Cunnan - User contributions [en]

Fight practice

2006-06-23T23:04:14Z

208.190.152.1:

A '''fight practice''' is a regular event where [[fighter]]s get together to practice their skills. An official fight practice requires the attendance of at least one [[marshal]], signed [[release]]s, and complete compliance with the [[Rules of the List]]. In some kingdoms an official practice cannot occur without a warranted branch officer present.

Most [[SCA]] groups have biweekly or monthly official fight practices, and many [[SCAdian]]s organize "unofficial" practices without marshals or releases, usually along the lines of two or three friends in somebody's back yard. More rarely, groups host ''weekly'' official fight practices, which shows in greater unit coordination while [[maneuver]]ing.

A typical weekly fight practice in the [[Shire of Trinovantia Nova]] involves an hour or two of one-on-one [[spar|sparring]], then forty to fifty minutes of team [[melee]]s, then about fifteen to twenty minutes of [[formation]] drills, before knocking off for the evening.

[[category:combat]]
[[category:SCAism]]

Officer

2006-06-23T23:04:08Z

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'''Officers''' are the people that keep [[SCA]] groups going (from an administration point of view anyway) according to the [[laws]] of the Society. Officers are the primary link between groups in the [[SCA]] and [[mundane]] authorities.

A [[shire]] must have the following three officers:

*[[Seneschal]]
*[[Reeve]] / Exchequer / Treasurer
*[[Herald]] or [[Arts and Sciences Officer]] or [[Knight Marshal]]

A [[Barony]] in most kingdoms must have all of the following [[officer]]s:

*[[Seneschal]]
*[[Reeve]] / Exchequer / Treasurer
*[[Herald]]
*[[Arts and Sciences Officer]]
*[[Knight Marshal]]

Depending on the kingdom a Barony may also be required to have one or more of the following officers:
*[[Constable]]
*[[Chirurgeon]]
*[[Chronicler]]
*[[Hospitaller]]

Any group may have some or all of the following additional [[officer]]s:

*[[Rapier Marshal]]
*[[List Keeper]]
*[[Water Bearer]]
*[[Archery Marshal]] or [[Captain of Archers]]
*[[Equestian Marshal]]

... or any others of its choosing.

The [[SCA]] and the [[SCAA]] also each have a [[Board of Directors]] and the associated offices, but because they are regarded as the outside-of-game administration, they are not connected to any group.
[[category:SCA]]

Real weapons in the SCA

2006-06-23T22:15:36Z

208.190.152.1:

Always make sure:
* Real weapons (knives, swords, etc.) are '''not''' be drawn at an [[SCA]] [[event]].
* Fighting with metal weapons is '''not permitted at SCA events'''. If you want to do this, join a [[re-enactment]] group. Also note we are not talking about authorised [[rapier]] fighting with approved ''practice'' [[weapon]]ry.
* Follow your local [[mundane]] laws with regards to carrying weapons. This may require you to have the weapons in a secure bag or container when not at an event.
* Be responsible and do not touch other people's weapons without permission, be they real or SCA weapons.

The only exceptions to the first rule are:
#In honour of the [[crown]]
#Displaying the [[blade]] ("[[clear|Clear!]]" must be called before doing this to let surrounding people know what you're doing)
#Self defense

Due to the practise of using [[rattan]] as a material for making [[weapon]]s, many 'real' swords owned by [[SCAdian]]s are more decorative than functional. These types of "[[weapons]]" are often derogatorially referred to as [[sword like objects]] or SLO's.
[[category:SCA]]
[[category:weapons]]

Combat

2006-06-23T22:09:11Z

208.190.152.1: /* SCA Combat */

'''Combat''' refers to [[weapon|armed]] or [[unarmed]] physical conflict between groups or individuals.

Victory may be determined as the:
* one who holds the field at the end of the conflict
* last to yield
* last to be alive
* an other previously defined parameter

Combat could be in earnest or could be staged as a sport, eg a tournament.

==SCA Combat==
The following articles relate primarily to [[SCA]] combat, both Armored Combat & Rapier Combat.

There are two primary divisions in fighting: [[single combat]] and [[team combat]]

=== Topics ===
==== [[Weapons]] ====
*[[Heavy Combat|Armored Combat]]
**[[Sword]]
**[[Mace]]
**[[Axe]]
**[[Polearm]]
*[[Fencing]]
**[[Rapier]]
**[[Dagger]]
**[[Schlager]]
**[[Epee]]
**[[Foil]]
*[[Throwing weapons]]
**[[Chakram]]
**[[Dart]]
**[[Throwing Axe]]s
**[[Rocks]]
**[[Javelin]]
*[[Melee weapons]]
**[[Bow]]
**[[Crossbow]]
**[[Siege weapons]]

==== Tactics ====
*[[Hand to hand combat tactics|Hand to Hand Combat Tactics]] - [[Heavy Fighting]] / Armoured Combat
*[[Archery]] - [[Light combat]]
*[[Fencing|Art of defence]] - [[Rapier]]
*[[Formations]]
*[[Unit Commands]]

==== [[Tournament]]s ====
*[[Running a Tournament]]
*[[Tournament style]]s
*[[Tournament Ranking]]

==== [[Laws|Rules and Regulations]] ====
*[[Authorisation]]
*[[Legal target areas]]
*[[Rules of the list]]
*[[Conventions of Combat]]
*[[Marshal's handbook]]
*[[Minimum armour]]
*[[Assumed armour]]
*[[Armour]] [[inspection]]

[[Category:Combat]]

==Internal Links==
See also:
* [[armour]]
* [[weapon]]s
* [[fighting kit|overall fighting equipment list]]
*[[fechtbuch|fighting manuals]]
*[[category:starting out]]

SCA sword

2006-06-23T22:07:44Z

208.190.152.1:

[[SCA]] [[fighting]] is not choreographed. What makes this possible is our [[armour standards]] and [[weapon]]ry. The SCA Heavy Fighter's sword is essentially a [[club]]: it's a stick of [[rattan]] wrapped in [[fibre tape]] and [[duct tape]], given a [[blade]] side (defined with [[electrical tape]]), with a [[basket hilt]]. SCA Rapier Fighters use epees or reproduction rapiers.

Most reenactment groups also fight in unchoreographed combat. In some specific situations such as a display where sometimes a desired result is needed as part of a show, the final result is known but earlier parts of combat are unscripted.

To make a sword for SCA Heavy Combat, first get a stick of rattan. After getting your stick of rattan, cut it down to a nice size. A "standard length" for a sword is a length that enables you to swing it loosely back and forth by your side and the tip just barely touches the ground - but, of course, you can make it to whatever you feel comfortable with. Wrap your rattan in fibre tape, then a good few layers of duct tape. Decide which side feels comfy and which side would make a good blade side (there are various arguments about which way the blade should go, but in the end, it's '''UP TO YOU'''). Attach the [[basket hilt]]. You may also like to add a [[thrusting tip]].

There is your new SCA sword!

All other SCA Heavy Combat weapons are basically a variant on this.

==External Links==
*http://www.io.com/~caladin/sword.htm''
[[category:weapons]][[category:swords]]

Sword

2006-06-23T22:06:27Z

208.190.152.1: /* Collecting */

[[category:weapons]]
Until the eventual takeover by the [[firearm]], the '''sword''' was one of the primary weapons of a [[soldier]]. The name comes from the [[Old English]] ''sweord'' (or to Old [[High German]] ''swert'') which means, roughly, "a wounding tool". Simply put, a sword is a (primarily) [[metal]] [[weapon]] with one or two cutting edges and a place to grip it at one end. A sword primarily consists of the [[blade]] and the [[hilt]].

==Blade==
The ''blade'' of a sword usually tapers to a point, and is usually sharpened along one or both edges. [[Europe]]an swords tend to be ''double-edged'' and ''straight-bladed'', allowing for a "[[cut and thrust]]" approach. [[Japan]]ese swords are famously single-edged and curved for better control and effect when slashing. The length of the blade can vary greatly, but generally, the longer the cutting edge of the [[blade]], the more emphasis is placed on "cutting" and less on "thrusting", a function of the weight and length of the weapon. Some European sword-blades are an almost uniform width for most of their length, others taper markedly over their entire length. The preferred shape of the blade in Europe changed depending on period and location. The general length of a blade in a given European culture was largely a function of the availability of [[iron]] and the skill of their swordsmiths.

An entire nomenclature developed in [[medieval]] [[Japan]]ese culture to describe sword-length and blade curvature, and great emphasis was placed on a [[warrior]]'s ability to fight with swords of varying lengths.

==Hilt and other Furniture==
The ''hilt'' of a sword is the place to hold the [[weapon]]. Generally, most late-[[medieval]] [[Europe]]an swords had a broad [[crossguard]] at the base of the blade to protect the hand, a long ''[[grip]]'' wrapped in [[leather]] or [[chain]], and a large ''[[pommel]]'' at the base to provide both a counterbalance to the [[blade]]'s weight and an additional mode of attack by using it as a [[bludgeon]]. This is an interesting contrast to early-[[medieval]] European swords which tended to be shorter and lacked broad [[crossguard]]s. [[katana|Japanese swords]] tended to have a simple metal disk or ellipse as a [[crossguard]] (''tsuba'') and no pronounced pommel, making the weapon's lines much smoother, with little variance to the basic sword-design throughout [[period]].

==Sword Shapes==
However, swords came in many different types, for differing styles of [[combat]]. People tend to be most familiar with the medieval [[arming sword]] which has long been the symbol associated with [[knight]]s, but other types such as the primarily thrusting [[rapier]] and [[estoc]], to the curved [[blade heavy]] [[falchion]]s or [[messer]]s. As [[metallurgy]], fighting styles and even [[fashion]] progressed, swords changed considerably and became highly specialized as did their [[hilt]]s.

==Collecting==
Sword-collecting has always been popular as many people find swords beautiful. Replica or recreation swords are extremely popular in the [[SCA]], but it is important to be familiar with the [[live steel]] [[safety]] rules before wearing one at an [[event]]. In addition, SCA [[armoured combat]] [[laws|rules]] forbid the presence of live steel on the [[field]], and therefore SCA Heavy Fighters make swords out of [[rattan]] while SCA Rapier Fighters use reproduction rapiers with rebated edges.

See also:
*''[[SCA sword|Instructions on how to make an SCA Heavy Combat sword]]''

== Types of Swords ==
*[[Arming sword]]
*[[Backsword]]
*[[Bayonet]]
*[[Broadsword]]
*[[Cutlass]]
*[[Dagger]]
*[[Dirk]]
*[[Epee]]
*[[Estoc]]
*[[Flamberge]]
*[[Foil]]
*[[Hanger]]
*[[Katana]]
*[[Kris]]
*[[Longsword]]
*[[Messer]]
*[[Rapier]]
*[[Sai]]
*[[Sabre]]
*[[Scimitar]]
*[[Seax]]
*[[Stiletto]]
*[[Tachi]]
*[[Wakizashi]]

== Fencing Swords ==
*[[Dagger]]
*[[Epee]]
*[[Fencing Foil]]
*[[Rapier]]
*[[Sabre]]
*[[Shinai]]
[[category:swords]]

Rapier

2006-06-23T22:05:11Z

208.190.152.1: /* Rapiers in the SCA */

[[category:weapons]]
[[image:swepthiltrapier.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Replica swept hilt rapier.]]
A '''rapier''' is a slender, sharply pointed, two-edged [[sword]] with a blade at least 90 [[centimetre]]s in length and generally possessing both distal and profile taper, often sporting an elaborate [[hilt]] and hand-[[guard]]. The [[SCA]] uses [[reproduction rapier]]s in "heavy rapier" [[fencing]].

The rapier developed in the second half of the [[16th century]] as a modification of what is now known as the "cut-and-thrust" style [[sword]]. It was slimmer and nimbler than the thrusting [[broadsword]], a feature that enabled it to grow longer, and increased the usefulness of thrusting attacks thanks to its reach.

The rapier became popular in [[Europe]] in the 16th century primarily as a weapon for civilian use. In parallel to the rapier, other weapons were developed for use in war in response to the increasing protection offered by fully articulated plate [[armour]]. These included the [[estoc]] and many speciality [[polearm]]s-- such as the later versions of [[halberd]].

As [[plate armour]] became obsolete or shrunk in size due to the increasing use of [[firearm]]s in the late [[16th century]] and the beginning of the [[17th century]], the rapier, in various modified forms, gained usefulness on the battlefield. During the [[17th century]] the cup hilt was added to the rapier giving the hand increased protection again thrusts.

The rapier is capable of both slashing and thrusting attacks, but the style of fighting popular during its advent and heyday favoured the thrusting attacks we popularly associate with "[[fencing]]".

The rapier's slimmer cousin, the [[smallsword]] (reproduced using its descendant, the modern [[foil]]), is the sword most often associated with the [[duel]]s of [[honour]] depicted in [[literature]] and movies, such as ''[[The Three Musketeers]]''.

For a more detailed explanation of the primary use of the rapier-- Dueling-- see [[European dueling sword]].

For a thorough and somewhat technical discusion of the rapier see:
* Characteristics of the Rapier by Chris Evans - http://swordforum.com/articles/ams/char-rapier.php

===Rapiers in the SCA===
In the [[SCA]], the term 'rapier' is commonly used instead of '[[fencing]]'. In those kingdoms that utilize both [[epee]]s and rapiers, they are respectively called "light" rapier refering to [[foil]] or epee and "heavy" rapier refering to [[reproduction rapier]]s or [[schlager]]s and on a limited basis [[backsword|back]] and [[side sword]]. In [[Lochac]], 'rapier' also refers to the in-house [[fibreglass rapier|fibreglass]] blades.
[[category:swords]]