How do you fight a naginata with a katana?
Mar 31, 2012 16:22:54 GMT
Post by randomnobody on Mar 31, 2012 16:22:54 GMT
As with most feudal societies, your typical foot soldier was just some poor farmer who got conscripted, or "was volunteered" into service. One of the duties of these people was to see to their own training as well as supply weapons and other materials if asked to, but the average would obviously be more concerned with making a living for themselves and their families, so martial training would be below secondary until they were already on the field.
On the other hand, samurai of suitable rank had no such obligations save to follow important people around and practice their martial abilities so they can demonstrate them at the next conflict, so they'd obviously be better than Farmer Joe, though not all took their training as seriously as others.
In modern terms, imagine your typical draftee; just turned 18, got pulled out of high school, given a gun and a uniform and sent off to some unknown place and told to kill people or die trying, versus your 20-year veteran of elite special forces units, expert in all weapons, multiple theaters of conflict, et cetera. That'd be your ashigaru and your high-ranking samurai.
The little guys mostly got on with spears, yari for the most part. Samurai more often trended to the bow, then into swords. Quite a few chose the naginata, and even the forgotten nagamaki.
A favorite bit of lore from Japanese history is the legend of Benkei (and Yoshitsune). Benkei, being a large chap, was famed for his spear, and held off a drove of pursuers, armed with a mixture of bow, spear, and sword, while Yoshitsune and his family fled into their home. Some time into the fierce engagement, one of the attackers suddenly noticed that Benkei, though still standing and very much threatening, was in fact dead, so they pushed into the house to find Yoshitsune had already killed his wife, children, and himself. That is, if I'm remembering the story correctly. Granted, this is more legend than historical document, but I don't doubt its plausibility.
Any pole weapon, especially one equally suited to quick slashing attacks as to thrusting, will be very difficult to face with anything other than a longer pole weapon, unless you're exceptional at closing distances and grappling, which is what I would personally try for. Forget the sword, try to dodge long enough to catch part of the shaft, and charge in with a knife and knock the guy down if you can. Good luck, though; he'll be moving just as quickly.
I'm not sure I'd label a naginata, or any spear, as particularly tiresome. The Hanwei example, for instance, is a hair over 4.5 pounds. Given that it's a fairly long weapon, used with both hands (as well as the rest of the body) I imagine the balance is very good and provided one uses smooth, fluid movements (like one should) that energy will be very efficient. I wouldn't be surprised if even a first-timer could use a naginata all day long without great fatigue, though in a battlefield environment...hell, you're already worn out just by being there...but so is everybody else, regardless of weapon.
On the other hand, samurai of suitable rank had no such obligations save to follow important people around and practice their martial abilities so they can demonstrate them at the next conflict, so they'd obviously be better than Farmer Joe, though not all took their training as seriously as others.
In modern terms, imagine your typical draftee; just turned 18, got pulled out of high school, given a gun and a uniform and sent off to some unknown place and told to kill people or die trying, versus your 20-year veteran of elite special forces units, expert in all weapons, multiple theaters of conflict, et cetera. That'd be your ashigaru and your high-ranking samurai.
The little guys mostly got on with spears, yari for the most part. Samurai more often trended to the bow, then into swords. Quite a few chose the naginata, and even the forgotten nagamaki.
A favorite bit of lore from Japanese history is the legend of Benkei (and Yoshitsune). Benkei, being a large chap, was famed for his spear, and held off a drove of pursuers, armed with a mixture of bow, spear, and sword, while Yoshitsune and his family fled into their home. Some time into the fierce engagement, one of the attackers suddenly noticed that Benkei, though still standing and very much threatening, was in fact dead, so they pushed into the house to find Yoshitsune had already killed his wife, children, and himself. That is, if I'm remembering the story correctly. Granted, this is more legend than historical document, but I don't doubt its plausibility.
Any pole weapon, especially one equally suited to quick slashing attacks as to thrusting, will be very difficult to face with anything other than a longer pole weapon, unless you're exceptional at closing distances and grappling, which is what I would personally try for. Forget the sword, try to dodge long enough to catch part of the shaft, and charge in with a knife and knock the guy down if you can. Good luck, though; he'll be moving just as quickly.
I'm not sure I'd label a naginata, or any spear, as particularly tiresome. The Hanwei example, for instance, is a hair over 4.5 pounds. Given that it's a fairly long weapon, used with both hands (as well as the rest of the body) I imagine the balance is very good and provided one uses smooth, fluid movements (like one should) that energy will be very efficient. I wouldn't be surprised if even a first-timer could use a naginata all day long without great fatigue, though in a battlefield environment...hell, you're already worn out just by being there...but so is everybody else, regardless of weapon.