[Regia-NA] Regia Combat (was Greetings)
Wulfhere
list-regia-na@lig.net
Mon, 13 Oct 2003 22:56:15 -0400
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on 10/13/03 9:17 PM, VIKING@inthedanelaw.fsnet.co.uk at
VIKING@inthedanelaw.fsnet.co.uk wrote:
Well, not really. In Regia combat, the blow is generally pulled and we use
blunted steel. You are armored just the same as if you were in the Dark
Ages. For helmets, other than the authentic nasal, no grills or such,
although some people do wear camails (or is that aventail?). The only extra
armoring that I know of is forearm protection (under tunic sleeves) and
atheletic/box cups. Head shots are illegal for regular combat and are only
used in choreographed fighting...then it has to be approved ahead of time
and will be between experienced warriors who are qualified in a weapon.
I'll withhold my comments about the wrap-around-the-head shot. :o)
Well then I can see the difficulty in it all. Getting a blow to the body of
a man with a sword and board quickly enough to get passed, on contact, but
pulled just so as not to hurt, is a tall order. In the course I'm taking, we
learn to cast, rather than pull. The object being to strike so that the
inertia is tangent to the point of contact. When done right, this allows you
to strike fast and hard without any significant force into the target.
Still, all our exercises are choreographed so there is no contact to the
body.
Why withhold your comments on the wrap-around-the-head shot? I'll give you
mine. I think it's a SCAdianism, The result of having any landed head shot
count as a kill. Let me state clearly that I have only watched SCA combat.
There may be more than meets the eye and rash words may be revisited with a
thump. However, unless my perception of body mechanics is all wrong, it
doesn't represent anything that makes sense in real combat. It always starts
as a feint to the head as a left handed wrath. That draws the board up and
right. Then the forearm is brought accross to the attackers right and
twisted so it's a backhand blow to the back of the head. I've seen some to
the buttocks. The only way to get power or speed on the blow is to twist the
hips counter to the blow so there's something for the arm to rotate against.
The attacker is rising and ends with all weight on the right foot standing
very upright and very close. I'm betting the back of my head that a good
left hand shove with the shield would send the attacker flying arse over tea
kettle before the blow landed. The fact that no-one ever does leads me to
believe it's against the rules to shove. My other observation is that no one
ever goes for outright intimidation. Like hauling off and intentionally
hitting the shield so hard that gentles three baronies over are startled.
Doesn't harm the opponent but raises a shadow of self doubt that leads to
hesitation. It's what American football players call "dotting the i" (of
intimidation). The short of it is that SCA Heavy List appears to be it's own
sport.
It's a terrible paradox isn't it. The goal of combat was to kill and maim
in any way possible. The goal of re-creationist combat is to not harm anyone
in any way. But how to make it look, sound and feel real? With such
divergent goals it's hard to follow any of the same "procedures" if you
will. Like the axe. Great weapon, particularly for largish men. Just swing
it hard. Even if the defender get's the shield up you'll likely just break
his arm. There's no safe way to swing an axe at someone. There's to much
"mass x velocity" going on. At any rate, It'll be fun to get into it.
There'll be quite a bit of mental retraining on my part. That instinctive
tendency to close the gap must be overcome.
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<TITLE>Re: [Regia-NA] Regia Combat (was Greetings)</TITLE>
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on 10/13/03 9:17 PM, VIKING@inthedanelaw.fsnet.co.uk at VIKING@inthedanelaw=
.fsnet.co.uk wrote:<BR>
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
Well, not really. In Regia combat, the blow is generally pulled and w=
e use blunted steel. You are armored just the same as if you wer=
e in the Dark Ages. For helmets, other than the authentic nasal, no gr=
ills or such, although some people do wear camails (or is that aventail?). &=
nbsp;The only extra armoring that I know of is forearm protection (under tun=
ic sleeves) and atheletic/box cups. Head shots are illegal for regular=
combat and are only used in choreographed fighting...then it has to be appr=
oved ahead of time and will be between experienced warriors who are qualifie=
d in a weapon. I'll withhold my comments about the wrap-around-the-hea=
d shot. :o) <BR>
<BR>
Well then I can see the difficulty in it all. Getting a blow to the body of=
a man with a sword and board quickly enough to get passed, on contact, but =
pulled just so as not to hurt, is a tall order. In the course I'm taking, we=
learn to cast, rather than pull. The object being to strike so that the ine=
rtia is tangent to the point of contact. When done right, this allows you to=
strike fast and hard without any significant force into the target. Still, =
all our exercises are choreographed so there is no contact to the body. <BR>
<BR>
Why withhold your comments on the wrap-around-the-head shot? I'll gi=
ve you mine. I think it's a SCAdianism, The result of having any landed head=
shot count as a kill. Let me state clearly that I have only watched SCA com=
bat. There may be more than meets the eye and rash words may be revisited wi=
th a thump. However, unless my perception of body mechanics is all wrong, it=
doesn't represent anything that makes sense in real combat. It always start=
s as a feint to the head as a left handed wrath. That draws the board up and=
right. Then the forearm is brought accross to the attackers right and=
twisted so it's a backhand blow to the back of the head. I've seen some to =
the buttocks. The only way to get power or speed on the blow is to twist the=
hips counter to the blow so there's something for the arm to rotate against=
. The attacker is rising and ends with all weight on the right foot standing=
very upright and very close. I'm betting the back of my head that a good le=
ft hand shove with the shield would send the attacker flying arse over tea k=
ettle before the blow landed. The fact that no-one ever does leads me to bel=
ieve it's against the rules to shove. My other observation is that no one ev=
er goes for outright intimidation. Like hauling off and intentionally hittin=
g the shield so hard that gentles three baronies over are startled. Doesn't =
harm the opponent but raises a shadow of self doubt that leads to hesitation=
. It's what American football players call "dotting the i" (of int=
imidation). The short of it is that SCA Heavy List appears to be it's own sp=
ort.<BR>
<BR>
It's a terrible paradox isn't it. The goal of combat was to kill and=
maim in any way possible. The goal of re-creationist combat is to not harm =
anyone in any way. But how to make it look, sound and feel real? With such d=
ivergent goals it's hard to follow any of the same "procedures" if=
you will. Like the axe. Great weapon, particularly for largish men. Just sw=
ing it hard. Even if the defender get's the shield up you'll likely just bre=
ak his arm. There's no safe way to swing an axe at someone. There's to much =
"mass x velocity" going on. At any rate, It'll be fun to get into =
it. There'll be quite a bit of mental retraining on my part. That instinctiv=
e tendency to close the gap must be overcome.</BLOCKQUOTE>
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