A Flexible Sword - Urumi
A Flexible Sword - Urumi
An urumi (Malayalam: uṟumi; Sinhalese: ethunu kaduwa; Hindi: āra) is a sword with a flexible, whip-like blade, originating in modern-day Kerala in the Indian subcontinent. It is thought to have existed from as early as the Sangam period. [~600BC-300AD]
The urumi is handled like a flail but requires less strength since the blade combined with centrifugal force is sufficient to inflict injury. As with other "soft" weapons, urumi wielders learn to follow and control the momentum of the blade with each swing, thus techniques include spins and agile manoeuvres.
These long-reaching spins make the weapon particularly well suited to fighting against multiple opponents. When not in use, the urumi is worn coiled around the waist like a belt, with the handle at the wearer's side like a conventional sword.
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Given that spears and halberds exist, what’s what’s the utility? Hidden for assassin shenanigans?
Same reason cannons exist when guns also exist. They serve different purposes by having different profiles.
I mean, if a military were to have the financial means to offer a cannon to every soldier, they would. Economics are the backend of every war. In 600 BC, a flexible sword would be both far more expensive and less effective than a spear, which is the crux of my question. I only read the wiki after my comment so I take back halberds. 7355608 proposed an interesting use case in a casual carry belt that feels reasonable.
But if they did that, a light infantry squad would grab their rifles, run around to the side of the cannon squad, and completely destroy them.
“Thaddiffer, I do say, what are those Frenchmen doing across the hill?”
“My dear Billiam, I believe they’re attempting to flank us. Shall we preemptively prepare a ceaseless 500 grape shot barrage to render them, the landscape, and everything else within a quarter mile into an unidentifiable vapor?”
“No, no, we shan’t be rude, we simply must offer them first volley. Anyone for tea in the meantime?”
*raucous agreement*
(Yes, I know what you’re referencing but this is magic “everyone gets a cannon” canon)
It was basically a weapon so that when you got in a bar fight, you could grab the band saw off your waist lol
You could use it as a belt maybe?
Like the canesword, it's a belt first and when hooligans are up to hooligan things you can give them what for. . .
. . .as your pants fall down.
- Easy to carry
- Easy to conceal
- When slashed around, creates a very dangerous bubble around the user that can keep multiple enemies at bay
- Can be several meters long, giving it more reach than most polearms
- Effective against shields since the end can wrap around the shield to hit the enemy
- Look badass
It's not meant to be a mass produced weapon that gets distributed to everyone in the militia. Spears are far and away a better choice for that. It takes years and years of training before a fighter should even consider learning how to use one. But in the hands of an elite warrior they can be incredibly deadly.