The Armour Archive

Hi FNG, I'm Dark Apprentice!

Looking over my lists of great fighters of all time, it comes across really quickly that there are a couple of guys who play with such a thing at a top level and are reasonably successful with it.

As far as using a madu or spear with a shield goes, the only person I have ever heard of playing with at a top level is Duke Kynan from the Outlands, and I am not sure he even plays anymore.

I think that you will find that the spear limits you too much when fighting against a shield in the SCA. Kynan did well, because he used a thrust and throw javelin as his spear, not a rattan or fiberglass one. An ABS "spear" can move much much faster than either of the others, and with the other talents that he already had, he was able to take advantage of the situation, and do well. I wouldn't recommend that for everyone though, but if so, try it with the thrust and throw.

Madus help for a lot of "cheap" wins on a medium to lower level, and the occasional win against a top fighter, but if you look at most people who are in the top groups, they don't regularly use madus.

DA

Zulu stick fighting, looks very similar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_qgilAJi4U

Steve

Here is the final round from the '08 Artemisian Crown. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=114HfbSm ... re=related

Serious madu skills.

Lot's of offside hits on the madu user... not to mention that he should be able to to about that well with just a buckler of that size, let alone need the extra point of the madu for defense/offense.

The issue I see most readily with shield and madu is that once any fighter gets inside your offensive range, you get hosed. It would be entertaining to watch but very ineffective.

Matsu,

PS> Friends don't let friends do the 'du.

DukeAlaric (George S.) wrote:Lot's of offside hits on the madu user... not to mention that he should be able to to about that well with just a buckler of that size, let alone need the extra point of the madu for defense/offense.

I dunno, I've found the spear/haft/blade of any madu-like weapon form takes alot of the force out of incoming blows when you pop the "madu" out to meet it, so they hit, they just aren't good. Now a long skinny kite I could see working out like that. The madu point just keeps opponents at the optimal distance, since you can't pop someone with your shield or grapple.