[SCA] Best round shield for newbies?

william · Post by **william** » Fri Jun 21, 2002 5:06 am

Greetings all,

Some of the newbie fighters in my group want to build round shields as their first "boards". I don't feel competent enough to answer the following question:

What's the better way to build a beginner's shield - als a centre grip or with straps?

Thanks a lot in advance!

Will

William of Llanwarne
Inc. Shire of Two Seas
Drachenwald

Jasper · Post by **Jasper** » Fri Jun 21, 2002 7:50 am

straps

schreiber · Post by **schreiber** » Fri Jun 21, 2002 9:43 am

Back the truck up a second here.

Let them do what they want.

Give them helpful hints, like telling them that the bandwagon fights with a heater and won't be able to offer advice on how to use a round.

Another helpful bit of advice would be telling them that with round they'll probably need better leg armor than with heater.

Advise them to build one of each and try them out. It'll cost a total of $30, and the worst that could happen is an increase in the amount of loaner gear for your group.

DON'T advise that they give up the idea.
DON'T tell them that they're wasting their time.

That sort of BS costs us members.

They'll have more fun doing what they want, even if they lose every single bout for an entire year, and "waste" their time.

Some people just don't like heater. I certainly don't. In fact, the biggest badass I've ever seen in the SCA fights sword and centergrip. It is possible...

HELMUT

Jean Paul de Sens · Post by **Jean Paul de Sens** » Fri Jun 21, 2002 2:00 pm

It surprises me to say it, but I agree with Shreiber.

do have the new fighters get GOOD steel legs though... they will get hit there a lot...

Morgan · Post by **Morgan** » Fri Jun 21, 2002 9:48 pm

I'll back up JP and Schreiber here as well. Let them try both. *I* believe that center held is easier to work out than strapped. But *I* am not your newbies. I found center boss easier because I was a classically trained martial artist, and primarily used to hand blocking. Strapped shield's intuition is totally different than hand-block/centerboss.

Personally, I've seen newbies do OK with centerboss rounds but I've never seen one do even remotely OK with a strapped round. But...it's good to let people try different stuff.

I fought for a year with a centerboss heater. It was an interesting experience. I'm quite a bit better with a strapped heater now because of it.

Constancius · Post by **Constancius** » Sat Jun 22, 2002 1:31 am

I've fought with both. I personally have all but in love with my strapped round. Probably because I was trained on a heater. That being said it owould take me only aobut ten minutes to convert it to a center
mount. Both stlyes have their good points and their bad points. One being that fightingwith a round shield you have to be more aggressive. It doesn't matter whetheror not if the shield is strapped or center mounted. That there can either save you or get you killed.
I have a hard time fighting with a center mount. It might have something to do with the size of the shield, or it might be me. If there is a person in your group that fights primarilly with a center mount round shield, have that person train them.
One thing to keep in mind, although it is kind of obvious, the srtapped round shield has no edges. Yes the defense style is basically the same. I would recommend punch blocking shots.
These are just some suggestions. Hope it helps.

------------------
Constancius of Lincolnshire

animis corporibusque

Richard Blackmoore · Post by **Richard Blackmoore** » Sat Jun 22, 2002 2:11 pm

A round shield can be the best thing for newbies. To make one, cut a 38" Diameter round blank out. Now make a horizontal cut to flatten the top. Now from each resulting point at the left and right top (Dr. Evil calls these "corners"), cut a vertical line straight down towards the ground. As you get to the half way point, start to angle in towards an imaginary point at the bottom center.

You will end up with a high performance round shield. If anyone asks why it doesn't look round, tell them it is, you just removed the parts you don't actually use.

[This message has been edited by Richard Blackmoore (edited 06-22-2002).]

william · Post by **william** » Sat Jun 22, 2002 5:25 pm

Hi all,

Thanks for all the feedback!

@Richard: That was a very useful description. For some strange reason I'm using one of these "improved rounds" already.

Some people mentioned that I should not openly discourage the newbies. Don't worry - I'm behind that stage

. Somebody in our shire offers to sell round blanks. (They are overpriced and still people are running after them) I will just show them how to build the shields and let them try mine (large heater, small heater, strapped round). Everything else is left to them.

Again, thanks for confirming what was forming in my mind.

Will

William of Llanwarne
Inc. Shire of Two Seas, Drachenwald