The Armour Archive

What would you say to a "Tender Parts Tourney"?

All blows that land on armour (be it hardened leather, mail, steel, stainless steel, Titanium, not plastic or bargrill) could be ignored by the combatant. If the blows stagger you and you become visibly fatigued (as in stop throwing blows for longer than a count of ten), the judge counts you out.

A blow, if felt at all -- no matter how light, to exposed skin or padding would be considered good and final.

What would you consider for the weapons? SCA swords, boffers, blunted swords with padding (to avoid the maiming but still have the performance charcteristics of a sword), pole arms...?

Full body target with boffers OK, or would full body target with SCA battons be OK?

Also, how would you do a "Field of Cloth of Gold" Tourney in the SCA? A late period, full armour foot combat for fun between equals (neither one trying to cripple the other).

Comments?


[This message has been edited by Aaron (edited 10-31-2003).]

If you have two people in pretty decent armor, they can pretty safely just whack away at one another for as long as it please them, and let the one who it displeases first throw down his baton or otherwise signal his or her desire to escape the cudgeling of his or her foe. I believe that armor of a type seen in western europe from 1350 onward until the beginning of the decay of armor is suitable for these sort of submission matches.

Such a combat would be strenuous, but I do not see it being more dangerous than normal SCA combat for people posessing the proper physical conditioning. Some people require the pacing of the "single telling blow and it's over" combat to safely participate in SCA heavy weapons combat, so this format would not be for them, in my opinion.

As for weapons, I would consider the SCA version of these weapons for such a combat, provided that proper armor is worn. I assume the format is a' plaisance. Listed in no particular order:

Sword (no thrusting tip) and heater shield (proper size best, larger size inferior)
Sword (no thrusting tip) and buckler
Sword of War (Greatsword on the small side)
Poll Axe (The six footer--NOT an eight to ten foot Glaive)
Mace
Martel de Fer
Dagger

I think that matched and unmatched weapons both would provide enjoyable contests--with some combinations being more pleasant to watch or compete with than others.

I would participate in such a contest. I think that much honor and many stories of good deeds of prowess and courtly behavior could be gained by it. It also rewards more kinds of preux than the traditional format.

Jehan

[This message has been edited by Jehan de Pelham (edited 10-31-2003).]