The Armour Archive

From the midrealm marshalls handbook:

Blows repeatedly blocked by a weapon in contact with a fighter’s helm, body or shield at the
moment of impact may at the Crown’s or Marshallate’s discretion, be considered to have broken
the blocking weapon. This will force a fighter to forfeit the fight, unless a secondary weapon is
carried or the opponent chooses to allow the fighter to rearm with another weapon.

Being a Marshall in training I keep rereading the handbook.
I was wondering if any marshalls actually ever inforce this rule.

I fight with an axe on occasion and If I bang the hell out of the other guys shield three times it should be condsidered broken.
Would it be unacceptable to ask the marshall for a ruling? Its not that I want to win unfairly but if you are going to use a mass weapon the rule should be enforced.

any thoughts?

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Member of House Red Winged Lion
Man-at-arms to Robert' De'Tyre

The rule only allows a weapon to be called broken, not a shield. This is because people have a tendency to rest their weapons on their armor, particularly the sword on the helmet which wouild definitely allow a real sword to be broken.

Robert

I have sceen this rule inforced at crown turney. I hae also sceen this inforced by Master John the Pell all the time.

other then that it depends on the marshall and whats going on.

The Pell is the only one I`ve ever seen enforce it too.
John

I have seen this enforced at crown tournaments. I've heard it refered to as "anvilling"

I haven't heard the rule with broken shields by mass weapons. It may varry by kingdom

That's because John doesn't CARE if you think he's an asshole....(grin)

Or if you're wearing regalia....(BIGGER grin)

I miss Aethelmarc.

VvS

"I miss Aethelmarc."
So do I

Conrad- In the Middle shields are forever. (I love my shield. My shield loves me.) There is no stipulation that any amount of blows will destroy your opponents shield. I suggest a long bitted axe and a good deal of practice hitting the left shoulder. Or any shoulder for that matter, as a mass weapon stiking inside the joint is a kill. Remember to enforce that with your opponent as they sometimes forget.


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Captain Jamie-a marvellous valorous gentleman, that is certain

If shields get to be broken by axes, then I would say if I hit your hand on the haft three times with my sword, or if you block with your haft three times, then it's considered broken... ) No fair to have a spear made out of indestructible wood if we're going for 'realism'...

Pole vs. Pole, one haft block would be sufficent...

Or we could just have fun...

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"I fear all I have done is awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve."
--Admiral Yamamoto after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Anton, I think you have the gist of it in that last statement.

I used to see this enforced in the West, I left there in 86, but never here in the Muddle. We called it the Iron Chicken Defense in me old shire.

I live in the Midrealm, and honestly I can't remember the last time I saw someone defend by resting their weapon on their helm or shield -

But we do train our new fighters that if they do it, their weapons can be called "broken" by the Marshalls if struck.

Anviling is still enforced in the West.


Alail/Scott

Crackpot idea du jour:

If your weapon is broken via "anvilling", can you still thrust it into your opponents face?

-+G

Yes here in the west Anviling is still enforced. Also remeber if you are using A spear as a defence device and rest the but of the spear on the ground, and your oponiant hits it. it is broken after the third hit. The thing I dont know if it goes the same for a baner pole though.

It's funny how you can read a rule and think it says one thing and it doesnt. I keep thinking shields, i read that rule three times and untill you pointed it out i was still thinking shields.

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Member of House Red Winged Lion
Man-at-arms to Robert' De'Tyre