# What is your favorite kind of weapon



## PlotHolio (Mar 16, 2013)

Even though we all love swords, as writers we must remember that there are other weapons. Therefore, I have created this thread.

Tell us what your favorite kind of weapon is, give us a brief explanation of it, and give us one or two interesting fact about it.

*Naginata*







The Naginata (sword-spear) is a Japanese pole-arm used by Samurai. The blade is extremely sharp, and the long handle allows for more powerful swings.

Although Kendo is the most popular weapon-based martial art to come out of Japan, use of the Naginata has survived as its own martial art. They are similar, except that Naginata adds an additional strike point: the shins.

The warrior-monk Benkei is a folk-hero known for his expert use of the Naginata.


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## Feo Takahari (Mar 16, 2013)

The repeating crossbow. As the name suggests, it's a crossbow that can hold multiple shots, meaning it doesn't have to be reloaded after every shot. Many designs are a bit cantankerous (in particular, they're often prone to jamming), and they generally have less range and power than a normal crossbow, but they're a good way of carpeting an enemy army with bolts, and they saw use from antiquity until the advent of the machine gun. (For added fun, if you've got the time and the inclination, each of those bolts can be poisoned.)


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## Chilari (Mar 16, 2013)

Moved to Chit Chat because it's better suited to that forum than Writing Questions.


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## soulless (Mar 16, 2013)

I love swords, not all that knowledgable about them but watching a good sword fight is like adrenaline to me.  Have been in love with Duncan Mcleod's dragon headed katana since the show started here in the mid 90s at stupid o'clock in the night/morning and I stayed up to watch even though it was a school night hehe


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## Ophiucha (Mar 16, 2013)

Maybe it's just the American in me, but I'm quite fond of guns. Specifically, I have a certain fondness for muskets. Something about the design really interests me, and I suppose I also quite love the time they come from, as a history lover. Very under-appreciated in the fantasy setting. The sort of post-Christopher Columbus/Leonardo da Vinci but pre-Queen Victoria era. (I suppose muskets were used post-Vicky, but not really in Northwestern Europe and hence not in most fantasy novels.)

In terms of pre-gunpowder weaponry, I'd say my favourite is a halberd - though I extend the honour to most pole-arms. I like the extra range, plus you can do a badass weapon twirl before you stab someone. It seems like a good peasant weapon, too. Take whatever household knife or farming tool you have, stick it on a pole, and you might actually get a stab in. Better than just the knife or scythe on its own, you know? And most of them have a blunt end, as well, so you can use it to whack someone over the head or give them a harsh punch to the gut. Plus you can always just grab the handle a little higher (or snap it over your knee; more badassery) and use it like a regular axe/dagger/whatever. Lots of options and accessibility, which will spice up battle scenes.


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## CupofJoe (Mar 16, 2013)

It has to be the longbow. It is the only weapon [so far] that I have made and used.***
My bow is over 6ft 6in long and pulls well over 120lb [the scale we were using to test our bows “only” went up to 120lb]. I pull it to about 70lb so it is totally unusable as a weapon of combat but great from slaying slow flying dragons.
I can hit a standard target at 50m about half the time but only slowly. I did one shot for distance and lost the arrow in a thicket 175m away. What it could do in the hands of someone who could really use it scares and excites me...
When I read of medieval archers firing off a dozen arrows in a minute and shooting for hours [okay maybe not at the same time] and loosing hundreds of arrows during a day, I quake at how tough and strong they must have been. Yes there were years of training and lots of practising but still... I was knackered after an hour and my shoulders and lower back ached for almost a week.
*** I hope to make to forge a sword this year if finances and timings work out...


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## Nihal (Mar 16, 2013)

I've always been a fan of spears in general. I hadn't any particular reason for this until I stumbled upon a quite unusual anime based on a novel called Seirei no Moribito.

It has few fights, but when they happened were on this almost choreographic style. I fell in love with spears since then, for I love "dancing" fights and polearms + martial movements make a nice pair.



Spoiler: Fictional spear fight scene











Here is a collection of videos with various polearms trainings often paired with martial moves (I'm quite fond of the Jangchang): Kung Fu Spear - YouTube


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## wordwalker (Mar 16, 2013)

A little thing called the kusari-kama, a genuine ninja weapon.

Take a scythe the size of a handaxe, and attach a weighted chain or rope to it. When that swordsman comes at you you whirl the chain to drive him back, maybe trip him or tangle his arm, then step in and skewer him. It's one of the more complicated weapons that actually works, but I always thought it was perfect for keeping samurai off-balance.

(As to longbows, agreed. A lot of us grew up with the gaming saying that bows are better than crossbows but harder to learn; that "skill" is partly a euphemism for yeomen strength-training with those bows from age eight.)


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## Ophiucha (Mar 16, 2013)

Nihal said:


> I've always been a fan of spears in general. I hadn't any particular reason for this until I stumbled upon a quite unusual anime based on a novel called Seirei no Moribito.
> 
> It has few fights, but when they happened were on this almost choreographic style. I fell in love with spears since then, for I love "dancing" fights and polearms + martial movements make a nice pair.



A friend of mine got me a box set for this on a whim a few years back; I had no idea what to expect, but I ended up loving it. The novels are really good, too, but only two of them have been (officially) translated into English. There are like _ten_, and it's so frustrating that I can't read them when they're already in print. I'll probably be googling around later to see if there are any fan translations out there.


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## Butterfly (Mar 16, 2013)

How about a chain whip, or even just a whip... it kind of gets over looked as a weapon, but I think it's a fascinating one.

Kung Fu - Chain Whip - YouTube


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## Mindfire (Mar 16, 2013)

I'm a swords guy, personally. I'm especially fond of the Asian trinity: the katana, the dao (Chinese saber), and the jian (Chinese straightsword). However, I also have a soft spot for the Egyptian khopesh. 

As far as non-sword weapons, definitely the tomahawk. Awesome and versatile. Weapon and tool combined.


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## Kit (Mar 16, 2013)

Personally, I am never without a pair of good knives (one straight edged, one serrated). And of course there is a lot to be said for the bare hands and other parts of the body- weapons that you have with you always.

I like the khukuri:

As Mindfire says, weapon and tool combined. It is used to hack through the jungle in Nepal. Their army also still uses them. Additionally: the perfect zombie-killing weapon. Just start lopping off them limbs.

Gorkha Army Khukuri Photo by rajxss | Photobucket


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## PlotHolio (Mar 17, 2013)

Seirei no Moribito was pretty cool. It turned me onto spears, as well.

Since this thread is in Chit Chat now, I can post this for everyone's enjoyment. This is, in my opinion, the best sword fight in any anime, ever. This must be watched in HD.
[video=youtube_share;xryoNr_qhyI]http://youtu.be/xryoNr_qhyI[/video]


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## Chime85 (Mar 17, 2013)

I'm suprised nobody said a pen! 

I think I'd much prefer something low key, a poison needle perhaps. Why spend time in wars when you can win politics in a single, sneaky stroke?


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## PlotHolio (Mar 17, 2013)

I hate to burst your bubble, Chime, but that spiky ring is not as subtle as you think...
[video=youtube_share;n-KTcfz_E7s]http://youtu.be/n-KTcfz_E7s[/video]

I'm joking, of course. 

Ah, crap... I miss this game, now. 
And Quake. I want to play Quake now, too.


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## FatCat (Mar 17, 2013)

You guys can have your swords, spears, and poisons. I like to win.


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## Sparkie (Mar 17, 2013)

Chime85 said:


> I'm suprised nobody said a pen!



I was going to, Chime, but I thought it'd come off as corny.  I like your poison needle thing, though.  It fits the idea better than my snide comments.


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## Shockley (Mar 17, 2013)

It's a tie between axes and maces for me.


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## Zero Angel (Mar 17, 2013)

FatCat said:


> You guys can have your swords, spears, and poisons. I like to win.



Although there's something to be said about *what* exactly you win when you use those...


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## Mask (Mar 18, 2013)

Armoured Attack Tigers.


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## Androxine Vortex (Mar 18, 2013)

I took archery seventh grade and loved it. I have a bow and have targets in the backyard. I also love swords and knives. I collect them and I have 14 different swords. My favorite weapon I own is my sword that my great grandfather gave to me right before he died from when he lived in Okinawa. The sword is very old and its still the shapers one I have. I'm not sure what kind of sword it is but the blade is very thin near the handle and then curves outward near the end and arcs back by the point. Its very cool and a little hard to describe.


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## camradio (Mar 18, 2013)

Like others I like swords the Kilij, Claymore and Khopesh are my favourites. Also twin hook swords.
As far as other weapons my favourite would be the katar.


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## S.T. Ockenner (Dec 22, 2020)

Kung-Fu laser fingers


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