Middle Earth Ranger Forum

Here is a video with some interesting insights:



I think many of these points apply even more to Rangers who are also concerned with stealth, camouflage and moving silently.

I love Matt Easton - what a scholar!

I think most of what he says in this one is mostly the kind of stuff we figure out in the first half hour on the trail (AH! THE PAINTINGS LIE! THIS IS KILLING ME!)... but it's still a really neat video, especially for those that are mostly accustomed to games and faire. I'd no idea plate was so hellish to wear: the guys are so stoic in it doing demos.


(I'm also kind of partial to Thegn & Thrand - they're hillbilly goofballs sure, but I bet of everyone pontificating on youTube, those two metalheads are the closest thing still living to the lunks who actually stood in medieval lines )

Excellent (thanks Harper!), but seems a little simplistic, but then, for our age, imagining what it must have been like requires a lot of guesswork and assumptions.

Modern soldiers very often are expected to "hump" as much as 100 pounds in gear, and that's not too exceptional. Average people can't do this off the mark, but they can always train up and they do.

Many armies humped large shields on a regular basis: Roman legions and Alexander's infantry come easily to mind. Of course they had a supply train: a horse-drawn wagon with food, tents, sundry tools etc. Support troops often equal or exceed the number of actual combat troops.

Another thing is that armor and shields feels much lighter when the enemy's arrows are flying your way. Chainmail was popular for a millenium because you can actually sleep in it.

For my part (as a reenactor), I look first at historical documentation, to see how it was really done, then going ahead and wearing the armor and fighting and marching and camping (which Matt admits he's never done).

I thought of the Romans, too. They were able to go great distance at speed. They were also full-time, professional soldiers who constantly trained and had a supply train.

I also remembered that Eledhwen--who as you know does historical Roman Reenactment--prefers a small, round shield for Rangering. I hope she will comment further on her preference for the small shield as opposed to a traditional scutum (when not doing formation work) and the size, material and handle configuration of that shield.

Yes I've never been crazy about doing more the any tournaments and mock battles then I had to in armor butt he idea of crusading and such with armor on for such long periods...its amazing people had energy to fight at times.

From Ranger in the Woods to Crusader in the desert...

And I think that's Black Rock Desert if I'm not mistook.

PT 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z3xpBK0Lsw

Interesting however they are only wearing arms and armor, no camp or adventuring gear.