Guild Wars 2

Weird Weapons of the Middle Ages – Part 1 (History Channel)

Basically a guy in plate armor was invincible unless you could overwhelm him with numbers…. that is until guns improved. Then armor of that type became useless, worst than useless it slowed you down and made you an easy target.

The show is pretty terrible. The host is a stuntman and pretends he knows something about real fighting and real weapons.

Video was fun.

According to wiki, to beat through full plate armors, before the evolution of “accurate” high power firearms (and bullets), you could use the evolution of a 2hander sword, which had no cutting edge at all and acted as a pike.

One of its designs, “a hand and a half”, the blade was actually rhombic and 2/3s of the rest of the blade was made to keep a hand on and use it in leverage. Those swords was sturdy enough, long enough and heavy enough to manage a stab on the plate. You could also grab the sword from the point end and use it as a hammer, crashing the sword guard on the opponent.

The evolution of the evolution of 2hander swords were types of polearms, even longer and more suited to fight en-masse the plate users. Those fitted with a small axe or bludgeon edge (and a puncture/grip end on the other side) were very effective due to longer reach, weight – if u use it as a bludgeon or the accute point at the end to penetrate.

ewww @ all the debby downer replies

learn to enjoy things in life geez

morale of the thread = add polearms as a weapon

Sigil of Godendag

Whenever you wield a polearm, you get a 100% chance to yell “Godendag” whenever you deal a critical hit.

Parakeet.6083:

Basically a guy in plate armor was invincible unless you could overwhelm him with numbers…. that is until guns improved. Then armor of that type became useless, worst than useless it slowed you down and made you an easy target.

No.

Armor and weapons are a constantly evolving stream of change. Plate doesn’t make you invincible, and weapons constantly evolved to counter improvements in armor.

See also: Agincourt.

Also it is being said that offensive capabilities of human war industry are one step ahead of defensive ones. Basically you have heavy caliber bullets, rocket propeled grenades, grenade launchers, devastating frag grenades all acessible to mere infrantry. On the opposite side you have up to point-4 balistic armor, that can stop up to 4-5 AK-47 bullets (but they can’t hit the same place or they’ll penetrate the armor).
So basically you have crazy fire-power, but very little protection from it.
Same applies to cold weaponry.

mthomas.2763

See also: Agincourt.

Longbows were only penetrating in the visors and other weak points of the plate armour and most of the killing happened in the melee. Mainly all the longbow did that day was kill non-barded horses.

Madtavish.9037

Same applies to cold weaponry.

No, the offensive and defensive technologies each have times where they dominate. Currently offensive weapons are ahead but armour and countermeasures are improving and soon they’ll be ahead again.

Guild Wars 2 balance isn’t like this though, currently extreme burst and extreme bunkers dominate.

That was sweet. Thanks for the post. I had medieval weapons training when I worked at the Ren Fair. Brutal stuff. Loved it.

Heavy armor protects well against slashing weapons but I would imagine force from blunt weapons like hammers would cause some real pain. Its like driving car and crashing against wall, metal will protect you but sheer force of impact will do nasty damage to you.

I want a two handed axe !!!!

Parakeet.6083:

Basically a guy in plate armor was invincible unless you could overwhelm him with numbers…. that is until guns improved. Then armor of that type became useless, worst than useless it slowed you down and made you an easy target.

crossbows, designed to puncture heavy plate and required very little skill to use.

well too bad in GW2 warrior go down pretty fast as if warrior wears foil armor compare to the youtube video