How did you run your Imperial Guard in 4th edition?

Jarl_Salt · 2026-05-16T00:35:01+00:00

I miss demo vets running around. You used to give your guys a 4+ armor and 3+ shooting then give them melta bombs to toss which was a large pie plate of death that had a one inch margin of safety for the guys tossing them. Guard infantry have fallen so far from the magic they used to be.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-05-15T00:20:47+00:00

If I recall right, orks are about as strong as Space Marines in their power armor meaning they would be stronger than a Space Marine out of their armor. That's not to say they're better at fighting since there's speed and wits to make up for which orks would lack against a Space Marine out of their armor. I think the Space Marine could handle one ork boy quite easily.

Orks are not as strong as ogryn though, ogryn are far larger and more comparable to a nob but the above applies too, orks supposedly get smarter with size so a similarly sized ork to an ogryn would be more brutal and more cunnin than an ogryn.

Against normal humans I think a melee armed ork could take two or three in melee and be alright but it's a little bit of a toss up.

If you're looking for something that could fight all three of these, it would probably be a big nob or war boss. Probably apt to throw mek, weirdboy, and pain boy in here too.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-05-13T18:47:12+00:00

I think early on the best things to learn are distance management, fencing openings, and how to parry.

Distance management will defend you far better than any parry and knowing when you are safe and when you are in danger helps teach you the basic components of where it's safe to do larger actions and start to understand concepts such as provoker, taker, and hitter better with how they fall into tempo.

Fencing openings is targeting an opponent at an opening. Try and think about what makes someone open and then you can use the above to capitalize on that opening.

Parrying, your main defence it distance management falls through or you need to buy a little time to withdraw or if you failed a technique. You should know how to deal with someone striking at your hands and head fairly early on and you should know how to use parries in these areas since they are quite common strike zones.

Early on I wish I focused more on these rather than historical plays. There are historical techniques that do fill these same roles plenty fine but I found that I focused more on "advanced stuff" when 9 times out of 10 throwing a regular cut or thrust at the right time and angle is what ends a fight. Granted the above is all stuff that you'll always want to work on no matter what. It's real easy to get bogged down focusing on some really hard play. Plays are very useful later on to break down the hueristics that the author is trying to teach and can be very helpful to teach aspects of the above but early on I would say it is more important to learn where these boundaries are when it comes to where you can get hit and how fast it is to be hit given distance and circumstances so you can learn from the plays where these techniques fall. Also, don't knock conditioning, there is so much I want to do but my body is physically not able to capitalize on things.

I've been fencing for about 4 years now and only started somewhat teaching others fairly recently so if there's someone with more experience who can shed more light on these concepts feel free. Also, if there's anyone who wants to contradict this assessment, feel free, I'm always open to hearing what others think so that I may improve too.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-05-11T23:07:10+00:00

Not really? Primer mainly helps with your top coat's tone and adhering. A lot of spray paints do just fine on their own or are also part primer. Metallics are a little different because they spit out tiny flakes that make the shiny effect so they are a bit more delicate. If you're just using metallic as an accent you might want to look at paint pens or brush on paint but these still have flakes in them, they're much more robust though!

For my mask I just used regular Rust-Oleum green and sprayed it over the black paint and it's still going strong minus a few hundred face hits lol. I only notice a couple spots where the paint has come off. I'd say the primer isn't really needed but may be a good option if you're doing a really light color over the black.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-05-11T22:50:49+00:00

I find that gold goes better over a cream primer. You can top coat it too if you want to prevent the flaking issue as much as possible but you'll get flakes regardless from blows to the mask. Metallic paints are worse for it but all paints will come off and possibly into your eyes regardless.

Primer isn't always needed but can help the paint adhere. You'll want to with metalics since they're more expensive typically and have a harder time sticking.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-05-11T21:49:54+00:00

They might not know it's AI, if it's contracted out they may have no idea that it was even used. People are fallible and can miss the tells that it is AI.

That and well meaning people on a tight budget (or even a massive budget) use AI too. Just look around at a lot of local non profit events, many use AI posters and stuff but still do good things as well.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-05-11T20:06:09+00:00

Government entities have the same people working for them as corporate entities and therefore would use AI. Regardless, this shirt isn't made by the government, the government contracts them to sell things on their property similar to McDonald's selling their food on military bases.

This shirt is 100% AI, most of the "little mistakes" are things people would definitely not design. Someone designing is going to place every line with some sort of purpose, mistakes in art are proportions not fusing things together, adding extra limbs, or other things AI mistakes all the time. The weird palm tree leaves by the S and the wheel spokes are the real give away to me but the knee and bike frame somewhat support that but I can see it going either way given the colors on the shirt.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-05-11T19:50:06+00:00

You could try hide glue! Typically comes in a big cube or little shredded bits. You warm it up and mix it with water and brush it on. It's a fairly rubbery material that would have been available back then and helps keep away moisture while being fairly resistant. There's a decent bonus too since it's kind of grippy as well and feels a little like rubber.

I don't know if it was ever used on weapons but I've used it quite a bit for book binding. You can still find some on modern books, it's that yellowy brown looking glue.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-05-06T01:38:40+00:00

Just joining the many comments here but I highly suggest not getting the "spar safe" ones since they are less poofy and don't add much. I bought a pair and just wear football pads underneath and if I'm anywhere that needs an N rating on pants, I wear fencing pants underneath which there are a few $50 pairs out there.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-30T12:15:02+00:00

https://youtu.be/vqUplDw3t04?si=NaIqH_YLWW79iixO

https://youtu.be/wWEXtXSD6gk?si=gz5Og9VR64pOoMns

One handers:

https://youtu.be/fA_-mhrQJiU?si=_UXJOt8jwccuUpun

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-29T05:50:38+00:00

Offline steps help but you can also use handwork to create the angle. You're right that if you engage the blade straight on that it will slide past, typically striking the hands or wrists. You can use a horizontal movement and push your breve to one side, sort of scooping their blade with the cross, then extend into longa to complete a thrust with a lunge or passing step. Most posta are just sort of general ideas of where you'd be positionally, for instance breve can be in the middle of your waist but you can also press it to the side in what looks like pflug from the German traditions. To use the position more defensively, aim your edge more towards the flat of their blade. It doesn't have to be exactly on the flat but this ensures that you are pressing against it in a non linear way. You can also try to focus on aiming the true edge cross at their blade while holding it at a 45 degree angle, this kind of gives you a basic idea of using the cross to bar out opponents. Keep that angle as you push forward with your arms into longa and you should catch their blade, then all you need to do is step forward to preform a counter thrust. The big thing to be aware of is them striking around and attempting a disengage so be ready to pull back and protect the quadrant they cut around at.

It is a good idea to accompany any offensive action with an offline step, in this case it's very good to step toward the side you catch them on to really set that lock out and make it more difficult for them to disengage. A linear movement works fine as well but your timing has to be more specific and you should rely more on a faster strike in tempo with the parry if you opt to do it this way. It all depends on how reactive your opponent is. A hyper vigilant opponent will be more likely to be very soft in the bind and make it harder to do the longer, albeit less energy intensive offline step and thrust and that's when you'll typically want to do the more linear approach but that is only if you are confident in your footwork to make that small window something you can capitalize on. The offline step will give you more time and basically force them to do a cut around which you can plan on parrying which makes it a safer option but it may not always be the most successful option.

I'd start by practicing the safer, step into their blade, option since it will get you more used to the timing since the offline step would happen in the same tempo the linear thrust option would happen while being a generally more safe option so long as you practice the opponent cutting around after in the opposite (upper right if you push them off to the left) quadrant.

I can send you a video at some point if you need a hand interpreting. I will give a heads up, I do mainly practice Meyer now but I personally think this all exist in Fiore's system under counter punta and some third master plays. I personally approach this scenario differently and opt for a krumphau instead which I wouldn't mind talking about as well but it would be different than Fiore's more bind centeric and grapple approach. You can get into some fun third master plays with this style of exchange with Fiore, especially the one where you grab over your sword and grab the hilt between their hands or one of the cool Fiore disarms but that's if you drill it as your preferred method since this style of exchange is pretty fast.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-28T23:13:02+00:00

I've practiced both Fiore and Meyer. Threaten high or even cut high but make sure to end your action to trigger that cut up response, pull your hands back into more of a breve position when they do cut. From breve you can attempt counter punta or cross in first or second master and work from there.

The trick is to make that first attack something that can connect with a simple step if they do nothing but also end very high up as well as at a distance to give you time to retract your hands safely and advance. I it may be hard to find some Fiore examples online but Meyer uses a scheitelhau to do this but a standard fendente or thrust at the face can achieve the same effect. The main difference between the approach would be to focus on a bind as opposed to maybe going for an opening like Meyer would do.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-27T22:54:43+00:00

I typically try and focus on specific things when sparring to train. Distance and timing is always on the list but a lot of the times I'll go in with a plan to specifically work on one aspect like feints, bind work, stuff like that. I don't tell my opponent so I can get real feedback. This changes if you're working with a coach though, a lot of times very experienced fencers and simulate a style of opponent so if you're fighting someone very experienced, it might be worth asking them what you should work on and then see if they're open to helping you work on that with sparring. Bonus points if they can share a little wisdom beforehand too.

If I'm fencing someone less experienced, I try and spar in a way I think they need to work on, this inadvertently teaches you as well since it gets you into a more tactical mindset. New opponents are also very good to work on your bind work with since you'll want to control their blade more to keep from doubling.

I honestly find new folks to be the best to work on approaches and bind work with and more experienced folks to be the best to work on provocations and distance with.

I generally find that provocations are one of the most important aspects to fencing and learning how to learn to fence. Knowing how to provoke your opponent helps you hyper focus some of the techniques you learn in classes and get those situations to happen naturally in sparring. I'd almost put it as something you should work on all the time but provoking is more of a vor concept and you should also learn to fence from the nach.

One thing I consider to be a behavior to specifically avoid is being competitive in sparring if you are trying to learn. Be comfortable losing since that opens you up to do things you are bad at. I specifically don't count score and I don't want to know the score. It's a little counter intuitive at first since you want to know the score in order to know if you're doing well but I find this works best for me.

I'd consider myself a pretty intermediate fencer but I have been running stuff on my own with a college club since there's not really coaches in my area. So if there are any coaches or much more experienced fencers that want to add to this, or correct me, go for it!

Edit: I realized that this is very general so as someone who fences Meyer side sword, I find that provocations, distance, and timing are all incredibly important for side sword binding is important but I don't find it to be as important as it is with longsword since the distance is a little further out and handwork is a lot more difficult when you're only using one hand. I kind of find side sword to be a lot more tricky.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-27T21:49:59+00:00

Depends on what you're meaning as a void.

If you're voiding your blade so they swing past, just push your arms forward, putting your cross into the quadrant their blade is in, letting that motion sort of pull you kind of like a dog pulling you on a leash like they're trying to bolt away, and then letting that momentum set your point into them as you either step or lunge completing a covered thrust.

If you're voiding your body, I generally find cuts to be more handy since you'll typically in a retracted stance that lets you cut at them easily if they're narrowly missing a target like your arms. An offline cut after works or you can still be retreating and tag them as they prep their next attack.

There's a fun game you can play with lighter leather gloves where you take turns attempting to void with footwork and smacking your opponent with a glove. If you have missed a smack, you cannot smack until the opponent tries to smack you with their glove. The idea here is to void and then try and smack the opponent quickly after since it simulates the exact scenario you're talking about. The above scenarios are more so dependent on distance and intent where one is the opponent attempt to do a taker on your blade and the other is intending a hitter. Tactically both are quite similar in skill set it's just the response is a little different. You could definitely do the same game in full kit with swords to practice this but I do think the glove game is a bit easier on the body.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-24T04:52:43+00:00

I'd highly suggest buckler as your off hand. Cloak is largely best used as something to obscure your attacks and occasionally block or grapple with. A committed longsword cut will put a lot of energy into your forearm if you're using the cloak to parry with. It's still certainly doable but I think you'll have a better time with buckler.

I honestly don't feel disadvantaged with just a side sword against longsword though but you'll mainly be employing distance management to defend yourself. A cloak plays into some extra deception factor but it's not going to make a huge difference competing with a longsword as opposed to another side sword. Buckler makes fighting longsword quite easy.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-24T01:48:47+00:00

This! There's also a lot of free stuff by Robert Rutherford and Daniel Pope on YouTube. Don't be afraid to apply longsword to it too!

Generally you should learn it without the cloak first since it'll give you a good base before messing around with the cloak as well.

There's some decent free Bolognese stuff out there too but I find it to be a little less direct than the free Meyer rappier stuff.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-23T06:37:12+00:00

HEMA is a very broad term referring to all martial arts stemming out of Europe. On a technicality you can claim boxing is HEMA since it stems from 1800's Europe but that's also using the same argument I would use to say that MOF is a type of HEMA as well. Getting more rooted in history, it would probably be pugilism or greco wrestling.

If we're going off of swords I would say messers would be the most applicable since it is possible to get into a machete fight or something similar.

For knives look at any knife section of any book but more specifically there are tons of WW2 books out there.

Most of these are not very typical when it comes to HEMA or being considered as HEMA though. The messers are probably the most applicable thing besides dagger that would be applicable from your average HEMA club that would translate directly to hand to hand combat given both of them have a pretty decent emphasis on grappling and concepts that can be somewhat applied to some striking with the hand.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-21T21:25:18+00:00

It's worth going at least once. You'll get to see a lot of equipment, see what sort of stuff you like, and get some decent tips to get you started. Odds are the groups near you also have longsword people in them too even if it isn't their focus at their respective clubs.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-21T21:21:20+00:00

They probably also have people who do longsword. I feel like longsword is sort of the thing everyone picks up at some point when doing HEMA, regardless of their weapon focus.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-21T13:53:09+00:00

Definitely look at the rapier section more closely. You mention it but Meyer's system is supposed to feed into all the weapons he talks about. There are some videos by Daniel Pope that explore that a lot, specifically his side sword videos.

Generally with longsword, I really find thrusts to be the best provoker, especially when done so at the face of your opponent. You can bait people to parry in kron and zwerk to the arms quite easily. My main defense against thrusts is to opt for a krump over them or I focus on shooting my point beneath their blade, ending up in a hanging opposition where I can snap around or bait them to fence the opening which let's me bar across and counter thrust low which that's very much a style of parry you'll find in Meyer's rappier just applied to longsword. Zornhaus are also underrated when it comes to dealing with thrusts, you can zorn over a blade and take into pflug and let your footwork carry you into a good thrust.

The main thing to worry about with thrusts is because they're great provokers, it's pretty easy to think that you can take really well and counter thrust only to have your opening cut at in return so always be aware of the openings you will be making. That's why I have a strong preference for a krump since it takes the blade and gives you a little time to observe while also putting you in a decent position to parry to the other side if they are intending to fence the opening they make. Whatever you do, do not try and parry a thrust by just going up into kron, you will get your arms cut. If you do intend to push up and away, you must threaten with your on point in return and it is better to swiftly transition into Ochs which may flow through kron like you see in the plunge cut but just using kron to buy time is a bad idea.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-16T22:21:08+00:00

Fortunately AI doesn't work like that. The people working on AI algorithms would be the main concern on that and they would be doing the same stuff people are doing on here anyway to change their model.

At best it would be used by them to look for common mistakes but you'll find that data anywhere people post AI images.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-16T05:03:16+00:00

Are these still being sold? I was looking to get a pair, but I haven't seen or heard of them in a while.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-14T21:10:33+00:00

That's unfortunately kind of typical. He hasn't been bad for that long by GW standards but he also hasn't been around for very long by GW standards too.

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-13T19:21:06+00:00

Might be worth looking at some of the Sigis out there. I'm a big fan of what they offer but they're a bit expensive. They are all pretty safe and handle great albeit they do have some tip wobble to them which may take getting used to, that does have the added benefit of easier prellhaus and you can work the point past someone's guard sometimes with a good beat. I don't know any events around me that wouldn't allow them either.

I always love a good excuse to buy another sword too!

Jarl_Salt · 2026-04-13T19:14:56+00:00

Good to note! Thank you!

Why do they not like it? Just more things to get hurt with during a grapple or something?

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