Middle Earth Ranger Forum

While we all spend alot of time, rightfully so, on surviving, I think we need a topic dealing with crafty ways to make sure the enemy *doesnt* survive.

I've always been intrigued with ancient/ medieval warfare, the simplicity and brutality of the methods used hold a great appeal to me. Especially with regards to the simple yet ingenious force multipliers utilized by our ancestors.

Dead falls were commonly used, these pits were used to kill wolves and bears, which at this point commonly preyed on people and especially after wars which supplied plenty of carrion, these things were huge. I've read that during the 100 years war wolves in Northern France were recorded near 300 pounds, and bold enough to attack a man on horseback.

A pit filled with sharp stakes, 5-6 foot deep would be nasty surprise. for both horse and foot, and in my opinion would be a good center peice for an ambush.

Another weapon and precursor to the landmine is the Roman Stimuli, this is basically an arrowhead or small knife blade with a barb, the 3-4" tang is bent at right angles and driven into a stake which is then drove into the ground, not only did these things wound they could easily kill an enemy who happened to fall on them.

The caltrop needs no intro, with a hollow tubed version of this weapon in use by traffic police to this day, the hollow design allows for tires to deflate quicker. These can be laid quicker than the stimuli and they always land with a point up.

While not expedient in the feild, its worth a mention that during Alexanders seige of Tyre, the defenders heated sand on the walls and dumped the white hot sand on the Macedonian troops, the sand would find its way under armour, burn through clothing and Herucles help the warrior who looked up when it fell ...Good wall defense that

Another simple idea I've always admired is the simple earth work with sharpened stakes angled gut high, not as much cover as a palisade but it would effectively keep horse and foot from over running a position and cost them some momentum, allowing them to be speared or shot before they could close en masse.


~RDM~

We generally picture Rangers working alone or in small groups where many of the typical traps would be too labor intensive. I think they'd go more for the nusance type, like trips wires that when an indidual trips they fall into small spikes or nails placed upright in the ground. Leg traps with fishing hooks twined in the loop.

Not going to kill but will slow down or incapacitate a foe. A wary foe moves slower!

Peter Remling wrote:A wary foe moves slower!

...and, generally speaking, is absolutely terrified. A powerful tool, especially for a ranger working alone against a group of several.

I read a novel once where the defending army of the rightful king so harrassed the advancing army of his brother that by the time the attackers made it to the fight, they had no will to fight any more. Hit and run harrassment, booby traps - even nonlethal ones- can strip the morale right out of you.

Here's my list I had made:

b) Spike Trap box
c) Barbed Spike Plate
d) Pointed Stakes along route in cover
e) Spike trap pit
f) Spike Board
g) Lassoes
3) Lethal
a) Tiger Traps
b) rolling logs
c) spiked logs
d) boulders
e) Trap Bridge
f) Steel Arrow Trap or Tiger Bow
g) Whip
h) Swinging spiked log
4) Scenerios from:
a) Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Ewoks Attack
b) Swiss Family Robinson
c) Rambo
d) Green Berets

I was just talking about this stuff the other day with some friends.

Beornmann wrote:Here's my list I had made:

b) Spike Trap box
c) Barbed Spike Plate
d) Pointed Stakes along route in cover
e) Spike trap pit
f) Spike Board
g) Lassoes
3) Lethal
a) Tiger Traps
b) rolling logs
c) spiked logs
d) boulders
e) Trap Bridge
f) Steel Arrow Trap or Tiger Bow
g) Whip
h) Swinging spiked log
4) Scenerios from:
a) Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Ewoks Attack
b) Swiss Family Robinson
c) Rambo
d) Green Berets

I love the number and letter system.

Beornmann wrote:Here's my list I had made:

b) Spike Trap box
c) Barbed Spike Plate
d) Pointed Stakes along route in cover
e) Spike trap pit
f) Spike Board
g) Lassoes
3) Lethal
a) Tiger Traps
b) rolling logs
c) spiked logs
d) boulders
e) Trap Bridge
f) Steel Arrow Trap or Tiger Bow
g) Whip
h) Swinging spiked log
4) Scenerios from:
a) Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Ewoks Attack
b) Swiss Family Robinson
c) Rambo
d) Green Berets

Boy!...You really don't want someone getting to your beer, do you?

Peter Remling wrote:
Boy!...You really don't want someone getting to your beer, do you?

Icecream MAAAAN! Gotta protect the icecream! Sorry, that's off topic. See my status on Facebook for an explanation.

Peter Remling wrote:We generally picture Rangers working alone or in small groups where many of the typical traps would be too labor intensive. I think they'd go more for the nusance type, like trips wires that when an indidual trips they fall into small spikes or nails placed upright in the ground. Leg traps with fishing hooks twined in the loop.

Not going to kill but will slow down or incapacitate a foe. A wary foe moves slower!

That reminds me of a VC leg trap, the stakes were angled towards the bottom of of the hole the leg goes in, but the stakes dont take holt until the victim tries to step out.

and I liked Beornmans idea of a trap bridge, bridges are good funnels, if the structure could be destabilized enough to fall beneath a large force it would definitely be worth the effort.

Boulders are a good idea too, they are already in place, ready to roll

[quote="R.D.Metcalfand I liked Beornmans idea of a trap bridge, bridges are good funnels, if the structure could be destabilized enough to fall beneath a large force it would definitely be worth the effort.
[/quote]

Now THAT was a part of my job in the Army. Destabalized bridges are good booby traps.

Cool stuff, Eric

Peter Remling wrote:Boy!...You really don't want someone getting to your beer, do you?:lol:

Defend the keg!!!!

Actually it is a snippet from a draft article on medieval ambushes. I have several issues with pure missile fire ambushes and thought to augment the lethality. Rates of fire are too slow and eventually, the assault element must engage in close-quarter fighting. Issues of channelization, rates-of-fire, mass, and speed-distance movement... all seem distorted from what we view as a modern ambush with claymores, MGs, and grenades.