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Sling and buckler. (Read 8088 times)
timann
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Sling and buckler.
Dec 28th, 2014 at 1:10pm
 
I once made a sling-and-strapped-shield video but have intended to make a video with a centergrip shield as  soon as I came around to make such a shield.  This seem to not happen any time soon but today I borrowed a buckler from a friend and had a quick go at it.  It went pretty well, it`s not all that difficult, or slow, to load the sling while holding on to the grip. With a little practice this should work wery well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPtDT-LWeaw
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Thearos
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Re: Sling and buckler.
Reply #1 - Dec 28th, 2014 at 1:29pm
 
Nice-- but could you keep the buckler high in front of you ? (which is the point of the buckler, after all).
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timann
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Reply #2 - Dec 28th, 2014 at 2:13pm
 
Yes, Thearos, I could.  Remember I only did this for a few minutes with a borrowed buckler, and had to begin with developing the basic loading tecnique.  I did some attempts at keeping the buckler up while loading, it should be easy to do it consitantly with some practice.  It would be harder to keep it in place during the throw itself, but it should be quite possible, though it seemed to me it would hamper the body movement, and therefore power, a bit.  But any slinger who ever NEED a buckler would adapt to keep it up, because it`s, as you say, the point of having it.
Smiley
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Thearos
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Reply #3 - Dec 28th, 2014 at 4:33pm
 
Very interesting. I've never slung with a shield (I have a buckler so I'll try), but I find convincing the idea that if you keep the shield up DURING RELEASE, you impair the shot.

So why have a shield at all during slinging ? (the evidence is of course on Trajan's Column; I can't think of any Greek images). I assume for two or three reasons:

(0. To allow you to fight hand to hand if necessary);

1. To keep you safe from missiles when moving around or when reloading;

2. To give you some protection when preparing your shoot and aiming.

In other words, I'd imagine the gestures as follows: when winding-up, hold the shield high in front of you (against any incoming); when shooting, pivot the shield out of the way; raise shield after shot, relocate, and reload under cover of shield (especially to protect head).

The alternative is to practice shooting with the shield held in front, so that moving, loading, winding-up and shooting all happen with the shield interposed btw you and the enemy-- at the cost of some possible loss in power. One way of doing this but not lose any power might be by still rotating the body, but keeping the shield in its place (so that at the start of the shot, the shield is held out in front by the left arm, but by the end of the shot, the left arm is coiled up and the shield is now located hard by the right breast).
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timann
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Re: Sling and buckler.
Reply #4 - Dec 28th, 2014 at 5:12pm
 
Yes, your last alternative seem like the natural way (after I tested it with some easy dryfiring) .  The buckler gives less protection in that short moment when it`s close in toward the chest but that`s the price to pay for being able to use the sling in an effective way. 
An important point; I used tennis-ball-size rubber balls in the video.  Stones (and glandes) would be smaller and easier to manage along with he buckler`s grip, and make loading the sling even more effortless.
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AncientCraftwork
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Re: Sling and buckler.
Reply #5 - Dec 29th, 2014 at 11:45am
 
The best armour is not getting hit in the first place! Smiley
But a buckler is still cool.
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All Glory to God forever and ever, amen
 
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Bill Skinner
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Reply #6 - Dec 29th, 2014 at 11:59am
 
David did the same thing, he reloaded with his ammo on the ground in front of him, he was still faster than a couple of archers, he could throw faster than they could draw and shoot.  His buckler was about twice the size of yours but still on the smaller side for a shield for the time period.  (Late Bronze, early Iron Age.
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timann
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Reply #7 - Dec 29th, 2014 at 2:03pm
 
I had some more practice with the buckler before I gave it back to its owner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgDms-1vEHo

I have of course seen (and learned) from David Morningstars video, I have really wanted to try out slinging with a centergrip shield since I saw his video.
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Thearos
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Reply #8 - Dec 29th, 2014 at 3:18pm
 
Nice and graceful slinging. Next step: try this with someone throwing snowballs at you.
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timann
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Re: Sling and buckler.
Reply #9 - Dec 29th, 2014 at 4:18pm
 
Now that, Thearos, was a great idea Smiley
I`m not sure I can make it happen but I`ll try.  Bet that would be an interesting challenge.



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Jaegoor
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Re: Sling and buckler.
Reply #10 - Dec 29th, 2014 at 4:47pm
 
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Thearos
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Reply #11 - Dec 29th, 2014 at 5:46pm
 
It's a tactical problem--

Try once without buckler, i.e. relying on your wits, on superior range and hitting power, and on relocating often (hence outshooting your opponent before he can come within hand-throwing range), and once with the buckler, i.e, using the buckler to swat away any incoming (which should allow you to get within a close enough range that the sling will give you enormous snowpower advantage).

As we've all seen, you're a very accurate slinger, so the question is whether you get better results (i.e. taking out your hand-throwing opponent) with or without.

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timann
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Re: Sling and buckler.
Reply #12 - Dec 30th, 2014 at 4:07am
 
There is no doubt Jaegoor can manage the sling and shield combo wery well.  While slinging I think I`d prefer his small shield over a buckler.

Good suggestions, Thearos.  Right now it`s to cold for snowballs but if it the weather allows it I`ll try to gather a buckler and a snowball thrower and have at it.
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Thearos
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Reply #13 - Dec 30th, 2014 at 6:39am
 
Nice mix of styles in the vid. I remember the Lecuyer amphora, showing the same thing as the vid: if left arm is shielding, the sling hangs loose behind the body as a starting point for rotations.
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Jaegoor
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Re: Sling and buckler.
Reply #14 - Dec 30th, 2014 at 8:17am
 
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