Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

Scott,

You may want to consider the 1HCW option such as the NWW lists for
mounted Samurai. In the early period, not only was the Japanese
longbow in use while mounted but also the Tachi sword was in use.
This had a straighter and longer blade that was designed to be used
from horseback. Training was common in using the Tachi from horseback
and I feel its effect was greater than a side arm due to superior
blade making and its actual use with both hands from horseback
(unique to the Samurai, I believe). While more effective than most
weapons from horseback, Tachi will not be as effective as a 2HCW on
foot due to limited leverage while riding.

Also, I feel that the naginata was also used similar to a lance from
horseback. While not having the same impact as a medieval lance, it
certainly had similar impact to other ancient lances. Maybe a list
rule allowing its use only as a front rank weapon? I know that
mounted Samurai can wedge though and this may negate the effect I am
trying to get at here. Also, Samurai did train in swinging the
Naginata from horseback. A little known fact is that trained Samurai
do and did use the tip of the sword. A naginata has a blade similar
to the katana. (modern Cold Steel brand tantos have been tested to
pierce ¼" plate steel; modern tantos are NOT as well tempered as
Samurai blades; ergo, point design of Japanese blades are VERY
effective) If this was not an effective weapon from horseback, then
why was it in continued use after the Mongol invasions and the Korean
invasion from Japan in the 16th century? I don't buy that Japanese
would not have switched to lances because of these encounters if they
were not as or more effective. The Samurai readily adopted hand guns
when they first came from the Dutch and Spanish.

I will also disagree with what has been written regarding the
effectiveness of the Samurai longbow. Most westerners feel that it
did not have the effectiveness or penetration of the English longbow.
This is based on Japanese illustrations showing Samurai with multiple
arrows jutting out from their armor. This only proves that arrows
were either shot at extreme distances or had non-armor piercing tips

However, I feel that it should be classed better than a bow for the
following reasons:

- Bow length is long and pull strength approaches English longbow
Japanese longbow has grip 1/3rd from bottom to accommodate greater
length when used from horseback.
- Bow is composite in nature and has tremendous arrow velocity
- Arrows were tipped with various heads. Some are armor piercing and
others are specialty such as wide heads for cutting power instead of
penetration (great against the lesser armed Ashigaru)
- Arrows are of greater length than standard bow arrows and carry
more penetration because of this
- Penetration of later Samurai armor by arrows cannot be used as a
guide. Armor of later manufacture was fire hardened and lacquered. A
good breastplate of the later Samurai periods (with the intro of
gunpowder) was tested using a hand gun. As a matter of fact, no self-
respecting Samurai bought armor in this period that did not have a
ding from testing with a hand gun!

So what am I suggesting regarding Japanese longbow? I suggest
classification as longbow on foot (due to ability to arc shots for
greater distances) and classing as bow while mounted (due to more
shallow trajectory, less massed effect than on foot and general less
effectiveness while mounted).

Individually, Samurai have little to no equal as warriors. I don't
feel that current lists reflect the superior weapons training of
these warriors. Morale grade does help but does not accurately
reflect their effective use of unique weaponry (Longbow, Tachi, and
Naginata respectively)

You may ask where I get all this information? I have been a martial
arts student off and on for over 30 years, an instructor for about 10
years and a black belt for 8 years. I also am a former Kendo student
and have studied the Samurai for about 14 years as an amateur
historian. The information on the Tachi can be found in most good
Samurai sword books and use of the naginata and sword from horseback
is well illustrated in many Japanese paintings. There are many
televised documentaries that air on the History and Learning Channel
that illustrate Samurai weapons as well. I also have a small library
that contains much of the above information as well has
having "surfed" my share of the WWW.

Chris Tebo


--- In WarriorRules@yahoogroups.com, "Holder, Scott"
<Scott.Holder@f...> wrote:
> My main question, and I ask only because I don't have the rules
handy, is the
> use of 2HCW by the HC? Possible or just extra unused points?
>
> >If they dismount, they get the 2HCW. I'm guessing, and that's all
it is at this point, it that we'll have some list rules regarding
Samurai dismounting but don't quote me on that.
>
> scott