Full blown combat or display only?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I don't know much about the "dying swan routines" but when I was an 11th century re-enactor, along with controlled slashes and spearpoint accuracy we also used to practice dying or being wounded convincingly. After finding ourselves unsatisfied by some of our attempts we took a trip to the local casualty unit and got some advice from the triage nurses on what reactions people actually have when wounded on particular parts of the body. After that it tended to be a lot more realistic. The dark age groups you have seen may have done exactly the same as we did.

Crispvs

I have to admit, there was one big dude who had his helmet knocked of at York this year, who I was pretty sure was not feigning, looked a bit pissed off...but then again, that would be what would happen in reality too!
Could have been good role play!