But in a culture in which personal valor and strength are paramount, close in fighting would remain significant even if more effective methods were discovered and used.
Bat'leth bashing
- Thread starter Laura Cynthia Chambers
- Start date
I like Timo's explanation that the bat'leth was some farm implement used by serfs (presumably with no access to weapons) to overthrow an ancient Klingon overlord. It's more of a cultural reminder of this, than it is of being a practical weapon.
Klingons keep them around the same way that US Marines are given Mameluke swords or sabers. It's not for practical use (they have disruptors for that), but just for show.
And also Klingons get in duels specifically of the bat'leth on bat'leth variety. Duels like Duras v. Worf, where only one wielder has a bat'leth are very rare and not advised.
Klingons keep them around the same way that US Marines are given Mameluke swords or sabers. It's not for practical use (they have disruptors for that), but just for show.
And also Klingons get in duels specifically of the bat'leth on bat'leth variety. Duels like Duras v. Worf, where only one wielder has a bat'leth are very rare and not advised.
The Klingons maintained a feudal landholder system long after the bat'leth was created.
Once those warriors went to war (the thing warriors do), whatever code that bound them to heavy weapons without reach would be thrown out the window. Indeed, a bunch of Klingon warriors with bat'leths would be quick work for a mixed group of pikemen and knights with Zweihaender.
The Bat'leth kinda looks like a metallic wishbone. Maybe the Klingons used to be windsurfers a few centuries earlier/
I didn't say they learned their lesson. I'm under no illusion that the Klingon Empire was founded on some sort of democratic ideal.
It seems that the Klingon had a short democratic period in the past but they are ashamed of it, or at least their leaders tells them they have to be.
The Marines are using disruptors now!?!
Well, when a bullet rips through your body, you're kinda disrupted as a result, are you not?
Again, technical innovation may exist, but there would/could be an cultural resistance to eliminating a weapon that checks so many boxes on the Klingon psyche list.
That might work for isolationist ethnic groups without traditions of imperialism, neither of which describes the Klingons.
Have we ever seen Klingons using the bat'leth to conquer planets?
Nope. They use spacey wacey stuff for that. The bat'leth is a dueling and close quarter weapon, and that's how it is used in Trek.
We saw them trying to take the station using bat'leths.
We saw them trying to take Ajilon Prime with bat'leths.
I never understood how that works. Anybody at a distance to get them all with a phaser before they could even get to him.
That is a huge conceit within the franchise: there seems to be a silent agreement to switch to traditional weapons in close range. Accepting it, each culture probably has a range of weapons that would make the bat'leth less effetive. Indeed, the mek'leth was decent as a sidearm (though perhaps not as a a primary war weapon.)
Correction - we saw them FIGHTING on Ajilon Prime with bat'leths. Energy weapons were no doubt used as well.
I like it, it looks good, the "make it part of your arm" stuffs seems credible on the TV screen. Does it bear RL scrutiny? Well, no, but that's kind of a crowded category when it comes to Trek stuff.
Yes, but at some point, on some planet, the Klingons would charge with their bat'leths, the opponents would pull out something long, sharp and pointy, and suddenly they'd have Klingon kabobs. The next day, Chancellor so-and-so would ban them from the battlefield.
More likely, an hour later Chancellor so-and-so would send more troops with disruptors, and when the pikemen are wiped out, they'd use the bat'leths for crowd control.
So we agree: don't use bat'leths on the battlefield.
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