The Armour Archive

I've been reading back several pages on this site and have surfed tons of galleries of fighters from many different Kingdoms. I was curious to know peoples opinions of wars vs. one-on-one tourneys.

Do you like one better than the other? If so why?

Livia Tasia
An Tir

War, battles of tactics and disciplin of an army, one on one is a test of personal skill.

Both are as important to me as the other. Bt i prefer one-on-one... good for the ego

Back in the days when I had two legs that worked I loved to melee. But now that my mobility is severly limited I have learned to love the duel. I'm very much enjoying the different aspects of such a concentrated form of combat.

I prefer single combat.

I feel its easier to evoke medieval combat in single combat. Given modern considerations of safety, melee combat often must be abstracted too much for my taste.

They're totally different experiences and I like em both.

One is chess, the other is keg-stands.


...but I prefer the war. I can't get the same rush from 1-on-1.

Hmmmmmmm..................

Do I like one above the other? Not really. Most people who know me would think I like tourneys more due to that is what most see me fighting. I do love the melee and being an on the field commander. To give commands during the flow of battle, and be right , is such a buzz. I also love the personal challenge of a one-on-one fight. To see how you stack up against the best and meet that challenge.

However these are not my great joys when it comes to fighting. That is teaching others to fight. To see the light go on and see things work for a fighter is the best feeling. To mold and pass on my limited knowledge is probably as big a drive as any I have these days.

Vebrand

I've never fought in a war, but I like Grand Melees better than mano-e-mano.

-Aaron

I much prefer melee. Why? Simple: My skills are such that I almost always lose at single combat. But in melee I can function as support with my shield, and garner the occasional kill in the chaos. I "win" a lot more at melee than at single combat. So it's more fun!

Steve

Single combat is like dry humping. Pleasant enough, but it sure doesn't touch the real thing.

LOL

Nissan Maxima wrote:Single combat is like dry humping. Pleasant enough, but it sure doesn't touch the real thing.

I will certainly keep that in mind! I've done neither so far - just fighter practice. I've always leaned toward single combat as it seems like it'd be easier to pay attention to what one fighter is doing rather than what many are doing. Maybe with experience that changes?

Tasia

liviatasia wrote:I've always leaned toward single combat as it seems like it'd be easier to pay attention to what one fighter is doing rather than what many are doing.

That's the real joy I get from the big battles. Keeping focused and concentrated within yourself amidst the swarming chaos of war. I've always been front line and blocking, blocking, blocking with the sword and board. I never really gauged my success so much by how many "kills" I have, but how many shots I've kept from killing those around me.

I guess I have sort of a zen outlook on melee fighting. It just seems like the key for me to winning isn't necessarily knowing when to strike, but knowing when not to strike. Like SoFC, however, I do take my occasional cake-shot kills amidst the confusion.

D. Sebastian wrote:They're totally different experiences and I like em both.

One is chess, the other is keg-stands.


...but I prefer the war. I can't get the same rush from 1-on-1.

D. Sebastian is right. They are totaly different. To me the chess game that I get from tourney fighting is mentaly stimulating and can almost be a zen experiance where you walk away saying how in the heck did I do that, but just like nissans dry humping it finishes to quickly . The grandure of a big war can give you an adreneline rush like nothing else, my adreneline starts to pump the minute I start to march from camp and doesn't stop untill the final horn is blown. breaking a man down mentaly and finding his weekness to beat him is rewarding, but so is breaking down a shield wall with a well timed charge. The fighting experience is definately incompleat without both of them. My favorite? well since I leave for Potrero war in the morning. right now its War fighting.

Pax Vobiscum
- brother Amos the Pious

I'd have to say I have no preference both have their own appeal.
In singles you have the "me against you" and it comes down to a test of pure skill and ability. When you win it's because you did your best and it happened to be better than the other guys best.
In melee, it's a pure adrenaline "Okay there's 2500 guys over there I want to hit." followed by "Okay there's 2500 guys over there that want to hit ME". There is also that entire "How do I outsmart the commander of that unit so my unit comes out on top"
Two different mindsets, two different styles..Love em both

Whether it's single fighting or melees, I do love the mano a mano ("hand to hand").

It's a tough call, but if I had to pick one I'd go with melees/wars (SCA). Individual bouts I can get at fighter practice -- although a tournament does bring a different level of intensity to the experience. But there's nothing like the rush of mixin' it up in a big battle, not knowing who you might end up face-to-face with. When I pick out events to go to, I definitely gravitate towards the "war" events.

(Of course, if I ever won tournaments, I might feel differently. I've often driven hours to make an event, entered the tourney, and been knocked out in short order. I like melee events where everybody gets a lot of fighting.)

Personally, I am much more interested in War/Battle events over single combat/tourney events. Part of my preference is the fact that I am not a terribly good singles fighter, even after almost three years in armor. Whereas I find myself doing much better on the battlefield with a unit around me to support my weaknesses and allow me to show my better skills. It's also partially because I don't put a large emphasis on singles fighting. I got involved in SCA Combat for melees, not to be a tournament champion. That isn't my interest. I am also a Combat Archer and Siege Engineer/Marshal. Neither of those forms are allowed on the tournament field so that probably colors my view as well.

Harald Orn

Helm time is better than non-helm time.

I love single combat. By getting better at it, I hone my skills on the melee field. I love melee combat. I love to support my kingdom at "war" and I love the flow of group tactics.

I really don't think I could give up one or the other if it came down to it. Both are fun, but to me, both are necessary for different feelings.

I love tournaments over war, in a tournament it is your skill and prowess which sees you win the day. In war it's hot, dusty, too many holds and you stand around for 10 minutes to see 30 seconds of action. Give me a tourney any day, which is good I live in Caid where I can go to a tournament pretty much every weekend and not have to drive more than 3 hours.

WOW thats a broad topic!
MELEE:

I really am not too fond of giant open field battles. Not my thing, Short Fat guys dont run well. Bridge battles, Gate Battles, Airbourne assult on the fort I like. These scenarios I can make my presence felt and make a difference. Guarding the fort & woods battles are not as exciting but are still far more enjoyable than field battles. Oh yea I much prefer when archery isn't present also.

TOURNEY:
I love the Pas de Armes. Not only is it prowess but also apperance & courtliness. Being the hot stick in S&B is not the point here. Standard double elim tourney with open weapons or S&B only isn't as much for me. Not unless its really important like crown. Now if you want to make it funky by making it a rotating weapons list thats diffrent. Wheel tourneys have gotten old. I can only watch so much 9 foot spear vs dagger. Match the weapons though and its a great format. Swiss 5 is also cool.

So which do I prefer. It really depends. On some I could care less either way. On others its a hard choice. And yet with other choices I would chose one over the other with no more thought on the matter. There is a huge variety out there in fighting. I'll do it all but some are deffinatly prefered.

Vebrand wrote:Hmmmmmmm..................

However these are not my great joys when it comes to fighting. That is teaching others to fight. To see the light go on and see things work for a fighter is the best feeling. To mold and pass on my limited knowledge is probably as big a drive as any I have these days.

Vebrand

Dude I know what you mean. When I as working with Gavin on Greatsword the other day and I grabbed his weapon & hit him. I saw a revelation in him. When he took my weapon from me a few minutes later it both supprised & delighted me. I saw then that we WAS learning and paying attention.

Darth Magnus wrote:I really am not too fond of giant open field battles. Not my thing, Short Fat guys dont run well. Bridge battles, Gate Battles, Airbourne assult on the fort I like.

Dwarves are not long distance runners but great sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances.

Shouldn't that be Dwarf Magnus........


Vebrand

Bring it on little man! My axe is waiting on ya!

I rather Wars over Tournaments.

Around these parts most of the events are tournies, but I always find myself looking forward to the wars. Border Raids in a month, then Diamonds & Gatalop then it's time for GulfWars.

I get more out of getting my butt kicked on the field with my buddies in a melee than I do out of doing well in a tourney. If losing is that much fun, imagine how I feel when we win! Like Magnus and Sir Vebrand, I get a kick from the new guys when it clicks... first time surviving a battle, first repeled charge, first successful charge etc.

I think war fighting also makes for better stories. I enjoy the 'man remember when we held the gate against three charges...' more than the 'Yeah I won the tourney and blah blah blah....'

-BigJohn
Val Halla Squad, Gleann Abhann

Oh, just another point...

NOTHING really brings me into the moment like open field battles. To me, they're the coolest thing we do.

Gonna have to go with melee on this one. Melee is an absolute screaming blast.

One-on-one is good too, but a different high. Coming away from a fight and doing well (win or lose) gives you a nice glow. But nothing matches the adrenalin yahoo you get with a melee. Love everything about it. Love marching out, smashing into a line, having bowmen shoot at me...all of it.

Forgive me for the length of my post, but this subject means a great deal to me:


I love both types of fighting.

I have participated in at least 4 wars every year since I joined in 2001, and I fight in what seems to be an average of a 15-18 tournaments per year.

I feel that fighting in wars improves my situational awareness; I'm always scanning the enemy lines, looking out for pikemen that are eyeing me for a potential opening, or that berzerker shieldman preparing for a random charge. Or the shield wall readying for an oblique charge into my earhole. The adrenaline rush is addicting as well.

Perhaps the real reason that I enjoy fighting in wars so much is because I am part of the Iron Brigade of Caid. We have fielded upwards of 150 at Estrella. I am proud to be a part of such a large and superb fighting force, and consider the members of every warband in the brigade to be a friend. There is no greater thrill for me on the field of battle than to fight with my brigade, alongside my comrades.

At the same time I love tournament fighting.
Tourney fighting is where I improve my skill with sword and shield.
It's where I improve my sword speed, power, combinations, reflexes, footwork, offense,and my defense.
This is where I study and analyze my opponents styles and find their weakness.
This is where I get to salute my lady before engaging in single combat.

In both cases, I fight honorably and chivalrously and with the utmost of my ability, and feel that I make my knight and my friends proud.

I also feel that tourney fighting improves my skill at war fighting. what good is a big shield and a sword if you don't know how to use them? I can recall several instances in the past where I have dropped an entire shield wall single-handedly in well under a minute. Every swing a kill. And I was untouched. I couldn't do that if I only fought in wars and practiced in melees.

In conclusion, I do both, I love fighting in wars/melees and one-on-one/tourneys.

I coudn't imagine not doing one or the other, for I wouldn't feel like I was a complete fighter.

single fights by and far are the most fun.... especially when its a big tourney...

melee are good to hone group efforts and make having a household even more fun.

I only fight in melees, and then with either a crossbow or a spear. It's an unbelievable feeling to be out there with the big boys and being accepted as one of the team; one that makes getting hot and sweaty and getting armor bite all worth it. And I'm probably closer to 'dwarf' sized than most being 4'11" and fairly round, but I *love* open field battles. Especially with my crossbow.

As far as watching fighting goes then the tournament wins hands down.

Neassa - who longs to be able to see over the shield wall...

Wars = job
Tournies = fun

This doesn't mean that I don't get to have fun on the job once in a while, but generally, I have a whole lot more fun fighting singles than wars, cause you can get stuck in some really crappy scenarios.

Even at Pennsic now, I feel like I am doing "my job" as I run across the field. Weird.

Alaric

I kinda feel like this, but it's just a smidge different.

Tourney - for my lady
Melee - for my kingdom

And being on the melee field, for my kingdom, doing my duty (similar to job, but different) helps me feel more medieval-realistic. Tourney field for my lady makes me feel more medieval-romantic.

DukeAlaric (George S.) wrote:Wars = job
Tournies = fun

This doesn't mean that I don't get to have fun on the job once in a while, but generally, I have a whole lot more fun fighting singles than wars, cause you can get stuck in some really crappy scenarios.

Even at Pennsic now, I feel like I am doing "my job" as I run across the field. Weird.

Alaric

As a man at arms,

War = A blast

Double Elim' Tourney = Bad Quality sleep.

Pas de Arms = The most Fun.

Will Marshall = Fun.

Bear pit = Acceptable.

Sinister Saracen wrote:Perhaps the real reason that I enjoy fighting in wars so much is because I am part of the Iron Brigade of Caid.

I feel you there some of the best guys in the world are in the Iron Brigade, I'm lucky to count myself among there ranks and I hope to be half the man that most of them are.

- Amos

For me, melee is about fun and the adrenaline rush. Getting right into the thick of things is a blast (heck, I even go shield on bridge battles). Fighting singles, on the other hand, is the true test of skill. There is nobody else to rely on and nobody else to blame. Now, for the best of both adrenaline and skill, I'll take option "C"; jousting. No two ways about it.

dominic

I don't much care for normal SCA one on one. I love the alternative rules games like "As real men faught". I also love fighting with a spear in melee's and large scale battles at Pennsic.