Fighting with a mace (SCA)

Llywelyn · Post by **Llywelyn** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 8:27 pm

Greetings,

Well, not that I have been around much, but I have never seen many maces used in combat and never seen one in single combat. I have a really good idea( I hope) for making one, but before I do what is the value of an SCA mace. It doesn't seem to serve any purpose that can't be done by some other weapon, just as easily or more easily.

Llywelyn

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Stay open minded, but not so open minded that your brains fall out.

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I am neater with a 5lbs. cross pein than with a ball point pen!

Ringlancer · Post by **Ringlancer** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 8:36 pm

Fun!

Plus, a hip shot with a mace is a kill.

Bernhart von Bruck · Post by **Bernhart von Bruck** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 9:50 pm

Chello!

I prefer fighting with a short (24") mace to a sword....I can whip it around a lot faster for blocks, strikes, etc than a sword.

Just my nsho...

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"Glory not in apparel at any time, and be not exalted in the day of thy honour: for the works of the Highest only are wonderful, and his works are glorious, and secret, and hidden. Many tyrants have sat on the throne, and he whom no man would think on, hath worn the crown."
Sirach 11: 4-5 (DRV)

Destichado · Post by **Destichado** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 10:15 pm

Shoulder shots are kills, too, if I'm not mistaken.

giles o D · Post by **giles o D** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 1:09 am

from what ive heard, not many use them because people never call the shots because they arent used to the feel.

Ewan · Post by **Ewan** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 1:32 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by giles o D:
from what ive heard, not many use them because people never call the shots because they arent used to the feel.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I used to fight with one. It was a lot of fun and it opened up new shots. The overhead "scorpion wrap" was easier to throw with the mace since the head sits away from the shaft.
In my kingdom, clackers made from rattan are legal. This fixes the problem with people not being used to the sound.

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Ewan of Loch Fynne
Hearthman to Sir Gunther Rorikson.
"In this vocation one should therefore set one's heart and mind on winning honor, which endures forever" - Geoffroi de Charny

Raibeart Lok De la Haye · Wed Apr 09, 2003 3:31 am

Are mace clackers legal in the Middle?

Fearghus Macildubh · Post by **Fearghus Macildubh** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 4:47 am

It depends on your prefered fighting style. If you like to fight in close, then you are good to go. The reason you haven't seen any maces around is probably because SCA combat doesn't give them the credit they deserve. They are slower than swords, are often subject to silly padding restrictions.
Slainte,
Fearghus

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"Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."- Colin Powell

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Diglach Mac Cein · Post by **Diglach Mac Cein** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 6:51 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Raibeart Lok De la Haye:
Are mace clackers legal in the Middle?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Have been for several years....

Dilan

Dalewyn · Post by **Dalewyn** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 7:01 am

I used to fight with a mace years ago, but I'm a runt and I wanted a sword to make up for short arms. I used for fight with much more energy with my mace, I've become more of a counter-puncher with a sword.
I just made a new mace with tennis balls. You use one to cover a thrusting tip at the end, and cut several others in half and tape them in threes around the shaft until you have enough mace head to make you happy. The dollar store around here sells them 3 for $1, so $2, an old mushy sword, some foam for the thrusting tip and some tape makes a cool mace.

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Dalewyn
Dalewyn@dbis.ns.ca
www.AlchemyArmory.com

Lienhart Fischer · Post by **Lienhart Fischer** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 7:33 am

I use one the same make as dales, i used jeans to pad the body too, give it some good weight and the tennis balls give you the hit you need so people will take the shot, Don't leave your mace out in the rain though, its really hard on your elbow to swing a 2 ton mace.
-T

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 8:59 am

(Non-SCA comment).
Legalities of construction and such aside, a mace lets you throw lateral-arm shots that are nonsensical with a sword (imagine your forearm rotating, so your palm alternates orientation. Then put body english on it, and imagine being on the receiving end.) "I've played PingPong in A Minor(tm)" with guy's heads with a mace specifically by exploiting shot angles that are simply unavailable to the sword, and often not covered via the shield that way.

Ewan · Post by **Ewan** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 10:36 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Russ Mitchell:
(Non-SCA comment).
Legalities of construction and such aside, a mace lets you throw lateral-arm shots that are nonsensical with a sword (imagine your forearm rotating, so your palm alternates orientation. Then put body english on it, and imagine being on the receiving end.) "I've played PingPong in A Minor(tm)" with guy's heads with a mace specifically by exploiting shot angles that are simply unavailable to the sword, and often not covered via the shield that way.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

One of the reasons I don't use the mace any longer is the ability to be "lazy" when it comes to edge orientation. There is no such thing as "flat" when it comes to a mace.

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Ewan of Loch Fynne
Hearthman to Sir Gunther Rorikson.
"In this vocation one should therefore set one's heart and mind on winning honor, which endures forever" - Geoffroi de Charny

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 11:43 am

Which is why, as a guy who plays a lot of sabre, I love the mace. It's my "I don't have to think" weapon.

Elias mac Griogair · Post by **Elias mac Griogair** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 10:41 pm

As one who is some what unusual in his style of SCA combat, let me be the first to say that maces are a very FUN weapon to use. I myself use two of them when I fight. as it is I have never really had a problem with people not calling what I believed was a good well thrown shot.
As to making of them all that is what is needed is 2 pieces of sleeping mat foam placed close together. as far as I am aware most of the rules simply state progressive give. this method gives that needed give and still has the mass for the necessary thump
Remember that if you should use the mace think in terms of circles as opposed to the elipse that you would have with a sword throw.

Elias

horsefriend · Post by **horsefriend** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 5:15 pm

I got good enough to knight using a mace. I use a 32" mace, puts the impact area at the same range as the "sweet spot" on most swords.
Maces have many advantages; no flats, extra killing zone(hip), ergonomically efficient (maximum leverage effect), easier than a sword to make look period. Besides, mace and pike are the only weapons I have ANY inherrent skill with.
Downside, when I got real good, the powers that be would lean over and mutter, "you really should use a sword more often, it is THE knightly weapon" After getting repeatedly smacked by that clue stick, I made a sword. Of course, many a fellow has picked up one of my swords and said "Gah!!!, it swings like a mace!!!"

alail/scott

hjalmr · Post by **hjalmr** » Thu Apr 10, 2003 5:59 pm

There is a simple reason why your average person doesn't use a mace. In order to get an opponent to accept a blow from one, you need to make the mace a decent size and wieght. With one of these maces it is hard to hit people with a quick clean shot like with a sword -especially in kingdoms with no shield size limit.

I have a mace that I used in the Middle Kingdom from time to time because the average fighter uses a proportional shield size. Meridies however does not have a shield size limit and so I probably will not use my mace in tournaments (with some exceptions) due to the amount of work I will need to exert just to hit my opponent -a sword is just so much better.

(^_^)

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Hjalmar of Sognefjord
House Bearkiller
Barony of Grey Niche, Meridies.

"True nobility is not measured by being superior to another, but rather by becoming superior to oneself."

[This message has been edited by hjalmr (edited 04-10-2003).]

Adriano · Post by **Adriano** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 7:54 pm

I used to like fighting two-stick. I gave it up because I felt it wouldn't work in real life. But today I tried two new weapons -- an axe (about 29 inches) and a mace (about 25 1/2 inches), both with thrusting tips. Fun! A little rocky at first (I'm getting back into fighting after being out a while for medical reasons, and still slightly suck) but then it started to work.

Mace in left hand, axe in right; I was able to block effectively with either hand, then rush forward, hook my worthy opponent's shield with the axe and clobber him with the mace. I had no idea how satisfying it is to hit somebody on the head with a mace. Had no trouble with people calling the blows.

The balance is defintely different than with a sword, and it gave the muscles of my forearms a workout. I wouldn't recommend a mace much longer than two feet, so it's definitely a close-in weapon.

Samuel · Post by **Samuel** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 9:18 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Adriano:
I used to like fighting two-stick. I gave it up because I felt it wouldn't work in real life. But today I tried two new weapons -- an axe (about 29 inches) and a mace (about 25 1/2 inches), both with thrusting tips. Fun! A little rocky at first (I'm getting back into fighting after being out a while for medical reasons, and still slightly suck) but then it started to work.

Mace in left hand, axe in right; I was able to block effectively with either hand, then rush forward, hook my worthy opponent's shield with the axe and clobber him with the mace. I had no idea how satisfying it is to hit somebody on the head with a mace. Had no trouble with people calling the blows.

The balance is defintely different than with a sword, and it gave the muscles of my forearms a workout. I wouldn't recommend a mace much longer than two feet, so it's definitely a close-in weapon.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Adriano,

im a very dominate handed fighter. (aka my right arm doesnt get a whole lot of kills when fighting righthanded sword and shield)

One of the things that has given me a fighting chance in my off hand is an axe. I use it for rakeing weapons out the way and hooking shields much more than I use it for striking. its usually not expected so you sometimes get that two second pause of "ho crap what do I do now?" when you've got a florentine fighters swords held over to one side under the axe head.

Just figured you may want to try this if you dont already.

Adriano · Post by **Adriano** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 10:27 pm

Thanks, Samuel; sounds like good tactics. I'm gonna keep playing around with it.

I'd like to see more variety in tournaments and on the melee field; contemporary illustrations show lots of axes, maces, short spears, etc. that we don't use much. Fun stuff.

Hun · Post by **Hun** » Mon Apr 14, 2003 2:11 pm

You could also try a club...
Construction is easy, one big head tapering all the way down to the handle. Mount a lanyard above the handle for better leverage.
Cover in brown duct tape for that "real wood look" It's even period for tournements throughout the medieval period.

David Blackmane · Post by **David Blackmane** » Tue Apr 15, 2003 1:49 pm

Knightly weapon indeed. Knights used polearms, axes and maces as well. A halbard or bec de corbin is just as deadly up close as a sword is.

As to the mace, it is more versatile and requires less skill to use than the sword, and is more deadly in that respect. a blow from a mace is effective no matter the angle it comes from. I'd personally like to see more of them on the field.

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Lassen Sie lose die Hundes des Krieges

Milan · Post by **Milan** » Tue Apr 15, 2003 2:15 pm

Maces are definitely a good war weapon. Here in Calafia, Caid maces and axes are very common because they don't bind on spears as much as broad swords do on a battle field. I know a lot of you might not be accustomed to war fighting but here in Calafia we are very war oriented. My mace gets more use than my broad sword and my glaive never gets put down until the fighting is over.

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Milan Ivanovic
Drafn, Wolfpack glaiveman
Part time armorer