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+--- Thread: Beggining Reenacting (/showthread.php?tid=4654)
Beggining Reenacting - Gaius Honorius Felix - 02-04-2006
Ave,
I am not in the reenacting world yet, but I do intend to eventually. What I want to know is what time period is the best to begin reenacting in and why. Or if you would like just explain your time period of reenacting.
-Salvete
Re: Beggining Reenacting - Carlton Bach - 02-04-2006
I think it's best to begin reenacting the period you like,
I made the mistake of reenacting the period that I could find a club for, and that was a major mistake. If you can't muster enthusiasm about the time period, you won't be able to put together good kit, and the compromises you made in the beginning will just come to annoy you.
Of course, the compromises you made will come to annoy you anyway, but if they are from an era you are in love with they will spur you into investing time and money to put them right, not just have you walk around feeling like a Hollywood extra.
edit: If you are concerned about the cost or complications of getting your kit together, be assured that every historical period has a 'beginners' level' the equipment for which should not set you back by much. Of course re-enacting a knight or centurion is going to be expensive, but when you start WWII reenacting, you aren't going to start with your own tank, either.
Re: Beggining Reenacting - Gaius Honorius Felix - 02-05-2006
I have an interest in late roman, 1st century AD, and a little late republican. I like the first two the best though. If anyone would like to post some information about their period it would be appreciated. You know as a supplement to my research. Just another question, for late period impressions where do you guys get your gear and what gear do you use? Thanks
- Salvete
Re: Beggining Reenacting - MAXIMVS - 02-05-2006
A lot depends on there being a reenactment group you can contact or visit.
If they do your period then that's handy. If they don't then you've got to decide if the 'wrong' period is better than nothing.
There is a large investment of time/money required to become fully kitted, so the support of a group can help you with the first steps.
I'm in the process of joining my local group at the moment and their help has been vital!
Re: Beggining Reenacting - FAVENTIANVS - 02-05-2006
I made all my late gear except the helmet, the spear head, the jewlery and the spatha. It took seven months to make my hamata. the clothes I use are made of linen, 'cause I always sweat, even in winter! The helmet is a burgh castle-Concesti from Deepeeka that I modified to suit better.
My mum made my the Thorsberg trousers, but made of hard linen.
http://personales.ya.com/ad932102038/ge ... get11.html
http://personales.ya.com/ad932102038/ge ... get22.html
Re: Beggining Reenacting - Virilis - 02-05-2006
Salve Gavin!
You will propably consider buying some gear from Deepeeka. One thing is good to know about Deepeeka; despite the fact that they make quite affordable gear for re-enactors, don`t trust the pictures on their web-pages!
Their products will vary very much from item to item and they could look very different compared to their web-page marketing pictures. In this it helps to have pictures of the ACTUAL products. Very good place to start searching is www.armae.com . They have added their own pictures of the actual Deepeeka items on their web-pages of almost all of their roman gear. Now you can have a more realistic picture of the Deepeeka helmets etc.
BTW, Deepeeka is continually improving their products and it is usually better to have their newer models...
Re: Beggining Reenacting - arklore70 - 02-05-2006
I would suggest starting out slow.
A few things that I think are safe bets are start out with a tunic, and perhaps a set of caligae if you are looking at late Republican and 1st Century AD.
Belt and perhaps gladius would be next, but I would suggest that try and attend a local Roman Group event/activity and attempt to get some hands on feel for the gear.
A picture can say a thousand words. Hands on, can tell you at least another thousand more, and assist you greatly in making future purchases and acquisitions smartly and informed.
shoot me a PM is you have any ques tin s on gear, etc,..let me know what I can do to help you get started in the right direction.
Cheers !!
Mike
Re: Beggining Reenacting - Salvianus - 02-05-2006
Quote:I have an interest in late roman... If anyone would like to post some information about their period it would be appreciated. .. for late period impressions where do you guys get your gear and what gear do you use?
We have a handy late Roman kit guide at http://www.comitatus.net/research.htm
I'm new myself & the advice I have received is to concentrate on soft kit - clothing - & basics like water flask and pouches / bags before worrying about armour. That said, I have started to pick up suitable gear for the periods I cover whenever the opportunity presents itself.
I would say that the most specialist piece to pick up or make is the wide military belt, which will still identify you with little weaponry and no armour.
Re: Beggining Reenacting - FAVENTIANVS - 02-06-2006
The more gear you can hand make, the more you'll enjoy making it and wearing it.
Re: Beggining Reenacting - Mithras - 02-06-2006
Quote:The more gear you can hand make, the more you'll enjoy making it and wearing it.
I heartily agree with that. It's how I got into re-enactment, by trying to make objects. Most of my stuff I make myself, its not as good as something bought from a professional craftsman, but I enjoyed the learning process while making it. All my clothes, my boots, my military belt, my shields, my tent, my kit bag, my quiver, blunt arrows, sandals, spoon, knife and lots of minor things I made myself.
I think its the spatha, hamata, spear-heads and helmet that I bought.
Re: Beggining Reenacting - Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs - 02-06-2006
Ave, Gaius.
I suppose it's customary to mention Matt Amt's
LegioXX site. More than enough info on
equipment and accessories,both hand-made
or purchased. A very useful "what not to buy"
section and links to many other Legions.
Good luck!
Re: Beggining Reenacting - Dan Diffendale - 02-07-2006
Just for reference the Legio XX site is located at http://www.larp.com/legioxx/
Re: Beggining Reenacting - Aedon - 02-07-2006
Khaire,
Wo sind Sie? If you are in Virginia, I recommend http://www.11thpanzer.com/
oder
http://www.grossdeutschland.com/
Khaire,
-Aedon
Re: Beggining Reenacting - emj1s - 02-07-2006
Definitely start out with at least some contacts. Before I got hooked up with the Eleventh, i almost was willing to pay $200 for steel alone for a segmentata. They got it for me for a huge fraction of the cost. Groups are good, even if its not the same time-period, they will still have handy little tips for you.
Re: Beggining Reenacting - Crispvs - 02-07-2006
I have always made all of my own soft kit and most of my footwear and other leatherwork. For my mid-first century kit that means my linen undertunics, my selection of woollen tunics, my cloak, my caligae, my shield cover and my loculus. Sword, balteus, armour, helmet, scutum and pilum were bought either from my group or an outside armourer. Similarly, of my early fourth century kit, I made my tunic, trousers, shoes and belt. I use one of the same undertunics that I use for my first century impression, I bought a spear head and I borrow a Berkasova 2 helmet and shield form my group's multi-period kit.
In either case (and also when I was an eleventh century re-enactor) the clothing comes first, partly because it is at once the most basic and the most important part of your kit, and partly because for most periods it is by far the cheapest. Your local fabric shop should be able to supply you with linen and maybe wool as well, although where I am most fabric shops sell mixes of wool and modern fibres (which they insist are better, despite me telling them until I am blue in the face that I need pure wool and nothing else will do). A good source of wool can be found in old blankets which (again where I am) can be picked up almost for a song in charity shops. These can be cut up in any way which is appropriate to make fairly accurate clothing. Although you will not find the range of weaves which can be found in surviving pieces of ancient fabric in blankets, both the straight weave and two over two twill used in most blankets are known from ancient sounces. Most clothing from the ancient world is simple in design and is consequently easy to make. Get a reliable source for what it should look like and how to make it and then get going. If you know how to sew leather you should not have too much trouble making some types of footwear, although there again, get a reliable source to tell you what to do and what it should look like. You can also find reasonably priced suppliers of reproduction footwear.
This much will get you into basic kit for very little outlay and will make you fit in with the others from your chosen period. It is only really when you start wanting weapons and armour that you start to be looking at a greater expenditure. If you have money the only setback will be the time it takes to get hold of decent hard kit. If you do not have much money these items need to be saved up for and bought in order of precedence. For a Roman soldier I would say these would be: military belt, then sword, then sheild, then shafted weapons, then helmet, then body armour and finally (for a mid-first century impression anyway) dagger. For armour, if you feel like making your own mail, you can do this at home while you are saving up for other kit. The same could go for scale armour, although scales would be more expensive to get hold of than the raw ingredients of mail.
"Deepeeka is continually improving their products and it is usually better to have their newer models..."
Yes, before long some of it might even start to be fit to use :twisted: .
Crispvs