Difference between revisions of "Premodern Weaponry and Armor"

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*'''Clubs''': The club is most likely the first weapon ever to be used, with club use being observed in chimpanzees. A long, narrow, ridid object which can be carried in hand to hit enemies, a club causes damage with blunt trauma. Clubs generally give an edge over an unarmed oppenent, but inflicting a leathal blow with a club can be quite difficult. However, clubs can be effective at subdoing opponents without killing them. Outside quick improvised weapons, clubs are still used today in the form of truncheons for that reason.
*'''Clubs''': The club is most likely the first weapon ever to be used, with club use being observed in chimpanzees. A long, narrow, ridid object which can be carried in hand to hit enemies, a club causes damage with blunt trauma. Clubs generally give an edge over an unarmed oppenent, but inflicting a leathal blow with a club can be quite difficult. However, clubs can be effective at subdoing opponents without killing them. Outside quick improvised weapons, clubs are still used today in the form of truncheons for that reason.
*'''Maces''': The mace is a more refined version of the club, having some sort of head made of stone or metal to make impacts more damaging. Some maces have spikes to increase pressure at the point of impact. Maces became popular after the development of plate armor, as their impacts could cause concussions or shatter bones without penetrating the armor.
*'''Maces''': The mace is a more refined version of the club, having some sort of head made of stone or metal to make impacts more damaging. Some maces have spikes to increase pressure at the point of impact. Maces became popular after the development of plate armor, as their impacts could cause concussions or shatter bones without penetrating the armor.
*'''Spears''': A spear is a long rod with a point on the end. The first spears were simple pointed sticks. Improved versions had their tips hardened by burning them, sharpening and then by attaching stone (and later metal) points to improve penetration. As spears were easy to manufacture, had non-military applications in hunting and fishing, and required relatively small amounts of metal, they became the most common form of weapon used by early civilizations. Among the most effective use of spears is the "spear wall", in which spearmen would stand side-by-side with their weapons pointing forward to resist charges (particularly cavalry charges).
*'''Spears''': A spear is a long rod with a point on the end. The first spears were simple pointed sticks. Improved versions had their tips hardened by burning them, sharpening and then by attaching stone (and later metal) points to improve penetration. As spears were easy to manufacture, had non-military applications in hunting and fishing, and required relatively small amounts of metal, they became the most common form of weapon used by early civilizations. Among the most effective use of spears is the "spear wall", in which spearmen would stand side-by-side with their weapons pointing forward to resist charges (particularly cavalry charges). The longest spears, known as pikes, could be longer than six meters.
*'''Axes''': Bladed wedges on handles, axes have applications both as tools and as weapons of war. They can deliver a concentrated cutting strike focused on a small area, making them useful against armor. That said, they are inprecise.
*'''Axes''': Bladed wedges on handles, axes have applications both as tools and as weapons of war. They can deliver a concentrated cutting strike focused on a small area, making them useful against armor. That said, they are inprecise.
*'''[[Sword]]s''': A long blade that can be used for cutting or thrusting.
*'''[[Sword]]s''': A long blade that can be used for cutting or thrusting.

Revision as of 16:56, 15 December 2011

This is an index of weapons which have their origins before the widespread use of gunpowder.

Melee Weapons

  • Clubs: The club is most likely the first weapon ever to be used, with club use being observed in chimpanzees. A long, narrow, ridid object which can be carried in hand to hit enemies, a club causes damage with blunt trauma. Clubs generally give an edge over an unarmed oppenent, but inflicting a leathal blow with a club can be quite difficult. However, clubs can be effective at subdoing opponents without killing them. Outside quick improvised weapons, clubs are still used today in the form of truncheons for that reason.
  • Maces: The mace is a more refined version of the club, having some sort of head made of stone or metal to make impacts more damaging. Some maces have spikes to increase pressure at the point of impact. Maces became popular after the development of plate armor, as their impacts could cause concussions or shatter bones without penetrating the armor.
  • Spears: A spear is a long rod with a point on the end. The first spears were simple pointed sticks. Improved versions had their tips hardened by burning them, sharpening and then by attaching stone (and later metal) points to improve penetration. As spears were easy to manufacture, had non-military applications in hunting and fishing, and required relatively small amounts of metal, they became the most common form of weapon used by early civilizations. Among the most effective use of spears is the "spear wall", in which spearmen would stand side-by-side with their weapons pointing forward to resist charges (particularly cavalry charges). The longest spears, known as pikes, could be longer than six meters.
  • Axes: Bladed wedges on handles, axes have applications both as tools and as weapons of war. They can deliver a concentrated cutting strike focused on a small area, making them useful against armor. That said, they are inprecise.
  • Swords: A long blade that can be used for cutting or thrusting.
  • Daggers: A dagger is a short knife designed for combat, usually sharp on both sides. Used for close quarters fighting or as a backup weapon.
  • Polearms Polearms are similar to spears in that they have long handles, often up to two meters long. They differ from spears in that their heads have more than just a thrusting point. Polearms can have blades, hooks, and allowing them to chop and slash as well as pierce. Some examples of Halberds are the English Billhook and the Japanese Naginata.

Ranged Weapons

  • Javelins: A javelin is a light short spear intended for throwing. Javelins were used for hunting and for warfare, notably by the Greek Peltast skirmishers and Roman Legionaries, as well as by vikings and Spanish Jinetes. These weapons were limited in use by the fact that the maximum effective range of a Javelin was comparitvely short and only a small number of Javelins could be carried at one time.
  • Slings A simple pouch on a length of string. A small stone or lead weight was placed into said pouch and the pouch was sun around quickly to build up centrifical force. The projectile could build up considerable speed, but had little penetrative power against metal armor or shields. Their use as major weapons ended petered out in the last centuries Before the Common Era and were relegated mostly to hunting and fighting.
  • Bows: A bow generates forces by bending and releasing a piece of wood. An attached string propels an arrow toward the target.
  • Crossbows: A crossbow is similar to a bow, but it uses a stiffer piece of wood or metal bow that requires mechanical assistance to bend.

Siege Weapons

  • Battering Rams: At its most basic form, a log carried by several personnel used to break through walls and doors, typically gates at walls. Later battering rams became more complex, including metal caps to inflict more damage, wheeled frames for carrying larger rams, and screens made of hide or wood to defend those operating the ram.
  • Catapults: A catapult builds tension in ropes to create force to operate a lever that propels a projectile.
  • Trebuchets: A trebuchet uses a falling counterweight to operate the lever that propels the projectile.
  • Siege Towers: A siege tower is a wooden tower that can be moved to the wall of a fortification, allowing hostile troops to access the top of the wall.

Armor

  • Helmets: A helmet is a specialized hat that protects the wearer from head injury.
  • Shields Shields are hand held barriers. Shields ranged in size from small to large barriers that could screen most of a human body. Shields were made out a variety of materials including leather or cloth on wooden frames, wickerwork, wood or metal. Shields were most effective by lining up soldiers into a shield wall. Shields could often be used offensively, generally to stun, disrupt or disorient an enemy. Shields are still use today by riot control units.
  • Cloth Armor Armor coposed of quilted or padded textiles was used by various civilizations. This armor was cheap to make, but lacked in terms of durability. It was mostly used by primitive civilizations such as the ancient egyptians and the aztecs. It was also worn under plate armor to offer protection by cushioning impacts.
  • Scale Armor
  • Chainmail
  • Brigandine
  • Plate Armor