Why Are Short Blades especially Knives the Default Weapon For Stealth? What Advantages Do they Offer Over Maces And Other Proper Weapons?

[Bullsherdog]

Having gotten off from playing a session of the Pen and Paper Role Playing Game Blades In the Dark, this question came up. As the titles obviously shows, Blades In the Dark is a system that relies on stealth as you explore a Victorian inspired setting and you do various freelance jobs like assassinations, thefts, etc. And going back to the title, the best character stealth functions like sneaking and critical hits often use short blades of varying sizes from pocket knives to small swords. Longer weapons are available like clubs and sabers but have a big penalties and are only used as last resort when you are cornered by police nigthwatch and militia, etc.

I also remember in the Thief Computer games,you have a longsword available as weapons and while you can do surprise attacks, you really can't do insta kills while walking up to an enemy from behind consistently. The games' equip you with a knife by default and its extremely easy to score one-hit kills with a successful backstab.

So I ask if there's any truth to knives and other short blades smaller than a Gladius really are much more suited for stealth attacks than say a one handed axe or a generic arming sword?

So many movies like the silent film World War 1 J'Accuse often has a scene where the hero sneaks into the bad guy's camp with a knife and plenty of Sci Fi literature like Dune has elite soldiers like the Fremen who often go into enemy trenches, camps, and even fortifications, and wipe out entire platoons of soldiers equipped with the latest machine guns and laserguns using a knife like weapon.

Even in real life its super easy to find the use of knives as the dominant weapon by commando types. All you have to do search online about the special forces officer Bull Simmons who was dropped into Iran with a sharp object in his hand which wasn't even a proper military knife for intel gathering missions before his actual commando team attacked a facility in Iran to free two hostages and safely transport them back into the US. Thats doesn't even touch the icing of the cake of how knives are used so much in real stealth situations.

So I really ask, what advantages do knives and other short blade class weapons offer over swords and spears and other proper battlefield weapons for sneak attacks and other stealthy scenarios and espionage? Whats the reason why people armed with more effective weapons like gangsters with baseball bats and Medieval Crusaders would prefer to sheathe their swords or keep their bicycle chains in their vehicles and pull out a knife as they go around sneaking an enemy base? Why do even modern professionals like Italian Mafia and SAS commandos cut and stab enemy with knives instead of using a bayonet or a heavy walking cane when they infiltrate secret locations?

 

[geezer]

Keep in mind your sources are old movies, which I'm sure are always very accurate depictions.

Now, I personally don't have any commando experience, but I'm gonna take a wild guess here and say if the objective is stealth, then you can be a lot stealthier with a concealable knife than with a spear, a sword and shield, or even (in more modern times) with a rifle and bayonet.

But again, that's just a WILD GUESS!

 

[Oily Dragon]

Maces are really hard to wield, imho. I love wielding them, but man, they stick out.

I always prefer a proper weapon. I'm a staff guy. You don't see the staff coming. Too fast.

 

[Oily Dragon]

Keep in mind your sources are old movies, which I'm sure are always very accurate depictions.

Now, I personally don't have any commando experience, but I'm gonna take a wild guess here and say if the objective is stealth, then you can be a lot stealthier with a concealable knife than with a spear, a sword and shield, or even (in more modern times) with a rifle and bayonet.

But again, that's just a WILD GUESS!

Stealth means to steal. Stealth bomber, etc. The point is not to be quiet, but to steal inside.

SEAL teams have no problems with any of those weapons, when stealth is the objective. A trident is a decent stealth weapon.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Knives and other short bladed weapons ARE proper weapons. And if you're talking about stealth, it should be pretty obvious that they're a lot easier to conceal.

 

[mograph]

Stealth means to steal. Stealth bomber, etc. The point is not to be quiet, but to steal inside.

Isn't the point not to be seen or heard?
... so the larger the weapon, the greater the likelihood of being seen or heard?

Webster on "to steal": "to come or go secretly, unobtrusively, gradually, or unexpectedly"

 

[Oily Dragon]

Isn't the point not to be seen or heard?
... so the larger the weapon, the greater the likelihood of being seen or heard?

Webster on "to steal": "to come or go secretly, unobtrusively, gradually, or unexpectedly"

Not seen or heard before the action, sure. In general at some point you're going to be noticed [!], at which point the small size or concealability isn't so important. At that point, size matters "That's not a knife...this is a knife", to quote Dundee.

The assault on Osama Bin Ladens hideout was a stealth mission. In that sense, stealth means radio silence and specially built choppers. The "go" part was kind of unstealthy. But mission accomplished. They had to fight their way out.

In the case of small blades, a straight razor is a lethal weapon, with surprise. Without it, it's far less effective. Prison shank attacks, same thing.

 

[Buka]

Knives and other short bladed weapons ARE proper weapons. And if you're talking about stealth, it should be pretty obvious that they're a lot easier to conceal.

C'mon, bro, don't go using common sense again.

 

[frank raud]

TIL that bicycle chains are more effective weapons than knives. Still so much for me to learn.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Are we talking about a game here? I don't understand any of this.