The Armour Archive

DukeAvery

Just doing my part to keep the old traditions alive.

DukeAvery

Don't forget you only count coup by taking out other spears! Feel free to wander off and cowboy it. This makes commanders feel all warm and fuzzy.

DukeAvery

Good post Sir Johnathan. I think Atenveldt should get to set the standards for Estrella. I also vastly prefer the day splitting Atenveldt that does at Southern the last two years I was there. The degree and intensity of CA/HS friction seems significantly reduced. Still, I love the 4 days of CA free ...

DukeAvery

Welcome to the club.

Regards

Avery

DukeAvery

Here's a great way to mess up an unprepared opponent. Use sparingly as you can use your opponent's strength against themselves even unto injury. Sucker the guy into throwing a hard and committed shot (by moving naively as a ruse) and then dodge completely out of it. Many fighters are not prepared to...

DukeAvery

I've put alot of thought into fighting guys substantially larger than myself recently and I am a lefty. I can help, but the approach will not be easy. 1) Fight with a thrusting tip, but don't rely it. 2) Fight with the longest sword you can manage. 3) Train to target (just off) groin, arm, and throa...

DukeAvery

I've fought extensively with centergrip round. What size are you taking up. m I swear by this shoulder workout for sca fighters from Nissan as well as the Egoscue Pain free book. Serious sca fighters pay attention to working out their whole body, including the core and forearms (often neglected). St...

DukeAvery

Let me know when you reach sf if you are still in. There are tricks. I also think the game has ramped up and not down in the west. Doing well in your regular life is a corner stone of a healthy approach to the sca , so by all means step out completely or for awhile and take care of your real world r...

DukeAvery

I am particularly fond of The Lady Countess Ã‰taÃne du Pommier's work in costuming and her Lord Sir Janos is a most formidable warrior in my considered opinion that any fighter would benefit from spending time on the field with. Given the high quality of garb coming out of your kingdom already, I'm...

DukeAvery

Estrella has got to move to weaker bows, because the crowd after many years of watching up close feels enfranchised to watch during the bowless times. The heavier bows are mostly about hitting guys harder who are blowing off shots so you have a negative feedback look right there that needs to be bro...

DukeAvery

To safely discard bows you could have haybale 'sumps' - small squares of haybales clearly and brightly marked.

Regards

Avery

DukeAvery

I am given to understand the West has effective sharing at its internal Mists/Cynagua Wars (Alden format). If you ask a fighter, it is sharing (one on, one off) and they will 'sell' it to guys like me as such. If you ask an archer, however, it is to inspect ammo. If there ever was an inspectionless ...

DukeAvery

Substantial parts of the SCA are locked in a decades long low intensity social conflict to our lasting harm. Both sides regularly employ the tactics of supression and shame. Both sides feel deeply insulted and determined to stand their ground. Human society gets stuck on stuff like this all the time...

DukeAvery

Nissan Maxima wrote:...I had some lessons last week with Duke Paul. He taught me how to hit harder...

Nice, I'm glad someone is listening. Can we call you Nissan Maxima GXL now?

Curiously, the Nissan Maxima is also known as the Nissan Laurel in some markets...coincidence? I think not.

Regards

Avery

DukeAvery

Give me a field where a third believe in the runestone, a third will go along, and a third will toe the line plus 100 fanatics and I can whip them to storied frenzies. Or so it has worked out more than once. I can no more control it than I can control lightning. If the fates are kind I will fight Pe...

DukeAvery

It did slightly injure me, by stretching my spine outside parameters. I walked away rather than seeking cowboy justice as some (good men) would have me I walked away to heal up (just did my hard cardio so no biggie really), I didn't lose my temper. I've got nothing to prove and everything to stay he...

DukeAvery

The current centerpiece for Battlemoor on Friday was a large high walled fort that the aggressor had unlimited rezes and the goal was to see how long the defender held out. This was a brutal mosh pit of sca fighting. I won't be taking a 9' spear in next year (if the fates are kind) because of its po...

DukeAvery

I'm pretty certain I took a blow this weekend that was intended to injure me. From behind, very hard, to the kidney with a mass weapon. It's become that kind of sca I'm afraid - or more likely, as it always was. That makes me sad - I liked to think we were better than this. I'm sorry for my part in ...

DukeAvery

big kids? deep end? really?

An Estrella bridge without out ca or a Pennsic woods battle defines the deep end from where I stand. I've seen some outstanding town battles as well where we were locked at each others throats for what seemed like hours.

Regards

Avery

DukeAvery

A downed bow is a major ankle trap. You might as well throw down caltrops. I'm sympathetic but I won't go near them on the ground. They are like a portable gopher hole in that way. Most sca weapons have good ground characteristics (non-catching, predictable and smooth shapes) except for basket hilts...

DukeAvery

Establish methods of effective sharing that give consideration to all franchises (things granted by the Crown). The degree and kind of angry encounters should drop considerably or I am wrong. Assuming I am right, develop a playbook of varying venues that people can plan on that supports many differe...

DukeAvery

This weekend at Battlemoor I argued with an archer who had to bitch when not even half the day was without ca. I pleaded with the man to simply share and have a good time, but no. They began harassing the event staff to include more ca, just as they always do. I very subtle moving from "I argu...

DukeAvery

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_stick

"...The original form of the singlestick was the waster, which appeared in the 16th century..."

What could possibly be more medieval than beating someone with a stick?

Regards

Avery

DukeAvery

This weekend at Battlemoor I argued with an archer who had to bitch when not even half the day was without ca. I pleaded with the man to simply share and have a good time, but no. They began harassing the event staff to include more ca, just as they always do. It's like a campaign with them. I think...

DukeAvery

I avoid CA scenarios. It isn't fun for me and I'll be sure not to let the screen door hit me or my family on the way out. Attacking lefties is just par for the course. Balin will be along presently for your reading enjoyment I'm sure. That is as civil as I am capable of being on this matter. I'm a p...

DukeAvery

The event was simply superb with some of the best fighting and partying to be found in the all the knowne world. I've always known the Outlands to be generous and conscientious hosts from the days when I led Caid at Estrella, and Battlemoor was just one huge well run party from start to finish with ...

DukeAvery

Ewan wrote:Thanks Frau Hirsh!

One more video uploaded. User tcanevaro
Video Bearpit 1

That post from the Frau is indeed brimming with goodness!

Regards

Avery

DukeAvery

Certainly Ewan. I focus on you because yours is a style I recognize (sword back stance, modest thrusting usage, modest shield size, and heavy on corner work. I've faced this style many times and I love an opponent who does it beautifully, however the contest goes. Read the speed thread closely. Any ...

DukeAvery

Welcome Your Grace

I look forward to reading your posts.

Ewan's heraldry (you should see it to the left of his posts when you're logged in) and can be seen in the video as well if you look closely. I didn't realise this myself at first either.

Regards

Avery

DukeAvery

I'm 5'11". I used to use a 36" sword after talking with my trainer. At March crown I had gone up to 37", and I will probably go up again soon. I'll use the longest sword/baton I can fight with comfortably. I do almost daily lower arm exercises to enable this. Don't neglect your core e...

DukeAvery

We need the real human translated rules and weapons construction details. I see fights with no thrusting nor anything close, and others that look far more likely to result in a real and serious facial injury. I'm not interested in the latter, but that heavily armoured sca like fighting with grapplin...

DukeAvery

Greetings Ewan You are sliding all other the place and I believe you've mentioned you strained something at one point doing such. Consider finding some shoes for indoors practice that don't slide around, even if it is a pair of black high top sneakers. I'm concerned you'll tear something worse next ...

DukeAvery

I showed my wife some of these fights on youtube and she didn't say no! What about starting an American Division? I'd like to get or examine weapons copies on this side of the pond. I've been studying some of the video and I'm willing to offer tactical advice. A head throw, for example, is a common ...

DukeAvery

I'll be getting back to this and other private links I've received soon, hopefully this weekend.

It's pretty fun actually. Thanks for posting your videos.

Regards

Avery

DukeAvery

I think this could be done with 2 pole -arms men, 1 shield, and 2 archers. I had a really intense dream about it once. The tactic is to use the shield to block the point of a hard rush, and the zones of control of the pole arms (7 1/2 split rattan) to get your opponent's attack to hesitate. Any hesi...