Weapons That Made Great Britain

**Zild** · 10-25-2004, 17:19

I just thought I'd share this with you for anybody who's interested...

A few months back, UK TV company Channel Four was showing a series called "Weapons That Made Great Britain". The show basically looked at the development of weapons (and armour) during medieval times, in particular those that had a direct effect on Great Britain. It also included some interesting things about how tactics developed with the weapons.

The show was very interesting, with a variety of demonstrations, historical pieces of equipment and so on. Also worth noting is that the presenter was (I'm almost certain) the presenter from the BBC series "Time Commanders", a show which was using parts of the Rome: Total War engine a good while ago (it had potential but the pace of the show was horribly slow for my liking). I don't think this guy did these shows just for the money - he seems to be a real enthusiast for historic warfare! In "Weapons That Made Great Britain" he rides horses and uses many of the weapons (and armour) he talks about in the show.

I caught the shows entitled "Lance" which was all about the development of the spear (I personally found this a little unfair to spears!) and the one about armour - which also included quite a bit about polearms. I may have caught some others too (would have loved to see one about bows and/or crossbows).

Perhaps the highlight of the show was when he threw a spear at his assistance... Highly recommended for anybody who frequents these forums!

(And if anybody has seen/heard this guy anywhere else, I'd be very interested to know - I'm sure I recognise him from somewhere else!)

**PFJ_bejazuz** · 10-26-2004, 04:44

if we're on about the same bloke (not the fat main presenter) but the weapons expert guy - i think he's from the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds

**TonkaToys** · 10-26-2004, 08:44

I think he is a stunt man and weapons adviser to the movies as well... hang on... Google... Ah ha! The guy's name is Mike Loades, he was on Time Commanders for a short while and the programme has a pretty good website...
http://www.channel4.com/history/micr...ons/index.html

**Tyburn JIG** · 10-26-2004, 10:26

Cheers for the link TonkaToys....good read.

I caught a few of the programs namely longbows,swords & lances.

A top series and no mistake.....most entertaining. :)

**econ21** · 10-28-2004, 00:50

I saw the longbow and sword ones, missed the lance. What happened when the presenter threw his spear at his assistant? I've read javelin's have great armour piercing properties, so it sounds a little perilous!

**Zild** · 10-28-2004, 08:34

I wish I saw longbows... they are easily one of my favourite weapons.

I think the clip of him throwing a spear/javelin at his assistant was used in more than one episode, actually - it may have been included in the opening credits, so you may actually have seen it anyway - although I'd be surprised if you forgot about it!

His assistant was holding a wooden shield to block the spear, and I assume the spear was aimed at it and thrown with little force from a very short range. Even so, the shield was easily less than 2ft in diameter, and I would not have wanted to be the one holding it! The spear/javelin stuck in the shield and stayed there - I was rather impressed by that. Would a small wooden shield have been much use as a defence against javelins?

Other highlights of Lance were lessons on how to use a lance properly (most people these days would struggle with just riding a horse!), a look at how the lance itself developed, with braces to go against the shoulder and even nifty carrying handles, and also a look at the use of sears by Scottish troops, who would form their spearmen into circles that could not be penetrated by cavalry from any side, but could march safely around the battlefield in formation. Can't remember the name of the formation, but it would be nice to see such a unit in MTW :)

**Sinner** · 10-28-2004, 09:25

The formation is called the Schiltron. While the dense ranks of spearmen were able to fend off mounted charges it did reduce the formation's mobility - they had to keep in rank and so allow for men having to walk sideways and backwards - plus it presented a massive target to the English longbowmen.

**Zild** · 10-28-2004, 10:25

That's the one! I just felt it was an interesting unit worth considering for MTW. Any idea where the name came from?

***Ringo*** · 10-28-2004, 10:58

Originally Posted by Sinner

The formation is called the Schiltron.

That thing was ace! Good show also, needed a surprising amount of discipline to be effective. Saw the Long bow one too, very nice! Looks like your the only person in the country who didn't see that one, Zild!

*Ringo*