Sword and Shield Boring?

Broadway · Post by **Broadway** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:00 pm

Count Johnathan wrote:Do you wear nice armor and a pretty tabard because you don't want people to watch you?

I wear it because its part of what we do. Its about the only consolation I make to the gathered crowd (asside from paying honors to the Crown, and a Lady if I am fighting for one).

Count Johnathan wrote:I'm not saying you have to fall down but there is a matter of pride involved in people enjoying watching your bouts don't you think?

I don't understand the question.

Cisco · Post by **Cisco** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:12 pm

Angusm0628 wrote:Why must it be a fall?? When I'm bested I step back voice "Well done" and salute the victor.

Are these inferior means to acknowledge a defeat to the act of falling ??

Yes.

The above is my opinion. Really as long as it's consistent it's all up to you. If local tradition suggests you fall, you should do so. If local tradition suggests you throw yourself at the feet of the consort to the fighter who bested you, then surely you should do that instead.

As far as spectators go, I wouldn't do this to the degree that I do, try as hard as I do, and enjoy the SCA if not for the crowd. I want to win, I really want to win, and pickups and practice are great, but fighting for the crowd is simply awesome. I love events where people bring out their nice armor, their nice kits, their pavillions, and put on a show. The fighting is merely a part of the splendor that is this wonderful organization.

I often can't win, might as well die pretty.

Count Johnathan · Post by **Count Johnathan** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:16 pm

Edit: to Dante...

Don't you enjoy it when people find your fighting to be exciting?

I do. It feels good when people pay attention to your fights because what you do out there is fun to watch even when you lose.

Like it or not we are all showmen when we enter a tournament. We are judged by our performance win lose or draw and it reflects upon us all even if we don't notice who is watching us. Just something to think about.

:wink:

Murdock · Post by **Murdock** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:29 pm

And just as many spectators think falling down is silly. Personally i hate it.

Do what you like, don't force it on everyone else.

Broadway · Post by **Broadway** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 3:38 pm

Not me man. The only thing the crowd does for me is distract me, so I try to consider them non-existant.

I go out and give the best fight I humanly can, without regard for the crowd. If they don't like watching it, they usually don't have to wait very long.

Count Johnathan wrote:Edit: to Dante...

Don't you enjoy it when people find your fighting to be exciting?

I do. It feels good when people pay attention to your fights because what you do out there is fun to watch even when you lose.

Like it or not we are all showmen when we enter a tournament. We are judged by our performance win lose or draw and it reflects upon us all even if we don't notice who is watching us. Just something to think about.

Tally · Post by **Tally** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 4:48 pm

Count Johnathan wrote:It's sudden, shocking and adds some excitement to the whole thing for everyone involved. Except for me of course because losing basically sucks every time.

Count Johnathan, I hereby challenge you to a bout at the next Pennsic! I guarantee that one of us will fall down to entertain the crowd.

Tally

Thomas MacFinn · Post by **Thomas MacFinn** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 9:19 pm

Broadway wrote: If you're bored, pick up a sword and join in.

To echo Broadway, and something I've already said, at its heart, SCA combat is a participatory sport, not a spectator sport.

The only time I have ever insisted that an opponent fall down was during a woods battle. The corpse was on his knees between two trees plugging the only gap in a rather impressive briar patch. We needed to get past him.

On the other hand, I do also believe that there are little things that can be done to make a tourney better for those watching, whether or not they are holding a helmet in their hands. The two are not mutually exclusive.

For example, if an armor strap breaks, does everybody stand around waiting for the repairs to be completed or do they retire the current combatants to the sidelines until repairs are complete and run the next bout?

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 9:30 pm

If my armour fails, I have failed. I'll retire the field ASAP and forfit all matches. I have been bested. I have failed to keep my armour in good repair or my friend has thrown a freaky good shot that busted somethin like a point or buckle.

Broadway · Post by **Broadway** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 10:07 pm

edit: actually I misread this last night.

Aaron wrote:If my armour fails, I have failed. I'll retire the field ASAP and forfit all matches. I have been bested. I have failed to keep my armour in good repair or my friend has thrown a freaky good shot that busted somethin like a point or buckle.

Angusm0628 · Post by **Angusm0628** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 10:15 pm

Thomas MacFinn wrote:For example, if an armor strap breaks, does everybody stand around waiting for the repairs to be completed or do they retire the current combatants to the sidelines until repairs are complete and run the next bout?

If I'm not mistaken, armour and or weapons failure is an automatic defeat for the combatant according to the conventions of combat.

Murdock · Post by **Murdock** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 9:34 am

i think that varies from kingdom to kingdom

Count Johnathan · Post by **Count Johnathan** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 12:57 pm

Murdock wrote:And just as many spectators think falling down is silly. Personally i hate it.

Do what you like, don't force it on everyone else.

Too bad I am forcing it on everyone! There see now you have no choice but to fall down because I am ultimately powerful and what I say goes.

Showed you eh? :roll:

Count Johnathan · Post by **Count Johnathan** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 1:00 pm

Tally wrote:
Count Johnathan wrote:It's sudden, shocking and adds some excitement to the whole thing for everyone involved. Except for me of course because losing basically sucks every time.

Count Johnathan, I hereby challenge you to a bout at the next Pennsic! I guarantee that one of us will fall down to entertain the crowd.

Tally

Someday if I make it to Pennsic I will certainly make it known here that I will be attending and will gladly take up that challenge.

I am sure there are many here who would enjoy trying to hit me for various reasons LOL. :wink:

Leo Medii · Post by **Leo Medii** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 2:18 pm

I'm just a caveman head chopper. I'm sure you would whip me! :wink:

Count Johnathan · Post by **Count Johnathan** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 2:55 pm

That goes without saying Leo. :lol:

Count Johnathan · Post by **Count Johnathan** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 3:01 pm

wrong thread LOL

Tally · Post by **Tally** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 7:17 pm

Here's a tournament just posted, the Prova Dura. Look at all the people in their lovely kits falling down when they die. It is shocking, really, but the audience sure seems to like it.

http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1829121[/url]

Gorm · Post by **Gorm** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 8:12 pm

Angusm0628 wrote: If I'm not mistaken, armour and or weapons failure is an automatic defeat for the combatant according to the conventions of combat.

It can be, but generally, if a "quick fix" is possible, the non-broken fighter will allow it, in the principle of "I want to best him, not his armor".

To my mind, that's appropriate in most scenarios. In Melee...not so much (although if it's a rez, once he's fixed, get him back in there).