I get that there's some sort of "honorable" contact fencing happening here. But I don't understand the rules. Good show, but you need to link to an explanation.
This is a Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) heavy combat tournament in the Kingdom of the Outlands (Las Cruces New Mexico). They are fighting with rattan (solid core bamboo) swords. With this in mind. A hit above the knee to hip is considered a leg shot and the fighter stops using that leg, dropping to their knees. A hit from wrist to shoulder and the fighter stops using that arm, they may drop their weapon if it is safe to do so otherwise they keep it out of the fight. A second hit tot hat limb and it is considered a body shot. A hit to body or head is a fatal wound and the fighter loses the fight. This particular video is fought best 2 out of 3 with doubles being refought. Shots should have sufficient power and edge orientation. If a fighter calls flat it is because their sword would have landed flat negating the power and the wound. If a fighter calls tippy or light it indicates that the shot did not land solid enough to merit a wound. The fights are honor based and so there needs to be some communication. This fight is also between two very high level fighters so they may communicate with body language and the marshals (you can think of them as referees there for safety and support) don't really say much as the fighters are showing that there is no need for another to step in. I hope that clarifies the combat. (Hits to the hands, knees, or bellow the knee are not valid targets and are discounted. Since this is a tournament there is no killing from behind, thrown weapons and other things you might see in a melee battle. Punching, kicking, grappling are also not allowed. For more information please look up the SCA.
I used to watch my dad fight in SCA battles, and it's so cool to see those fights. makes me want to go back to the SCA.
I get that there's some sort of "honorable" contact fencing happening here. But I don't understand the rules. Good show, but you need to link to an explanation.
This is a Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) heavy combat tournament in the Kingdom of the Outlands (Las Cruces New Mexico).
They are fighting with rattan (solid core bamboo) swords. With this in mind. A hit above the knee to hip is considered a leg shot and the fighter stops using that leg, dropping to their knees. A hit from wrist to shoulder and the fighter stops using that arm, they may drop their weapon if it is safe to do so otherwise they keep it out of the fight. A second hit tot hat limb and it is considered a body shot. A hit to body or head is a fatal wound and the fighter loses the fight.
This particular video is fought best 2 out of 3 with doubles being refought.
Shots should have sufficient power and edge orientation. If a fighter calls flat it is because their sword would have landed flat negating the power and the wound. If a fighter calls tippy or light it indicates that the shot did not land solid enough to merit a wound. The fights are honor based and so there needs to be some communication.
This fight is also between two very high level fighters so they may communicate with body language and the marshals (you can think of them as referees there for safety and support) don't really say much as the fighters are showing that there is no need for another to step in.
I hope that clarifies the combat.
(Hits to the hands, knees, or bellow the knee are not valid targets and are discounted. Since this is a tournament there is no killing from behind, thrown weapons and other things you might see in a melee battle. Punching, kicking, grappling are also not allowed.
For more information please look up the SCA.
A spectacular explanation, and far more than I expected. Thank you!