Historical Fencing

[apoweyn]

Originally posted by Oso
hmm, maybe I'm misunderstanding you, I was trying to point out examples where staff thrusts did damage.

You only misunderstood me because I was doing a p!ss poor job of explaining myself.

I was saying that I thought a lot of fencing theory would port over well to staffwork.

Then I dismissed my own idea based on the observation that it involved little more than thrusting with a longstaff and that it seemed kinda ineffectual.

Now that you've pointed out that it can actually be really damaging, I'm back to my original theory that fencing would port over well to staffwork.

So I get to be right and wrong. Hakuna matata.

[Pork Chop]

sorry ap....
can't.....resist.....


it's all fun and games untill someone stabs you in the pooper with a longstaff....

[Shaolinlueb]

does fencing have a lot of drills to be quick on our feet?

[apoweyn]

Originally posted by BMore Banga
sorry ap....
can't.....resist.....


it's all fun and games untill someone stabs you in the pooper with a longstaff....

I can't win.

I should just be thankful this wasn't a thread about tactical shotguns.

[apoweyn]

Originally posted by Shaolinlueb
does fencing have a lot of drills to be quick on our feet?

Absolutely. The footwork component is emphasized highly.

Just bear in mind that the footwork in competitive fencing also runs contrary to the advice that you'd receive from most boxing coaches and the like. In fencing, you can't really move from side to side very much. You advance and retreat on a single line.

But you get very good at it.

[FatherDog]

Originally posted by SevenStar
I've been meaning to go check out some classes, but the only people that teach it here are with the sca, and I kinda question what the quality would be... I can't pass judgement till I go check them out though, I suppose.

There's a lot of quality fencers in the SCA, but the period fencing isn't as entrenched in the organization as the stick combat is, so it's not as obvious who the best people are. It's certainly possible that there'll be very good instruction, though.

Originally posted by Oso
Seven, I'd be worried about more then authenticity with the SCA folks. If you think TCMA folks think their shiat don't stink don't get to talking to a SCA guy that thinks his mock combat IS combat.

Regional peculiarities aside, there are *******s in the SCA just like there are in TCMA and MMA.

SCA rec combat isn't /real/ weapon fighting, but it's likely as close as one can come without strapping on an actual claidhmore - and there's a lot of crossover with 'real' stickfighting.

Originally posted by apoweyn

Just bear in mind that the footwork in competitive fencing also runs contrary to the advice that you'd receive from most boxing coaches and the like. In fencing, you can't really move from side to side very much. You advance and retreat on a single line.

But you get very good at it.

That is one advantage of learning SCA-style period fencing rather than competitive fencing, for someone who is also doing other martial arts - period style allows lateral movement, which means you're not picking up conflicting habits as much.

[apoweyn]

That is one advantage of learning SCA-style period fencing rather than competitive fencing, for someone who is also doing other martial arts - period style allows lateral movement, which means you're not picking up conflicting habits as much.

Yeah, exactly.

[Oso]

Ap, ok.

FD (i just typed FT again, it's my fingers not me) my SCA experience was with Chapel Hill, NC and Boone, NC. So, I'll partially retract my aspersion to SCA in general. The folks I met were boobs.

And they wouldn't let me play unless I got all that armour
I told them I would lose my dexterity bonus if I put all that crap on.

Regional peculiarities aside, there are *******s in the SCA just like there are in TCMA and MMA.

absolutely, almost said that myself.

[apoweyn]

And they wouldn't let me play unless I got all that armour
I told them I would lose my dexterity bonus if I put all that crap on.

LOL

Man, I love a good RPG reference.

[Oso]

but it's true.

Studded leather and an 18 dex gives you and AC of 3.
You'd have to put banded armor on to get that low and then you're movement rate would be cut in half!
Fighters are stoopid



sorry about the rant on the SCA. I had a bit of a running argument with one of the guys in Boone. couldn't prove anything because they wouldn't let me spar unless I got armor. I wasn't going to drop a couple hundred just to prove a good staffman would beat a sword and shield.

[FatherDog]

Originally posted by Oso
sorry about the rant on the SCA.

S'okay; you had a bad experience. Beats the usual rants on TCMA and MMA. I just didn't want it to get generalized into a bad impression of the SCA in general. It varies a lot by region and clan.

I had a bit of a running argument with one of the guys in Boone. couldn't prove anything because they wouldn't let me spar unless I got armor.

Well, you can't spar without armor because they're swinging bare rattan as hard as they can at each other. It's a safety issue.

I wasn't going to drop a couple hundred just to prove a good staffman would beat a sword and shield.

A good anything can beat anything else. If I were going against a good sword-and-board-er, though, a staff wouldn't be my first choice.

[Oso]

S'okay; you had a bad experience. Beats the usual rants on TCMA and MMA. I just didn't want it to get generalized into a bad impression of the SCA in general. It varies a lot by region and clan.

you're right. ever heard of the Cimmerian league or something close to that? they had a training facility somewhere near Nashville. Trained you to be a knight, basically. thought seriously about applying once after a bad break up. now I can't find any reference to them.

Well, you can't spar without armor because they're swinging bare rattan as hard as they can at each other. It's a safety issue.

I know. Wasn't worried with this group and they talked a lot of smack. you know, now that I think back on it, the head guy started the whole thing by making disparaging remarks about the school I was going to...so I offered to spar with him. Wouldn't do it unless I got into the whole bit. hmmm, now that sounds familiar

A good anything can beat anything else. If I were going against a good sword-and-board-er, though, a staff wouldn't be my first choice.

mebbe not, but since I was basically defending the honor of my school (sounds silly I know, be he was talking ****, I wasn't) I wasn't going to use a weapon set I wasn't trained in.

now, staff against a REAL sword and sheild guy...hell no. but against this nimrods rattan stick and board, yep. all day long.

[FatherDog]

Originally posted by Oso


you're right. ever heard of the Cimmerian league or something close to that?

Not really, but I was never very active in the SCA; no time for it. When I fought at all it was usually in Markland, which has a somewhat different set of rules than the SCA (but a lot of members in common).

[Oso]

these guys weren't SCA.
they seemed to be independant.
they taught mounted combat and went around to renfairs and did the jousting events.

no matter.

[ZIM]

ever heard of the Cimmerian league or something close to that? they had a training facility somewhere near Nashville. Trained you to be a knight, basically. thought seriously about applying once after a bad break up. now I can't find any reference to them.

They were Fly-by-Knights.







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