreme reach, and great weight and power. A 1 handed spear is comparatively easy to deflect. But, I think the only reliable protection against a 2H spear is another long pole arm or a large shield.
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Old 07-16-2018, 11:52 AM   #28
DouglasCole
Doctor of GURPS Ballistics
 
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Lakeville, MN
Default Re: Main-Gauche

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jackson View Post
Sounds as though, to clean it up wile remaining compatible with existing shield rules, the MG should just be treated like a small shield except (advantage) you have a dagger in hand (disad) it does not protect in any way against missile attacks or the attack of a two-handed weapon.
Personally and conceptually, I like this a lot. Treating shields and off-hand objects as weapons that also help deflect blows, with bonuses for size and the ability to absorb arrow attacks for shields, nicely unifies things.
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Old 07-16-2018, 01:28 PM   #29
JLV
 
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Arizona
Default Re: Main-Gauche

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jackson View Post
Sounds as though, to clean it up wile remaining compatible with existing shield rules, the MG should just be treated like a small shield except (advantage) you have a dagger in hand (disad) it does not protect in any way against missile attacks or the attack of a two-handed weapon.
That sounds sort of perfect to me...
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Old 07-16-2018, 03:38 PM   #30
guymc
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Default Re: Main-Gauche

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jackson View Post
Sounds as though, to clean it up wile remaining compatible with existing shield rules, the MG should just be treated like a small shield except (advantage) you have a dagger in hand (disad) it does not protect in any way against missile attacks or the attack of a two-handed weapon.
Yes, I like that, too. Clean and neat.
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