Weapons & Warriors: The Hwacha of the Koreans

The first concept of a multi-firing rocket launcher wasn’t invented by the Americans, the Russians, the Japanese, the French, or even the Germans. Believe it or not, the largest pre-firearm multi-rocket propelled grenade launcher was invented by the Koreans. The design was inspired by a smaller and more portable version the Chinese used, but was not as devastating as what the Koreans came up with. Long ago before there was such a thing as North or South Korea, there was just one Korea that was often oppressed by its neighbors. China refused to trade saltpeter to Korea, Japanese invaded, and pirates raided their fishing villages along the coast. So the Koreans learned to make their own gunpowder and in 1409 they created something the world had never seen before.

Art by TL Jeffcoat

The Hwacha was a two wheeled cart that could be tied behind a horse, or other animal and shipped to wherever it was needed. The bulk of the weight was centered between two wooden wheels that were not attached by an axle to give them freedom to turn individually. This allowed the cart more mobility. Once unstrapped, one or two men could tilt and aim it before securing it into position. The thing was completely made from wood, usually pine. The top was a hollow box with around 200 tubes in it. This was where the arrows were placed.

The ammo was a specifically designed arrow over a meter in length with a tube of black powder strapped to the side. These projectiles were basically bottle rockets with huge arrowheads at the tip and feathers on the rear to keep it straight in flight. Once the rockets launched the arrow it could travel around 100 meters (around 300 feet) to its target. Although a canon had more destructive power and range, the Hwacha was more effective against a marching army which would be generally close together as waves of Hwacha arrows slammed into them. The heavy arrows had enough force behind them that they could completely penetrate an armored soldier.

Weapons & Warriors: The Spetsnaz, Russia’s Elite

The word Spetsnaz actually stands for Special Forces. This term is used for a lot of different militant groups around Russia. If the soldier was able to complete Spetsnaz training it means that he is one of the elite. The Spetsnaz training is the Russian equivalent of the U.S. Green Berets training. Although it is the equivalent, that doesn’t mean they are exactly the same. I am a proud son of a marine, and a patriot, but when I look at some of the training sessions used by the Spetsnaz, I have no problem saying that I would never want to be the guy having to stand toe to toe with that killing machine.

I’m not going talk about the show Deadliest Warrior, which did square off the Green Berets and Spetsnaz against each other, and the Spetsnaz won the “contest” with a very close victory. As much as I find much of the weapons tests to be very useful on that show, I rarely agree to the outcomes of their face off. I can however see the Spetsnaz getting the upper hand in a one on one hand to hand fight, and that is because of the extreme conditions of their training. Some of the techniques are swimming in pools with barbed wire strung across it, tied to chairs and beaten to a pulp, tied and dragged around by vehicles, having concrete blocks smashed with sledge hammers while sitting on a man's chest, smacking bare skin with heated poles, etc. Sound crazy to you? What does that accomplish you ask? It works, it’s inhuman and cruel, but a fully Spetsnaz trained soldier will never be caught crying after being hit in the back with a bat. Instead, the assailant might find a knife in his throat before he realizes the Spetsnaz shrugged off the blow. He's had worse in training after all.

Weapons & Warriors: The Ballistic Knife of the Russians

Art by TL Jeffcoat

This week, I wrote about a weapon that is not so much an ancient weapon, but something unique and very cool. If you are looking into getting one of these bad boys for your collection, be aware of the laws for your ares. I was searching for one of these to add to my collection, but after learning about several laws banning this knife in most of the USA, I have decided to instead write about it for Weapons & Warriors.

It is a common belief that the Spetsnaz (Russian Special Forces) were trained and skilled in using Ballistic Knives. I have never found any trustworthy verification that the Ballistic Knife training was anything more than rumor or propaganda. However, I did find plenty of information about the Spetsnaz training in throwing knives to quietly eliminate enemies out of reach without making too much noise. Since the Russian variation of the Ballistic Knife is spring loaded, it’s pretty quiet, and therefore it is possible that the Spetsnaz also master firing the Ballistic Knife alongside throwing knives. Aside from the show the Deadliest Warrior using the Ballistic Knife as a Spetsnaz weapon, I found a couple sources that speculated the Spetsnaz trained with the weapon, but rarely used them.

Update on Weapons & Warriors

Just wanted you guys to know that I updated the post on the now Hawaiian Leiomano. I originally posted it under the Māori section because last year I had a theme to each group of posts. This year I'm tossing the themes to the wind and just posting about whatever weapons tickle my fancy; like the Scottish Claymore, and a few others. Several of my favorite weapons belong to cultures that really didn't have anything unique or original besides that one weapon. Like the Claymore. So I had skipped many of my favorites in favor of those cultures that had a large variety of unusual weapons. So long story short, after a comment on the Leiomano, I went back and researched the weapon from a Hawaiian perspective instead of forcing it into the Māori arsenal. I have to admit, I think the post is much better now. So now I'll get back to editing the Claymore post and get it up sometime this week. Hope everyone is having a great year so far.

Here is the link to the updated Leiomano post, which is also moved under the Hawaiians on the Weapons & Warriors page. 
 

Weapons & Warriors: The Fu Tao of the Shaolin

If you have ever played any recent versions of Mortal Kombat, then you have seen the wickedness of the Fu Tao. Kabal's favorite toy is not a game designers conjured up idea of a crazy pair of swords. These things are for real, and they are really deadly.

To watch a Shaolin Monk perform with Fu Tao is a wonder to behold. These hooked swords are as dangerous to the Monk wielding them as they are to their opponent. The monk will constantly twirl the swords and with a flash he can strike with the razor sharp edges.

The sword blade is narrow and the tip curls forward into a hook. The edges are sharpened so that anything that slips into the hook can be snared. The hooks have a variety of uses, including tripping an opponent or disarming. Another trick used by Shaolin is hooking two swords together to double the reach of the deadly blades twirling them out and slashing with the razor sharp dagger below the handle. The hand guard is a sharpened crescent moon with the points facing away from the hand. No matter what angle the blade strikes from, it can slice into a foe with ease.

Weapons & Warriors: The Māori Behind the Masks

The Māori warriors started training at an early age. They specialized in a martial art called Mau Rakau, which included training in the various weapons they used. In one on one combat, a Māori warrior was quite formidable. They did not fight like savages as some might have suspected when they stumbled across these warriors while exploring New Zealand. The Māori are a proud people and more than just powerful proud men, they are spiritual and intelligent. They are excellent astronomers, navigators of the seas, as well as amazing wood and stone carvers.

The history of the Māori people was only recorded orally for many generations until Europeans came to New Zealand and began writing down everything they learned. The first encounter by Europeans with the Māori was not pleasant and friendly. More than likely it was a misunderstanding of the Pōwhiri.

The Pōwhiri is a welcoming ritual and part of it involves three warriors advancing and showing off their skills before making an offering to the newcomers. If the offering is picked up, then the strangers are considered peaceful. If it is not, then the strangers become hostile or untrustworthy to the Māori. Four sailors and only one Māori were killed in that encounter. Apparently the story that was told to the rest of the world was frightening enough that no explorers returned for decades.

Weapons & Warriors: The Stingray Tete of the Māori

This was another weapon I saw on The Deadliest Warrior TV show. I don’t believe it was primarily a Māori weapon, but it was occasionally used by them. As you know, I don’t usually talk about spears unless there is more to them than a stick with a sharp end. This spear is definitely one of the wicked ones. I think this spear is almost as frightening as Makrigga to look at. Although it is less likely to disembowel you, it delivers its own kind of pain in the form of poisonous barbed stingers.

The word Tete is used by Māori for any short spear that is designed for the head to break off once it impacts its target. Most often these look like your average spear with the spearhead made of whale bone, sometimes the bone is carved into three points which allowed a wider impact point for striking at fast moving animals. The particular Tete I’m talking about today replaces the whale bone with several stingers from Stingrays. The stinger of one of these marine animals houses poison inside. Lucky for most people who are stung by a Stingray, the poison is not really lethal to humans. The incident with Steve Irwin (aka: Crocodile Hunter) was a freak accident. The stinger actually pierced his heart, and that is why he died, not because he was poisoned to death.

Weapons & Warriors: The Leiomano of the Hawaiians

I first saw this bad boy on The Deadliest Warrior  TV series and I instantly fell in love with it. It resembles the Hungry Wood of the Aztecs, but it is not as razor sharp or durable. It is also not long and flat, but the weight of it and the jagged sharp teeth are just as deadly. It is scary enough to look at, but when you realize the sharp edges are real shark teeth it adds to the fear.

According to The Deadliest Warrior, the Māori were known to use this weapon, but the Leiomano was more of a Hawaiian weapon and the name Leiomano is Hawaiian. Hawaiians are more known for using it, but the simplicity and abundant resources available to make these clubs made it a possibility for Māori to either create their own or take one from an island north of New Zealand. There are many different kinds of Leiomano. The Hawaiians made fat paddle like versions to long and thin versions that resembled the Aztec Macuahuitl.

On The Deadliest Warrior they referred to the Leiomano as simply the Shark-tooth Club. After some researching, I found that many Polynesian islanders made use shark tooth weapons as well. It wasn't just a Hawaiian weapon, although its first designed versions are from Hawaii. I don't know if the Māori somehow acquired the design from interactions from Hawaiians or if they eventually came up with it on their own.

Weapons & Warriors: The Mere and Wahaika of the Māori

The Taiaha was an effective weapon in combat, but not the only one the Māori cherished. Although the Taiaha represents the ancestors of the warrior, it does not declare status. A Mere was often used by a chieftain and was an expensive weapon to make that sometimes involved more than one generation of crafters. It is said that despite the Taiaha’s range, the Mere was the more deadly and reliable weapon.

The process to grind down a piece of jade, also called greenstone could take many years. It had to be done with perfect precision and care so as to make it’s surface smooth and at the same time the paddle had to be as thin as it could be. Jade is a very hard stone, so even once it is thinned and flattened, it will not break easily. This makes it one of the sturdiest materials available for the Māori who did have access to iron or steel.

Weapons & Warriors: The Taiaha of the Māori

Some might call it a spear or javelin, but this weapon was not made to be thrown. Despite the appearance as a short spear, the Taiaha is bulky and not designed with aerodynamics in mind at all. In fact throwing a Taiaha could be considered a grave insult to a Māori warrior, especially if it embeds itself in something other than an enemy.

The sharp end of the Taiaha is called a tongue, which protrudes from the thicker carved head. The tongue is sharpened and knife like and is used for stabbing or blocking enemy weapons. The shaft gives the Māori better range in close combat and increases the power of a thrust. Māori use this weapon with both hands. The bottom of the shaft was also flattened so that it could be used to thrust and wound enemies.

The Māori trained to use the Taiaha defensively as well as offensively, so that they were able to block attacks and counter with quick short movements. The Taiaha was the weapon of choice by Māori warriors before gunpowder and training began at a young age. Once they were old enough to go to war; they would be masters of the Taiaha. The Taiaha art is still taught today.

Weapons & Warriors: The Living Nightmares of the Congo

Art by Steven DeVon Jones

The Azande people were expansionist tribes. The name Azande in fact means “The People who rule much land.” Their warriors were the fiercest in the region of Africa from Sudan to the Congo. The Azande weapons of choice were frightening enough, but what made the Zande Warrior a nightmare come to life was the legends that grew around them.

The Zande Warriors were masters of psychological warfare. They sharpened their teeth and rushed into battle shouting “Nyam Nyam.” Outsiders called the Zande Warriors Niam-Niam, which means great eaters. The Azande played up this myth and would sometimes carve up the dead and make them appear is if they had been half eaten. The Azande took no prisoners and many of their neighbors believed they were cannibals. It's hard to stand against a warrior that you truly believe is going to eat you if he gets the chance. The term Niam-Niam today is an expression of disapproval and criticism and is no longer embraced by the modern Azande peoples.

Weapons & Warriors: The Makraka of the Zande Warrior

Although the Makrigga and Kpinga were the first weapons a Zande Warrior reached for in a fight, they had another weapon that was as intimidating to look at as the other two. They had their own nightmarish version of a short sword they called the Makraka.

The handle was made of wood and bound with animal hides. The hammered iron blade was shaped like a sickle and was swung in a similar motion. The tip of the blade was thicker and heavier than the central portion of the blade. Unlike other sickle related swords used in Arabian lands and southern Europe, the Makraka was only sharpened on the interior portion of the blade.

The blade was specially designed to remove limbs with ease, like a more extreme version of the Spartan Kopis. This gave the weapon a dual purpose in that it was wicked looking and deadly weapon in combat, and afterwards it was used to remove the heads of prisoners. We’ll get into that ritual next week when I talk about the Azande’s use of psychological warfare against their enemies.

Weapons & Warriors: The Makrigga of the Zande Warrior

No two cultures seem to make the spear the same way or with the same materials. The Azande people were no exception. They called their special iron tipped spear the Makrigga.

The Makrigga has to be one of the most terribly vicious spears ever designed. Unlike most spears made in the world, if the victim survived the piercing, they would be better off not pulling the spear out of the wound. With most of the spears in Asia, Europe, or America; even at the risk of bleeding out, you might have a chance to live longer if the spear is removed. This was not the case with the Makrigga.

You would be better off not attempting to remove it at all without a surgeon assisting you. You could try forcing it completely through like an oversized arrow, but seven feet (more than 2 meters) of wood is no small weapon to shove through your body. You would need help if you planned to push the spear through and to break it. The wooden shaft would be pretty hard to break by yourself without causing more damage hacking away at it. Don't forget the other problem with pushing something through that hasn't already pierced completely through, the risk of cutting something you might need to live.

Weapons & Warriors: The Strychnine Arrow of the Zande Warrior

You might ask yourself, what is so special about an arrow? Why not a bow? To simply put it, the standard bow that the Zande Warrior used in battle was just like most standard archaic bows. It’s a hard material, either bone or wood that is flexible enough to bend. Then a strand of horse hair or other animal hair is tied to either end to create a slingshot effect when pulled. That was the simplest way I know of describing the construction of a bow.

However, the bow is not my focus in this post. Zande warriors trained with bows as did many people of the Azande. It was a hunting tool as much as a weapon. What was different with the Zande Warrior firing a bow was that his arrow had an extra ingredient. It is something common enough that it is still easily accessible today and still as dangerous.



You have probably heard of Strychnine. This stuff is real nasty, too. Not only is it painful, it will keep you awake and alert until you actually die a slow agonizing death. Once introduced into your blood stream, Strychnine will basically cause uncontrollable muscle spasms. That includes all of your muscles, your face, abdomen, and eventually your lungs.



Weapons & Warriors: The Kpinga of the Zande Warrior

This is one of my most favorite throwing weapons in the entire world. It only serves one purpose, to kill or maim. The Kpinga was engineered to do it better than any other throwing weapon ever made. It is basically a perfectly crafted giant throwing knife. Unlike your standard throwing knife, the Kpinga actually has multiple blades at different angles so that once thrown, there was always at least one razor edge pointing at the target no matter what part of the spinning rotation it was in.

Many African tribes used this weapon in battle, and it had many names, but the Azande people called it the Kpinga. Another name it is known as is Hunga Munga, which is on of its more popular aliases. I can imagine that name may be as descriptive as any name as to what inspired the shape and design of at least one of the blades. Just look at the picture and you’ll know what I mean. It’s okay; I’ll give you a moment to pull your mind out of the gutter. Have your eyes shrunk back to their normal size yet? Good, let’s move on.


Weapons & Warriors: The Kilij of the Ottoman Cavalry

This week I’m doing a special Weapons Weekly on one of the grandfathers of the modern cavalry sabre, the Kilij. Unlike most other sabres, the Kilij had a special design that not only made it more dangerous than other sabres, but gave it an exotic appearance that fit well into the Turks that wielded it. The sabre was not a sword designed for fighting on foot such as the longsword and broadsword, but was specifically designed for cavalry. Sabres have curved blades that are sharp on only one side. Their blades were forged to handle slicing without shattering. The Kilij was one of the few sabres that were designed with thrusting as an option, but like all sabres, slashing at an opponent was still far more deadly.

The Kilij was a redesigned version of the Turko-Mongolian Sabre, which may have been the first sabre ever recorded in history. The Mongolians were notorious cavalrymen and had a heavy influence on Turkish culture after the Mongols invasions of the Turkish and Arabic lands. The difference between the Kilij and most other sabres is the tip. It had a double edged tip that flared out making the tip stronger and heavier. This added weight gave the Kilij an axe-like quality in that it was capable of cutting through bone with one swipe.

Weapons & Warriors: The Naginata of the Samurai

The Samurai were some of the greatest and most disciplined warriors in history. One thing they were well known for was having the right weapon for the right situation. A Katana or Tessen had limited use against a mounted opponent. The Naginata was designed to put distance between the Samurai and his opponent.

At a glance, the Naginata looks similar to a spear with a long thin curved blade, but it is actually related to the poleaxe, halberd, and even more so to the glaive. The wooden pole was anywhere from 5 to 6 feet in length. The end of the Naginata was fixed with a 3 foot sword-like blade that had a long steel piece with a hole opposite the sharp end. This thin sliver of metal was slid through a steel cap in the end of the pole and a wooden peg was squeezed through the hole lined up with a hole in the pole. This made it easier for the warrior to sharpen his blade by removing it first instead of trying to maneuver around that entire cutting surface with a very long pole pulling on it.

Weapons & Warriors Update

Things have been very sporadic in the early parts of the week lately and that has delayed my Monday blog two weeks in a row, so I'm going to officially announce the Weapons Weekly will now be posted every Wednesday instead.

This week I'll be returning to the Samurai. After a couple weeks of fulfilling requests for weapons I am looking into a warrior tribe in Africa where they wield some really crazy looking weapons. They have an unusual and spectacular method of executing enemies, that is flashy and bloody. Of course I will want to share that.

I have a special treat for the fantasy lovers this summer. I am planning a special series of Weapons Weekly for mythical or fantasy weapons. I am still debating whether it should be run along with the standard Weapons Weekly or if I should run it in place of it. Plenty of time to decide. Either way, it will be fun, and I'll probably look for more obscure weapons in mythology. Some are too well known, such as Excalibur, so I might not be able to tell you anything you don't already know about that. I am definitely going to do a special on Mjölnir, otherwise known as Thor's Hammer. Everyone knows the hammer by now, but most people have no idea how it came about. It is truly a unique weapon.


Alright, that's all I have for the update. Have a great week everyone and I'll have that new Weapons Weekly up Wednesday morning. 

Weapons & Warriors: The Daneaxe of the Norsemen

Art by TL Jeffcoat

Legends often describe the Norsemen wielding a huge double bladed axe and a skullcap with horns on their head. The description of that conjures terrifying berserker giants bearing down on their enemies. Although there are many records of single bladed axes as tall as a man, there is no account of a Norsemen wearing a horned helm in actual battle or of the popular double bladed battle axe.

The horns would have only unbalanced the helm and gotten in the way of swinging his weapons. The extra blade would have been clumsy and impractical. Norsemen trained using the axe with techniques that would have not required an extra blade anyway. They were lethal enough with one simple blade. The danger it posed to its own wielder was also a reason Norsemen did not design these fantasy based axes. If a shield was rammed into their arms while holding the axe forward, the force of the shield could push the axe against them and that extra blade suddenly becomes their own demise.

Weapons & Warriors: The Longsword and Seaxe of the Norsemen

Despite some artists’ vision, the Norsemen did not wield giant swords. Those heavy Claymores were more popular among the Scotts across the sea. In fact, the Norseman rarely used a sword, since it was very expensive and difficult to forge. Most Norse, who did carry a sword, had to find a proper blacksmith to have their weapon created. Not all blacksmiths had learned the art of sword making. Making a blade in the times of the Norsemen Age was a long process that could take around a month and cost a lot of money, more than the common Norseman could afford.

Norsemen considered the sword a sign of wealth and success, or a descendant of someone wealthy or powerful. This is one of the few weapons that were handed down from generation to generation. An inherited sword was not always an immediately useable gift as it might have been well used already and required some repair. If the blade was recovered from a battlefield or duel it was most likely damaged. Those in power were often challenged by others who wanted their position in society, and a duel was often an answer to such a challenge. 

The Norse respected strength and skill in combat above all. So winning a duel was an acceptable way of working out an agreement. This carried over into more petty things such as who had the right to marry a certain woman or if a man wanted to cut a tree on his land, but his neighbor claimed it was his tree. Nothing is more final than a fight to the death. That may sound extreme, but keep in mind, most Norsemen wanted to die fighting so they could go to Valhalla. Dying of old age was considered an embarrassment.

There were two swords used by the Norsemen. The most common sword was the double edged longsword, which had a thin triangle shaped blade that was around 3 feet in length. It was most often used with a round wooden shield. Most swords in Europe in this age did not have a cross guard to protect the hand from enemy blades sliding down on the fingers.

Many of the swords made in the later ages of the Norse were marked on the blade. A change in the types of steel and iron used allowed for this that the previous metals did not. The older versions included iron with the steel which was twisted together at very high temperatures and then flattened and sharpened. The newer metal was stronger steel, so that marking into the metal did not weaken the blade as it would have with previous designs. Norse spent a lot of time crafting the elaborate hilts and often named the sword once it was complete.

The Seaxe is equally as long, but generally has a thicker blade and is only sharp on one side. The exact thickness varied and the Seaxe resembled anything from a long machete to a cleaver. The Seaxe was more common on the longships because they made excellent blades for cutting ropes as well as removing an enemy’s limbs in combat. All practical warriors enjoy multipurpose tools. 

Modi, was the Norsemen God of Rage and was often envisioned with a sword. One of the reasons Norsemen were called savage barbarians by outsiders was the seemingly fearless rage that some of these warriors seem to present on the battlefield. There were myths and legends of these Berserkers. There is no shortage of stories about a warrior who would charge into the enemy line with the strength of ten men and swing his weapons wildly. He could ignore all injuries that were inflicted upon him until he was dead, or everyone else was. 

In reality, this berserker rage is just a legend. It is not unlikely that a few of the Norsemen would throw themselves onto an enemy line and swing their sword like a crazed madman, but that reflects their religious beliefs more than some mysterious rage induced berserk. However, most legends and myths have some basis to something that was real. With one of the members of their pantheon being a God of Rage, it is likely that some Norsemen pushed their adrenaline and rage over the top and went mad in battle as a tribute to their God. I’m not an expert on that matter, but it sounds like a possibility.

I hope you enjoyed this edition of Weapons and Warriors, click here to view the entire catalog of weapons and cultures. Thank you, see you next week.