11-27-2008, 01:33 AM
Speaking just from recreations--an aspis is VERY heavy when compared to a pelte. My pelte reconstructions--leather faced, double gripped, with bronze reinforcement and etc--weigh about 2 pounds. That's 1/5 of a light aspis.
On the other hand, a small shield is useful only if you use it fairly aggressively, which means you burn a lot more energy.
In fighting, we noted that man on man, the pelte wielder and the hoplite are almost even (no armor in this experience, just shields, spears and swords). However, as soon as the fight became 2x2 or 3x3, even if the fight was quite "open", the peltasts died like lemmings. the reason is not apparent until you participate--the pelte bearers are exceptionally vulnerable to blows that they DON'T SEE COMING--blows from the angles in a line--whereas the hoplites are still covered from almost 1/2 of all blows, even if they do not mount an active defense. It's actually hard to explain just how fast 3 hoplites eliminate 3 peltasts.
However, my point is that this has nothing to do with close formation. The 3x3 fight can be spread out at big intervals--like a skirmish. It is a factor of fighters who have to think "outside the ring" or outside a 1x1 fight--the men with the small shields are suddenly vulnerable, and it affects their actions.
The hoplites have other advantages, too--which tell in a 1x1. A hoplite can simply push with his shield and his peltast opponent is doomed if caught. A man with a small shield can be wounded just by the rim of the aspis striking him in the neck and face--before the kopis or the spear does its work!
We're all eager to have enough aspides done to try some hoplite vs. hoplite fighting on a scale bigger than 2x2...
On the other hand, a small shield is useful only if you use it fairly aggressively, which means you burn a lot more energy.
In fighting, we noted that man on man, the pelte wielder and the hoplite are almost even (no armor in this experience, just shields, spears and swords). However, as soon as the fight became 2x2 or 3x3, even if the fight was quite "open", the peltasts died like lemmings. the reason is not apparent until you participate--the pelte bearers are exceptionally vulnerable to blows that they DON'T SEE COMING--blows from the angles in a line--whereas the hoplites are still covered from almost 1/2 of all blows, even if they do not mount an active defense. It's actually hard to explain just how fast 3 hoplites eliminate 3 peltasts.
However, my point is that this has nothing to do with close formation. The 3x3 fight can be spread out at big intervals--like a skirmish. It is a factor of fighters who have to think "outside the ring" or outside a 1x1 fight--the men with the small shields are suddenly vulnerable, and it affects their actions.
The hoplites have other advantages, too--which tell in a 1x1. A hoplite can simply push with his shield and his peltast opponent is doomed if caught. A man with a small shield can be wounded just by the rim of the aspis striking him in the neck and face--before the kopis or the spear does its work!
We're all eager to have enough aspides done to try some hoplite vs. hoplite fighting on a scale bigger than 2x2...
Qui plus fait, miex vault.
