Black Colossus

Started by Speelie, Mar 03 2007 02:40 AM

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#61 Ironhand

The Mad Playwright

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Posted 04 October 2012 - 06:07 AM

I have witnessed knife-throwing contests (rather popular in the SCA). In one contest, one of the entrants threw a sword instead of a knife, but the way the rules were set, he was allowed to do this. He won that contest because he hit the target from a much greater range than any of the knife-throwers. A sword tumbles much slower than a knife, and is therefore accurate at a greater distance. Evidently the distance vs accuracy relationship is more based on number of tumbles than on raw distance. But, like a knife, a sword can only lodge point first in the target if it hits the target when it is in that position of its tumble.

This is why you MUST practice with the knife or sword you are going to throw. There is NO way you can simply guess the tumbling properties of a sword or knife without practicing with it - too many variables.

Edited by Ironhand, 04 October 2012 - 06:15 AM.

"Did you deem yourself strong, because you were able to twist the heads off civilized folk, poor weaklings with muscles like rotten string? Hell! Break the neck of a wild Cimmerian bull before you call yourself strong. I did that, before I was a full-grown man...!" - Conan, in "Shadows in Zamboula", by Robert E. Howard
"... you speak of Venarium familiarly. Perhaps you were there?"
"I was," grunted [Conan]. "I was one of the horde that swarmed over the hills. I hadn't yet seen fifteen snows, but already my name was repeated about the council fires." - "Beyond the Black River", by Robert E. Howard

Read my Conan screenplays at The Scrolls of Ironhand (in particular my transcription of THE FROST GIANT'S DAUGHTER in Act II of "The Snow Devil") at
http://www.scrollsof...d.us/index.html or at
http://www.delicious...ic=ConanProject

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#62 deuce

The OG of "Psychotic Maladjustment"

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Posted 04 October 2012 - 06:11 AM

I have witnessed knife-throwing contests (rather popular in the SCA). In one contest, one of the entrants threw a sword instead of a knife, but the way the rules were set, he was allowed to do this. He won that contest because he hit the target from a much greater range than any of the knife-throwers. A sword tumbles much slower than a knife, and is therefore accurate at a greater distance. Evidently the distance vs accuracy relationship is more based on number of tumbles than on raw distance. But, like a knife, a sword can only lodge point first in the target if it hits the target when it is in that position of its tumble.

Cool to hear on-the-ground reporting (as always), IH.

Still, I find Conan throwing his sword to kill Thugra a bit of a let-down (and I love BC).

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#63 Ironhand

The Mad Playwright

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Posted 04 October 2012 - 06:22 AM

Incidentally, this is why a "matched" set of throwing blades is so valuable. The blades in a matched set are actually balanced in the manufacture so that they all tumble exactly the same. So after practicing with one of them, you can throw all of them in rapid succession, and they all behave the same way in flight.

"Did you deem yourself strong, because you were able to twist the heads off civilized folk, poor weaklings with muscles like rotten string? Hell! Break the neck of a wild Cimmerian bull before you call yourself strong. I did that, before I was a full-grown man...!" - Conan, in "Shadows in Zamboula", by Robert E. Howard
"... you speak of Venarium familiarly. Perhaps you were there?"
"I was," grunted [Conan]. "I was one of the horde that swarmed over the hills. I hadn't yet seen fifteen snows, but already my name was repeated about the council fires." - "Beyond the Black River", by Robert E. Howard

Read my Conan screenplays at The Scrolls of Ironhand (in particular my transcription of THE FROST GIANT'S DAUGHTER in Act II of "The Snow Devil") at
http://www.scrollsof...d.us/index.html or at
http://www.delicious...ic=ConanProject

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#64 deuce

The OG of "Psychotic Maladjustment"

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Posted 04 October 2012 - 07:50 AM

NO SWORD THROWING PLEASE.IT DOSENT WORK

Lol, does that ever happen in the originals?

For those wondering, here's the REH quote:

"Thugra Khotan's skull-like countenance split in a mummy-like grin. Conan hesitated; then without warning he threw his sword.
Caught off guard, Thugra Khotan had no time to avoid the cast. The point struck beneath his heart and stood out a foot behind his shoulders."

Support the Robert E. Howard Foundation. It helps you and Robert E. Howard's legacy.