View Full Version : Weapons of Star Trek Online - Melee Weapons
Disclaimer: I spent some time writing this some years ago when the other development team was working on StarTrek Online. I felt that now that the game is so far into development, it may be useful to fans who are unfamiliar with the weapons of Star Trek. Many of the terms included are common terms for MMO's. Please feel free to ask questions should they arise.
Weapons of StarTrek online – A comprehensive look at the possibilities:
StarTrek Online has a huge advantage over any MMORPG ever created to date. StarTrek has an unmatched comprehensive player database of information to dip into. This wealth of information exists on many fronts. One area where StarTrek has established a great multitude of material is that of advanced weapons. It is exciting to see the possibilities of extensive use of such material and its application for STO. With that in mind a study of such technology would lead to some practical applications.
(*editors Note: Please understand a lot of the content I include here has been adjusted or improved upon. If you are reading something on Type I Phasers for example, and see a strike radius of 7mm and in the series it is actually larger, please understand I tried to build this structure BASED on the current known information and in no way is an encyclopedia of StarTrek technologies.)
Ranged Combat:
The fist section covered the Ranged weapons of Startrek. As much of the series and movies feature such constantly. This will likely be a great area of focus for Cryptic as it designs the combat engine. Such weapons will likely be the core elements of STO allowing for great diversity and choices. As that is the case the majority of information in my synopsis will focus in this section. LINK TO THE RANGED DISCUSSION IS FOUND HERE: http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=21625
Melee Combat:
The second section will be discussed in this thread. It is devoted to the many aspects of melee combat that we see in StarFleet, Klingon and Vulcan Martial Art training. Just like the energy/ranged section of this publish it would be near impossible to address all species’ techniques. For now the focus will be only on the more popular weapons that we may have seen in lore.
Space Combat:
Space and ground will be equal in importance in STO. With that in mind I have devoted a section to address some important skills, weapons and technologies that we may see in Starfleet ships, or those the enemy will use against us. This section will talk about levels of power in weapon structure. Although the focus will be on StarFleet ships, there will be some discussion of banned weapons and other species application of exotic weapons. (LINK TO GO HERE ONCE POSTED)
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Melee – A Question of Canon:
Overview:
As I have mentioned “StarTrek has an unmatched comprehensive player database of information to pull from. This wealth of information exists on many fronts.” However one area not often focused on, is that of Melee weapons. The reason I speculate its absence is not that melee should not used, but other hidden agenda. The training necessary to preforming acting of melee fights is extensive and time consuming. And yet shows about Klingons wielding blades in combat are some of the highest rated.
For the purpose of this topic, I have chosen to stay away from discussion of non-Starfleet Martial Arts training. I know that the Klingons, Vulcans, Romulans and numerous species have countless knives, blades and techniques, however I suspect I will discuss those in the future. For now please refrain from asking “but what about Bat’leths? Or the Vulcan nerve pinch?” However, do feel free to discuss any melee techniques you have seen on the shows.
STO will encounter many situations for player interaction in combat. Combat progression will include aspects of ranged focused species. Will there be with species that rely heavily on melee combat? I don’t think that even needs to be asked. In a complete content game we all assume there will be some species that are focused in different degrees in that area of combat. Some races such as the Klingons, find melee weapons quite useful for taking out unarmored personnel, including red shirt StarFleet officers. The benefits of such applications of those weapons are numerous. A ranged player may have extreme difficulty at stopping a melee assault if they decide to use a ranged focused weapon.
StarTrek has not been lacking in this regard. In many of the shows we have the opportunity to see such combat. StarFleet crews (in general) do not carry around melee weapons, as they can be bulky and are not part of sanctioned uniform equipment. The usefulness for such weapons on a crew who experience combat on the decks of their ship, is low. Those in StarFleet military however, know of their usefulness. The military units often have missions that take them to hostile alien bases, worlds and moons. These members of the Starfleet elite are trained in their use and come to rely on it.
The fascination for melee weapons has permeated into many characters personas in the shows. Often crews quarters have melee weapons on display. Most popular are alien weapons such as a Reptilian knife, or a Klingon blade. However for the most part, StarTrek officers do not use melee weapons such as blades or knives. They just don’t have a “stun” setting.
Melee in STO:
At the time a Starfleet officer receives their basic combat training they are taught hand to hand techniques. These include required classes at StarFleet Academy including Wrestling, Boxing, Combat skills, Fitness, Self-Defense, Sports, Self-cultivation and meditation, Mental discipline, Fencing, Character development and Self-confidence building. A combination of such skills in serious application is called Martial Arts. One who uses those skills for peace keeping or in wartime application are known as Martial Artists.
Now granted, most of us remember starfleet personnel running around with double-fisted swings and awkward leg sweeps. This does not mean that skilled Martial Artists no longer existed on Earth. We have to assume that the techniques that exist today, have been passed down to the time time of the game. In fact, it is reasonable to assume they have since be improved upon and such improved techniques are being taught at The Academy.
By definition to defeat a person physically or to defend oneself from physical threat qualifies one as using Martial Arts. Within some Martial Arts there is a deep sense of spirituality. Each style has different facets that make them unique from other Martial Arts. And just as the styles can vary from one to another, so can the users application of its technique. With such implementation the connection a member of Starfleet has to his training in Martial Arts often ca be viewed as spiritual as its application.
Are StarFleet personnel Martial Artists? I say yes. They are trained on the basic skills. However, it is up the individual to decide how much further their training should go. Further training is not required to gain rank with StarFleet command, and yet the usefulness of the skills are well worth the dedication of time and effort. Effort that some well known StarFleet personnel have shown, such as Chatoky and Sulu.
Those that have continued their training after StarFleet Academy include Kirk, Spock, Sulu, Picard, Riker, Worf, Jadzia Dax, Chatoky, Sulu, and the list goes on. Their personal application of Martial Art techniques did vary in level of commitment. Did you notice the common theme in the aforementioned names? These are all characters high rank or of large roles in a StarTrek series. I am sure that STO will not require such additional training for advancement, but I do think that players who focus and learn these fields of combat will be rewarded greatly.
Characters in canon sharing in Melee combat and training:
Kirk – Kirk supplemented his training on "off-duty" time. He was skilled with hand to hand combat including throws and strikes. And example of this is when Kirk, doing his best to instill a character Charlie with training in becoming a man, attempts to teach him how to fight using some curious mallet objects. These appear to be some form of training poles. Kirk is able to successfully knock Charlie to the ground with what he calls a basic move. In the background of that scene you see other crewmembers who appear to be training as well in their off duty.
Further information was taken from this article at: http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/James_T._Kirk
“Kirk's command style frequently brought him in close proximity to his enemies, often resulting in hand-to-hand combat. His idiosyncratic martial-arts style used hand-chops to the neck, wrestling throws, round-house punches, two-fisted swings and open-hand slaps in varying combinations. A variety of enemy guards and henchmen were overwhelmed by one or two of Kirk's blows. A typical example of Kirk's fighting style in a more extended bout occurred in 2265 on the surface of Delta Vega, in the attempt to kill his friend Gary Mitchell. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before")
At times, Kirk was clearly out-classed by a larger, more powerful opponent, and left to his wits, the aid of his crew, or pure luck to see him through. Pitted against the Gorn Captain in 2267, he held his own for a time, until his injuries forced withdrawal and a search for a more efficient weapon. In 2254 and again in 2267, he wrestled a ferocious Mugatu of Neural. When attacked by the massive ancient android Ruk on Exo III in 2266, Kirk could do little but hold on for the ride. (TOS: "Arena", "A Private Little War", "What Are Little Girls Made Of?")
On the Shore Leave Planet in 2267, Kirk was shocked by the appearance of Finnegan, his Academy nemesis who hadn't seemed to age. The two proceeded to slug each other until they were bleeding and exhausted. Perhaps the longest fist-fight of his life, it was clearly the most satisfying. (TOS: "Shore Leave")
Riker- Riker has several combat and sports-related hobbies.
Anbo-Jytsu is one such interest (TNG: "The Icarus Factor")
Parrises Squares (TNG: "Future Imperfect," "Timescape")
Handball (ENT: "These Are the Voyages...")
Riker held skills in the martial arts, tai qi chuan especially (TNG: "Second Chances"), and took Worf's mok'bara classes. (TNG: "Clues") Anbo-jyutsu is a type of Human martial arts. It took place in a circular arena, where two opponents would compete against each other. Both competitors wore light protective armor and a helmet that had a solid visor, which effectively blinded the competitor. A staff was used as a weapon, with a proximity sensor on one end and a small spherical cushion on the other. With the help of the proximity sensor, a player could detect, by means of an audio signal, where his/her adversary was. Commander William Riker used this game in 2365 as a means to settle long-held grudges against his father, Kyle. (TNG: "The Icarus Factor") Kyle Riker considered Anbo-Jyutsu to be the ultimate form of Human martial arts. It could be theorized that this sport is derived from Japanese martial arts, since competitors speak Japanese phrases before, during, and after a match.. Those training sessions show in his fighting style. In many episodes Riker engages the combatants with precision and with quickness. His practice clearly has effected his abilities to fight, making him a formidable opponent in battle.
Chakotay- Chakotay became a proficient boxer at the light heavyweight level, with a record of 23 wins and one loss. The loss was to a Nausicaan with "a mean right hook." According to B'Elanna Torres, "Legend has it that 'The Tattooed Terror' has put more men in sickbay than the Ankaran flu." (VOY: "Tsunkatse")
Since his time at Starfleet Academy, Chakotay was a fan of boxing. His personal trainer was Academy groundsman Boothby. (VOY: "The Fight") He would occasionally run a program on the holodeck where he would box a Terrellian with Boothby's assistance. He also said that "boxing helped him relax."
In fact, in 2375 while running this program an alien species that lived in chaotic space tried contacting him, and used images of the boxing simulation in their communication.(VOY: "The Fight")
Hoshi Sato- Hoshi Sato held a black belt in Aikido. Aikido is a human art of self-defense that originated in Japan. This martial art uses holds and locks, and teaches the principles of nonresistance to debilitate the strength of an opponent. (ENT: "Observer Effect")
Natasha Yar- Natasha Yar was also trained in Aikido. (TNG: "Code of Honor") Three days before her death, Yar was scheduled to participate in a martial arts competition with science officer Swenson and Lieutenant Minnerly. She was favored in the ship's pool. (TNG: "Skin of Evil")
Jean-Luc Picard- While Jean-Luc Picard was a cadet at Starfleet Academy, he once wrestled a Ligonian and caught him "with a reverse body lift and pinned him down in the first 14 seconds of the match", according to gardener Boothby, who was very much surprised by the feat at that time. Picard stated that it "was all in the legs, from all the running [he] used to do." (TNG: "The First Duty") Wrestling is a sport in which the participants attempt to grapple, throw, or immobilize each other. Although Picard is not known for his fighting styles later on in his career, I suspect that was due to his prosthetic heart replacement. When he was a young man he was stabbed in the heart.
Benjamin Sisko- Benjamin Sisko was particularly adept at the wrestling. He was the Captain of Starfleet Academy's wrestling team when he was a cadet. He once challenged his Vulcan classmate Solok to a wrestling match in the Launching Pad, but was defeated due to Solok's Vulcan strength, his anger towards him and his inebriation. (DS9: "Apocalypse Rising", "Take Me Out to the Holosuite") (as a side note: In 2369, Q challenged Benjamin Sisko, Commander of Deep Space 9, to a boxing contest and lost. (DS9: "Q-Less")
Worf – Although I said I would not discuss Klingon Martial arts, the crew of the enterprise was trained by Worf in some special techniques that may have found their way into future Starfleet training by the timeframe STO will occupy. Mok'bara is a Klingon form of martial arts. The technique is similar to meditation as the forms are said to clear the mind. The Mok'bara is the basis of Klingon hand-to-hand combat techniques, and may be practiced alone, or in groups. (TNG: "Birthright, Part II") The Mok'bara involves weapons such as the bat'leth, mek'leth, d'k tahg, and lahj. I suspect that such bladed weapons will not be used by Starfleet personnel for combat purposes, however they can be useful training tools. Lt. Worf taught a Mok'bara class on board the Enterprise. Deanna Troi, Doctor Crusher and Geordi La Forge were some of the many students.
T’Pol – Again, I know I said I would not talk about alien martial arts, but this should be the last time in this post that I do so… T'Pol was trained in the arts of Suus mahna, and in 2152 tried to teach as much of it as she could to the inhabitants of a deuterium mining colony, to ward off Klingon pirates that had been harassing them for 5 seasons. Suus Mahna is a form of ancient Vulcan martial arts, and takes many years to learn. One important move she taught them, the Navorkot, was a way to evade an oncoming blade, by jumping to the side and rolling based on reading their movements to foresee where they intend to strike. (ENT: "Marauders") It's probable the Tal-Shaya, from TOS: "Journey to Babel", is a move in Suus mahna, or that the two are related in some way. The Tal-Shaya is a Vulcan martial arts technique. It is a deadly maneuver (similar to the Vulcan nerve pinch) that snaps the neck portion of a spinal cord. It was considered a merciful form of execution in ancient times on Vulcan. In 2268, during his journey to the Babel Conference aboard the USS Enterprise, Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan was suspected of murdering Ambassador Gav by using the method of Tal-Shaya. Although he was later proven innocent. (TOS: "Journey to Babel")
In fact, the list of Starfleet personnel fighting and training to fight on various levels of skills is great. There is many canon examples of such and an even larger collections of examples in the various book series. With that being the case I took some time to work on a melee structure for Starfleet that would work well with large adaptation of Ranged weapons we know will be included.
Before I get into specifics that could be used, I would like to discuss the Basic Principles of Melee combat and how they fit into the Martial Arts structure that I have prepared.
Basics of Melee Combat:
Major Unarmed Attack types:
Immobilization- Unlike an offensive attack, the key to some forms of Martial Arts is the ability to prevent the victim from moving. This is a largely defensive move and requires much energy. The target is often “pinned” to the ground or against an object. Such moves are the focus for grappling or for military style subjection techniques. (e.g. Naban, Varma Kalai, Wrestling, Jujutsu, Shuai Jiao, Mallayuddha, Aikido, Glima)
Fighting against multiple opponents. Immobilization in martial arts systems often focus on being able to deal with multiple opponents simultaneously. In order for this to be possible, normally the opponents must be assumed to have less skill than the practitioner. This has technical effects as well, including tight, careful footwork to allow rapid turning, as well as rapid disabling of opponents in order to move on.
Grappling. In this situation participants are wrestling each other attempting to get the other in a submission or weak spot for striking. Leverage and physical strength become very important.
Throwing- A throw is a martial arts term for a technique that involves off-balancing or lifting an opponent, and tossing them to the ground. This is usually achieved by a rotating motion taking the enemy by surprise and overbalance. Typically the combatant performing the throw disconnects with the opponent, and ends balanced and on the feet, where as the enemy is left in a helpless position. Throws can however also be followed into a top position, in which case the person executing the throw does not disconnect with the opponent. Certain throwing techniques called sacrifice throws involve putting oneself in a disadvantageous position, such as on the ground, to execute a throw. They are generally avoided but can be very useful to disarm an enemy. In general this technique is more defensive but does have some offensive applications. (e.g. Judo, Hapkido, Shuai Jiao, Sambo)
Fighting without injuring the opponent. Many systems are suggested for police or security work; as such, there is a certain amount of effort devoted to minimizing the damage a practitioner inflicts on an opponent. Disarming, locking and controlling techniques are emphasized in this situation over the simpler striking techniques which disable or kill.
Striking- A strike is an attack of the hand, arm or with an inanimate object. This could be something held such as a weapon, or with a part of the human body intended to make contact with an opponent. An attack with the hand closed into a fist is called a punch. A strike with the leg or foot is generally called a kick. An attack with the head is called a headbutt. Strikes are employed in many martial arts, such as karate, taekwondo, boxing and Muay Thai. Most Chinese martial arts also use the fingertips, wrists, forearms, shoulders, back and hips to strike an opponent as well as the more conventional fists, palms, elbows, knees and feet. A few martial arts employ no strikes at all; wrestling for example. In most styles, strikes are complemented by traps, locks (chin na), footsweeps and grappling. This technique is often offensive and is made for damaging the target, but on occasion can be used for defensive structure. (e.g. Boxing, Karate, Wing Chun, Taekwondo, Capoeira, Savate, Kung fu)
Long-range unarmed fighting. In this situation, things happen relatively slowly (hundreds of milliseconds), giving participants time to react to visual stimuli. This allows powerful strikes as well as subtle feints to be performed.
Short-range unarmed fighting. In this situation reaction time is such an important factor that visual stimuli are not very useful, and practitioners must learn to react to tactile stimuli. Strikes are still possible but reactions must become reflexes, making feints more difficult. Users of this form of fighting have been afforded the quickest reflexes of any Martial Arts style.
Weaponry:
Unlike the 3 aforementioned basic Martial Art techniques (immobilization, throws and strikes), the use of Weaponry is primarily a focus of offensive combat. The use of any object, blunt or sharp is included in this category. (e.g. Kenjutsu, Gatka, Kapu Kuialua, Mau rakau, Fencing, Kapap, Eskrima, Jogo do Pau)
Armed fighting - Fighting with weapons can be rather different from unarmed fighting, both because strikes can become much more destructive and because weapons can drastically increase the reach of a practitioner. Of course, each weapon and each range requires its own techniques, but a cleverly designed teaching system can take advantage of similarities to simplify the study. Often the use of weapons decreases the speed of the attacker, but there is an even or better trade in the resulting damage.
Advanced Martial arts also include aspects of “side disciplines.” These include, but are not limited to: Bone-setting, qigong, acupuncture, acupressure (tui na), and other aspects of traditional ancient medicine. In the modern time of StarTrek such techniques are not necessary, however those with advanced Martial Art training should expect added physical fitness, constitution and stamina.
Moral, emotional, and physical development - The dedication and practice required to acquire skill in a martial art can be very beneficial to the character of a practitioner - and in learning to defeat an attacker. Some martial arts systems focus on these effects, and emphasize techniques and training that encourage this development. Such focus could allow the user of the Arts to separate himself from combat. Beneficial to the wielder by increasing abilities to avoid damage, while allowing focus to retaliate against the attacker.
Although the focus of this section is on Melee weapons/ techniques, I would like to make a connection to Martial Arts and Ranged combat. Martial Arts have serious application to that of ranged weapons. A strong example of that application is Muscle Memory. Reaction time is greatly increased with Muscle Memory. Its application will more effectively allow the user of a Ranged weapon to utilize the weapon in a variety of awkward situations. Such training with melee weapons will give the user of a Ranged weapon “point reflexes.” Point Reflexes will be speed increases when using small ranged weapons, bypassing the brain’s need to “aim” a weapon. The weapon is aimed at a target and fired with muscle memory. The control for such action is dictated by the spinal cord and central nervous reflex. This should alleviate the fear that users of Melee techniques in STO may suffer the loss of ranged combat skills. Although I believe there should never be a way to learn all the skills of ranged and melee together, I do feel there could be comfortable and powerful balanced combinations.
The Basic Weaponry:
At this time I would like to talk about a few melee weapons that may find a place in STO. These would be basic melee combat weapons that could be replicated in any starship. I have structured these weapons in 5 major categories: Knife, Western Fencing Weapons, Short Staff or Stick Weapons, Composite Weapons, "Soft" Weapons and Miscellaneous.
Knives (small blades):
Balisong - Balisong means "broken horn" and refers to the mobile handle which protects the blade when closed. The balisong was the first knife which could be opened with one hand, very quickly. These utility like blades could be standard issue with STO military uniform.
Kris (traditional weapon in South-East Asia) -asymmetrical dagger indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia, and the southern Philippines. - a stabbing instrument. The kris was mostly out-matched against anything other than another kris. If a kris fighter had stealth on his side, the kris was lethal. Application could include backup in situations where aliens use melee weapons in close quarters.
Makhaira (or a short sword) - ancient bladed weapon, generally a large knife with a slight backwards curve. Would no doubt not be included as standard issue. This weapon may take extended training for use and application.
Western Fencing Weapons (longer blade):
Main-gauche - In fencing, the main-gauche (French for "left hand") is a dagger used in the off-hand, mainly to assist in parrying incoming thrusts, while the right hand wields a saber, a rapier or similar longer weapon intended for one-handed use. It may also be used for attack if an opportunity arises. The term main-gauche also refers to the style of fencing with a blade in each hand. It is rarely used in modern sport competition, as it was discovered that fencing with only the primary weapon allowed for greater balance and a stance offering a smaller target area. Thus, it is usually reserved for exhibitions. Its application in STO may be for use in the off hand of a ranged weapon, a way to keep the immediately close enemy well defended against while attacking targets at ranged. This would not be a long blade, but a narrow mid-length defensive sword, short enough to be comfortably worn at the hip.
Short staff or stick weapons (composite mini staff):
Arnis sticks - One of the characteristics of Filipino martial arts is the use of weapons from the very beginning of training. Modern Arnis is no exception. The primary weapon is the rattan stick, called a cane or baston (baton), which varies in size, but is usually about 28 inches (71cm) in length. Both single and double stick techniques are taught, with an emphasis on the former; unarmed defenses against the stick and against bladed weapons (which the stick is sometimes taken to represent) are also part of the curriculum. Training covers empty-hand self-defense (striking, locking, throwing, etc.) as well as the trademark single and double stick techniques of the Filipino martial arts. Other aspects of the art include espada y daga (sword and dagger fighting), sinawali (double stick weaving patterns), and tapi-tapi (locking drills with the stick). In addition to partner drills, Modern Arnis includes the use of anyo (kata), solo forms both with and without the stick. Emphasis is placed on fitting the art in with a student's previous training ("the art within your art"), smoothly reacting to changing situations in the fight ("the flow"), and countering the opponent's attempt to counter strikes directed at him ("tapi-tapi"). Practitioners are called arnisadors or Modern Arnis players. The inclusion of such techniques and weapons in STO may best be compared to the “Straight Stick Batons” of modern day police. Advance technique would include training in use of two such batons at once.
Tambo - The tambo / tanbo is a martial arts weapon. A very short staff about 2 ft long, similar to sticks used in Eskrima. The name is a reference in comparison to the longer bo staff. Often used in pairs, often made of hardwood or bamboo. As with any weapon, bearers would often find one best suited to their build, opting often for one that, while standing, can be swung down with full arm extension without hitting the ground, and for a diameter that fits the hand comfortably. The tambo is used in several martial arts including Cuong Nhu. The tambo can be quite deadly in the right hands. The main usage is simply attacking the outer edges of the human body with speed and accuracy. Applying this concept, virtually every part except the abdomen of the target can be hit with this weapon. To effectively use this weapon, imagine your opponent as a 2-dimensional object standing in front of you, and your objective is to simply rain down strikes on his outer region (i.e., the top of his head, the ears, the back of his head, the hands, the arms, neck, waist, thigh, knee caps, and calfs). Of course, if he is standing sideways, you can then aim at his abdomen, nose, eyes and, of course, groin. The tambo can also used for thrusting, knocking the enemy with the holding end, and blocking, by holding both ends and parry the attack from your opponent. Speed and accuracy is the key in using this weapon. A single flexible but hard collapsible baton would fit the STO application of such a weapon. The use of such an item against the enemy would be almost purely offensive.
Tonfa - The tonfa traditionally consists of two parts, a handle with a knob, and perpendicular to the handle, a shaft or board that lies along the hand and forearm. The shaft is usually 51–61 cm (20–24 in) long; optimally, it extends about 3 cm past the elbow when held. Often the shaft has rounded off ends which may be grooved for a better grip. There are numerous ways to defend and attack with the tonfa. Defensively, when holding the handle, the shaft protects the forearm and hand from blows, and the knob can protect from blows to the thumb. By holding both ends of the shaft, it can ward off blows. When holding the shaft, the handle can function as a hook to catch blows or weapons. In attack, the shaft can be swung out to strike the target. By holding the handle and twirling the tonfa it can gain large amounts of momentum before striking. The knob can be used as a striking surface, either when held by the handle, or when holding the shaft, using it as a club (when striking with the flat end) or like a hammer (when striking with the handle itself, which is an effective application of force amplification). The shaft can also be maneuvered to stab at attackers. By holding the shaft and handle together, the tonfa can be used for holding or breaking techniques. Another method as used by the Thais involves striking with the elbow end of the mae sun sawk while grabbing the handle similar to striking with the elbow in Muay Thai or Krabi Krabong. As the mae sun sawk has the elbow part of the arm attached to it, the swinging out technique described above cannot be used but offsetting that, almost all of the elbow strikes of Muay Thai can be used with great power. The tonfa is traditionally wielded in pairs, one in each hand, unlike the police nightstick which is a single-hand weapon. As the tonfa can be held in many different ways, education in the use of the tonfa often involves learning how to switch between different grips at high speed. Such techniques require great manual dexterity, as they involve flips and slides with the weapon. Unlike the Straight Stick batons mentioned earlier, there is no loss in speed with these handled batons. Their current application in modern day police and military is a testament to there versatile power. As a Martial Arts application in STO such weapons could easily fit on the hip of the wielder and could be called into action with speed if one found them needed in a situation of close combat.
Yawara – Yawara, (A.K.A. the Pasak or Dulodulo) is a weapon used in various martial arts. It takes the form of two small, thick sticks which stick out about an inch from each side of the hand. They are usually used in pairs to initiate throws, bone breaks, pressure points and the like. When one becomes proficient with yawara, they can use them as an effective fighting weapon that is both legal (in most jurisdictions) and easy to conceal. The Yawara is often used in pairs. The basic positions for using the yawara are
middle position - grasped tightly with equal parts protruding from each side of the hand.
capped position - most of the yawara protrudes below the smallest finger, with thumb placed over the other end.
low chamber - most of the yawara protrudes above the thumb and index finger.
It is very important to wrap the thumbs around the yawara when using them rather than leaving them sticking out, as they present very tempting targets to an opponent. It is often mispronounced as 'Yeah-Ware-A'. It is correctly pronounced as 'Ya-wah-ra'. These could easily be trained and used in STO. Their application in Martial Arts lends them their offensive speed and precision. Rather than designed of wood there replication would likely be of hard modern composite material.
Composite weapons (multiple application weapons):
Nunchaku - "Two section staff", also sometimes called "nunchucks", "numchuks", or "chain sticks" in English) is a martial arts weapon of the kobudo weapons set and consists of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope. The other Kobudo weapons are the sai, tonfa, bo, eiku, tekko, tinbe-rochin, surujin, and kama. A sansetsukon is a similar weapon with three sticks attached on chains instead of two.Although it may cause injury to its user, the nunchaku is a very effective close-range weapon. When used in combat, the nunchaku provide the obvious advantage of an increase in the reach of one's strike. Somewhat difficult to control, the rope or chain joint of the nunchaku adds the benefit of striking from unexpected angles. Practitioners of the flashier styles contend that the motion of the nunchaku is often found distracting by opponents, who may have trouble keeping up with the nunchaku's rapid movement. In addition, the reach of the nunchaku is often underestimated, even by those experienced with its use. The original Okinawan techniques involve holding the weapon in a variety of preparatory postures. Once an opponent has moved their weapon or body into close range, the nunchaku is used to strike vital spots, and apply joint locks, chokes and other control techniques. The chain link version of the nunchaku has also been known to be able to fend off enemies with swords or staffs. The Tabak-Toyok is a Filipino version of the nunchaku with shorter handles. Each handle is approximately four inches long. The length of the rope that attaches each handle is approximately six inches long. The size of this weapon varies depending on the user. Bruce Lee's smaller nunchaku bear a resemblance to these. I know what your thinking, what the heck could Nunchaku do in STO, you may feel they just don’t fit. However their application could easily be included with small strong material versions coupled by modern micro chain technologies. These weapons could have practical application in both defensive and offenise action.
"Soft" weapons (fluid movement weapons):
Chain whip - The chain whip is a weapon used in some Asian martial arts, including modern and traditional wushu. It consists of several metal rods, which are joined end-to-end by rings to form a flexible chain. Generally, the whip has a handle at one end and a metal dart, used for slashing or piercing an opponent, at the other. A cloth flag is often attached at or near the dart end of the whip, and a second flag may cover the whip's handle. The flag or flags enhance a wushu performance by adding visual appeal, and by producing a rushing sound as the whip swings through the air. They also help stabilize the whip, enhancing the performer's control. This reduces the performer's risk of inadvertently striking himself/herself. The chain whip is heavy but flexible, allowing it to be literally used as a whip, entangle and trap an opponent, restrict his/her movement, and to deflect blows from other weapons. The dart is used for slashing or piercing an opponent. Because the whip is flexible, it can be used to strike around obstacles, including an opponent's block. The whip chain can be folded and hidden from view, making it an easy weapon to carry and conceal. Chain whip forms are often extremely elaborate. In some, the chain whip is thrown in the air and caught, flicked around the neck, or flung around underneath a recumbent performer. One classic technique, used to accelerate a spinning chain whip, involves rapidly wrapping and unwrapping the length of the chain around various parts of the body, including the legs, neck and elbows. Various twisting or flicking motions cause the chain whip to gain momentum as it unwraps. Chain whip techniques may be combined with jumping kicks and other acrobatics. Double chain whip forms have been developed, as have forms in which a chain whip is coupled with a broadsword. A similar weapon using a length of rope instead of chain is known as a rope dart. This weapon is lighter and less expensive than a chain whip, and is used in many of the same techniques. This weapons extremely compact design when not in use and long melee range could make this a preferred favorite for holding off blade wielding opponents. The quick release from storage in a small utility pocket and then application into immediate combat would leave even the most skilled warrior off-guard.
Miscellaneous weapons:
Brass knuckles - Brass knuckles, also sometimes called knucks or knuckle dusters (more common in British English), are weapons used in hand-to-hand combat. Brass knuckles are pieces of metal, usually steel despite their name, shaped to fit around the knuckles. Designed to deliver the force of punches through a smaller and harder contact area, they result in greater tissue disruption and increased likelihood of fracturing the victim's bones on impact. Also, the wielder of such a weapon may punch harder than normal, exacerbating damage even further, due to reduced subconscious anxiety about harming their own hands when striking. A new type of brass knuckle which is often called "Clear Knuckles" is made out of bulletproof glass that is, so far, legal in every state. In difference, "Clear Knuckles" are designed to tear flesh and inflict topical pain, instead of brass knuckles that are designed to break bone. They are much lighter but still can be very dangerous. In contrast with knives, which can pierce or slice soft tissue, brass knuckles are effective on hard contact surfaces (for example, the outside of the forearm), and any such hits are usually extremely painful. A hard enough punch (for example to the skull) can cause death or severe injury. Such modern Clear Knuckles could be a great alternative and added offensive booster to STO modern Combat.
The listed weapons above are not what I first thought of as appropriate melee weapons for STO. But to be honest their incorporation could be included with little difficulty. The appearance of melee weapons to date in StarTrek series have many similar components of the above melee weapons. The weapons we don’t see in the series include large staves, large blunt weapons or even large blades wielded by members of Starfleet. That is why I have chosen to leave those out of this example of how combat could be structured.
The next section I will be submitting will included some details on Space Combat. Keep an eye out for it here in the Star Trek Discussion board. I will post a link to it in this thread as well.
Thank you for your consideration and for reading all the way through this. I welcome any comments about items of Melee that were not discussed here.
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