Along with "Battlefield Britain," I would rate this as one of the finest shows relating (primarily) to military history that I have ever seen. The host, Peter Woodward, is a supremely competent historian and weapons instructor, and brings a unique passion and charm to the show with a very effective dry sense of humor that does not detract whatsoever from its serious nature. His delivery is gripping and a solid cornerstone of the program.
The premise of "Conquest" is for Peter and/or his team members or associates to develop competence in a particular and rather dangerous endeavor, mostly military but with a few detractors like Demolition Derby. Peter goes into great detail about the history of the weapons or machine that they will be using, weaving this masterfully into training and demonstrations. The end will generally involve a contest of sorts, where his team attempts to "win" at the endeavor for which they have been training.
The show reminds me in some ways of "Deadliest Warrior," as there are numerous weapons demonstrations, tests of skill, and a contest at the end. The contest in DW is a staged dramatization, whereas the contest in Conquest is generally real (with safety precautions), and real time. The participants are very sportsmanlike, and there is none of the puerile banter that infects DW. The show came about several years before DW as well, so I have no doubt that the creators of the latter borrowed more than one idea from this program.
This is a serious show for a mature audience with more than just a passing interest in history. That's not to say it is without humor, it does have some light hearted moments. I have rarely seen weapons tactics described and demonstrated in such detail, with as much emphasis on the drawbacks of each as with the benefits. They also describe the mindset or experiences of the warriors in such situations, such as the discomfort of wearing armor, or the fatigue caused by wielding weapons or marching with a full kit. Anyone with an interest in military history should not miss out on Conquest.
The premise of "Conquest" is for Peter and/or his team members or associates to develop competence in a particular and rather dangerous endeavor, mostly military but with a few detractors like Demolition Derby. Peter goes into great detail about the history of the weapons or machine that they will be using, weaving this masterfully into training and demonstrations. The end will generally involve a contest of sorts, where his team attempts to "win" at the endeavor for which they have been training.
The show reminds me in some ways of "Deadliest Warrior," as there are numerous weapons demonstrations, tests of skill, and a contest at the end. The contest in DW is a staged dramatization, whereas the contest in Conquest is generally real (with safety precautions), and real time. The participants are very sportsmanlike, and there is none of the puerile banter that infects DW. The show came about several years before DW as well, so I have no doubt that the creators of the latter borrowed more than one idea from this program.
This is a serious show for a mature audience with more than just a passing interest in history. That's not to say it is without humor, it does have some light hearted moments. I have rarely seen weapons tactics described and demonstrated in such detail, with as much emphasis on the drawbacks of each as with the benefits. They also describe the mindset or experiences of the warriors in such situations, such as the discomfort of wearing armor, or the fatigue caused by wielding weapons or marching with a full kit. Anyone with an interest in military history should not miss out on Conquest.