tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43012782449037131222024-02-06T22:54:29.926-05:00Pointedly AtlantianAssorted thoughts on SCA rapier combat, marshaling, and looking good on the field.Anthonye Sakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106554781004848102noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4301278244903713122.post-50831642979380096152011-05-21T19:47:00.001-04:002011-05-21T19:48:29.610-04:00Recent practices & drillsI'm finally getting around to updating this thing. Getting to practice has been a bit sporadic lately, but I hope to pick it up before Pennsic, as well as get a bunch of physical conditioning in. I ended up not being able to complete the 60 in 60 challenge because I was unable to fight for about a month after Birka due to medical reasons.<br />
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Practice this week was very good. Ken Mondschein who teaches at the Higgins came by and we ran through a number of drills (a couple of which I'll go over below) and got some good sparring in. I plan to hit the Carolingian regional practice tomorrow, and the depending on how the new job goes on Monday, the regular Monday practice in Millbury. Depending on how my event/work schedule is, I'm also hoping to get to the Higgins for the <a href="http://www.higginssword.org/">Sword Guild</a> practices. <br />
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The easiest of the drills we did was to set up in stance opposite each other and take a glove in our primary hand. The first person would lunge, and on the conclusion of the lunge release the glove for the other person to catch. As we got warmed up, we added footwork between the lunges so that you would have to work on paying attention and react quickly to what the other person was doing.<br />
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The next drill requires some equipment. The practice site we use has a balance beam (it looks to be a 3x3, elevated about 4-6" and covered in carpet). Setting the balance beam next to the wall, we took turns practicing our lunge while on the balance beam. The nice thing about doing it this way is you get immediate feedback as to your body mechanics on each lunge. When things work out correctly, the balance beam gets pushed back as you lunge. When things do not, you generally fall off.<br />
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Sometime this week, I'm planning on getting a post up about Balfar's Challenge and a (much delayed) post on the trip down to Atlantia for Night on the Town.Anthonye Sakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106554781004848102noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4301278244903713122.post-58600851467934238042011-01-18T09:24:00.003-05:002011-01-18T13:01:12.468-05:001/17/11 Practice LogWe had a good practice last night in Millbury, I'd estimate between 15-20 fencers. The 60 fights in 60 days program encouraged me to fight more and chat less. I ended up getting fights with seven people in, and probably could have done two - three more.<br />
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• Aiden McShane<br />
• Edward Grey of Lochleven<br />
• Diego Miguel Munoz de Castilla (OWS, OGR)<br />
• Anastasia Da Mont<br />
• Tiago Santos<br />
• Rhiannon the Curious (OWS, OGR)<br />
• Mathias Grundwald<br />
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I split my fights between stick and dagger, though mostly stick in preparation for possibly having to fight other forms at K&Q Champions this weekend. It worked well for me, and I think I'm going to try fighting it some more. The main thing I need to remember is it's not a dagger, and if I end up in close, I can't hit people with it.<br />
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Running 60 in 60 count, 7 fights, 2 OWSAnthonye Sakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106554781004848102noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4301278244903713122.post-44657195649476599552011-01-16T21:18:00.001-05:002011-01-16T21:22:15.293-05:0060 fights in 60 daysI start the 60 fights in 60 days challenge tomorrow at the Quintavia practice. I'll be posting updates here as I go along. K&Q rapier champions this weekend, and Birka the weekend after that should help boost my numbers.Anthonye Sakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106554781004848102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4301278244903713122.post-83527016174019173952011-01-13T13:08:00.003-05:002011-01-13T17:31:53.790-05:00Transporting your gearOne of my personal pet peeves at events is seeing the row of golf bags that people use to cart their gear around. While I do recognize the usefulness of them to transport gear, a row of uncovered bags on the side of a listfield is very visually jarring to me. The simplest option for this is to buy a blanket or other cloth to cover it, there are period ways of transporting gear.<br />
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A snapsack is the method I use the majority of the time. It can be made relatively inexpensively, starting at less than $10. When I’ve got a little more stuff to carry for a larger event, I also use a six board bench stool, which can be made for about $25. This is handy to have, as it also doubles as a seat.<br />
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To make a snapsack, you only need some basic sewing skills. There is a good set of instructions online at http://www.southernrangers.org/snapsack.htm. When I made mine, I changed the pattern so the dimensions were 36" wide by 30" tall, so that my fencing mask could fit into it. Experiment with some cotton muslin to make sure that the size you make will hold the gear that you wanted to put into it.<br />
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There are two options that can be used for the material of the bag. The simplest is a cloth - I used the 10oz untreated cotton duck from Panther Primitives for mine. Alternatively, leather can also be used, though it would be significantly more expensive. While the strap can be made out of the leftover canvas from the bag, I decided to go with a leather strap and buckle. The strap I used is 1.5" wide, with an iron buckle from Fort Vause Outfitters. Don’t forget that you need to punch the holes in the strap before sewing it to the bag – a needle will not be able to push through the leather. <br />
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A snapsack will not necessarily be your best bet if you carry a lot of blades. Typically I only carry one sword and dagger with me, and everything else goes into the snapsack. Blades can be put into a snapsack, but you may want to make it a bit longer if you wish to do this.<br />
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There are times when I can’t fit everything I want to bring out to the field with me in my snapsack. Usually at this point I bring a six panel bench chest I made with instructions from Marco Borromei’s website. While not difficult to make, this does require having access to some woodworking tools. Before deciding on the final measurements for your chest, check to make sure it will fit in your vehicle.<br />
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For those looking to carry their stuff in a more period appropriate way, both the snapsack and bench chest are good options. They are relatively easy and inexpensive to make and will more than do the job of getting your gear to the field. Anthonye Sakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106554781004848102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4301278244903713122.post-19023594066009444112011-01-07T19:25:00.002-05:002011-01-13T17:29:36.535-05:00Article IdeasI've got a bunch of topics that I'm thinking about writing about at some point. There is no set schedule for what I'll be writing when, so if there is a topic that seems particularly interesting, please let me know so I can work on those first. By the end of the weekend I'll have an article on carrying gear posted.<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
• Learning from mistakes<br />
• What to know when you travel<br />
• Book reviews and website link details<br />
• Running and attacking<br />
• So you want to be an Elizabethian<br />
• What would the 16th century battlefield really look like?<br />
• How to approach a pickup fight<br />
• Long range is not always an advantage<br />
• How to do an inspection<br />
• How to run an authorization<br />
• On giving up an advantage<br />
• Marshaling melee concerns<br />
• Fencing awards and honors of the known world<br />
• How to prepare for fighting at your first Pennsic<br />
• Small unit melee tactics<br />
• Killing cups<br />
• Fighting in a line<br />
• Dealing with (and being) the lone wolf<br />
• So you are in command<br />
• Fighting in the woods<br />
• Mentoring MiTs<br />
• So you want to be a marshal<br />
• Combat archery on the rapier field (overview)<br />
• Melee tactics with ranged weaponsAnthonye Sakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106554781004848102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4301278244903713122.post-48819118009825244412010-12-27T20:10:00.008-05:002011-01-16T21:21:31.751-05:00Melee for Beginners - Jobs<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><style>
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</style> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a melee each person has a job that they are responsible for. The two most important things to know in a melee are the overall objective for your team and what you are responsible for. The size, objective, and field of the melee will affect how many of each type of unit there are.<a name='more'></a> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Commander</i> – The commander is the person in overall command of each side. Their job is to come up with the overall strategy for the melee, assign units to each task, and during the melee, adapt to any unexpected moves by the opposing team and give orders to counter them. In larger melees, the commander should not be engaging in combat personally, as this will take their attention off of the field.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Subcommander</i> – A subcommander will give orders to a smaller unit during a melee. Their job is similar to the commander, however they have fewer people that they are responsible for. When possible, a subcommander should generally avoid combat personally so they can adapt to changes in strategy from the opponent and new orders from the commander.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Line fighter</i> – Most newer fencers are put into the line. In a line, there are two types of fencers, those that are the attackers, and those that are the defenders. More experienced fighters and those with longer range generally are responsible for attacking, while newer fencers and those with shorter range protect the attacking fighters. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Skirmisher</i> – Skirmishers are typically more experienced fencers who will stand in front of a line (particularly in the woods) to help break up and whittle down an approaching line before it reaches their own. When faced with overwhelming odds, skirmishers fall back into their own line. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Scout</i> – The main responsibility of scouts is to find information that a commander needs to know, such as the location of a flag or a certain opposing unit, and get that information to the commander. A scout should almost always retreat rather than engage the enemy. Scouts are most common in a woods battle where the commander can not see the entire field.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Lone wolf</i> – A lone wolf is an experienced fighter (or three) who roam the battlefield, trying to tie up enemy units by their presence and baiting them to send more people after them and away from their objective. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Flanker</i> – A flanker or flanking unit, pushes the side (or flank) of a unit to push them into their own unit and disrupt their line. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Coming next – Part 4 of Melee for Beginners – Common Commands</span></div>Anthonye Sakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106554781004848102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4301278244903713122.post-80409155215828860902010-12-22T20:43:00.001-05:002010-12-22T20:44:06.699-05:00Not deadI've been busy with Christmas stuff and haven't had a chance to write anything. Next on the schedule is part three of the Melee for Beginners series and after that an article on carrying stuff.<br />
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In the meantime, I leave you with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYVQooRSlzg">this</a>.Anthonye Sakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106554781004848102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4301278244903713122.post-41724448866272863072010-12-05T14:40:00.002-05:002010-12-05T14:41:48.568-05:00Practicing Disengages<div style="font-family: inherit;"><style>
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</style> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of the drills I was taught early on to practice disengages was to take my sword and do half circles around the bottom of a doorknob, without hitting the doorknob. I never really liked that drill for a few reasons, the main one being is that the standard doorknob height is really too low for me. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Remembering a conversation I had with Melchior zum grauen Wolf about a similar topic I was talking to Don Diego Miguel Munoz de Castilla at the Quintavia practice about it and as a result, came up with this.</span></div><a name='more'></a><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdElu7Y5n1hAEmZi7l-GgZvklDrIr4PBqI0ngxWnHSFl3lNIjxgJcci-n7K_W3O-sqFSZDHKtAFMCHOYBHx2o9fKQ0j14_eBguSlgBcNGScaKkhMLvzg2we1j59gHFtBI5moFm6zApb4/s1600/IMG_0511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdElu7Y5n1hAEmZi7l-GgZvklDrIr4PBqI0ngxWnHSFl3lNIjxgJcci-n7K_W3O-sqFSZDHKtAFMCHOYBHx2o9fKQ0j14_eBguSlgBcNGScaKkhMLvzg2we1j59gHFtBI5moFm6zApb4/s400/IMG_0511.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is my beta version of the device. Eventually I’ll pick up a blade to mount on it, but it will work as is. Version two will have adjustable angles for both the “arm” and the blade. This works out significantly better than using a doorknob. Even without having the blade attached, it simulates disengaging a blade significantly better</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Construction Details</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">For materials I used is ¾” by 1½ “ by 18” piece of scrap wood and a corner brace I had sitting around. The bracket is mounted to the wood at an angle, not straight on. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">To figure out the angle, first determine the height from the floor that you want both the top and bottom of the wood, then subtract the bottom number from the top number. Lay out the wood on the edge of a table and move one end up that many inches from the edge. Mark your holes for the bracket, drill them, and attach it, then attach the unit to the wall and you are ready to practice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Incidentally, I was looking through The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe after I had finished it and saw this picture</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEOMAdfMQRoKJpeWhyphenhyphenDlzxWVqwCbOwU-AglW_edLiS_LwVZyx0AG6XWs6ypv4YRf4YbdywAoK42J-s2gvZ6juGQKhQGCPRi1yKniHoIgQVzuiiZn940VPq8i0sCjo9VkFZKU7lRLOsac/s1600/fencingmachine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEOMAdfMQRoKJpeWhyphenhyphenDlzxWVqwCbOwU-AglW_edLiS_LwVZyx0AG6XWs6ypv4YRf4YbdywAoK42J-s2gvZ6juGQKhQGCPRi1yKniHoIgQVzuiiZn940VPq8i0sCjo9VkFZKU7lRLOsac/s1600/fencingmachine.jpg" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Evidentially, good ideas never die.</span></div>Anthonye Sakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106554781004848102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4301278244903713122.post-971425904800384102010-12-01T16:14:00.007-05:002010-12-28T16:08:51.706-05:00Melee for Beginners - Objectives<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This was originally published as part of the first part of the article. After a suggestion from Wistric, I have broken it off into its own section, and each section will now cover one topic. Coming next - Melee for Beginners - Roles in Combat</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Common Objectives</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The battle objective is the goal for each side in the melee. Some scenarios are fairly simple, others can be more complicated. Before the melee begins, the marshals will explain the objective and any other rules such as whether death from behind is allowed or how many resurrections each fighter has. Be sure to ask questions for clarification if anything is unclear. The most important thing to do in a melee is remembering the objective and working to meet it.<i> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Grand Melee</i> – Sometimes called a Roman melee, this begins with all the fighters standing in a circle. Fighters typically can not start by attacking the fighter to their immediate left or right. There are no predetermined teams in a grand melee, though alliances may be made (and broken) during the fighting. The winner is the last fighter standing. Sometimes the two top finishers are used as captains to pick the teams for the rest of the day’s fighting</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Warlord</i> – In the first round each fighter fights one other fighter. The winner of that fight is the captain of the newly formed two man team. Teams then continue to fight in this method until there is only one team remaining.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Last Man Standing</i> – Very simple scenario, after dividing into two (or more) teams, combatants fight until all fighters from opposing teams are dead.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Capture the Flag/Get the Item</i> – In this format, instead of the objective being to kill the fencers on the other team, each team must gain control of a flag or capture an item that the other team is trying to protect. There are a number of variations regarding the exact victory condition, but they could include keeping control of the flag for more than half the time, controlling the flag at random intervals, or number of times you can capture the item in a set period of time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Territorial Control (Bridge/Castle/Area)</i> – Similar to capture the flag, the objective in a territorial control is not to kill the opponent, but to maintain control of an area longer than the opposing team. In some scenarios where one team is the attacker, and the other is the defender, the scenario will be run twice, and the team with the best time wins.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Escort/Transport</i> – In an escort or transport mission the goal is to get an object or person from one point on the field to the other. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Protect the Leader</i> – The goal in a protect the leader scenario is to keep your leader alive while trying to kill the opponent’s leader. The side that kills their opponents leader a set number of times first is the winner. Typically in this scenario every fighter but the leader has unlimited resurrections and the leader can not be closer than a certain number of feet to their sides resurrection point.</span></div>Anthonye Sakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106554781004848102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4301278244903713122.post-38502713994598974062010-11-30T09:18:00.001-05:002010-11-30T09:18:54.403-05:00Photos from the Higgins<div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Photos from my trip to the Higgins Armory Museum on November 20th for the Living Timeline of Arms & Armor are up <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/114668923291298466424/HigginsArmory#">here</a>.</span></div>Anthonye Sakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106554781004848102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4301278244903713122.post-22497294694946106542010-11-29T20:00:00.003-05:002010-12-01T16:16:51.714-05:00Rapier Melee for Beginners - Introduction and Field Types<div style="font-family: inherit;"><style>
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</style> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">A rapier melee is any fight that has more than two fighters. This can be as simple as a two on one melee up to melees with over 100 fighters per side such as those that happen at Pennsic. While the fundamentals of single combat are important in a melee, there are a number of melee skills that are also very important to learn to be a successful melee fighter.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Before participating in a melee for the first time, fighters should make sure they are familiar with the additional rules that cover melees. Keep in mind that some things are legal in some areas, but not legal in others – when in doubt, ask a marshal or experienced fighter any questions. The purpose of this article is not to discuss the rules of melee or what is legal (or not legal), but to provide a new fencer a basic overview of SCA rapier combat.<a name='more'></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Field Types</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">A field is the location where a melee takes place. Fields can be as simple as an open area or a more complicated setup such as a town battle, with hay bales set up to represent buildings.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Open Field</i> – A simple field with nothing on it. This is the most common type of field for SCA rapier combat due to it’s simplicity. The edges may have hay bales or something similar to mark them, they may not. When there is no marking for the edge, be careful as there may be spectators there. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Broken Field</i> – One step up in complexity from a open field is a broken field. The broken field typically has some kind of obstruction that fighters need to go around rather than over. Again, the obstructions are usually made of hay bales, but may also be a sheet wall or other marker. Be careful not to back onto and trip over whatever is being used to break up the field, and warn other fighters if they are about to trip</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Town</i> – A town battle is set up using hay bales or sheet walls to recreate a town. The town usually varies in size in complexity depending on the number of fighters, and the time/help available to set it up. One thing to remember when fighting in a town battle, especially when hay bales are used to form the buildings is that shots can not be thrown over the walls. This is more important near the doorways for the people on the corners.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Bridge</i> – A bridge is a limited front field type consisting of one or more bridges of varying width. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Castle/Gate</i> – Castle and gate battles are similar to each other and usually involve one side trying to get through a gate with the other defending. Castles may have more than one gate to defend, especially in larger battles. While castles are usually made out of hay bales, some of the larger war sites such as Pennsic and Gulf Wars have wooden castles to fight in.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Woods</i> – A melee that takes place in some woods. Woods battle sites vary greatly and the density of the woods as well as paths and other potential hazards will likely be completely different from site to site. When fighting in a woods battle, keep a watch for poison ivy, fallen branches, and holes in the ground.</span></div>Anthonye Sakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106554781004848102noreply@blogger.com2