Get a Horse

[Linda Heenan]

Who has tried cutting from horseback? The dao seems made for this. However, in the absence of horse ownership, here's a workable solution. Perhaps you have to be Australian to appreciate this, but have a look anyway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VifWc94XeIo

[Nik]

The ultimate orsome aussie force would be a dao wielding kangaroo cavalry. Just imagine the "wtf ???" look on the other force faces.

[Scott M. Rodell]

Charging Chinese cavalry armed with dao (1937).

From: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... ujidui.jpg

[Nik]

Was this a good idea in 1937, with the existance of machine guns ? I somehow can't agree with the tactics "we don't have anything better, so let's throw at them what we have". Exception would be at night in a terrain where you cannot see the cavalry coming and cannot react in time. Was still done also in Europe in WW I.

[Linda Heenan]

There were machine guns around in the 1860s. In 1918 there was a battle in France where mounted swordsmen charged against machine guns. I think only two of the calvary came out of that one alive, and very few horses. So no ... not a good idea at all. Still, in these days where we do our training for reasons other than winning battles, it would be excellent fun to train on horseback .

[Scott M. Rodell]

Was this a good idea in 1937... machine guns ?...

Of course not... then again, there isn't much sense in my flying around the world teaching people how to use a jian, like the old say goes, "Don't bring a knife to a gun fight." Then again, I love it & doubt I'll stop anytime soon, that is, so long as there are people to meet up with who love it as much as I do...

[Nik]

I meant, a good idea of the commanding general to send his troops "charging" with swords in full daylight with no cover, unless it's 100% guaranteed there is no gatling gun waiting down the road. The chinese army slaughtered the whole tibetan troops in a matter of hours (if that much) with high power mounted machine guns when they managed to get in their backs with the help of this guy who was paid off. I saw short docu clips of that, it was just awful. Like a slaughterhouse, just with no beef.

Sword play is at least fun, which is not a bad reason to do things. Maybe the most honest reason in existance.

[xingyi24]

September 1, 1939. Jokes about submarines with screen doors aside, the Polish were still using lances, sabres, and horses quite effectively. (Yes, they had rifles on their backs.) Some terrain just wasn't suitable for mechanized warfare, and, when the tanks showed up, the Poles had to turn tail and run, but they still put in a good hit on some infantry first, and they managed some damage to the German armor. Don't let the stories about lances and tanks stand as an absolute slaughter. They were running between the tanks to escape most of the time, not to fight them, but it does explain where the jokes came from. It's a great way to make a leader look unprepared for modern war.