Fighting left-handed.

[ochoin]

I bring this up because I was two figures short to complete a Lion Rampant heavy infantry unit.
I did, as it turns out, have two surplus crossbowmen, who came open handed: easy conversion. One was given a spear & shield- spear in his open left hand & shield glued to his bent right one. The other 11 figures, BTW, are armed with swords, mostly. I'll probably be the only person to notice this sinister outcome but I was wondering about how left-handers coped with edged weapons in the normal run of things.

Weapons, I think, would be largely ambidextrous but would a 'lefty' have to conform to his right-handed comrades?
Westly & Inigo could use either hand at will but is this just movie-nonsense? I do know that left-handers are generally adept at using their right hand. My mum's family run to left-handers & I have 3 siblings with this trait. Playing back-yard cricket in my youth, one of them was a nearly unplayable left-handed fast bowler; & didn't she relish this! I would think a soldier, using a weapon left handed might have certain advantages.

donald

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

I was told, many years ago, that formations in mediaeval times would deliberately incorporate "lefties" on the right flank of the group so that their shields protected that side of the formation (I always wondered if this was possibly a hang-over from the guys on the right flank of the testudo). Similarly, I would suspect that left-handers were chosen to lead the way when climbing the spiral staircases of castles etc, which were designed to expose the open side of right-handed warriors.

[grizzlymc]

It has been suggested that the figure of around 3% lefties is because if there are many more, the others get used to fighting them and they lose their advantage. Certainly, I have found in a brawl that one can induce a little uncertainty to the opponent by shaping up right handedly and the slipping into my normal left handed stance.

Spearmen might open a gap if they are fighting left handed.

[FreddBloggs]

Beware the southpaw.

[Willz the Wargamer]

Always have a Ned Flanders in your medieval army



Willz.

[Peeler]

Darned lefties