The Armour Archive

For all the lefties, what shield set up do you use and why that particular set up? I'm considering possibly picking up a new shield while at Estrella and I'm looking for some inspiration I guess. I currently use a center grip heater and am switching to a much earlier persona for heavy fighting and want to keep to that if possible.

Gio

Center grip oval. Just works out better for me than the heater did.



.

I fight with a small center grip round (circa 25"). Triangle defense as a base set up with very active shield blocking.

Olafr

Strapped kyte.

I strap it so if I'm holding it and put my finger on my nipple, the top of the shield covers the tip of mt nose.

giovanni di lucca wrote:For all the lefties, what shield set up do you use and why that particular set up? I'm considering possibly picking up a new shield while at Estrella and I'm looking for some inspiration I guess. I currently use a center grip heater and am switching to a much earlier persona for heavy fighting and want to keep to that if possible.

Gio

I use a strapped round. About 28" diameter. It works for me and fits my Mongol persona.

centergrip heater:

My war shield is a large heater. For practice and singles, I have a 19" center grip round.

24x36 centergrip oval. I'm probably switching to a 22x30, but the same type.

D. Sebastian wrote:

I'm surprised nobody has commented how incredibly evil this photo is.

Use the shield, what ever that is, that is right for your persona.

D. Sebastian wrote:Strapped kyte.

I strap it so if I'm holding it and put my finger on my nipple, the top of the shield covers the tip of mt nose.

D. how is your mobility with the strapped kite shield? I've gotten used to always using a centergrip of some sort and really have never used a strapped shield for a good duration?

Gio

I have very good mobility, and I can also "button up" when needed.

I went from being a righty with a center-grip cat's-eye oval, to a lefty with a strapped kyte. Initially I had it strapped "boxer style" (the arm on a 45). The problem with this is when you reach to block the wrap from the right handed fighter, the shield leans leaving the leg exposed. This also exposes your head.

So I find the near flat across strapping (put your arm down at your side and bend the elbow so your index finger is on your nipple) keeps the shield straight up and down when you reach out to press or catch a spear.

There is a learning curve as you figure out how to fight around the kyte.

I do a lot of body rotation blocks that I never did with the center-grip.

There is also a period of building muscles to suport the shield in that strapping position.


,,,and the "hanging guard" is huge with the kyte!

Jestyr wrote:I'm surprised nobody has commented how incredibly evil this photo is.

Downright sinister.

D. by chance do you have a picture of your kite strapped??? I'm curious to see it, I do way better with pictures.

Gio

some:

http://www.honorblade.com/pics/2009/200 ... War002.JPG
http://www.honorblade.com/pics/2009/200 ... tUn238.jpg
http://www.honorblade.com/pics/2008/200 ... eosamh.jpg
http://www.honorblade.com/pics/2008/200 ... rAngus.jpg

giovanni di lucca wrote:D. by chance do you have a picture of your kite strapped??? I'm curious to see it, I do way better with pictures.

Gio

Just how early period are you planning on going? You may end up right back into the centergrip era. Only with a round, oval, scutum, or peanut shape.

D. Sebastian wrote:I have very good mobility, and I can also "button up" when needed.

So I find the near flat across strapping (put your arm down at your side and bend the elbow so your index finger is on your nipple) keeps the shield straight up and down when you reach out to press or catch a spear.

That sounds pretty much like how I ended up straping my kite when I used it.

Irish, I'm looking at late Viking so about 1066-ish. And you're correct I will probably go to a centergrip round however I know the Normans were using kite shields too about the same time, yes?

Alex Baird wrote:

Jestyr wrote:I'm surprised nobody has commented how incredibly evil this photo is.

Downright sinister.

I'm gonna guess it was from the lefty tourney at pennsic.

I use a center grip oval and use an A-frame guard.

i use a large strapped heater. I love the thing. Made out of aircraft aluminum and lighter than my helmet.

Meh.
The East.
Home of the Evil Lefty.
Just another day at the office.

Ceawlin Alreding wrote:Meh.
The East.
Home of the Evil Lefty.
Just another day at the office.

How True. We were recently trying to show a new fighter some basic moves at a recent practice, and realized that most everybody who brought a shield was a lefty. I think we have something like 4 lefties at the local practice.

I think when I get to Estrella I'll swing by Windrose and peruse the shields and get the one that feels the best at this point... However the strapped kite is looking pretty good...

Kjott.Thorgrimsson wrote:I use a center grip oval and use an A-frame guard.

I just realized that I left the Why? answer out of the question. I started with an oval then switched to a strapped rectangular shield. I kept twisting funny ways for blocks that left me wide open and rather than retrain myself I went back to a center grip. I tried a round for a while and it leaves a lot of your head and legs open so I went back to the oval and haven't felt the need to try anything else since.

I love my various centergrips.

G

I loved my centergrip small round but my thumb after last year's surgery isn't letting me keep using it. So lately back to a heater which I had just given up. Am in a quandry as what to go with moving forward so don't be alone. I don't have as much fun with a strapped heater. As a not so great lefty I would just say stick with what feels comfortable and is fun, and then practice will make the rest work.

my .02 for what it is worth.

I'm right-handed, but fought lefty for a couple of years. I used a strapped kite shield. Punch-blocked high, and for leg shots I'd rotate my arm and sweep the "tail" of the shield out to block.

I've used a heater for years, and recently (last two years) I've been playing with a center grip oval, a center grip round, and a pie plate round...

I have the best defense with the heater, and the best offense with the oval.

The oval keeps you at a distance, and makes you work on your B and C range, especially in the A frame stance, while the Heater truly works best at B and A.

The round 30" and the pie plate round are for fun...

Duke Havorc

I fight right handed now, but used to fight lefty - used a strapped oval which was (completely coincidentally) set up a lot like D's kite.

I'm on the right, 24x34 centergrip oval.

As HG Havorc said, the oval works at B/C range. I like not having corners to work around. It allows more offensive options, and works well with the "cone of offense/defense" theory.

The heater works better closer, and is more defensive. Which didn't help me in this fight.


[img][img]http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp149/Drumgod882/353256016_XxmiH-M.jpg[/img][/img]

Lucas, if you had just run backwards faster....

Havorc

Alex Baird wrote:

Jestyr wrote:I'm surprised nobody has commented how incredibly evil this photo is.

Downright sinister.

I do like the dexterity displayed though...