Cuan wrote:.... Second, I was a high school and college athlete, as were several of our fighters, and I do not want to cross check, or be cross checked, to the chin with a great sword. If I am allowed to hold a length of blade between my hands, it is difficult to legislate a ban on cross checking and seem consistent since this would be the only area in which we have a rule that says you may not strike an opponent with your blade. Cross checking is banned in hockey for a reason. Before anyone raises the point that cross checking is banned in hockey because of the speed of players on skates, let me say that cross checking was also banned in lacrosse (where I once played crease defense with a 6 foot hickory shafted stick). Half swording (if I may use the term generically as a stand in for several highly developed sword play traditions) can be great fun, but it represents a whole system of combat involving grappling,hip checks, trips, throws, pommel and quillion strikes that are not easlily adaptable to our rattan combat rules system. Once you take out all the elements that our rules disallow, half swording isn't really half swording any more. So, in Atlantia, if you want a wider grip, or you want better control on a thrust, or you want a thrusting tip on the grip end of the sword to simulate a pommel strike, then put a ricasso on it and pad up the pommel. But your opponent can grab your ricasso too! Of course, in SCA tourney combat, if your opponent grasps your weapon, there is no need to fight about it; simply let go of the weapon. The marshals will call a hold and make your opponent give you your weapon back.
I hope this clarifies things as to the current situation in Atlantia regarding half swording. I concede that reasonable people may differ on this issue and that our approach creates a bright-line rule that some interested parties will find overly simplistic. Still, as hard as it tries, the SCA cannot, nor will it ever be, all things to all interest groups.
I look forward to your comments.
But cross checking with a glaive is safe?
This is a reality. Probably close to the hardest I have ever been hit was by essentially a cross check with a glaive. Oh and it was padded. I had to go sit down for the rest of the day. Just sayin' that this part of the argument is in my opinion invalid.regards
ThorvaldR
