Asheron's Call Manual/The Way of Steel
The Way of Steel
excerpted from The Eagle's Road,
by Ummaz ibn Baqani
The path of the warrior is, by nature, fraught with peril. Those who travel it will seldom live to see their old age. Many will perish while they are still young. Yet the rewards for the skilled fighter can be great: power, glory, wealth, and the respect of friend and foe alike. Still, the novice warrior should learn something about his blade before he draws it for the first time.
WEAPONS
There's much to think about when it comes to selecting the right weapon. A spear is very different from an axe, for instance. Which one is better depends on your own abilities, your foe, and the weapon itself. Before you go to the blacksmith's—before you even choose which kinds of weapons to train with—learn what they can do.
Axes and Hammers are heavy and slow, but they do grievous damage when they cleave a foe's flesh or smash his skull. They are suited for warriors who are strong and have plenty of stamina.
Daggers and Knives are light and quick, but don't do much damage compared with other arms. They are also among the easiest weapons to learn. If your specialty lies somewhere other than combat, such as magic or lockpicking, the dagger is a fine choice when you must wade into battle.
Maces, Clubs, and Morning Stars are perfect for the ars warrior who cares little for subtlety, and wants to start breaking bones. Heavy bludgeons are especially handy against certain monsters, such as Skeletons and Olthoi.
Spears are simple and have a long reach. If a creature is particularly vulnerable to piercing damage, they're the best choice. Because their heads are smaller than most other weapons' blades, however, the wounds they inflict are sometimes less severe.
Staffs, like daggers, are simple weapons, best suited to sorcerers and vagabonds—although some staff-fighters, especially among the Sho, are among the most skilled warriors alive. They are light and quick, with a longer reach than a mace, but they also do less damage.
Swords are, according to many fighters, the finest of all weapons. They are quicker and lighter than axes, do more damage than daggers, and can both slash and stab. They are more difficult to learn than other weapons, however, and are more likely to inflict minor grazes and nicks than, say, a battle axe or morning star.
Punching Weapons, such as the katar, nekode, and cestus, add damage to punching attacks. Unarmed combat differs from other melee fighting, as the more skilled a warrior becomes, the more damage he can inflict. The novice is at a disadvantage beside a fighter with a sword, but masters of unarmed combat can cause as much harm with their hands and feet as the mightiest weapons—and usually with greater speed.
Bows are the standard for missile combat. Archery is hard to learn, but a trained bowman can kill an animal or minor monster with a single, well-aimed arrow. Longbows, generally, are slower than shortbows, but are more powerful, so they do more damage.
Crossbows are both easier to use and mightier than bows, doing tremendous damage with each quarrel. They are very slow to reload, though, making it harder to keep up steady fire. They are best suited for ambushes and surprise attacks, and can cause incredible mayhem when used in groups.
Thrown Weapons include anything that can be hurled by hand—darts, javelins, throwing axes, shouken, and many others. They don't fly as far as arrows or quarrels, but a strong warrior can hurl them long distances and inflict terrible damage with them.
As you slay monsters and grow in power, you will find weapons of quality and magical weapons. These can be faster, more accurate, or more damaging than normal weapons. They can also improve your skill at deflecting attacks and cast spells to improve your abilities. Keep watch, especially, for weapons that spout flames, frost, lightning, or acid. Not only are they spectacular in battle, but some monsters are extremely vulnerable to them—you can vanquish a Mu-miyah much faster, for instance, with a flaming sword than with one of plain steel.
ARMOR
As vital as your weapon is, it is not your only important choice in combat. If you want to live past your first fight, you should think carefully about armor. It is, after all, what stands between you and your foes' blades, cudgels, and fangs. It isn't as simple as bedecking yourself in a full suit of plate mail before wading into battle, though. Each kind of armor has its own strengths and weaknesses, and choosing the wrong kind can leave you exhausted or dead.
Leather Armor is made of cuir bouilli: leather hardened by boiling it in oil. It provides the least overall protection, but against some types of damage, such as fire, lightning, and frost, it is superior to metal armor. It is also light and inexpensive, so it is ideal for novices and those who prefer speed to strength.
Studded Leather Armor is made of soft leather fitted with metal studs. It is a favorite of common soldiers, as it provides greater protection than leather armor, and is only slightly heavier and more expensive.
Chain Mail, a flexible mesh of metal links, is one of the most popular kinds of armor. It protects well, but is not as heavy as other forms of mail. Unlike plate, scale, and yoroi, it provides fair protection against fire, frost and lightning.
Scale Mail is made of overlapping metal scales. It is the sturdiest armor crafted by the Gharu'ndim. While not as strong as Aluvian plate mail, it is lighter, exchanging protection for speed.
Yoroi is armor of laminated metal plates worn by the most powerful oi Sho warriors. It is slightly heavier and more protective than scale mail, but not as strong or cumbersome as plate mail.
Plate Mail, popular among Aluvian knights, is made of metal plates over padding. It is the most protective of all nonmagical armor, but is heavy, expensive, and vulnerable to fire, frost, and lightning.
The most important thing to remember about armor, aside from how much protection it provides, is how cumbersome it is. Heavy armor, such as scale, yoroi, and especially plate, will hamper all but the strongest warriors—tiring them, reducing their ability to fight, and making it hard to run and jump.
If you don't want to be constantly fatigued, don't wear so much armor that you become encumbered. There are two ways to do this. First, of course, you can wear lighter armor. Second, you can wear piecemeal armor to protect only certain parts of your body. Cover your most vulnerable spots first—your head, chest, forearms, and lower legs—by wearing helmets, breastplates, bracers, and greaves, while leaving other parts unprotected. You can also combine these two tactics, wearing heavy armor on vulnerable points, and lighter armor on the rest of your body. For instance, if plate mail sleeves are too burdensome, wear plate vambraces on your forearms and studded leather pauldrons on your upper arms.
As with weapons, magical armor and armor of quality are worth watching for. They can provide better overall protection or higher protection against specific types of damage, and can cast spells that improve your abilities.
SHIELDS
Shields can be a boon in battle, but they don't come without cost. They help you absorb attacks—the larger the shield, the better it will protect you—but fighting with them is fatiguing. You'll tire faster with a shield than you would with a weapon alone. Wielding a tower shield, the sturdiest of all, will soon wear out all but the most robust warriors. Also, shields protect you only from frontal attacks: if a foe gets behind you, even the largest shield will be useless.
STRATEGY
Even the legendary Thorsten Cragstone started out not knowing which end of a sword has the point. He learned quickly, however, or he would have met his death much sooner, and we might all still be thralls of the Olthoi.
While you can fight, and maybe even survive a while, without much knowledge of battle tactics, you'll get farther if you understand some basic combat strategy. Heed this advice, and someday your name may be remembered as well as Thorsten's.
Stamina. One of the most common mistakes a warrior can make is to care only about his health. If your stamina runs out, your fighting skills will suffer. If you get tired too quickly, don't strain yourself so much. Use a lighter weapon: don't wield a massive morning star if a club is enough to slay your foes. Switch to a smaller shield or none at all. And remember your armor and all the treasure you're carrying will weigh you down too.
Multiple Opponents. Even the feeblest Drudges can be deadly if they attack an inexperienced fighter en masse. When fighting against groups, try to put your back to a wall, so they can't flank you and attack from the rear. Corners work even better, as does fighting back-to-back with another warrior.
When faced with a group of opponents there is more than one way to increase your chances of victory. One method is to circle the outside of the group at a safe distance, assessing your foes. Target a foe who is likely to chase you (you will learn their ways with experience) and approach close enough to attract its attention. Allow that one to chase you far enough from the others that they will not interfere, and defeat it before going back to lure out another. When the odds are more in your favor take out the opponent in the group who is likely to do the most damage, then fight your way through the weaker ones.
Power and Speed. If you can kill an opponent with a single mighty swing, use as powerful an attack as possible. But if it isn't necessary to summon all your strength for one crushing blow, attack quickly and try to finish your foe before it can attack you again.
Damage Type. Some creatures are particularly vulnerable to some kinds of damage, but are little harmed by others. For instance, piercing weapons like spears are ineffective against Skeletons, but bludgeoning maces can shatter their bones. Choose your weapons to suit your foes.
Enemy Weakness. Some creatures and characters have body parts that are poorly protected. Choose the height of your attack to aim for these weak spots. If you're fighting a warrior who isn't wearing a helmet, for instance, swing high to aim for his head. Monsters' weak spots are less obvious, but if you discover one, use it.
Using Missile Weapons. If you have a missile weapon, ready it before battle is joined. Most of the delay in using a bow or crossbow comes from loading, not firing. Don't waste shots by firing at targets from too far away. Only the most skilled archers can shoot well from long distances. And, above all, watch your ammunition: there's nothing worse than reaching for that vital arrow, only to discover your quiver is empty.
Support from Spellcasters. While some fighters disdain wizardry, a friendly magicuser can be a tremendous asset. Sorcerers' war magic can be as effective a weapon as any sword. An enchanter can improve your abilities and equipment, or weaken a foe so you can deal the death blow. And a life mage's spell can save you from an early death.
Fleeing. At some point, even the mightiest warrior gets into a fight he can't win. If you find yourself outmatched, it's often best to turn and run. Many monsters will chase you, but they'll give up eventually—if they don't kill you first. Don't stay in a hopeless fight until your health is almost gone, or you won't get away. And again, watch your stamina: if you're exhausted when you try to flee, you'll never outpace your foes.
This is only the beginning of combat strategy. As you adventure and gain experience, not only will your skills improve, but you'll also learn more about how to fight effectively. Don't be afraid to ask more accomplished warriors for advice: many will gladly teach you how best to fight in exchange for tithes or allegiance. And, if you live long enough to become a veteran, be sure to pass your knowledge on to the new generations of warriors, so that they might one day perform deeds as mighty as yours.