[MUD-Dev] Walking

[Marian Griffith]

In <URL:/archives/meow?group+local.muddev> on Fri 10 Nov, Batir wrote:

I can not claim any experience in this, neither practical nor theoretical,
having the wrong (or right ;) gender.

> US Army Infantry training requires a 20 mile foot march before graduation.
> I think we actually did about 25 miles, and at a guess, it took us about 6
> hours.  A medieval army would probably walk 12 hours a day, and assuming the
> wagons and supplies could keep up, should be able to do 40 miles a day.

I would highly doubt that. Armies needed to break and set camp each day so
it would highly surprise me if they did more than six hour walks each day.
Unless the commander was willing to force them to sleep outside,  but that
would not leave his troops in the best condition, I would guess.
Wagons probably were mule-drawn, so they would not make a very good speed,
and I have heard from several sources  that a horse is not quicker  than a
human over longer distances. (It obviously can move much faster over short
distances). I have seen some references that knights traveled with several
horses.  One to carry the knight, one to carry his gear, and one that went
unburdened but was used during fight. Especially during the late medievals
those were heavy horses,  both to carry the considerable burden  of knight
plus armour for rider  and horse,  and to prevent it from being shouldered
aside during a fight.


Marian
--
Yes - at last - You. I Choose you. Out of all the world,
out of all the seeking, I have found you, young sister of
my heart! You are mine and I am yours - and never again
will there be loneliness ...

Rolan Choosing Talia,
Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey




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