Plastic faulds (not my idea)

[Yoshida]

A lot of ppl in our canton are getting started with the abs suits and stop short of full production for some reason. Their hips are left open and the backs of their legs and buttocks are too. Can one make faulds from teh stel patterns to place on these rigs to help them out some? Myself being a greatswordsman, I aim for the hip quite a lot and I hate the fact that I hesitate in battle because I'm glaring at open skin areas. Trying to get back into armouring after my divorce, I'm trying to convince them that A: steel is better and B: if not, faulds and tassets are good. How does one come up with a system of faulds for these unorthodox rigs to give them extra help?

[Patrick]

The ABS stuff is not armor. It is sports gear. We agree on that. Instead of trying to turn it into armor, hit the exposed parts. Go a little easy on them, don't power through the hips or anything. But take the shots you see. If they want to find out how to avoid it, tell them about how well authentic armor works!

I like saying things like "I've really been happy emulating designs that evolved specifically to protect those areas in real combat." Show them how much better your armor is. Prove to them how lame thier gear is. Hit them. Lots.

-Patrick

[freiman the minstrel]

I think that using the period patterns to make plastic faulds with the newbies is a great intermediate step. I am assuming that they are going to make/buy more accurate gear as soon as they are able. This will familliarize them with what actually was done in period and get them familliar with the pattern.

I am more concerned with your hesitation. to wear less than adequate armor and to expect your opponents not to hit you there is lousy behavior. the new guys probably don't know this, and can (and should) be excused.

But someone should figure out how to explain this to them. talk with the local marshal, they should be gently informed, and it's his job to do it.

I have fairly large unarmored areas on my body, and I am very disturbed when a fighter tells me "I was going to hit you on the right shoulder, but you don't have any armor there."

They don't MEAN to insult me. They are being nice. It still burns bad.

I have gaps becuase you CAN'T hit me there, not because you wont.

Your chivalry and kindness is not my armor.

[Owen]

I doubt that many people, new or not, think that people will not hit them in an area they haven't armored. New fighters especially probably don't think about it that at all. If anything, they probably think it won't hurt too bad, they're tough, etc.

I also can't recall ever avoiding a target simply because it was not armored, except for occasional practice incedents where someone has forgotten a non-required piece they normally wear. I HAVE been the impetus for someone to GET armor on a spot, both times tassets, as I also fight great sword and had gotten both right on the point of the hip. One couldn't fight for two weeks, which I felt a little guilty about, but only a little.

------------------
Owen
"Death is but a doorway-
Here, let me hold that for you"

[Richard de Scolay]

To my thinking it's the responsibility of both fighters to be sure they are and their opponent are properly protected by armor. If you feel your opponent is not protected well enough in a place that you regularly target then you need to tell them prior to the fight. If you don't tell them then you will have to adjust your style or you'll be at fault. If after the discussion they agree and will be making efforts soon to get protection then you should be easy on them until they get it. If they decide that they don't really need it, then you should fight as usual as long as you feel it won't cause serious injury, in that case either change styles or don't fight them at all.

[freiman the minstrel]

Richard,

Thank you for your kind response.

I agree, safety is the responsibility of all persons engaged in the fighting. I usually have at least SOMETHING that can be used to cover up the gaps, if only my black leather jacket. If they tell me ahead of time. No one ever has, as far as I can recall. I have had them tell me later, though.

I hate the idea that somebody would feel constrained by his own kindness to avoid certain shots. That speaks quite badly of both our opinions of my own prowess. I did have somebody pull a shot (half thrown) that could have hit me in the castle battle at pennsic year before last. he said something like "I was gonna hit you, and then I saw the bare skin". I called the shot as good, and retired from the field that day, as it was not a res battle. I am not sure he WAS going to hit me though. he sure thought so.

I appreciate his attempt to be kind, and it speaks well of him, but I knew what I was getting into when I put the armor on.

And as for the greatsword, it hurts. Especially when you get those shots to the hip that you can hear the "thunk" inside your head when they hit you, and then get that hematoma on the outside point of the hip.

Maybe I need to buy more armor for the day I finally get to fight Owen.

No, if his sword is as persuasive as his words, I definitely need to buy more armor.

[Richard de Scolay]

Freiman,

In the case of a war I'd say you are in the right to not hold back on any stroke, except of course if you think a hit would cause serious injury.

But as regards prowess and protection, I would respectfully suggest that prowess and skill should never be a substitute for adaquate protection. That perspective leaves you in a position where you are judging that your own skills are greater than your opponents, and as such that you don't feel it necessary to protect certain areas with armor. Besides the obvious problems with that kind of approach, there's too much chance that you'd be distracted by a pretty lady on the sidelines, for instance, and miss an important block.

Regards,
--Richard

[Stoffel]

Regarding the plastic armour, I'm having the same problem here. A newbie came upon a large quantity of blue plastic used as some kind of pool lining, and decided to make himself a suit of japanese style armour out of it. Now, not are we only being invaded by newbie blue plastic samurai, but some of the regular fighters have decided to change armour styles and go for the blue plastic. (however I must admit, one newbie copied the plastic design out of leather, and some of the trend has switched to leather japanese armour. At least its not as horrible looking)

[freiman the minstrel]

dang it! Dang it! Dang it!

Richard, I bow to you logic, and your rhetorical style. you present your ideas in a well reasoned, and irritatingly correct manner. It is a pleasure to be chastised by you.

there appears to be no morally decent way to avoid the problem. Hubris (actually, even I don't think I'm that good) seemed like a good try.

I will make some armor this weekend.

But it wont be plastic.

[Richard de Scolay]

Freiman... you're a good man.