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Post by Otagiri Tatsuzou on Oct 10, 2004 22:26:24 GMT -5
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Post by raito on Oct 11, 2004 14:48:27 GMT -5
If I were the katana guy, I'd be leaning toward the boild in oil So what you have are 5 guys, presenting themselves in reverse order of weapons length. The guy with the shortest weapon is in the middle. It may be that you are thinking that all your fighters will be hitting at the same range, that is, that all 5 may hit the same targets. That thinking may be correct, but... As the fighters are at dfferent distance from the enemy, the one closest will die first (the katana). He will not be able to execute your strategy of of protecting the Yaris from long range attack. Rather, the yari will have to keep the pointman alive. If such a formation were coming for me, the point is the first guy I'd gack. He's closest, I can strike at him with impunity, and if he dies, he does the most diversion to the rest of the unit. He's not going to get close enough to the shields to bind them up, and if he does, he's going to get hit from a lot of angles. If your lance is to fight at a trot, use mobility instead of binding to kill. Use oblique movement and refusing to create the space that the spear needs to kill with. Under no circumstances should a yari fighter be changing weapons. That takes time, and one can very effectively defend another mobile fighter with a spear. Let's say that I have 5 mobile fighters, armed as you describe. I would likely put them in this order: katana, yari, naginata, yari, naginata. The katana would be the leader, specifying which direction to move, which target to hit, and intercepting closing fighters. In normal fighting, the yaris would be a half-step forward, with the maginata's fending off thrusts (the only thing that should be able to get the distance), and stepping forward only when intercepted, to bind for another. The slight separation of the yari, with a naginata between, allows for more oblique angles for teamwork between the yari. I would never have the unit close closer than the end of the yari's range to anyone. This is very similar to what happened this year t WW, except for the trotting part. Most of the fighting took place in a couple gaps in a wall, where I was able to just step a bit out from the line and have my way with the yari. If I was charged, I stepped back, binding, and the rest of the line killed them. I should note that I am currently unable to execute my ideal strategy, as I physically can't sprint right now (bad ankle). When I was able to run, I still used spear.
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Post by Yamamori on Oct 14, 2004 0:53:46 GMT -5
...only when we participate in SCA combat. One can imagine non-SCA meetings with LARPS... Funny you shoud mention that... There's a big re-enactment battle going on over here in Japan next spring, in armor, at (I believe) what's left of a castle. Our local group has been invited, and we're going to do a demo of SCA fighting after. Anyone who wants to come over is welcome to come over. Anyone with decent-looking armor is invited to participate. Anybody interested? Yamamori/ Corrius
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Post by OgamiBusho on Jan 27, 2005 17:26:20 GMT -5
I know it's been quite a while since the last post on this topic, but I'd like to throw in one small thing.
A very long time a go I wrote a manual for small unit tactics in the SCA. At the time most people thought that an organized unit was impractical. (This was the dark ages of the SCA, understand.) Now there are a large number of people who feel that Japanese warfare is impossible in a largely European context. I beg to differ.
The katana can a fine open warfare weapon if you use it correctly. My squires and I have used katana in mass warfare for the last 24 years or so, and have had little (if any) difficulty being an effective fighting unit. I can't count the times we've butchered whole (European) units which were larger than us and not even lost an arm, much less a person.
The key is, of course, is to use the unit in such a way that your advantages are maximized and the enemy's advantages are minimized.
Only attack when and where your death with serve a worthwhile purpose. He thrives on organization. Disorganize him. Never attack the front where he is strong and where his kill zone is. If he has long weapons, close quickly and violently. If he has short weapons, be beside him. Leave quickly when (and if) he begins to reorganize.
And so on. Read Sun-tzu. It's all there. But my point is that the weapon is irrelevant. What matters is how it is understood and used. Approached correctly, a unit armed only with tanto could take out a shield wall.
There. That's my two cents. -Ogami
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Post by ishikawa on Feb 3, 2005 10:35:10 GMT -5
Otagari-dono,
I'd be interested in drilling these tactics whenever you're up for it. Still finishing up the do and shikiro however.
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Post by Otagiri Tatsuzou on Feb 4, 2005 10:49:51 GMT -5
Otagari-dono, I'd be interested in drilling these tactics whenever you're up for it. Still finishing up the do and shikiro however. Standby, Ishikawa-dono! Be prepared!
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Post by Ishikawa Uchimitsu on Apr 28, 2005 14:30:14 GMT -5
Well, there's alot more than just two of us Otagiri-dono.. I was advised to get a european-centric name first, then get the japanese appropriate names later.
*shrugs* We have two in Arquelle now, possibly a third. And If all goes well one more joining us in Dragonspine.
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Hiroyuki
New Member
"Yamamura Masutarou Hiroyuki"
Posts: 165
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Post by Hiroyuki on Apr 28, 2005 18:09:30 GMT -5
And you know I of course would love to participate too!
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Post by raito on Apr 28, 2005 22:00:40 GMT -5
Well, there's alot more than just two of us Otagiri-dono.. I was advised to get a european-centric name first, then get the japanese appropriate names later. Why bother? If Japanese is what you're interested in, you should just do that.
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Saionji Shonagon
New Member
One dreamed of becoming somebody. Another remained awake and became. (Found in a fortune cookie.)
Posts: 7,240
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Post by Saionji Shonagon on Apr 28, 2005 22:53:31 GMT -5
Yeah, but some of us actually enjoy Multiple Persona Disorder. ;->
She who is STILL not a Ninja BOD Spy.
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Post by Ishikawa Uchimitsu on May 2, 2005 10:44:36 GMT -5
Why bother? If Japanese is what you're interested in, you should just do that. Well, that's what I ended up doing Talked to the herald last week, and opted not to register my viking name/device, and just to register with my japanese name/mon for now
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Post by Ishikawa Uchimitsu on May 2, 2005 10:46:47 GMT -5
And you know I of course would love to participate too! Always welcome. Btw, got my kote finished this weekend. Bwahahahahaha.
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Hiroyuki
New Member
"Yamamura Masutarou Hiroyuki"
Posts: 165
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Post by Hiroyuki on May 2, 2005 11:49:14 GMT -5
Oustanding Ishikawa-dono... I look forward to meeting you on the field!
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Post by Ishikawa Uchimitsu on May 2, 2005 14:50:38 GMT -5
Ok back to formations. Instead of having one katana guy, we could easily go with a couple of Ono wielders, or skirmishers up front to engage others before they hit the Yari formation. Also having a single archer with a group of spears would do wonders. At Baron's war this last year I saw in several instances where an archer was able to force a shield formation to turtle up, just by pointing his loaded bow towards them.
thoughts?
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Post by Ishikawa Yoshimasa on May 27, 2005 22:15:09 GMT -5
Ok back to formations. Instead of having one katana guy, we could easily go with a couple of Ono wielders, or skirmishers up front to engage others before they hit the Yari formation. Also having a single archer with a group of spears would do wonders. At Baron's war this last year I saw in several instances where an archer was able to force a shield formation to turtle up, just by pointing his loaded bow towards them. thoughts? archery is not usable in all places, but wherever possibly in my often not so humble opinion adding a couple archers to the group will make it FAR more effective. I believe have read somehwere that the syrians used to use small 4 man units of 2 shieldmen, a polearm and an archer as thier base unit... in my opinion adapting that to our purposes would be something to the effect of a nice mix of poles and spears with 1/4 - 1/2 as many archers as heavies... have every man carry a daisho or atleast one good sword each as sidearms. MOBILITY would be the key to survival unless your mission is to defned a fortification. at lance level maybe 2-3 poles 1-2 speers (4 men) and an archer. for a full squad4-6 poles supported by 3-4 spears and 2-3 archers for a full company (platoon level) use 3 of those squad size units plus a captain armed with atleast a daisho possibly a polearm and his banner bearer (armed with daisho) I realise this is not exactly japanese formations, but it would work in most of the SCA melees I have seen Iwakawa
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