Re: (TFT) But I want to charge with my javelin...

[raito@raito.com]

Armour is under powered in general. There are accounts from the 1420's
bemoaning the fact that rich young guys don't bother learning to parry,
because 2 handed weapons don't injure through good armour. So the entire
system is off. It's just a mechanic, and I've gotten over it.

If the historical accounts are accurate, plate should be proof against
pretty much every weapon, except on double and triple damage, and then the
weapon should only do normal damage against the armour's protection. The
rub is that defeating armour is possible, but the techniques aren't what
you think they are, based more on wrestling than striking with the weapon.

Historically, shields fell out of favor due to advances in armour. By the
1300's they were on their way out for foot combat, replaced by the pollaxe
and the like. A hundred years later pollaxe was seen as vigorous execise,
and not very dangerous. This led to an increase in grappling techniques
(which TFT is also weak at). Look up a translation of Jeu de la Hache for
an example of an armoured combat martial art. Or look up Fiore de Liberi
for examples of unarmed and armed arts.

TFT is greatly simplified.

Neil Gilmore
raito@raito.com

> Is it just me, or are shields comparatively underpowered? Considering
> how widespread they were in various militaries throughout the world, and
> how widespread they aren't among player-characters, it seems like
> something's off.
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