Re: OT: Corpses, etc. (was: Re: Gender in conlangs (was: Re: Umlauts (was Re: Elves and Ill Bethisad)))

Quoting John Cowan <cowan@...>:

> Costentin Cornomorus scripsit:
>
> > > I expect that the soldiers are taught how to
> > > fight dirty,
> >
> > Nah. They have to _learn_ how to fight clean.
> > They learnt how to fight dirty when they were
> > kiddos wandering the streets of a big and
> > dangerous city!
>
> Street fighters don't have a chance against trained unarmed-combat
> or knife-combat soldiers, unless they have at least three-to-one
> preponderance or there is some other factor involved.  The only
> exception is a quarterstaff, which is effective simply because
> of its range; they're damned awkward in cities, though.
>
> (BTW, you don't throw your knife against another knife within less
> than five meters, and not further either unless you are a wizard
> at darts.)
In Taireza, five street-fighters with knives would stand no chance against one
soldier _untrained_ in knife-combat; there's simply no way someone without a
combat exoskeleton could thrust or throw a knife with force enough to
penetrate even the lightest military armour.

                                                   Andreas