Pirate Weapons and H2H Tactics!

[Jonathan Randall]

Given the recent popularity of all things Pirate as a result of Captain Jack Sparrow, let's talk about the personal H2H weapons and techniques of Pirates!

Let's see; you had the basic cutlass, a little shorter for use in boardings, the cap-and-ball pistol and probably a few short bladed weapons such as the dagger concealed in boots and jackets. That's about the extent of my knowledge so please, pirate aficionados, share your expertise!

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Belaying pins, cargo hooks, blunderbusses, cutlass.

 

[MA-Caver]

Forget what they're called but the pistols that had a long wide blade under the barrel was a favorite as well.
Pirates are notorious closed in fighters once they barded yer ship matey. Had to due to the confines of the deck and equiptment and rigging itself and the poor souls who's livers (along with the rest of their bodies) that were to be fed to the sharks after the ship was taken that crowded the deck in desperation to repel the boarders. Imagine the deck awashed with blood and sometimes entrails of both parties while trying to swing a cutlass or take aim long enough to put a hole in someone before that arm was hacked off.
Dunno about any H2H combat sans weaponry. People of the day relied heavily upon such as it's easier to shoot/slash/stab a feller than to take 'im down bar handed.
Also consider this... life at sea, on a clipper ship or even a small merchant sailing vessel was made for pretty strong men. Hauling up canvas (even on a team) was hefty work, as well as using the windlass to hoist the anchor, and trim the sails by hewing this line and tightening that line... pretty strong guys I'd think... six, eight, nine months at sea for a time.

Harrrggh... no slouches upon this ship matey.

 

[Jonathan Randall]

Belaying pins, cargo hooks, blunderbusses, cutlass.

So how would a typical boarding go? Cannon fire to disable the ship's movement, followed by long range blunderbuss volleys, followed by boarding under covering fire, pistol shots once on board followed by swordwork?

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Heavy weapons fire wasn't that common as sinking a ship or doing major damage wasn't usually the SOP.

Canister fire, chain shot, and grapeshot to take out rigging and clear the decks of crew. Close and grapple while continuing supression fire, then, boarding for close range pistol, blunderbus and blade work.

Once captured, surviving crew was often offered a chance to join the pirate ships crew.

Most pirate ships were run as democracies, with the captains elected by the crew.

 

[Jonathan Randall]

Heavy weapons fire wasn't that common as sinking a ship or doing major damage wasn't usually the SOP.

Canister fire, chain shot, and grapeshot to take out rigging and clear the decks of crew. Close and grapple while continuing supression fire, then, boarding for close range pistol, blunderbus and blade work.

Once captured, surviving crew was often offered a chance to join the pirate ships crew.

Most pirate ships were run as democracies, with the captains elected by the crew.

Interesting; but it would make sense that they wouldn't want to destroy their catch (the captured ship).

What type of proficiency do you think they had with their blades? Were they just hack-aways who relied upon brute force, trickery and treachery, or were some of them skilled swordsmen who could go toe-to-toe with highly trained aristocratic fencers?

 

[MA-Caver]

irateph3
Well now lessee iratetyp try this matey...
irate4: here ye are...
http://www.thepiratesrealm.com/pirate%20weapons.html

or this...
http://www.kipar.org/piratical-resources/pirate-weapons.html

Here's a story about a female pirate... http://members.tripod.com/cathreese/DefiantWomen/pirates/abonny_mread.html#anne

irate:



hee hee kudos for whomever added those cute pirate smilies on the regular list.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Sword training was the realm of the wealty upper class, and most pirates weren't from that class. So, they usually learned the hard way, use. Maybe got some tips as they went.

Cutlasses were used as the Rapier tended to be too long for close quarters ship use, though they also sometimes used a main gaunch (sp) as well.

 

[Jonathan Randall]

Sword training was the realm of the wealty upper class, and most pirates weren't from that class. So, they usually learned the hard way, use. Maybe got some tips as they went.

Cutlasses were used as the Rapier tended to be too long for close quarters ship use, though they also sometimes used a main gaunch (sp) as well.

That's kind of what I figured as the Pirate Cutlasses that I've seen are fairly short and are more like butchers knives in their functionality then the rapiers common in the popular Italian and French schools of fencing.

 

[Jonathan Randall]

Here's a link to a replica of a pirate's cutlass. Short blade and full guard for close-in fighting.

CUTLASS


BTW, thanks all for contributing to this thread. Lots of good information and links have been provided.

 

[Ken Pfrenger]

here is a link to a group that specializes in this subject. I have trained witha few of the people involved in the past and cans ay they are very credible good instructors and researchers:
http://www.historicalmaritimecombat.com/

 

[elder999]

I'll mention it again,but the pirates were fond of the boarding axe, and sometimes trade-axes, the very things the tomahawk came from......in fact, the contemporary picture of Anne Bonney from the link posted by MACaver shows a boarding, or more likely a trade axe in her belt.

 

[arnisador]

There's a good episode of Conquest that covers this. See this post.

 

[Jimi]

I have heard tale that some pirate captains would have their crews knives tipped (hammered off) to keep the likelyhood of a mutany down. Less likely that a crewmember could stab him in the back. But that may be all scuttlebutt. ARGH! I mean PEACE!
P.S. I am sure some pirate crewmembers may have spent time in the south china sea and may have taken on Escrimidors, southest asian swordsmen and the like into the crew from Indoneasia, Saim, Burma etc... I guess it depends on what seas they sailed, the china sea and the caribbean are an ocean apart. Just don't call me a swishbuckler, LOL.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I've heard mention that some roamed from Panama to Shanghai.

 

[Carol]

irates: Where is Technopunk? Dang, if there was ever a thread MADE for him...iratehi:

 

[Samurai]

Aye... Boarding Axes are most popular with the Piratey types. They were common hand tools found on deck and could be turned into very lethal weapons (sounds like the Okinawan farming tools to me).

The Art of Combat seminars in Lansing Michigan August 3-6 has a course in Boardin Tatics. I hear they use an actual riverboat to board a brawl. Arrgh
Jeremy Bays

PS- The link is http://artofcombat.org/public/thespis/convention/aocflyer.htm

 

[Blindside]

Nobody has mentioned boarding pikes yet, these are small(er) spears that were relatively easy to use compared to training in bladed weapons. The ones issued in the British navy were about 9' long.

Lamont

 

[Ken Pfrenger]

The Art of Combat seminars in Lansing Michigan August 3-6 has a course in Boardin Tatics. I hear they use an actual riverboat to board a brawl. Arrgh
Jeremy Bays

PS- The link is http://artofcombat.org/public/thespis/convention/aocflyer.htm

Definitely doing the boarding actions class this year. I was teaching during the class last year and it sounded like everyone had a helluva time. This year I managed to have my scheduled classes arranged so I would not miss it again this year. Greatly looking forward to it!

 

[frank raud]

I would imagine a monkey fist or slung shot would also be popular with pirates.