Research into the fighting arts of Medieval Europe is bound to be very frustrating. We have evidence from literary, visual, and archaeological sources on the weapons and armor they used. In some cases, like the Wisby mass burial, we even have evidence of the types of wounds inflicted and the armor penetration that occurred. But nothing, or almost nothing, on their training and techniques. Why? Because during the middle ages literacy and martial pursuits were (by and large) diametrically opposed career paths. Clerics learned to read and write; nobles and warriors less frequently did. And even when they could write, the idea of writing a fighting manual (or, for that matter, anything else of largely practical use) seemed to be largely alien to their experience. Books were very rare, precious objects, and they weren't about fighting or practical things. Even in the 14th and 15th centuries, when this tendency loosened a bit, there are few books that may rightly be called fighting manuals. And by the 16th century, when the spread of printing brought with it a spate of books on practical matters, the rise of professional armies had already made the fighting skills of the middle ages extinct.
Although very little evidence survives of the fighting techniques of Medieval Europe, that does not mean there were no adept fighters. The feudal system supported a class of professional warriors, and they knew what they were about. They used systematic training, and very likely had well-understood combat moves that were part of a known, and taught, fighting system. Even in the early middle ages, the Vikings were skilled fighters, as were the Saxon huscarles. Later on, when mercenaries and professional soldiers arose in the later middle ages, these were men who made their living by their skills, and they knew what they were about. However, the question of how systematic their training was cannot be answered. In many cases the most reasonable approach to representing medieval fighting, even the good fighters, is with the appropriate WF (including WF: Fight In Armour) and (for the better fighters) +1 or +2 with HTH combat.
The martial arts presented below are thus only a guess at what might have been. They are a fair guess, based upon indirect information and some practical experience. The indirect information gives us the favorite weapons, some of the tactics, and the armor of the best fighters of the period. In some cases, a surviving fighting manual or visual source can give valuable clues. Woodcuts of the middle and later 15th century show armored and unarmored men training with a variety of weapons. Other indirect information includes a number of descriptions of tournaments in the 14th and 15th centuries, including the Tournament Book of King René of Anjou.
MOUNTED KNIGHT
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This represents the body of maneuvers appropriate for a knight (mounted noble warrior) fighting from horseback. From the time of Charlemagne (8th century) until the 15th century the universal weapons of the knight were the sword, spear, and shield, and combat was largely on horseback. In the 14th century the increase in armor made shield-use less common, until by the end of the 15th century shields were fairly rare. This martial art was largely relegated to the tournament field by the end of the 15th century, as the mounted knight had been replaced in preeminence on the battlefield by pikemen and missile troops. Knights were largely a class of professional warriors. As such, the more adept knights may also have learned other martial arts. Before the gradual rise of successful infantry in the 14th century this training could have been in Wrestling, Spear, Sword and Shield (on foot), or Quarterstaff fighting. As the various sorts of polearms gained success against the mounted knight in the 14th and 15th century, a knight's training could also include Great Weapon fighting skills. The training of a knight included fighting on foot. Even though the primary training involved combat from horseback, a knight could perform all the maneuvers (except Passing Strike) while fighting on foot as well as on horse. Knights trained as squires for many years before being knighted, and this training could be quite rigorous. Even so, the Mounted Knight Martial Art should be reserved for characters exposed to training in the few large and powerful noble households who could hire the best trainers. For the bulk of knights their training is perhaps better reflected with the following skill list rather than the Martial Art:
Riding |
Maneuver Cost OCV DCV Damage/Effect Block 4 +2 +2 Martial Block Bind 4 +1 +0 Weapon Bind, +10 STR Disarm 4 -1 +1 Disarm, +10 STR Passing Strike 5 +1 +0 STR +v/5, FMove Strike 4 +0 +2 STR +2d6 Strike NOTE: The Passing Strike maneuver cannot be done on foot; it is only possible when mounted. Skills Breakfall KS: Mounted Knight * Riding WF: Common Melee Weapons WF: Common Missile Weapons * WF: Fighting in Armour (+1 DCV in melee, only to counteract penalties for fighting in armor [-1]. 2 pts per level) * WF: Lance WF: Off-hand * WF: Shield (this WF is not mandatory after the middle of the 14th century) * WF: Sword Elements Used with Swords; Blades Weapon Element is free +1 Use Art with Axe/Mace/Pick +1 Use Art with Clubs +1 * Use Art with Lance |
KNIFE FIGHTING
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This represents the body of maneuvers for unarmored combat in the later middle ages. A few knights and experienced fighters who had had access to a good teacher would be able to use these maneuvers. Foot combat without armor was fairly common in the civilian (non-military) world in the 15th century, especially in regions like Italy and Germany which were torn by civil strife and constant small wars. This allowed the rise of professional masters at arms who would exhibit their skills and train others for a fee. Since combatants were unarmored, usually fighting with knives or short swords, this art involves a conservative, evasive approach rather than all-out attack. The grab maneuver is used on the opponent's weapon hand. Although blades are the basis for the art it could also be learned for combat barehanded or with clubs. In the 16th century warfare became the province of professional soldiers, fighting in full-time professional armies, and was no longer associated with gentlemen. Gentlemen fought unarmored, and the skills described here gradually became the basis for the fencing and sword schools of the 16th century. As mentioned before with the Mounted Knight martial art, this skill should be fairly rare. Most knife-fighters will simply have WF: blades and perhaps +1 or +2 OCV with knife, or even a CSL in HTH or with their DCV |
Maneuver Cost OCV DCV Damage/Effect Bind 4 +1 +0 Weapon Bind, +10 STR Dodge 4 -- +5 Dodge Grab 3 0 -1 Grab one limb: STR +10 hold Slash 5 +1 +3 STR Strike Stab 4 +0 +2 STR +2d6 Strike Takedown 3 +1 +1 Takedown, STR Strike; Target falls Skills Ambidexterity Breakfall KS: Knife Fighting * WF: Blades WF: Thrown Knives Elements Used with Knives or Short Swords; Blades Weapon Element is free +1 Use Art with Clubs +1 Use Art Barehanded |
SWORD AND BUCKLER
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This is another largely unarmored martial art. It involves the use of a buckler (a small heavy hand shield, often of iron) and a sword or falchion. Both buckler and sword are used as offensive and defensive weapons. This was a highly developed martial art, as a south German manual from c. 1300 shows much the same moves as similar manuals from the late 15th century. |
Maneuver Cost OCV DCV Damage/Effect Bind 4 +1 +0 Weapon Bind, +10 STR Block 4 +2 +2 Block Dodge 4 -- +5 Dodge Strike 4 +0 +2 STR +2d6 Strike Skills KS: Sword and Buckler * WF: Blades WF: Off Hand * WF: Shield Elements Used with Knives or Short Swords; Blades Weapon Element is free +1 Use Art with Clubs +1 * Use Art with Shield |
SWORD AND SHIELD
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One of the most common fighting styles of the middle ages. This martial art was used from ancient times until the end of the middle ages. It was used with a shield (or large shield) and one-handed weapon, usually a sword. Fighting was done in armor; this and the larger shield made the style quite different from the evasive combat of Sword and Buckler. Combatants in this style rely on the shield for much of their defense, only blocking when in dire straits. As with the other martial arts, this skill should not be made too common. Self-taught fighters without the benefit of the few really good teachers would merely have the appropriate WF as below, and perhaps one or two levels with HTH or OCV levels with their weapon. |
Maneuver Cost OCV DCV Damage/Effect Bind 4 +1 +0 Weapon Bind, +10 STR Block 4 +2 +2 Block Cleave 5 -2 +1 STR +4d6 Strike Fast Strike 4 +2 +0 STR +2d6 Strike Strike 4 +0 +2 STR +2d6 Strike Skills KS: Sword and Shield Fighting WF: Axe/Pick/Mace * WF: Blades * WF: Fighting in Armour (+1 DCV in melee, only to counteract penalties for fighting in armor [-1]. 2 pts per level) Elements Used with Swords; Blades Weapon Element is free +1 Use Art with Axe/Pick/Mace +1 Use Art with Clubs +1 Use Art with Shield |
GREAT WEAPON
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This represents the schools of fighting on foot of the 14th and 15th century. Combat was with two-handed weapons; pollaxe was a favorite, although any two-handed weapon or polearm could be used. Although many knights sought this training out, it was also available to the better fighters in the class of hard-bitten professional infantrymen that was rising out of the wars of the 15th century. Note that most infantrymen would not have had this skill, although teachers did exist. The best tournament fighters of the 15th century would probably have had this training, though. |
Maneuver Cost OCV DCV Damage/Effect Bind 4 +1 +0 Weapon Bind, +10 STR Block 4 +2 +2 Martial Block Cleave 5 +1 -2 STR +4d6 Strike Legsweep 3 +2 -1 STR +1d6 Strike; Target falls Shove 4 +0 +0 Shove, +15 STR Strike 4 +0 +2 STR +2d6 Strike Swing 5 -2 +1 STR +4d6 Strike Takedown 3 +1 +1 STR Strike; Target falls NOTE: Legsweep is only used with long (+1" Range) weapons. Skills Breakfall KS: Great Weapon Fighting WF: Fighting in Armour (+1 DCV in melee, only to counteractpenalties for fighting in armor [-1]. 2 pts per level) WF: Polearm WF: Staff (also for strikes using the butt of the polearm) WF: Two-handed Weapons Elements Used with Swords; Blades Weapon Element is free +1 Use Art with Axe/Pick/Mace +1 Use Art with Clubs +1 Use Art with Shield |
SUBSTYLES
There are a number of different substyles of fighting with two-handed weapons.
Huscarle: This style reflects the training of some of the best warriors of the early middle ages, the Huscarles of Saxon England. They fought with the Danish Axe, using it either with one or two hands. This martial art is appropriate for other cultures of the same period as well, including the best Viking and Frankish warriors, and Varangians fighting in the employ of Byzantium. This style disappeared as the mounted knight took over the battlefield after the 11th century.
Most Viking and Saxon warriors were self-taught by practical experience. They might be very effective, but should not have this martial art. Instead, give them +1 or +2 CSL in combat with their weapon and the WF below. Only warriors trained in royal courts would have exposure to systematic teaching and analysis. Byzantium would be a good location for such training. Most lesser cities probably had no teacher of advanced single-combat skills until much later.
Practitioners of this style use the Danish Axe or Battle Axe. They take weapons element "use art with two-handed weapons", and must learn WF: two-handed weapons, WF: axe, WF: Fight in Armour, and WF: shield. They must learn at least three of the maneuvers Block, Cleave, Strike, Swing, and Takedown.
Greatsword: This style arose in the 14th century in connection with the use of the bastard (or hand-and-a-half) sword. Several manuals survive from the late 14th century. It later became connected with the larger two-handed sword in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Practitioners of the style use the bastard or great sword, and must learn the Bind and Block maneuver, plus at least one of Cleave, Strike, and Swing. The earlier version of this art focused upon the bastard sword. Practitioners of that version might learn WF: Fight in Armour, and must learn WF: Blades so as to use the sword one-handed. Fighters trained in the later, greatsword version of this art do not normally learn WF: Fight in Armour. In warfare the Swiss and the German Landsknechts developed a tactic with the greatsword specifically designed for combat against massed pike units where the greatsword fighter attacks the heads of the pikes, striking against the weapons themselves in an attempt to cut the pike heads from the pikes.
Tournament Dueling: This style was very popular from the late 14th century through the 15th century, and was specifically built for the tournament combat on foot in that period. Practitioners use a variety of two-handed weapons, including the pollaxe, bec-de-corbin, and ahlspeiss. They might also learn polearm, but that was in addition to their primary focus. Users of this style must know WF: Fight in Armour, plus at least three maneuvers from Bind, Block, Strike, Swing, and Takedown. This style became the basis for the Greatsword style of the later 15th century.
Close Style: This style is a particular variant of Tournament Dueling, where the combatant attempts to fight at very close quarters. Like its parent style, it was used from the late 14th century through the 15th century, and was specifically designed for the tournament combat on foot in that period. Practitioners use a variety of two-handed striking weapons, especially the pollaxe. Users of this style must know WF: Fight in Armour. They were trained in some grappling techniques, and so might learn the Hold maneuver from Wrestling, and may also learn Breakfall. Practitioners of this style must learn at least three maneuvers from Bind, Block, Strike, Takedown, and the Hold maneuver from the Wrestling martial art.
War Polearm: This aggressive style is well-suited for the warfare of infantry combat in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is primarily concerned with dealing as much damage as possible. The primary difference from the Tournament Dueling style above is that the Tournament style focuses on single combat, 1-on-1, with matched weapons. War Polearm, on the other hand, trains for the melee, mixed weapons, and combat against horsemen.
Practitioners of War Polearm must learn at least three maneuvers from Bind, Strike, Swing, Cleave, Takedown, and Legsweep. They will often (but not always) learn WF: Fight in Armour.
STAFF FIGHTING/SPEAR FIGHTING
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The maneuvers below describe two related fighting arts: combat armed with a quarterstaff, and combat with a spear. |
Maneuver Cost OCV DCV Damage/Effect Bind 4 +1 +0 Weapon Bind, +10 STR Block 4 +2 +2 Martial Block Poke 5 +1 +3 STR Strike Shove 4 +0 +0 Shove, +15 STR Strike 4 +0 +2 STR +2d6 Strike Takedown 3 +1 +1 STR Strike; Target falls Skills KS: Spear/Staff Fighting WF: Fighting in Armour (+1 DCV in melee, only to counteract penalties for fighting in armor [-1]. 2 pts per level) WF: Spear * WF: Staff WF: Thrown Spear Elements Used with Staff; Staff Weapon Element is free +1 Use Art with Spear |
SUBSTYLES
There are two major substyles of this fighting form, based upon the two major weapon types used.
Quarterstaff: This style is ancient, and crosses social boundaries. It is found throughout the middle ages, even into the 15th century (as shown by some of the illustrations of the playing cards of Master ES, 1466). It is a conservative style, focusing upon avoiding and blocking enemy attacks. The hands are commonly kept at the 1/4 and 1/2 mark of the staff, widely spaced. Practitioners use the staff, and must know at least three maneuvers from Block, Shove, Strike, Poke, and Takedown. They do not usually learn WF: Fight in Armour.
Spear Fighting: This style arose in parallel with Quarterstaff fighting, and like it was used throughout the middle ages. Although some of the maneuvers are very similar to those of the staff, it focuses much more on the use of the point and attempting to stay at long range, where the advantages of the spear are greatest. In contrast to staff fighting, spear techniques prefer to hold the weapon with the hands about shoulder width apart near one end, gaining additional range. Only if the enemy got close would a spear fighter shift his grip towards the middle of the weapon. This technique could be used with the spear, awl (ahlespeiss), staff (treated by practitioners of this art as a blunt spear), or even javelin. Pikes are too long to permit this style's maneuvers.
Although this style existed for foot combat with spears, most infantry would not have been trained with it. Even the good infantry of the 14th and 15th centuries were trained for mass combat with spears, not single combat. Their training is better reflected by taking +1 or +2 OCV with spear or pike rather than this martial art.
Practitioners of this style must have WF: Spear and WF: Staff (to allow the use of the butt end of the spear in combat), and the weapons elements to allow both staff and spear to be used with the maneuvers of the art. Before the 15th century users of this style would always know WF: Fight in Armour; by the middle of the 15th century fighting in armor was not always taught (the cards of Master ES of 1466 show a number of examples of unarmored spear training). Practitioners of this style must learn at least three maneuvers from Bind, Block, Strike, Poke, and Takedown.
WRESTLING
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This represents the martial skill of early wrestling. Wrestling was a valued skill among the warriors of the early middle ages, although it was largely relegated to the lower classes and performers at fairs as the mounted knight took over the battlefield in the 12th century and later. Still, a part of a knight's training included wrestling, so some knights may well have learned this martial art even after cavalry became preeminent. Most wrestlers throughout history would just have been strong men using normal (not martial) maneuvers. This martial art should be reserved for exceptional individuals. |
Maneuver Cost OCV DCV Damage/Effect Choke 4 -2 +0 Grab throat, 2d6 NND (2) Escape 4 +0 +0 +15 STR vs. Grabs Hold 3 -1 -1 Grab two limbs, STR +10 hold Reversal 4 -1 -2 STR +15 to Escape, Grab Slam 3 +0 +1 STR +v/5; Target falls Take Down 3 +2 +1 STR Strike, You fall; Target falls Skills Breakfall KS: Wrestling |