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Report RSS Homeworld: Swords of Kharak

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HOMEWORLD: SWORDS OF KHARAK

I wanted to add this to the "Sins of Homeworld Lore" article, but I was told that I have exceeded limited number of symbols already…

Kiith Soban Fighter

More I am looking at this picture, the more I'm getting annoyed.

The hair length of this elite military unit is raising some questions, but more questions are about the melee weapon she cannot even use in a tight room. Of course, swords are attractive: there is something tribal about them, even Freudian. Artists love them, we all love them, Conan The Barbarian is the witness.

The Northman

Larger life forms include insects, avians and several marsupial species, the largest being the friendly, knee-high omnivorous haariri.
(c) HWDOK, Expedition Guide, Kharak, Kharakid Biology

But first of all, there is no horses in Kharak reality. And the sabers are something that developed as a weapon of chevaliers, horsemen, as the weapon curved form allowed them to slash from the top position with an centrifugal inertia auxiliary force. And the pop-cultural katana technically is a sabre, that had been adapted to the changing war conditions and then quite peaceful 3 centuries of Edo period, the time of duels with no armor, and no significant technical progress, that lead to Japan forced reopening to the outer world by US Commodore Matthew C. Perry.

Katana and Tachi

Besides, there is a question to the quality of Japanese iron ore, and Japanese warlords tend to use European cuirass instead of their "native" armor. So, no doubt, there is a great cultural layer of Japanese martial arts, that build a strong spirit, discipline and so on. But the question is: was the katana of something that would overcompete the European war machine with the iron of really good quality, or is it something that was born out of the isolation specific conditions?

Russian Empire Cossacks

Then, if we take out the horses, these medieval tanks, out of the equation, then the pedestrian warrior most likely would use a short straight sword instead of a sable, but it won't be his main weapon, it will be an auxiliary weapon when his spear range is over, and it will be used to thrust, not to slash. And for Soban there are our reality examples:

Greek Warriors

Roman Legionaire


Roman pilum was something that was mentioned in the Kharak history:

The ancient raachok was a hurled weapon from the early martial period on Kharak. Light infantry used to carry a half dozen of these leaded darts into battle and then throw them in rapid fashion as they closed with the opponent. They were not the most effective weapon for inflicting injuries, but the enemy was forced to raise their shields to protect themselves from the hail of whistling projectiles, and so the infantry could often close and get in the first blow before the enemy had recovered.
(c) HWWOS, Taiidani Light Corvette

Most probably, a gladius type swords also were used.

Gladius and Pugio

Maybe some other types of straight sword over time:
EuroSwords

Even Soban sigil tells us about the handle of a straight sword:

Sigil of Kiith Soban

But there were no Edo period in Kharak history, with the somewhat of sword sacralization. Naabal Intervention quickly switched the technological level of war to the next stage, and the melee weapon became useless in battles. The Age of Reason asked warriors to sharpshoot not to chop and stab. Swords became a ritual weapon only, something for the parades. And with the machinery development, it's hardly believed that any soldier or officer would take a big heavy useless pile of iron into a tight cabin of any vessel - only the Japanese officers holding to the old imperial traditions were last to use swords - looks like Siidim story, but they are gone. It's better to take few rifle magazines instead. As well, it's completely useless on a spaceship: are you going to persecute your battle comrades, Mr. Commissar?. But HWR put those swords everywhere: Taiidans, Turanics… Yes, there is a mechanic of melee fighting in RPG, but don't get too attached to it.

Even in Star Wars, that initially were loosely based on Akira Kurosawa samurai traditional strengths exaggerating movies, only the Force-holders used some advanced swords. And in the Dune universe the melee weapon was used because the warriors had personal force fields. In other words: it's not WH40K, it's HW10K!

Mashad Siidim commands his carrier with a sword

The developers of "Alfa: Antiterror" were asked why there is no knifes in their tactical game, they answered that the special forces units had recalled no case of using knives, despite they had those. The firearms is the main weapon of war, there is no point to teach soldiers how to use melee weapon. Maybe the basic martial arts training, maybe the knife training, but it's not essential. It's better to give them some courses about surviving in unfriendly conditions, about medical care, add a specialty of operating battle machine. Modern war is a ranged war. So any sword fighting would be just one's free time leisure, no other value in it. Especially as swordsmanship requires you to save knuckles, so the one can hold a sword tight. That's why the Karate was considered as a plebe's martial art. Thus you won't get in special forces, and they are relying on stealth, the sword might be a hinder in this task… The era of soldier-sword system is a past, soldier-ranged-weapon system is a future.

An enemy won't hit you with a knife if you shoot off his head

OK, there are Sikhs, and their religion requires them to have a Kirpan - a ceremonial sword: there is no fixed style of Kirpan and it can be anything from a few inches to three feet long. And a small auxiliary ritual weapon in the size of Rambo knife, wakizashi, dirk or dagger won't be burdensome and be even practical like khukuri of British Gurkhas.. Especially if there will a very tight combat in a spaceship. Though, if I'd be a salvager, I'd avoid salvaging a ship without a huge EMP strike, and an armored specialized spacesuit with a short-barreled autoshotgun: those appear to be quite effective in CQBs…

Gurkhas with Khukuri

But anyway, this kind of a melee weapon could be a public sign of affiliation to Sobani, not a sword kept for rituals and parades. But again, the question why would you need a notable lethal weapon among the unarmed civilians, if your fists and kneels are already a trained weapon, that can do enough damage to harm an offender, with less probability of killing him?..

Kharaki Battle Monks

And now, Khindu'annah Sagald will demonstrate an old proverb “Sajuuk created all kharakid, but Samaal Naabal made them equal”.

Gun vs. Sword

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