NationStates Jolt Archive

Although many argue that martial arts have no place on the battlefield today and that training one's troops in such martial arts is useless, the reality is far different. Yes, no one really expects you to go against a guy with a sniper rifle unarmed, but no one can also predict what circumstances you may face in the military.

Therefore, I have read Kungfu Taichi Magazine's issue on Police and military combatives (Mar/April 2004) and i have extracted certain bits and pieces from it to form my own combatives, or at least the basis of such, as I am only a mediocre martial arts practitioner in real life, but nonetheless, here are some rules i picked up.

1) The system must make full use of all available natural weapons (fingertips, knees, fists, spear-hands, chops, elbows, kicks, etc). Such weapons must comply with the laws of their genetic construction (they must be natural and fast).

2) The system must employ optimum efficiency in combat. It must require a minimum of time, energy, and motion.

3) The system must be logical to learn, and effectively retained.

4) The system must be capable of lethal deployment, but allow a range of lesser responses (in case the media's watching).

5) The system must provide reasonable survivability against a numerically and physically superior enemy, and must guard against victories that cost more than they're worth.

6) The system must emphasize and provide reactional combat speed, not eye/brain dominated speed (an example would be Wing Chun's sticky hands).

7) The system's results must be predictable and repeatable.

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After reading this article on military science (authored by three martial artists who practice Wing Chun kung fu-think Bruce Lee's original style), I have selected several arts as possible combatives. Most of these were also originally intended for military and/or developed by soldiers.

Xingyi Kung Fu
Baguazhang
Philipino knife fighting (cant remember the name)
Islandian sariya (a native Islandian martial art that is required and basic training for all members of the Islandian military)
hapkido
Wing Chun
Muay Thai
Judo
Jujitsu
Shuai Chiao
Vovinam
Pentjak Silat
Shaolin kungfu
taijutsu (ninjutsu)

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I'm not suggesting that we abandon weapons and turn instead to martial arts. Nonetheless, martial arts are good conditioning exercises for a nation's military, and attention should be paid to unarmed and improvisational combat, as the world out there is dangerous and deadly, and must be defended against.

So dont give up your weapons, and dont start laughing...yet. The final laugh comes from those with a well rounded military, and although it may seem otherwise, martial arts still has a place in training, but a quite different role than it used to be.

Military Unarmed Combat it taught in the Varessan Defence Force, for use in low-intensity conflicts, and activities such as peace-keeping and security operations.

The techniques used are not recognised as a true martial arts style, but utilise a large number of principles and concepts from some of the many martial arts around the world.

Put simply, it is not martial art. It is unarmed combat, with the stated intent of subduing your opponent as quickly as possible, if necessary causing catastrophic damage in a very short space of time.

More info available on request.

Captain Taylor
A/OC
B Coy
16th MP Btn
27th Infantry Division

This is actually a very good point. Altough warfare from the beginning of the 20th century has had little place for Hand-To-Hand combat or close quarters combat, it still should not be neglected. Not only is the practice of martial arts for full time troopers, very efficient way to maintain their physique, reflexes etc. it also gives the troopers the capability to deal with a possible Hand-To-Hand situation if one arises.

This has allways been my opinion and it is reflected from the training my Military recieves. Every Man/Woman of the military goes thru a standard training in Coup' De Vitesse (not an existing style but rather a blend of eastern and western aggressive styles. Concentrates heavully on the attack.). Marines on the other hand recieve much more thorough training in the Coup' and if one so wishes, the Coup' can be practiced as much as desired in the Military. The Coup' is something that every Marine as well, as well as those of the Special Forces, takes seriously and practices on regular basis.

Our military is trained in a fighting style taken and modified from that taught to the Russian Special Forces. Very powerful but slow style. If they go any further than standard enlistment, they are taught Akumu-kai. Akumu-kai is a style that makes full use of breaking limbs, tearing muscles and just generally putting people out of commision for extended periods of times.

It is a fact that soldiers will sometimes encounter enemies when they are unarmed. It's highly beneficial that they can defend themselves.

(OOC:This style actually exists. Even though it originated where I live in colorado, it is very effective. Here is some info. http://www.akumu.com )

-edit- looks like that first one didn't work.....just click the link, enter akumu-kai and go to curriculum

All very fascinating. Good work everyone.

My nation's military is Learned in the art of Ninjutsu, a fighting style which combines series' of Powerful, quick, kicks with low-rise punches to quickly disable the opponent, and deliver a swift finishing blow.

In addition to this fighting, each of our "Heavy Infantry" units are issued special 18 inch "Khans", A Straight dagger-like weapon, sharpened to the likes of Ancient Samurai swords. They are able to pierce any known personell armor system in the case of close range fighting.

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