Walking dead season 4

[Harold Tuttle]

one of the background prison crew had a bolt action deer rifle with a scope.

[BryanP]

I just got caught up last night.  Yeah, the Governor gets capped by one of his female followers in the comic too.  And yeah, he was quite dead.

The gunplay was annoying.  Definite suspension of disbelief time.  I guess Andrea was the only one who knew how to shoot long distance with a scoped rifle?

[SADShooter]

The tone reminded me of the chaos at the fall of the farm, so the high intensity was a nice touch, and a serious cliffhanger. I'll echo all the frustration at the combat stoopid.

I was hoping when Michonne paused over the Governor she would poke out his good eye...

[brimic]

Too bad the Governor had to bite it, he was full of awesome sociopathicness.

[K Frame]

Did anyone else see Talking Dead?

Turns out that Carl's stunt double is a VERY attractive, petite young woman...

I bet Chandler Riggs takes some heat on the set for that...

[wuluf]

If no one saved Judith, I'm betting we'll see a baby walker (crawler?)early next season...

[Jamisjockey]

OMFGBBQ!


I'm now predicting a hook up between Michone and Rick.

[Harold Tuttle]

feeding Hersel's animatronic head pudding was a highlight from the Talking Dead last night

[SADShooter]

So if Carl's a man, will he ever grow up? I shouldn't still be rooting for the walkers when he goes outside...

Mmmm...pudding...

[Jamisjockey]

He'll get there I think. 

[Harold Tuttle]

[TommyGunn]

This is gonna be a good season.
Giant cans of pudding .... Ick.


I taped "Talking Dead" ..... not so sure I wanna watch it....not if it features Hershel's head.

[K Frame]

So if Carl's a man, will he ever grow up? I shouldn't still be rooting for the walkers when he goes outside...

Mmmm...pudding...

He's what, 14? Think you would have handled the apocalypse any better at 14?

[K Frame]

I still want to know...

WHY THE HELL ISN'T EVERYONE CARRYING A KATANA?

[TommyGunn]

I still want to know...

WHY THE HELL ISN'T EVERYONE CARRYING A KATANA?

Dunno.   Personnally I'd like a Ba'tleth.  Or whatever it is the Klingons call it.
A sword/Katana/B'atleth has the advantage that it only needs to be maintained so far as the edge and possible rust.  You don't need ammo.  The problem is that you need to be uncomfortably close to the Walkers and this can get dicey if they're A LOT of 'em.  Plus you need to be in tip top physical condition.
A gun keeps 'em at a distance (theoretically -- if you're a overly cocky 14 year old and don't use good care you might find yourself under a stack of 'em irregardless of armamment).
And, of course, eventually there will be no ammo.   Even if you reload.   

[SADShooter]

He's what, 14? Think you would have handled the apocalypse any better at 14?

I'd have been dead when my first bout of untreated bronchitis turned into pneumonia.

But in terms of the maturity not to consciously make stupid, dangerous decisions? Yes, I believe I would have handled it better.

(Edited to add qualifier.)

[brimic]

I still want to know...

WHY THE HELL ISN'T EVERYONE CARRYING A KATANA?

Or a suppressed 10/22!

errr wait, .22 ammo no longer exists....

[K Frame]

I'd have been dead when my first bout of untreated bronchitis turned into pneumonia.

But in terms of the maturity not to consciously make stupid, dangerous decisions? Yes, I believe I would have handled it better.

(Edited to add qualifier.)

You sure about that?

Mighty damned reckless of you sucking in those pathogens! 

[K Frame]

Dunno.   Personnally I'd like a Ba'tleth.  Or whatever it is the Klingons call it.
A sword/Katana/B'atleth has the advantage that it only needs to be maintained so far as the edge and possible rust.  You don't need ammo.  The problem is that you need to be uncomfortably close to the Walkers and this can get dicey if they're A LOT of 'em.  Plus you need to be in tip top physical condition.
A gun keeps 'em at a distance (theoretically -- if you're a overly cocky 14 year old and don't use good care you might find yourself under a stack of 'em irregardless of armamment).
And, of course, eventually there will be no ammo.   Even if you reload.   

Yes, you do need to be in better physical condition to wield a sword.

A sword is quiet, a HUGE consideration when talking about creatures drawn by sound.

But, in close in situation, a sword is going to be a lot more useful than a long gun.

[TommyGunn]

Yes, you do need to be in better physical condition to wield a sword.

A sword is quiet, a HUGE consideration when talking about creatures drawn by sound.

But, in close in situation, a sword is going to be a lot more useful than a long gun.

In a real close situation, you may not have time or space to wield it.

Surely when you're dealing with a zombie horde attracted by sound, you'd want silent weapons of some type.  Long pointy edged weapons seem only the most practical.  
Darryl's crossbow is nice in that it's silent and can be used at a distance ... but like guns it requires ammunition -- in this case, bolts.

One of the things I've noted (along with others) on this show is the use of automatic weapons when their use (atleast in FA mode) is dumb.  In the first half of this season's shows walkers were shown coming through a breach in the prison fence, sheriff & son were there using M4s set to full auto.
That was stupid.   When you need a HEAD SHOT to TKO a walker semi auto is more effective and far far less wsteful of ammo -- and I ought not have to point out they CANNOT AFFORD WASTE.
Some people like the Ruger 10/22 rifle with a silencer.  That'd be OK with a extended magazine.   I'm not sure how well this would translate to TV where silenced weapons are depicted with a "pffft." sound when real silenced weapons are never exactly THAT silent.
However even a silenced Ruger 1022 would be better than many guns and less magnetic in so far as walkers are concerned.

[SADShooter]

There is a technique called half-swording, in which one grips the blade on the flat with the second hand, allowing a longer weapon to be used at closer quarters. It's also useful for fighting with a sword against an axe or polearm. A shorter weapon, e.g. a gladius, also offers a lot of versatility in close.

Of course, in Carl's last encounter, a SAK might have helped.

[K Frame]

"There is a technique called half-swording, in which one grips the blade on the flat with the second hand, allowing a longer weapon to be used at closer quarters."

Bingo.

That said, I have also been a HUGE proponent of the run of the mill .22, such as a Ruger 10/22 with a bunch of Hot Lips magazines.

And yes, the full auto porn is just ludicrous.

[TommyGunn]

There is a technique called half-swording, in which one grips the blade on the flat with the second hand, allowing a longer weapon to be used at closer quarters. It's also useful for fighting with a sword against an axe or polearm. A shorter weapon, e.g. a gladius, also offers a lot of versatility in close.

Of course, in Carl's last encounter, a SAK might have helped.

If you're grabbing the blade on the flat wouldn't this risk cutting the hand?
Sorry, what I know of swordfighting I get from vaguely recalled Errol Flynn movies and I'm not sure how accurate they were.
Is "half-swording" a blocking move?   I ask this as you say it's used against a polearm or axe.  I've yet to see walkers using either .... but I'm making an inference. 


In Carl's last encounter, a bit less angst against his father and a less haughty spirit would have been better than any weapon.....

[K Frame]

Half-swording really works with either a single-edged blade, like a katana or a cutlass, OR if you're wearing a mail glove.

With a double-edged weapon and an unprotected hand, it doesn't work so well...

But, curved bladed weapons are really what you want in this type of situation because when you slash with them, the curved blade makes for a naturally active cut. It's not a straight forward chop like a long sword.

It is both a defensive move AND an offensive move.

If I hit the zombie apocalypse, I know exactly where I'm heading for all of the katanas, GOOD katanas, I can eat...

A museum I used to work at has literally dozens of them that were surrendered after World War II. Japanese officer's swords, so the quality is quite high.

[SADShooter]

The idea isn't so much blocking as binding, or making contact, and then making an immediate counter-attack. It's main use is directing the point against joints in plate armor, and historically the blade at that section isn't knife-sharp. On a traditional longsword the guard and pommel are also dangerous, making it a very versatile weapon. Getting a pommel strike to the face is very..disconcerting, even through a fencing mask.