08-30-2010, 08:34 PM
Sounds like a really exciting research design! In the stabbing exercise I can see how the importance of having skilled subjects to arrive at conclusions are reduced by comparing rates under different circumstances. Would be nice to get some quantitative data of how feasible it is to have three ranks striking at once. You mention that you would be able to draw conclusions on the feasibility of three ranks based on how the rate of the promachos varies -- but as I understand it you also note that you would like to have data on how the rate of all three rows varies. I want to add that I think those measurements would be needed to answer that question meaningfully. It could well be that the rate of the first person is decreased but that it is compensated by the additional points striking.
The design of the disorder test sounds fine too. I'm not so sure about measuring the distance between feet. Is there a particularly compelling reason for not measuring for instance the distance between the subjects hips (or wherever their 'point of balance' would be)? And do you see any more problems, compared to the stabbing test, with using subjects that are less fit and drilled than what they probably were back in the days? It seems that individual skills could have a greater impact on how different contexts (formations, spacing, postures) affects variations in disorder.
The design of the disorder test sounds fine too. I'm not so sure about measuring the distance between feet. Is there a particularly compelling reason for not measuring for instance the distance between the subjects hips (or wherever their 'point of balance' would be)? And do you see any more problems, compared to the stabbing test, with using subjects that are less fit and drilled than what they probably were back in the days? It seems that individual skills could have a greater impact on how different contexts (formations, spacing, postures) affects variations in disorder.
