Scottish Targe for Wilderness Skirmishing

Western(esse) Martial Arts / Numenorean Martial Arts....

Combat and self-defense in Middle-earth

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Harper
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Scottish Targe for Wilderness Skirmishing

Post by Harper »

The Scottish Targe seems like it would be a good choice for wilderness skirmishing. It is lighter and smaller than some of its larger cousins which makes it more mobile and easier to lug around. Of course, those qualities are also limitations.

While a shield has desirable qualities for one-on-one combat, I think a its primary strengths lie in its uses as a defense against missile fire and in formation work. The smaller size of a targe makes it less desirable for use in both of these applications.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the shield for Rangering (unless you have a horse). Neither was Aragorn. It's hard to carry a shield when you are also equipped with your arms and kit. Open warfare is, of course, the exception.

If said warfare was waged in the form of wilderness skirmishing, would you go with a targe or something bigger?
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Ursus
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Re: Scottish Targe for Wilderness Skirmishing

Post by Ursus »

Harper wrote:The Scottish Targe seems like it would be a good choice for wilderness skirmishing. It is lighter and smaller than some of its larger cousins which makes it more mobile and easier to lug around. Of course, those qualities are also limitations.

While a shield has desirable qualities for one-on-one combat, I think a its primary strengths lie in its uses as a defense against missile fire and in formation work. The smaller size of a targe makes it less desirable for use in both of these applications.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the shield for Rangering (unless you have a horse). Neither was Aragorn. It's hard to carry a shield when you are also equipped with your arms and kit. Open warfare is, of course, the exception.

If said warfare was waged in the form of wilderness skirmishing, would you go with a targe or something bigger?
I cant speak for everyone else but I would never advocate carrying a shield or buckler in the woods unless I was with others in a large unit action. Like you I consider it best suited to formational fighting and missile defense. When I think of ranger woodland combat I assume several things. 1. I'm likely alone. 2. I think a ranger would seldom be engaging a single opponent. Of course every fighter will be different. My students help me train regularly for what we call "crowd control" which is the use of tactics, fitness, skill and intuition for handling two or more opponents. Its possible, but not recommended, to handle a small group of assailants in armed combat. For me personally? I count on well laid ambushes with my bow and exhaust every other option before closing hand to hand. When the time comes to close and I have suitable ground its longsword all the way. It is the shield as well as a sword, spear, mace, hammer, and for wider blades like mine even something of an axe. I've always viewed a shield as one more thing for me to grasp, wrench, and grapple on an opponent. As an example, Its not uncommon when facing center grip shields for me to hanging block across my body and quickly grasp the bottom of the shield rim with my left hand and fling into my opponents face before cutting around to the neck.
"Lonely men are we, Rangers of the wild, hunters – but hunters ever of the servants of the Enemy."

“My cuts, short or long, don’t go wrong.”
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Ringulf
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Re: Scottish Targe for Wilderness Skirmishing

Post by Ringulf »

I have my small "Greenman" targ or more accurately a buckler, It is light and manueverable and can be used even when firing a bow or using a long axe. If I were to have a limitation as to the number of weapons I carried, I would use one of my other offensive weapons to parry. Most likely I would use my walking axe gripped high towards the head Varangian style while using a large (30" handle) hand axe for my main hand if I were using a two handed style. With my newly adopted Gimli-esque kit (Dane axe, walking axe, long hand axe and two throwing axes) I have enough options that a buckler could be thrown in, but I would get more use out of it as a dinner plate. :mrgreen:
I am Ringulf the Dwarven Woodsman, I craft leather, wood, metal, and clay,
I throw axes, seaxes, and pointy sticks, And I fire my bow through the day.
Come be my ally, lift up your mead! We'll search out our foes and the Eagles we'll feed! :mrgreen:
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Eledhwen
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Re: Scottish Targe for Wilderness Skirmishing

Post by Eledhwen »

I'd not carry a shield unless I were going to be involved in an organized battle....at my age that means not. LOL Seriously though, it would be effectively useless for anything else, for the large majority of the time. I adore a 24" round shield and shortsword...but as a Ranger doing Ranger duties, no. Sword and knife, sword and axe, but mostly the bow since the idea is to see and not be seen if at all possible. In my mind at least.

FWIW

Eledhwen
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E.MacKermak
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Re: Scottish Targe for Wilderness Skirmishing

Post by E.MacKermak »

I actually like the idea of a small buckler/targe type shield. I am not talking about the 30" round center grip I use in the SCA, but a small (12-18") lightweight shield capable of adding to my defense if properly used. It unfortunately adds to my list of things with only one use (like a longsword) but sometimes that can't be avoided.

As to the Ranger being alone, if you are scouting solo the intent is NOT to get into a battle anyway so carrying a lot of equipment for a fight is a bad idea. If you are moving more like the Grey Company, I would be more inclined to have heavier equipment. I prefer the idea of a small patrol to solo work (even snipers rarely work solo) and the little bit of extra protection can make a big difference.


EMK
Still round the corner there may wait a new road or a secret gate and though I oft have passed them by a day will come at last when I shall take the hidden paths that run west of the moon, east of the sun.
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