Category Archives: Fighters

Medieval Martial Arts Workshop, Friday 2/24, 7-10 p.m., in Hutch Gym

Learn the techniques of the medieval armored foot soldier. Loaner gear available. No experience necessary.

FREE.

Sponsored by Penn Society for Creative Anachronism.

To be held in Hutchinson Gymnasium/Tse Ping – Cheng Cheung Ling Sports Center (219 South 33rd Street, Philadelphia), in the Rockwell Gym.

FOR FOOTWEAR, PLEASE WEAR SNEAKERS! No black-soled shoes or boots which could mark the floor, and no open-toed shoes or sandals.

Friday, February 24, 2017, 7-10 p.m.

Medieval Martial Arts Workshop, Friday 24-FEB-17, 7-10 p.m.

Learn the techniques of the medieval armored foot soldier. Loaner gear available. No experience necessary.

FREE.

Sponsored by Penn Society for Creative Anachronism.

To be held in Hutchinson Gymnasium (219 South 33rd Street, Philadelphia), in the Rockwell Gym.

For footwear, please wear sneakers! No black-soled shoes or boots which could mark the floor, and no open-toed shoes or sandals.

Friday, February 24, 2017, 7-10 p.m.

Photos: Rapier

Rapier Combat

All of the photographs below are courtesy of Brunissende Dragonette de Broceliande, and she retains all rights. Please do not use them for any purpose without prior permission. If you appear in any of these photos and do not wish them to appear on this website, please contact the Bailiwick web minister at webmaster@ivyeinrust.eastkingdom.org to request removal.

Click on any picture to see the larger version.

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In the Society for Creative Anachronism, one of the popular combat-related activities is “Rapier”. Rather than being an art of War, it recreates civilian, unarmored combat of the Renaissance, the antecedent to today’s sport of fencing. Unlike modern-style fencing, however, SCA rapier combatants fence “in the round”, with movement allowed in all directions rather than in a straight line, and the equipment is closer to Renaissance weaponry than modern equipment. While SCA Rapier combatants wear protection, they are assumed to be in “street clothes” of the period. Rapier practices are held regularly in this area, and you will find many who are eager to teach you.

 

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If you decide to give it a try, we will start you out on something easy!

 

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Once you have mastered the basics and you have the required safety equipment, you can start practicing against a live opponent, under the watchful eye of someone with more experience.

 

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Then comes the real fun: once you have “authorized”, or demonstrated to the officers that you understand the rules and can follow them safely, you can take part in tournaments, duels, and melees.

 

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With practice comes blinding speed!

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Photos: Heavy Weapons

Armored Combat

All of the photographs below are courtesy of Liam St. Liam, and he retains all rights. Please do not use them for any purpose without prior permission. If you appear in any of these photos and do not wish them to appear on this website, please contact the Bailiwick web minister at webmaster@ivyeinrust.eastkingdom.org to request removal.

Click on any picture to see the larger version.

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One of the most visible activities in the SCA is Armored Combat. Participants use realistic armor and weapons made out of rattan, a springy fibrous plant that “brooms” when it breaks rather than splitting into jagged edges. Duct tape and padding are also used to create weapons with a realistic weight and striking power. Wounds and kills are based on an honor system: fighters are trained to judge whether a blow would have been “true” had the weapons been real.

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Armored combat takes different forms. Tournaments, duels, and many friendly “pick-up fights” are usually fought one-on-one. Sometimes a small melee is organized with perhaps a half-dozen to a dozen fighters on either side. At SCA Wars, the melees grow into battles with hundreds of participants on each side, organized into units with commanders, battle standards, and objectives to be achieved.

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Because armored combat is a contact sport, safety is of paramount importance. Before taking the field for the first time, a fighter must be trained, and they must demonstrate that they understand the Rules of the List. At every fighting event, equipment is carefully inspected for construction, proper fit, and adherence to the rules.

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Some people you will see on or near the field deserve special mention. One such group is the Marshals. They can often be identified by their black outfits that bear a symbol of gold crossed swords, or by the black and gold staff such as you see above. They are the “referees” of this sport, and on and near the fighting field, their word is final.

Pay heed to their words: they are responsible for ensuring the safe conduct of the sport. You should never be closer to the fighting than they are, and better you stand further back.

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Both on and off the fighting field, you will see some people wearing plain white belts and gold chain necklaces, and also people wearing plain white baldrics (like a belt that runs diagonally from shoulder to waist). These are members of the Order of Chivalry, men and women who exemplify Honor, Chivalry, and Fighting Skill.

In the lower photo, above, we have a Master of Arms, one of the two titles of rank in the Order of Chivalry. A Master or Mistress of Arms is a member of that Order who is not required to swear fealty to the Crown.

In the top photo, the men wearing white belts are Knights, the other half of the Order of Chivalry. The one in the purple tabard with the gold crown is especially important: at the time the picture was taken, he was King of the East Kingdom, of which the Bailiwick of Ivyeinrust is but one small part.

 

A group photo, with most of the participants in armor.

At the end of the day, it’s all about fun and camaraderie. If you are interested in learning more about SCA Armored Combat, ask any of us for an introduction to the Baronial Knight Marshal!

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Press – article in the Daily Pennsylvanian

getting together for a bardic circle at a member's house

For these knights in shining armor, SEPTA is their steed

In addition to fencing, the Penn chapter participates in calligraphy workshops, Renaissance dance lessons and “bardic circles” (read more at the Daily Pennsylvanian site)

All external links are not part of the Bailiwick of Ivyeinrust’s web site. Inclusion of a page or site here is neither implicit nor explicit endorsement of the site. Further, SCA, Inc. is not responsible for content outside of ivyeinrust.eastkingdom.org.