Warrior Training Tips

i. Combat training and weapons

The largest part of a warrior’s education would be focused around combat training and so naturally in the weapons allowed by the Priest Kings. Standard weapons for the Red Caste of Gor were the spear and the Gorean short sword. The spear had two major uses. On one vs one combat, it could be used as a projectile weapon, casted against the enemy in order to kill him or incapacitate his shield. In an organized battlefield though, were formations were important, the Gorean warrior spear would be used to form a wall of points, as a stabbing weapon, pretty much the way it was used in ancient Greek phalanxes. Spears could also be used by tarnsmen, trained warriors in the usage of tarns, while engaging each other on flight. Gorean war spears were typically heavy, seven feet in height, equipped with a bronze head of eighteen inches in length.


Training

i. Combat training and weapons

The largest part of a warrior’s education would be focused around combat training and so naturally in the weapons allowed by the Priest Kings. Standard weapons for the Red Caste of Gor were the spear and the Gorean short sword. The spear had two major uses. On one vs one combat, it could be used as a projectile weapon, casted against the enemy in order to kill him or incapacitate his shield. In an organized battlefield though, were formations were important, the Gorean warrior spear would be used to form a wall of points, as a stabbing weapon, pretty much the way it was used in ancient Greek phalanxes. Spears could also be used by tarnsmen, trained warriors in the usage of tarns, while engaging each other on flight. Gorean war spears were typically heavy, seven feet in height, equipped with a bronze head of eighteen inches in length.

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The primary and most likely to be used weapon was the Gorean short sword. Its short length allowed greater flexibility during combat and fastest drawing times when needed. The sword for the average Gorean warrior seems to have a cultural significance, something that is clearly illustrated in the warrior codes and on other various occasions in the books. For example often we come across the claim of “sword right” or the “pledge” of a warrior’s sword on a certain cause. Sword training was extensive and at the end of it warriors were expected to kill clean and swiftly. Warriors took pride of their sword fighting skills and would avoid if possible to kill someone clumsy.

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Apart from the spear and the sword the crossbow and the longbow were also allowed but most warriors would normally look down upon them, regarding them as unworthy of a warrior of Gor. The reasons for this fact were both tactical and cultural. For the crossbow, one could possibly argue that it was a slow weapon, requiring ten, eleven seconds to rearm, so its usefulness could better be exploited when used from position or situation that could indeed provide a tactical advantage (from a tarn or from the top of walls/towers). As for the longbow, being the primary weapon of the caste of peasants, the lowest caste on Gor, didn’ t help much in spreading its popularity among the ranks of the high caste of the Gorean warriors. There are various occasions in the books during which we come across usage of crossbows by members of the Red Caste, tarnsmen especially, but when it comes to longbows only Tarl seems to be fond off them and that’s something easily explained, since his barbarian origins, allowed him despite his training with Older Tarl, not to be culturally prejudiced towards it.

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The members of the Red Caste, as all Goreans, weren’t allowed any kind of main body armor since it was prohibited by the Priest Kings. For protection, they could use a bronze helmet and a round shield made of roughened leather. Their appearance was supplemented by a pair of thick sandals and a scarlet tunic and cloak. Usually on their helmets and shields the members of the Red Caste of Gor, pridefully bore the insignia of their city, though when it was deemed necessary for operational reasons, those insignia could be temporarily removed.

II. Supplementary Training and overall education

An interesting detail regarding the belief of the survival of the fittest, which is also illustrated in the Warrior Codes, is clearly evident during the training of tarnsmen. When Tarl is expected to meet his first tarn, he is not prepared in advance for it. Goreans believed that its a man’s nature whether he is fit to become a tarnsman or not and those unfit would die in the birds talons during their first meeting. This same principle a is noticed again while Tarl meets his combat trainer, Older Tarl. The trainer throws a spear without any warning, aiming at the chest of our hero and Tarl manages to avoid it just in time. Older Tarl pleased that his candidate was proved fast enough, accepts him as his trainee. A moment of hesitation and the young professor of English history would have been dead.

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During their training period warriors would acquire other, secondary skills as well. They would learn the virtue of patience, they would be accustomed with the warriors pace and stride, which would allow them to cover great distances while on foot. They would learn to tie a capture knot in a matter of seconds. Also, they would acquire the skill of cautiousness, keeping an eye on their surroundings even during a peaceful day. Their training will go as far as to make them keen observers, picking on details others might fail to notice and to teach them how to use effectively the arts of concealment, subterfuge and diversion. There is also slight evidence that warriors received some shorts of training in martial arts. An unarmed Warrior could still be efficiently deadly.

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Finally, being one of the High Castes of Gor, Gorean warriors received education in Second Knowledge, in the history, the legends, the social institutions of Gorean society, its customs and traditions. Emphasis was given of course at the study of the Warrior Codes. Most warriors were illiterate and considering that they even took pride of the fact, we can safely assume that a warrior would not learn to read and write as part of his official Red Caste training. But this was more of a result of the social division of labor in Gorean society, of the Caste system it self and it didn’t prevent some Warriors to indeed learn to read and write. It is said that some had become historians, poets and essayists.

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Born in a society where the social division of labor was based on a caste system, those of the member of the Scarlet Caste would be raised to become elite fighters, destined to meet the enemy in the combat field. Their skills would be unmatched by anyone not of their caste, with the notable exception of the members of the Black Caste, and often, just the scarlet color of their tunic would be enough to demoralize their enemy and force him to flee.

Few were the men who would be foolish enough to meet a Warrior of Gor with steel.