The Armour Archive

I will be attending the Battle of Three Kings, in central Ansteorra this weekend. I just added a maedate made of multiple layers of saddle leather and gold paint to my kabuto, to spiff it up - the simple sort that some sources indicate is based on a beetle of some sort. A bit like this one, but not so big, and altered to take a beating with more grace:



Anyway, the downside is that I may be asked to take my place in the fighting company shield wall, using my personal Ansteorran War Door - - made under duress, but mine all the same. Oh abomination, oh unspeakable shame. If my lord commands it, I will use the shield. I am a spearman by trade, no surprise there. I have two questions for you, and time is short:

1) Is there something I can put on the shield? I want some kanji or series of Kanji, that would convey the sense of "yes, I know, I am a samurai using a door shield, but they made me use it so I am using it";. Preferably in fewer words than that. A sutra, or a poem, or one of those lovely little four-kanji slogans the Japanese love so much? If you can point me to an image of it, I'd be pleased as punch. It does not need to be period.

2) I have a 31"; long piece of rattan with no particular weapon in mind. I have rattan analogues of yari (7' and 9'), tetsubo, tanto, katana (1H), and tachi(2H) already. Is there something odd but still period that I could make out of the rattan piece, some uncommon Japanese weapon I could use with a shield? An axe... what is that, an Ono, or Masakari? I see that Nissan Maxima carries a billy-club looking thing as a sidearm on occasion. What is that called? Any other suggestions?

I'm just fishing for something fun here.

up north, we say "uh. what? no, i'm a spear, lemme 'lone, i'ma go kill stuff"

or "whoops? i was supposed to bring a shield today? my bad, sorry man.."

tetsubo or kanabo depending on which book you read.

The tetsubo or kanabo was a wooden club clad in iron, with iron studs accounting for perhaps a third of the weapons length. It basically resembled a crude elongated baseball bat. It was reckoned good for breaking swords and horses legs and it’s weight meant that it could inflict serious blunt trauma even on armoured opponents. However, it’s weight also made it very cumbersome to wield


Sourced from: Mitsuo Kure and Ghislaine Kruit; Samurai: Arms, armour and costume, 2000, Crowood Press ltd

(If I was not already so invested in 14cent mafia, I would deffinately be Samurai, so sue me lol)

Edward Harrison wrote:tetsubo or kanabo depending on which book you read.

The tetsubo or kanabo was a wooden club clad in iron, with iron studs accounting for perhaps a third of the weapons length. It basically resembled a crude elongated baseball bat. It was reckoned good for breaking swords and horses legs and it’s weight meant that it could inflict serious blunt trauma even on armoured opponents. However, it’s weight also made it very cumbersome to wield


Sourced from: Mitsuo Kure and Ghislaine Kruit; Samurai: Arms, armour and costume, 2000, Crowood Press ltd

(If I was not already so invested in 14cent mafia, I would deffinately be Samurai, so sue me lol)

I have one of those, and it certainly is cool, but it's a two handed weapon. I'm looking for something interesting that I can use in the press, one handed, around the door shield. Any suggestions for that?

hrolf wrote:up north, we say "uh. what? no, i'm a spear, lemme 'lone, i'ma go kill stuff"

or "whoops? i was supposed to bring a shield today? my bad, sorry man.."

My company captain is bringing the shield...

spearweasel wrote:

hrolf wrote:up north, we say "uh. what? no, i'm a spear, lemme 'lone, i'ma go kill stuff"

or "whoops? i was supposed to bring a shield today? my bad, sorry man.."

My company captain is bringing the shield...

rely on option one then. and convince him that you're a better asset as a spear than as a shield.

hrolf wrote:

spearweasel wrote:

hrolf wrote:up north, we say "uh. what? no, i'm a spear, lemme 'lone, i'ma go kill stuff"

or "whoops? i was supposed to bring a shield today? my bad, sorry man.."

My company captain is bringing the shield...

rely on option one then. and convince him that you're a better asset as a spear than as a shield.

That's what I'll probably wind up doing. OTOH, it is supposed to be an archery-heavy event, and we may need mobile cover more than spears (perish the thought). I'll go where I'm needed, but I'd like to have something more fun than a sword if I have to work a shield.

Jitte or Kama?

A Kama would be brutal if you could get the 90 degree blade to really work.

Since you have a samurai personna, how about writing "duty" on your shield in konji?

For the weapon, I'd suggest an axe.

Regards,

paulb wrote:Since you have a samurai personna, how about writing "duty" on your shield in konji?

HG FTW!!!

It is not my will
To fight behind this shield.
My Lord commands it.

We all must die to pass through the Gates of Heaven.

At least I brought my own door.

Is Hyku period?

Warrior spirit
Is his duty to obey
Honorable death

spearweasel wrote:
1) Is there something I can put on the shield? I want some kanji or series of Kanji, that would convey the sense of "yes, I know, I am a samurai using a door shield, but they made me use it so I am using it";. Preferably in fewer words than that. A sutra, or a poem, or one of those lovely little four-kanji slogans the Japanese love so much? If you can point me to an image of it, I'd be pleased as punch. It does not need to be period.

Moivar from Atenveldt has had the best thing I have ever seen on his shield:

ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
......................Im a pikeman!!..............................

twoswords wrote:

spearweasel wrote:
1) Is there something I can put on the shield? I want some kanji or series of Kanji, that would convey the sense of "yes, I know, I am a samurai using a door shield, but they made me use it so I am using it";. Preferably in fewer words than that. A sutra, or a poem, or one of those lovely little four-kanji slogans the Japanese love so much? If you can point me to an image of it, I'd be pleased as punch. It does not need to be period.

Moivar from Atenveldt has had the best thing I have ever seen on his shield:

ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
ImnotashieldmanImnotashieldmanImnotashieldman
......................Im a pikeman!!..............................

i saw a fellow at pennsic this year. In road-sign font, he had written "Please use other door" and an arrow pointing left on the front of his shield.

I'm sorry, but using road-sign stuff and such really cheapens the game. I dislike that kind of stuff, even though I might momentarily find it amusing.

We're supposed to be recreating at least the SENSE of Mediaeval warfare here.

I would be inclined, were I the MIC of a war, to say, here, take this can of spray paint . . .

Donal Mac Ruiseart wrote:I'm sorry, but using road-sign stuff and such really cheapens the game. I dislike that kind of stuff, even though I might momentarily find it amusing.

We're supposed to be recreating at least the SENSE of Mediaeval warfare here.

I would be inclined, were I the MIC of a war, to say, here, take this can of spray paint . . .

That's why I want it in kanji. Only those "in the know" would know. Everyone else would just see "Asian persona with some Asian writing on a shield", and think nothing more about it.

spearweasel wrote:OTOH, it is supposed to be an archery-heavy event, and we may need mobile cover more than spears (perish the thought).

I don't think we're going to have as many archers as folks might imagine, at least on the CA side. The ones I know of are still furiously taping foam to their arrows to meet the new requirements with the hopes of making Bordermarch Autumn Melees.

Vasilii wrote:

paulb wrote:Since you have a samurai personna, how about writing "duty" on your shield in konji?

HG FTW!!!

SWISH, NOTHING BUT NET!

Domnall wrote:

Vasilii wrote:

paulb wrote:Since you have a samurai personna, how about writing "duty" on your shield in konji?

HG FTW!!!

SWISH, NOTHING BUT NET!

Beautiful.

a shield wall is nothing but a speed bump without long support ...

(and this is coming from someone who started in the shield wall and considers it a great honour and responsibility as a Sergeant to be there as line commmander)

http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=73637&start=0 about 80% down .. Tarashi is one of our grand spearmen .... putting him in the shield wall would be a waste and annoy not only him but our command who expects better of us ...

It was a moot point, in the end. We had enough shields from other regions of Ansteorra in our line that I wound up working spear and glaive the whole day.