Not sure if its been posted, but somehow this popped up on recommended videos and I thought it was pretty interesting. I don't do HEMA so someone who does can give better insight.
[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYi3xYoT8rs[/media]
pretty weird for a video to compare the fighting style in witcher to something in real life when I assume that a lot of the stuff in the witcher isn't actually practical, but i did learn some interesting things about HEMA though
Most of geralts techniques of course aren't practical in real life but would make more sense in the games world as geralt is indeed a witcher, Stronger, Faster, Than normal humans by a good bit. Still a nice video though, Enjoyed watching regardless of the practicalities pointed out.
the rend example is funny because even in game more often then not you'll just get slashed across the belly when trying it
I wish i could hear this guy speaking over the noise of the wind
Something else about the wide sweeping strikes that would make them more valid is that Witcher's are supposed to be freakishly strong. He even sort of touched on this when talking about the guy who he had trouble defending against in part due to his strength.
Teqhnique is always important, but if you have the ability to simply overpower an opponent, you can force him to be defensive, and that opens up a lot of weird tactics that don't normally work well, but are extremely effective against opponents that are poorer in skill, equipment, or ability. That's true in a lot of physical contact sports. It's just dangerous to totally rely on them because those techniques have a tendency to collapse against someone who is a match for you.
god damn that kendo snippet made me hurt inside.
no real practicioner would ever do something that blatantly screams "just hit me" and i'm wondering if it was being used as an example or if the guy's really new to it.
It is worth noting, that even in universe, some of the Witcher's fighting techniques are considered unusual and impractical for any normal human being. Luckily, Witchers aren't normal human beings.
[QUOTE=Gunner th;50614608]It is worth noting, that even in universe, some of the Witcher's fighting techniques are considered unusual and impractical for any normal human being. Luckily, Witchers aren't normal human beings.[/QUOTE]
Even then, doing spinning flip attacks and anything remotely like that is ludicrously impractical. If you had some mutant with ridiculously freakish strength and speed, he'd rely on techniques much more heavily based on uppercuts, because he'd be so strong he'd destroy his own footing if he ever made a full strength stroke with more than a hint of downwards cutting. Instead, he could do uppercuts so hard that he could literally throw people around.
To bastardize a children's rhyme. If a witcher chopped wood he'd chop so hard he'd do a back flip.
Way easier to just acknowledge that it's pure fantasy and say: It's magic. Ain't gotta explain shit.
[editline]29th June 2016[/editline]
Actually, come to think of it, he really would have limited uses for a sword anyways since he could apply so much power that he'd crush all but the thickest of plate like it was paper. A big ass bar mace or some variation of a war hammer would probably be the weapon of choice. There's no need for cutting things when your blows could casually shatter bones, if not rip limbs off, and a sword is a lot higher maintenance and is simply easier to break.
Hmm. Might explain why swords break so fucking often in Witcher 3. Guess they got something right. :v:
[QUOTE=Gunner th;50614608]It is worth noting, that even in universe, some of the Witcher's fighting techniques are considered unusual and impractical for any normal human being. Luckily, Witchers aren't normal human beings.[/QUOTE]
Geralt's techniques are weird even by other witchers' standards, in the books it's brought up once or twice.
Also it kind of makes sense for Geralt to get super close to his opponents. It only disadvantages them, Geralt's fine.
[QUOTE=gudman;50614706]Geralt's techniques are weird even by other witchers' standards, in the books it's brought up once or twice.
Also it kind of makes sense for Geralt to get super close to his opponents. It only disadvantages them, Geralt's fine.[/QUOTE]
Also it's implied that [sp]after he fought vilgefortz and ended up getting a bum leg and a shattered arm out of the deal he has to adapt his fighting technique some more to compensate for the handicap it left him with.[/sp]
This guys channel is great, also the area (in Poland) he films everything looks fucking beautiful.
[video=youtube;ZUd5Un9s04U]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUd5Un9s04U[/video]
:v:
[QUOTE=Zephyrs;50614633]Actually, come to think of it, he really would have limited uses for a sword anyways since he could apply so much power that he'd crush all but the thickest of plate like it was paper. A big ass bar mace or some variation of a war hammer would probably be the weapon of choice. There's no need for cutting things when your blows could casually shatter bones, if not rip limbs off, and a sword is a lot higher maintenance and is simply easier to break.[/QUOTE]
Aren't witchers basically a little bit better than an equivalent human? Stronger, more stamina, immune to disease and poison. I mean technically superhuman strength, but I didn't realise it was [I]plate armour crushing tier[/I], unless you meant with the assistance of a warhammer/heavy mace.
Sword is a weird choice if you're fighting completely armoured men, but just assume all that damage your dealing with slashes is actually the result of well aimed slashes (for less armoured opponents), thrusts, disorienting strikes all in combination with grappling and creative footwork. Makes a lot more sense that way, and I'm sure the books would probably follow that kind of route.
(disclaimer: never played witcher games, or read the books)
Witchers are strong, but not ridiculously strong, just at the elite level for humans. A sword also makes more sense since they're supposed to be fighting monsters with a versatile weapon rather than carrying a knight-killing weapon.
It is good to see that he can separate the fiction and flash from actual fighting techniques though. Far too many people just play the cynic and claim it's all flash when they couldn't even swing a sword without it flying out of their hands.
If you want flashy stuff in actual fencing you dont really need to look much further than Joachim Meyer
[media]https://youtu.be/wxwGcRXiFkM[/media]
[media]https://youtu.be/mmDT7cvDXh0[/media]
Less spinning but tbh spinning only works if you're in a close bind.
[QUOTE=BeardyDuck;50614529]god damn that kendo snippet made me hurt inside.
no real practicioner would ever do something that blatantly screams "just hit me" and i'm wondering if it was being used as an example or if the guy's really new to it.[/QUOTE]
I don't know man, this guy looks pretty damn skilled with a sword. I don't think you would ever engage with an overhead strike like that but mix it in with other moves. He's just showing it as an example but if done in quick succession with slices and stabs it could be very dangerous.
I don't know much about sword techniques but I still found a new channel to subscribe to! And his accent is awesome.
[QUOTE=G-Strogg;50615521]If you want flashy stuff in actual fencing you dont really need to look much further than Joachim Meyer
[media]https://youtu.be/wxwGcRXiFkM[/media]
[media]https://youtu.be/mmDT7cvDXh0[/media]
Less spinning but tbh spinning only works if you're in a close bind.[/QUOTE]
That doesn't look like actual fencing at all :v:
[QUOTE=Buck.;50615539]I don't know man, this guy looks pretty damn skilled with a sword. I don't think you would ever engage with an overhead strike like that but mix it in with other moves. He's just showing it as an example but if done in quick succession with slices and stabs it could be very dangerous.[/QUOTE]
Beardy is talking about the short kendo clip included in the video as a demo of why spins are silly.
Also, not really spins, but I've seen rearward hanging parries after the defender failed to track (on purpose or otherwise) the aggressor's compass step work once or twice, especially because it was unexpected and the snappy riposte not accounted for. I can't see it working the other way around, you'd be leaving yourself way too open on the offense.
[editline]29th June 2016[/editline]
[QUOTE=Novangel;50616179]That doesn't look like actual fencing at all :v:[/QUOTE]
That'd be because it is German longsword fencing, typically a core for HEMA, and they aren't freely sparring, but demonstrating plays from a fencing manual.
Also on the topic of Meyer, I love how exaggerated the stances in his teachings are.
[QUOTE=Zephyrs;50614495]Something else about the wide sweeping strikes that would make them more valid is that Witcher's are supposed to be freakishly strong. He even sort of touched on this when talking about the guy who he had trouble defending against in part due to his strength.
Teqhnique is always important, but if you have the ability to simply overpower an opponent, you can force him to be defensive, and that opens up a lot of weird tactics that don't normally work well, but are extremely effective against opponents that are poorer in skill, equipment, or ability. That's true in a lot of physical contact sports. It's just dangerous to totally rely on them because those techniques have a tendency to collapse against someone who is a match for you.[/QUOTE]
people forget that geralt and the way he moves is characterization, he's a reckless idiot that more often than not survives on pure luck alone
vesemir comments on this in w3, triss comments on it in w2
peasants comment on how stupid the swords on his back are
[QUOTE=Novangel;50616179]That doesn't look like actual fencing at all :v:[/QUOTE]
Well, it is. Fencing is dependant on it's context, also, of course. Unless you think of olympic fencing, of course.
[QUOTE=Buck.;50615539]I don't know man, this guy looks pretty damn skilled with a sword. I don't think you would ever engage with an overhead strike like that but mix it in with other moves. He's just showing it as an example but if done in quick succession with slices and stabs it could be very dangerous.[/QUOTE]
i was talking about the kendo clip.
[editline]29th June 2016[/editline]
also the (proper) overhead stance he uses is also one of the starting stances in kendo.
I was always under the impression (having only played two of the Witcher games anyway) that the Witchers fight with just pure ferocity. They don't have to have perfectly refined sword techniques because they are freakishly strong and have all sorts of mutations to make up for what seems to be poor swordsmanship.
[QUOTE=G-Strogg;50617358]Well, it is. Fencing is dependant on it's context, also, of course. Unless you think of olympic fencing, of course.[/QUOTE]
I meant it just looked like the dude was showing off his moves, the other guy wasn't doing anything.
[QUOTE=BeardyDuck;50617431]i was talking about the kendo clip.
[editline]29th June 2016[/editline]
also the (proper) overhead stance he uses is also one of the starting stances in kendo.[/QUOTE]
Oh, sorry.
[QUOTE=Novangel;50620026]I meant it just looked like the dude was showing off his moves, the other guy wasn't doing anything.[/QUOTE]
Context here was that they were training on forms, as described by the renaissance master Joachim Meyer.
[media]https://youtu.be/G3wfet9yxsE[/media]
Here's a clip where they do free sparring albeit a bit slower than usual since they're not having protection.
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