Tips on the Art of Death

[Millander]

Hello folk as many of you know one of the most important parts of reenacting is taking hits and dying. It has surprised me that little mention of this has been posted on this forum.

 How do you die? Share tips and suggestion. I know myself and other would be interested and could benefit from it.

[Duuring]

I either do the most badly-acted 'plunge' (where you basicly drop on the spot) or a slight jump to the back.

But most of the time I survive 

[Menelaos]

Pull the chord to my blood packs hidden within my tunic, a small hole is pierced and gypsy blood spews out. I then start screaming dramatically and plead for everyone to stop. The fat reenactor mistakes my blood for ketchup and eats me as I lay voluntarily on the ground.

[Docm30]

You've got to make it nice and dramatic. Hold your arm out as if grasping a skull and deliver a line like 'O untimely death!'.

Either that or just flop over and shimmy around for a second before going limp, à la Blackadder.

[zac]

Normally fall backwards and land on my soft pack,but since i broke my phone last time i now slowly kneel and drop or a hold on to the musket and slide down,, actually depends what range there shooting at  watch this towards the end,,

[KillerMongoose]

I've acted a few times for various things and whenever I do a death scene, I always think of where I was hit and how my character would react to it. For example, a conscript who was shot in the belly would probably panic and freak out at the sight of his own blood. But a veteran warrior would probably try to hold the wound shut, falling to the ground with a little more dignity than a panicking conscript. Stumbling and clutching the location of the wound are very good touches. Also remember that the wound doesn't necessarily have to be instantly fatal. You could crawl around dramatically as if clinging to life for a few more moments.

[TORN]

You need to die with alot of swag and scenery. Throw your musket in the air.
Try to scream. Everybody on the battlefield needs to know you're dead. So they can rout or fight harder.
you can learn alot from this guy.

Spoiler

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-leC2weJSU[/youtube]

[close]

But in all seriousness. I attend to the waterloo event and pretended to get hit in the leg and leaned on the wounded leg to fall over.

[DeoVindice61]

I read a article over at Authentic Campaigner website (highly recommend for any ACW reenact ors, http://www.authentic-campaigner.com ) 

They had a article of how to die by using report of wounded soldier's comment of their experience of being hit. 

Now, Not every bullet kills, there were a thing called spent bullet. Basically, not enough of gunpowder so upon being hit by a spent bullet, you will be knocked off few feet behind then shake it off and carry on forward.  There are events where a bullet will hit a nerve, causing spastic movement upon death.   


Heres what I do sometime, depending on scenario itself, if its 1861, that would be where I would a fresh fish in the war. A volunteer seeking for adventure, I would spent my time ducking and constantly looking around then bam hit, i either take a flop or panic where I as I ran away from a battle. Yes, I ran at a Bull Run scenario. But if its mid-year, where I've done some battle (historical speaking). Ill either get hit and slowly fight on forward as I am bleeding then fall.

There are actually some situation where there would be small agreement between pards about taking a shell.   
We actually did it once and a shell took down 4 guys including me quickly falling back to the ground.   

[Duuring]

More then once I heard the story that an officer would say 'Allright, by the next shot someone falls!', but don't bothering to point out someone. With as result that a single musket shot appeared to kill about six men.

[Millander]

 At the reenactment I did last weekend I took some gnarly hits. at the First battle I took a couple hits and was recycling but I decided to make the next hit permanent. We were on a dirt road when I took the hit. Just as I was fell the order to fall back was given and our line broke into a retreat leaving the dead and wounded. I was pathetically crawling back to them on the road screaming for them to help me but to no avail.

 I turned over on the road facing the Rebel line that shot me and I began to tear at my jacket to find my wound like guys in the civil war would have done. I was leaning up a little doing this. I noticed the Rebel line was advancing and I decided that if they fired I would take a hit while on the ground. Sure enough when they aim I notice 3-4 guys aim slightly downwards me. When they fire I jolted back on the ground dead. I could hear some cheers from the rebs xD

 After a couple minutes of being dead a confederate medic came around tending to the wounded. I came back to life ( xD ) and began acting wounded. When he came over I said something along the lines of I dont need help from a damn reb. In return he tells me to go to hell and moves on. Just as he gets up I begin to plead with him to come back and that I didnt mean it and for gods sake to help me. He returns and gives me water from a very nice looking wooden canteen. I tell him im not going to make it and my last words before death is "You damn rebs wont win this war" then I die.

All in all shit was swag

[Landrik]

Nice, Milly. Being wounded before the inevitable end is great. Most reenactments I do I don't survive. xD It takes a lot of skill to be dead in plain sight. Those are so damn atmospheric.

There's some good hits in this video from 3:50 onwards. Being theatrical is cool as shit. So either it's dropping like a sack of potatoes or squirming on the ground or clutching onto another comrade, etc.

It beats the hell out of sitting down and taking off your helmet. -rolls eyes-

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gl0nlbaSLE[/youtube]

[TheZach_Attack]

I've never re-enacted but I would suggest putting Ketchup in your mouth and biting it as you drop to your knees and die.

[Jocam]

I've never re-enacted but I would suggest putting Ketchup in your mouth and biting it as you drop to your knees and die.

That would also create a nice disgusting face expression

[zac]

TOMATO SAUCE,,not ketchup.....

[DeoVindice61]

and ruin your 500 dollar sack coat...cool.