Who will ransom you?

A discussion on a post Sir Rhys made on Facebook made me think of this story. I know many have heard it, but, here goes...

A number of years ago in the woods at Pennsic, I was on a banner detail (yes, the same one as in my Sophia story…). The line had pushed fairly close to the banner, and the fighting was pretty heavy. The Mid made a push for a breakthrough, and they succeeded… sort of. One man made it through. He punched through PAST the banner point, and then turned, heading for the banner. You could just see the visions of glory in his eyes as he came running at us… and then the banner guard turned as one, and he was looking at a knot of spears and polearms.
It was comical… he almost backpedaled as he came skidding to a halt, and fell flat on his back at our feet. Looking up at the points of all the weapons in his face, he stammered “Uh…. I yield.”
Everyone was ready to accept that. Being… well, me… I said “Who will ransom you.”
“Uh… what”
“If you yield to us, you are our prisoner. I will expect ransom for your release. So…  who will ransom you?”
“Uh… my lady?”
“Is your lady wealthy?” I asked.
“Not really…”
Turning to the rest of the banner guard, who are all chuckling at this point, I said “Eff it… kill him.”
They jokingly executed the guy, and then all laughing, helped him up and dusted him off. He started on his merry way, and I called out to him. He turned, and I said “Milord, you know what you just got?”
He cocked his head, and shrugged, expecting smack talk.
“You just got a story.”
He paused for a moment, and then grinned. Saluting, he walked away.

I bet that was some story…

Last Week's Fight Practices

Had the opportunity to have a couple of fight practices this week. Our friends Godric and Cecily were visiting from New Zealand, and Sir Rhys and Jimena suggested we have a fight practice on Sunday so he could fight some different people. We had fun, though there were only a few of us. Godric fights round shield in a style I had never encountered before, so that was cool. I always like to encounter new styles... it is good for my fighting to break up the norm, and can help me kick out of a rut.
We took it fairly easy, and fought till nearly 1pm. I had a decent day, but I felt I was lagging a bit. Feels like I am right at the edge of something, and am about to make a breakthrough.
Tuesday, my family visited fight practice. This was pretty awesome for me... they know what I do, and have seen pictures, but have only seen me fight once, probably close to ten years ago. Maybe it was the desire to make a good showing, but I had a very good night. Several things really gelled, and I got a couple of things to work that I have been stalled with for a while... mainly timing issues.
Setting up a shot and counter punching was one thing, and timing hitting a moving target another. I was also working on controlling my opponent's advance against my axe, and felt I was doing pretty good with that.
Things I will be working on:

1. Offside targeting and power. Seem to not be penetrating with my offside shots. Need to work the proper form and stop being sloppy about that.
2. Fighting legged opponents. Yep, I still suck at that. Apparently "kick them over" is not the right answer.

Definitely need to replace my damn gauntlets too... got a fingernail dinged a bit. Thinking of the Bokolo "Cat's Ass" gauntlets... they aren't perfect, but they are damn protective.

Pennsic 42: The Gnome

One of our typical ways to spend an evening while at Pennsic is to head on down to the Coldwood/Freehold encampment and hang out with our friends there. Just sitting by the fire, chatting, having a beverage or two... it's a great way to relax and really unwind.
One night this Pennsic, I indulged in a few more beverages than usual, as did Asgar. When Dalla, Arnbjorn and I decided to head home, Asgar decided to head along with us and continue his night over the hill at some party or other. We resolved to walk as far as the merchant area with him before heading up to the Highlands and going to bed.
As we were walking up the street, we came upon a party that had spilled into the street right near the Dark Moon camp. There were people on both sides of the street, and a small knot in the middle who were all very boisterous (and more than a little drunk). Into the middle of this we strolled. The ringleader walked up to me, and said "To pass... you must either skip... or thumb wrestle the gnome!"
I was not intimidated by this challenge, and said boldly "Show me your gnome!!!"
The gnome came forth. He was obviously on steroids... either that or had been cross bred with a mountain gorilla. Not your happy little Travelocity gnome, this... he was huge, and looked spoiling tor a good solid thumb breaking.
"I... SHALL SKIP!!!" I announced.
And skip I did... I skipped like a boss down the gauntlet of party goers, stopping at the end of the crowd to thunderous applause.
Asgar came next... though his skipping took on a bit more of a bawdy tone... a bit more shimmy and pelvic thrust than your standard skip. While he was doing this, the man running the show came up to Dalla and repeated... "Will you skip... or thumb wrestle the gnome!"
Dalla tentatively said, "Um,...skip??"
I intervened... running up, I said "Wait! Wait! I have an idea!!!"
"RUN"
Dalla took off like a shot, running down the road at top speed.
She didn't just run... as she ran, she was crying "Run! Run faster!!!" She continued till she realized that she was well beyond the end of the party, and there were a couple of women looking at her oddly. She collected herself, and said to them...
"You haven't met the gnome."
And then she walked on.

Pennsic 42- what we did in week 1

So the initial plan was to type up blog posts while at Pennsic to post when we made our town runs. This lasted precisely one post, so I will do my best to sum up Pennsic, and maybe tell some Pennsic stories over the next little while. This post is just a summary of what we found to keep ourselves busy and not bored the first week.
We went to Pennsic this year without a lot of commitments. Usually we have scheduled things that we have to do, such as classes to teach or people we have promised to help out. We decided to do some different things this year. I committed to help Baron Erik of Munitions Grade Arms move his rattan stock from the freight yard to the Pennsic site, and Arnbjorn and Dalla said they would do it as well. We went on Monday for that, and moved 2 tons of rattan from a tractor trailer to his trailer, then from his trailer into the racks at Pennsic. This was actually far more fun than it sounds... it was very physical, the bales of rattan were something close to 75-100lbs each... but it was a nice switch from working at a desk all day. We were rewarded with three staves of rattan each for our efforts, which was generous for a few hours work.
I had decided I would not be putting in as many hours at marshal's point this year as I did last year. Sir Stephen was marshal in charge last year, and to help him as much as possible, I spent a good chunk of nearly every day down there (though not as much as he or Aiden did). This year I ended up helping the Battlefield staff more... Sulla and Syr Silverthorn were the two primaries there, and we did fun things like move hay bales and put up posts and ropes marking the battlefield. They are almost always short of hands, so they were vary appreciative. Both are fun to work with as well, which makes a difference.
I did end up working marshal's point a decent bit. Duchess Tessa from Aethelmearc was running point this year, and is good to work with.I put in several half days there inspecting, and marshaled the field battles on the first Monday of War Week.
We also helped set up East Kingdom Royal encampment, which was cool. We went and unloaded the Kingdom trailer, and then set up the entrance pavilion, wind walls, etc. Much fun was had, there was a crew of pretty cool people working, and it went pretty well, with only a couple of hiccups. All in all, a fun experience.
I did some pickup fighting week one as well. I ended up fighting a guy from Sweden named Sven who was a fun fight. I noticed the white belt, and that he was a Duke... what I did not realize at the time was that he was also the King of Drachenwald. Needless to say, he did not suck, and was a fun fight.
Aside from these things, we mainly used the first week to relax. We played some medieval games, and visited friends. Hanging out in the Freehold/Coldwood encampment was our regular nightly thing, and we got to spend some time with Gunvar when she came over to visit us, which was also nice. All in all, first week was very relaxing, and we went into War Week rested and ready.

Arnbjorn and I playing Game of the Goose

Pennsic 42 Zero Night/Land Grab

We arrived fairly early for “Zero Night”... the opening night before land grab of Pennsic 42. Our goal was to get here in daylight so we could set upp a temporary shelter and meet up with some of hthe rest of our block mates and try to get negotiations started for block setup. Turned out that nobody else from our block was arriving that night, but we decided to go and have a look at the block ourselves.
We were very glad we did.
As soon as we stepped on the block, it felt off. We soon saw why... during the recent Jeep jamboree the Coopers had at the site, someone had put a Jeep trail right through the back of our block. The entire space inside the tree line... where most of us camp... was affected. Much of the ground had the topsoil stripped away, some of it exposing the tree roots. Our end had a mud pit (where our common area usually went) and a big pile of dirt (where my tent usually went). We were pissed.
I decided to take a walk down to Land office and see what was going on. I had taken a few photos with my phone, and showed Land 2 (Dagmar). She was surprised... the Coopers had mentioned a “project” in the B blocks, but not what the project was. Land had no idea the extent of the damage. She headed for the War Room to see what was being done, and I went back to the battlefield, where all the parking/camping is for Zero Night. Within a half hour, I had a promise of a backhoe on our block before land grab in the morning.

There was a storm threatening... severe looking thunderstorms... so we decided to forego the shelter and just sleep in our vehicles. We slept on top of the trunks in the back of the Jeep, which seemed like a good idea, but was not so comfortable as we hoped initially. Needless to say, we did not sleep well. And of course... the storms never arrived.
The next morning, I was out at the block first thing. By 0630, a backhoe was onsite, and began filling and smoothing. Our block mates began trickling in, and we started figuring out how we would deal with the situation. Basically... we just camped our normal places. By this point, they had brought out a roller, and some fill, and the land was looking smoother, though still mud covered. We shared the space we had last year with a relative newcomer to the block, Band Camp. There was a bit of drama there, but... oh well. We are at Pennsic, and we will have a good time if it kills me. Or anyone else, of that matter. ;)

Being just the three of us, Camp was set up very quickly, with the exception of the shower, which will go in today. We walked to the new on demand hot water showers where the old solar showers were on Low Road, and they are quite excellent. Then we had dinner, played Game of the Goose for a while, and turned in fairly early. It was so nice to be sleeping in our bed in our second home. We went to sleep easily, smiling.
I am typing this Sunday morning, as I wait for Dalla at church in Slippery Rock. I hope to post it from the Giant Eagle when we stop on our way back to camp... I will need to see if they have propane camp stoves, as we forgot ours. If that's the worst thing we forgot, I will call it a win. :)

Weekend fight practice 7/13/13- a brief post

We had a weekend fight practice this weekend out at Jeremiah's place... the same site we hold Fall Frolic. It was to be the last weekend practice before Pennsic, and a chance for Arnbjorn and us to do a bit of a dry run with our Pennsic setup... tents and dining fly.
The turnout was a bit smaller than I expected, but we still had nine fighter (I believe) who showed up. I think that was actually about as many as we had for last Fall Frolic. :)
We fought in the woods by the fort wall we have constructed there. It was hot and humid, and the shade was a great thing. Also... it's good practice for the woods battle at Pennsic.
There was a lot of teaching and discussion... trading tips and seeking out advice on different styles. Towards the end, we did a small bear pit, winner remaining in to fight, until we all tired. We stopped before exhaustion, which was good as we still had tents to break down, and some had obligations for the afternoon.
All in all it was a nice, laid back day. Snorri and Tirzah came and hung out with us for a while afterwards, which was nice. I wish he lived closer, as I would like to be able to work with him more. (also, he is relatively tolerable to have around...)
We discussed what folks need to work on... I won't detail it here, but if anybody who was there wants a breakdown, message me for my view (for what it's worth).
Now... packing for Pennsic. Leaving in T-4 days.

Fighting with an axe: What Olaf does.

So this will come as a surprise to folks... but I sometimes fight axe. I know... SHOCKING! But, it's true (though there are those who would question the characterization of what I do as "fighting")
I have been asked to do a follow up to my blog on making an axe about fighting with one, so here goes.
To begin, let's discuss what an axe in our game is and what it isn't.
First off... it's not a real axe. It will not have the same destructive power that it's real life steel inspiration has. It will not break a shield. It will not cleave a leg to the femur. As we are fighting our friends... this is a good thing. The weight and balance will never be quite the same, nor the way it moves. It can be similar... I have taken pains to try and get my axe to be close in weight and size... but it will never be steel.
It is not a standard SCA unpadded polearm or glaive. There is a very defined edge... when you hit flat, you REALLY hit flat. The balance is different... there is more weight at the tip (there is more weight, period) and it does not swing or recover the same. It is generally considered to be slower, and due to the head there may be issues with people taking shots from it.
No on to what it is. It IS the best approximation of a Dane axe that I have found in our game to date. Maybe there will be a game changing technology in the future... but right now, this is what works.
It is lighter than you expect. My axe is 3.5-4lbs... and that is actually within about half a pound of the steel axe it was based on. The heaviest period Dane axe I can think of was close to five pounds... and that was really the upper limit.
It is FASTER than you expect. If you use good mechanics, and let the weight aid you instead of fighting it, you will find the axe to be responsive and fluid.
OK, so you have read my post about making one and have your shiny new axe. You take it out to play. What next? Well... start by just swinging it about a bit. No really... find yourself some space and let the axe move. Wide sweeping cuts and short chops, strikes from short distance and from a high guard. See how it responds when you change direction mid cut, and when you try and pull it back from a strike.
What you will find is that when an axe starts to move, it likes to keep moving. You can guide it... turn it in it's path, change the angle at which it strikes... but pulling it back is a bit of a losing game.
I capitalize on the axe's  love of continued movement to cut through and continue through an arc. If I miss a blow, I can shorten the arc I am swinging through, pass in front of the target, and continue through the circle, coming back into a guard ready to strike again.
Changing the angle that a shot come in, like with any weapon, is very important. The fact that the axe striking surface is six inches in front of the haft of the weapon can make that even more crucial... a shot that would have been blocked if it were a glaive will connect with an axe if you alter the angle slightly. I use the placement of the back hand to change the angle easily, firing a shot to set up a block, then firing a follow up but changing the angle slightly.
Use the intimidation factor if you can. Not everybody will be wary of the axe, but starting with a high guard and menacing them with a strung down cut, firing a couple of stiff shots into their guard, can make them flinch or move when you want them to. Using that high guard can also be a good way to set them up for a strike with the butt spike of the axe, if you use one.
Below is a video of me fighting with Erland at one of our practices. You can see some of the things I talk about at various points.

From the rules of the list section IV on use of weapons and shields: 
D. A shield or weapon may be used to displace, deflect, or immobilize an opponent’s shield or weapon, so long as such use does not endanger the safety of the combatants. A shield or haft may be safely placed against the opponent's body to restrict his ability to strike or defend.

Do not neglect the haft of your weapon. It is the only shield you have, use it well. Try and redirect bows with it instead of static blocking, and fire shots from each block you make if you can. You can defend with your axe... but it is primarily a tool for offense.
You are not permitted to strike with the haft, but it still can be used to your advantage in a fight. You can strike another weapon or a shield with it, though care should be taken not to strike your opponent. And while you cannot strike the body or arms, you can place the haft of your weapon on your opponent to manipulate them. Use that to turn them, push them aside as they close, or to manipulate the arm as they strike or recover. Put them where you need them, and then strike. Be aware... people may object to this practice in some places. Some people may object STRONGLY. Check the rules of the list in your Kingdom. Check with senior marshal's about tradition on practices like these. It is legal at society... but you may end up pissing in somebody's cheerio's, and it's your call how you deal with that.

I know this isn't alot, but... there is only a certain amount that is going to work for you. You need to fight it to get it. I dedicated a year to the axe... from one Pennsic to the next, I fought the axe as my primary weapon at EVERY practice for the year. It was the first weapon I picked up every practice, and while I did fight with others, the axe was my main focus. It showed. So if you're serious about it... practice. And practice against every weapons form, not just other axes or swordsmen... against two weapon, sword and shield. Be prepared for resistance. It's an inferior weapon, it's slow, you are handicapping yourself, it's not really an effective weapon for your game... these are all things that folks far better at the game will tell you )and have told me). It is up to you to play your game. If you don't like people telling you it's an ineffective weapons form... prove them wrong.

There are lots of people better at this than I. One of these is Duke Eikbrandr of the Middle Kingdom. Here is a link to his class on fighting axe. You will see many similar things to what i have talked about, and some other things I am still trying to work in.