The Armour Archive

Last year at the Pennsic War, the Fellowship of the Oaken Blades introduced the rapier-field foes of the Midrealm to the concept of field artillery. The rubber-band cannon "Clairiel" proved an enormous success and, facing her might, La Rochelle fell twice in one afternoon!

Many people gnashed their teeth as the great gun cut swaths through the massed rapier combatants (Oops - that was friendly fire! Sorry!), and vowed to bring their own gun to War this August. So, to maintain superiority, the Fellowship of the Oaken Blades plans this year to field a battery of 4 improved models - easier to load, stronger, better, faster etc.

If you'd like to join the Fellowship in their march to victory as a cannon crewman, either email me (pietro@nacs.net) or look me up at War. The Fellowship's artillery park will be at Newbridge Encampment, alongside Barony of Thescorre, at the corner of Chandlers and Brewers roads. I should be there all of second week.

Gun crew classes will be arranged around battles, etc.

Pietro da San Tebaldo, Recruiter
<B>Fellowship of the Oaken Blades Artillery Corps.
"Peace through superior firepower."</B>

I believe cannons are going to be ban Society wide soon.
Check out the SCA-Siege list at :

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCA-Siege/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCA-Siege/messagesearch?query=cannon%20ban

While looking for a message about an offical ruling, I came across this. Looks like it might not effect fencers. Either way check with your KEM to be safe.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCA-Siege/message/3844
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[This message has been edited by Christophe de Friselle (edited 04-08-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Christophe de Friselle (edited 04-09-2002).]

The pressurized gas/liquid rattan guns seem to be on the way out. Our gun, since it's just a big rubber-band gun (and fires ammo identical to that fired by the "rifles") got intensively inspected by a wide range of marshals last year. They agreed we were all good, and the Mk II due out for this year doesn't introduce any major changes - just refinements.


Thanks, though. Interesting discussions.

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"Or, a pall inverted surmounted by an orle Azure counterchanged"
mka: Sam Pearce

Where are you buying your latex? and what prices are you paying.
the local hardware store it charging about 88 cents a foot.
Also what are you using to "tie" the bands?
assuming that knots are out.
I am curently located in hartstone.
I think we were right next door last year.

The good Baron from An Tir (name escapes me) who is the "god" of rubber-band guns advised us on how to use the heat-shrink cable wrap to produce a more secure fastening.

Last year we basically forced about 1" of the tube into the other end and duct-taped it. We has some failures.

I'm not sure the price we're getting for surgical tubing - but we have two local folks who work in med-supply warehouses, so I think we're obtaining it at employee discount. (And how Jarred de Coventry's explaining to hhis boss that he needs 350 feet of surgical tubing "for personal use" will be a tale to hear!)

If you're a neighbor at War, by all means stop by and say 'Hello'. Newbridge is a friendly camp - although you may be forced to vote on your favorite cookie...


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"Or, a pall inverted surmounted by an orle Azure counterchanged"
mka: Sam Pearce

Interesting topic. Here in the MSR, we too are working on a cannon for fencing (we aren't SCA, but the fencing sport is essentially the same). We considered using a multi-band aproach, and decided against it (we've never seen your cannon). Instead, we are working on a cannon powere by some sort of elastic (bungee cords and bicycle inner tubes are the 2 contenders), firing any ammunition you put into the gun.

We are currently working on deciding on good grapeshot ammo. The best ammo we found so far is superballs, but they may hit too hard. I am also experimenting with practice golf balls filled with latex foam.

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Yehuda ben Moshe
mka Juliean Galak
http://gerfalcon.tzo.com/medieval/armor/

One word- paintballs



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"Or, a pall inverted surmounted by an orle Azure counterchanged"
mka: Sam Pearce

check out the "action ball" system that the atlas agenda uses for thier futuristic LARP. Basically, it is a paintball round made of foam. they use it to simulate futuristic guns.

http://www.larp.com/atlas/info/combat.html

(and if you are interested in a cyberpunk-esque larp, look at the rest of the site)


Disclaimer: I have never played thge game, as it is far from me.

-+G

Paintballs are a bad idea - I don't want to try to get paint out of my dry-clean only fencing garb....

The action soft stuff may be just the ticket, though. I'll have to look into it. Thanks.

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Yehuda ben Moshe
mka Juliean Galak
http://gerfalcon.tzo.com/medieval/armor/

Pneumatic Cannons are fun.
http://www.xinventions.com/main/spud/home.htm