Middle Earth Ranger Forum

Greg wrote:This is well-said, and is more or less what I aim for. When I'm out trekking, I only carry half a dozen arrows at most right now. If I were to be going to war, I'd load every shaft I had in my quiver. I don't always wear my chain maille, but I certainly would if I knew I was headed for trouble (knowing me, I should keep it on...lolz) As for winter wear, nearly all of my clothing items have a parallel piece in an opposing material, back and forth between wool and linen, based on the weather/season. I most certainly haven't worn my fur mantle this summer, but you can bet it'll be on every time I go out from the first rain until Spring this season.

Again, not trying to hijack or divert the thread, but this is interesting. It's a different philosophy from the 18th century trekking and scouting I've done. There, the common wisdom is to carry the same kit every time, to be most familiar with finding it in the dark, and being able to use it and survive under any conditions. For severe weather you might add an extra blanket and a heavier overcoat, snowshoes if you're going into the deep winter, but in general, the kit doesn't change. Need to wrap my head around this idea of different kit for different missions.

Hawk

Steve b wrote: Again, not trying to hijack or divert the thread, but this is interesting. It's a different philosophy from the 18th century trekking and scouting I've done. There, the common wisdom is to carry the same kit every time, to be most familiar with finding it in the dark, and being able to use it and survive under any conditions. For severe weather you might add an extra blanket and a heavier overcoat, snowshoes if you're going into the deep winter, but in general, the kit doesn't change. Need to wrap my head around this idea of different kit for different missions.

Hawk

Well, I'm certainly no expert on 18th century trekking and scouting, so I'm probably just showing my ignorance, but I would expect that armor was pretty much non-existant by that time, being rendered largely obsolete by firearms. As technology has developed, armor has become a factor again. In Tolkien's world though, things are different. Light armor, if any, for the Shire. Heavy armor to face the orcish hordes of Sauron. Terrain plays a big factor too. Longswords and horse bows in Rohan, shortswords and hunting bows in the Shire. I make a distinction between horse and hunting bows because my understanding (limited at best) is that effective horse bows tend to be of a lighter draw than hunting bows.

Predominant weather has to be a factor as well. You may well need to carry cold weather clothing in high summer in Maine or Scotland for night travel (I don't know, just guessing!), but you'd be insane to carry any in Georgia. You don't really need clothes in Georgia for most of the year; we just wear them because we're fuddy-duddies!

Steve b wrote:Again, not trying to hijack or divert the thread, but this is interesting. It's a different philosophy from the 18th century trekking and scouting I've done. There, the common wisdom is to carry the same kit every time, to be most familiar with finding it in the dark, and being able to use it and survive under any conditions. For severe weather you might add an extra blanket and a heavier overcoat, snowshoes if you're going into the deep winter, but in general, the kit doesn't change. Need to wrap my head around this idea of different kit for different missions.

Hijack away. Keeps things interesting.

I can see where you're going with that, and I DO have an answer for you. My necessities bag, which contains my fire source, some dry tinder, some dried, easy foods (beans, rice, oats, etc.), some wool gloves for cold weather, and my fork+spoon, never changes. As of today, I have still never trekked without my sword, dagger, bow, and quiver exactly how they are now since acquiring each of them. My clothing changes fabric with the weather, but the clothing itself doesn't change. Only the occasional lack of maille. I go from my cavas cloak to my wool cloak, my linen shirt to my wool shirt, etc. My kit, for all intensive purposes, remains the same. I just swap things out, and add the tidbit or two on occasion. So, while attempting to sound as little fickle and crowd-pleasing-ish as possible, I think it's a good idea to follow both disciplines...at the same time.

And now I'm going to change my signature again because I've re-discovered how much I hate it when other people use garish animated pictures on forums in their avatar/signature. The whole page starts moving at once with multiple posts, people start getting annoyed...the whole thing just goes downhill. Pardon me, any who have already pulled their hair out.

Greg wrote:

Steve b wrote:And now I'm going to change my signature again because I've re-discovered how much I hate it when other people use garish animated pictures on forums in their avatar/signature. The whole page starts moving at once with multiple posts, people start getting annoyed...the whole thing just goes downhill. Pardon me, any who have already pulled their hair out.

I liked your Cirth. What was their meaning, by the way? I never did learn Tolkien's runic alphabet.

"For the Defense of Arnor."

Greg wrote:"For the Defense of Arnor."

That's a good meaning.

My wife has a bunch of old Kindergarten/First grade writing workbooks from her homeschool days, and I've translated the exercises over for the Cirth Alphabet. No earnest study of another language yet, but another alphabet, with which to write in English for Rangery purposes. I have a journal made out of all natural materials which is absolutely gorgeous. I've started drawing my location maps in there using inks and charcoal, and I plan to make trekking notes and keep my poems/verse in there, at least partly done in Cirth (if not all.) It's a fun study.

Alright, Greg...BACK ON TOPIC!

SPEARS! Yes...THAT'S what we were talking about!

Oh, but off-topic is so much more fun!

[quote="kaellnPredominant weather has to be a factor as well. You may well need to carry cold weather clothing in high summer in Maine or Scotland for night travel (I don't know, just guessing!), but you'd be insane to carry any in Georgia. You don't really need clothes in Georgia for most of the year; we just wear them because we're fuddy-duddies! [/quote]


Hehe, when I left the Army I moved from Germany to Southeast GA for about 4 years. My first winter there I remember a day when it was about 50 degrees F outside. Everyone was wearing leather jackets. I was wearing a flannel shirt. I thought they were a bunch of wimps! I hardly broke out the heavier jacket that year. OHH but the next year! I was right in among those "wimps," leather jacket and all!

The kit I'm trying to develop starts to get a bit tricky here. In the desert it can get amazingly hot in the day (I've been in 50'Celsius before) and pretty cold at night (never below 0 though). So I have to find clothing to keep me cool and warm at the same time, because I don't think I can afford the extra weight of carrying coats and furs... I am actually developing two kits:
- a trekking kit (nice and light and without maille (way too hot in the desert for long periods of time)), with basic survival tools and a bow, short sword and sax
- a war kit with maille and a shirt worn over the top of it to stop it overheating in the sun, my bow, sax, short sword with a round shield (construction in process) and, returning to topic, an 8 foot spear which i think would be VERY practical in the semi-arid deserts or North Africa
In both of these kits, while trying to make them functional to the environment, I'm still trying to a certain Northern look about me... I want to be recognizable as a ranger and not turn into a haradhrim (although they are very cool).

If I may revive this thread?

I agree that spear is under-appreciated among Rangers, with the emphasis given to the bow (with all due respect).

I've done a fair bit of study of the 14th-century sword master Fiore dei Liberi. In his manuscripts, he gives some instruction on spear and it is very enlightening. Here is a long, detail look at this art:
https://vimeo.com/48059231

Good video and instruction for Fiore.

I'm practicing today with my stout compatriot. We are focusing on these texts:

http://www.selohaar.org/CW2010/The_Spea ... Liberi.pdf
http://www.hroarr.com/manuals/fiore/omsg_lanza.pdf
http://www.chicagoswordplayguild.com/wp ... -Spear.pdf

Here's something that you might find interesting that Ive had saved in my favorites for years. Smaller lighter spears like these work well while ranging I find. I do love my big war spear a little more though.

http://tutorials.livinghistory.ie/Home/ ... mbat-guide

Greg wrote:I haven't read any references that would indicate that, but I CAN imagine that, were a ranger carrying a spear to find him/herself encountering an opponent armed with sword and shield, they'd probably ditch/throw the spear, and draw a more practical weapon to deal with the assailant.

I don't know about that. Having extra range is invaluable. Have you ever fought in this mode? It's almost not fair.

When I'm ranging off-trail, having some kind of walking staff is very valuable; it helps better on irregular terrain than a sword or bow at any rate!

Medieval peasants were routinely forbidden to carry weapons, but in the Elder Edda, guidebook for Viking-era Scandinavians, we see advice that one should not venture forth alone without a spear.

Let a man never stir on his road a step
without his weapons of war;
for unsure is the knowing when need shall arise
of a spear on the way without.

If you are attacked by aggressive bandits or wolves, your arrows may not have immediate stopping power, but a spearpoint driven through center mass always does the trick.

My vote is for the humble spear, and I think that Andy mentions something about it as well.