[SilverMoonLady]

Hey, all you tough guys and in charge ladies: I am trying to write a proper KO but lack the experience to do it believably (my main problem being that I'm a *little* scrapper, and the character in question is tall & strong.)
Essentially, assuming you are about a head taller than your opponent, facing him/her, and you wish to incapacitate him temporarily, where would you aim your blow? Face, temple, jaw? In addition, you are quite angry with this person, and though you don't want them dead, knocked out would be fabulous. (That is the net effect I'm looking for, btw)
Any advice?

Sil

[Eyborg]

What's a KO???

[SilverMoonLady]

K.O. = Knock Out. In other words, a blow that makes one's opponent unconscious.

[inglor]

Here is what happens in a Knock Out/concussion:
The head is moved so violently that the brain sloshes around and bumps against the skull. Or the head moves so vilently that the nerves at the base of the head are temporarily overloaded. or something like that. To knock somebody out, the head must be violently twisted or thrown back. In boxing that is why knock outs usually occcur in later rounds, the boxer gets tired and can't move out of the way fast enough or the neck muscles are fatigued so much they can't absorb the blow.

To answer your question: a hard crossing blow to the jaw or an uppercut to the jaw will make the head snap with enough force to render your opponent incapacitated. If the opponent is moving towards you, a hard punch square in the face could do the same. However, you have to hit REAL HARD to knock somebody out like this. Bare fisted, there might be some broken bones involved.


Inglor

[Eyborg]

[SilverMoonLady]

Thank you, sir!
I am familiar with the physiological thing that happens, but couldn't quite work out the mechanics:) Never could easily reach my tormentors' faces unless they bent down close
So, even if an uppercut or cross didn't actually KO him, I guess that might knock him back and ring his bells, right?

[Eruanna]

[quote="SilverMoonLady"]Thank you, sir!
I am familiar with the physiological thing that happens, but couldn't quite work out the mechanics:) Never could easily reach my tormentors' faces unless they bent down close
So, even if an uppercut or cross didn't actually KO him, I guess that might knock him back and ring his bells, right?[/quote]

[quote="SilverMoonLady"]Thank you, sir!
I am familiar with the physiological thing that happens, but couldn't quite work out the mechanics:) Never could easily reach my tormentors' faces unless they bent down close
So, even if an uppercut or cross didn't actually KO him, I guess that might knock him back and ring his bells, right?[/quote]

There is also a martial arts maneuvre in which a blow is struck to the back of the ear. Not quite sure how this works, not having done it myself.

It is all about force and physics. A very small opponent can easily overpower a much larger attacker and have him/her floored. A small but well-placed blow can do some damage.

Use the opponent's weight against him. Again, physics. A hobbit with the right know-how can topple an elf! Hey, someone write about THAT one. (I also read a funny one somewhere about a boxing match between Maedhros and Beren....)

(I used to fence and am not the tallest, shall we say. Tall opponents were terrified to be paired with me because they had to get down to my level!) LOL!

--Eruanna

[SilverMoonLady]

I know very much that a smaller person can take on a large one; I was given a temper shorter than even my reach, and a lot of boys found it terribly entertaining to set me off, at least until I dropped one to his knees.
Unfortunately, my personal experience doesn't help, since the character doing the punching is *taller* and stronger than his target. And I've never actually punched anyone about the head with the aim to knock him out; for me it was always about putting him to flight, trip or drop him, or grappling him to the ground.
Thanks for the thoughts though:)

[Eruanna]

No wonder I adore the "short" movieverse Dernhelm so much! (I also adore the "steel blade" book Dernie, too.)

LOL!

--Eruanna

[inglor]

Quick left jab to make them duck and then right cross or uppercut. The knockout punch has to be set up somehow because it is a relatively slow punch. But hitting them anywhere on the head that makes the head snap back or twist violently will do the trick. The chin makes an excellent fulcrum.
A sleeper hold is even better: behind your opponent, you put your arm around their neck so that the adams apple is opposite your elbow. Then you squeeze. The arteries that feed the brain are constricted and the opponent drops like a sack of hammers. Somebody did tis to me one time. It's nothing like the wrestlng move, it works real fast if done properly. It can also seriously injur somebody (you are cutting off blood to the brain...)


Inglor #2

[SilverMoonLady]

Hmmmm:) Thank you for the suggestions:) This is going to be one very researched 15 seconds!

[Eruanna]

[quote="SilverMoonLady"]Hmmmm:) Thank you for the suggestions:) This is going to be one very researched 15 seconds! [/quote]

The best way to take down an opponent is to use the element of surprise. Get 'em in a way they don't expect it. Take them off guard. (Sun Tsu's The Art of War)

Feign a move, but make another!

I was a short, NASTY fencer! There is a little move where it looks like you are making one attack, but are actually making another. A small flick of the wrist down and under their blade guard as they try to parry/riposte--and they literally walk into your blade and spit themselves on sword's point! War, and fencing, is not about fair play, it's about winning.

Maybe your character could use the element of surprise!

--Eruanna

[SilverMoonLady]

Well, his opponent is going to be seeing him coming, but not necessarily the punch. The other guy is also not really looking to escape the consequences of what he's done, one of which is this attack.

Something along the lines of:

"I can explain...!"

"I don't think so."

*kapow*

[Haleth]

I have to agree with Inglor. A quick jab for distraction followed by a cross would be the most effect way of knocking someone out without doing him grievous bodily harm.

While the uppercut is very effective, it's less likely to be used with the height differences described.

[LuthienTinuviel]

Watch any WTA or WWF wrestling matches. Damn, those are fun to watch hehe... and could be helpful towards contributing the best KO.