Do's and Don'ts of Events

I had a longer post written, but somehow lost a good chunk somewhere.  Hopefully most of what was lost is still covered.

After arriving at the site, your first stop should be "troll".  This is where you'll sign in and pay for the event. Information and a map are also usually found here, as are any rules specific to the site. It is a good idea to know what rules the event is using ahead of time (Belegarth, Dagorhir, or some Realm's specific rules), and read up on any differences between your home practice and the event.  When in doubt, ask when you arrive.

After checking in, drop off your gear at weapons check (if it is open). If you haven't already marked your gear in a way you can identify it, do so before dropping it off.  Also, make sure they are marked according the rules (like green tape on the pommel for a stabbing sword).

The biggest events are a series of day events strung together with entertainment, feasts, nightlife, and camping.  After you are all checked in and waiting for weapons to be checked, it is a good time to set up camp (and change into garb). Most realms/groups camp together.  The map at troll often has these campsites marked to help you find where to set up with your group.

Before weapons check closes, there will usually be a variety of sparring, classes, and pick up battles.  This is a good chance to fight a few veterans from other realms.  If you aren't sure who to talk to, ask a vet from your realm to introduce you to a few people.

After a long day of fighting, there will usually be a Feast provided by the event, followed by any nightlife at the various group camps.  To really get a feel for each of the units and realms camping out, you need to go visit their camps.  It is best to travel around with a vet that knows the various groups well.  Just be sure to say "Hail Camp" as you approach so they know someone is coming to visit.  Introduce yourself and hang out for a while.

Sometimes, units will have ceremonies, promotions, and the like.  Most of the time, outsiders aren't welcome for them.  If they ask you to leave, do so, but don't feel bad about it.  They are probably just about to have a meeting or other unit business that doesn't involve you.

A few do's and don'ts of events:

1) DO: Take your hits!  I'm required to say that first.  Do your best to take them accurately and portray them quickly.  If you get confused, just take death.

2) DON'T: Call your hits on other people. It is on their honor to take them (see number 1).  If you have problems with an individual, ask a herald.

3) DO: Hit hard.  More adrenaline, more armor, and long days of fighting seem to increase people's hit tolerance at events. Shots that might get taken at a local practice may not be hard enough for someone to feel through armor and in the heat of the moment.

4) DON'T: Hit too hard.  There is no reason to go at 100% full force on your swings.  You want to strike a balance between power and control. Safety is key.

5) DO: Seek advice, training, and sparring during breaks.  If you see someone fight well in a style you want to learn, ask them to spar or for some tips.  Most veterans are happy to share their experience.

6) DO: Swing!! A lot of fighters find event fighting intimidating.  Just go for it.  You'll probably die one way or another during a battle, it might as well be while taking someone else out with you.

7) DON'T: Dive headfirst into the enemy. Aggression is good, but carelessly throwing your life away isn't helping your team.  Wait for a good opportunity.

8) DON'T: Walk through the weapons check area!  You will be yelled at, I promise.  Always walk around.  We don't want someone getting hit with a backswing because they walked through.

9) DO: Have fun, on and off the field. Even if you aren't winning fights, have a good time trying something fun.  Take in the opportunity to socialize with long time veterans and various units.

10) DON'T: Overdo it. Many events are at dry parks, but where alcohol is permitted, be responsible. The last thing you want is to be carried back to your tent or make a terrible impression. Besides, too much consumption will likely ruin your next day of fighting.

11) DO: Be respectful of other camps. This is their home for the week, so respect the rough boundaries around camps and their property.  "Hail Camp" before entering their area.

12) DO: Volunteer to help.  Events are a ton of work.  If you are qualified to help in some way, don't hesitate to volunteer.  Even if they don't need help, you can always make sure to clean up your campsite and trash.

13) DON'T: Argue with heralds.  Take the hits they call.  If you disagree, ask them after the fight.

14) DO: Know the rules. Even vets should reread the rules on occasion. Any rules that deviate from the national rules are likely to be posted at the event.  See this post: Unwritten Rules.

15) DO: Sign up for classes ahead of time.  All sorts of classes are made available at big events, both for fighting and crafting. This is a great chance to learn from veterans and skilled craftsmen.

16) DO: Arrive early.  Try to be at the event as/before weapons check opens.

17) DO: Hydrate! It is easy to forget to take a break and grab some water. I pack a mix of water and sports drinks, along with a few easy snacks.

18) DO: Check your gear ahead of time.  Even if you aren't sure how to check weapons, have a vet check your gear a few weeks before the event.  This gives you time to make repairs and break in new blades.

Unwritten Rules

If you've read the Book of War for Belegarth, you've heard of "medieval combat precedent".  The phrase gets tossed out quite a bit during rules discussions, especially those between fighters from various realms/regions.  Part of the reason for this is that the rules for Belegarth (and Dagorhir) leave several items open to interpretation.  The rules are sparse to allow ease of use, which also means some rules aren't fully explained.

This leaves us with a several "grey" areas that some people play a little differently than the rules might suggest.  The following list is by no means comprehensive, but covers a few of the most common.  Check with your local realms and events to see how they play the them.

In no particular order:

1) "Shot in motion".  According to the rules, when your arm gets hit (or your body), you drop what is in your hands.  However, a large portion of the sport plays shot in motion, where you can finish any swing that was already started and have it count, within reason.  The opposite approach is "atomic clock", where the swing is discounted immediately.

2) "Double tapped legs". Subsequent strikes to a disabled leg are ignored, unless both knees are down or you are rolling, etc.  However, many play that you must be portraying the wound before that rule applies, meaning two hits to the leg while you are standing can kill you.  You can avoid any confusion by taking the wound quickly (and wearing good knee pads...).

3) "Grappling".  Armored fighters can't initiate grapples against unarmored fighters. Archers can't grapple.  However, the rules don't mention grabbing equipment.  Grabbing a spear shaft isn't generally considered a grapple.  But what about a sword handle, a strap shield? There isn't much precedent, so I usually use safety as a test.  An archer grabbing a spear to defend themself isn't placing the spearman in danger (6' away), but grabbing a weapon handle might place both of them in danger of the poky bits from the arrows and bow. My opponent can easily let go of their weapon to get out of the situation if I grab their handle, but not if I grab their strap shield.

4) "Head, then body".  The rules say to take the worst of the hits of a strike hits more than one zone. But the head is an illegal target, so what happens when a shot hits the head, then hits body?  Two sides to this one, either the "worst" means "bad for you, take the body" or "illegal target is worst, ignore the rest".  Precedent, from back when, was that this is a body shot.  Recently, more people air on the side of it being counted as a head shot.  I generally try to gauge it based on how much of a head hit it was.  Grazing a bit of an ear and landing solid on body, it's a body shot.  Blazing me in the side of the dome and carrying a somewhat light hit down into the body, it's a headshot.  This varies greatly from fighter to fighter.  Best advice, avoid hitting people in the head.

5) "Late hits". See number 1. Your opponent throws a shot after he's been hit in that arm, so it doesn't count.  But, you got hit and started dropping your gear.  He says "late", implying you are still alive and should keep fighting.  All fine and good.  Though, none of this is in the rules.  Normally, if you take an injury, the herald is the only one that can/should "heal" a wound, and even that is a stretch.  However, "late" calls help keep people happy and fighting, and are generally accepted.  Just give fighters nearby a friendly heads up that you are still alive.  If you've been dead for a while, just stay dead, especially if being alive again would give you a very big advantage (behind enemy lines, etc) that you didn't already have.

6) "Point!". Guy throws a javelin, hits with the haft, then yells "point!" expectantly, thinking he has landed a good, point first javelin hit.  The rules are honor based, you are in no way bound to his call of point,  if it indeed hit with the haft.  This call is something that probably should be replaced with "haft" or "nothing" when the thrower is pretty sure the hit wasn't valid, or "javelin" if someone is looking around to see what hit them.

7) "Pool cueing double greens". There was recently a large discussion about this one.  Pool cueing is letting the spear/glaive slide through one hand while pushing with the other.  Dagorhir specifically labels this as a one-handed stab, Bele doesn't specify. I call them as a single when I glaive, but others want to call them double.  This is because the rules say "when wielded with two hands", leaving the amount of effort applied by the second hand undefined. Many play it like Dagorhir, where both hands have to be firmly gripping the weapon from the start of the stab until contact is made.

8) "Calling colors". While the Belegarth rules only specify that you need to call "two" when attacking from behind with a two-handed weapon, the general practice is to call the type of hit if it is anything other than a one-handed, swung weapon. Preference seems to be calling colors: red for class two and green for class three, while calling blue for one handers from behind.  Also, calling stabs as "single" or "double" is acceptable, especially for polearms that switch between one and two handed often.

9) "acknowledging hits". Calling hand, armor, light, garb, graze, pierced arms, and any other call about how you got hit and didn't take a wound or die isn't required by the rules.  However, playability says otherwise.  Even if it is a few second afterwards, a call can help clear up the situation and prevent your opponent from getting upset that you aren't taking hits.  As long as you are correctly taking your hits, missing a call here or there isn't the end of the world, just do your best to call what you can.

10) "Solid Shield Breaking Hits".  Different places have different standards on how hard a class two weapon needs to hit a shield to qualify as a shield breaking hit, especially when adding in Dagorhir* realms.  Some realms encourage the idea that it only needs to be as hard it would need to be to count against a limb. Most large events play it as needing a significant amount of extra power to break shields.  This probably comes from the historical/practical argument of "would that shot have actually damaged a shield in a significant way".  I prefer the heavier hitting style, on both sides of the hit.  As a two-hander, I'd rather people only take "good" swings, rather than lighter hits that weren't intended to break their shield.  As a shieldman, I expect other red users to be capable of the same hits.

*Dagorhir has a few extra rules towards discounting the hits that could easily be misread to mean "if it hits a weapon first, it doesn't count." As best I can tell, that isn't at all the intention, but I have seen it played as such.
---
Parting thought: bastard swords (min red) aren't really intended to be great for breaking shields. Try hunting armor instead.

Heralds

Dude, I totally killed you."
"There's no way that was your arm, you're dead."
"Point, that javelin killed you."

--Random, but common phrases uttered on the fields of Belegarth and Dagorhir.


First off, a reminder: heralds/marshals are the only people who can call someone "dead" or even bring someone back to life.  Archers are the only fighters that can call their shots (as in that arrow hit you in the torso, not arm). Even calling "point" on a javelin is pushing the boundaries of acceptable practices, especially if you follow it with the expectation that they take the hit.  Granted, I occasionally find myself questioning how someone took (or didn't take) a hit, but I usually try to ask them when the fight is over. Or keep swinging until one of us calls themself dead.

"But what if I know, 100%, that guy is cheating?"

Well, that is why we have heralds.  Ideally, their presence alone will keep most people honest, to the best of their hit registering ability.  Of course, people will miss shots or end up in a confusing situations.  This is where heralds start making calls in order to clean up the situation.

Not every call they make will be 100% accurate, and that is ok.  They are trying to fix a bad situation, and will do their best to call someone dead before things get too complicated or messy.  They also won't hesitate to call people dead for safety reasons, because maintaining a safe field is far more important than one fighter's success.

"That herald made a bad call, I disagree, I'll give him a piece of my mind."

Adrenaline plus being told you are dead, when "clearly" you weren't, trips that moment when you want to argue with someone.  Stop, breath, calm down.  Remember, Bele and Dag specifically give heralds the right to kick you off of the field if you are being a problem. Arguing with one probably is a quick way to get them to send you to the sidelines.  And if they don't, I know quite a few people that would be happy to escort you there.

After the fight, ask them, politely. Sometimes their vantage point gives them a better angle to judge some shots.  Other times it is worse.  Sometimes what you felt and what they saw are two very different things.  They made the call that seemed the most appropriate from their perspective. Oh well, move along, the next fight is starting in about ten seconds.

"I've never seen that herald fight, they don't know enough to call hits."

Fighting and heralding are two very different things.  There are good fighters that are terrible at it, and there are people that rarely or never fight that are incredible at it.  Odds are, if a non-fighter is heralding, they've actually read and studied the rules far more than most fighters.  I also know quite a few great heralds that rarely fight today, but have a long career before you even caught a glimpse of them.

Do we really think NFL, NBA, or NHL refs are amazing, former pro players?  Probably not, but they have spent a good deal of time learning how to do the job.

"I want to herald!"

Great.  First things first, read the rules, a few times. Make sure to ask vets how your realm (or event) are handling any grey areas (that probably should be another post, huh?).  I don't recommend starting at an event, get some training by following a good herald at a local practice. Make sure to ask what they are seeing and hearing. And yes, the sound of a sword hitting a shield is different that it hitting a body.

Different heralds have different approaches.  I air on the side of "looked like it was probably blocked enough to be light" and try to only make calls if truly necessary.  Others take the "I saw it make contact and he didn't call light, so he's dead" approach, and make several calls.  Neither are perfect; I miss a few shots that should be called, but their style makes a few more "bad" calls.  Try to strike a balance and set a standard for when you want to step in and make a call.  Just be sure you are close to the fight, move with the battle.

Oddly enough, I usually end up making far more calls about arrows than poor hit taking. Archers and targets can't always see deflection or where the arrow hit.  Being perpendicular to the shot gives you a great angle to judge. Because arrow rules are less well know to newer fighters and smaller realms, this is when knowing the rulebook well comes in handy.

TL;DR: Listen to heralds, they are doing you a favor by running the field so everyone else can fight.

Take your hits!

Glaive

Okfest was a great event. Had a great time. I also had several people ask me for a few tips and tricks to using a glaive. I have a guide floating around the net, though it is a bit out of date. If you want to see a sampling of glaive fighting, check out this video. (I may be a little biased to recommend watching it...)
I decided it might be a good idea to jot down the basics from scratch, because I haven't thought about it for a while. This is geared mostly towards learning to break shields in an safe and efficient way. This isn't always the best place to start for someone completely new to red weapons, so I'd recommend some practice off the field to gauge your ability to do so safely.

One of the first things I hear from people (except those using a ultralight glaive) is about how heavy the weapon is. Most people attempt to wield it more like a spear, and try generating power for shield breaking hits from a low stance. That is rarely going to work and will be very tiring.

The weight in the head of a glaive is a great tool to use to help you get good, solid hits. Starting with a high stance, gravity will do most of the work. You really only have to push/pull for the first half of the swing to get a medium power shield break. Much more than that is mostly wasted effort and adds a bit of danger. Applying too much power for the strike usually means you will spend that much extra to recover from it.

Shield Breaking

The main shield breaking hit I use starts in a high stance, with the tip of the glaive being nearly pointed strait up, then coming down at around a 45 degree angle. The angle changes for safety and space available to swing.  Tightly packed lines make this more dangerous and push the swing to more of a 60-70 degree angle. The target is the shoulder, not the shield. If they block, great, it is probably a solid, shield breaking hit. If they don't, they are dead, even better. Obviously, there is inherent danger to the target's head here, so please get some practice before going onto the field and trying this.

Of course, without a proper base, all that weight swinging around will take you off balance. Take a nice, wide stance, with your front leg and top hand on the same side as you are striking at, ie. right foot/hand forward for breaking shields. Grip the glaive so that your back/bottom hand is against the pommel and your front/top hand is close to the incidental padding. While swinging, this gives you a good mix of control and range.  Moving your front hand back reduces control, but adds reach and vise versa.

As you swing, you will shift your weight forward, bending the front knee slightly. With the swing, push out with your front hand as you pull your back hand towards your hip. As you recover, you shift your weight back, extending the front leg and pulling your lead hand back. This not only helps generate power, but also modifies your range in the most advantageous way. You gain several inches of reach for striking, and then take away that much from the enemy's counter.  By pulling your center of gravity and hand back, you also block off one of the most probable returns, that which targets your arm closest to the enemy.

If your hits aren't landing sufficient to break a shield, add a little bit of twist in your hip and push/pull through a wider part of your swing. If you feel too slow on recovery, back off some of your power for the swing. Ideally, you want to ride the fine line between speed and power until you can safely throw a large number of shots quickly that will still be hard enough to break shields.  All of that being secondary to safety.  Only add power when absolutely necessary, because more power means more risk to the opponent.

High to Low Sweep

Without doubt, there are many other targets than shields. The reason to learn/master the above is so you develop body mechanics that help you with other strikes, and to get into a flow that will reduce the chances of headshots. Your next primary target is then the opponent's lead leg. If you start from the high stance, you can switch to targeting a leg mid-swing by lifting your back hand. The effect should be a smooth curve, pulling around the shield to hit mid-calf or higher.

High to Low sweep at close range, at about the point of impact.
Photo by: Ellie Apland

Most people learning this shot at first put more effort into it than needed, resulting in a lot of wasted effort.  That "smooth" feeling is from letting the glaive do the work.  The proper leg hit here is actually less effort than a heavy shield hit.  You are still doing the push/pull mechanic with your arms, but are now doing so more to change the direction than to add power.  If you find your back/abs/arms are getting sore or feeling overworked doing this shot, change when you start the curve (when you raise your back hand).  Also, remember, the front/top hand ends up going through a curved motion and should act as a fulcrum for the glaive's rotation, but you are letting gravity do the work of adding most of the power to the shot.

The first few times you try this, you'll see a good bit of success, especially at events.  However, veteran fighters will look to cut the angle of the attack off, either by advancing into the incidental padding or pushing their shield down to cut off the curve before it gets to their leg.  You really need to make this more of a "as needed" shot, rather than your main tool.  Make them raise their shield by throwing a few good shoulder shots, then switch to one of these.  With an ultralight glaive, you can also fake this shot, then go for their shoulder.

High to Low to Backhand

Should you miss the leg sweep (or do so intentionally), you now have the glaive on the opponent's sword side, under their guard. This is the perfect opportunity to hit them with a backhand strike. Targeting their arm or armpit mirrors the body mechanics of the normal recovery from a swing. To hit lower (under their guard towards the hip), you'll need to roll your right shoulder back. Rocking back here causes the blade to rotate so you don't flat them and changes the angle of recovery to hit them hip level. It should feel like you are leaning back, into the swing.  This also adds to the overall power of the shot.

You will rarely be breaking shields here, but you can easily generate the power needed to punch through body armor.  Even if you only manage a light shield shot, you've now forced the opponent to worry about you.  Very few will rush against the backhand, because they will often have to open themselves up (or punch block a glaive...) in order to get to you without taking a hip shot. 

This is where working with another reach weapon can really make a difference. By pressuring the lower sword side, the opponent is usually going to expose their upper shield side.  If you have a buddy glaive to your right, the normal shield breaking swing will often be a shoulder shot now.  Even someone with a longsword might benefit from the opening you make here.

Suppression

The other nice thing about the backhand is that you don't have to target the person that you "missed" with the leg sweep.  Once the sweep is completed, you can pull your hands in a bit and sweep past your initial target, then extend your arms to hit a different target altogether. By switching targets in this way, it forces a larger group of people to worry about you. It also keeps that new target from rushing you, which he was probably thinking about when you swung. This is what I generally refer to as "suppression", pushing your weight around to force people to deal with you.

The ones pointed out are prime targets to be dispatched by either you, or your buddy with a polearm.  The corner's of a kill pocket offer you targets if a friendly polearm is stuck in the middle of one. 

 

Regardless of the actual damage you deal, suppressing a group of enemies, at the very least, buys your team time to deal with them. One sweep can get 5-6 people to back up or shift their stance to dodge.  Several sweeps and stabs can cause a large kill pocket to form around you, but not advance. This is dangerous for you, but does open a few people up.  The enemy to either side of the kill pocket (the ones that didn't curve away from you) are now exposed on their flank facing the kill pocket. This is a GREAT time to switch positions to the edge of the pocket, and destroy one of those guys. 

If you see another glaive suppressing a kill pocket, those edges are also a great spot to line up in support.  The corners of the pocket (the first guy turned in a bit) are weak to just outside of the pocket. You can line up roughly across from the first guy that didn't turn into the pocket and stab along the side of the pocket.  You won't get too many stabs in before they end up shifting to counter it, but if you hurry, you might break the pocket open.

Supply Lines

Many of the notable works about military strategy (Art of War, The Prince, etc) talk at length about supply lines. Sword fighters often disregard those chapters because it rarely comes into play. While much of the more large scale, strategic applications will rarely be simulated by Belegarth, it did occur to me that sometimes we see a smaller scale of supply lines: respawns.

At WAR this weekend, it became paramount to control the flow of respawns, much as one might cut off supplies before a siege, etc. Those paths that connected the respawn point to an objective could be compared to a main supply route. By raiding or blockading such areas, a team could reduce the enemy's ability to reinforce or control objectives.




I may have swapped my colors around.  This is what it looked like during the first round (actual headband colors are opposite).  Not to scale, of course, but the path for the red respawn is more direct to the action, and is very difficult to cut off from its own castle.

Red team used this idea to come back from a large deficit in the second half. Rather than simply attack and hold the objectives, the team pushed past them to control the supply lines, leaving only a small reserve to secure the objective. Of course, this strategy was much stronger from the higher, more open ground which red team started with in the second round.

From the forest side, this strategy is much harder, largely because the open field allows the hill side free access to two objectives from their respawn point. That makes it only really possible for a strong forest team to choke off three points from the enemy supply route. The hill side can, with less people, choke off all five objectives from the supply route. Previous years saw some of this, but the forest side castle and respawn point were in slightly better positions to counteract blockades.  Due to the location this year, the blue respawn point doesn't force the enemy to fight on two fronts to siege the castle.



Correct team coloring this time.  Red team had all five points controlled early by blocking off the two main supply routes out of the blue team respawn.  Thanks to a sneaky group (and Liz, all her fault), they were able to deploy a small force behind red lines.

You can see in the above picture, that a small force of red team was able to tie up a much larger force, using the natural choke points and limiting the blue team's ability to attack anywhere other than a prepared front.  Because blue team needs to get out of this choke point in order to gain any ground, they have to be very aggressive in attacking.  This makes kill pockets and solid defense with support weapons extremely effective for the red team.

Valkyries (mobile respawn points) could act as forward bases, opening new supply lines for their team.  While often they end up being more of a tool for getting troops to the front faster, this role as a sort of supply base also allowed a team to break blockades with a small number of troops.  By taking a longer, more difficult path around the enemy, the Valkyrie and a small group could end up behind enemy lines.

It was thanks to this raid on the backfield that allows blue team some room to breathe and finally push out of the choke points.  Even though the group in the backfield was small, the additional casualties weakens the front line and runs through Valkyrie respawns quickly.  It also forces red team to take a wider front to try to block off the advance.

The backfield raiding, though, wasn't quite enough to stifle the damage already done by red team holding all five objectives for an extended period, but it did prevent them from gaining a decisive lead.  The final score was only separated by a single point (equivalent to 1 minute of holding your own castle).

TL;DR: The path to the respawn point acts as a supply route in traditional military strategy.  Take the supply route and you can control the area much more effectively.

Shield Work

It just occurred to me, after demonstrating how to kill a legged opponent to a new fighter, that I had completely missed the topic of shield work on here. Most early training focuses on defense and a few basic strikes, but often misses the utility of using a shield on the offense.

I realize some of this needs to be elaborated on, or at least needs pictures. I'll see if I can't get around to updating it soon*.

Bashing
Knocking people over can sometimes be the simplest way to finish a fight or break a stalemate. Unless your opponents are pretty decent with the wrap shot while falling, a good shield bash can leave you with a variety of openings to exploit. If you manage to knock then down, their legs will become the obvious targets. If they keep their footing (or stay up on that knee), you might get a chance to hit an opening as they use their arms to balance, thereby opening their guard slightly.

One thing to keep in mind while bashing is that your shield will have a tendency to rise while extending your arms. This gives you a good chance of bashing someone in the face, or pushing their shield into it. It is advisable to bend at the knees and then lean into the bash, thus giving it extra power and reducing the chances of face bashing due to the lowered stance. Placing your sword hand behind the shield and pushing will add a little extra stability.

The risk with bashing, is that you bring the plane of defense inside your opponents threat range. This makes it much easier for swings to get around your shield. Placing your bash slightly off-center, towards the opponent's sword, mitigates some of the risk. Regardless of precaution, wrap shots are still deadly at this range.

Checking/Punching
Shield contact is useful for moving the opponent's guard. Doing so without closing in to bash is often safer and can prove more effective. The key to a good shield punch or check is to move their guard while cutting off their angle of attack. A punch to the sword-side edge, for example, opens their shield side to attack while pushing their sword side back. Because of the position of the shields, their only clear targets are your shield leg and a high cross to the chest.

Checking their sword side is much safer, as their offense is pushed away and the angle of attack is more in your favor. Checking to the shield side is more dangerous (except in the case of lefty vs righty). When checking the shield side, your defenses move over, cutting off much of your own angles while offering your opponent a clear shot at your shield shoulder

The angle of the shield during a punch is usually vertical, hitting along the slot between their sword and shield. This causes the opposite edge to open up. Changing the angle changes the opening. Punching at a 45 degree angle along the top (read: dangerously close to face) opens the bottom edge to a hip wrap. Punching with the edge across the face of the shield acts much like a longer ranged bash, but opens up even more of your lower body. Punching downward (trying to catch some of the sword side curve on a round) sometimes lowers their defense against high crosses.

The Rip
A rip is using the back of the shield edge to pull open the opponent's defenses. By itself, it is fairly risky, greatly exposing your chest to high crosses or stabs from down swords. The range is much closer than more shield work, excluding the bash. I find that leading into the rip with a short cross to their sword while closing the distance to be quite effective. If you are lucky, the cross will force their sword into the path of the rip. In that case, the rip will turn all of their defense to their shield side, allowing you to easily dispatch them with a high cross.

If you miss the sword, they have two options. They can attack your shield side (which will become exposed as you follow through), or they can defend their exposed chest. Attacking means they will still be open to the high cross. Defending will negate the risk, but only serves to reset the fight into a very close range.

A note here, they can counter the rip with a short cross or high cross, potentially killing you or tying up your sword. Mitigate your risk by executing the whole combination (cross, rip, cross, for example) quickly. The less time your opponent has between steps, the less likely they are to counter.

Lands, Units, and Gear

I've had several people ask me a few good questions lately, so I thought it was probably a good idea to do another post.

I saw a thing on forgedfoam.com, can I get it delivered to practice?

The short answer is probably. Sirs Galin and Piper run the shop and frequent our practices. If they aren't too busy, they will usually accommodate such requests. Just send an email to orders@forgedfoam.com and ask before, instead of doing any orders. Makes sure to let them know you are a new fighter in Numenor.

Can I make my own gear?

Yes. A few recommendations here though. Get a vet to help you with your first attempts. Forged Foam does sell materials, and the foam they have is far better than using what you will find at Walmart. When in doubt, talk to some of us vets and we'll steer you in the right direction.

What is this lands thing I keep hearing about?

In the feudal system, a lord might give his knights lands to live on. Each knight would then have civilians living on their lands. Something like that anyway.

We are trying to emulate that within the local group by having knights take a few new people under their wing (living on their lands). Squires and retainers help the knights tend to their lands, mostly by helping train new fighters.

As they can, Knights and their subordinates will help get new fighters trained and into basic garb, with a goal of ensuring them some success at Oktoberfest. We might do a few lands battles or divvy up teams by lands on occasion, so knights get a chance to fight along side those living on their lands.

Fair warning, this is an old system that is being used for the first time in many years.

How do lands and units interact?

They don't. You can be part of any unit, regardless of whose land you are on. 

What exactly is a unit, anyway?

From a few friends that all want to wear the same style of garb, to extensive groups spread across the country, units are usually groups that work together on the field and enjoy hanging out off the field. At events like Oktoberfest, they'll almost always camp together.

Different units usually have different goals when fighting. Dark Guard likes to flank, Uruk-hai is usually armored up line fighters, and Dunedain teaches everyone archery. Talk to different people and ask about their unit, if you are interested. If you go to Oktoberfesr, ask a vet to show you around so you can meet units that don't have a local following.

Rules of the Game Part Three

Last week, I covered most of the basic rules and a few that are harder to follow in the rulebook. Today I want to recap some of what Treethump discussed Saturday before the event and a few odds and ends that have come up. If you think of other questions, let me know.

I'm sure many of you got introduced to missile weapons pretty well during bridge battles. Just remember, they do damage just like stabs and ignore armor (except helmets). Head and body are kill shots. All missile weapons must deflect 30 degrees to count, instead of the sufficient force rule.

You can only block arrows with shields. Intentionally blocking with your weapon or attempting to catch an arrow causes death. This is to discourage creating an unsafe situation by causing an arrow to flip over. Arrows travel through weapons (and hand on weapon), hitting whatever is behind it. Unlike normal, archers can call what their arrow hits. Even if you think they are wrong, just take it.

Javelins can be blocked by any means. They are padded for safety all around, so swing at them, catch them, or block them with your shield. It is up to you whether it hit you, but the person throwing it will usually call it off (saying haft or shaft) when they know it wasn't a good hit. If they know it flew strait, they'll let you know it was flying "point" first. That means if you felt the hit, it was probably good.

***

I also had some people ask about hitting each other at about the same time and who wins, etc. By the rules, once you are dead, you stop moving, drop your gear, and look dead. You will find, however, that it isn't always possible or safe to drop immediately during a swing. It can also be hard to distinguish who hit first.

This is why a significant amount of people play "shot in motion". The idea is that any swing that started before you were hit can finish its motion and counts. Anything after that is considered "late". It is up to whoever is swinging to decide if their shot was on time, so take the hit unless they call it off. If you aren't sure your swing was on time, call it off.

Anytime a shot is called off, either as "late" or a herald says it doesn't count, be courteous to those around you and announce you are back in the fight. Try to give your opponents fair warning like "still alive" rather than just getting up and swinging.

***

"I got hit, but I don't know if it was body or arm". Anytime you aren't sure, take the worst, in this case, body. The same logic applies anytime you aren't sure you are dead. If you can't decide, just take death, you'll be back up fighting in a minute anyway.

***

"I took the damage, but never actually got hit". Sometimes, especially for new fighters, our bodies just do the wrong thing and take a knee when we got hit in the hand, or other oddities. Any time you call yourself dead, take a knee, or put your arm behind your back, keep the damage, even if you didn't aim to. This is much more important in larger fights than in duels. We want to avoid someone calling dead, then getting back up after people have ignored them.

Rules of the Game Part Two

The other day, I talked about random rules that aren't always clearly written. Today, I want to recap rules we discussed at practice for reds and greens (that's class two and three from the Book of War, respectively), and armor.

Armor is fairly straightforward, it gives each area covered one extra hit. Regardless of how many different pieces of armor cover a hit zone, it still just gets one extra hit, and only if the armor was hit. For example, if I had two pieces of armor on my leg, a hit to either of them takes all of the armor on my leg. A second hit to the armor acts just like a normal hit, disabling the limb. If your first hit finds its way to a gap where there isn't armor, it takes the limb, ignoring the armor.

There are a few more rules for armor, like how thick, what materials, how much it has to cover, and who you can grapple. I'll leave those out until people seem interested in getting armored up. Just ask one of us knights if you are curious.

Greens are stabbing weapons. A stab to the body kills, just like a normal strike. Stabs to limbs act a little different. You still take the hit like normal, dropping your gear or going to a knee. However, these pierced limbs don't count towards you being dead, you can be stabbed in both legs and both arms without being dead.

Represent pierced arms by letting it dangle at your side, rather than putting it behind your back. If you get stabbed in that arm again, you can ignore it at call "pierced arm". Once someone comes along and hits a pierced limb with a swing, it starts to count towards death, so you would put your arm behind your back to show it has been hacked off.

There isn't a great way to show that you leg is pierced, rather than hacked off. If your opponent wasn't there to see you get stabbed, a little advanced warning is considered polite. Start the fight saying "right leg pierced" so they know.

If both legs have been stabbed, or one stabbed and the other hacked, both of your knees will be on the ground. This means the "dead leg" rule doesn't apply. The dead leg rule also doesn't apply if only one leg is pierced (with the other intact and up), meaning it will get hacked off and then be a dead leg.

Reds are two handed slashing weapons. All weapons can be wielded with two hands, but reds do a little extra when used that way. Swung one handed, they just act like any sword. With both hands, they ignore armor and can break shields.

Two solid, two handed hits from a red breaks a shield. After the first hit, say "One" so they know they damaged it. After the second hit, it is broken. Once broken, you need to drop it. If for some reason you can't, further hits to a broken shield count as hits to your arm. Since hits to a hacked arm count as body, this means that four red swings to a shield can kill you, even if you have full armor.

"Solid" is up to whoever takes the hit to their shield. In general, it should be hard enough to move a shield with a wooden core a bit. Most people expect it to be harder than a one handed strike would be. As a new fighter, just assume it was solid.

Later this week, I'll talk about late hits, missile weapons, and any questions that come up at practice. Hopefully we'll see you all Saturday for Fall Opener, our first day event of the semester.

Rules of the Game

We introduce new fighters to the sport with a few simple rules. No headshots, one hit to body is dead, and losing two limbs is dead. Hit to the arm is represented by dropping whatever it is carrying and putting the arm behind your back. Hits to the leg are displayed by dropping to a knee (keep the other up).

Pretty simple, but there is a larger rule set we use for everyday practice and events called The Book of War. It is written and revised by people all across the country, including local representatives. Despite our efforts, it is a little daunting to read through the first few times. Today I want to talk about a few rules that are important, but not always clearly written out in the rules. We'll be going over more this week as well.

Heralds/Marshals -- Our version of a referee, wearing a yellow tabard. The only person that can call someone dead or bring someone back to life. Our vets might help you learn the rules by letting you know something has killed you, this is an exception to how it is usually done.

"Hold"--someone yelling this stops fighting for the entire field. Drop to a knee and stop fighting immediately because there is a safety or medical concern. Once the problem is clear, a herald will call "resume positions" and then "lay on" to restart the fight.

Hand on weapon/equipment-- Hits to your hand count as arm, unless you are holding a weapon or shield in it. At that point, it just counts as part of the weapon. That means you can use your hand on weapon to block, just say "hand" so your opponent knows.

Dead limbs -- once an arm has been hacked off, any further hits count as a hit to the body. Once you've lost a leg, further hits are ignored (say "dead leg"). This only works if your knee is on the ground and your other one is up. If it isn't clear which leg is the dead one, a hit to either kills you.

Double taps -- getting hit two or more times in rapid succession to the same spot counts, even if you haven't displayed the injury. As in, if I hit you twice in the arm before you've even dropped your weapon, the second shot counts as body.

Foot on ground -- hits to your foot count as leg, unless it is on the ground. At that point, you can ignore the hit and call "foot on ground".

Hit zones -- wrist counts as arm. Ankle counts as leg. Butt, crotch, and the tops of your shoulders count as body. Neck/head start at the base of your neck. No Neck or Head Shots!

Light/Graze/Garb -- you might hear veteran fighters calling these out. You have to hit with sufficient force for your strikes to count. This first week, we'll be trying to take lighter shots while you are learning, but it is a hard habit to break. For now, just take any shots you feel.

Friendly fire -- definitely not friendly, hits from your team still count. Even your own sword hitting you can count. That includes someone else hitting your sword into you.

Welcome New Fighters

So you've had your first taste of fighting and enjoyed it. Of course, it is a lot to take in, techniques to learn, rules to get used to, people to get to know. This post will help you find your way into the sport of Belegarth.

Where to start? If you've made it here, then you are probably already on the local group's Facebook page (Realm of Numenor!). I'll toss some more useful links down at the bottom of the page.



This is the small event we were at yesterday.  The cones are the edge of a 'bridge' in front of the enemy castle. 

I had several questions from new fighters, so I thought I would put together a small FAQ to help you all out.

Q: How do I join the club?
A: If you've joined the Facebook group, that's about it.  Show up and hit people at the scheduled practice times.  We'll have extra gear to loan out.  We do have a mailing list you can sign up for later this week, but most of the info you'll want will be posted on the Facebook page.

Q: Do I need to bring anything?
A: We have plenty of gear for you to use, but a few essentials like kneepads or padded gloves are a great investments.  Most sporting good stores sell both items.  Many of us use volleyball kneepads and padded lifting or MMA gloves.  As always, bringing water and wearing clothes you don't mind dirtying up is probably a good idea.

Q: I have a question or problem, who should I talk to?
A: The local realm has a great group of veteran fighters that can help you out.  Knights (the ones with the fancy garb and heater shield, like home base) take charge of the local group and have lots of experience with fighting.  Don't be intimidated by all the armor or angry face on the field, we're here to help.  Our squires (knights in training) all are seasoned fighters and usually wear a white tabard.  Any of them should be able to help you out, or direct you to one of us knights if they aren't sure.

The Knights of Numenor. These are the people you should go to if you need help.

Q: The rules seemed a little too simple, is there anything else I should know?
A: We use the simplest, abbreviated version of the rules for events like Quad Day, so you can come out and get into the fighting quickly.  The full version of the rules can be found on the Belegarth Wiki page, http://www.geddon.org/Book_of_war.  It isn't an easy read, I'll put together a more comprehensive list of common rules questions this week.

Q: What is a realm, unit?
A: Realms are geographic locations within the sport.  UIUC is the Realm of Numenor.  ISU has one called Wolfpack just 45 minutes from town.  There are realms spread out all across the country (and internationally), but not all are connected to universities or colleges.  Units are groups of fighters that train, fight, and hang out together. Local units include the Dunedain and Dark Guard.  Some units, like Brotherhood of the Falcon (BOF) and the Urak-hai span the nation, grouping up at major events. If you are interested in joining a unit, ask around and get a feel for each one.  If you can make it to Oktoberfest, it is a great place to get to know units and spend some time hanging out with them around a campfire.

Q: I keep losing, how do I get better?
A: For one, don't get discouraged.  Between learning the rules and getting your body used to swinging a sword, the game can be quite hard.  Remember, some of our veterans have a decade or more of fighting under their belts--they aren't going to be easy to kill.  We'll do more structured training this fall to get people ready for the first major event of the season.  More on that later.

Q: Do you have tournaments, rankings, levels, events?
A: There is a large number of events, some of which are major, weeklong camping events.  Sometimes they have individual and team tournaments at these events.  While there are definitely different levels of skill, there is no official ranking system or levels of combat.  This coming Saturday is our local group's first mini-event of the season.  We'll have food, games, and lots of company.  In October, our group hosts one of the largest events in the Midwest, Oktoberfest, a weeklong event with camping, feasts, tournaments and plenty of nightlife.  Imagine 500+ fighters on a field, pretty epic.

Q: Why do you guys wear that clothing/do I have to dress that way?
A: Garb isn't specifically required for fighting at practice.  The local group usually just asks that you get garb before moving on to using weapons beyond basic swords and shields.  Nationally, garb is required for events.  The minimum garb is outlined in the rules, and we will definitely work with you to get geared up for the first major event.


Here are a few other links you might want to know:

From last year's Oktoberfest Realm Battles (each realm for themselves): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY7rVmEG0cw

From a nearby event, Wolfpack Opener, a couple years ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t8d5IHEZL0

www.belegarth.com This is the home of the national organization.  The forums have a large amount of information, and links to training videos and guides.

www.geddon.org The Belegarth wiki. Lots of info on units, realms, and people. It is in the process of being made a little more user friendly, but there is basic information buried on there.

http://geddon.org/Book_of_war This is the most readable version of the rulebook we use. There are a few rules that aren't clearly spelled out, but definitely a must read.  I'll post up some common rules that aren't really defined in the book later this week.

www.forgedfoam.com Locally operated foamsmith. They made a large portion of our loaner gear and personal equipment.  The guys will be around selling gear at future practices.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lady-Armstrong-Designs/266921383370663  Lady Armstrong is a local seamstress that has made some of the fine looking garb you'll see around.  We don't expect new fighters to look that amazing, but it should give you an idea of how cool garb can be.

Not quite dead yet.

It has been a while since I posted anything on here. The blog isn't going away, I just haven't been doing a great job of keeping up on it. Theory Thursday will be back soon enough, however, with recruiting season just around the corner, expect to see more "welcome to Belegarth" type posts in the next few weeks.

The plan is to recap whatever techniques were discussed in our new guy classes or any topics that are brought up that we've missed in our introductions. Not the most exciting read for any veterans that read this, but if you happen to be working with a lot of new people, feel free to use any of my posts or class materials for your own recruiting.

I'll try to keep the posts somewhat generic, but expect the first post or two next week to be geared towards my home realm of Numenor. We'll be invading Kill,Grill, Chill this coming Saturday, so maybe there will be a post about castle battles next week.

Theory "Thursday": Aggression

A good number of fighters play the wait and see game, filling their spot in the line, but waiting for someone else to break the stalemate. It is a very defensive mindset that can work in some situations, like while defending a bridge or other choke point. The problem is what happens when the enemy breaks the stalemate. When that happens a vast majority of the sport wants to back up, letting their line get pushed back. There are definitely times when that is okay, but why let them dictate the tempo of the fight?

Before I go too far and forget to mention it, remember that aggression isn't blindly flinging yourself at the enemy in hopes of scoring a hit. There are times when a well placed rush can have great effect, but trading your life for a small chance to take a limb or piece of armor isn't a good trade for your team. Diving into a group of enemies has a low chance to succeed, especially without armor and support. If you feel the need to just go in, try to look for a gap, rather than going strait up the middle.

Aggressive fighting can be as much about forcing the enemy to consider you as a threat as it can be about rushing. In considering the range game, we see that fighters will add some margin of error to how they perceive your range, including how far you might lunge or step. Top tier fighters will allow just enough margin to let them react to your aggression, but newer fighters will underestimate the range. Once you have entered this zone, they are forced to pay attention, at least to divert some from whoever they may have been fighting.

This notion of threat range means a single fighter might be able to support more than one person merely through their presence by being a threat to multiple enemies. In the case of equal numbers, a skilled fighter might choose to take on a little extra risk, from the person across from them, in order to apply extra pressure on a second enemy. With some luck, the extra pressure might allow an ally to rush in with a little extra safety.

As far as targets go, often spears become a target that has to be rushed or allowed a wide berth. The key to rushing a spear is timing. The two main openings left to you are either while in the process of deflecting a stab, or as soon as they have switched to a different target. Ideally, the spear will be between you and the shieldman guarding it. Remember, though, to keep your guard as you rush. You may need to swing at the guard first, before engaging the spear directly. The goal being, at the minimum, keeping their weapon at bay until you can hit the spear user.

One advantage you will find in being the aggressor is that many fighters will lock up when rushed. While they might maintain their guard or rotate to counter you, many of them will fail to move their feet. This is especially true if you change direction mid-rush. I'll look at offensive footwork in more depth on a later post, but for now just remember to play the angles.

Sometimes, all it takes is a gentle (or not so much) reminder from one of our allies to get us to spring to action. As the new school year approaches, I'm reminded of all the times I've heard "swing, swing, swing!" yelled as some form of encouragement to new fighters. All too often, it seems, even us veteran fighters might need to remember that very thing.

Theory Thursday: City Fighting

I mentioned city fighting a little bit when I talked about choke points. I feel like it is a good time to take a closer look, especially with Okfest in the not too distant future. I'll highlight a few specific obstacles I've seen over the years.

Of course, city is a pretty loose term here. Most cities we see at events are more like a series of fences or a maze. However, these obstacles still serve to breakup the fighting field into corridors that at least give some sense of that style of combat.

While each section of the line engages in small scale fights over each choke point, the strategic plan must involve maintaining control over area. To do this, sections need enough coordination to block of access to the "safe zone" in their backfield via control of individual corridors. Even the smallest approach being left undefended could end in disaster for the team, especially if sections no longer have a view of their allies.

The maneuver phase of battle takes on a slightly different role. Rather than simply approaching the enemy and redressing the ranks, it becomes far more of a race to capture territory quickly. Even without any knowledge of the layout, having more territory gives you space to fall back on and better chances of controlling advantageous areas. With prior experience, pushing in quickly might give your team a chance to take key sections or corridors that lead directly to the enemy's backfield.

As the layout becomes more maze-like, or entrances more spaced apart, it is easier for a team to lose coherency of command and communication. This is where reserves can prove vital to success. By staying off the frontlines, they not only provide some security against enemies making it through, they also can gain a better view of the big picture. Reserves may find an area that allows them to maintain visual contact with more than one section, letting them balance out reinforcements against spikes of attrition or faltering lines.

Strong points often reside around junctions and along uneven corridors. These can often allow a team to control how many fighters can be on the front, increasing your own frontage on attack or reducing the enemy's on defense. For example, a corridor that narrows at one end forces the front to shrink in order to fight on that end. This funnel shape allows a smaller force to control the corridor.

Junctions of several corridors (T-junctions, etc) will often force one side to fight through what is essentially a kill pocket in order to get through. Even if the enemy doesn't fall into the trap, it will deter them from pushing that area. In this case, the stalemate might allow a few to sneak off to bolster other sections. However, having a large force controlling the area left in a stalemate might be a disadvantage, allowing the enemy to hold up a lot of fighters with a small force.

Hairpins offer a few unique opportunities.  The first and most obvious is to fight on the defensive, slowly falling back while trying to pick off a few enemies, keeping a large force engaged in a protracted fight.  These are often used as outer defenses for towns or castle layouts for that very purpose.  One very successful strategy is to station archers and spears just around the bend, catching the first batch of enemies off guard with the extra range and extra strong line as they round the corner.  Fair warning, those close to the inside of the bend are very likely to be within swinging distance quickly.  Even though blind swings around corners are usually forbidden for safety reasons, that won't stop a few "nearly blind" swings from peeking around the corner.

Complex junctions might even span a large portion of the town, connected by the main corridors through it.  In the case above, red team's position is pretty rough.  To engage with the full force up top, they'll have to fight on a very wide front in two directions.  Depending on the scale, vision gaps might make it very easy for blue team to take advantage.  Meanwhile, blue team just needs to fend off the small side corridor to maintain a fairly strong defensive position across the whole city section.  Even though they don't control the large area in the middle, they are preventing the red team from establishing a foothold on their side of the gap.

Double tapers aren't something seen at most events, but I like the idea.  I may just have to get one set up at Okfest this year.  Holding the middle isn't any different than a single taper, but for either side to take it and then push out is more difficult.  It ends up being easier to teams to hold ground as they move towards the middle.  This also means that it may be more difficult for them to maintain a fighting withdrawal.

Skill on a Stick

Before anyone gets upset, this isn't intended to be a rant about cheesy weapons and the people that use them.

I hear about it all the time. Whether it is a discussion about how to fight against it or how to use it, someone inevitably says "they're just skill on a stick". Heck, I'm sure I've said it a few times.

Of course, it isn't just flails we hear this sort of sentiment about. Cheesemail, low profile spears, 12 oz swords, punch towers, speed bats, and all sorts of other gear gets labeled as cheesy or overpowered. This is especially true when talking to newer fighters.

Obviously, the game can't be so imbalanced (or well balanced) that everything is overpowered. There are advantages and disadvantages to most gear. So why do we keep hearing [random gear] is overpowered? It seems a portion is due to exposure to the fighting style, which depends largely on the area one fights in. If you haven't fought against a weapon or shield design before, you have no preset method to fight against it, so you have to resort to your typical responses and attacks.

But that isn't all that makes something "cheesy", it has to have some advantage that people find difficult to overcome. Lets look at the max length (40" in Belegarth) flail as an example. The advantage it gets is the ability to go around shields and blocks thanks to the hinge. It takes practice, but those advantages aren't difficult to overcome by changing how you block and move against the flail. It succeeds when people react the same as they would against a sword.

Still seems too strong? Well, it is 40" long, your sword? Probably not that long. Even most longswords come in around 36" in length. To be honest, if you were to use a max length sword, you'd probably have an advantage over the flail. With the general trend of making lighter, faster weapons, flails begin to be stronger relative to the field.

This same sort of meta gaming lends itself to promote the other types "cheese", and whatever counters it. Cheap and easy armor to counter lots of spears, punch towers to counter flails, etc. The point here is that everything has a way to counter it, including your setup. If you find yourself constantly losing to one weapon or style, maybe look at your own strategy and style before labeling them cheesy. Maybe you've been throwing rock when you really should be throwing scissor.

Theory Thursday: Range Game and Support Weapons

I talked about range last week from the perspective of a typical sword and board fighter. This week, I thought it was appropriate to look at support weapons and how they play the range game.

Because of the extra reach, glaives, spears and most other red swords have very favorable advantages in the range game. However, most of them suffer at close range. Even skilled fighters only have a few options at close quarters, especially with longer weapons.

The extra range increments for a support weapon somewhat overlap with the breakdown from last week, with the following additional considerations:

1. One handed range. The maximum reach of a weapon is when it is held with one hand.

2. Two handed range. This varies with the distance between hands. If the hands are right next to each other, it is still shorter range than one handed range.

3. Short range. When the opponent is inside the typical range that the haft padding would be in a normal stance, requires changing angles to hit safely.

4. Close range. When you can no longer effectively use the weapon because your opponent is too close.



The ghosted image shows roughly where my glaive might end up if I were to rotate my shoulders into a one handed stab.  There is also more overlap between one handed and two handed that depends on hand position.  The overlapping zone is roughly the same size as the distance between my hands.

Original Photo by Ellie Apland

Therefore, it is the support weapon's goal to keep their opponent outside of close range, or kill them before they get there. This leads many newer users to always attack at maximum range, to try buying themselves time to get a second attack in before being inside their opponent's range. This can work, but isn't always as favorable as it seems.

Attacking at full extension also means your recovery has to start at full extension. This means more time recovering the shot, rather than attacking or blocking. Larger weapons make this even more of a hindrance. Common practice for experienced fighters is to wait at the fringes of a support weapon's range, then rush when the shot is dodged or misses. This is very visible when looking at spears and glaives doing single handed stabs at a target standing just at the very edge of maximum range.

Of course, there are a few tricks support weapons can pull off that are harder to do with a smaller weapon.  It is harder to predict the range of a longer weapon, at least the margin of error is higher. That means they can catch someone off guard who thinks they are safe. It can be extremely effective to try to deceive ones range by changing grips, stance, or shifting your weight. Use these factors to start with shorter ranged attacks, then switch to increase range when the opponent feels safe.  With a long enough weapon, one can also get away with taking a step towards the target, assuming the step doesn't have the drawback of bringing them within range of their opponent.

A note on safety is due here. Gripping a two handed with your hands close together near the pommel increases range, but drastically reduces control. There are very few times it is worth the risk for a few extra inches of reach. Also, because your hands are so close, you will lose leverage and slow the speed you can return to guard. Avoid throwing this type of shot unless it is a fairly static target with the lowest risk of hitting someone's face. Leg sweeps can work here, because it is fairly safe to the target.  Some extra control can be gained by moving the upper hand during the swing, giving you some margin to correct the final direction of the blow if the target moves.  The same words of wisdom apply to one handed strikes, using the second hand as long as possible to help keep the strike on target and removing it as that arm reaches maximum extension.

During a field battle, range control is much easier, using your own position relative to your line to dictate how close an opponent can get safely.  In one on one fighting, it requires much more work.  If you are using a longer weapon like a spear or glaive, your opponent is going to want to rush you.  You have to use footwork in order to create openings and shut down angles that they might attack from, remembering that range depends on the distance from your shoulders to the target zone.  As such, and short/close range, you have to actually get your shoulders farther from the target to hit with a large weapon, especially if only a small portion is striking surface, in the case of glaives and spears.  This also causes your upper body to be farther from your opponent's attacks.

To do this, you either have to step, lean, or change your angle of attack.  Stepping away from the opponent's sword arm greatly increases the range advantage, and can give you a better angle to counter their attacks, especially if they originally threw a wide shot or wrap.  Shifting your weight away from them moves your shoulders back, giving you around half the distance between your feet in extra range to play with.  These two combined can make for a considerable change in range and angles.

Changing the angle of attack is more about shot selection than the range game, but I'll point out a couple of things about it.  Normally, the distance from shoulder to target is the primary focus of the range game. However, at closer range, a wider shot selection opens up from wrap shots and extreme high crosses.  You are now attacking based on where your hands are, using your arms to change the angle of attack, and thereby changing the distance between your hand and target.  For example, with a minimum sized two handed sword, raising your arms above your head and throwing a cross shot to the opponents arm can be done at very close range, even more so if one leans to the side.

Another option when inside the short/close range is to choke up on the weapon, to an extreme amount in some cases.  This brings your strike zone back within range without moving yourself.  With a glaive, you can hit safely at nearly point blank by holding near the striking surface with one hand and near the middle with the other.  Spears are slightly more difficult, but you can place good stabs up close by moving your front hand closer to the tip.

Theory Thursday: Range Game Basics

I've talked a little bit about the range game here and there, but I haven't really broken it down. Sir Kenneth has a great write up, but it is buried deep in the dark abyss of the Bel boards. If I can find a link, I'll put it here.

Lets start with the basics, your range. Your own range will eventually be second nature to you, especially after using the same weapon for a long time. However, a few key points:

1. Your maximum range is when your arm is at full extension parallel to the ground

2. You can increase your range by moving your center of mass towards the target. This includes lowering it for legs shots.

3. The position of your shoulders affects range. In line with the target brings you closer. Squared up loses range.

4. Footwork is vital to controlling range. Stepping towards the target during a swing adds a substantial amount of range.

With a static target (guinea pig), from your normal stance, hold your weapon strait out towards them. Step forward until you can just barely touch. Now point your sword down towards the leg. No where close to being in range. Now bend your knees, shift your weight forward, and twist your shoulder towards the leg. Notice how much extra range you just gained, without even stepping in.

Once we know are own effective range, lets look at our opponent. Start with the target's torso just out of reach with your weapon extended. Now have them do the same. Notice
that either of you are in range of each other's arm. This should be a good reminder of how your opponent's range changes based on what targets you present.  Also illustrates the danger inherent in swinging at targets outside of your range.

Now of course, weapon choices vary greatly from person to person and place to place. You and your opponent might have a drastic difference in range. Lets look at the ranges each of you can be at:

1. Both out of range and safe by a few steps. (like the maneuver phase of a line fight)

2. Long range: neither are in range, but two steps gets you in target.

3. Mid-long range: easily within a step of being in range, both are now at risk of being rushed. (stalemate phase of a line battle)

4a. Mid Range: You have a longer reach and are the only one that can strike.

4b. Mid range: your opponent has a longer reach and is the only one that can strike.

5. Short range: Both are in range to swing freely.

6. Too close: both are so close that neither can swing effectively. (maybe wrap shots)

There are a couple more, but they are specific to polearms and other large weapons, more on that later. As we can see, 4b is a terrible place to be. Spot 5 can be pretty rough too, especially against a skilled opponent. Foot work must be used to get yourself out of bad spots and into a more favorable position. In the case of 4b, you have to move through the range to strike, or constantly move back.

I'll talk a little more about moving in and out of range in a future post, but this is largely the foundation I learned as a new guy. It is at least a good place to start if you haven't considered much about range before. If nothing else, Kenny would be happy to teach you through negative reinforcement using his longsword.

Tactics Spotlight: Shock Troop Defense

Holiday weekend + being under the weather a bit = me being slow to get posts out.  I should be back on the normal routine this week, though I seem to have forgotten to make graphics.

Previously, we looked at a few of the ways shock troops can attack the enemy line. Today I want to take a look at how to stop them. Most shock troopers are experienced fighters and usually bring a good bit of armor to the field. That's going to make it hard to prevent them from reaching their goal.

The easiest way to reduce their impact is to keep your head on a swivel. Noticing gaps and keeping you eyes on different angles of approach gives you a chance to spot the danger early and try to prevent it. By closing up gaps and calling out strafing runs, you greatly limit their access to easy targets.

Outside of not seeing a strafing run coming, most often their success seems to be because very few people swing at them.  Those that do often swing at the wrong target zones.  Throwing a high cross shot while they are on the move is usually going to end up hitting their shield, or hitting very light as they move away.  The best shot to land is a good hit to their leg, especially if you can get it in to an unarmored area.  Once they've lost mobility that close to your line, there isn't too much they can do without support.

One rare case to prevent strafing runs requires that you be a bit bigger than the person strafing, or at least be better at bashing.  Simply stepping up into their path and delivering a strong shield bash can knock them down, especially with the correct timing.  Even if they aren't knocked down, they are very likely to be slowed down enough for others to get a free swing or two.

Those on the line have a few options to stop shock troopers, but often times it comes down to reserves or other shock troopers to counter them.  Reserves should pay close attention to how the line in moving in the maneuver phase and look for gaps forming in the line.  Once noticed, moving there quickly is essential.  Quite often, the enemy has already spotted that same gap and will be moving there at the same time.  The mere presence of someone standing there to block it out is usually enough of a deterrent to send them elsewhere.

If you do find yourself holding a wide gap against a couple of shock troopers, try to keep to the middle of the gap and call for help.  As they approach, you need to try to get both of them to engage you in a fight, rather than one simply bypassing you.  This is difficult, because they will tend to split of once you have engaged one of them.  You'll have to try moving back and forth and putting swings on each of them.  If you can manage to leg one of them quickly, you might be able to turn the tide.  Even if they do get away, you have managed to slow them down a little to block and deal with you, potentially giving your team time to react.

There have been occasions where an enemy strafing run can be stopped by a friendly shock trooper chasing them through the middle of the lines.  This requires either being faster than their shock trooper or seeing their move and intercepting from in front of them a little bit.  This can prove to be exceptionally difficult, and is a fairly rare circumstance.

Theory Thursday: Defensive Footwork

This is a more detailed write up about footwork.  I am trying to build a stronger guide, using this post as a starting point.  Please comment if you think there is something missing or that needs clarification.  For now, I'm just looking at a person's center and where it moves, the feet will follow.  If someone needs more specific "put your feet like this" direction, I can eventually make some graphics for it.

Today's topic is using footwork on the defensive, when your opponent is being aggressive. We'll start using a simple duel between two right handed sword and board users as an example, with the fighter in red being the aggressor.  I'm not too worried about the specifics of where your feet are at each step, only your general stance (shield or sword foot forward).  If you move from point A to B, your feet should stay as close to one stance or the other as possible and get there in a comfortable way.  If you feel you are crossing your legs or moving awkwardly, try pushing off of the other foot or pivoting.  You need to be balanced between your feet at each step.

To start, lets look at our options if they simply advance directly at us, a very common approach.  There are four basic directions we can move, and four angles combining them.

The basic layout for our example. Actual sword and shield position, as well as the feet themselves, are beyond today's topic.  This is just enough to give you the rough idea visually.

 Basic Directions

We can choose to move forward (yes, towards the guy rushing you).  This is probably a set up for a bash and/or wrap shot.  This is the most aggressive of the defensive strategies, and the least likely to add any measure of safety from the opponent's attack.  If a bash is the intention, shifting your weight forward after sliding towards them will offer a little more power to the bash.  With luck, the bash could cause them to stop their attack or even be knocked down.  If you managed to merely come to point blank range without much success, a backblock can prevent a number of attacks, especially if they don't have a stabbing weapon.
The opposite end of the spectrum is to move backward in line with their rush.  This helps to keep the distance originally preferred, but if they are rushing, back peddling is slower than their run.  That means they can still close the gap.  This does, however, buy time and potentially cause them to be in range of someone else during a line fight, much like a staggered gap.
The remaining two basic directions are sideways.  The difference between sword side and shield side vary a good deal in their advantages and disadvantages.  Moving directly to the sword side greatly reduces the available targets your opponent has, usually leaving only the shield side leg vulnerable.  There is also an opportunity for a wrap shot to come in around the shield.  These two open targets are shared by you and your opponent.  If your stance is usually shield foot forward, this is a good time to switch stances, pushing off with your shield leg and then sliding it around behind as you move over.

Moving directly to the shield side opens up the target's sword arm and torso to attack, but also exposes you to the same attacks.  If you fight sword foot forward, this leaves you extra vulnerable.  It is perfectly reasonable to switch stances to shield foot forward, rather than rotating your torso.  This cuts off some of the angle, but keeps your torso free to rotate into strikes.

Basic Angles

The four basic directions combine to make four distinct angles.  Each one offers a unique advantage or opportunity.  More often than not, the angles offer better positions than the basic directions.

The two forward angles offer an aggressive counter to the rush, without directly running into the opponent.  In a larger fight, you might even be able to turn the tables and end up behind their line.  Moving this way towards your shield side greatly opens up both fighters.  Just like moving sideways, switching to shield foot forward is recommended during the move.  A lot of fighters are tempted to throw a high cross towards their opponent's chest when moving this way, but it exaggerates the already considerable risk to yourself.  Stick to safer shots like the short cross, or the slot shot as you move across their guard.  Target the arm or shoulder.

Moving forward to the sword side makes you and your opponent quite vulnerable to wrap shots and leg sweeps. Switching to sword foot forward does help a little, but the opportunities still exist.  Because you've cut off a large number of angles that could reach your torso, you can let your shield favor over a little towards your opponent to reduce their chance to throw wrap shots.  Throwing a wrap shot during the move will usually result in it landing on target as both of your complete your move.

The two backward angles can drastically change the fight.  Moving back and to the sword side is the most defensive move.  It takes you the furthest away from their sword. Depending on which shots they decide to throw, this move may make it easier to sneak in a slot shot or a leg sweep during the move.  On the line, it also causes them to angle their sword side towards your team, leaving them exposed to attack.

Moving back and shield side is less defensive, but gives you a better angle on their sword arm.  Switching to shield foot forward is recommended, but not as necessary as other shield side moves.  Short crosses are probably the safest shot to throw here.  Your team gains less of an advantage to the opponent's rotation here, because they will usually have to swing all the way across themselves to target them, leaving the friendly fighter exposed.

Staring position in the middle, each frame gives you a look at where you and your opponent are likely to end up after their one move towards you.

Conclusions

So, which move is the best one?  I generally prefer to back away towards my sword side, depending on the surroundings.  However, your opponent's nature, shot selection, and skill all come into play deciding which one to use.  Fighting against an opponent who is great at wraps, I might chose to back away to the shield side.  Against an opponent with a weaker guard or less skill, I might be aggressive and go forward to my shield side.  It is really a matter of what you need to do to accomplish your goal.  If staying on the defensive is a must, using any of the backwards moves is a good idea.  If your team needs you to make something happen, being aggressive might be necessary, forcing you to move forwards.

All of this so far assumes one move.  In the future, I'll look a little more at chaining moves together into more of an actual plan.  For now though, try practicing with a friend, taking turns playing the aggressor.  After/as they advance, try moving in one of the eight directions.  Pause and take stock of what has changed in the fight.  Where are your feet?   What is your shield blocking?  What targets can you see?  What did you gain?  These questions are what you should be asking yourself each time your practice.