Viking battle tactics

[Touch Of Death]

I just read an interesting article about the battle tactics of vikings on www.kenpo2000.com check it out. Let me know what you think.

[Ender]

Well the tactic seems to makes sense for that time period. Most likely the combatants carried shields and helmets, leaving the legs more vulnerable to attack.

[theletch1]

I recently read a paper regarding this same type of tactic used by japanese bushi. It certainly makes sense to me in an edged weapon battle to knock out the supporting limbs first instead of going head to head with an opponent in complete condition. I also remember reading recently (as well as seeing a discovery channel show) about european fencing and a duel in which an opponent who was clearly out matched used an attack to the legs to defeat his opponent.

[Touch Of Death]

It just goes to show, even the most well intentioned movie about the vikings is very misleading when it comes to battle scenes.
Sean

[loki09789]

It just goes to show, even the most well intentioned movie about the vikings is very misleading when it comes to battle scenes.
Sean
History channel has a "History vs. Hollywood" series that helps to compare/contrast movies and the reality. Very interesting.

[shesulsa]

Makes sense to me. Take out the legs first, and they aren't going anywhere. In the case of combat, you can do what the Vikings did which is kill secondly, or return and kill (unlikely) or use the tactic to drop an opponent and have him available for the cops without greater personal risk.

[Blindside]

The title of this thread is very misleading. The Battle of Wisby took place 300 years after the end of the Viking age. The armor and tactics in this battle were different than those of the vikings. Also note that this battle was one that a professional army was faced off against that of a relatively badly armed militia, and it was a one-sided slaughter.

An interesting comparison might be against the remains of the Battle of Towton (about 80 years later) where many wounds were clustered around the face.

Anyway, for those interested it looks like the source material for this article was Armour from the Battle of Wisby.

Lamont

[8253]

looks like common sense to me, disable then move in for the kill.