It's official- Merideans hit light!

[Rev. George]

According to our KEM,

"...Meredies calls shots lighter then(sic) the Kingdoms surrounding it. If your authorization card has been issued by Meridies, you will call your shots by Meridian standards." -Popular Chivalry- volume 29 number 5, page 5

I've seen it said that we (meridies) dont really differ that greatly from the SCa as a whole, etc. How does this effect the perception of fighters from outside the kingdom, and those within?

-+G

[Dmitriy]

That quote is about calling blows, not about throwing them.

It is sad, however, that the KEM decided to move the knigdom in "lighter than everyone else" direction. Is there a reason stated?

[Rev. George]

The actual letter was really short. Outline:

I. Thumb protection on your centergrip shield
II. Lanyards- by the end of may
III. We call light
A. If you dont liek this, send in card, and become spectator
III. Dont be stupid

As for a reason, it is really just a recognition of the truth of the matter. I was at an event recently, and I was watching the fighting. I watched a knight tell a fellow with a single sword he was hitting way too hard. Now, admittedly it IS possible to generate excessive force witha one handed weapon. Big men, iajitsu masters, weightlifters, folks who have jobs like demolitions or carpentry, etc can all generate a good bit of force with a one hander. And While i was not on the recieving end of this fellows blows, it did not appear that he fit any one of those categories.

What does this have to do with the price of tea in china? Nothing... It wa just an observation, but I think it is symptomatic of the issue.

-+G

[freiman the minstrel]

I moved to drachenwald after fighting in Meridies for about ten years, I didn't have any problem with anybody calling my blows.

f

[Ceddie]

Who is your current KEM?

[Morgan]

I watched a knight tell a fellow with a single sword he was hitting way too hard. Now, admittedly it IS possible to generate excessive force witha one handed weapon. Big men, iajitsu masters, weightlifters, folks who have jobs like demolitions or carpentry, etc can all generate a good bit of force with a one hander. And While i was not on the recieving end of this fellows blows, it did not appear that he fit any one of those categories.

Absolutely nothing to do with the actual discussion of Meridies (I wonder if Sir Thomas is lurking.... VBG!) but I can ABSOLUTELY assure you, a man doesn't have to be that big or a weight lifter to generate excessive force with a single handed weapon.

While a lot of folks will suggest that they've never been hit "too hard" I can say, having my arm broken by a single handed sword through armour that is far superior than society minimums ***IS*** excessive force.

[Ceddie]

Was this is April's news letter?
maybe it was an April fools joke?

[Ceddie]

Morgan,
I see the potential for three very different kinds of shots that can cause problems:
Excessive_ I see this as life threatingly TOO HARD
Uncalled for_ you know the shot: you are out of possition and he has you dead to rights and he throws that one that lands just above the body armor, in the ribs, with the little giggle from the guy as all the air leaves your lungs.
Bad luck_ no reason or logic to it. No intent. just wrong plase, wrong time.

I have seen all three with a onehanded weapon the second and third more frequently than I would like but only a few times have I seen the first and they were remarkable.

[InsaneIrish]

Absolutely nothing to do with the actual discussion of Meridies (I wonder if Sir Thomas is lurking.... VBG!) but I can ABSOLUTELY assure you, a man doesn't have to be that big or a weight lifter to generate excessive force with a single handed weapon.

While a lot of folks will suggest that they've never been hit "too hard" I can say, having my arm broken by a single handed sword through armour that is far superior than society minimums ***IS*** excessive force.

Eh, Morgan is just a skinny guy, if he would eat a Sammich and put some flesh/padding on his bones I am sure his arm would be just fine.


All kidding aside correct technique can and will generate an INCREDIBLE amount of force from almost ANY fighter no matter size, weight, strenght. Read some of Duke Pauls stuff on technique.

[InsaneIrish]

I think lumping an entire kingdom into one stereotype is not right. My take on it is like this:

There are varying degrees of power in the SCA. Starting with the rank and file fighters, From victims with a stick to holding their own. These fighters will exhibit a MUCH wider range of power, both taking and giving blows, than more experienced fighters. Basically the higher up the "food chain" you go the smaller that varience becomes, until you reach the top fighters from each kingdom. I believe that they all pretty much play the same game on relatively the same force levels.


Now, Meriedies may take/give lighter than most other kingdoms on the rank and file side, but I think the upper Eschelon fighters pretty much all swing a big stick.

[broinnfinn]

Who is your current KEM?

Sir Shaltar Grayson is the current KEM of Meridies. Who, I assure you, is not a "light hitter".

Broinnfinn

[Ceddie]

wow. Shaltar said that.






now I really don't get it.

[Aidan Cambel]

Meridies hits lighter. thats a fact. There is a good reason.

(1) its hot down here, so armour is often more minimal (create your own rants about that , I don't care. fact is - the summers are 100 degress with 100% humidity and we have a lot of heat exhaustion cases due to this)
(2) we don't want to break our toys

Its not a matter of we *can't* hit harder. I am 5'4" , 145 lbs. I can still break your bones. it doesn't take much. BUT I DON'T WANT TO. you will NOT force me to hit you harder than I am comfortable with. Why? because its just not worth it. My blows now will leave bruises.

If we are playing a game based on honor, why does everyone want to be hit so hard that 2 weeks later i still feel it?

I am NOT saying that a touch is good. What I AM saying is that when you hit someone hard enough to dent their 14 ga. stainless helm - thats just too friggin hard.

I recently saw someone get hit TWICE in the head enough to rock their head, and they didn't feel the need to call it. Any harder, and his head would have came off completely. That is just moronic.

So our KEM stated what was an obvious fact. as a whole, we hit/call lighter.

not because we HAVE TO, because we CHOOSE TO.


but for the record, I have seen a Meridian Knight doing pickups with an Atlantian Knight at Gulf Wars, and the Atlantian Knight said "please stop hitting me so hard!"

Its not because he can't hit hard - we choose not too.

[Ceddie]

Aidan,
Shaltar put in writing that you MUST CALL lighter, not hit lighter. He is attempting to legislate a objective opinion and basing that on someone else’s objective opinion, that is what I don't get.
The tone also gives the impression that he will be enforcing this objective opinion as a duty of his office; I just don't see how that is possible.

[dukelogan]

major disconnect in many of these assertions.

1. its pretty darn hot in charlotte inthe summer. 100 degrees with 100% humidity and no breeze. not to mention the thick pollen and the layer of fat around me. yet i wear no armor to speak of. i have a small 1/8" polyethelene piece to cover my sternum, and a professional hockey elbow on my right arm. the legs i wear are super pretty but before i got those i wore thin leather. and in general we dont hit light here in atlantia. so you cant use that old excuse. im by far not the only one so lightly armored here. almost all of my guys are dressed in the same manner.

2. we dont break our toys either. in 15 years of fighting i know of three arms ive broken and one rib. im sure i did more damage playing football in high school (of course we were rewarded for that though).

people want and deserve to be hit hard because it takes skill to do so. skill is what we want to be bested by, not some light game of tap. not some fluke wrist flick that wouldnt hurt if i took my helmet off and allowed you to do it five times in a row. tag is not the way the rest of the world is interested in going out.

ive dented plenty of 14 ga helms and a good number of 12 ga ss helms as well. hasnt hurt anyone yet save the occasional poorly made or poorly padded helmet. so thats no guage either. and considering ive probably hit tens of thousands of helmet shots and only dented a few dozen i would suggest that our sport is well within acceptable limits for safety and displays of skill.

im not suggesting that im the exception here, just offering things i know to be facts. i hardly doubt im alone in those expirences. dont you think your explainations are flawed when the rest of the world does it very differently?

ive fought plenty of meridians that throw good hard crisp blows. very skilled and very fun opponents. but ive fought many more of the unfortunate ones that buy into the culture of tap fighting and have the nerve to try to call blows that didnt hit them.

just some thoughts

regards
logan

Meridies hits lighter. thats a fact. There is a good reason.

(1) its hot down here, so armour is often more minimal (create your own rants about that , I don't care. fact is - the summers are 100 degress with 100% humidity and we have a lot of heat exhaustion cases due to this)
(2) we don't want to break our toys

Its not a matter of we *can't* hit harder. I am 5'4" , 145 lbs. I can still break your bones. it doesn't take much. BUT I DON'T WANT TO. you will NOT force me to hit you harder than I am comfortable with. Why? because its just not worth it. My blows now will leave bruises.

If we are playing a game based on honor, why does everyone want to be hit so hard that 2 weeks later i still feel it?

I am NOT saying that a touch is good. What I AM saying is that when you hit someone hard enough to dent their 14 ga. stainless helm - thats just too friggin hard.

I recently saw someone get hit TWICE in the head enough to rock their head, and they didn't feel the need to call it. Any harder, and his head would have came off completely. That is just moronic.

So our KEM stated what was an obvious fact. as a whole, we hit/call lighter.

not because we HAVE TO, because we CHOOSE TO.


but for the record, I have seen a Meridian Knight doing pickups with an Atlantian Knight at Gulf Wars, and the Atlantian Knight said "please stop hitting me so hard!"

Its not because he can't hit hard - we choose not too.

[Caspar]

Here we go again

Calibration in Meridies, in truth, has nothing to do with heat. Its hot and humid in lots of places (Trimaris, Ansteorra, Atlantia) Many people have said that we wear lighter armor because its hot, thats why we are calibrated lower. I would argue that we armor lighter because we are lighter calibrated. Our lighter calibration has lead to a fighting style which emphazises quickness and mobility over strength and fortitude. That's just the way it is.

The real reason it is that way, is that when Meridies was forming, the best and most influential fighters (i.e. the knights and royalty of the time) fought that way. They taught their students to fight that way, who in time became the knights and royalty, who taught their students to fight that way and so on. Meridies has remained this way by not having many kings or knights of higher calibration to affect a change in its fighting culture.

Its the same way every fighting culture in every kingdom was formed. I love the fighting culture of Meridies and am very proud of it; as I am sure that Duke Logan loves the fighting culture of his kingdom, and Sir Cedric {sp}(Ceddie) loves the fighting culture of his kingdom and so forth. It is also natural for the culture that you are immersed in to feel like "the right way" to do it.

I feel the fighting culture of Meridies has some very distinct advantages, and to be fair some distinct disadvantages to it. It is what it is. I don't feel the need to justify or defend it. I love our fighting culture. I really couldn't imagine playing any other way. But then again I am Meridian through and through and it "feels right" to me.

Sir Caspar

As an aside, and not to be a total asshat, but Rev. George, I would find your continual and (usually negative) insights to Meridies and its fighting culture more relevant had I ever seen you in armor. I reckon myself unqualified to comment on our rapier fighting culture, for instance, since I've never picked up a rapier.

[Caspar]

edited for douple post sorry

[Odo]

Who cares?

Odo

According to our KEM,

"...Meredies calls shots lighter then(sic) the Kingdoms surrounding it. If your authorization card has been issued by Meridies, you will call your shots by Meridian standards." -Popular Chivalry- volume 29 number 5, page 5

I've seen it said that we (meridies) dont really differ that greatly from the SCa as a whole, etc. How does this effect the perception of fighters from outside the kingdom, and those within?

-+G

[Wulf]

I for one would much rather take a borderline excessive shot than a light one. At least that way i KNOW i am dead. I dont have to stand there and make a split second decision as to am i dead or not. Most of the time at events i am wearing leather that has little to no protective quality to it at all for the body. (It looks good and thats worth something) If i call a shot to the body light its light damn it.

It would be nice if all fighters remembered that they are supposed to be in chainmail and an openfaced iron helm and take the blows accordingly. I have hit knights from all kingdoms that get new kickass leg armor and they dont take it because they cant feel it. It takes some of them a practice or 3 to get the calibration correct. Some however never adjust. This means that shot i have to hit you in the leg is going to feel damn nasty when i hit that bicep.

If they are attempting to get fighters to take lesser shots because of a safety issue it will be interesting to see how the rest of the kingdoms respond especially at pennsic.

[Sinclair Hawkins]

Meridies hits lighter. thats a fact. There is a good reason.

(1) its hot down here, so armour is often more minimal (create your own rants about that , I don't care. fact is - the summers are 100 degress with 100% humidity and we have a lot of heat exhaustion cases due to this)

Its not because he can't hit hard - we choose not too.

I would buy the heat argument if Trimaris wore even less armor than Meridians and took even lighter because of it but that simply isn't so. Some of the hardest shots I have taken recently were from Bytor and a few of the other Trimarins down at Gulf Wars.

Also, I have heard it explained that even in Meridies the calibration is different from one side of the kingdom to the other. One friend warned me not to think the boys in Arkansas(now Glenn Abhann) hit like the ones in Georgia.

I live on the southern edge of the Kingdom of Atlantia and I have travelled to Meridies for events and even trying to be aware of the lighter mentality in the Kingdom I still had problems calling many of the shots good that lightly touched my helm or arm. I am planning on attending an event there soon but this dilemma will present itself there as well.

and as Logan and others I think have said... I have been hit by some good SOLID shots from Meridiens. I know there are some that play that way in that Kingdom so I am concerned about this legislation from above telling these people that they cannot play that way anymore... officially especially considering that many of these fighters are longstanding members who have played this way for years.

Why can't we all just get along I guess is the phrase that comes to my mind.

[Richard Blackmoore]

If Meridies really wants to hit lighter than all the other kingdoms, I don't really care why. I think it is a very bad idea, but it is up to them whether they want to do that or not, within reason. So long as they don't complain when they visit other kingdoms or when someone from outside of the kingdom moves in at fights at normal established society wide 'good/killing/telling' blow levels.

If they however try to legislate calibration down to the point where it is excessively low and it becomes 'armoured fencing' (Tm), that is a serious problem and I find it hard to believe they really want to do that. I've fought some decent knights from Meridies and they pretty much took and called within the normal calibration range society wide. Much of their rank and file however both takes and gives light blows, outside of what I think the society as a whole considers the 'good' range. That I did not like at all.

Wearing armour or not wearing armour should be irrelevant. In the East Kingdom, if it drops below 20 to 30 degrees farenheit, we might take the fighting indoors or wait for warmer weather. I've also fought here on the rare 100 degree day with insane humidity on Long Island (also one memorably awful day at Pennsic when they were cancelling battles due to heat danger), some people choose not to fight if it gets too hot. Fine. If it is so damn hot in Meridies, fight in the cooler weather more (spring, winter, fall). Don't change the calibration levels and armour standards.

[LR of E]

I had a really wordy and eloquent post written on my laptop at work but the colleges wifi net nanny wouldn't let me log on so you get the rough version.

In My Opinion... that letter was a thinly disguised warning for a few people in our kingdom that are causing trouble. The few folk I'm thinking of are from out of kingdom. They moved here for whatever reasons and now want to do things like back home. Well guess what Scooter, your not back home, your here and here we play our game our way. Don't like it, take up paintball.

Yeah, Some of our rank and file hit a little on the light side. But by our kingdom social values thats OK. We would all rather be friends at the end of the day. Winnings not important, having fun is. When I go to Pennsic or Lillies I don't change my calibration and I have no problems.

And i gotta agree with Caspar, Rev George, what practice do you go to ? Just curious because for a guy that lives 50 miles from me I have no idea who you are.

respectfully (sort of )
Sir Morgan Ironheart

ps what do you guys want to bitch about now?? Mandatory lanyards or half-gauntlet padding?

[Oswyn_de_Wulferton]

Also, I have heard it explained that even in Meridies the calibration is different from one side of the kingdom to the other. One friend warned me not to think the boys in Arkansas(now Glenn Abhann) hit like the ones in Georgia.

I am not quite sure how to take this. I started in the SCA two years ago in Atlanta, GA (South-Downs) and never told that I hit excessively, but several people that I have fought from newly out of kingdom were suprised that I hit about the same as what they were used to (mostly Trimarans, Atlantians and a few from Atenvelt). I dont think that it is really that big of a deal. Maybe it was a gentle reminder to some that simply because they were fighting OOK or OOK opponents, to still call the same as they were used to. I didnt read anywhere that said Sir Shaltar told us to "throw Meridian" but to call it.

[Murdock]

" Mandatory lanyards or half-gauntlet padding? "

Actually yeah, that botheres me wayyy more.


Why in the hell is something we've been doing for years suddenly a major safety concern?

The only thing iv'e ever seen lanyards do is get a couple guys wrists yanked funny at Pennsic.

Lanyards suck.

As for guanltlet padding

It's a guantlet...

under a shield....
why does it need to be padded? i have _NEVER_ been hit in the shield _hand_. In over a decade of playin NEVER not one time ever ever ever.

Whats next padded shields? Padded sword baskets? This is just unecessary.

Probly came down from the SEM or something.

As someone eles said i do beleieve Shaltar's letter is aimed a specific group of folks that bounce on the border and play with his area of Meridies.

I'll ask my big bro next time i see him, but i can see where it would appear that there is an organized effort to lower the Meridian calibration even beyond what it currently is. The "true Meridian calibration" catch phrase, being told at multiple events by folks to "call anything that hits you no matter how light". Now the letter.


Course i have a novel idea why does'nt someon email Shaltar and _ask him_!!!!!!!! what he means. Then agree or disagree you'll know for sure.


Course it's all academic to me now anyway.

[LR of E]

As was told to me:

Lanyards are required on a society level, we have been skirting this issue for years and we got busted on it. plain and simple.

Many people are confused as to what Shaltar wants. He wants behind the shield protection in the form of a legal half gauntlet, gauntlet, hockey glove, etc... get the idea?? What he was seeing was NOTHING behind the shield and that rightfully bothered him.

Half gauntlet padding.... its just plain smart

I see no evidence of anybody trying to lower calibration. I've seen just the opposite and I have never heard this:

"call anything that hits you no matter how light".

Maybe in Iron Mountain but not here.

Morgan

[Brian de Lorne]

I was at Border Raids last year fighting a duke from Meridies. As we were fighting, he threw a shot that hit me basically in the kidneys. Now I wear a full plastic breast and back, so he hit solid plastic. I heard it land, felt a light tap, but that was it. Yes, it was clean, but I barely felt it at all. I didn't take it. I was then told that in the Meridies, that was considered a good shot. I apologized, and said that fighting back home, I would not call it good at all. He said that was fine, and we continued to fight. We fought some more, then he killed me with a blow as solid as most I recieve in Atlantia. He upped his power to make it easier on me to call, which was cool.

Now, that left me with the impression that Meridian's hit and take extremely lighter than Atlantians. I mean come on, this is a duke I'm fighting here. He would know, right? But at the same time, it also let me know that he had no problem throwing "Atlantian" or greater force. Can all Meridians do that? Don't know. I've always been told to bring down my calibration some when fighting out of kingdom to not appear as though I'm rhino hiding.

[Murdock]

"Lanyards are required on a society level, we have been skirting this issue for years and we got busted on it. plain and simple."

I was fraid of that. Still sucks


"Many people are confused as to what Shaltar wants. He wants behind the shield protection in the form of a legal half gauntlet, gauntlet, hockey glove, etc... get the idea?? What he was seeing was NOTHING behind the shield and that rightfully bothered him."

Now THAT is stupid, being bare handed. Not real clear in the letter though. I've failed people repeatedly for not wanting to wear anything behind a shield. Sounds like some local Marshals were lettin stuff slide.


"Half gauntlet padding.... its just plain smart."
No it's a unescessary redundancy. Got a basket on the sword and shield on the other hand with a boss or a basket on it _with_ a guantlet. Sounds like a rule left over from the days when baske hilts were made of garden hose.

"I see no evidence of anybody trying to lower calibration. I've seen just the opposite and I have never heard this:

"call anything that hits you no matter how light".

Maybe in Iron Mountain but not here."

Ummmm no, this ain't comin from the Mt., us and the guys from Kingsport get bitched at for hittin to hard. Secificaly i'm thinking of a speech last Knights Gambit and a couple of events on either side of it. Couple of events just Before the crown Boru won. I'm not the only one hearin it either.

The other catch phrase is somthing akin to "we're gonna call on true Meridian Calibration".

Though i'm sure someone will tell me didn't happen.

"I've seen just the opposite and I have never heard this:"
Gawd i hope your right. Hope it is moving up, but that's doubtful.

Now i don't recall seein ya at any of those events, so you may not have heard it yet, and i have thankfully heard that pablum since just before Gulf Wars. So maybe the trend is over and whatever problem was goin on has been dealt with.

Hope so. Course in 4 weeks, it taint my problem anyway.

Nuff said

[Rev. George]

I would find your continual and (usually negative) insights to Meridies and its fighting culture more relevant had I ever seen you in armor.

Cripey guys.

Continual? I dont really see it. (I did a search for the word "meridies" by Author "Rev. George"- 37 matches. Most had nothing to do with Fightitng. Recent ones that did were this thread, the one on the Kong mace heads*, another on the kong thread, and <a href="http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=51633&highlight=meridies"> This one</a> in which i was really positive) I dont have a problem with my homeland, or the way they fight in general. As for the last time i saw armour... its been a few years. But people HAVE seen me in it. And it is likely, very soon that I will be seen again. (I sold off all my armour and have jsust recently aquired some more.) When I do set foot on the field again, I dont want to be creamed with a blow, nor do i want to be forced to take a blow that strikes me in the manner of a boffer sword.

I dont see how telling people to take light (which in turn tells others that a light blow is good enough, which leads to people only throwing lightblows, which leads to complainign about normal blows) is a good idea. (see my above anti-creaming statement for limits).

The purpose of posting this (since I feel the need to defend myself) was simply to point out to the people that claim that there is little difference in blow acknowledgement that there si some merit to it.

-+G

*For the record- Having built a Kong mace with the anticipation of using it, it was a let down. I dont see how the stuffaball varient could possibly be anyworse than a sword (especially one made form really thick really dense rattan)

[morristh]

Lanyards have come and gone at least one round here in Meridies. Back when the Earth was still cooling, we didnt have basket hilts, or very few--we made Know World Handbook Swords with rattan quillions. We use a lanyard. Yea I know some hate them, but then again some people hate armor period

Padding in the gauntlets--I heard a rumor that we are looking at 1/2 inch in the leather half guants--I have to admit that seems to me a bit much. However I have seen some half guantlets the past 2 weekends, that have been lovingly used so much that they are a little on the floppy side. Good stiff sole leather shouldnt be a problem with the standard mouse pads, but the worn out ones thats a different matter.

Blow calibration--well Im not re-authorized yet, I have calibrated against everyone I have fought in practices up to this point. I needed feedback on my own armor, as well as my own blows. I havent been told I was hitting too hard by anyone, but some of the blows that the person I was fighting and felt was good seemed light to me. But I admit I am not the best judge at this point. Its been a LONG time since I fought regularly.

I will spend some time with Sir Caspar as soon as I can, and I am sure he will instruct me both in blow taking and giving Once I have a better feel, I'll report back--for what my opinion is worth.

Tim

[Grimr Hvitulfsson Ulfhamr]

I moved to drachenwald after fighting in Meridies for about ten years, I didn't have any problem with anybody calling my blows.

f

Drachenwald is not that consistent due to geographical reasons. Different areas have different calibration cultures. For example, Aarnimetsä (Finland) is influenced by the West, and we like fairly high calibration (both hitting and taking).

It is very common for the attacker to say that the opponent should not take the shot because it was either flat or the technique sucked. We rarely have any problems. We just hit harder, when the other one calls light

GrimR

[Aaron]

I have hit knights from all kingdoms that get new kickass leg armor and they dont take it because they cant feel it. It takes some of them a practice or 3 to get the calibration correct. Some however never adjust. This means that shot i have to hit you in the leg is going to feel damn nasty when i hit that bicep.

It's not just Knights with "kick-ass leg armour". It's some of us more unskilled fighters as well.

I have very excellent leg armour, flauds and tassets. And as it has been pointed out to me recently, sometimes I really don't notice a shot.

A "good shot" could be debated forever. It is quite possible that the Meridias standard is a standard that can be done across the board in that kingdom. And that is good, and the kingdom should be proud of that.

Anyway I just wanted to point out it's not just KSCAs with good leg armour. Some of us less skilled fighters can be in that "too good leg armour" area as well.

I just want a fun, good fight. But everyone else has to have fun too, so I'm working on my calibration to suit (and learn how to duck, weave and dodge in War of the Roses armour... ). And if I come to Meridias, I will follow the guideance of the kingdom (and enjoy it).

[Wulf]

I have hit knights from all kingdoms that get new kickass leg armor and they dont take it because they cant feel it. It takes some of them a practice or 3 to get the calibration correct. Some however never adjust. This means that shot i have to hit you in the leg is going to feel damn nasty when i hit that bicep.

It's not just Knights with "kick-ass leg armour". It's some of us more unskilled fighters as well.

I have very excellent leg armour, flauds and tassets. And as it has been pointed out to me recently, sometimes I really don't notice a shot.

A "good shot" could be debated forever. It is quite possible that the Meridias standard is a standard that can be done across the board in that kingdom. And that is good, and the kingdom should be proud of that.

Anyway I just wanted to point out it's not just KSCAs with good leg armour. Some of us less skilled fighters can be in that "too good leg armour" area as well.

I just want a fun, good fight. But everyone else has to have fun too, so I'm working on my calibration to suit (and learn how to duck, weave and dodge in War of the Roses armour... ). And if I come to Meridias, I will follow the guideance of the kingdom (and enjoy it).

Yeah your right. I was wrong to single out knights in my comment. I happen to see more "belts" with that nice of armor since they tend to take it a bit more serious and have played the game longer. There are plenty of non belts that fall into the same boat however.

[wilmot]

Posted by Wulf;

"I have hit knights from all kingdoms that get new kickass leg armor and they dont take it because they cant feel it. It takes some of them a practice or 3 to get the calibration correct. Some however never adjust. This means that shot i have to hit you in the leg is going to feel damn nasty when i hit that bicep"

That's why when I had new leg armour at Pennsic and was invited to the Best of the known world tourney I wore lighter legs to avoid that and ended up tearing my ACL in the second round (sign, I just can't win).

Ronald

PS Wulf, Instead of the bicep, try the back of the leg just above the knee, that never gets blown off

[Jess]

According to our KEM,


I've seen it said that we (meridies) dont really differ that greatly from the SCa as a whole, etc. How does this effect the perception of fighters from outside the kingdom, and those within?

-+G

I am from Southern Indiana in the Midrealm, and close on the border with Meridies. It seems to me that the force with which blows are thrown increases as you travel from St. Louis (Calontir) through Southern Illinois and Southern Indiana where it peaks in the Ohio area. Not sure what happens after that, as I do not travel that far east often. In my area, I think most everyone holds the kingdom of Meridies in high regard. You are well known for your hospitality, personable crown, and enjoyable events. Your fighting skills are also well regarded, but I would agree the impression is that you call blows lighter than the majority of the Midrealm. However, since you are near my calibration, I think you are perfectly reasonable!

Whether it has any basis in reality, there is a perception that as you travel further east into Ohio, the dominant personalities are less good ole boy/laid back and more "type A". (Anyone who knows me will know that I fit that type A description and am probably never referred to as laid back.) I suspect this is a remnant of the country v. city/Midwestern v. easterner/southern v. Yankee mentality that still lingers here a bit. Anyone else from this area pick up on this?

(Yes, I recognize what I have said may be considered an offensive stereotype. Please forgive me.)

This does not effect my perception of Meridies negatively. Obviously I think calling blows a tad lighter than the heavy end of the Midrealm calibration is the thing to do or else I would not be doing it! I think your KEM is just recognizing something that is true and is already thought by many.

I am still working out what it means that on the whole the top fighters' in the Midrealm level of calibration and recognition is higher. As I am rather low on the skill level, I appreciate a lower blow force level because it means I can fight more bouts (where I lose and get hit a lot) without having to start taping ice packs to my body.

Jesmond

[Mord]

"Lanyards suck"

Then maybe you're using the lanyard wrong. I've been using a lanyard for years, and it's never given me any trouble.

Mord.