08-25-2011, 06:25 PM
The combat Magnus is describing is done with soft swords made from wool needled felt (in Europe, evidently, they use if for carpet padding)so even a hard hit to the hand/arm doesn't cause injury. I can see making the concession to safety if the "combatants" were using wood or blunt metal swords, mostly because not many people today train well enough/often enough to make that work. A medium force stroke with a 4mm metal sword blunt can easily break a wrist bone. We consider this recreation, and a trip to the orthopaedic surgeion doesn't factor in most of our plans.
Maybe if we used harder weapons, we might SCA it up. But we don't, so we don't. The real warriors DID train often, and their tactics were set in muscle memory. Part of the reason the curved scutum is so successful is that it can shield such a large portion of the body that the soldier doesn't have to work very hard to stay protected. Waiting for an opportunity, keeping an eye on opponent on the right makes the "stay in line" work just fine.
We probably fight in closer order than the Romans did. But once you're inside the reach of a spear or longer sword, all the advantage falls to the Roman style.
Maybe if we used harder weapons, we might SCA it up. But we don't, so we don't. The real warriors DID train often, and their tactics were set in muscle memory. Part of the reason the curved scutum is so successful is that it can shield such a large portion of the body that the soldier doesn't have to work very hard to stay protected. Waiting for an opportunity, keeping an eye on opponent on the right makes the "stay in line" work just fine.
We probably fight in closer order than the Romans did. But once you're inside the reach of a spear or longer sword, all the advantage falls to the Roman style.
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
